Post 95 Nolan vs CMA

[dsims2k3]

Found these stats on Twitter:
Very comparable numbers outside of the tournament wins which includes the sweet 16 run in 96.

[raz1965]

That speaks well for Mike, we knew what Nolan  could do with the right players, so Mike an Nolan can coach equally as well with out all the pieces, look forward to Mike getting a complete team as his recruiting has sparked. Positive perspective.

[Atlhogfan1]

That speaks well for Mike, we knew what Nolan  could do with the right players, so Mike an Nolan can coach equally as well with out all the pieces, look forward to Mike getting a complete team as his recruiting has sparked. Positive perspective.

No. He isn't on Nolan's level.

And yes it's already been pointed out we have picked back up where we left off with the last seasons of the Nolan era when it declined.  Not a bit surprising.   #wefast 

[ArkansasI]

I've often thought things with Mike feel eerily similar to Nolan's declining years.  Then, as now, I did not believe the Hogs were serious contenders for a conference championship, not to mention nationally competitive.

The difference between the two is Nolan signed McDonald's All-Americans and was ultra competitive early in his career. Mike... not so much.

[razorback1829]

I've often thought things with Mike feel eerily similar to Nolan's declining years.  Then, as now, I did not believe the Hogs were serious contenders for a conference championship, not to mention nationally competitive.

The difference between the two is Nolan signed McDonald's All-Americans and was ultra competitive early in his career. Mike... not so much.

Totally different eras.. basketball has underwent major evolution since even the last of NR years. People don't realize that though smh.

[ArkansasI]

Totally different eras.. basketball has underwent major evolution since even the last of NR years. People don't realize that though smh.

SEC basketball grew dramatically when Arkansas joined the conference. Nolan's Hogs seemingly woke up Kentucky, and Florida, Alabama, Tennessee, Mississippi State... all became competitive. Nolan's retreat was compounded by charging programs.

[Dr Carl aka Shorthog]

SEC was tougher. Oh and wasn't Nolan fired?

[The_Iceman]

So we fired Nolan because of his post 1995 performance, but Mike is worthy of a 5 year extension? I just don't get it. What we considered bad under Nolan, is the best we can get out of Mike.

[sadhogfan]

So we fired Nolan because of his post 1995 performance, but Mike is worthy of a 5 year extension? I just don't get it. What we considered bad under Nolan, is the best we can get out of Mike.

It's almost as if we had different expectations after a national championship, 3 final fours, etc. than we currently do after a decade of sucking.

It's almost as if, in hindsight, we didn't have things so bad in the late 90s, and we have come to realize that.

It's almost as if some fans realize that getting the program back to where it was in the late 90s is a step in the right direction.

It's not rocket science, man.

[razorback1829]

SEC basketball grew dramatically when Arkansas joined the conference. Nolan's Hogs seemingly woke up Kentucky, and Florida, Alabama, Tennessee, Mississippi State... all became competitive. Nolan's retreat was compounded by charging programs.

No, I said the era of basketball lol. Totally different styles of ball and players. It's harder to win now honestly.

[ArkansasI]

No, I said the era of basketball lol. Totally different styles of ball and players. It's harder to win now honestly.

I'm not sure I agree with you about this.  Winning has never been easy.  Many of the same programs that were winning then are winning now, and the best chance of success is mostly dependent upon having the best players.  There seems to be a fair amount of consistency at the top.

I still think the current group of Hogs will do best when they fully commit to what made Nolan's teams great.  There's so little different in 3-10, we should take advantage of all our bodies.  FULL COURT PRESS.  WEAR.  THEM.  OUT.  I can't say that this strategy has always been available to Mike, but it is now.

[razorback1829]

I'm not sure I agree with you about this.  Winning has never been easy.  Many of the same programs that were winning then are winning now, and the best chance of success is mostly dependent upon having the best players.  There seems to be a fair amount of consistency at the top.

I still think the current group of Hogs will do best when they fully commit to what made Nolan's teams great.  There's so little different in 3-10, we should take advantage of all our bodies.  FULL COURT PRESS.  WEAR.  THEM.  OUT.  I can't say that this strategy has always been available to Mike, but it is now.

More skilled players,  better scouting technology, just more advantages that are available now than there was then. It was pretty tough, but I think it's just more difficult to do such in 2018.

[waphill]

I don't remember what happened with Pate and Adebayo, but I believe Nolan's record would've been better without that mess going on.

[EXSPAHOG]

I remember the end of Nolan's career too, his last year was spent in  "fighting the man" mode going 14-15 so this comparison only shows Anderson to be slightly better than a coach who had given up....

[hogsanity]

The game changed, the way players were recruited changed, all of that started in 95/96. Hand checking was curtailed. More players became able to handle the ball, which rendered the press less effective. Players like Corliss did not stay in school 3 years any more. And Nolan, much like Mike, started recruiting athletes hoping they could play ball instead of recruiting basketball players that were also athletic. I think of the team that won the SECT, they were not a great basketball team by any means, but for 4 days they shot well and their athleticism came through. But they were in a position to have to win the sect to get in the ncaat because they were not very good basketball players.

This years team, Mike has some very athletic guys that just are not very good basketball players. This is why we see so many good teams that are not from p5 leagues, they have basketball players. You see a team pull and upset or 2 in the ncaat they are usually full of jrs and srs and have excellent guard play. 

[The_Iceman]

The game changed, the way players were recruited changed, all of that started in 95/96. Hand checking was curtailed. More players became able to handle the ball, which rendered the press less effective. Players like Corliss did not stay in school 3 years any more. And Nolan, much like Mike, started recruiting athletes hoping they could play ball instead of recruiting basketball players that were also athletic. I think of the team that won the SECT, they were not a great basketball team by any means, but for 4 days they shot well and their athleticism came through. But they were in a position to have to win the sect to get in the ncaat because they were not very good basketball players.

This years team, Mike has some very athletic guys that just are not very good basketball players. This is why we see so many good teams that are not from p5 leagues, they have basketball players. You see a team pull and upset or 2 in the ncaat they are usually full of jrs and srs and have excellent guard play. 

They guys who aren't good athletes on this team are the worst players. Which Is why now we are seeing the emergence of Hall and Osabuohien, who are both athletic and have good skills.

Mike's problem when comes through when he has guys who aren't athletic or talented, much like the end of Nolan's years....especially in the front court. More specifically the SF and PF positions.

[hogsanity]

They guys who aren't good athletes on this team are the worst players. Which Is why now we are seeing the emergence of Hall and Osabuohien, who are both athletic and have good skills.

Mike's problem when comes through when he has guys who aren't athletic or talented, much like the end of Nolan's years....especially in the front court. More specifically the SF and PF positions.

Hall is a basketball player.

[HognitiveDissonance]

Anyone else remember the old KARK PigPen message board?
The raging debate back then was should Nolan go or stay.
One camp was saying 'Nolan has lost his fire, the recruiting isn't nearly as good, it's time for a change'
The other camp was saying 'yea, Nolan isn't the same anymore, but we're still making the NCAA most years, it's not that bad'

There were two main reasons Nolan was replaced in 2002:
1)Wasn't winning enough. Everyone realized the glory days of 1990-95 weren't coming back. The UA still had high aspirations for the program and recent memory and a change may be needed to get back there.
2)Nolan's infamous press conference and aftermath forced the issue, but it really was about #1

Nolan always used to say 'you gotta feed the monster'. He was being compared to his own success, and was falling short. So he was fired.

The guys after him were also being compared the 'glory days' of Nolan and Eddie and were falling short, so they were fired too.

The current coach is being judged under a different standard. The target has shifted. It's somewhat complicated because yes, a lot of time has passed between the golden era of 1975-1995. So maybe more leeway is appropriate. I tend not to believe that, but it's debatable. But there's no doubt MA isn't quite being held to same standard that got Nolan, Heath, and Pelphrey all fired.

[ArkansasI]

The game changed, the way players were recruited changed, all of that started in 95/96. Hand checking was curtailed. More players became able to handle the ball, which rendered the press less effective. Players like Corliss did not stay in school 3 years any more. And Nolan, much like Mike, started recruiting athletes hoping they could play ball instead of recruiting basketball players that were also athletic. I think of the team that won the SECT, they were not a great basketball team by any means, but for 4 days they shot well and their athleticism came through. But they were in a position to have to win the sect to get in the ncaat because they were not very good basketball players.

This years team, Mike has some very athletic guys that just are not very good basketball players. This is why we see so many good teams that are not from p5 leagues, they have basketball players. You see a team pull and upset or 2 in the ncaat they are usually full of jrs and srs and have excellent guard play.   

Not arguing with you, but I don't know how recruiting changed.  Nolan seemed to be pretty good at it before he won the Natty.  I couldn't wait to see who the Hogs were after each year.  The class he recruited immediately after the back-to-back championship games was rated highly (No. 1) by many, but Nolan took so many academic no-shows that the class that made it to campus was far less than anticipated.

After that class collapsed, everything seemed to change.  Nolan acted as if players should be knocking on his door to play for him.  Of course, that was just my perspective.  Heck, I agreed with him... I believed every recruit in the country should have wanted to play for the Hogs.  Funny how attitudes change.

Nolan's teams excelled at ball handling.  Oliver Miller passed as well or better than any man his size in the country.  All our big men were athletic.  If nothing else, the Hogs were ahead on this issue - we allowed our momentum to slip.  I understand that other teams became more athletic - which may have made our press less effective, but everyone has to adapt.

Underclassmen declaring for the draft affects everyone with great players.  The Hogs have rarely suffered from early defections.  When they have, it should have opened a door to the next guy that might take the same pathway to fortune.  I've never understood why this works at every school besides Arkansas.

You still have to recruit and sign the best players.  Nolan became less effective at this.

Who isn't a good basketball player on this year's team?  Not much pro talent, but these guys can play.  Mike has finally put together some length - but he seemingly refuses to put it on the court.  Why is Gabe a hot player?  He's only now getting to play - where has he been all year?

There is enough talent at Arkansas that should (and did) murder lower divisional talent.  They struggle against P5 talent when they play bad defense.  I don't expect them to win every game.  But I don't expect them to struggle defensively, especially when we go 10 deep.  That is something that can be coached.

[The_Iceman]

There are so many what-ifs between 1995-1999 in terms of recruiting and players. The entire 1996 class. What if Glendon Alexander and Chris Jeffries would have never transferred? If those guys had played 4 years here, we would have seen much greater success.

[rljjr]

Say what you want about Nolan, but five of his "bad" teams went to the tournament in his last 7 years.

[hogsanity]

Who isn't a good basketball player on this year's team? 

Can I answer that without breaking the no player bashing rule?

[code red]

I'm not sure I agree with you about this.  Winning has never been easy.  Many of the same programs that were winning then are winning now, and the best chance of success is mostly dependent upon having the best players.  There seems to be a fair amount of consistency at the top.

I still think the current group of Hogs will do best when they fully commit to what made Nolan's teams great.  There's so little different in 3-10, we should take advantage of all our bodies.  FULL COURT PRESS.  WEAR.  THEM.  OUT.  I can't say that this strategy has always been available to Mike, but it is now.

Only problem is....Mike has no clue how to coach that.  And I am not saying that to be a smart ass.  Mike doesn't coach defense well.

[Jim Harris]

No. He isn't on Nolan's level.

And yes it's already been pointed out we have picked back up where we left off with the last seasons of the Nolan era when it declined.  Not a bit surprising.   #wefast 

Mike was pretty much in charge of recruiting then.

[BannerMountainMan]

There are so many what-ifs between 1995-1999 in terms of recruiting and players. The entire 1996 class. What if Glendon Alexander and Chris Jeffries would have never transferred? If those guys had played 4 years here, we would have seen much greater success.

so you can say that but you are up in arms when we say that we would have made another tourney if Portis and Qualls don't leave

[nwahogfan1]

Nolan most years was only a OK recruiter always having to scramble late just to savage a decent class.    But he did strike Gold a few years in a role which gave us the NCAAT championship. But we must remember Nolan was fired because he was losing and said a lot of ugly stuff on camera because he was frustrated with his Boss and fans riding him.  Nolan did not like us 2nd guessing him.  Frank was a dictator and a driver of coaches and because of that he lost some good ones but we all know he loved his Hogs.  Nolan and Frank did not like each other we all know that.  Nolan would go on his rants and raves and so he split his fan base. 

[hogsanity]

Mike was pretty much in charge of recruiting then.

Looking at his last 3 teams, and looking at Mike's teams, I believe that.

[ArkansasI]

Only problem is....Mike has no clue how to coach that.  And I am not saying that to be a smart ass.  Mike doesn't coach defense well.

The only thing Mike Anderson has done for the last 30+ years is coach basketball.  All of his coaching has been with decent college basketball players - he's never had to deal with high school talent.

I refuse to believe that he cannot coach good defense to this caliber of athlete.  I admit that I often don't see it, but I hope that is because Mike knows something I don't.

That said, ever since Gabe has entered the games, I've sensed a return to full court pressure.  Yet, I don't see it often enough and I don't know why.  I think it would mess with teams - cut off the head.  We failed to do it miserably against LSU and Florida, and got beat by their guards.

The only reason I think he hasn't done it is our lack of depth at the guard position.  He wants Barford and Macon on the floor as much as possible.  I get that.  True pressure would limit their minutes more than now, and we're afraid to rely on Beard and Jones.

I say, screw it.  Let's see what happens when Cook, Bailey, Hall and Osabuohien are getting 20 minutes each.

[hogsanity]

The only thing Mike Anderson has done for the last 30+ years is coach basketball.  All of his coaching has been with decent college basketball players - he's never had to deal with high school talent.

I refuse to believe that he cannot coach good defense to this caliber of athlete.  I admit that I often don't see it, but I hope that is because Mike knows something I don't.

That said, ever since Gabe has entered the games, I've sensed a return to full court pressure.  Yet, I don't see it often enough and I don't know why.  I think it would mess with teams - cut off the head.  We failed to do it miserably against LSU and Florida, and got beat by their guards.

The only reason I think he hasn't done it is our lack of depth at the guard position.  He wants Barford and Macon on the floor as much as possible.  I get that.  True pressure would limit their minutes more than now, and we're afraid to rely on Beard and Jones.

I say, screw it.  Let's see what happens when Cook, Bailey, Hall and Osabuohien are getting 20 minutes each.

Everyone is so darn excited about the D all of a sudden when they have played 3 horrible teams in a row. Lets see what that D does the next 5 games. This is the same D that got shredded by a LSu team, twice, that is not likely tourney bound.

[dsims2k3]

Everyone is so darn excited about the D all of a sudden when they have played 3 horrible teams in a row. Lets see what that D does the next 5 games. This is the same D that got shredded by a LSu team, twice, that is not likely tourney bound.

Those "horrible teams" played like world beaters against us before this stretch. Maybe people are excited about the improvement.🤔

[26.2Hog]

Say what you want about Nolan, but five of his "bad" teams went to the tournament in his last 7 years.

And one of those "bad" teams, his "runts" won the SEC tourney by winning 4 games in 4 days.  That has only happened one other time in the SEC.

[NinoHogUNIA]

Nolan most years was only a OK recruiter always having to scramble late just to savage a decent class.    But he did strike Gold a few years in a role which gave us the NCAAT championship. But we must remember Nolan was fired because he was losing and said a lot of ugly stuff on camera because he was frustrated with his Boss and fans riding him.  Nolan did not like us 2nd guessing him.  Frank was a dictator and a driver of coaches and because of that he lost some good ones but we all know he loved his Hogs.  Nolan and Frank did not like each other we all know that.  Nolan would go on his rants and raves and so he split his fan base.

Lets be real, Houston Nutt had more support than Nolan and that didn't sit well.

We were trending up and even if you look at losses that year they were pretty close. 

He had Andre Iguodala signed.  Sure the outburst wasn't a good look but where was the lie?

[sowmonella]

So we fired Nolan because of his post 1995 performance, but Mike is worthy of a 5 year extension? I just don't get it. What we considered bad under Nolan, is the best we can get out of Mike.

Surely you don't believe Nolan was fired because of his record or any on court issues?

[Rome26]

Only problem is....Mike has no clue how to coach that.  And I am not saying that to be a smart ass.  Mike doesn't coach defense well.

Mike hasn't recruited guards with length that can defend. That's why we struggle on defense. You can't start 3 guys 6'3 and shorter and expect to defend well.

[bkjbearcat]

Mike was pretty much in charge of recruiting then.

So he was a lazy recruiter then too?

[bkjbearcat]

so you can say that but you are up in arms when we say that we would have made another tourney if Portis and Qualls don't leave

MCD's AA's don't stay in school more then two years. Shouldn't MA had a plain to replace Portis?