The Wes Miller Thread

[Lobot]

Wes has received a contract extension from UC. The new deal runs through '28-29 and more than doubles his annual pay.

Details here ($):

https://theathletic.com/3999952/2022...ler-extension/

[Rufus]

I hope Wes succeeds this year also but I don't like his chances. In today's environment of transfer portal, NIL and roster turnovers it takes a special coach to be able to manage players egos, teach his systems, and produce a cohesive team chemistry year after year. And let's not forget having to keep players parents happy as well. I like Wes but I believe he is coaching in conditions throughout the nation that is severely flawed. And with that being said I think too that there are very few coaches out there can could excel consistently in today's college bball and so changing coaches is not a guaranteed upgrade. I'm afraid if things stay as they are that UC has found its place in the league and in the national rankings.

[red_n_black_attack]

At least UC/CincyReigns is giving increased NIL this season to make a final determination on Wes. If he can't make the Tourney with this roster or players stand around or loaf, Wes will be gone.
I hope UC wins big this year, not because I particularly like or believe in Wes, but because I want UC to win every game. Good luck Wes, you have a nice roster

[longtimefan]

I've been a season ticket holder since 1998 & I have already renewed & paid for my 6 seats for next season.
Cancelling never crossed my mind!

Me neither. Keeping mine.

[bearcatlifer]

Since John Cunningham hired Wes and CSS to disappointing results it made me wonder how JC has done with other sports. He has hired 5 head coaches forUC: the aforementioned 2 as well as baseball,womens soccer and womens golf.Those teams are currently 7,11 and 11 in the big 12 standings.Soo...about the same as football and basketball.Even though I like to blame him the hard truth is probably that we just don't have much to offer.Have we reverted to just being a stiff for the big boys to beat up on and getting paid for it? We certainly have more money flowing into the athletic department than ever before.That is likely how an athletic director measures his or her success. We fans want to see W's and championships. I have certainly seen that the "fan experience" for football ,basketball and baseball has markedly improved even though the quality of play has declined.I don't know if this proves anything but just some random thoughts.

[GoBearcats31]

Grading college basketball's 2021 coaching carousel: How hires fared at UNC, Arizona, Indiana and more
https://www.cbssports.com/college-ba...iana-and-more/

Wes Miller, Cincinnati

For a good spell in the 2010s, Miller was one of the younger coaches in college basketball. You might not realize he's run a program for the past 14 years. But the hard-earned success he found at UNCG hasn't translated to Cincinnati, where the Bearcats are 82-59 (.582). That's an OK mark, but it hasn't led to an NCAA Tournament appearance. Two years in the Big 12 and two years in the American and here's the conference standings finish, in reverse order, for UC under Miller: 12th, 11th, fourth, seventh. When he took the job, he didn't know UC would be in the Big 12. That adjustment did stunt UC's trajectory. Last season's team was a strange flameout, going 19-16 after having a projected top 25-level roster. Miller is on the hot seat heading into 2025-26, needing to get UC into March Madness to keep his gig in the Queen City.

Grade: C

[bearcatjd]

I've been a season ticket holder since 1998 & I have already renewed & paid for my 6 seats for next season.
Cancelling never crossed my mind!

[longtimefan]

I’ll keep mine. Last week I wasn’t so sure, but I’ve calmed down now.

[London 'Cat]

hipal88 post caused me to wonder how many of us are season ticket holders? Maybe we can post a poll to find out. Stay tuned.

[hipal88]

Just got the email to make deposit for next year's tickets. Not doing it. I would love to see the metrics comparing deposits by year. You know they have it and wonder if it is an oh c**p moment for JC?

[leeraymond]

I'm going into war story mode here a bit but when I was in school, the football program hadn't made a bowl in decades.

I'm a UC Band alumnus and the NCAA tournament in the Huggins era was an awesome experience for the band members in '92 and after.

The current UC Band historian recently reached out for Bowl game photos from past years and I was like "I got nothin' over here" .Then it occurred to me that the current band members have have had the opposite experience until this year where the Bowl games are the norm but they've never been to the NCAAs. That threw me for a loop a bit. It's been five years plus one because we would have made it during the 2020 COVID year if they hadn't had to cancel everything.

Interesting story. If you take out the COVID year, this current UC NCAA Tournament drought of five years is tied for the longest UC NCAA Tournament no-show in 33 years. I cannot remember the exact years, but Andy Kennedy was the interim head coach for 1 year plus the 4-year drought after Cronin took over. If history is kind and on UC's side, next year should be UC's year to get back to the NCAA's. It took Cronin 5 years to make the NCAAs. Hopefully, the fifth year is a charm for Miller.

[Lobot]

I'm going into war story mode here a bit but when I was in school, the football program hadn't made a bowl in decades.

I'm a UC Band alumnus and the NCAA tournament in the Huggins era was an awesome experience for the band members in '92 and after.

The current UC Band historian recently reached out for Bowl game photos from past years and I was like "I got nothin' over here" .Then it occurred to me that the current band members have have had the opposite experience until this year where the Bowl games are the norm but they've never been to the NCAAs. That threw me for a loop a bit. It's been five years plus one because we would have made it during the 2020 COVID year if they hadn't had to cancel everything.

[London 'Cat]

Villanova, the team that handed us the first loss of too many, just fire Neptune for missing the Tourney 3 years in a row.

Do we have lower expectations than Nova?

No. But Nova was coming off two championships in the last ten years. To fall that far is not acceptable. UC was a mess when Brannen took over from Cronin and Wes took over an even worse mess. Wes gets next year and if he doesn't show improvement he'll be gone.

[Lobot]

Villanova, the team that handed us the first loss of too many, just fire Neptune for missing the Tourney 3 years in a row.

Do we have lower expectations than Nova?

I mean sort of but they had won a couple of National Championships under Jay Wright in the last 10 years. Bar is higher for Neptune. More proof that you don't want to follow a legend.

The goal for any team should be the NCAA Championship but to get there you have play well in conference to get to the tournament and we're obviously struggling with that currently.

[red_n_black_attack]

Villanova, the team that handed us the first loss of too many, just fire Neptune for missing the Tourney 3 years in a row.

Do we have lower expectations than Nova?