1.5 & .5

[nwahogfan1]

I think only the formal announcement came today. The decision happened a while ago.

I wish Kelsey would return because she is a darn good guard plus she would have gave us her experience in the back court where we are the youngest but lets face it her decision didn't caught anyone off guard.

I wonder if this scholarship will be used by Stout?

[LadybackBBFan]

Kelsey Brooks just announced that she's not coming back next year. .....

As a Kelsey supporter, that announcement makes sense to me.  The back court is going to be very crowded next year and this gives the younger girls more opportunity and helps to keep them on campus.  Without surgery, Kelsey was not going to be able to match her freshman and sophomore season performances.
Good luck Kelsey!  :razorback:

[BlancheDevereaux]

Does anyone know why Brooks didn't get a big send off today for graduation? I only saw Jimmy and the official account post about Wolff on Twitter. It seems weird since it's a case of not using  eligibility, as opposed to transferring.

[LadybackBBFan]

Does anyone know why Brooks didn't get a big send off today for graduation? I only saw Jimmy and the official account post about Wolff on Twitter. It seems weird since it's a case of not using  eligibility, as opposed to transferring.

She was not his favorite player - remember he left her and JJ home for the trip to Rutgers.

[nwahogfan1]

She was not his favorite player - remember he left her and JJ home for the trip to Rutgers.

I don't know about she was one of Jimmy's favorites or not but I think she was left home because she broke team rules and not because of coach/player relationship.  Just  a guess.

[flippinhogmana]

just jd's rules

[ricepig]

just jd's rules

His team, his rules.

[Hogtied85]

His team, his rules.

If that's the case then I'm cool with it. Before jimmy was hired, discipline and structure was a distant and ancient thing. I have spoke to a player that played for the last head coach and confirmed everything that I was feeling. I personally thought Nicki Collen should have been given a chance but with Tom there that idea wasn't going to happen.

This player told me that things were really really bad when Collen was there and worse after Ricketts and Harris left.  Her exact words were, "He was ready to retire". He never recruited the tops players outside of Jessica jackson and  Sarah Watkins and Ceira Ricketts. He basically pushed top recruit from Arkansas away. Just look at what happen  Tyler Scaife (Rutgers) and Shekinna Strickland (Tennessee). Tyler said she loved Arkansas and wanted to play at Arkansas but there was some sort a communication breakdown between her and Tom.

In an interview, Tom Collen was asked about Tyler Scaife and Jessica Jackson. He said we went with Jessica Jackson because she is the better player. Personally, as a coach I would have gotten both of them. Tom Collen shot himself in foot with decision. His recruiting decision still baffles my mind.

Jimmy Dykes has done more in two than Collen in his first 3 years. We've had two top 20 recruiting classes and McDonald's All-American Aaliyah Wilson coming in. I'm sure we can find something positive in that. RIGHT???

[nwahogfan1]

just jd's rules

So you are saying a Coach should not set his own team rules???  He is the one who is mostly affected if a player breaks a rule and may have to miss a game(s).

Aren't team rules and the discipline that go with the breakage of those rules relative to coaches back ground and up to each coach?  It is his team.  If too strict he may lose a player or two.  Air Force and the other military academies lose players all the time because of being too strict.  It just happens in colleges especially with the way kids are being raised now.  But with 15 scholarships surely Jimmy will have a 10+ players buying in and will start winning at a high clip.

Do you think the player's parents are mostly happy with Jimmy's team rules?

[BlancheDevereaux]

I don't think anyone is questioning Jimmy's rules. It's his team and he can run it how he chooses (within reason). But for some there is a question of if those rules apply equally to every player.

And even if Brooks broke team rules and wasn't allowed to play against Rutgers why was there no celebration of her graduation? Surely Jimmy's Christian spirit of forgiveness would allow for a single tweet of congratulations to a player who instrumental in getting him to the NCAA tourney in his first year, even if she did choose to stop playing before using her full eligibility.

[nwahogfan1]

I don't think anyone is questioning Jimmy's rules. It's his team and he can run it how he chooses (within reason). But for some there is a question of if those rules apply equally to every player.

And even if Brooks broke team rules and wasn't allowed to play against Rutgers why was there no celebration of her graduation? Surely Jimmy's Christian spirit of forgiveness would allow for a single tweet of congratulations to a player who instrumental in getting him to the NCAA tourney in his first year, even if she did choose to stop playing before using her full eligibility.

That is a good question.  I wonder if anyone out there can help us on why she did not get any send off after she announces she is not coming back?

[Porked Tongue]

Make no mistake, JD has a mean streak.

[ricepig]

That is a good question.  I wonder if anyone out there can help us on why she did not get any send off after she announces she is not coming back?

I guess she'd be eligible to be a graduate transfer, maybe that's why??

[hog63]

If that's the case then I'm cool with it. Before jimmy was hired, discipline and structure was a distant and ancient thing. I have spoke to a player that played for the last head coach and confirmed everything that I was feeling. I personally thought Nicki Collen should have been given a chance but with Tom there that idea wasn't going to happen.

This player told me that things were really really bad when Collen was there and worse after Ricketts and Harris left.  Her exact words were, "He was ready to retire". He never recruited the tops players outside of Jessica jackson and  Sarah Watkins and Ceira Ricketts. He basically pushed top recruit from Arkansas away. Just look at what happen  Tyler Scaife (Rutgers) and Shekinna Strickland (Tennessee). Tyler said she loved Arkansas and wanted to play at Arkansas but there was some sort a communication breakdown between her and Tom.

In an interview, Tom Collen was asked about Tyler Scaife and Jessica Jackson. He said we went with Jessica Jackson because she is the better player. Personally, as a coach I would have gotten both of them. Tom Collen shot himself in foot with decision. His recruiting decision still baffles my mind.

Jimmy Dykes has done more in two than Collen in his first 3 years. We've had two top 20 recruiting classes and McDonald's All-American Aaliyah Wilson coming in. I'm sure we can find something positive in that. RIGHT???

I do not disagree with you that Collen was burned out however he was never going to get Strickland, she was a TN lock long before he ever got here and Scaife and Jackson would have never played together in college. Different parties connected to the 2 did not want that.

[BlancheDevereaux]

Collen definitely needed to go--although his wife was probably another matter. However, agreeing with that idea doesn't meant that we have to think Jimmy is God's gift to women's basketball. If you directly compare Collen and Dykes the records are actually pretty similar.

Recruiting: (in the past fives years, which is as far back as ESPN lets you go)
Collen--one top 20 recruiting class (2013 with Jackson, ranked 20th)
Dykes--one top 20 recruiting class (2015 with many bodies, ranked 20th)

Win/Loss Record:
Collin's first two years: 17-13 and then 18-14
Dyke's first two years: 18-14 and then 15-16

If Collen had to choose between Jackson and Scaife I'm glad he went with Jackson. Otherwise Dykes really would have been in a pickle over the past two seasons!

[LadybackBBFan]

I do not disagree with you that Collen was burned out however he was never going to get Strickland, she was a TN lock long before he ever got here and Scaife and Jackson would have never played together in college. Different parties connected to the 2 did not want that.

TC may or may not have been burned out.  However, he had no chance with Strickland, she was a Pat Summit lock since the 8th grade.  TC arrived here right before her Senior season.  I also am aware that Collen was under the impression that others including Jackson did not want to play with Scaife.  I do not know why.  Collen's greatest recruiting failure in my opinion was spending too much time on foreign players - first from Australia and then Europe which clearly never paid off for him.  I believe the player's liked TC, but his discipline at practice would have driven me up the wall for the practices that I did watch.  As a former coach, I would never have accepted the lackadaisical effort that I saw from many players including key ones.

[Porked Tongue]

Another asst coach/support staff has left the program. 

Edited.

[beringer62]

I'm guessing not Deffenbaugh?(sp)

[psycHOGlogist]

Interesting. No acknowledgment of it on either's (Cummings or Deffebaugh) twitter yet - both still identify as Arkansas AC's.

[Porked Tongue]

It's not either one of them.  I should have more accurately stated it as support staff.

[psycHOGlogist]

Ah - thanks for clarifying.

[hog63]

Simion has left. He was on the bench as a coach 2 years ago and support staff last year.

[ricepig]

https://twitter.com/wholehogsports/status/740588059662503936

[LadybackBBFan]

Simion has left. He was on the bench as a coach 2 years ago and support staff last year.

That would have been my guess.  He is a nice guy.

[Porked Tongue]

That would have been my guess.  He is a nice guy.

Simplomatic of a lot of things.

On the new hire,  /yawn