Bill Self
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Is he coaching his last big dance? He told media members not to believe the internet rumors that he's done. But coaches are understandably shy about rumors they're leaving a job, anyone remember "I don't give a sh..about the North Carolina job"?
What's changed since a trophy in 2022? I'd say Houston, Zona for starters, and even BYU a little. During his remarkable streak Baylor and ISU usually were the biggest challengers to winning the league. Texas/OU sometimes. But adding 3-4 more tough games just seems like it's overwhelmed our team.
Go back to Larry Browns last 2 seasons and Roys first to find us losing double digits games 3 seasons in a row. In fact before this streak, he'd only lost 10 in a season twice, 2014 and 2019. Presuming he makes it deep in the tourney the COVID year, he's only survived past the first. weekend 1 time, of course in a big way in 2022. 5 times through 2018 season he didn't make it past the 1st weekend of the dance, and it's been 5 times since then.
Even more concerning is the number of blowout losses. 2007 was a 13 point loss to UCLA. 10 point loss felt like a blowout to VCU in 2011. 13 point loss to WSU in 2015. Then after the 2018 final four (also a blowout loss, the only time I ever turned off one of our final four games), came bad losses to USC, Auburn, and closer bad losses seedwise to Arkansas and even a game we should have lost to Samford 2 years ago, and then got destroyed by Gonzaga. So lately, not just regular season, but postseason have we regularly endured really hard turn it off, check back on the game to see if we came back losses frequently.
To me that last paragraph is a sign Bill has lost his edge a little bit. Maybe this year turns out differently if DP lives up to the hype. Wins this season against all the big boys in our conference still gives me hope for 2026. But when will the time come we're searching for a new coach?
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My hope is that the transition plan has already been in motion for some time now, Self bows out gracefully with all parties in agreement about the process and he sticks around, helps with continuity, and gets immortalized by the KU faithful as our greatest coach ever.
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@approxinfinity That's a good thought. You don't want to see him bow out in a cloud of 'good riddance' type stuff.
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@wissox83 hey, Bob Huggins' exit was a total dumpster fire, so at least it can't possibly be that bad haha
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@approxinfinity Huggy surprised no one sad to say when he flamed out.
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@wissox83 Not to be that guy, but ol Roy left the word "job" out of that statement.
"I don't give a sh*t about North Carolina "
If the semantics make a difference.
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I liked seeing Vaughn on the sidelines this season. Even running the show for a bit when Bill got tossed a few weeks ago. A KU fan favorite, 20 years in the NBA - 10 as a player and 10 coaching… seems like a pretty good fit.
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While HCBS indicated that he hasn't made any decision - and the decision will certainly be his to make - the question is whether it is in the best interests of KU basketball going forward for there to be a change (putting aside who might replace him)? Let me note that I have been and am a fan. I was also a fan of Williams, but Self eclipsed him in the KU pantheon. Indeed, I think that whenever he hangs it up, he will be considered one of of the top 10-15 college coaches all-time given two Natties, 14 consecutive conference titles, consecutive 20 win seasons, and overall tournament record.
Whether it is coaching style/scheme, talent assessment, and/or player development in the NIL era, it is objectively the case that KU is no longer the national, or even conference, powerhouse that characterized most of Self's tenure. The past three years have been especially painful. No conference titles (actually, tie for 6th, 6th and tie for 3rd). No conference tournament titles. Double digit losses each season. Exactly two wins in the NCAA - against #13 seeds Samford and Cal Baptist. Offensive efficiency metrics in the 50s nationally. Multiple blowout (+20pt) losses. Multiple losses at AFH each season. And its not just the past three seasons. Putting aside the championship year (a really good team with multiple NBA players, but one that also benefited from a relatively easy path to the title (seedwise), the only other NCAA tournament wins since 2018 were against #13, #14, and #16 seeds. Just one conference tournament title since 2018. During that time, Houston, AU, ISU and TTU have had more conference and NCAA tournament success.
Those are objective facts. Then there are the subjective observations - lousy team chemistry (at least during the Dickinson years), poor roster construction, seemingly favoring less talented players (Juan as the starting PG for a decade?), running the same sets again and again, switching every thing allowing opponents to dictate mismatches, lack of bench production (are there really 200+ other teams that have better bench players than KU), shortening rotations early in year and not allowing new/younger players to play through mistakes...And, so on...
Is there any reason that we should expect or hope for anything different next year or the year after that???
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I think it's a bad year to be looking for a coach. I also look a Pitino (dinosaur?) who left the NCAA for several years under some dark clouds that were embarrassing and was able to revise his game outside of the spotlight (oversees, then to Iona). Izzo hasn't won a championship since 2000, but has great character and is admired.
Personally, I think Self is admired and needs to be give more time to adjust. It's very different and difficult to do it under the microscope of a legendary program like KU.
That said, none of the objective points above are invalid at all. It's worrisome and uncomfortable right now. Learning often feels that way... and we are all collectively on for the ride.
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I would say we should know his answer probably in a few months or so
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Mike Vernon put out his email latter and it not sounding to good but no Decision Has been made
