Coach Of The Year Predictions 2007-2008

It is of course early, so this may be presumptous. After last night's win, I find myself wondering about Coach of the Year honors.

Normally, I assume that Coach K has no chance at winning this honor. When expectations are as high as they normally are at Duke, the best a coach can hope for is meeting them. The Coach of the Year award normally goes to the coach of a team who was picked low, but manages to be pretty good; ruling out Coach K.

I know Duke was still picked second in the conference, but I think the concensus was that it was a distant second. And Duke was ranked to start the season but not in the top 10, let alone number 2.

Further, there seems to be an impression that the middle of the ACC is very muddled.

So I wondered about who will win Coach of the Year? If you stopped everything right now, wouldn't you have to say that Duke has exceeded expectations more than any other team and that Coach K deserves it based on the team's accomplishments, particularly since the team has been widely recognized as succeeding in an unorthodox manner since it lacks a true post presence.

The only possible competitor that I could come up with right now was Gary Williams due to the recent progression of his team (from losing to American to third place in the ACC).

But if things continue as they are now, I really think Coach K should win.

Travis '90

K gets it if Duke finishes first at 15-1 or 16-0. Otherwise it would probably go to Gary Williams or Seth Greenberg, whichever finishes higher. Maybe Purnell, if Clemson finishes really strong.

At first, I thought you were talking about National Coach of the Year. For ACC, I think Coach K is on the shortlist with Gary Williams or Greenberg. For the National Coach of the Year, K should also be on that list though, but I would probably think that (so far) the award should go to Scott Drew of Baylor.

For ACC COY, if Wake Forest could make it .500 in the conference, what about Gaudio? I don't think anyone expected anything out of Wake this year. I'm already impressed that they aren't in last place.

Of course I was thinking ACC only. My ACC blinders were firmly on.

Wake Forest might get the sympathy vote; I had not thought of them.

Travis

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Originally Posted by blazindw

For the National Coach of the Year, K should also be on that list though, but I would probably think that (so far) the award should go to Scott Drew of Baylor.

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That was my first thought as well. I would probably add Keno Davis, the first year coach at Drake... perhaps even St. Mary's Randy Bennett. If Memphis goes undefeated in the regular season, Coach Cal would be deserving as well.

Given the innovations he has implemented this year, the extent and effectiveness of his bench coaching (so many different combinations to deploy), and his record of making some astonishing half-time adjustments, I think K takes both. Even Packer last night acknowledged K's adventuresome changes this season, giving him credit for being willing to innovate.

Seems to me that, not recognizing K for how he has adapted to make this Duke team not only extremely effective, but also extremely entertaining to watch, would put decision-makers at risk.

If the US takes back gold this summer,it will in no small part be due to K.

Why do I say this? If a man of K's stature for all the world to see has shown himself willing to change after learning from others, even the pros can see the value of growth. And, that, while a virtue as an end in itself, also, as we have seen, can produce results.

No, I do not think I am overstating anything here. Sure, every coach makes changes each season to suit the personnel on hand. Not like this they don't; not anything like this.

I think Coach K's brilliance really showed through last night... as it has on many occasions. Unfortunately, the expectations of a Hall of Fame coach with 3 National Championships are extraordinarily high. If we don't lose an ACC game, how could he NOT get the ACC Coach of the year?

But the oldies but goodies don't get these awards very often.:(

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Originally Posted by greybeard

Given the innovations he has implemented this year, the extent and effectiveness of his bench coaching (so many different combinations to deploy), and his record of making some astonishing half-time adjustments, I think K takes both. Even Packer last night acknowledged K's adventuresome changes this season, giving him credit for being willing to innovate.

Seems to me that, not recognizing K for how he has adapted to make this Duke team not only extremely effective, but also extremely entertaining to watch, would put decision-makers at risk.

If the US takes back gold this summer,it will in no small part be due to K.

Why do I say this? If a man of K's stature for all the world to see has shown himself willing to change after learning from others, even the pros can see the value of growth. And, that, while a virtue as an end in itself, also, as we have seen, can produce results.

No, I do not think I am overstating anything here. Sure, every coach makes changes each season to suit the personnel on hand. Not like this they don't; not anything like this.

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Very well said. Thank you. :)

it always has struck me as an incredible oversight, but K never has been the Associated Press coach of the year. when duke won the ncaa title in 2001, the national coach of the year was matt doherty.

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Originally Posted by ugadevil

For ACC COY, if Wake Forest could make it .500 in the conference, what about Gaudio? I don't think anyone expected anything out of Wake this year. I'm already impressed that they aren't in last place.

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Not to overlook BC or Maryland but that Wake game makes me a little uneasy. A classic trap game if I've ever seen one...

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Originally Posted by bill brill

it always has struck me as an incredible oversight, but K never has been the Associated Press coach of the year. when duke won the ncaa title in 2001, the national coach of the year was matt doherty.

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I think I just threw up a little in my mouth (from Doh getting the award).

I was not aware that K hadn't won it yet.

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Originally Posted by Classof06

Not to overlook BC or Maryland but that Wake game makes me a little uneasy. A classic trap game if I've ever seen one...

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Indeed.

http://shadowmage.plinkomedia.com/im...ckbar-trap.jpg

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Originally Posted by bill brill

it always has struck me as an incredible oversight, but K never has been the Associated Press coach of the year. when duke won the ncaa title in 2001, the national coach of the year was matt doherty.

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Wow. Just . . . wow (shakes head in disgust). You would think that with all those AP#1 banners, they would recognize him.

I understand that after 1995, he ticked off a great many reporters by not making himself as available as other coaches. It's unbelievable that he didn't get it once from 1986-1994, though. Inconceivable!

Doherty 2001 is just sickening.

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Originally Posted by bill brill

it always has struck me as an incredible oversight, but K never has been the Associated Press coach of the year. when duke won the ncaa title in 2001, the national coach of the year was matt doherty.

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The overlooking of K for Coach of the year awards is what started me thinking. To me, he has often also been overlooked within the conference.

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Originally Posted by bill brill

it always has struck me as an incredible oversight, but K never has been the Associated Press coach of the year. when duke won the ncaa title in 2001, the national coach of the year was matt doherty.

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wow, thanks for that depressing and appalling fact, bill:(

and i thought that, especially that year, that Duke got all the calls:rolleyes:

Call me a homer, but I think Coach K has to be in the discussion for the various 'Coach Of The Year' awards this season. His adjustments with this squad have been phenomenal, and Duke is the buzz right now. There aren't (m)any analysts or sportswriters out there that thought we'd be nearly this good. It's still early, but here are the other coaches that I think will compete:

Keno Davis - Drake
Frank Martin - Kansas State
John Calipari - Memphis
Todd Lickliter - Butler
Any others?

We need to finish strong, of course. A FF run would nearly seal it, unless a dark horse makes a run or someone on this list goes further in the tournament than we do. Due to our past successes, anything less than a FF for Duke will be perceived as a failure (by some) and will result in a coaching award runner-up IMO. Comments?

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Originally Posted by buzz

We need to finish strong, of course. A FF run would nearly seal it, unless a dark horse makes a run or someone on this list goes further in the tournament than we do. Due to our past successes, anything less than a FF for Duke will be perceived as a failure (by some) and will result in a coaching award runner-up IMO. Comments?

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I agree partially with this. I think an ACC regular season and/or ACC Tournament title, combined with an Elite 8 showing or better would seal the deal, unless a darkhorse has a solid regular season plus makes the Final Four.

To me, Coach K seems to be the frontrunner mainly because of how this team is composed. Not only is there no real, experienced inside presence (no offense to Lance, who has really been stepping up lately) but we haven't had Zoubek or Pocius for a good chunk of the season.

Coach K has developed the best...yes THE best...bench in the country, and develops the best gameplans for overcoming his team's weaknesses, as has been demonstrated against Maryland and UNC as the most recent examples.

It's early still as we have the 2nd half of the ACC season to go not to mention the post-season, but I think this is an interesting discussion.

This is an odd topic to spend time discussing.

Duke would need a nearly perfect finish for Krzyzewski to beat out Scott Drew or Keno Davis.

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Originally Posted by Duvall

This is an odd topic to spend time discussing.

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Pish posh. No different than predicting ACC POY or our final league standings. That's what mid-season is for. That's what message boards are for.

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Duke would need a nearly perfect finish for Krzyzewski to beat out Scott Drew or Keno Davis.

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I disagree. I agree that Drew and Davis have put together solid teams and are enjoying fairly unexpected success, but I don't think a perfect finish for Duke is a requirement for K to be in line for the award.

For Duke to beat out UNC for the league title in a year where Duke had a lot of questions marks over its head after last year, and all without a true inside presence would be a remarkable accomplishment, especially given the caliber of teams that Duke plays.

Drake, despite having a similar record, has a SOS ranked 71st. Their RPI is high at 6, but Duke right now is still ahead at 2.

I'm not really sure how Scott Drew fits into the equation, other than the fact that Baylor was a sub-.500 team last year (by one game). They're now just third in the Big 12 (granted there's some stiff competition, but no more than the ACC), their RPI is a pedestrian 68, with a SOS ranked 68th.