One and Done going away, what will Duke (and KY) do?

**Wahoo2000** · 07-13-2018, 02:51 AM

Originally Posted by billy

Flipping the question, how will UVA fare? Since the advent of one-and-dones at Duke (the year Kyrie Irving was at Duke was 2010-11), UVA has finished 1st or 2nd in the ACC the last 5 years and averaged 6 losses overall. Arguably, much better than the pre one-and-done years (except for maybe 2006-2007). Perhaps UVA's "experienced" teams have fared well against the younger, one-and-done teams. And, perhaps Duke (not sure about Kentucky) will be better off for the potential rule changes.

I think UVA's success has had VERY little to do with the one-and-done era, and much more about Bennett getting his guys in place (the first season with a roster of entirely Bennett recruits was 13-14, the first ACC regular season and tournament titles under him). And it's not like UVA has had great success vs Duke anyway. Sure, Virginia beat Duke in the ACC title game in '14, and won at Cameron earlier this season, but I'm pretty sure those are Bennett's only victories over the Blue Devils. So I don't think having one and done players was any kind of detriment to Duke's chances vs Virginia. Inexperience hurts, sure, but probably less so than having lesser talented guys (at least I think this must be Coach K's opinion, as he has stuck with recruiting the one year players over targeting players more likely to be around multiple seasons).

Honestly, UVA could not really be much more successful as a *regular season* team. Heck, I'd even expand that to the ACC tournament, with 2 wins, a finals appearance, and a semifinal in the last 5 years. The NCAA tournament bugaboo is still a jinx that has to be solved, though the silver lining for me and other wahoo fans is that it's keeping Bennett away from taking other jobs... hopefully long enough that he gets "entrenched" at UVA and sticks there for the remainder of his career. If so, I really think UVA can reach semi-"blueblood" status with another 25ish years under Bennett (assuming the current NCAA tournament issues are MOSTLY bad luck, etc and not representative of some fundamental flaw that for whatever reason isn't exposed in noncon/conference/conference tournament settings)

**Troublemaker** · 07-13-2018, 08:24 AM

Originally Posted by Wahoo2000

I think UVA's success has had VERY little to do with the one-and-done era, and much more about Bennett getting his guys in place (the first season with a roster of entirely Bennett recruits was 13-14, the first ACC regular season and tournament titles under him). And it's not like UVA has had great success vs Duke anyway. Sure, Virginia beat Duke in the ACC title game in '14, and won at Cameron earlier this season, but I'm pretty sure those are Bennett's only victories over the Blue Devils. So I don't think having one and done players was any kind of detriment to Duke's chances vs Virginia. Inexperience hurts, sure, but probably less so than having lesser talented guys (at least I think this must be Coach K's opinion, as he has stuck with recruiting the one year players over targeting players more likely to be around multiple seasons).

Agreed. Duke's really the only OAD school in the ACC, and we have a 9-3 record against UVA in the Bennett era (you guys also had a home win in 2013, btw), so it can't be OAD that has caused UVA's success. Furthermore, UVA went 16-2 twice and 17-1 once in the ACC. It doesn't matter what your recruiting strategy is; nobody is beating UVA for regular season conference titles when they turn it on like that. Those were amazing seasons.

**sagegrouse** · 07-13-2018, 08:26 AM

Originally Posted by Wahoo2000

The NCAA tournament bugaboo is still a jinx that has to be solved, though the silver lining for me and other wahoo fans is that it's keeping Bennett away from taking other jobs... hopefully long enough that he gets "entrenched" at UVA and sticks there for the remainder of his career. If so, I really think UVA can reach semi-"blueblood" status with another 25ish years under Bennett (assuming the current NCAA tournament issues are MOSTLY bad luck, etc and not representative of some fundamental flaw that for whatever reason isn't exposed in noncon/conference/conference tournament settings)

I think Bennett is a "lifer" at Virginia. He stands ready to inherit the mantle of "top coach" after K and Roy retire, and the ACC should remain the top conference.

**OldPhiKap** · 07-13-2018, 09:08 AM

Originally Posted by sagegrouse

I think Bennett is a "lifer" at Virginia. He stands ready to inherit the mantle of "top coach" after K and Roy retire, and the ACC should remain the top conference.

Agreed, and he seems like a good fit across the board there.

**HereBeforeCoachK** · 07-13-2018, 10:08 AM

Originally Posted by OldPhiKap

Agreed, and he seems like a good fit across the board there.

And "good fit" is sometimes an underrated dynamic that should always be considered. Coach K and Duke are great fits...and as it turns out, K is a good fit for the one and done recruiting situation as well. I might not have predicted that 7-8 years ago.

Also, Cut and Duke are a good fit at least. Roy is a good fit for the cheats...and as you say, Bennet is for UVa. And so forth...

On the other hand, while Shaka Smart was a great fit at VCU, I don't think he fits at Texas. Neither did Charlie Strong at Texas for that matter, but Strong was a good fit at Louisville. And as speculated on this board in the past few months, perhaps Capel's departure to Pitt has to do with some in positions of authority not thinking he was a good fit at Duke as HC.

Meanwhile, I always thought Brad Stevens would be awesome fit at Duke. Of course, I did not think he would not be a good fit in the NBA, so I and many people were wrong there. Clearly.

Of course, Duke fired one of the best football coaches they ever had because some of the muckety mucks didn't think Red Wilson was a fit. They paid for that mistake for a while.

Sorry to ramble, but this idea of fit, or not a good fit, has always fascinated me. I think I bat around 75% in predicting this.

**jimsumner** · 07-13-2018, 10:53 AM

Originally Posted by sagegrouse

I think Bennett is a "lifer" at Virginia. He stands ready to inherit the mantle of "top coach" after K and Roy retire, and the ACC should remain the top conference.

Nah. Once K and Williams retire, Jim Boeheim becomes the top coach.

Joking.

Sort of.

**flyingdutchdevil** · 07-13-2018, 11:52 AM

Originally Posted by sagegrouse

I think Bennett is a "lifer" at Virginia. He stands ready to inherit the mantle of "top coach" after K and Roy retire, and the ACC should remain the top conference.

While I agree, the ACC has a lot of really exciting, young coaches. Bennett is the cream of the crop, but they also have Buzz Williams, Chris Mack, Brad Brownell, and Kevin Keats. I'd add Danny Manning and Josh Pastner, but I'm convinced both will not last until the start of the 2019 -20 season.

**cato** · 07-13-2018, 05:48 PM

Originally Posted by flyingdutchdevil

While I agree, the ACC has a lot of really exciting, young coaches. Bennett is the cream of the crop, but they also have Buzz Williams, Chris Mack, Brad Brownell, and Kevin Keats. I'd add Danny Manning and Josh Pastner, but I'm convinced both will not last until the start of the 2019 -20 season.

The ACC’s newest head coach may also prove to be pretty good.

**budwom** · 07-15-2018, 11:55 AM

So with ESPN reporting that the NBA is quietly telling teams not to expect OAD to be gone before the 2022 draft, that would give K (should he desire) several more years under the current rules, which
might be a logical time for him to say adios (if not sooner).

**gam7** · 07-15-2018, 01:07 PM

Originally Posted by sagegrouse

I think Bennett is a "lifer" at Virginia. He stands ready to inherit the mantle of "top coach" after K and Roy retire, and the ACC should remain the top conference.

Except for probably whoever replaces K and Roy.

**flyingdutchdevil** · 07-16-2018, 10:35 AM

Originally Posted by cato

The ACC’s newest head coach may also prove to be pretty good.

Lol. Good point. He'll be a great recruiter (OU and Duke proves that). But can he be solid on the X's and O's and intangibles?

**HereBeforeCoachK** · 07-16-2018, 06:52 PM

Originally Posted by gam7

Except for probably whoever replaces K and Roy.

I do not agree that whoever replaces K and Roy will be considered the top coach automatically...if Bennett keeps winning, he will be until one of those replacements, or both, proves themselves.

Now, if somehow Brad Stevens decided all that money and fame in the NBA is boring...well....

**Steven43** · 07-16-2018, 09:25 PM

Originally Posted by HereBeforeCoachK

Now, if somehow Brad Stevens decided all that money and fame in the NBA is boring...well...

Pray with me, HBCK. Maybe together we can get it done.

**Kedsy** · 07-16-2018, 09:56 PM

Originally Posted by Steven43

Pray with me, HBCK. Maybe together we can get it done.