BREAKING: #BGSU hires former player Huger to be men's basketball coach. http://t.co/9PeFmGEFnP
— The Toledo Blade (@toledonews) April 16, 2015
This will be a very popular choice inside the Falcon nation...and frankly something that was needed given the anxiety that has been experienced within the program over the last couple of days. This will be a very popular choice. Of course, over time it is more important that he be a successful choice, but for now, I think it will calm the waters. As a younger Coach, I think you will see Huger settle the team down and keep the guys around for next year. Now, as my son pointed out, all the Michigan people were happy to get Brady Hoke, too, so you have to actually do the job on the court.
Huger was a truly outstanding player at Bowling Green. He was 1st and 2nd team All-MAC...led the team in assists twice. Was a team captain and was team MVP in 1993. My feeling always is that if you make all-MAC, you belong on the short list of the best players in our program.
Of course, Huger played for Jim Larranaga while at BG. He's from NYC, where Larranaga had good recruiting ties.
After college, Huger was a very successful professional player abroad. He played professional basketball in Europe, spending time in Finland (1992-94), two years in Holland (1994-96) and nine in Belgium (1996-2005). He was selected Dutch League MVP in 1996 after averaging 25.3 points and 5.8 assists, and went on to earn First Team All-Belgium honors in 2000 and 2004 after leading his clubs to Belgium Cup championships in both seasons.
Huger began his coaching career at Longwood University (Va.) where he spent two seasons.
Then, he joined Coach Larranaga at George Mason. In four seasons at George Mason, Huger helped lead the Patriots to the postseason every year -including NCAA berths in 2008 and 2011
Then, he went to Miami with Larranage, where he coached four seasons. He was the team’s defensive coordinator and the Canes were nationally ranked No. 39 in scoring defense (60.6) and No. 48 in field goal percentage defense (40.0).
So, on the plus side, he has high quality coaching experience in successful programs. He is a BG grad and someone who will feel strongly about succeeding here. On the down side, he has no head coaching experience.
No candidate has everything. For now, I think he settles things down and can get about the business of first fixing the damage that has been done and then second continuing the program's upward trajectory.
Welcome back, Michael. We're behind you.
Hires shouldn't be done to "calm the waters," appease former players and placate the (dwindling) fan base with nostalgia. They should be made to win championships. I'll root harder than anyone for Huger to do so, but I'm waiting for someone to explain how his resume is even in the same ballpark as Jeff Boals, Bacari Alexander, Greg Gard and the rest of the names we heard. 100-1 Kingston was forced by outside forces to dismiss Jans rather than suspend them and this is his passive-aggressive way of giving the "community" what it wants.
ReplyDeleteFair enough. I don't believe your scenario at all, but that's your view. One thing about resumes. I remember being disappointed when we hired a lifetime assistant football coach who had never even been a coordinator. That was Urban Meyer. Some people "have it."
ReplyDeleteWhether Huger has it will be seen with time, but Kingston really needs to deliver on this one, so I don't think he's trying to do anything except getting a coach who will succeed.
Geroge Mason went to the Final Four in 2006. Huger got there in 2008.
ReplyDeleteO&B, I hope you're correct. The chain of emails showed Kingston was OK with an apology and possible suspension and then something changed...a call or pressure from above is the only explanation I can think of. If he had his legs taken out from under him on his guy (Jans) he'll also be looking for a way out himself in short order. The alums forced Jans out so they got what they wanted. Going backwards back to the 1990's is the exact opposite direction this program should go.
ReplyDeleteI'm really trying to be optimistic, but it's insulting and patronizing how much the university is playing up the fact that he's an alum. Is this high school basketball? Or middle school? I'd take someone from the University of Phoenix if they could win basketball games. His status as a former player deserves to be mentioned, but that is the only thing (along with character) that is being mentioned. Fine if you're his neighbor but maddening if you're looking for a coach. No mention of getting back to the NCAA tournament AT ALL in the press release quotes. Unacceptable!
ReplyDelete1st. There's no way you can keep Jans on staff with that video floating around everywhere. It just looks horrible for university. As an alum I would be embarrassed to have him as our coach after that incident. Whether it was inside or outside forces does not make a difference. The right thing was done. And if any of the rumors are true about Jans frequenting the local bars and drinking to excess, than Jans had it coming to him one way or another. While being drunk is not illegal, it just doesn't look the part of a head basketball coach. As OB has stated in the unfortunate posts about Nick Johnson - we don't want to be a program that wins at all costs. We want good people representing us, or at least can appear good in public.
ReplyDelete2nd. You guys should chill out of the Huger hire. Give the guy a chance. The most qualified person doesn't always win the job. The person who fits in the best does. You can't blame the university for playing up the fact that he is an alum, he has no head coaching experience, so it's really the easiest thing to point out about him. I don't think the university has to say "we're trying to get back to the NCAAs", I think it's implied. That's the goal every year.
If it took the "alumni" to insist that coaches be a good representative of the University, than so be it. I don't think it did, though. And definitely in the give the guy a chance mode. He might turn out to be a great coach.
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