Coach Smart Scorecard

getSmart

getSmart

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Ok, Coach Smart has not won a game yet. But he has impressed the heck out of me by doing all of the behind the scenes things that winning programs do. So let's grade him on his work so far.

Recruiting: He has signed Theus, Daniels and Grayson in three months! All very highly rated prep players according to the major recruiting websites, Scout, Hoopsters, Rivals, RecruitRecon, etc. Plus he kept the current team together. So I give him an A+

Assembling a staff: He hired Coach Rhoades from Macon after Coach Rhoades spent a decade there winning a National Championship and having numerous wildly successful seasons. He has hired Will Wade who is young and energetic and wants to be a HC some day. Guys is driven to be successful. He also hired Mike Jones after Courtney left suddenly. Coach Jones has a proven record of success and is a steady hand for the program. All coaches can recruit, as we have seen, and all have proven track records. So I give him another A+

I guess the final grade will be given once the season starts and we begin our trek for an unprecedented 4th straight. In my mind reaching post season play (NCAA or NIT) would give Coach Smart a perfect grade of A+
 
I always tell you guys not to worry. Norwood knows what he's doing. We're in better hands than we've ever been.
 
Incomplete. But when it comes to VCU Basketball, he is in a good position to suceed, Dont worry.
 
right now...grade is incomplete...the tests are not for a few months
 
Ramdog said:
right now...grade is incomplete...the tests are not for a few months
Click to expand...

I'd say he passed the first couple of test but like most classes at VCU the final is 50% of the grade
 
Losses
Grant
Ndongo
Eblen

Gains
Smart
Theus
Daniels
Grayson

At least on paper it seems like we've gained in terms of players. Eblen and Daniels were rated similarly at their positions. As much as I had faith that Ndongo would become a player the fact is he had not panned out thus far so if we get anything out of Theus or Grayson that will be a gain. Maynor graduated so you don't include him in this.

Obviously the jury is out on Coach Smart, but he appears to be at least on par with Grant as a recruiter and seems like a gain in terms of non-basketball related stuff away from the court. But this is a bottom line business and he has some big shoes to fill replacing Grant regarding wins and losses.

But now that the dust has settled and we can reflect on where we are right now, it appears that we came out of the Grant era in relatively good shape. And I have to assume Larry Sanders on a billboard off of I-95 means he definitely is not going anywhere. :D
 
The jury is still way out on the asst. coaching staff. Why? one of them better be a great big man coach. We have one of the best big men in the country, yet he needs quality coaching about the inside. Grant provided that. Who will it be this coming year? Smart, Mike Jones? whoever?

I do think everything is gonna be fine, but if the O runs through Larry this year, along with extreme pressure from a slew of guards, we need quality 'inside' coaching.

By the way last night at the BERMUDA TRIANGLES show, numerous conversations were sparked about VCU Basketball with all kinds of folks. People are talking.......its only june.....I love it.....
 
JacksonWard31 said:
By the way last night at the BERMUDA TRIANGLES show, numerous conversations were sparked about VCU Basketball with all kinds of folks. People are talking.......its only june.....I love it.....
Click to expand...

What is the BERMUDA TRAINGLES show?
 
Let's not nominate him into sainthood yet. He has not won a game (for that matter lost a game). Time will tell if he can coach. Two point guards under 6 feet worry me.....
 
I like to think of this as an election...

The polls are still open, but the exit polls look VERY GOOD for Shaka....nice job, I am impressed.

And congrats to Norwood - the man knew what he was doing.

VCUBeatsduke

PS: I heard Grant was on 950 on Friday - anyone here it? I heard it was blah, blah, blah...
 
VCUBeatsduke said:
PS: I heard Grant was on 950 on Friday - anyone here it? I heard it was blah, blah, blah...
Click to expand...

I heard he wanted to know if any callers knew Larry Sanders' new phone number.
 
Coach Smart gets an A+ for coolness under pressure. Look at the drama we Ram fans have suffered. Grant leaving, Joey's back and forth, the coach search, whats-his-name-from LAranga's staff-turned half assed Hokie assistant con man err coach, and now he pulls off three quality signings with the (according to our detractors) world implodding!
But I agree we havent hit mid terms yet. If he coaches like he recruits,, the STU will be a great place to watch b-ball for a long time
 
If he can coach on the court as well as he did at recruiting in his short three months, then might just be okay. Coach Grant's biggest asset to me was his recruiting and I think Shaka has easily surpassed that. I thought his weakest asset as getting everyone involved, so hopefully Shaka will continue to be a better coach that Anthony. He might stay a while too.
 
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