You can stop all the "We want Brad Huse to go" threads

[John K]

How can anyone look at this record and say, "Hey, this is the guy we need leading our program."? If you were looking for a new coach, would you hire this guy? If not, why is Huse getting a new contract?

2013: 13-17
2012: 12-17
2011: 13-18
2010: 15-14
2009: 14-17
2008: 15-15
2007: 11-19

Let's see, he's only won 15 games twice, the last time in 2009-2010. Over the last 3 years, he's won 13, 12, and 13. Not exactly an upward arc there. This isn't even mediocrity, it's failure. One "winning"(15-14) in 7 seasons. One .500 season. 5 losing seasons including the last 3 straight. The winning % for the last 3 years combined is 42%. The career winning % is 44%. Not only is this failure, it has actually gotten worse over the last 3 years compared to the first 4. There might be a reason to retain Huse if the program was showing some signs of improvement. It isn't, the numbers don't lie.

And of course, if you were to look at our 1st half/2nd half splits in conference play under Huse, and our BSC tourney record, the picture would be even far more bleak. Some people have commented that we haven't really been any worse under Huse, than we were under his predecessors, but that's simply not true. Both Starner and Durham posted significantly better results in their first seven seasons, as compared to Huse.

[CelticCat]

If we are using the facilities argument, let's compare MSU to the non-Weber/UM schools:

EWU - Reese Court - Actually pretty decent basketball arena, outside is ugly as hell but that's neither here nor there.
ISU - Holt Arena - Yuck. Could be worse though.
UND - Betty Engelstad Sioux Center - Not a bad venue, not great.
NAU - Walkup Skydome - Pretty decent.
UNC - Butler-Hancock Sports Pavilion - Pretty small, built in the 70s. Nothing to write home about.
PSU - Stott Center - Garbage
Sac State - Colberg Court - Garbage
SUU - Centrum Arena - Actually one of the nicer ones from the new members.

I'd put MSU right at or near the top of that last in terms of venues - I can't speak for weight rooms and such.

PSU went dancing in back-to-back years in one of the worst venues in the Sky.

[Colter_Nuanez]

COLTER WROTE: "And until the facility is upgraded, MSU will not beat the two top dogs in the Big Sky recruits. Huse brings in most of the same "big time" recruits the Big Sky powers do. Guess what? They all choose to go elsewhere and I'd say the majority of that has to do with facilities. On signing day, Rob Ash told me kids these days are really simple: they want to play for a winning program and they want nice facilities. That's it. The latter usually proceeds the former. "

Really? You actually don't believe that it is impossible to have 'the lesser' program- in this case msu bball- eventually overtake 'the greater' program- in this case um/weber bball? In truth the belief that MSU bball can rise up and win the bsc is not for the pragmatic or the reasonable. It's a job for dreamer.

If athletic fortunes were as intractable as Colter indicates then msu football would still be a middle level Big Sky Conference program. It took Rick Ogle and the Quarterback Club to go out and find someone who believed the same crazy things they did. Mike Kramer thought it was possible that in spite of poorer facilities and far poorer tradition, especially of late, that MSU could somehow eventually beat um. How did he do it? He took a different point of view than than the rational one that was held by all but about 1000 die hard Cat fans. He went out and got players that um in most cases did not want. And little by little he found players (now, granted some of those players were a bit 'iffy' in the scholastic and social aspect) that could compete. And in just three years he beat the vaunted Griz- two years in a row! Along the way Kramer did a lot of things wrong. But the notion that MSU's basketball fortunes must forever play third place to UM and Weber is just BS.

As a side note, Coach Ash could not have pulled this off. And I adore Coach Ash but he is a program 'maintainor', not a'builder'. A builder is usually someone like Kramer who is a big talker, a great story teller who doesn't let the facts mess with his message and a great motivator. These types of coaches are forced to fashion a team by selling things that no one else can really see. Because they aren't there yet. In short, they need to better recruiters than the other guys.

Granted, now that the APR issues are so paramount this kind of salesman coach will have a harder time. And Peter Fields is very unlikely to hire this sort of salesman personality. But right now at MSU for men's basketball that's the only kind of coach who is going to turn things around.

Excellent, spot on post.

If we are using the facilities argument, let's compare MSU to the non-Weber/UM schools:

EWU - Reese Court - Actually pretty decent basketball arena, outside is ugly as hell but that's neither here nor there.
ISU - Holt Arena - Yuck. Could be worse though.
UND - Betty Engelstad Sioux Center - Not a bad venue, not great.
NAU - Walkup Skydome - Pretty decent.
UNC - Butler-Hancock Sports Pavilion - Pretty small, built in the 70s. Nothing to write home about.
PSU - Stott Center - Garbage
Sac State - Colberg Court - Garbage
SUU - Centrum Arena - Actually one of the nicer ones from the new members.

I'd put MSU right at or near the top of that last in terms of venues - I can't speak for weight rooms and such.

PSU went dancing in back-to-back years in one of the worst venues in the Sky.

You have to have that one player. Jeremiah Dominguez (PSU), Devon Beitzel (UNC), Kevin Criswell, Anthony Johnson, Will Cherry...those type of guys get you into the tournament. Take away Will Cherry and Kareem Jamar and MSU beats UM 7 out of 10 times with this season's teams.

You have to have the coach who can find that one player. Is Huse that guy? He recruited several of the above listed...they all went elsewhere. Did they not like the facilities? Or did they not bite on anything Brad was selling? The answer to that is the answer to fixing the Montana State program.

[HelenaCat]

Not only is there so much turnover, but the players who do stick around rarely get better. Remember how much raw talent Budnich had when he got to Bozeman? He could have been awesome. Instead, he's probably less effective than he was as a redshirt freshman. Who's fault is that? I don't know. Bobby Howard's raw numbers went up a lot from his freshman to senior years, but his per-minute averages saw only modest improvement. Ditto for Branden Johnson. Piepoli's numbers didn't even go up; he scored 7.5 ppg all three years, and he never added any additional skills like being a rebounder or a facilitator.

So few of Huse's players are four-year guys that I'm having trouble finding examples. But it seems like either Huse doesn't teach skills very well, or he's recruiting guys who don't have the drive to learn anything.

Erik Rush did get better, but he seems like the exception rather than the rule.

I agree with your overall assessment as the lack of improvement of many players is a concern of mine also. But I really disagree on one specific example: Branden Johnson. I really think that BJ is the best shining example that Huse could ever point to for a player that totally improved from his freshamn to senior years. When he first arrived, BJ could shoot , but he played absolutely no defense and was not a tough rebounder. BJ's senior year was outstanding for an undersized center. He shot well, but also really toughened up on defense and rebounding. He was a reall good all around plyer his senior season.

[HelenaCat]

[You have to have that one player. Jeremiah Dominguez (PSU), Devon Beitzel (UNC), Kevin Criswell, Anthony Johnson, Will Cherry...those type of guys get you into the tournament. Take away Will Cherry and Kareem Jamar and MSU beats UM 7 out of 10 times with this season's teams.

You have to have the coach who can find that one player. Is Huse that guy? He recruited several of the above listed...they all went elsewhere. Did they not like the facilities? Or did they not bite on anything Brad was selling? The answer to that is the answer to fixing the Montana State program.[/quote]

So Colter, I assume you will have your interview with Coach Huse up soon. Did you ask him something along this line of questioning? I know you have to walk a fine line, but do you have any feel for how Brad would answer this question?

By the way, I am also a subscriber and I want to thank you for all your hard work and articles. You do a fantastic job and I do sincerely enjoy all your articles!

[John K]

COLTER WROTE: "And until the facility is upgraded, MSU will not beat the two top dogs in the Big Sky recruits. Huse brings in most of the same "big time" recruits the Big Sky powers do. Guess what? They all choose to go elsewhere and I'd say the majority of that has to do with facilities. On signing day, Rob Ash told me kids these days are really simple: they want to play for a winning program and they want nice facilities. That's it. The latter usually proceeds the former. "

Really? You actually don't believe that it is impossible to have 'the lesser' program- in this case msu bball- eventually overtake 'the greater' program- in this case um/weber bball? In truth the belief that MSU bball can rise up and win the bsc is not for the pragmatic or the reasonable. It's a job for dreamer.

If athletic fortunes were as intractable as Colter indicates then msu football would still be a middle level Big Sky Conference program. It took Rick Ogle and the Quarterback Club to go out and find someone who believed the same crazy things they did. Mike Kramer thought it was possible that in spite of poorer facilities and far poorer tradition, especially of late, that MSU could somehow eventually beat um. How did he do it? He took a different point of view than than the rational one that was held by all but about 1000 die hard Cat fans. He went out and got players that um in most cases did not want. And little by little he found players (now, granted some of those players were a bit 'iffy' in the scholastic and social aspect) that could compete. And in just three years he beat the vaunted Griz- two years in a row! Along the way Kramer did a lot of things wrong. But the notion that MSU's basketball fortunes must forever play third place to UM and Weber is just BS.

As a side note, Coach Ash could not have pulled this off. And I adore Coach Ash but he is a program 'maintainor', not a'builder'. A builder is usually someone like Kramer who is a big talker, a great story teller who doesn't let the facts mess with his message and a great motivator. These types of coaches are forced to fashion a team by selling things that no one else can really see. Because they aren't there yet. In short, they need to better recruiters than the other guys.

Granted, now that the APR issues are so paramount this kind of salesman coach will have a harder time. And Peter Fields is very unlikely to hire this sort of salesman personality. But right now at MSU for men's basketball that's the only kind of coach who is going to turn things around.

Excellent, spot on post.

If we are using the facilities argument, let's compare MSU to the non-Weber/UM schools:

EWU - Reese Court - Actually pretty decent basketball arena, outside is ugly as hell but that's neither here nor there.
ISU - Holt Arena - Yuck. Could be worse though.
UND - Betty Engelstad Sioux Center - Not a bad venue, not great.
NAU - Walkup Skydome - Pretty decent.
UNC - Butler-Hancock Sports Pavilion - Pretty small, built in the 70s. Nothing to write home about.
PSU - Stott Center - Garbage
Sac State - Colberg Court - Garbage
SUU - Centrum Arena - Actually one of the nicer ones from the new members.

I'd put MSU right at or near the top of that last in terms of venues - I can't speak for weight rooms and such.

PSU went dancing in back-to-back years in one of the worst venues in the Sky.

You have to have that one player. Jeremiah Dominguez (PSU), Devon Beitzel (UNC), Kevin Criswell, Anthony Johnson, Will Cherry...those type of guys get you into the tournament. Take away Will Cherry and Kareem Jamar and MSU beats UM 7 out of 10 times with this season's teams.

You have to have the coach who can find that one player. Is Huse that guy? He recruited several of the above listed...they all went elsewhere. Did they not like the facilities? Or did they not bite on anything Brad was selling? The answer to that is the answer to fixing the Montana State program.

I don't know if I would agree with you about that. After all, UM did beat MSU in Bozeman, when they were without Cherry and Ward, although of course they still had Jamar. But isn't that sort of the point....that UM/Tinkle has consistently been able to sign players the caliber of Cherry, Jamar, and Ward (and more importantly, they've stuck around for all four years), while MSU/Huse has not? It says a lot about the state of the 2 programs, when UM can beat MSU on the road, even without 2 of their 3 best players. We used to get "special" players like that....Kral Ferch, Tom Domako, Tony Hampton, Ray Willis in the 80's, and Danny Sprinkle, Quadre Lollis, Nate Holmstadt, Nico Harrison in the 90's. But it doesn't seem like Huse has had hardly any of these "difference making" types of players during his tenure. Is it because he just hasn't been able to sign any top-caliber players (or at least keep them around for 3-4 years), or does their talent get stifled in his system, or do most of his recruits just not improve during the course of their careers (although that's difficult to judge because so few of them stick around)?

[CelticCat]

The last star baller we had was Carlos Taylor, and he wasn't the leader kind that elevates the rest of his team to another level, or makes everyone else better. He just said "ugh looks like I gotta do this myself again" and took over games, in more of a Kobe/ballhog sort of way. But he had no choice...

It's like we have teams full of great role players. It's not easy finding the stars, but we seem to be unable to find them at a lower rate than our peers. But we do find talent, and that's why we always win in the first half. The 2nd half you need those stars, that talent to beat teams that know you. We haven't had that since Huse has been here.

[Colter_Nuanez]

EXIT INTERVIEWS: Brad Huse
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[AJWILDCAT]

So I just stopped by to see IF Huse had been let go and if you guys had any names for a coaching search, come to find out Huse is getting a 3 yr contract? WTF?? I have to say from the outside looking in this makes ZERO sense. It would be nice to have MSU step up and be a contender in the Big Sky in hoops but i dont see that happening anytime now.

[BozCatFan]

The facilities at UM aside from the public side of Dahlberg Arena is awful. The locker rooms are old - low ceilings, dark, and spread out around corners etc... It reminds me of Bozeman High when I was there in the early 90's. The weight room is in several different rooms on different levels. They are awful. The academic space is completely outdated and not adequate at all.

Huse using this is a complete excuse because the Cats are way ahead in the "behind the scenes" facilities with the Fieldhouse.

The bottom line is Peter Fields and his staff don't care about basketball. It isn't changing until he either gets a better job or retires. One of our mutual friends has told me on several different occasions that PF is only interested in football. Its pretty obvious.

The sad thing is the perpetual state of basketball puts an increasing amount of pressure on the football program to make up the money left on the table by MBB. Good thing they are hot right now or MSU Athletics would be even farther in the red.

[DicTater]

The most depressing thing about the Huse interview is that he believes that if they just keep doing what they have been doing for the last 7 years (but do it harder) their record will improve. Let's see, Huse has had the same system for 7 years and has been over .500 once, so the key is to not change or adapt. How does Huse spell "success"? SOS (same ol' sh#t)

[John K]

The most depressing thing about the Huse interview is that he believes that if they just keep doing what they have been doing for the last 7 years (but do it harder) their record will improve. Let's see, Huse has had the same system for 7 years and has been over .500 once, so the key is to not change or adapt. How does Huse spell "success"? SOS (same ol' sh#t)

Hey, as long as we keep backing into the tourney and losing in the 1st round, that seems to be good enough for his boss, so why would he feel motivated to change anything?

[CARDIAC_CATS]

The most depressing thing about the Huse interview is that he believes that if they just keep doing what they have been doing for the last 7 years (but do it harder) their record will improve. Let's see, Huse has had the same system for 7 years and has been over .500 once, so the key is to not change or adapt. How does Huse spell "success"? SOS (same ol' sh#t)

If he coaches any harder we will be losing 4-5 players a year instead of 3-4. He is a tough coach but has not consistently recruited guys that fit his system or coaching style. He is a good coach I have no doubt about but as HEAD COACH there is a lot more to it to be successful (coaching/recruiting/APR etc.). Maybe MSU thinks he is ready to put it all together finally .. we shall see. Risky move in my opinion as MSU's mens bball attendance levels/interest are falling (should be a flagship program in the Big Sky) and that is HARD to dig back out of.

[homeytennis]

One winning season in 7 is pretty good.

[MSU01]

One winning season in 7 is pretty good.

You must be a Pittsburgh Pirates fan!

[bob12]

One winning season in 7 is pretty good.

You must be a Pittsburgh Pirates fan!

You leave my Pirates out of this!

[BLACKnBLUEnGOLD]

One winning season in 7 is pretty good.

You must be a Pittsburgh Pirates fan!

You leave my Pirates out of this!

They're my Pirates too, and I can admit that they suck.

They'd be better if they used their good players more and stopped using their awful players, but they'd still suck. They would just suck less.

[bob12]

One winning season in 7 is pretty good.

You must be a Pittsburgh Pirates fan!

You leave my Pirates out of this!

They're my Pirates too, and I can admit that they suck.

They'd be better if they used their good players more and stopped using their awful players, but they'd still suck. They would just suck less.

Just hoping for a winning season at this point (be fine with 82-80 and no playoffs). I like that for once they didn't trade their top talent for more prospects. Hopefully McCutchen sticks around for awhile.

[John K]

So, has there been an official announcement yet, about Huse signing a new contract for next season? Hopefully, it will be for only one year, rather than another 3-year deal.

[mslacat]

So, has there been an official announcement yet, about Huse signing a new contract for next season? Hopefully, it will be for only one year, rather than another 3-year deal.

Actually there has not been an "official announcement". Last I heard a recommendation to extend Huse's contract one more year has been forwarded on to the Regents for their approval. When they approve it, MSU will make an official announcement. Colter and Gidal may know more.