Barnes - National Coach of the Year?

[doylehargraves]

He's got to be one of the top 5 contenders at this point. Matt Painter probably leads the list. Sean Miller, Trent Johnson, Bruce Pearl and the guy at Drake seem to be other likely candidates.

 

[Bob in Houston]

Depends on how much more they win and when they take the vote. If things stay pretty much how they are now, I'd probably vote for Pearl, then Painter, then Barnes.

 

[doylehargraves]

Still think Barnes best year was his first. Any time a coach is running ads in the school newspaper looking to fill his roster, and still ends up winning the conference crown, it's fairly impressive. It was not only Barnes best season, but arguably the best coaching job, in any sport, in the history of Texas athletics.

 

[Bob in Houston]

Yeah, and he ran that team into the ground. Eddie Reese hadn't talked to him yet.

 

[4realhorn]

I remember that as well. I wish Barnes had come to UT about 2 or 3 years earlier when I was still in decent basketball shape. I would've definitely tried out. As it was, he came my senior year and my roommate Harold Rayfield ended up making it along with another buddy Yair Harari.

 

[Texanne]

A friend of mine yesterday referred to our team as "Barnesketball." Somehow I don't think it's going to catch on ...

And I love that photo ^^^^^^^^^^

 

[jimmyjazz]

One of my best friends attended grad school at UT with me, and his dad was a Clemson prof. He knew quite a bit about Barnes when we made the hire. I remember him saying that Barnes was a terrific coach, but that Texas fans might never warm to his style.

It's taken the better part of a decade for him to be proven wrong. Texas fans finally "get" defense and rebounding.

 

[Longhorn Al]

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[Ampoliros]

I like that photo too, my only gripe: I don't think you made it big enough.

 

[purplestatic]

Barnes should be a slam-dunk for NPOY.

Purdue will meltdown soon. Too young to keep it up.

Pearl got owned head 2 head.

 

[Truck's Son]

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[36Crossbuck]

Let it be so.

 

[lnghrn005]

Hell yes. Coaching moves tonight were genius. Waiting until the second half to use the box-and-1 was a great move and the job he has done getting the guys to play defense has been great to watch. I think he's the best coach in the Big 12 with Knight retiring. Self is good but I think Barnes is slightly better, I am biased though.

 

[jimmyjazz]

Coach Barnes often waits until early in the 2nd half to throw out a wrinkle.

Regarding COY -- while I think he has done a terrific job, I usually think of that award for a coach who brings his team out of nowhere to the top 10 or so. Texas hasn't climbed all that much. Expectations were fairly high.

 

[doylehargraves]

I'm not sure expectations were that high, with the departure of Durant and not knowing how Barnes would adjust and work around that loss. He should probably get recognition for national COY simply for what he and his staff have done with Atchley. Even Fraschilla said last night that he had never seen a player improve as much as Atchley. Hard to disagree.