That New Coach Smell

Okay, not literally B.O. but you know, like when you get excited sitting in a brand new car?

Every time we change football coaches the POSSIBILITY is what gets the fans ramped up. The new guy comes in talking about "changing the culture" and fans say, "Yeah! Finally!" because they want their team to do better.

Because Texas WBB doesn't change their coaches as often, this level of renewed excitement occurs less frequently.

I can't remember when I first started reading this board or then later when my first post was. I was wondering how pumped up we were when Gail was named coach (I was hoping and shocked when we pried her from Duke) and then feeling the letdown over the years as it didn't quite match up to what I thought it would turn into.

I can remember when Gail stepped down and I was actively hoping that we would get Karen because she had a proven track record as a HC plus she was Jody's assistant and understood the Texas playing style. And then feeling the letdown over the years as we peaked at the Elite 8.

And then coach Vic. Just like Gail, a coach with the proven ability to get to Final Fours, plural. I didn't think we could pry him from MSU as he's always longed to go back and be the HC of the Aggies.

I went backward in the archives and tried to see if there were threads that discussed or showed the excitement of our new HCs. It looks like this forum was created a few months after the beginning of Gail's tenure. It's some fun/sad reading as you can see many of you (LONG TIME commentators still here) talking about the potential of some players and the implication of the improved coaching to come

Gail Gustenkors
A thread for UT vs. San Diego
19 Texas Longhorns at San Diego Toreros

"What I love most about Coach G is her ability to fix the problem. 4 minutes into the second half and we have already gotten more offensive rebounds than we had the entire first half!"

As I recall, one of the flaws of the Gustenkors era was we didn't rebound as well as our opponents. Our players didn't tangle too much under the hoop, except this one player named....Nneka.

Karen Aston
@Moooooo expectations, really fair and thought out:
Expectations / predictions for 2012-13 season?
The two ironies in one sentence:
I would like to see a well-conditioned team, one that puts in a lot of effort. One that hustles for rebounds and loose balls. One that is "smart" on the court, and doesn't make tons of mistakes.

I would like to see Ronisha and Nneka given a longer leash, and allowed to show what they can do. Obviously, you earn your game minutes based on your practice performance; so, fingers crossed

We all know Nneka! Ronisha as in Ronisha Major. Yeah, that didn't work out.

and

Texas vs Jackson State
The bad: turnovers on the first two possessions were an indication of the TO trouble the Horns would have all game long, ending with 24. Every player had at least one TO with the posts ending up with half of the TOs, a number due to bringing the ball down or trying to dribble in traffic. Some of the TOs were just poor passes. It looked at times like they were a bit out of sync but then they would go on a nice run. Lots for the coaches to work on with the players.

And there it is. That never did change did it?

Anyway, this thread is not to call out or mock folks for their enthusiastic hope for the future with the new coaches. Just wondering if what we see initially that first few months is the way it will play out during the tenure of the newest coach.

I've been excited about ALL our HC hires post-Jody. I've also been wrong 2 times as well.

 

"That new coach smell" LOL.

VIC SCHAEFFER - My expectations are through the roof! An excellent (great?) coach who is a perfect fit at Texas. Yes, I am expecting top results soon for Texas' investment including $7 million guaranteed to Schaeffer alone. And I can honestly say I was not an early fan of either Gail G or Aston at Texas.

I loved Gail G's program at Duke. I was an early doubter at Texas. To me it was apparent early that she was not fitting in and that TEXAS was not going to be the one changing. IMO, Goestenkors was a good, creative coach with a fun style to watch who appears to have lacked the necessary drive and willingness to do what it took to win. She was certainly too slow to adapt at Texas. I thought she might be rounding the corner with recruiting just when she threw in the towel.

Aston. I was unenthusiastic about her hire even though I understood it. I was very depressed during the first season. My partner told me to be patient. I became a supporter. The bad play the last couple of years with players as talented as Holmes and Sutton was disheartening, but I was willing to hang in, hoping for another good to great run with the right players But then I never dreamed Texas was going to make such a bold move. I wonder if CDC would have made the move if he had known the financial consequences of COVID that were coming. At the time of the hire, I don't think most of us really knew what was coming.

 

Nneka!!! Loved her. We were poised to beat Baylor and go deep that season when she went down in Waco and, sadly, stayed down. I can still hear her painful cry with that ACL injury. At the time of her injury, led the Big 12 in rebounds (10.6 rpg), double-doubles (9), and rebounds during Big 12-only games (66). So sad. If Vic recruits like Karen and coaches like Gail... just dreaming. 1+1=Vic

 

None of them had the resume of Vic coming in and I think Plonsky held Gail back as much as Gail. Although she simply wasn't the right fit at Texas. Vic is a Texan and I believe is the perfect fit.

 

So far the recruiting under Vic has started with a bang.

 

Biggest problem is his dream job is AGGY.....??? What happens when Aggy's coach retires ? They have as much money as Texas. About the time he gets the program built up to challenge Baylor and Kim...poof !!!!!! Off to the darling SEC he will go.

 

Great points, couldn't agree more. I really thought Gail was going to have success here. I Guess she was the equivalent of Mackovic on the football side. Although Aston was a fantastic recruiter , very disappointed in the lack of player development and in game adjustments under her.

 

Have never read anywhere that GAGGY was his " dream job". All I've read and vids on him, he seems to be a man of loyalty and respect. He wanted to move back home. He did that. A move to gaggy would essentially be a lateral move. Even though the gags have won a title since UT has , UT still has more " name" recognition.

 

He did graduate from A&M and spent many years there as an assistant (yeah, I know you know that). If Mama calls you home? Of course you're going to listen. But that's getting way ahead of ourselves.

 

True and was born in Austin and knows this area well. Simply don't see him jumping ship. And yes , agreed completely with you. Lets let him get at least hallway through his first year before saying bye to him. lol

 

If Chris Del Conte understands Schaefer's roots, he will have included a huge buyout clause in Vic's contract if he ever chooses to leave for Texas A&M . . .

 

If Schaefer builds at UT what he did at MSU, and given the overall appeal of the city of Austin in recruiting, I don't see him wanting to give that up and start over anywhere else.
Coach Conradt being a Baylor grad never lured her back there.

 

Schaefer couldn't have got to Texas at a more perfect time. Right in time to get the players needed to build a championship level team with. Harmon, Hunter and Moore in particular. Vic signed a 7 year contract and he is not the youngest tool in the shed so I don't expect him too build something here then move on and restart somewhere else. I truly do think Vic will finish out his coaching career with Texas.