Brian Dohn has a great article today on how Ben Howland has been methodically rebuilding the UCLA basketball program. Its not like Howland is some inexperienced head coach who had never coached as a HC in any other D-1 program, he has a track record of building a program from the ground up:
[W]hen Ben Howland was named UCLA's coach April 3, 2003, it meant the Bruins were going to be really good - injuries or not, having seven of the top nine players being freshmen and sophomores or not - come 2005-06.
Howland's track record demanded it.
Howland's reputation as a builder of programs, or a rebuilder in UCLA's case, comes with the delicious appetizer the program will soar in his third season.
Such was the case a decade ago at Northern Arizona, then at Pittsburgh, and now with UCLA, which enters today's game at No. 21 Washington ranked 13th in the nation, and atop the Pac-10. The Bruins are 20-4, 10-2 in the league.
"Usually when you're taking over a program, it's very rare that you're Bruce Weber and you walk into (Illinois) and it's fully loaded, or you're Roy Williams (at North Carolina) and it's fully loaded," Howland said. "Typically, you go in and you're starting over. That's in a general sense."
Howland has no 20-win seasons and is a combined 77-93 in his first two seasons at each school. But from the third year on, Howland is 6 for 6 in delivering 20-win seasons and is 140-38 overall.
"It's everything coming together," UCLA fifth-year senior Cedric Bozeman said. "It takes a little time, but once you step back, you understand it, and it works. It's everything. Players have been in the system for two years, I've been in it for three years, and the guys that now come in just follow the guys ahead of them."
It's systematic and it works. You can sense it. You can feel it. When I was watching the Bruins on Thursday night on the road - I could just how our players were in complete control. They were focused. They didn't come out looking clueless and unsure. This team doesn't have to resort to last minute miracles, helter skelter play against shitty/mediocre opponents to pull out wins. They are doing it deliberately and methodically and judging from the comments and in cases pathetic actions (Lute) from other coaches in the Pac-10 it is becoming obvious - Bruins are getting their swagger back as one of the marquee programs of college basketball. And of course it all starts with recruiting and bringing in elite players who are fitting into Howland's scheme. More from Dohn:
Howland's track record demanded it.
Howland's reputation as a builder of programs, or a rebuilder in UCLA's case, comes with the delicious appetizer the program will soar in his third season.
Such was the case a decade ago at Northern Arizona, then at Pittsburgh, and now with UCLA, which enters today's game at No. 21 Washington ranked 13th in the nation, and atop the Pac-10. The Bruins are 20-4, 10-2 in the league.
"Usually when you're taking over a program, it's very rare that you're Bruce Weber and you walk into (Illinois) and it's fully loaded, or you're Roy Williams (at North Carolina) and it's fully loaded," Howland said. "Typically, you go in and you're starting over. That's in a general sense."
Howland has no 20-win seasons and is a combined 77-93 in his first two seasons at each school. But from the third year on, Howland is 6 for 6 in delivering 20-win seasons and is 140-38 overall.
"It's everything coming together," UCLA fifth-year senior Cedric Bozeman said. "It takes a little time, but once you step back, you understand it, and it works. It's everything. Players have been in the system for two years, I've been in it for three years, and the guys that now come in just follow the guys ahead of them."
[R]ecruiting is the biggest reason, because at each of Howland's stops, the program was in shambles and devoid of talent and depth.
"It's just building a program," Howland said. "Any time you take over a program, usually it's a losing team. So you're building."
In each case, Howland's first year was basically a wash, mostly because the recruiting season is over by the time he was hired.
The second year, Howland began to fill scholarships with players that fit his targeted style. Within two months of landing the UCLA gig, Arron Afflalo and Jordan Farmar, currently UCLA's two leading scorers, gave Howland oral commitments.
By the third year, the program gets rolling.
Yeap, we are rolling allright. And we are not getting blown out, humiliated against opponents who had our numbers during all those dark years. We are coming out in control, fighting, scrapping, challenging, and winning."It's just building a program," Howland said. "Any time you take over a program, usually it's a losing team. So you're building."
In each case, Howland's first year was basically a wash, mostly because the recruiting season is over by the time he was hired.
The second year, Howland began to fill scholarships with players that fit his targeted style. Within two months of landing the UCLA gig, Arron Afflalo and Jordan Farmar, currently UCLA's two leading scorers, gave Howland oral commitments.
By the third year, the program gets rolling.
Again - a great article from Dohn - probably the only writer in LA's traditional media who truly gets it. Now of course we have a huge basketball game today. And as usually we are going to look to our friends over at BBR for the game preview. Bruins of course lost to the Huskies at Pauley, however in that game Bruins were missing their defensive leader - and no I am not talking about Arron. Check this out:
The Bruins have won every game since his [Ced's] return; and for the season, the Bruins are 15-1 when Bozeman is in the line-up.
"He means everything to this team," said Afflalo. "He's our leader, our defensive stopper. He's so valuable.''
In this game, Bozeman will be looked upon by his teammates to help steady the team on offense from his point-forward spot and to take the assignment of guarding Washington's Bobby Jones.
Jones averages 11.1 points a game and scored a key late basket off a rebound in the previous match-up. He is a streaky shooter, yet he can take over games for the Huskies when he gets hot.
But Bozeman, coupled with Afflalo, gives the Bruins an advantage of two outstanding defensive players who can shut down an opponent's best scorer. An advantage the Bruins did not have in the previous game against Washington.
We are going to have to do a whole separate post on Ced as get closer to senior day at Pauley. What Ced has been doing this year and last few weeks is beyond incredible. And it is awesome to see kids like Arron fall right in line taking the cue from the senior leader. They are setting a trend that is going to build a rock solid foundation of a program, which will be dominating once again. Good times."He means everything to this team," said Afflalo. "He's our leader, our defensive stopper. He's so valuable.''
In this game, Bozeman will be looked upon by his teammates to help steady the team on offense from his point-forward spot and to take the assignment of guarding Washington's Bobby Jones.
Jones averages 11.1 points a game and scored a key late basket off a rebound in the previous match-up. He is a streaky shooter, yet he can take over games for the Huskies when he gets hot.
But Bozeman, coupled with Afflalo, gives the Bruins an advantage of two outstanding defensive players who can shut down an opponent's best scorer. An advantage the Bruins did not have in the previous game against Washington.
Now brace yourself when you are watching this afternoon's game. Guess who is going to calling today's game? None other than ESPN's resident monkey - Steve Lavin. Yes Lavin is going to be in Seattle this afternoon calling the game and for our player's sake - hope Howland doesn't let the dirty SOB anywhere near our bench. But in case you don't have the TV on mute here are some of the nonsense that may be coming out of the monkey's mouth (courtesy of JD at BruinHoopScoop):
* "The Bruins are the favorite to win the Pac-10, even with the injuries."
* "I was lucky to learn under one of the great masters of coaching, Gene Keady"
* "I always thought it was important to make sure we were playing our best ball at the end of the year. You don't want to peak too early."
* "At UCLA they have high expectations. They don't hang banners for going to the Final Four."
* "The only concern I have with the Bruins is that they haven't faced difficult competition in their non-conference schedule. I always liked to schedule several tough out-of-conference opponents."
* "This Bruin team has faced a lot of adversity with injuries, and I've always thought a team with good character learns to deal with adversity. My teams always came back from adversity, like the Guiness book of records loss against Stanford and getting booed off our home court against Kansas."
* "Fey, Hollins, and Bozeman are good players."
* And if he's feeling sassy, he will mention how he lost his job at UCLA because of alumni playing golf with the chancellor.
lol Sometimes I think there couldn't be a more perfect place for Lavo than ESPN where he fits right in with other UCLA hating monkeys like Vitale, Phelps, and Musberger. Anyways, gotta go - again a huge game for Bruins but also a MUST WIN game for the Huskies. We really needed a split on this road trip - and now that we have gotten it - we can come out and play our lockdown, tenacious D with noting to lose. I will take Howland over Romar in a coaching match up any day. I like our chances today. GO BRUINS.
* "I was lucky to learn under one of the great masters of coaching, Gene Keady"
* "I always thought it was important to make sure we were playing our best ball at the end of the year. You don't want to peak too early."
* "At UCLA they have high expectations. They don't hang banners for going to the Final Four."
* "The only concern I have with the Bruins is that they haven't faced difficult competition in their non-conference schedule. I always liked to schedule several tough out-of-conference opponents."
* "This Bruin team has faced a lot of adversity with injuries, and I've always thought a team with good character learns to deal with adversity. My teams always came back from adversity, like the Guiness book of records loss against Stanford and getting booed off our home court against Kansas."
* "Fey, Hollins, and Bozeman are good players."
* And if he's feeling sassy, he will mention how he lost his job at UCLA because of alumni playing golf with the chancellor.