Otz is back

[32Cyclone Fan]

I think this is great news. I was lucky enough to share a beer or two with Otz so I'm a little biased, but he couldn't be more personable and imo there's no doubt he loves Fred and ISU. Don't know all the reasons he left but it sounds like he and Fred were hoping to get back together again, and it didn't take long. With the additional strong ISU connection with Alison and TJ now a family man, this may even work out well as a long time move. I trust Fred and welcome back Otz!

I read prior to them going to Washington that Alison is the one wanting to move there. She was drafted into the WNBA by the Seattle Storm team and liked it there. I thought it might be because one of her team mates there was also from Australia and was the WNBA MVP that year.

I wonder if Fred would consider him the better recruiter of the two he has had with the Cyclones. Should be a smoothe transition.

 

[ISUPoker]

Based on the talent we had stockpiled at the end of the Gmac era? Or from the productive recruits we had during Fred's first 2 seasons? Based on the studs he brought to UW?

People need to realize. GMacs problem was not recruiting, it was coaching. Mike Taylor, Diante Garrett, Wesley Johnson, Craig Brackins, Justin Hamilton. These are all guys who were or still are in the NBA. Some combination of 3 of the last 4 were on the same dang team for multiple years.

TJ was a big part of identifying and bringing that talent to Ames during the lean GMac years.

 

[bclewis05]

I am perfectly fine. Nice cop out response.

And now some insults, "Cop out"

There's a segment of this fan base I don't understand and man are they angry over anything and everything.

 

[Clone_12]

People need to realize. GMacs problem was not recruiting, it was coaching. Mike Taylor, Diante Garrett, Wesley Johnson, Craig Brackins, Justin Hamilton. These are all guys who were or still are in the NBA. Some combination of 3 of the last 4 were on the same dang team for multiple years.

TJ was a big part of identifying and bringing that talent to Ames during the lean GMac years.

McDermott had 3 misses for each of those guys you mentioned...when you are past year 1 and Bryan Petersen and Sean Haluska are both starting your main problem IS recruiting.

 

[Cychl82]

Based on the talent we had stockpiled at the end of the Gmac era? Or from the productive recruits we had during Fred's first 2 seasons? Based on the studs he brought to UW?

wow, someone is obviously clueless :wideeyed:

 

[cyhiphopp]

McDermott had 3 misses for each of those guys you mentioned...when you are past year 1 and Bryan Petersen and Sean Haluska are both starting your main problem IS recruiting.

That's not all on Otz though.

There's a reason guys transferred out. When you are losing star players to tranfer, that is an issue with the head coach. GMac then had to replace those guys with whoever he could find.

Fred knows Otz is a good recruiter and Otz has the privilege of selling Hoiball instead of GMac's 100 pages of plays that don't work.

 

[Clone_12]

That's not all on Otz though

There's a reason guys transferred out. When you are losing star players to tranfer, that is an issue with the head coach. GMac then had to replace those guys with whoever he could find.

Fred knows Otz is a good recruiter and Otz has the privilege of selling Hoiball instead of GMac's 100 pages of plays that don't work.

Agreed.

 

[Max57]

McDermott had 3 misses for each of those guys you mentioned...when you are past year 1 and Bryan Petersen and Sean Haluska are both starting your main problem IS recruiting.

Every time Sean Haluska would miss a shot in a Cyclone uni, I would comment, "The last time I saw Haluska make a shot he was playing against the Cubbies." It was funny once, maybe twice.

 

[bosco]

In the last 2 years the Iowa State/Fred Hoiberg brand has increased exponentially. I'm sure a savvy recruiter like Ozt can parlay that into even more leverage with prospects.

 

[WastedTalent]

A possible other way to look at it is, what would McDermott's teams look like, and perform, had tj not got some of those kids to come?

 

[Cycopath]

WHAR CYCOPATH?!?!

Right here bae. Glad TJ Otz is back.

 

[ISUPoker]

McDermott had 3 misses for each of those guys you mentioned...when you are past year 1 and Bryan Petersen and Sean Haluska are both starting your main problem IS recruiting.

The fact is, 4 NBA guys came here. That's recruiting. Them transferring is on the head coach, not the assistant who recruited them here.

 

[Wesley]

Bring Allison in for coach at Ankeny

Recruit the twins for 2032.

 

[Tre4ISU]

McDermott had 3 misses for each of those guys you mentioned...when you are past year 1 and Bryan Petersen and Sean Haluska are both starting your main problem IS recruiting.

This is not some harsh criticism of Hoiberg but he has had a lot of misses too. Sledge, Okoro, SDW, etc. I don't know that hs recruiting has been incredibly different under the two. They both got two high end talents, in Johnson/Brackins and Niang/Morris. The difference is that Hoiberg will go get transfers and make them work and he's much better on gameday. Hoiberg would have done wonders with some of Macs rosters. I'm not talking title games but he would have made the tourney at least a couple times.

 

[clone52]

Worth considering for those who have said he might be ready to bolt at the first opportunity.. i mean if he really wants to be here its not like he still wont be living comfortably in Ames. Not head coach money, but last time here he was making $200k+ which goes a long way in Iowa.

He may have been hired knowing it could be short term. The team has a solid core next year and there is something to be said for not rocking the boat with a new assistant from the outside. With all the blame people put on BDJ for the disappointing season (2nd place in conference, conference tournament champ, bad NCAA loss), imagine what blame would be laid on an outside assistant coming in if next year disappoints.

 

[CyVik7]

I'm confused.... why did he leave in the first place. It said he was Fred's associate HC when he left for Wash. I didn't think there is a higher ranking assistant position than Assoc. HC. Was it just not working out the way he thought at Wash.?

None the less, very happy to see him come back to Ames!

 

[CoKane]

I'm confused.... why did he leave in the first place. It said he was Fred's associate HC when he left for Wash. I didn't think there is a higher ranking assistant position than Assoc. HC. Was it just not working out the way he thought at Wash.?

None the less, very happy to see him come back to Ames!

I thought he was the one that committed the recruiting violations a few years ago but I'm not sure.

 

[jsb]

I thought he was the one that committed the recruiting violations a few years ago but I'm not sure.

No he wasn't.

I always thought he left on somewhat strained terms with hoiberg, but what do I know?

 

[Jer]

I thought he was the one that committed the recruiting violations a few years ago but I'm not sure.

He left simply to get experience for HC positions. He loves ISU, is on great terms with JP, CFH, etc and is an excellent rehire. No need to try dirtying anybody's names through this transition.

 

[cyhiphopp]

I'm confused.... why did he leave in the first place. It said he was Fred's associate HC when he left for Wash. I didn't think there is a higher ranking assistant position than Assoc. HC. Was it just not working out the way he thought at Wash.?

None the less, very happy to see him come back to Ames!

Assistant coaches need to build their resumes and make connections. You usually don't see GOOD assistants sticking at one school for way too long. If they are successful at one place they will head to another to prove it's not just them working for a good head coach.

TJ now has experience recruiting in multiple places in the country. His goal is to get a good head coaching gig in the next few years, but coming back to what is going to be a top ten team next year is good for his resume as well.

Alison also played for a year or so with the Seattle WNBA team. That might have had something to do with it as well. Now they have two kids and have a chance to come home to the midwest with their family.


Listen to CW on the Sports Fanatics today at 4. I'm sure he will ask about it.