Why this season was Kermit Davis' best ever coaching job

[SpaceRaider]

dnj:

...I challenge anybody to find a better coaching job in the 13th-year head man's career at MTSU. And it's a challenge I'll win because the answer is there's not one.


He took a roster with nine brand new, raw players and molded them - without a single all-conference player on the first, second or third teams mind you - into the second-best team inC-USA after losing the conference player of the year and his top-four scorers from 2014.....













This post was edited on 3/15 5:45 AM by SpaceRaider

Why this season was Kermit Davis' best ever

 

[Blueraider_Mike]

I think this is a good question...its easy to answer. No post player, 9 new players, lots of minutes by first year guys, only one SR contributor.

My head wonders...how can a coach who has been here for over a decade get the numbers in a position where he has 9 new players and not one true post player

Then my heart says...we did win 19 games and made the CUSA final.

We should be better next year.

 

[Raiderclyde]

Will say CKD had his best teaching job in coaching. Taking 9-10 "raw" players and building a 19-16 team that made it to the C-USA Conference Tournament Finals is definitely commendable. This season was a razor thin margin from being a record disaster as we had a few bad losses, coupled with narrow one possession wins. Around Christmas, it was debatable if this team could have had a winning record as it wasn't far from being a 10-11 win season. This team could have earned 20-22 losses quite easily, and other MT teams would have under CKD or another coach at the helm.

Obviously this team doesn't have elite talent. But it developed character, determination, and perseverance which are qualities in a successful basketball program. Again, someone could question how the 2014-2015 team got into this position since this was his thirteenth year, but redeeming qualities made the season end pleasantly and on a hopeful note. We still may have the CIT or CBI to play, which could give us an extra game or two....who knows, we might have another Murray State on our hands where we could win the CIT/CBI tournament. More history to write, I guess!!

Will say next year the expectation bar will be raised, and hopefully we can see a NCAA bid and be in the top 2-3 in the conference--depending on how La Tech or UTEP looks. We'll see in 2015-16, but enjoy our accomplishments for now.

 

[MTLynn]

Kermit's best shooting team ever finally started hitting more shots more often.

We have seen the team lifted a few times this year by a hot player nailing a lot of 3's.

Unfortunately, our hot players in the championship game, Marcus Tarrance, 3-3 from 3pt line, and Darnell Harris, 2-3 from 3pt line, didn't shoot enough yesterday.

 

[JohnDavidBlue]

What a commendable job by coach, staff, and the players. Kermit is building this thing into a big time program and next year will be even better than this year. The only thing that Kermit has not done is win that "one game" that elevates him to the next level. That will come.

I feel like that is happening, however. How cool is is that our expectations are 20 win seasons?

I want us to find a big time post player. Get some giants in here that develop.....

 

[MTFNBY5]

"Get some giants in here that develop...."

Anyone else notice that UAB's 6' 8" and 6' 9" players when compared to MT's 6' 7" and 6' 8" players appeared to be 2, 3 or 3 1/2 inches taller as compared to the expected 1 to 2 inch difference. Either MT's players are listed "up" (something I've always suspected) or UABs are listed "down" in the respective official rosters. After watching yesterday's game there is a clear difference in talent levels. Hard to believe we played them as well as we did earlier in the season.

And how does UAB sign a "high major" talent like 6' 9" freshman William Lee? He was offered by three $EC schools including The Tide along with SMU and Wichita ST. When was the last time MT signed any player in any sport who was offered by the Urenge? UAB obviously has recruiting advantages MT will probably never have.

 

[RandallThomason]

Personally I think it might be hard to top his first season for overachieving and improvement throughout a season. That team had basically 2 and a half good players and a bunch of hard playing low skilled guys. Managed to reach conference final and I'm convinced would have won it if it hadn't been a road game against one of the best WKU teams of the last 15 years.
Posted from Rivals Mobile