Truths about Randy Rahe in 2019

[Webergrad02]

1. Pre-scheduling and winning 20 games is the ultimate goal.
2. He no longer holds players accountable for selfish play. 5 players playing as individuals is now the norm. The tail wags the dog with Weber State BB.
3. We run off the local "blue collar" talent in hopes of landing the super athlete. Every year we have 4 or 5 freshman. It's hard to build continuity like that.
4. Coach being involved in the community is a thing of the past. Fewer luncheons and he no longer is building support for the program. Kind of hard to believe when half of his salary comes from private donors in the community.

 

[SWeberCat02]

Weber regularly touts winning 20 games as a big accomplishment. Fact is, it really isn't anymore. Anyway, Weber might very well not get to 20 wins this season, and definitely won't win 20 D1 games. They're sitting on 16 wins (14 D1 wins) with 4 to go plus the conference tournament. And if they aren't winning 20 games with this team, there's little hope they're doing it next season.

I watched USU the other night and came away very impressed. Looks like they made the right move by finally leaving behind anything associated with Morrill. Looking like Smith was a great hire. He has really injected some fire and excitement into that program. Just look at where they were just last season. Smith brought in a future NBA player in Queta, who is fun as hell to watch. Also, they're doing it with some Utah kids, something Weber hasn't been able to say in years. But my point is, anyone thinking that letting Rahe go is just too big of a risk to take only needs to look an hour up the road to see that it very well could be a risk worth taking. Just ask any Aggie fan. Smith if very popular and I'm sure Aggie fans would never want to go back to the Morrill coaching tree. That system is outdated and simply doesn't work anymore.

 

[SWWeatherCat]

1. Pre-scheduling and winning 20 games is the ultimate goal.
2. He no longer holds players accountable for selfish play. 5 players playing as individuals is now the norm. The tail wags the dog with Weber State BB.
3. We run off the local "blue collar" talent in hopes of landing the super athlete. Every year we have 4 or 5 freshman. It's hard to build continuity like that.
4. Coach being involved in the community is a thing of the past. Fewer luncheons and he no longer is building support for the program. Kind of hard to believe when half of his salary comes from private donors in the community.

He's following the lead of the conference and school, in my opinion. I've never been able to wrap my mind around a business not concerned with it's customer or declining customer base, but whatever, I've pretty much ceased caring.

 

[SWeberCat02]

1. Pre-scheduling and winning 20 games is the ultimate goal.
2. He no longer holds players accountable for selfish play. 5 players playing as individuals is now the norm. The tail wags the dog with Weber State BB.
3. We run off the local "blue collar" talent in hopes of landing the super athlete. Every year we have 4 or 5 freshman. It's hard to build continuity like that.
4. Coach being involved in the community is a thing of the past. Fewer luncheons and he no longer is building support for the program. Kind of hard to believe when half of his salary comes from private donors in the community.

He's following the lead of the conference and school, in my opinion. I've never been able to wrap my mind around a business not concerned with it's customer or declining customer base, but whatever, I've pretty much ceased caring.

:+1:

 

[Chex]

It is getting tougher to go to Weber State games. Rahe never makes adjustments, and they always fade down the stretch...sometimes they hold on, but there is no mental toughness or confidence. I remember games where the Dee Events was rocking and fired up. These teams weren’t always the best, but they played with intensity and as a team.

Rahe’s teams are like watching pickup games or high school all star games. It’s just watching a collection of individuals trying to outshoot each other.

Looks like we are locked up until Rahe’s retirement, but the basketball program desperately needs an infusion of energy and fresh blood.

 

[WSUfan1]

The real truth is that we are in yet another season of a dumpster fire. Community and fan support has reached a 13 year low. I dare say I feel like I did when Cravens was on his last season. Sure, there are some Rahe lovers, but I think there are far too many doubters now. We are so bad, and we will be getting another first round loss at the B.S. Tourney. The excuses are running out on Rahe, and he cant hide behind injury and lack of "veteran players' anymore. He has cut or let go many players who could have been upper class-men by now. I mean the whole mantra that we get highly recruited players needs to end. We get decent recruits, but Rahe ruins them once they get here. Heck, Braxton still has his Freshman move, and his only move. Our offense is trash, and defense is even worse. Praying for football like no other.

 

[WSUfan1]

Isn't this thread fitting.

 

[SWWeatherCat]

...
I watched USU the other night and came away very impressed. Looks like they made the right move by finally leaving behind anything associated with Morrill. Looking like Smith was a great hire. He has really injected some fire and excitement into that program. Just look at where they were just last season. Smith brought in a future NBA player in Queta, who is fun as hell to watch. Also, they're doing it with some Utah kids, something Weber hasn't been able to say in years. But my point is, anyone thinking that letting Rahe go is just too big of a risk to take only needs to look an hour up the road to see that it very well could be a risk worth taking. Just ask any Aggie fan. Smith if very popular and I'm sure Aggie fans would never want to go back to the Morrill coaching tree. That system is outdated and simply doesn't work anymore.

This statement looking even more valid as time passes. I can't fathom why Weber doesn't expect more? Does the program have to hit rock bottom (you'd think it already had), to the extent football did in the ?90s when Arslanian had to take his team-- literally-- into the community and save a program on the chopping block? Yeah, there's a chance of getting a satan (john l) when making a change, or even a Jody Sears, but isn't it worth taking a chance on a broken program to get a Coach Hill or Coach A in this case? How many more years until there's at least a chance of caring about basketball again?

 

[SWWeatherCat]

...
2. He no longer holds players accountable for selfish play. 5 players playing as individuals is now the norm. The tail wags the dog with Weber State BB.
3. We run off the local "blue collar" talent in hopes of landing the super athlete. Every year we have 4 or 5 freshman. It's hard to build continuity like that.
...

I'm sure the lack of "blue collar" bigs with solid fundamentals and coaching staff capable of developing them has nothing to do with the decline of Rahe's teams.

 

[n.ogdencat]

...
2. He no longer holds players accountable for selfish play. 5 players playing as individuals is now the norm. The tail wags the dog with Weber State BB.
3. We run off the local "blue collar" talent in hopes of landing the super athlete. Every year we have 4 or 5 freshman. It's hard to build continuity like that.
...

I'm sure the lack of "blue collar" bigs with solid fundamentals and coaching staff capable of developing them has nothing to do with the decline of Rahe's teams.

On the nose...

Nobody on this staff has a clue on how to coach bigs. Kozak hasn't developed in the slightest over the past three years. He came in and was an automatic starter as a freshman and we all big hopes, but like other bigs, his game has been stagnant. Guy is a great kid and deserves good coaching, but he isn't getting it. Randy's biggest issue might be his associate.

Also, I don't quite understand how Nero doesn't fit into our offense. In my opinion, last year he should have been starting over Barns, but...now there are three freshman who are better and I watched them all last night. I don't see what Randy sees, but then again he makes a lot more than me.

 

[sacstateman]

...
2. He no longer holds players accountable for selfish play. 5 players playing as individuals is now the norm. The tail wags the dog with Weber State BB.
3. We run off the local "blue collar" talent in hopes of landing the super athlete. Every year we have 4 or 5 freshman. It's hard to build continuity like that.
...

I'm sure the lack of "blue collar" bigs with solid fundamentals and coaching staff capable of developing them has nothing to do with the decline of Rahe's teams.

On the nose...

Nobody on this staff has a clue on how to coach bigs. Kozak hasn't developed in the slightest over the past three years. He came in and was an automatic starter as a freshman and we all big hopes, but like other bigs, his game has been stagnant. Guy is a great kid and deserves good coaching, but he isn't getting it. Randy's biggest issue might be his associate.

Also, I don't quite understand how Nero doesn't fit into our offense. In my opinion, last year he should have been starting over Barns, but...now there are three freshman who are better and I watched them all last night. I don't see what Randy sees, but then again he makes a lot more than me.

You should ask Olds...he sees what you don't see that Randy sees....No minutes left for Nero with all the depth at the guard position.... :rofl:

 

[n.ogdencat]

I'm not being an apologist. Rahe has had great success here at Weber, and I feel we will be competitive, eventually, again this year. I don't see us winning the Big Sky, but we will compete in conference. However, I really feel that Randy either isn't getting the help he needs or doesn't have the fire he once had. I mean an 8 year contract does two things. First, it shows that a coach has experienced great success and "earned" the contract, but second, most of the time, coaches, once earning a long-term contract lose fire and drive and go through the motions. Regrettably, I feel this is what is happening with Randy. Not only does it affect Randy, but it also affects his assistants. They are also safe for 8 years. What is the rush, urgency, or drive to do more? You are safe. 5 year contract would have been one thing, but 8 freaking years!! Ugh...it is very rare seeing a coach maintain excellence once getting a long-term contract.

Randy is our winningest coach of all time with the most victories. He has a .645% winning percentage. Has been loyal to Weber State. He has won 5 Big Sky Conference Crowns under his tutelage, Our only 30 win team happened while he was coach, and have had some of the best players in the history of the program come through the Dee while he has been here. Like his mentor, one Stew Morrill, he has accomplished a lot and has maintained the programs luster. Sometimes it is just time to hang it up or move on. He is a good coach, but he can only do so much. Each year he's won a conference crown, a key assistant would be gone the next year. Those key assistants were major factors, in my opinion, behind the teams success. Randy is indeed the captain of the ship and leader of the program and deserves the most recognition, but he has had some awesome assistant. After each key assistant left, there was a serious drop off. Since Smiley left, the program hasn't really recovered. Randy needs help. His assistants are getting it done.

 

[UtahPirate]

Like his mentor, one Stew Morrill, he has accomplished a lot and has maintained the programs luster.

This, more than anything, is what I worry about. I was not a Stew fan. In Logan, he softened his schedule, rarely made a pre-season appearance outside of Cache County, played in a so-so conference, piled up the wins, and whined about not making the Dance when the committee told the Aggies their schedule was too soft -- year after year. So Aggie luster was all smoke and mirrors. I believe there are differences between Randy and Stew, but some of the problems we face, especially the scheduling, do seem too Stew-like.

I couldn't make the last game, and a blow out tonight might not tell me much, but I'm a little antsy to see things for myself.

I'm also patient enough to see where we are at the end of the year. I was worried about the front court and know they have to grow—concerns about poor "big" coaching is a real worry and if the bigs don't progress we are going nowhere. But I'm anxious to see John, Harding, Davis, Barnes, Diakite, Kozak, Fuller, and Zdor all playing together with a little experience under their belt before I say the sky is falling for this season. I still think there are a lot of games to be won with that mix of players. But they really need some seasoning on the court together, which hasn't even really happened in practice yet. Always better to start slow and finish strong (fingers-crossed as I write that).

Still scratching my head about Nero, and I feel really bad for Kupsas who I worry we are going to miss more than you might think.

 

[n.ogdencat]

Like his mentor, one Stew Morrill, he has accomplished a lot and has maintained the programs luster.

This, more than anything, is what I worry about. I was not a Stew fan. In Logan, he softened his schedule, rarely made a pre-season appearance outside of Cache County, played in a so-so conference, piled up the wins, and whined about not making the Dance when the committee told the Aggies their schedule was too soft -- year after year. So Aggie luster was all smoke and mirrors. I believe there are differences between Randy and Stew, but some of the problems we face, especially the scheduling, do seem too Stew-like.

I couldn't make the last game, and a blow out tonight might not tell me much, but I'm a little antsy to see things for myself.

I'm also patient enough to see where we are at the end of the year. I was worried about the front court and know they have to grow—concerns about poor "big" coaching is a real worry and if the bigs don't progress we are going nowhere. But I'm anxious to see John, Harding, Davis, Barnes, Diakite, Kozak, Fuller, and Zdor all playing together with a little experience under their belt before I say the sky is falling for this season. I still think there are a lot of games to be won with that mix of players. But they really need some seasoning on the court together, which hasn't even really happened in practice yet. Always better to start slow and finish strong (fingers-crossed as I write that).

Still scratching my head about Nero, and I feel really bad for Kupsas who I worry we are going to miss more than you might think.

Pirate, I agree. We definitely can end a lot better than how we started, and I really hope we do. I mean there is potential with this team. If they figure out a way to work together and create some chemistry then the talent is there for the Cats to really compete. I think the biggest issue is with how we ended last year and how we have started this season. Against DI competition the Cats have been limping at best. We get another chance next week against Wright State in the Gulf Coast Classic. Lets hope the team has grown some since the USD game.

There are some key concerns though:
Depending waaaayyy too much on hitting 3s. They shot it great against WCB, but that has to carry over to a game that matters.
Rebounding...still very little urgency and fundamentals are definitely lacking. That's coaching. Knowing how to attack the rim and being in position.
Lets see if we can increase overall assists and limit TOs.
And finally the three constants with Randy...breaking the freaking zone, inbound passing plays, and breaking a press.