Texas Fans Done With Shaka Smart - Is His Fate Tied To Wojo's?

[🏀]

Buzz to Texas

[WhiteTrash]

Woj will end up being on a list of potential Shaka replacements at UT I'd wager.

I'd also guess Beilien somehow works something out with the Cavs to let him end up taking the Texas job come mid April.

Well as any Pro-Jo can tell you, it's just one game plus Shaka is trying to institute his culture and needs time.

If Texas can just be patient, it will pay off with huge success with Shaka.   

Wojo may be a target someday for Texas but not this offseason. Texas would not settle for a coach with Wojo's record. Wojo would be a tough sell to most P6 fan bases and Texas fans have bigger ego's than most.

[Cheeks]

Well as any Pro-Jo can tell you, it's just one game plus Shaka is trying to institute his culture and needs time.

If Texas can just be patient, it will pay off with huge success with Shaka.   

Wojo may be a target someday for Texas but not this offseason. Texas would not settle for a coach with Wojo's record. Wojo would be a tough sell to most P6 fan bases and Texas fans have bigger ego's than most.

Compare Shaka's trajectory to Wojo.....thanks.   Took other coach's players to NCAA tournament, only been there one time with his own.  Has been above .500 in conference one time at Texas...first year with previous coach's players.

But ok....

[TAMU, Knower of Ball]

Well as any Pro-Jo can tell you, it's just one game plus Shaka is trying to institute his culture and needs time.

If Texas can just be patient, it will pay off with huge success with Shaka.   

Wojo may be a target someday for Texas but not this offseason. Texas would not settle for a coach with Wojo's record. Wojo would be a tough sell to most P6 fan bases and Texas fans have bigger ego's than most.

Wojo was targeted by a couple of P6 schools last season and at least one of the fan bases was ecstatic about it. Usually when a program is able to lure away a coach from another p6 school that is coming off back to back NCAA appearances (assuming the current projections stand), fans are pretty excited about it.

That being said, Texas may be the exception. But many of them would be disappointed even if they hired Coach K away from Duke.

[WhiteTrash]

Compare Shaka's trajectory to Wojo.....thanks.   Took other coach's players to NCAA tournament, only been there one time with his own.  Has been above .500 in conference one time at Texas...first year with previous coach's players.

But ok....

Well, Shaka has take his teams to the NCAA tourney 70% of the time. (Wojo 40%) His B12 conference winning % before this year is a massive 5% worse than Wojo's. And, yes he took a mid-major to a Final Four.

By anyone's assessment, Shaka is a more accomplished coach than Wojo at this point. So why would you not think Texas should be more patient?

[Cheeks]

Well, Shaka has take his teams to the NCAA tourney 70% of the time. (Wojo 40%) His B12 conference winning % before this year is a massive 5% worse than Wojo's. And, yes he took a mid-major to a Final Four.

By anyone's assessment, Shaka is a more accomplished coach than Wojo at this point. So why would you not think Texas should be more patient?

Uhm, Smart has coached longer so you are comparing apples to oranges again.  Both have had P6 jobs the same amount of time, he is at the flagship school of Texas, the second largest athletic budget in the nation, warm weather, huge population to pull from and what is his trajectory especially with HIS guys...again?

[WhiteTrash]

Uhm, Smart has coached longer so you are comparing apples to oranges again.  Both have had P6 jobs the same amount of time, he is at the flagship school of Texas, the second largest athletic budget in the nation, warm weather, huge population to pull from and what is his trajectory especially with HIS guys...again?

So, for the sake of argument, I'll accept that. But the fact is that Shake did get the Texas job and Wojo would not even be considered for Texas.

[MU82]

Well, Shaka has take his teams to the NCAA tourney 70% of the time. (Wojo 40%) His B12 conference winning % before this year is a massive 5% worse than Wojo's. And, yes he took a mid-major to a Final Four.

By anyone's assessment, Shaka is a more accomplished coach than Wojo at this point. So why would you not think Texas should be more patient?

Shaka was considered THE guy to hire. We, and every other P6 school salivated over him. In his second year at Texas, he went 11-22. In his fourth year at Texas' flagship university, no NCAA. His team is still underachieving.

He was expected to be the shizzle. He has not delivered, fuhshizzle.

So stop it.

Though I do wonder if Marquette fans would be on him as much as a select group of Scoopers are on Wojo in the same time frame. So many here decided the day we didn't get Shaka and had to "settle" on Wojo that we were getting a bum, I'm guessing Shaka would have gotten a bit more benefit of the doubt from those folks. But maybe not.

[Cheeks]

So, for the sake of argument, I'll accept that. But the fact is that Shake did get the Texas job and Wojo would not even be considered for Texas.

Billie Gillespie got the Kentucky job.  I'm not sure what your point is other than you don't like Wojo.

[WhiteTrash]

I'm guessing Shaka would have gotten a bit more benefit of the doubt from those folks. But maybe not.

Absolutely, Shaka would have gotten more benefit of the doubt. He earned it. MU fans and admin would be ignorant not to give Shaka more benefit of the doubt than someone like Wojo.

Just so nobody gets their feeling hurt; it's possible Wojo may end up being a better coach than Shaka. I'm just pointing out actual resume's at the time.

[BallBoy]

Well, Shaka has take his teams to the NCAA tourney 70% of the time. (Wojo 40%) His B12 conference winning % before this year is a massive 5% worse than Wojo's. And, yes he took a mid-major to a Final Four.

By anyone's assessment, Shaka is a more accomplished coach than Wojo at this point. So why would you not think Texas should be more patient?

I was extremely excited when #donedeal was announced but looking back it might be a blessing that Shaka didn't come to Marquette. 

Texas has a significantly larger budget and is a huge draw for Texas players. Under those conditions Shaka has struggled. His record his first year was 20-13 and lost in the first round.

His second year he went 4-14 in conference and 11-22.

Year 3 he went 19-15 and 8-10 in conference.  When you look at the record you have to question how they made it in. There big wins were in conference against WV, 2xOklahoma and TCU.  A big thank you had to be given to Oklahoma (Trae Young) for also having a losing record in conference because likely got them in. That was the year Oklahoma was the it thing, sucked in conference but still made the tournament.  They lost 12 of their last 16 including the Big 12 tourney and the first round loss.
Texas won 4 of their last 10 games and lost in the first round.   MU didn't make the dance this year with a record of 19-13 and 9-9 in conference.

Fourth year he was 16-16 with an 8-10 conference record. He went on to win the NIT for a final record of 21-16.

Year 5 he is sitting at 12-6 with a 2-4 record in conference. When you look at his Nonconference he has played no one. Best teams he played was Purdue (win), Georgetown and Providence (both losses).  Throw in the next best Texas A&M and you can see he played no one.  He will likely get to 20 wins due to the crap in the nonconference.

His record at Texas isn't good and add to this Texas doesn't even have a Top 150 recruiting class. Currently has zero commits.

Pair the fact they have had mediocre results with the following recruiting classes 18, 6, 6, 8, 17 national and you can see why Texas is starting to wonder.

Do I think Texas should fire him?  No, I think the NIT championship bought him an extra few years and his recruiting is good. 

I would say over the last 5 years Wojo has done better and has a better trend.

[WhiteTrash]

Billie Gillespie got the Kentucky job.  I'm not sure what your point is other than you don't like Wojo.

Billie Gillespie was fired by Kentucky. They were not patient at all.

[MU82]

Shaka has been a borderline disaster at Texas. Expectations were so much higher.

Talk about a downward trend line ... just look at Shaka's since the Final Four, which now was eons ago.

There is no evidence at all from the last 5-6 years to suggest Shaka is a better coach than any of 100+ other coaches, including Wojo. He got his chance to step up in class ... and he has failed.

Would he have been better at Marquette than he is at Texas? We'll never know. Mrs. Shaka made sure of that.

[Cheeks]

Billie Gillespie was fired by Kentucky. They were not patient at all.

Correct, because with the cheating and other crap that has gone on at Kentucky for ages...you cannot afford not to win.


We ain't Kentucky

[MuMark]

https://sports.yahoo.com/shaka-smart-lost-his-way-by-abandoning-what-made-him-successful-094336729.html

[Elonsmusk]

Shaka has been a borderline disaster at Texas. Expectations were so much higher.

Talk about a downward trend line ... just look at Shaka's since the Final Four, which now was eons ago.

There is no evidence at all from the last 5-6 years to suggest Shaka is a better coach than any of 100+ other coaches, including Wojo. He got his chance to step up in class ... and he has failed.

Would he have been better at Marquette than he is at Texas? We'll never know. Mrs. Shaka made sure of that.

Actually Shakas performance is pretty similar to Wojo's. Year 4 Shaka wins NiT, Wojo bounced in Quarters in year 4.

Texas hoops tradition is less than MU. Basketball is second fiddle. It's a good job, but MU has a track record of much more hoops success.

This all being said, I would have felt Shaka would do a better job there and certainly appears he's not any better than Wojo - other than having had the one run at VCU.

[MU82]

https://sports.yahoo.com/shaka-smart-lost-his-way-by-abandoning-what-made-him-successful-094336729.html

Wow ... that article makes Shaka look pretty weak.

Actually Shakas performance is pretty similar to Wojo's.

Shaka was supposed to be The Superstar Coach, the one mid-major guy every big-time program with an opening wanted. Wojo was The Safety School -- the guy we settled for when Mrs. Shaka declared her disdain for Real Chili, Pabst and bubblers.

I wish Wojo had done better so far. But when it comes to living up to expectations, Shaka hasn't come close. He has been a failure.

[WhiteTrash]

Wojo was targeted by a couple of P6 schools last season

What schools? How do you know this? I don't remember Wojo turning down any offers.

[brewcity77]

I expect Texas will look at Chris Beard first, which will be interesting to see play out.

[Silent Verbal]

What schools? How do you know this? I don't remember Wojo turning down any offers.

And which fan base was "ecstatic" about it?

[Galway Eagle]

What schools? How do you know this? I don't remember Wojo turning down any offers.

To my recollection VA Tech went after him. I feel like one other reached out as well

[Its DJOver]

To my recollection VA Tech went after him. I feel like one other reached out as well

VA Tech, and UNLV were both rumored, don't know if an official offer was extended.  Very real possibility that feelers were sent out to see if there was any reciprocating interest.  If they were sent out, another very real possibility that they were responded to by a "thanks, but no thanks". 

And which fan base was "ecstatic" about it?

Don't know about "ecstatic", but there was considerable optimism from the VA Tech boards when they thought they were getting Wojo.  A "coming home" of sorts.  Don't know if this is what TAMU is referencing or not.

[Pakuni]

I expect Texas will look at Chris Beard first, which will be interesting to see play out.

They should consider the guy at Tennessee.

[Dish]

The landscape of the Texas job has changed a lot since it was last open. With Beard at Tech, Buzz at College Station, and the success Baylor continues to have, it's certainly going to be interesting once it opens. I think they're going to look for someone who has coached at a power conference, rather than going with a power conference assistant or a mid major successful coach.

[dgies9156]

Buzz to Texas

The Aggies would burn the state down if that happened.