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Chris Holtmann (ex-tOSU Bball coach, HC at DePaul)

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Systems_id said:
Good points but, honestly, I just think people are just expecting WAY too much of this roster.
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if expectations were too great, then does it make more sense for us to be in last place with northwestern? not so sure about that.

looking at the preseason predictions from various sources as well as the predictions from osu posters on this board (and another osu board), this team is pretty much what many thought we'd be: a middling team. most sources pegged us at finishing as a bubble-type team from 6th to 9th.

i think those who looked at last season's surprising success and expected that to carry over are the ones who might have set unrealistic expectations. an unbiased observer recognized that the talent drain from kbd, tate, and williams' departure was going to hit us hard, especially on offense. i also think way too many people pegged last season's success on ho1tmann a little more than they should have. if there is not too much ho1tmann can do with this team because of the lack of talent, then perhaps we should be giving much more credit to that trio of 4-year players. fans were hungry to anoint ho1tmann, though, and that is understandable.
 
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OhioState001 said:
Once again it doesn't matter how bad of a roster you start with, with good coaching players are supposed to get better not worse
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Man stop. Fans like you would've run off coaches like John Beilein his first couple of years when his teams were wildly inconsistent and middling or Tom Izzo in 2016 when his team was struggling mightily with despite their 5-star talent. Shit you would've run off Thad in 2007 and 2008 after that roster was gutted by departures. Those teams sure as shit didn't get better throughout the season. On the contrary, they were wildly inconsistent. That's what young rosters are. The 2007-2008 team alone lost to the second worst team in the B1G that year in 10-22 Michigan by 10 towards the end of the season. They lost 2 of their final 6 games, including a bludgeoning by a middling Minnesota team. 2008-2009 went .500 their last 6 games, barely skating by second to last place Iowa on the road and last place Northwestern at home. This is with infinitely more talented rosters with far less holes than what Holtmann has now plus a much weaker B1G conference back then. Sometimes a team is just bad. It happens. It won't be the last time it happens to Holtmann I'm sure. But nah let's blame it on dumb theories like the team parties too hard while ignoring the simpler explanation that the team just isn't all that talented, and the most talented members are true freshman without one-and-done type talent likely hitting a wall.
 
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If this team is full of guys that like to party then I have a run and puke party if I’m CH and I line up trash cans along the sideline. I’m not one for heavy handed coaching in general but if my guys are doing that and playing like this then it may be the right medicine, like that scene in Miracle when he skates their ass off.
 
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I was one of the primary "over the moon" posters when Ho!ltmann was brought on, so I guess I'll weight in.

Up front, I thought year one for Coach was a solid "B+." This year, IMO, is a "D" at best.

Now, I'm nowhere near ready to say Ho!tmann "isn't the guy", or he's "a lousy coach." He took a broken program and made them very, very good in year one. Yes, it was largely with Matta's recruits, but he got Matta's guys to 25 wins a year after they got run off the court by Rutgers in their final game. He had an exceptional track record of beating more talented teams at Butler. And he and his staff recruited pretty well there and have a terrific class coming in next year. He can coach.

What has happened this year is appalling. No, this is not a particularly talented team. I think most level-headed fans saw this as a bubble team at best. And that's exactly what they are. The distressing part is that they not only haven't improved as the season has worn on, they have quite obviously got a lot worse. And for the lack of talent, a few of the guys that are out there stinking it up every single game are guys Ho!tmann recruited. Muhammed, who looked very promising early on, is, quite frankly, playing some of the worst basketball I've EVER seen. His shooting numbers over the past few weeks are incomprehensibly bad. Jallow has never contributed much of anything on offense and he's almost 2 full years in. Young has shown some ability, but again, almost two years in and still has a long way to go. Ahrens has had one exceptional game and not much else. Washington shows flashes, and looks like a true freshman usually does, so no real knock there. I'm not sure at this point what LeDee brings other than occasionally drawing fouls. That's not a great resume right now.

Next year there's no excuses. Year three for Young/Jallow. Year 2 for Luther, Wash and LeDee and 3 blue chip kids coming in. Plus, presumably the Wessons and CJ Walker becomes eligible. That team has to be competitive in the conference next year. I was one of Matta's last supporters. I gave him a huuuuge amount of rope, but at a point it became clear he wasn't going to turn it around. His struggles are still impacting this program, but Ho!tmann shares some of the blame this year. Next year, it's Ho!tmann's team. The talent will receive an upgrade, and the kids are more experienced. I don't know about the rumors about partying and shit off-court, but he needs to get that shit stopped, if true. Next year, to me, will be a big indicator if Ho!tmann is the guy or just a guy.
 
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