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Post by tomclen on Nov 23, 2023 12:56:01 GMT -5
11/23/23 Thanksgiving Day, 2023 While many VTers are enjoying family & turkey(s) and thinking about Selection Sunday, UW fans are still trying to figure out how the team missed the tournament for the first time in two decades. And wondering if things will get worse in 2024. To help answer that question, it might be time to re-think the JMac and KCook years on Montlake so we can set the correct bar for Leslie Gabriel.  JMac took over a program that had just finished dead last in the PAC. After two years he got his team to fewer than 10 losses, and then never again did a JMac UW team have 10 losses. He won PAC titles and a National Championship. KCook took over in 2015, kept things stable for one year, but then had three consecutive increases in losses. In his 8 years at UW his teams had two seasons with more than 10 losses, including his final year in 2022. (He should get props for making the FF during the 2020 Covid year, but there are some who think that entire year was an outlier for many teams.) Gabriel took over in 2023, with a bare cupboard recruiting class, a departing AD and an impending conference change. Her first team suffered the most losses for any UW team since the JMac turnaround. And of course, missed the tournament. Seeing these numbers in chart form has me slightly rethinking the KCook years. (Gopher fans can do their own thinking.) Assuming UW has to play PSU, NEB, PUR, and the other UW in '24, I'd think getting the team to fewer than 10 losses would be success. Can LGab (sorry, need to keep with convention) do that? Can she build on that in "25 and beyond. IMO, it all comes down to recruiting. |
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Post by huskyvolley on Nov 23, 2023 13:24:08 GMT -5
A solid coaching crew can really shake things up from the get-go. We can talk about "bad recruiting" or "not enough talent or athleticism" all day long, but the truth is, good coaches drive a team to success (just see Mansfield at KSU). I'm not feeling optimistic about UW's future until they make some serious changes in this coaching staff.
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Post by Huskyfan on Nov 23, 2023 13:28:14 GMT -5
11/23/23 Thanksgiving Day, 2023 Can LGab (sorry, need to keep with convention) do that? Us old timers feel more comfortable with Tui or LTui  |
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Post by hammer on Nov 23, 2023 13:38:02 GMT -5
10 losses or less? Yes, on the edge of possibility if the pre-con schedule is very weak. Neb, Wisky, Purdue, PSU, Oregon I would project to be clearly better than U-Dub. Then there are teams like Minny, USC, UCLA, Ohio St that likely will be better, but the difference isn't as great. Unknown factors are the B1G schedule, portal acquisitions, injuries, etc.
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Post by Huskyfan on Nov 23, 2023 14:14:11 GMT -5
A solid coaching crew can really shake things up from the get-go. We can talk about "bad recruiting" or "not enough talent or athleticism" all day long, but the truth is, good coaches drive a team to success (just see Mansfield at KSU). I'm not feeling optimistic about UW's future until they make some serious changes in this coaching staff. I agree Washington needs to do a better job at recruiting. Just from the outside looking in, I am concerned about having only one verbal for 2025. It looks like Washington has 2 graduating seniors after 2024 (Bays, Endsley) with Bush getting an extra year in 2025. This can change depending on players that may join from the transfer portal. I congratulate Jason Mansfield for getting Izzi Szulczewski as a transfer (I wish Washington did). She was a nice player at Oregon State and provided KSU with a starting setter and the "it factor". However, KSU returned a majority of their leading players (hitters, blockers, defense, even setting). So, it is hard to compare with Washington with the depleted roster from graduation and injuries. |
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Post by luckydawg on Nov 23, 2023 15:16:30 GMT -5
Good analysis, though could also include the impact of last year's departed senior class making up half the team. Add in the unexpected loss of projected starters Emoni and Sophie and an out of sync recruiting cycle.
I've wondered how much, if any, these factored into Keegan's decision to leave.
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Post by tomclen on Nov 23, 2023 15:29:03 GMT -5
A solid coaching crew can really shake things up from the get-go. We can talk about "bad recruiting" or "not enough talent or athleticism" all day long, but the truth is, good coaches drive a team to success (just see Mansfield at KSU). I'm not feeling optimistic about UW's future until they make some serious changes in this coaching staff. I share your frustration with this season. But the perfect storm of extenuating circumstances was pretty hefty this year: lack of a stellar recruiting class; sudden coaching departure; AD leaving; conference upheaval; and, most of all, injuries. Let's remember that JMac didn't set the world on fire in his first year. 11-16 overall; 4-14 in the PAC. His team lost 8 of their final 9 matches and the last five in a row. Thankfully, the administration didn't rush to judgement - otherwise UW might still be a bottom-feeder. And to be practical for a moment, Leslie Gabriel was a star UW volleyball player and a loyal linchpin of the coaching staff through two head coaches. She turned down the job when JMac left because of her young family. In 2023 it would be the rare university that would want to play hardball with a female coach given those circumstances. I'm confident she knows what needs to be fixed and has a plan to move forward. |
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Post by DaDawgFather on Nov 23, 2023 17:07:00 GMT -5
A solid coaching crew can really shake things up from the get-go. We can talk about "bad recruiting" or "not enough talent or athleticism" all day long, but the truth is, good coaches drive a team to success (just see Mansfield at KSU). I'm not feeling optimistic about UW's future until they make some serious changes in this coaching staff. I share your frustration with this season. But the perfect storm of extenuating circumstances was pretty hefty this year: lack of a stellar recruiting class; sudden coaching departure; AD leaving; conference upheaval; and, most of all, injuries. Let's remember that JMac didn't set the world on fire in his first year. 11-16 overall; 4-14 in the PAC. His team lost 8 of their final 9 matches and the last five in a row. Thankfully, the administration didn't rush to judgement - otherwise UW might still be a bottom-feeder. Let's also remember that JMac wasn't hired until late July and literally flew in days before the first practice and his first staff was Tui and his brother. It was doubtful the administration would rush to judgement since it was the AD who sought Jim out. For Jim's second season it was Tui and a JC coach. The rest shall we say is history. I think Tui will get it going again. It'll be different but the 2 things I think are most important is recruiting and figuring out how the skill set of her assistants complement her skill set. |
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Post by tomclen on Nov 23, 2023 18:59:24 GMT -5
Also let's not overlook the Manolo Concepcion misfire.
I don't think any of knows what really happened. Did he realize the culture at UW wasn't a good fit? Did LGab have communications issues with him? Family matters intervene. Something untoward?
Why it happened doesn't really matter much. But there's no question that having her first significant hire suddenly be absent from the scene likely put her, and the team, in a tight spot.
Regardless, excuses don't matter. Onward, and all that.
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Post by DaDawgFather on Nov 23, 2023 19:16:34 GMT -5
Also let's not overlook the Manolo Concepcion misfire. I don't think any of knows what really happened. Did he realize the culture at UW wasn't a good fit? Did LGab have communications issues with him? Family matters intervene. Something untoward? Why it happened doesn't really matter much. But there's no question that having her first significant hire suddenly be absent from the scene likely put her, and the team, in a tight spot. Regardless, excuses don't matter. Onward, and all that. Yeah that was strange. I haven't heard the whole story on that one. |
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Post by redbeard2008 on Nov 24, 2023 0:22:13 GMT -5
A solid coaching crew can really shake things up from the get-go. We can talk about "bad recruiting" or "not enough talent or athleticism" all day long, but the truth is, good coaches drive a team to success (just see Mansfield at KSU). I'm not feeling optimistic about UW's future until they make some serious changes in this coaching staff. My theory was that they offered Leslie the job as a courtesy, but were surprised when she accepted. |
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Post by luckydawg on Nov 24, 2023 1:03:26 GMT -5
A solid coaching crew can really shake things up from the get-go. We can talk about "bad recruiting" or "not enough talent or athleticism" all day long, but the truth is, good coaches drive a team to success (just see Mansfield at KSU). I'm not feeling optimistic about UW's future until they make some serious changes in this coaching staff. My theory was that they offered Leslie the job as a courtesy, but were surprised when she accepted. Tui made it known that she wanted the job, initially by applying and then in her interviews. The players also wanted her to be their new hc. No one in administration was surprised when she accepted it. |
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Post by Cruz'n on Nov 24, 2023 2:28:02 GMT -5
A solid coaching crew can really shake things up from the get-go. We can talk about "bad recruiting" or "not enough talent or athleticism" all day long, but the truth is, good coaches drive a team to success (just see Mansfield at KSU). I'm not feeling optimistic about UW's future until they make some serious changes in this coaching staff. My theory was that they offered Leslie the job as a courtesy, but were surprised when she accepted. That's a sound theory. I mean, what assistant coach aspires to be a head coach, right? Especially someone who has been with the program 20 years, including as a player.  |
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Post by huskyvolley on Nov 24, 2023 11:24:39 GMT -5
My theory was that they offered Leslie the job as a courtesy, but were surprised when she accepted. Tui made it known that she wanted the job, initially by applying and then in her interviews. The players also wanted her to be their new hc. No one in administration was surprised when she accepted it. One of the things you said was not true. |
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Post by luckydawg on Nov 24, 2023 11:47:26 GMT -5
Tui made it known that she wanted the job, initially by applying and then in her interviews. The players also wanted her to be their new hc. No one in administration was surprised when she accepted it. One of the things you said was not true. Have you decided which one? |
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