The HL is Actually In Decent Shape

[gerb]

The thing I have to keep reminding myself of is the fact that every single team is going to get better next year. With the exception of Kampe, the coaches of the Horizon League have, combined, had exactly one recruiting class start their fourth season at their current institutions. No one has inherited a program as a former assistant or collaborator. Every single coach is starting from scratch with someone else's roster. Think about that.
Yes, we suck BAD right now. Painfully, excruciatingly bad, but coaches and programs evolve.

WSU lucked out grabbing Nagy before the budget crisis kicked in, otherwise we'd probably have a first timer. But we got him, and there is so much promise in his recruiting classes we can already see the potential!
Another example, CSU has a guy with a similar career trajectory to Gary Waters when he took over the Vikings, which I would take in a heartbeat. They just got embarrassed by MSU, but they'll be at least a .500+ team in two seasons.

There's no way we as a league are this bad next year. The five coaches who haven't had a D-1 recruiting cycle will improve and, who knows? Some of them might end up being REALLY good!
Here's where things stand right now. Imagine what this will look like in two-three years...

FIRST YEAR
UWM - Pat Baldwin
- New to program. (Not a former assistant in previous regime)
-Total re-rebuild. Previous coach was only there for one season after taking over for another fired coach.
- currently 7-7 including a 1-1 record vs. non-D1 teams
- RPI 154

Detroit - Bacari Alexander
- New to program (former UDM player in the late 90s)
- currently 4-10 including two D-1 wins
- RPI 267

Cleveland State - Dennis Felton
- New to program
- currently 3-10 including one non-D1 win
- RPI 308

Youngstown State - Jerrod Calhoun
- New to program.
- currently 2-11 including two non-D1 wins.
- RPI 342

SECOND YEAR:
Wright State - Scott Nagy
- New to program
-currently 9-5 including two non-D1 wins.
-RPI 138

THIRD YEAR:
UWGB - Linc Darner
- New hire to program (total rebuild)
- Tourney appearance in his first season w/previous coach's players
- currently 6-8 including three non-D1 wins
- RPI 314

UIC - Steve McClain
- New to program
- currently 5-9 including two non-D1 teams
-RPI 327

NKU - John Brennan
- New to program
- Tourney appearance in second year
- currently 8-5 including two non-D1 wins
- RPI 153

FOURTH YEAR
IUPUI - Jason Gardner
- New to program
- currently 3-9 with two non-D1 wins
RPI 307

BILLIONTH YEAR
Oakland - Greg Kampe
- founded school
- currently 9-6
- RPI 69

[hhgreen]

The Horizon League has a lot more upside than downside to move in the standings that’s for sure.

[twizman]

But I thought the sky was falling when we lost Valpo and their high school gym?

[mrose]

Well, we know who got rose-colored glasses for Christmas.

As bad as the HL has been the recent years I read lots of comments how the league would right the ship. A RPI in the high teens was an aberration. We, the HL, just needed another program or two to step-up and with their new coaches it would be just a matter of time, not when, the league would get back to its "rightful" place with a respectable RPI.

A few years later and multiple "right" coaches later the HL is now firmly entrenched in the Bottom quartile of all conferences.

The pragmatic posters, though disappointed with the direction of the HL, didn't expect a return to a 12-ish RPI in the near future, but didn't see the bottom falling out like it has. Yet it has and the trend is clearly down. I wouldn't go out on a limb with rose-colored glasses and think the HL couldn't be any worse when there's 5 more spots it can fall.

[gerb]

Jan 2, 2018 17:40:06 GMT -5 mrose said:

Well, we know who got rose-colored glasses for Christmas.

...as opposed to mrose colored glasses?

[CincyDrummer]

Jan 2, 2018 22:15:48 GMT -5 gerb said:

Jan 2, 2018 17:40:06 GMT -5 mrose said:

Well, we know who got rose-colored glasses for Christmas.

...as opposed to mrose colored glasses?

Door.

<---- It's that way.

Go.

[gerb]

[Deleted]

IUPUI is tied for 3rd 😂 thought that would be relevant to the title of this thread

[mrose]

Please explain the lowest, in history (MCC & HL), RPI rating at this time of year.

Media Markets don't correlate to better RPI...Just ask Cleveland State, DePaul, IUPUI, San Francisco, LBSU, Duquesne, La Salle (remember them???), South Florida, New Orleans, San Diego, U of Seattle, Denver, and I'll save it for last...F.U. That's Fordham University....in the Biggest media market in the country. Major market, Endowment that dwarfs those in the HL, and plenty of funding.

[Big D]

media markets have nothing to do with this discussion that is why those posts have been removed.

[jerrygball]

I hate to say it and it is just my opinion... But I feel this may be the worst the Horizon League as a whole has been since I started following Wright State in the late 90s. Maybe it wasn't even the Horizon League yet in the late 90s when I started following Wright State.

I think the league lacks identity... It would really help if two or three teams could step up and be consistently in the top of the league every year. I think that's where Butler is missed and those really good Milwaukee teams back when Bruce Pearl was the coach. Of course they also won in the NCAA tournament which brings a league great publicity.

I think Wright State has probably been the best most consistent program over the last six seven eight years but they have dropped the ball as far as making it to the NCAA tournament. Maybe that will change with Nagy at the helm.

This may be a post for another thread but I think it might be good for Wright State to leave the Horizon league if possible in the future.

I think something that could help the conference this year is if the top teams do well in the conference tournament and the city of Detroit Gets behind the conference tournament with some exciting games.

[Retired Coach]

This thread started a couple months back but it's worth revisiting now. The HL suck this year and most likely will be even worse next year. There is a decent shot that either NKU ot Wright State will be in the MVC next year. Oakland loses its entire team to graduation this year. UIC loses its best player to transfer and the best center they have had there ever to graduation. If we are still in the HL next year sans NKU we might be in a conference with no other teams with a winning record. That is how pathetic this conference has become.

[86grad]

You might be correct '79, but I think that the conference is seeing improved coaching, something that was definitely needed. The 2018-19 season might still be a rebuilding year for many in the Horizon, but I think that programs like YSU, CSU, and UWM will see some improvements based on how those teams showed progress through this season.

[mrose]

Feb 24, 2018 20:19:36 GMT -5 86grad said:

You might be correct '79, but I think that the conference is seeing improved coaching, something that was definitely needed. The 2018-19 season might still be a rebuilding year for many in the Horizon, but I think that programs like YSU, CSU, and UWM will see some improvements based on how those teams showed progress through this season.

Huh??

What progress has CSU shown through the season? They've only won 7 games all year vs. D I competition. 3 of those wins 7 wins have come in the past 10 games in the HL. Seriously, 3-7 in the past 10 games in one of the worst leagues is showing progress? Really?

YSU has won a total of 6 games vs. D I Competition. Like their Cleveland State brethren they too are 3-7 in the past 10 games in the HL. Half of YSU's total victories vs D I comp have come against a woefully pathetic conference and yet they're 3-7 in the last 10. 6-22 overall. 3-7 last 10. In your eyes they're showing "progress." Really??

[BasketBallJones]

The HL has sunk to the 26th rated conference out of 32. That is FACT. This conference under Lecrone's tutelage, has sunk faster than the Titanic. The quicker WSU can exit this dumpster fire of a conference the better.