Bob West on LU basketball and football

[Guest coachacola]

First basketball:

No matter what happens the rest of the way, Lamar basketball coach Steve Roccaforte deserves plenty of credit for the way he’s dealt with a season-long run of injuries, and being able to rally his team after it looked like their season was down the drain. The Cardinals’ recent three-game winning streak without star point guard Kenny Dawkins was a tribute to both good coaching and a resilient group of players. To Roc’s critics, it’s worth pointing out that his three-year record of 49-40 is better than Billy Tubbs’ mark of 46-43 in his second stint at Lamar. He also has been better in Southland Conference games — 27-18 to Tubbs’ 23-25

I'm sure some of you will disagree on the "good coaching" comment.

Larry Coker, one of the men Lamar University passed on before hiring Ray Woodard to bring back football, may wind up coaching against the Cardinals. Coker, who went 60-15 at Miami and won the BCS championship in 2001, is one of three finalists to be the first coach at UT-San Antonio. The other two are Tulsa assistant Paul Randolph and Northwest Missouri State head coach Mel Tjeerdsma. Tjeerdsma, by the way, is the guy who gave PN-G ex Jeremy Davis a second chance after his drug problems.

I didn't know that Larry Coker was interested in the Lamar job.

http://www.panews.com/sportsbobwest/local_story_059212302.html?keyword=topstory

[Lazeek]

WOW..............LU passed on Coker!!!!!  The story of LU gets worse.  Hey kid do you want to play for a JUCO coach or a coach that won a National Championship????  Gee let me think about it!!!!!

[HoopInsider_Cooper]

Rice passed on Coker...He wanted way too much money & some other things.

[Lazeek]

Give him the money and whatever else he wanted.  He would recruit better than anyone they hire.

It is like having Joe Blow #1, Joe Blow #2 and Tubby Smith apply for the LU hoop job and they give it to Joe Blow #1.  They want to go FBS soon and that is one ay to help.

[KFDM COOP]

I think LU got the right coach!!

[UNLV]

I'm not impressed with Cokers coaching abilities. He won a NC off someone elses team. Then Miami crashed for the rest

of Cokers era. Woodard is a far better coach, but I too would have loved to have a NC coach here. Go Woodard...

[Guest coachacola]

LU may have passed on Coker because he wanted to much money.  If Rice couldn't afford him I doubt LU could.  UTSA is a different situation that LU so he may be a good fit there.  I think LU made the right choice in going for a younger, more energetic coach that doesn't feel like he's "better" than LU.  I'm sure Coker and Franchione would have felt that way and wouldn't be here that long.

[texasstud28]

Was Coker even interviewed by Lamar?  Or Dennis Franchione? I highly doubt that anyone can validate it.

[Guest abovetherim]

Coach Fran was on campus last year.

[Lazeek]

In no way am I saying that Woodard is not the right choice or a good coach.  I am just thinking that if I was a college prospect woul I rather play for a guy that was a JUCO coach or a guy that was a coach at the U and won a NC???????

[Guest mffl]

Yeah but Coker would also have to explain some of his charcater issues with players, like when ESPN televised the FAU (or maybe FIU) and Miami game, which turned into the huge brawl? He apparently didn't have control of his team.

[Lazeek]

True.....................but Lu might need a few "thugs" like that to get the program going strong again!!!! ;D ;D ;D

[Guest DickVitale]

In no way am I saying that Woodard is not the right choice or a good coach.  I am just thinking that if I was a college prospect woul I rather play for a guy that was a JUCO coach or a guy that was a coach at the U and won a NC???????

The fact that he USED to be a JUCO coach means exactly what? Does it mean that he is not a good coach?  ???

[Lazeek]

Jeeez!!!!!!!!!!  DV settle down. ;D ;D ;D

Just saying that a guy that has won a BCS Championship should have a little more pull recruiting!!!!!!!!

[Guest DickVitale]

Oh, I was just asking....It's STILL just LAMAR, you know!!

[texasstud28]

Coach Fran was on campus last year.

Can you validate this Franchione sighting?  It's a moot point, but does anyone recall the Beaumont Enterprise mentioning Fran or Coker?  I can't recall, but the given list of applicants may have not been entirely accurate, either.  What do you think? 

[Guest mffl]

I was actually on campus taking a lifeguarding certification class in the Rec center when he was spotted on campus, (no lie), and there was a huge buzz in the entrance of the Rec Center that Fran was spotted. I believe he was interested more in a Consultant job, or he wanted a guarantee that Brad Franchione would be his replacement once he left for a better job.

[texasstud28]

I was actually on campus taking a lifeguarding certification class in the Rec center when he was spotted on campus, (no lie), and there was a huge buzz in the entrance of the Rec Center that Fran was spotted. I believe he was interested more in a Consultant job, or he wanted a guarantee that Brad Franchione would be his replacement once he left for a better job.

That sounds accurate, but Fran's "better job" is with ESPN, in all likelihood.  Brad Franchione will be a Division I head coach soon. Fran would have done a fine job down here, too.