When does Casey get the head coach job. Give it to him now and get on with recruiting. These guys live playing for him.
It's still early. Especially in the recruiting landscape of 2024, I don't think you really have to rush it. Who even knows what the recruiting rules are going to be like a few months from now?
As good as things feel right now, a new coaching hire is a chance for Fairfield to really find a star coach/recruiter who could push the program to the next level. If you think that guy is available and you don't think Casey is that guy... I think you have to go in that direction.
His chances are certainly better than they were 5 games ago, though!
When does Casey get the head coach job. Give it to him now and get on with recruiting. These guys live playing for him.
It's still early. Especially in the recruiting landscape of 2024, I don't think you really have to rush it. Who even knows what the recruiting rules are going to be like a few months from now?
As good as things feel right now, a new coaching hire is a chance for Fairfield to really find a star coach/recruiter who could push the program to the next level. If you think that guy is available and you don't think Casey is that guy... I think you have to go in that direction.
His chances are certainly better than they were 5 games ago, though!
Tough call at this point. Bob Simon or Sydney Johnson?? 🤔
Great game, good team win! Great to see Caleb making some shots from behind the line. Heck of a start for him. Seck was really good, Johns also played well off the bench. Casey is doing a great job of letting them play free. I wish we everyone would stop mentioning Yetna. The odds of this kid stepping on the floor are probably less than 10%. The team we have that we are all enjoying is the team we will have. Let’s make a run in the MAAC!
Great game, good team win! Great to see Caleb making some shots from behind the line. Heck of a start for him. Seck was really good, Johns also played well off the bench. Casey is doing a great job of letting them play free. I wish we everyone would stop mentioning Yetna. The odds of this kid stepping on the floor are probably less than 10%. The team we have that we are all enjoying is the team we will have. Let’s make a run in the MAAC!
I don’t doubt Yetna will play. He’s a difference maker on the glass. Even with a lesser team in many respects last year, most games were close. Defensive rebounds and a few more second chance shots are huge. And we need another body up front.
Post by jenningsbeach on Dec 22, 2023 12:53:31 GMT -5
A nice contingent of Fairfield fans at the game last night; the Stags are Jersey strong. And what we all witnessed was one of the best halves of basketball in program history. Fields' five three-pointers, plus one each from Johns and Goodine, opened up the paint, and Fairfield ran layup drills after that. A perfect storm of offensive excellence. I expected a high-scoring game in the 80s, and I expected that FDU would hang with us even if we went off. But it was Fairfield's defense and rebounding that broke them. Completely broke them. Dismantled, dismembered, discombobulated -- pick your verb. They all fit.
A quick shoutout to Jalen Leach -- he has become a star. He's smooth with the ball, inside/outside game, rarely makes mistakes. I can't believe he's the same player we watched for three years. Coach Casey has unleashed his talents.
This team is playing with unfettered joy, and I can't wait for the MAAC season to hit full stride. I think the league is down overall and there is a real opportunity for Fairfield to do some damage. Take care of business versus Le Moyne and then bring on Siena and Marist. This winning streak has miles to go before we sleep.
Last Edit: Dec 22, 2023 12:59:49 GMT -5 by jenningsbeach
A nice contingent of Fairfield fans at the game last night; the Stags are Jersey strong. And what we all witnessed was one of the best halves of basketball in program history. Fields' five three-pointers, plus one each from Johns and Goodine, opened up the paint, and Fairfield ran layup drills after that. A perfect storm of offensive excellence. I expected a high-scoring game in the 80s, and I expected that FDU would hang with us even if we went off. But it was Fairfield's defense and rebounding that broke them. Completely broke them. Dismantled, dismembered, discombobulated -- pick your verb. They all fit.
A quick shoutout to Jalen Leach -- he has become a star. He's so smooth with the ball, inside/outside game, rarely makes mistakes. I can't believe he's the same player we watched for three years. Coach Casey has unleashed his talents.
This team is playing with unfettered joy, and I can't wait for the MAAC season to hit full stride. I think the league is down overall and there is a real opportunity for Fairfield to do some damage. Take care of business versus Le Moyne and then bring on Siena and Marist. This winning streak has miles to go before we sleep.
Awesome post Jennings! Put a smile on my face before Christmas! Merry Christmas everyone!
Fascinating decision for Schlickmann considering we gave early contract extensions to SJ and JY that put us in a bind as the results and style of play under those two coaches didn’t live up to what was expected when the extensions were announced. My guess is if the style of play and wins continue for around the next 5 to 6 MAAC games, the interim tag will be removed in order to help recruiting efforts and to reward Casey for what he has done with this team.
I hope that happens but not sure it will. But I also don't think he needs to win the MAAC to get the job. Like all these guys, Casey knows his Xs and Os at an insane level. But his maturity and people skills have been on display here. And that’s stood out the most. We’re going to have a good conference season. I hope he gets the position.
I like Casey a lot. I hope he gets the position too. I support that.
All that being said if I were in charge I would wait to make a decision. Its would have been premature to call for casey's head after starting 0-6 versus D1 programs and its premature to annoit him the next coming of Fred Barakat after beating a group of teams that is primarily from the NEC. One of the key questions I might ask is who evaluated and recruited these players? If we could point to Chris being integral to adding key pieces to this years team offering him the job is much more of a no-brainer. If the key recruits were added by Johns, Dougher and Young, well that's another matter.
I remind the "Mitch is God" days when Mitch essentially took a group of players with losing record the prior year and made them MAAC champions. Mitch was a good coach but not the best recruiter or judge of talent. Casey is a good coach who is going to win games with the talent he has. I don't know if he is a good recruiter or good judge of talent. I think he might be but I don't know enough to say he is.
My take is I like Casey a lot, always have and I personally would be inclined to offer him the role. If I were responsible for making a decision as important as this for the institution, I would however give things more time before making that decision.
I was asked a question last night that I don't know the answer to. When was the last time we had a 30 point halftime lead on a D1 opponent. Maybe someone on the EEGN staff or another poster has the answer to that question.
Unfortunately most of the EEGN staff cannot give this question much attention as we are working in our day jobs . This is a real research project. But I do not believe there was another game versus a D1 opponent in the last 15 years where Fairfield led at the half by 30 points. Off the top of my head, without doing much research, to verify any of this I believe these are the top 5 first half leads since 2008:
22 Manhattan - January 31, 2017 21 Maryland ES - November 24, 2015 21 Norfolk State - November 26, 2010 20 Marist - January 24, 2013 20 Saint Peter's - February 15, 2012 Editors note: No real research has been done to support the above stats.
Last Edit: Dec 22, 2023 16:10:13 GMT -5 by reindeerfan
Lost in this discussion is credit has to be given to JY for the recent success of the stags. After all no matter which of the coaches actually recruited the players all the recruits were brought to FF during Jays watch. No doubt so far the play under Casey is a better fit for the players but the players are JAy Youngs.
Reading the comments on whether Yetna will come back this season and whether Casey should be offered the permanent coaching job, my mind envisioned this possible scenario: Yetna walks into AD’s office and says “I figure it’s time for me to start playing ball. But there’s just one thing….i play, coach stays. He goes, I go. “
If you never saw “Hoosiers” this wouldn’t make any sense.
Lost in this discussion is credit has to be given to JY for the recent success of the stags. After all no matter which of the coaches actually recruited the players all the recruits were brought to FF during Jays watch. No doubt so far the play under Casey is a better fit for the players but the players are JAy Youngs.
JY had some hits and some misses and some bad injury luck with his recruiting.
It's probably both satisfying and frustrating, for him, to see things seemingly coming together... finally.
Johns Sr recruited Floyd, Johns Jr and the only recruit that was committed in 2024 Guillouette who would have been a terrific player as a Stag. He was the guy the players related to and loved on the staff. Casey has done a spectacular job showing what these guys can do when playing without Jay hollering and over coaching them. This team has the potential to win this league in a down year. Schlickman isn’t a great AD but Casey has a chance to save his job too. He did do a great job hiring the woman’s coach. Luke should be on speed dial no matter what or we all will be living with regret as fans moving forward.
Last Edit: Dec 23, 2023 23:09:22 GMT -5 by stag4life
. This is a real research project. But I do not believe there was another game versus a D1 opponent in the last 15 years where Fairfield led at the half by 30 points. Off the top of my head, without doing much research, to verify any of this I believe these are the top 5 first half leads since 2008: