Thoughts and Info on Coaching Changes In Ben Howland's Program
by Achilles on Apr 12, 2010 4:13 PM PDT
in Basketball
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PrintWe heard some of what you're about to read last week, but wanted to wait for some confirmation.
First things firsts, we've heard that former assistant coach Donny Daniels was basically "asked to leave" -- which explains why someone would leave UCLA for Gonzaga. I don't mean that to sound like a rip on the Zags, they've had a better record than us in last two years. But that aside, UCLA is still the higher profile program in the higher profile league and Daniels decision to head north was a bit of a head-scratcher.
My thought: I'm sort of neutral on this. From my vantage point, I always felt that if any assistant coach was going to stay, it would be Daniels. But my vantage point is a long way off and it's obscured at that, so I can't really say I'm shocked.
With Daniels leaving, Ben Howland has at the moment one assistant coaching spot to fill.
The candidate we've heard the most about is Phil Mathews. Mathews is currently an assistant coach at Nebraska, previously he was a head coach at San Francisco and his Southern California roots include time as head coach at Ventura College. One interesting detail about Mathews is that he's the father of Jordan Mathews a 2013 point guard prospect attending the same high school that produced Malcolm Lee. More to Follow:
There are three other names of potential assistant coaches being floated around out there.
In no particular order, they are Ross Land, Miles Simon and Ray Lopes.
Land was, until recently, was on the staff of UC Irvine. He lost his gig when Pat Douglas was not retained, Land was on Douglas' staff. The connection with Land is that he played for Howland at Northern Arizona University. The added attraction, at least as far as I'm concerned, is that he worked in the UC environment. With the oft-discussed standards UCLA imposes on student athletes trying to gain admission, it is sometimes beneficial to have someone who comes from a similar environment.
How Land is as a coach, I don't know. One thing in his favor, he knows what it's like to play for Howland. If there are any communication issues between staff and team, at least Land would be able to relate to both sides.
Anyone who followed UCLA basketball in the 90s will recall Simon as a player we loved to hate when he was starting for Arizona. We weren't particularly enamored of him when he was coaching there under Lute Olson either. But I really like the possibility of bringing him in. He knows the conference and the recruiting landscape in Southern California. He's also a Mater Dei kid, for what it's worth and that's a school that consistently produces D1 prospects. He has a rep for being a very smart guy and a hard worker. I would not be at all disappointed if Simon joined the staff.
Lopes is currently an assistant at Idaho, but he has a bit of a checkered past from his days as a head coach at Fresno State and an assistant in Oklahoma. One thing Lopes has going for him is that he and Howland go way back to their days as assistant coaches at UCSB. Howland certainly knows him and if he wants him on staff, I'm willing to accept Lopes. But I feel I speak for the rest of the frontpagers at Bruins Nation that recruiting violations and the like are not tolerated in the UCLA basketball universe and if Lopes were hired, we'll be watching, ready to report anything that's not on the up and up.
The other significant item we're hearing is that there may be more than one spot to fill on Coach Howland's staff.
There is nothing definitive to report, though we've heard that Scott Garson, the current assistant who was formerly the video coordinator, might shift over to Director of Basketball Operations. There are also rumors -- nothing solid, but it;'s out there,that Scott Duncan might be moving on as well, though we don't know if that would be a reassignment or what.
Taking all of that into account, UCLA will have as few as one new assistant coach next season and as many as three.
Final comment: One last thing we've heard is that recruiting and the ability to form solid bonds with the players is high on the priority list for any possible assistant coaches. Maybe this last is just wishful thinking on our part, but if true it's clearly an attempt to shore up recruiting and also to slow what to this point lately has been a succession of transfers and players leaving early for the NBA.
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Howland said
he didn’t know Daniels’ mindset was and that you have to ask him.
Only gain is $ because of cost of living cheaper there.
Just curious -- why?
Because he played for Olson? Because he was an antagonist?
Olson did “fire” him, actually not renew his contract, but no reasons were given.
He did some “color” announcing during the tournament and I was impressed with him.
Not challenging anyone — but curious why people don’t seem to want him.
sjh
I am not sure if Simons will ultimately be on the staff
However, one of the reasons he is very intriguing to me is that he could serve as a great mentor for our guards. And boy our guards need someone to communicate and look up to. When I listened to Simons this year it was clear to me that he got what “Ben Ball” was all about. He also has the credentials of being an outstanding HS and college player. So yeah if he comes aboard I think that will be a very intriguing sign in a positive way.
quick note about Simon
I’m from Santa Ana, and played Bball at the JC (not to be confused with played for the JC) At any rate, Simon’s dad used to come in quite frequently. He was old friends with the Coach. Eventually Miles himself came in.
They were both down to earth people and loved basketball. I would have no problem with Miles coming to UCLA if I were to base my decision on those brief meetings with his pops. I can’t say he is any better a coach than any of the other candidates, but he is a good person.
The best thing you can do for your children is to love their mother. John Wooden
Agree
I have been very impressed with Simons work on tv and he does have some coaching experience at UA. As you highlighted, the great thing about Simons is that he could be more of a big brother assistant coach. One who is older and wiser, but still not too far removed from college playing days. With an intimidating head coach like CBH, having someone like Simons around that players might feel more comfortable with and receptive to would be a good addition in my mind.
You are saying ...
all four will be gone: Daniels, Duncan, Garson – to operations – and Joe Hillock , who wants to go back to coach women’s basketball.
Lopes
Hey, this is my first post, been kind of a lurker around here for a little while now. But anyway, I’m from around Fresno, and so grew up a Fresno State fan, though I do go to UCLA now and am of course a UCLA fan first now.
But I do remember when we hired Lopes at Fresno, he was an OK coach, was 50-37, and he actually did a pretty decent job recruiting. He was able to keep some good local talent in that we weren’t exactly getting before, but of course he racked up some recruiting violations and high-tailed it out of there, and Fresno had just come off violations from under Tarkanian. So I don’t know how I would feel if we did hire him here, I don’t think I could really trust him anymore.
Mathews, Land, Simon
That would be the order to seek. I do not see getting all three but two plus another younger Assistant – look to Horizon League or Atlantic 10 Some have some west coast connects
Looks like a weak field to me.
Where is the next Jamie Dixon?
He doesn’t seem to be amongst these guys.
When I’ve suggested we hire an ex-Bruin, I’ve gotten push back even though I’m suggesting we hire someone who did not play for Howland.
For those who are against the “in breeding” syndrome — some of these guys have deep ties to CBH. That’s more in breeding than going to someone who played here but under someone else.
There has to be someone out there who has neither been to close to CBH nor has dirty laundry.
sjh
Really disagree
When Howland brought in Dixon … a casual basketball observer wouldn’t know that he would be the “next Jamie Dixon.” Same with Kerry Keating.
Picking up someone like Matthews who has a great reputation in the recruiting circles would be fantastic. Ross Land just might be the Kerry Keating prototype, a hungry, young and upcoming basketball junkie, who will go balls out in the recruiting trail. Same thing with Miles Simon. Simon knows his hoops. While he was in Olson’s program, they were still recruiting well and Simon could serve as a solid mentor for our guys. I like the names I am hearing.
I disagree ...
I don’t know that we’re looking for “the next Jamie Dixon.”
We’re looking for coaches that compliment Ben’s skills.
Ben Howland is a great practice coach and a good game coach. What we need in assistant coaches are:
1 – Coaches who are skilled at talent evaluation. Anyone can watch a high school or AAU game. What we need are guys who have expertise in knowing what they are looking at and understanding how to project what they’re looking at into the future to try to predict how a player will develop and fit into our system.
2 – Guys who not only know how to evaluate, but also know how to recruit. It’s not enough to just introduce yourself and say “I’m from UCLA, I’m recruiting you.” You have to know who to develop relations with, who in the player’s life is going to be influential and so on. And then you have to know how to act on it.
3 – We need guys who can not only do the above, they need to have the confidence to influence Howland when it comes to recruiting. Of course, Ben needs to make the final decisions, but assistant coaches are on the road a lot more than the head coach — you need guys tough enough to tell Howland “Recruit this guy!!!” even when he isn’t sure or “Stay away” when he sees some kid go off in a tournament game if you don’t think he’s right.
4 – Someone who can form close relations with the players on the team and be a positive voice in their heads when things aren’t going well or going there way. You need someone to pat a Mike Moser on the back and make him feel welcome so he sticks it out and doesn’t transfer.
I don’t know for sure that the list of guys we’re hearing about contains the right guys — I don’t even know if these are the guys we’ll ultimately hire. But I like what I’m hearing about all these guys, though Lopes gives me pause a bit.
I see Mathews as an older, father figure type and Land and Simon as the young guys with the energy to recruit and enough youth to relate to the players. I’m with Nestor, this list seems solid. I wouldn’t lose any sleep if we went into next season with a staff of Howland, Mathews, Land and Simon with Garson the DoBO.
Me too ...
it would feel like a fresh start.
Look, N, you and I have been discussing what we thought needed to be done with the program for months and months. And we agreed a long time ago that the most logical thing to do was shake-up the staff. Unlike the football program of a few years ago, we didn’t want a change at the top — far from it. But we felt that changes were in order and the staff was the likely place to go.
It’s actually a very positive thing from my point of view that Howland also felt there was reason to make at least one change, maybe more. I’m with you, a new energetic staff is really a positive step towards reinvigorating the program.
Yup
For me putting together a staff who would bring solid recruiting connections and energy into the program for recruiting is more important than rounding up the class with McCallum and Zieglar (neither of whom will end up in Westwood IMO).
Lot of people also miss Kerry Keating. What people forget is that when he got here he wasn’t all that well known as he was coming from a downtrodden Tennessee program (prior to Pearl’s arrival). Yet people knew him to be a recruiting junkie. Also Donny Daniels was a failed coach at CSF. I think a combination of Matthews and other younger guys like Lund and Simon would be very exciting. Both of them can related to our kids better than either Garson or Duncan.
Good point ...
I’d rather have several top notch assistants come into the program than McCallum or Ziegler at this point.
I mean, I would like to get McCallum — we need another guard — but fixing the staff is needed for the long haul.
If we don’t recruit some really good classes over the next few seasons and shore up the talent with Howland/UCLA type players, then we will start considering changes at the top. Granted, that’s a ways down the road — the point is fixing the staff is more important right now than even adding one more good player to the current roster.
Actually
we need coaches that complement Ben’s skills.
If they just compliment his skills, we’ll be in a world of trouble :)
But hey, what do I know. I’m just the 800 lbs bruin in the room.
LOL ...
spelling doesn’t count when you’re speed blogging.
LOL … good one …
So, we don’t want assistants to flatter and compliment Ben, we want assistants to complement Ben.
I like it.
I'm slow blogging
so I get to be a smart ass.
But hey, what do I know. I’m just the 800 lbs bruin in the room.
I forgot ...
I’m one of those people who is always suspicious when we just hire the first available Bruin. (Case in point: Carnell Lake … how’d that work out?)
In hoops, that’s particularly true. I’m not even sure there are any ex-Bruins to consider in the coaching ranks, not seriously anyway. Cam Dollar coaches, but he’s a head coach. I think Brad Holland is coaching, but what would he bring to the table? Rico Hines just got hired by St. John’s — we wouldn’t want him anyway. Maybe Gerald Madkins, but are we realy going to recycle him? I think he’s coaching in the NBA or scouting in the NBA anyway.
I could be forgetting someone obvious, but I can’t think of any UCLA guys who would even be candidates to coach right now. (Now, someone will remind me of some obvious choice.)
Mitchell Butler
would be a great get, at least in the character department!
But hey, what do I know. I’m just the 800 lbs bruin in the room.
I like Mitchell ...
I’m not sure what he’s doing now — maybe an agent or something or he’s running some AAU team or something like that — he’s on the fringes of basketball, still involved.
But to my knowledge, he has no track record for doing the things we need done. I’d have no problem with him as GA, but we need guys with the stature to really influence Howland and have impact on the players.
I have nothing against Butler, I even like the guy. But I prefer we hire professional coaches with an actual track record and solid experience.
That's not what I heard ...
but even if that was true, I heard he didn’t get the job done as an assistant and wasn’t asked back.
Makes sense about Daniels
Just came from the basketball banquet and Howland didn’t say anything about him. He wasn’t there, which I can understand, but I guess I thought he might have mentioned him leaving for Gonzaga and wishing him luck etc. It could have just been an oversight on Howland’s part but seemed interesting.
Mike Moser was actually there and Howland had him stand like the other players and spoke about him and wished him well in his future.
"The entire world that bleeds blue and gold ... they have been dying for this." - Coach Rick Neuheisel
Nope
No Bobo.
"The entire world that bleeds blue and gold ... they have been dying for this." - Coach Rick Neuheisel
Do you blame him after that press release?
Talk about classless…..
You have one player in a position of need (guard) doing exactly the same things that got Bobo kicked off the team, not a word about him. Bbecause Bobo is expectable, he gets the boot (which I understand and support) but also gets a humiliating press release (which I do not understand and do not support). More double standards…
by silverlakebruin on Apr 13, 2010 9:35 AM PDT up reply actions
Mmmm...
I think it’s been widely known that Bobo has been out partying a lot, no such reports about MM. Disrespecting the program just might get you that kind of press release. I don’t like it much either, but CBH can no longer tolerate that kind of behavior.
But hey, what do I know. I’m just the 800 lbs bruin in the room.
Actually he does tolerate that type of behavior
which is why he kept the guard who was partying as much as Bobo on the squad. He had a solid replacement for Bobo, so he got cut, he didn’t for the other players so he stays.
I have no problem getting rid of Bobo, and I have no problem getting rid of someone who isn’t going to cut it here at this level, but there is no need to air the problems in public like we did. I just don’t get it. If it bothers Ben that much, he should dump all the guys who are partying.
It makes it tough to say what exactly the consequence for partying is., much like the consequence for not playing tough defense. For some players, there are no consequences, for others they get yanked right away.
by silverlakebruin on Apr 13, 2010 10:20 AM PDT up reply actions
That was just my opinion
Not necessarily the truth! I have no idea why Bobo got that kind of treatment in the press release.
But hey, what do I know. I’m just the 800 lbs bruin in the room.
Was looking for some substance
to the partying comment mostly. I can make an educated guess as to which guard it is, but I’m more interested in any prior discussions on this partying and how/if it affected player performance that I may have missed.
may not be related
but while watching a workout last week for about 15 minutes..only Joe Hillock was there with CBH. Some of the managers were present as well. They were working with 5 players only as I assume the others were in class.
We need an assistant coach who can coach bigs
Offensively, our bigs have been pretty abysmal over the past few seasons with some bright exceptions (KLove and Nelson). The majority of our offense during our FF runs flowed through the hands of our backcourt. I’d like to bring in an assistant who can really work with our bigs and improve the offensive production out of that unit.
Hiring Myles Simon I think would be great for both recruiting and coaching up our backcourt. However, I don’t know if he, or any of the other candidates mentioned, can improve the play from our post players.
As a fan ...
that’s the most difficult thing for me to know.
I have no idea which potential assistant coaches are good at working with post players.
Not saying I disagree with you, just that I have no way of assessing which assistant coaches out there are good at coaching bigs. Unlike in football, they don’t designate basketball assistants by assignment.
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