Jimmy Dykes is proving his critics wrong!!

[hawg1221]

I know there's many times that I've heard game commentators say people in the coaching world questioned the hire of Coach Dykes. I never heard specific names, but apparently he doesn't qualify to be a head coach due to lack of coaching experience.

I say he's a helluva coach. This team is very consistent and always plays tough. When they lose, it's normally a close game. That is with only 9-8 players. Wait til next year when he gets a full class. I can't believe how he's changed the mentality of this program in his first year.

This team is NCAA Tournament worthy in my opinion! Go Hogs!!

[wbbfan32]

Let's give some credit to the ladies too. They are getting it done on the court and playing for one another.

[Sueie]

6-8 in sec is getting it done? 

With 9 players and 7 players that actually play.  I would say yes.

[Scott7703]

6-8 in sec is getting it done? 

If you can't watch the team and see improvement from the past there is something wrong with you. That's without any depth also.

[SPAL]

If you can't watch the team and see improvement from the past there is something wrong with you. That's without any depth also.

Don't bother. He hasn't  ever watched a game of women's hoops. Just looks at the record. Probably couldn't name one player without looking. The cancer of jump ball has made it's way here. Which means dykes us doing a good job.

[SPAL]

6-8 in sec is getting it done? 

You do know that the conference will have 2 number 1 seeds, right?

[JackJohnson]

I have been very impressed and I was one that was skeptical at first...we are winning games we normally lose and playing close in games we normally get blown out in.  Not to mention we are blowing out some teams in SEC play.  We very easily could have swept A&M and beat Vandy which would just have us playing for seeding right now.  We also had two of the better non con wins that I can remember in neutral site wins over OU and Iowa who are both top 25 and top 2 in their conference

[lc480]

They are playing good.

[PIGmalion]

I have been very impressed and I was one that was skeptical at first...we are winning games we normally lose and playing close in games we normally get blown out in.  Not to mention we are blowing out some teams in SEC play.  We very easily could have swept A&M and beat Vandy which would just have us playing for seeding right now.  We also had two of the better non con wins that I can remember in neutral site wins over OU and Iowa who are both top 25 and top 2 in their conference

^^^ This ^^^ I was also one scratching my head and saying WTH when he was hired. But, after watching several of their games, my opinion of this hire has done a 180. I've never seen a LadyHogs team play as hard as these young ladies, especially on defense. Kudos to CJD and the team, it has been fun to watch, seem to get better every week!!

[Jeffcphog]

The most critical of Jimmy were the women coaches.  They thought they should be able to tell Arkansas who should be hired as our Coach.  That is a woman coach who has "paid her dues."

[kevinagee]

I was never a season Ticket holder or paid any attention to Lady's basketball until this year. I have been to my first Lady's game then 7 more have followed. I will be in line to jump all over season tickets next year. Love to go watch them play. Win or loose these lady's fight to the end. CJD has the attitude and moment going in the correct direction. The future is bright.

[GuvHog]

I know there's many times that I've heard game commentators say people in the coaching world questioned the hire of Coach Dykes. I never heard specific names, but apparently he doesn't qualify to be a head coach due to lack of coaching experience.

I say he's a helluva coach. This team is very consistent and always plays tough. When they lose, it's normally a close game. That is with only 9-8 players. Wait til next year when he gets a full class. I can't believe how he's changed the mentality of this program in his first year.

This team is NCAA Tournament worthy in my opinion! Go Hogs!!

I was laughed at and called every name in the book when I suggested Jimmy as a candidate for the Mens Head coach job a few years back. No one is laughing now. I'm glad Mike is here and thrilled to death with what the mens team has accomplished thus far this season but IMHO Jimmy Dykes has more than proven that he can coach. Taking a team that wasn't good last season and getting them to the point where they are on the verge of getting an NCAA Tourney bid in his first year is phenomenal.

[BWS]

The most critical of Jimmy were the women coaches.  They thought they should be able to tell Arkansas who should be hired as our Coach.  That is a woman coach who has "paid her dues."

You're right. A lot of the criticism came from women coaches who thought it was disrespectful to the women's game to hire a coach with no previous background coaching women's basketball. They also feel a lot of women's basketball coaching position's are being taken over by males, giving women limited opportunities. I remember the Yale women's coach being very critical of the hire. What puzzles me is that I heard no criticism at all for Louisiana Tech hiring a 23 male coach with only two years experience as an assistant.

[psycHOGlogist]

You're right. A lot of the criticism came from women coaches who thought it was disrespectful to the women's game to hire a coach with no previous background coaching women's basketball. They also feel a lot of women's basketball coaching position's are being taken over by males, giving women limited opportunities. I remember the Yale women's coach being very critical of the hire. What puzzles me is that I heard no criticism at all for Louisiana Tech hiring a 23 male coach with only two years experience as an assistant.

Two things -- first, the criticism wasn't that we hired a "male" coach. At least that was not the majority point of view. It was that we hired someone who was a broadcaster and hadn't coached for more than 10 years. This was seen as not giving people who are working their way up through the coaching ranks a fair shot in favor of a famous, apparently less-qualified person. That it was a man stung even more because it did introduce the gender-based critique. However, the much bigger issue was that CJD had never coached women, and hadn't coached -- period -- in a very long time.

Second, Tyler Summitt's hire wasn't criticized nearly as much (though it was criticized a little) because a) he was actually currently coaching women (he had served two years as AC at Marquette), b) he could say that he was bringing Mickie DeMoss along as an assistant, and c) his last name is Summitt. Add to that that LA Tech had become an absolute dumpster fire of a program, and some kind of "noteworthy" hire was necessary to try to capture some of the old aura of excellence. No matter how frustrated some fans (including me) were with the Collen era, we were by no means a dumpster fire, and last year were probably only 1 or 2 conference wins away from an NCAA bid (with a very young roster and an outstanding freshman class).

Having said all that - I agree completely with the gist of this thread - CJD has been doing a great job, he certainly seems to be coaching them up well, he is listening to his AC's when he has to (case in point - shortening practices as fatigue was grinding them down), and putting a good product on the floor with an incredibly limited roster. Thumbs up, Coach, Staff, and Jeff Long.

[tophawg19]

Agreed . my first choice was foley but Dykes has proven me wrong. i was surprised he could walk in with no H/C experience and do so well . Hiring good A/C's was a great first step.

[jackflash]

I like the hire of Dykes. Never had any question about him being able to coach. Wasn't sure how good of recruiter he would be.

[The_Iceman]

I am just impressed with Jeff Long's vision to be able to see that Jimmy Dykes would be a perfect fit for our Women's program.

Brilliant hire that I believe will lead to excellent results.

[Scott7703]

I am just impressed with Jeff Long's vision to be able to see that Jimmy Dykes would be a perfect fit for our Women's program.

Brilliant hire that I believe will lead to excellent results.

I agree with this iceman. Long did great work hiring CBB and dykes. I'll be shocked if we are competing at the highest level really soon.

[Dr. Starcs]

2 duds to close out the regular season.
41 pts today in 40 mins at mizzou.

Maybe they can win a game at the sect.

[lc480]

Arkansas looked like a tired team. Hard to play all year without much of a bench.

[BWS]

I think they have to win the SEC Tournament to get in the NCAA Tournament now.

[BearsBisonsBoars]

Proud of our ladies and their fight all season. CJD is doing a great job.

[hawg1221]

I think they have to win the SEC Tournament to get in the NCAA Tournament now.

I hope not because they will not beat SC or Tennessee. I don't know the exact schedule right now, but if they win against all the other teams (and hopefully they get to play 3 games at leasst), then I'm hoping that will be enough. Go Hogs and Good Luck!!

[LadybackBBFan]

I hope not because they will not beat SC or Tennessee. I don't know the exact schedule right now, but if they win against all the other teams (and hopefully they get to play 3 games at leasst), then I'm hoping that will be enough. Go Hogs and Good Luck!!

We play Ole Miss on Thursday - very tough game - great young coach with faster guards than ours.  If we win, then we play South Carolina.  Best hope is 1 - 1.

[josh_sec33]

Dear Coach's Association who put out the press release bemoaning the hire of Dykes:

Dykes got us back into the tourney. He obviously has an idea what he's doing. Not elite yet, but hey, we're in the tourney. It's an improvement.
I expect to see an apology press release soon.

[rlamb]

With just nine players I don't anyone in the SEC did a better coaching job than Jimmy. His players played hard which speaks highly of them. I know this just one season but can't wait until next season.

[HotlantaHog]

Jimmy has great communications skills. That much is obvious from watching him on ESPN and his interviews this year.

That should translate into very good recruiting. If it does, it is pretty clear he knows how to coach.

The sky is the limit.

[nchogg]

I questioned his hire. The results are great. He took a team he inherited and has gotten 110% out of them. When he has a full roster more wins will come. I know he will be able to recruit the players he needs. He put a good staff together. Go Lady Hogs go deep in the tourney!

[Justifiable Hogicide]

Jimmy has great communications skills. That much is obvious from watching him on ESPN and his interviews this year.

That should translate into very good recruiting. If it does, it is pretty clear he knows how to coach.

The sky is the limit.

What a great hire for the Razorbacks!

[sooieet]

He is doing a great job with his team, and is being an even better ambassador for the University.  #BeArkansas

[Inhogswetrust]

I like the hire of Dykes. Never had any question about him being able to coach. Wasn't sure how good of recruiter he would be.

Although he had never been a head coach, he had been an assistant and thus had to recruit.