Which SEC program could you see making the FF in the next 5 or so years

[WeWant9]

Excluding UK, of course. Do you see any program actually making the FF in the next half decade or so? It looks like UF is back to the cellar with Donavon gone, so there goes their NCAAT success. The last SEC team, not named UK or UF, to reach the FF was LSU back in 06.

There are a lot of new coaches in the SEC, some have had good succes so well see if it translates. Seems like LSU is pulling in talent, but awful coaching will hinder them. Pearl seems to be pulling in some decent talent, not sure if hell be able to pull in enough for deep tourney runs. Howland actually has FF experience, but bringing in enough talent on a consistent basis might be tough to Miss St.

It i had to pick I'd say maybe Pearl and Auburn or Howland and Miss St, but both those seen like long shots.

 

[Smashcat]

It i had to pick I'd say maybe Pearl and Auburn or Howland and Miss St, but both those seen like long shots.

LSU, Auburn or MSU but certainly would not be betting real money on it. LOL

 

[mj2k10]

Auburn.

Pearl will get talent. Probably not enough to be a top 10, 1 or 2 seed type of team, but enough to be dangerous. Enough that if he catches a hot streak, he can get Auburn deep into the tourney. As easy as it is to make fun of Pearl (and he certainly has his shortcomings), he was actually a decent tourney coach at UT. 2 Sweet 16's and an Elite 8 at a school that had historically done bupkus in the tourney. He also had a Sweet 16 at Milwaukee.

I also would not bet on it, but if I had to choose?

 

[LaCat70]

LSU

 

[Supafuzz75]

Only one I'd see having a chance would be Auburn.. I see Missouri making it before LSU..

 

[Roe07]

At this point it's LSU, but more long term would be Auburn with Pearl at the helm. A&M is stocking up on some nice talent as well.

 

[Mark Gastineau]

If Vandy's rising sophomores continue to progress, and Damian Jones keeps getting better and spurns the NBA again, Vandy could be a darkhorse FF contender in the 2016-17 season.

 

[Tampa_cat54]

Mike White hasn't even coached his first game in Gainesville and you've already declared Florida a seller-dweller that is done with tournament success?

That's about the dumbest thing I've read all week, which is saying something.

 

[Tampa_cat54]

Auburn.

Pearl will get talent. Probably not enough to be a top 10, 1 or 2 seed type of team, but enough to be dangerous. Enough that if he catches a hot streak, he can get Auburn deep into the tourney. As easy as it is to make fun of Pearl (and he certainly has his shortcomings), he was actually a decent tourney coach at UT. 2 Sweet 16's and an Elite 8 at a school that had historically done bupkus in the tourney. He also had a Sweet 16 at Milwaukee.

I also would not bet on it, but if I had to choose?

Can we get a grip please?

Auburn just got done being battered by 75 points a game all year long.

They get one decent recruit, and people are ready to claim them as a future Final Four team???

Alabama, Florida, A&M, and LSU are 100 times more likely than Auburn to be relevant on a national scale in the next 5 years.

 

[Supafuzz75]

Mike White hasn't even coached his first game in Gainesville and you've already declared Florida a seller-dweller that is done with tournament success?

That's about the dumbest thing I've read all week, which is saying something.

Pretty much.. He'll do pretty good,, but not final four good..

 

[Supafuzz75]

Can we get a grip please?

Auburn just got done being battered by 75 points a game all year long.

They get one decent recruit, and people are ready to claim them as a future Final Four team???

Alabama, Florida, A&M, and LSU are 100 times more likely than Auburn to be relevant on a national scale in the next 5 years.

And Pearl is a better coach than either of those places have,, so....

 

[calamitybone]

Auburn.

 

[WACB]

There are only two teams in the SEC. The University of Kentucky and the University of We Wish We Were Kentucky.

 

[UKCats2000]

Best predictor of the future is past performance, so I'd go with Florida.

 

[Rhavicc]

Auburn.

 

[Tampa_cat54]

And Pearl is a better coach than either of those places have,, so....

I do not agree with that. Avery Johnson was an NBA coach who took his team to an NBA Finals.

Bruce Pearl took Tennessee to the Elite Eight ONCE, and never got that far again.

For some reason, people have this strange perception of Bruce Pearl and think he is some Final Four and National Championship caliber coach, which has never happened so there really is not a basis for this line of thinking.

I like Pearl and think he is good for the league, but again, he isn't the caliber of coach everyone here makes him out to be.

 

[gossie21]

I think Auburn is probably the safest pick, but I'm a little surprised that nobody has suggested Texas A&M. They have been getting some solid recruits in there and they type of kids that will stick around and develop/improve each year.

 

[Mark Gastineau]

I like Pearl and think he is good for the league, but again, he isn't the caliber of coach everyone here makes him out to be.

Agreed. Hell of a recruiter, but never delivered in March outside of one E8.

 

[Tampa_cat54]

I think Auburn is probably the safest pick, but I'm a little surprised that nobody has suggested Texas A&M. They have been getting some solid recruits in there and they type of kids that will stick around and develop/improve each year.

I suggested A&M in my earlier post (while also wondering why so many seem to be picking Auburn).

 

[WeWant9]

Mike White hasn't even coached his first game in Gainesville and you've already declared Florida a seller-dweller that is done with tournament success?

That's about the dumbest thing I've read all week, which is saying something.

Maybe being a cellar dweller wasn't the best term, but I have a hard time seeing them being a top 3 or 4 team in the sec. Who knows maybe White will come in and do the same thing Donovan did, but he better land some big time recruits. I haven't heard much about UFs recruiting as of late, so I don't really know. Maybe White will come in and keep UF rolling, but he has a ton of work to do to keep them close to the success they've had lately.

 

[gossie21]

I suggested A&M in my earlier post (while also wondering why so many seem to be picking Auburn).

I didn't catch that. I was scrolling through most of the posts and did a page search for "texas"

I guess I should also throw in LSU this year just because Ben Simmons is THAT good, and depending on the draw it could happen.

 

[gossie21]

Maybe being a cellar dweller wasn't the best term, but I have a hard time seeing them being a top 3 or 4 team in the sec. Who knows maybe White will come in and do the same thing Donovan did, but he better land some big time recruits. I haven't heard much about UFs recruiting as of late, so I don't really know. Maybe White will come in and keep UF rolling, but he has a ton of work to do to keep them close to the success they've had lately.

I didn't really follow it that closely, but what happened with UF's recruits? Did they re-commit or land elsewhere?

 

[Tampa_cat54]

I didn't really follow it that closely, but what happened with UF's recruits? Did they re-commit or land elsewhere?

One committed to Washington, I believe. The other, not sure.

They did just receive a commitment from a 4-star PG earlier this week, so it seems that their recruiting is still on par, at least thus far.

 

[KentuckyRLD]

I think it is a safe bet that no team in the SEC, other than Kentucky, will make a final four appearance over the next 5 years. Is it possible that one does succeed? Certainly. But it is also possible that I will win the lottery but, in my opinion, the likelihood is vanishingly small that either will happen.

 

[Supafuzz75]

I do not agree with that. Avery Johnson was an NBA coach who took his team to an NBA Finals.

Bruce Pearl took Tennessee to the Elite Eight ONCE, and never got that far again.

For some reason, people have this strange perception of Bruce Pearl and think he is some Final Four and National Championship caliber coach, which has never happened so there really is not a basis for this line of thinking.

I like Pearl and think he is good for the league, but again, he isn't the caliber of coach everyone here makes him out to be.

I never said he was this awesome final four coach.. Johnson has yet to coach a college game.. A lot of former NBA coaches are a bust in college.. Time will tell but I don't see him a final four threat.. I said Auburn would make the final four before the other teams mentioned..

 

[bthaunert]

I like Pearl and think he is good for the league, but again, he isn't the caliber of coach everyone here makes him out to be.

I would love to see Pearl at a major program. If you look at what he did at Milwaukee and Tennessee compared to others, he's been pretty damn successful. He has the best winning percentage in the history of UWM. He leaves and the guy after him has been there 10 years, which a losing overall record over the past 9. In the history of Tennessee basketball, they have been to the Sweet 16 7 times, 3 of those under Pearl. The guy can coach.

I don't think Auburn will make it under Pearl. If he has success to the level of Sweet 16 or so, a much better program will come calling.

 

[Tampa_cat54]

I never said he was this awesome final four coach.. Johnson has yet to coach a college game.. A lot of former NBA coaches are a bust in college.. Time will tell but I don't see him a final four threat.. I said Auburn would make the final four before the other teams mentioned..

I'm sorry, but I do not see any way that one could argue Bruce Pearl being a better basketball coach than Avery Johnson.

He won an NBA title as a player, was the NBA Coach of the Year, and took his team to the Finals.

And I was not referencing you specifically, but the general consensus on this board overvalues Bruce Pearl substantially.

He is NOT a better coach than Avery Johnson, and he is NOT a better coach than Ben Howland, he is NOT a better coach than Rick Barnes IMO, all 3 of whom are newcomers. Time will tell if he can outperform Mike White.

 

[UKWildcats#8]

None of them.

 

[Poetax]

LSU

Depends on what they do this coming up year. If they accomplish very little and their stars leave after one year? They will be back to being a mid tier SEC program.

 

[Supafuzz75]

I'm sorry, but I do not see any way that one could argue Bruce Pearl being a better basketball coach than Avery Johnson.

He won an NBA title as a player, was the NBA Coach of the Year, and took his team to the Finals.

And I was not referencing you specifically, but the general consensus on this board overvalues Bruce Pearl substantially.

He is NOT a better coach than Avery Johnson, and he is NOT a better coach than Ben Howland, he is NOT a better coach than Rick Barnes IMO, all 3 of whom are newcomers. Time will tell if he can outperform Mike White.

What you do in the NBA doesn't always translate to college.. I can name you more NBA greats that didn't do squat in college coaching compared to successful ones.. And Rick Barnes is Rick Barnes,, he'll never see a final four.. I don't see any other sec team making a final four over the next 5 years,, but Pearl is getting really good players so I can see him making it before the others.. Just my opinion though..

 

[Bigblueforever]

LSU
Pearl want be at Auburn that long.

 

[Tampa_cat54]

What you do in the NBA doesn't always translate to college.. I can name you more NBA greats that didn't do squat in college coaching compared to successful ones.. And Rick Barnes is Rick Barnes,, he'll never see a final four.. I don't see any other sec team making a final four over the next 5 years,, but Pearl is getting really good players so I can see him making it before the others.. Just my opinion though..

Fair enough, I just find the likelihood to be higher for Avery Johnson. Rick Barnes actually did go to a FF already (so already has Brucie beat in that category).

That being said, I agree with @MdWIldcat55, I doubt that any program reaches a FF in the next 5 years besides UK.

It's just hard to do.

People (ESPN) trumps the Big 12 like no other, when was the last time a Big12 team went to the FF besides Kansas?

2004 Oklahoma State?

 

[Cat Ballou]

If Bama manages to beat UNC for Tony Bradley, or Duke/KU for Bolden, then I think it's time to take The Tide very seriously in basketball.

If they manage to add Ferguson and Bolden in particular, I'd be somewhat concerned they'll be a player for Fox. All three of those guys are friends. I had previously though KU was our biggest threat for Fox if they had landed those two.

 

[Tampa_cat54]

If Bama manages to beat UNC for Tony Bradley, or Duke/KU for Bolden, then I think it's time to take The Tide very seriously in basketball.

If they manage to add Ferguson and Bolden in particular, I'd be somewhat concerned they'll be a player for Fox. All three of those guys are friends. I had previously though KU was our biggest threat for Fox if they had landed those two.

Landing Ferguson was already a pretty big get, especially to steal him from Texas and KU. Getting one more, especially Bolden, would be a huge steal of a recruiting class, similar to LSU this year with Simmons and Blankenly.

 

[DodgerDukie1985]

Mike White hasn't even coached his first game in Gainesville and you've already declared Florida a seller-dweller that is done with tournament success?

That's about the dumbest thing I've read all week, which is saying something.

White did do a good job of keeping Florida's recruiting class together even after they lost Donovan. They did lose Noah Dickerson to Washington, but I believe everyone else stuck around.

Of course this doesn't guarantee him success there, but it could have begun much worse for him.

 

[truebluewildcat]

Aggies have great potential to make some noise with the class they have coming in...with Texas rebuilding over the next year or two, Kennedy has an opportunity to really capitalize on the instate talent and build upon what he has coming in this year...

LSU has the talent to get there this year...Simmons is the type of talent that can dominate right away and take a team deep on his own...like Carmelo did...plus he has Blakeney who is every bit as elite...

Bama...perhaps a few years down the road...Johnson will bring an energy and passion to that program that it hasn't had...he's already snatched an elite baller for 2016...you have to think he'll get at least one more top shelf player...if Kobie Eubanks is able to enroll next year after a year of prep school he will be a nice guard to go with Ferguson...those two with a coach that knows the game and guards specifically, and bama could suddenly be in a position to make some noise...

 

[BigBlueFanGA]

Past erforman

Best predictor of the future is past performance, so I'd go with Florida.

Past performance has no relevance when there is a coaching change. I don't expect any SEC teams in the FF except UK over the next 5 years. Auburn will be most likely if it were to happen.

 

[UKCats2000]

Past erforman


Past performance has no relevance when there is a coaching change. I don't expect any SEC teams in the FF except UK over the next 5 years. Auburn will be most likely if it were to happen.

Past performance does in fact matter. It's more than just the coaching but the program that Billy D. has built. I expect Mike White will have some success on the recruiting trail. TBD how good of a coach he will be. So you think it's most likely Auburn although they have never been to the final four and only made the big dance 8 times?

 

[BigBlueFanGA]

Nope, don't agree at all. Pitino built a machine here, Tubby ran it into the ground. It didn't take too long either. If Cal suddenly coached Auburn and Rck Barnes coached UK, who do you think would be in the FF? Yep, answered your own question didn't you. History is important in expectations, but you either have a coach who can get it done or you don't. History can't and won't fix that.

 

[Kycatspaws]