20 Loss Seasons Texas Basketball History: 1954-55: 4-20 (3-9) Coach: Slue Hull 1958-59: 4-20 (2-12) Coach: Marshall Hughes 1982-83: 6-22 (1-15) Coach: Kaiser Bob Weltlich 1983-84: 7-21 (3-13) Coach: Kaiser Bob Weltlich None of the above coaches ever made the NCAA Tournament at Texas after having a 20 loss season. Kaiser Bob was the most "successful" going as far as the second round in the NIT in his four seasons following that back to back 20 loss campaigns (we kept him for three bad and one mediocre year after back to back 20 loss seasons for some reason). There was a coaching change after the 1958-59 season and the new coach did win the Southwest Conference in the 1959-60 season. 1983's team will be hard to top as the worst Texas team ever since their only SWC win was a 2 point home win over Rice. Anyway, the relevance to this year's team? Shaka Smart and this year's Texas team appear to have a very good shot at matching the Texas record for most losses in a single season with 22. 2016-17: 10-17 (4-10) Remaining games: 2/20 @ #9 West Virginia 2/25 #3 Kansas 3/1 @ Texas Tech 3/4 #4 Baylor Big 12 Tournament If Shaka loses the four remaining regular season games, he would have to win the Big 12 Tournament and National Championship to avoid tying the school record for most losses in a season. Let's hope we can beat Tech or something and avoid this.
There is another historical record this team could unfortunately achieve: This 2016-17 squad is 0-9 in true road games and 0-3 in neutral site games for a combined 0-12 away from the Drum. The 1957-58 team 10-13 (5-9) went 0-9 in true road games and 1-2 in neutral site games for a combined 1-11 away from Austin. The 1982-83 team 6-22 (1-15) went 0-11 in true road games and 1-1 neutral site games for a combined 1-12 away from Austin. (See the original post about 82-83 probably being the worst team in Texas history.) Texas teams have managed to lose all their true road games in a season twice in the past, but have never lost every single game away from Austin in a season before. Our last chances to avoid this record would be as follows: 2/20 @ #9 West Virginia 3/1 @ Texas Tech Big 12 Tournament.
To think the powers that be gave this guy a raise and extension last year....SMH Texas women's team got rid of their mistake hire, and now they are in contention for a title. The men need to do the same asap, and go find a solid coach who can do the same for them.
54, You realize that if you prevail and Smart is asked to take his superior ability to put undisciplined teams on the court every night, you run the risk of putting an end to "Bill Powers Legacy", even though I guess his legacy could be moved from arrogance and failure to one of record breaking uncontrolled payouts.
Stat, Not disputing your post, but what exactly made him a "great hire" at that time, especially considering the compensation? I was told he had a 75% winning percentage as a HC. I equated that to Jim Wacker winning four small school national championships before moving to TCU. When Kaiser Bob was hired, we had been turned down by nearly a dozen contacts. It was so bad, I personally told Deloss that I didn't give a damn who it was, no more public rejections. Go get a coach. Again, I admit that I was so pissed at Powers for botching the deal for Luck, et al, that I wasn't paying attention and don't know whom, if anyone, we considered other than Smart, who has made it very difficult for me to watch a game.
IIRC Most of were pretty excited about the mart hire. And after we aw his first presser even more . It might have just been the contrast between had Charlie but Smart did seem to a smart choice and looked like he would turn things around. Which actually makes the result harder to take.
Texas has lost every game played (4) since my original post and has lost 7 in a row. Texas is now 10-21 (4-14). We finished last in the Big 12. Unless we win the Big 12 Tournament and the NCAA Tournament, Shaka will tie Kaiser Bob's school record for losses in a single season. This team is also 0-14 away from Austin. As stated earlier, while Texas teams have lost every true road game before, no Texas team has ever lost every single game away from Austin before. Our Wednesday game against Texas Tech in the Big 12 Tournament will be Shaka and this team's last chance to avoid setting that record.
I never thought I would see another Texas basketball team lose as many games in a single season as Kaiser Bob. But I guess you get the results of what you hire. I wonder how long Fenves will keep this loser coach.
Ivan, Again there is a huge difference in the hiring of Kaiser Bob and the hiring of Smart. Deloss got turned down by over a dozen candidates on the first. We were the laughing stock of the nation, with some comments like, "The coach at Snook just turned down Texas". I met briefly with Deloss and told him I didn't give a damn who he hired as long as the guy was breathing and said "yes". Hence, I never bitched about him. Smart is presently another failure in the attempt to create the "Bill Powers Legacy". No search; no screening; just somebody that someone somewhere said "is the guy", although like Strong, he had never done it at a major school or in a major conference, yet Powers and Patterson gave him an obscene contract. Will Smart turn it around? I don't know, but I would much prefer a proven commodity or a restructured contract that is incentive loaded and much smaller amount for just showing up.
The original sentence said "Texas women's team got rid of their mistake hire, and now they are in contention for a title", which I thought was a reference to Gail. It was later when a gender-specific pronoun was used.
Texas wins! Texas wins! The 7 game losing streak is over! The first ever 0 win away from the drum season has been prevented! Coach Smart gets his first postseason win at Texas! Texas beats Texas Tech 61-52 in Kansas City! Can we make a miracle happen against West Virginia?
I keep hearing that Jerrod Allen is a near shoo-in for the NBA, Let me quickly admit I am no coach. He is a pretty nice Big12 player, particularly when one realizes he is a freshman. But I can't see where he is ready for the League, possibly after next year, but he has some edges that still need to be smoothed down, in my view. Hook him, tho.
He's projected as a middle to late first round pick depending on how the rest of the class shakes out. He'd more than likely end up on a D League team but he has enough upside for someone to make a run at him. The rough edges are better softened on the development team of an NBA franchise than they are in a fledgling college basketball program. Jarrett Allen off the court is a heady, quiet, sort of introverted late bloomer. The jump from a HS comfort zone to the college scene didn't seem to be an easy transition for him. From what I've heard he's just getting used to college life and really enjoying school. I wouldn't be surprised if he comes back for one more season just to allow himself to have some fun and mature a little, which will ease that jump to professional basketball. This draft class will be pretty stacked - I think he'd move up 10 places and make more money just staying another year and playing with a PG that can create opportunities for him. He needs to build on his skill-set and bulk up a little. But every kid wants to live out that dream of making it to the NBA and turning down all those zeros seems difficult for a young man...we'll find out soon enough.