MBB: Welcome Coach Dustin Kerns

[Arsenal App]

Though I feel this is an underwhelming hire, I like it slightly better than the hires of Capel and Fox for two reasons:

1. Unlike Capel and Fox, Kerns does have some head coaching experience albeit minimal.
2. Unlike Capel and Fox, Kerns has coached at more than one school and therefore it follows that he knows more than one way of doing things. Fox seemed to know only the Davidson way whilst Capel didn't really know any way at all.

[bigdaddyg]

Some guys act like we have millions of dollars to pay buyouts and to pay for high level coaches to take over a struggling program that hardly anyone comes to watch. You can’t have it all. Every single school can’t win championships and 20+ games per year. That being said there is no reason App shouldn’t be able to get to at least conference respectability.

[ericsaid]

Why not take a proven product that has expressed a desire to come to App over a startup with an extremely limited track record? Seems like a major gamble. We were blessed to have a quality coach like Lutz want to come to our dismal program, and we pass. I don't understand this one. Something profound must have happened for DG to pick Kerns over Lutz, and we'll probably never know the details. Best of luck to Coach Kerns.

He is familiar with the process of picking a train up, deadweight, and putting it on the tracks. That is what App needs at this moment.

[Stonewall]

I like our chances....

[HighPointApp]

I like our chances....

So you’re telling me there’s a chance......

[Rekdiver]

We have a new coach with energy and can coach an entire game. I’m very optimistic.

[Apptrain]

Unlike football, there’s really no place to go but up. Drink is in a pressure cooker. Kearns isn’t. No predictions here because I thought Fox would succeed. Good luck to both coaches.

[ah59396]

Unlike football, there’s really no place to go but up. Drink is in a pressure cooker. Kearns isn’t. No predictions here because I thought Fox would succeed. Good luck to both coaches.

Just out of curiosity, why do you hold high expectations for our football program and not extend them to our basketball program?

[Apptrain]

Unlike football, there’s really no place to go but up. Drink is in a pressure cooker. Kearns isn’t. No predictions here because I thought Fox would succeed. Good luck to both coaches.

Just out of curiosity, why do you hold high expectations for our football program and not extend them to our basketball program?

We are a football school. The expectations are high. We are at the top of our conference. We go 8-4 in football and it is viewed as a down season. We go 24-8 in basketball and that’s the best thing since sliced bread. The expectations are different, plain and simple, at least right now. I’m happy to be a football school in a basketball state, don’t get me wrong. I’ve always thought we had a better shot to compete at the highest level in basketball because a good coach and even just one star player can carry you further.

[Stonewall]

Unlike football, there’s really no place to go but up. Drink is in a pressure cooker. Kearns isn’t. No predictions here because I thought Fox would succeed. Good luck to both coaches.

Just out of curiosity, why do you hold high expectations for our football program and not extend them to our basketball program?

We are a football school. The expectations are high. We are at the top of our conference. We go 8-4 in football and it is viewed as a down season. We go 24-8 in basketball and that’s the best thing since sliced bread. The expectations are different, plain and simple, at least right now. I’m happy to be a football school in a basketball state, don’t get me wrong. I’ve always thought we had a better shot to compete at the highest level in basketball because a good coach and even just one star player can carry you further.

Agree. One star , surrounded by good role players.We just lacked coaching. New day , let's get to work.

[mountainman33]

Welcome Coach, we're wishing the best for ya.

[fjblair]

Unlike football, there’s really no place to go but up. Drink is in a pressure cooker. Kearns isn’t. No predictions here because I thought Fox would succeed. Good luck to both coaches.

Just out of curiosity, why do you hold high expectations for our football program and not extend them to our basketball program?

You have to be joking.

[HighPointApp]

We are a football school. The expectations are high. We are at the top of our conference. We go 8-4 in football and it is viewed as a down season. We go 24-8 in basketball and that’s the best thing since sliced bread. The expectations are different, plain and simple, at least right now. I’m happy to be a football school in a basketball state, don’t get me wrong. I’ve always thought we had a better shot to compete at the highest level in basketball because a good coach and even just one star player can carry you further.
[/quote]

24-8??? I like how you think but if we get close to .500 that’s a gigantic improvement.

[ah59396]

Unlike football, there’s really no place to go but up. Drink is in a pressure cooker. Kearns isn’t. No predictions here because I thought Fox would succeed. Good luck to both coaches.

Just out of curiosity, why do you hold high expectations for our football program and not extend them to our basketball program?

You have to be joking.

No, just trying gain some perspective. Didn’t make a statement, just asked a question.

[ah59396]

Unlike football, there’s really no place to go but up. Drink is in a pressure cooker. Kearns isn’t. No predictions here because I thought Fox would succeed. Good luck to both coaches.

Just out of curiosity, why do you hold high expectations for our football program and not extend them to our basketball program?

We are a football school. The expectations are high. We are at the top of our conference. We go 8-4 in football and it is viewed as a down season. We go 24-8 in basketball and that’s the best thing since sliced bread. The expectations are different, plain and simple, at least right now. I’m happy to be a football school in a basketball state, don’t get me wrong. I’ve always thought we had a better shot to compete at the highest level in basketball because a good coach and even just one star player can carry you further.

So I agree with you and I’m in the same boat. Reason I asked the question is I often wonder if our general apathy is part of the problem. A .500 season for the football team would immediately create tension and heat on the coaches seat. Alternatively a .500 season in basketball would be celebrated. I understand why that’s the case, I just wonder if it is detrimental.

Additionally worth noting, if we truly are a football school (I think we are) the biggest issue holding us back from future conference growth is our basketball program. If we ever want to join the AAC, it will take vast improvement in our basketball program, not football.

[app97]

We are a football school. The expectations are high. We are at the top of our conference. We go 8-4 in football and it is viewed as a down season. We go 24-8 in basketball and that’s the best thing since sliced bread. The expectations are different, plain and simple, at least right now. I’m happy to be a football school in a basketball state, don’t get me wrong. I’ve always thought we had a better shot to compete at the highest level in basketball because a good coach and even just one star player can carry you further.

24-8??? I like how you think but if we get close to .500 that’s a gigantic improvement.
[/quote]

Buzz won 24 games and went to the semifinals of a post season tournament in his one and only season back after essentially the same team went 13-18 the previous year under Fancher. It can be done with the right coaching staff, support, and approach. Although, it will be a bigger challenge after 9 years of ineptitude.

[scatman77]

We are a football school. The expectations are high. We are at the top of our conference. We go 8-4 in football and it is viewed as a down season. We go 24-8 in basketball and that’s the best thing since sliced bread. The expectations are different, plain and simple, at least right now. I’m happy to be a football school in a basketball state, don’t get me wrong. I’ve always thought we had a better shot to compete at the highest level in basketball because a good coach and even just one star player can carry you further.

24-8??? I like how you think but if we get close to .500 that’s a gigantic improvement.

Buzz won 24 games and went to the semifinals of a post season tournament in his one and only season back after essentially the same team went 13-18 the previous year under Fancher. It can be done with the right coaching staff, support, and approach. Although, it will be a bigger challenge after 9 years of ineptitude.
[/quote]

Those of us who remember 3-23 after Coach Maravich resigned also remember 15-15 Bobby's first year. People were ecstatic and he won COTY in the SoCon!

[hapapp]

We are a football school. The expectations are high. We are at the top of our conference. We go 8-4 in football and it is viewed as a down season. We go 24-8 in basketball and that’s the best thing since sliced bread. The expectations are different, plain and simple, at least right now. I’m happy to be a football school in a basketball state, don’t get me wrong. I’ve always thought we had a better shot to compete at the highest level in basketball because a good coach and even just one star player can carry you further.

24-8??? I like how you think but if we get close to .500 that’s a gigantic improvement.

Buzz won 24 games and went to the semifinals of a post season tournament in his one and only season back after essentially the same team went 13-18 the previous year under Fancher. It can be done with the right coaching staff, support, and approach. Although, it will be a bigger challenge after 9 years of ineptitude.

Those of us who remember 3-23 after Coach Maravich resigned also remember 15-15 Bobby's first year. People were ecstatic and he won COTY in the SoCon!
[/quote]

Progress is measured differently based on the context. It does appear that Kerns has done something similar in his two years at PC. I wondered if I would renew my basketball season ticket since I have a hard time making many games but I'm increasingly optimistic about what Kern can achieve. Its my little effort to support the program.

[hapapp]

From CBS Sports:

Fox lasted five years with the Appalachian State Mountaineers, going 56-99. This might be one of the better low-major jobs in the country, but the program hasn't been to the NCAAs since 2000. Kerns, a Mike Young (Wofford) disciple, is a solid hire.

[NewApp]

Unlike football, there’s really no place to go but up. Drink is in a pressure cooker. Kearns isn’t. No predictions here because I thought Fox would succeed. Good luck to both coaches.

Just out of curiosity, why do you hold high expectations for our football program and not extend them to our basketball program?

We are a football school. The expectations are high. We are at the top of our conference. We go 8-4 in football and it is viewed as a down season. We go 24-8 in basketball and that’s the best thing since sliced bread. The expectations are different, plain and simple, at least right now. I’m happy to be a football school in a basketball state, don’t get me wrong. I’ve always thought we had a better shot to compete at the highest level in basketball because a good coach and even just one star player can carry you further.

So I agree with you and I’m in the same boat. Reason I asked the question is I often wonder if our general apathy is part of the problem. A .500 season for the football team would immediately create tension and heat on the coaches seat. Alternatively a .500 season in basketball would be celebrated. I understand why that’s the case, I just wonder if it is detrimental.

Additionally worth noting, if we truly are a football school (I think we are) the biggest issue holding us back from future conference growth is our basketball program. If we ever want to join the AAC, it will take vast improvement in our basketball program, not football.

I dunno. EZU sucked in hoops and they got in.