Skeeter and Hanson let go

[Breedwell]

Greg Auman is reporting.

 

http://www.tampabay.com/blogs/bulls/skeeters-hanson-wont-return-to-heaths-staff/2117798

 

Making changes after a disappointing 2012-13 season, USF men's basketball coach Stan Heath said Saturday that assistant coach Eric Skeeters and director of basketball operations Reggie Hanson won't be back with the Bulls next season.

"My goal for next season is to improve our team in all areas. Part of those changes are difficult ... staff changes," Heath said. "I want to thank Eric and Reggie for their efforts. Both coaches helped our program and I am hopeful will find another opportunity."

The two coaches were the longest-tenured on Heath's 2012-13 staff. Skeeters spent four years as a Bulls assistant, and Hanson was among Heath's first hires in 2007, spending four years as a full-time assistant before moving in 2011 to his current role as director of basketball operations. With assistant Andy Hipsher leaving last week to become associate head coach on his father Dan's staff at Texas-Pan American, the Bulls now have three openings, with associate head coach Steve Roccaforte the only returning assistant.

 

USF will have considerable change on the court as well, with a seven-player recruiting class coming in this summer. That includes a pair of national top-100 frontcourt players in freshmen John Egbunu and Chris Perry. The Bulls have two more scholarships committed than they have available, so at least one returning player or signee won't be with the team this fall; if necessary, Heath could have his son Josh, an incoming point guard signed from Tampa Prep, join the team initially as a walk-on.

The Bulls are just a year removed from their first NCAA Tournament appearance in 20 years, as well as the first two NCAA tourney wins in the program's history. Last year, the Bulls struggled without a significant post presence, finishing 12-19 overall and just 3-15 in the Big East. USF moves into the American Athletic Conference this summer and should fare better with less high-level competition in the new league.

[Brad]

Interesting.

 

Sounds like an exciting time for Bulls Basketball.  Top recruits and hopefully a new style of play that better matches abilities.  The burden to succeed remains on Coach Heath.  I hope these are good decisions for him and he can drive this program higher.

[Breedwell]

I feel like this shows that Heath recognizes there are changes to be made. Instead of sitting with what he's got, he's being active to "find better."

 

Now, whether or not firing Skeeter and Hanson is the right move, and whomever he picks up to replace them is better, remains to be seen. But, I like that he's being active and not reactive.

[Dhambuc]

Heath is doing what he has to do to win.(keep his job).   The recruiting class is the best ever, the facilities are top notch as well.  

 

The competition level will be slightly less this year(transition year between BE/AAC) Losing the Catholic 7, Pitt,Cuse but adding Memphis, UCF, Houston.   Cincy , UConn and Ville(thier last year).    

 

I think anything less of NIT will be a failure.   NCAA is obtainable within 2 years,  

 

 

Lets Go Bulls

[charsibb]

Or maybe it's not so rosy as we think.

 

Maybe Heath got a severe cut in his coaching budget and had to cut staff for monetary reasons...

[Skingraft]

Could be both...

[Brad]

Maybe Heath got a severe cut in his coaching budget and had to cut staff for monetary reasons...

Come on, we just re-signed the Tennis coach!

[Vega]

Or maybe it's not so rosy as we think.

 

Maybe Heath got a severe cut in his coaching budget and had to cut staff for monetary reasons...

 

Well whatever they were getting paid it was to much.

 

The UK fans warned about taking Hanson when Heath hired him. Many tied his inability to find talent to Tubby Smith's downfall. If the guy couldn't recruit to Kentucky he sure as hell wasn't going to at USF, and he didn't. He was eventually stored away as a coach that breaks down film and Andy Hipsher took his spot on the bench and on the road recruiting. Hanson didn't disappoint because he was already considered a terrible asst coach anyway. Now Coach Skeeter was just a failure here. Very surprising as the guy had success at other programs and suppose to had strong ties to the Baltimore area. USF has wasted a lot of their recruiting budget of Coach Skeets trips to his stomping grounds only to never land a single player. To much wasted time and money on a coach that couldn't deliver the goods. With USF shifting more effort towards recruiting the state of Florida where they can get talent and save money while doing so, Coach Skeets was just not needed.

The key for Heath is to find coaches with ties to the program/state of Florida and maybe a guy that can recruit the Midsouth area now that USF will be playing games against Memphis

Edited April 27, 2013 by Vega

[Greg Auman]

Can't imagine there are any cuts to pool for assistants in basketball. Not an area where you'd want to trim even if you were making budget cuts ...

[charsibb]

Can't imagine there are any cuts to pool for assistants in basketball. Not an area where you'd want to trim even if you were making budget cuts ...

 

We can always count on Greg to dump ice-cold buckets of water on our rampant speculation!