Report Card - Dustin Kerns

[Bootsy]

It will be interesting to see how this plays out. Remember last spring? Lots of drama and questions about DK and the squad. But who knew what actually went down? Very few, and they weren't talking.

A similar scenario is unfolding this season. Lots of questions and few answers.

[Stonewall]

It will be interesting to see how this plays out. Remember last spring? Lots of drama and questions about DK and the squad. But who knew what actually went down? Very few, and they weren't talking.

A similar scenario is unfolding this season. Lots of questions and few answers.

Questions from last year ?

[HurricaneYosef]

Kerns did inherit a losing roster and turn them into winners, but the talent was always there. In year 5 our best player was still a Fox recruit (Donovan Gregory)

It’s not like he inherited nothing as I think Denver is trying to state

[Stonewall]

It was bad. Really bad.

[311neers]

It will be interesting to see how this plays out. Remember last spring? Lots of drama and questions about DK and the squad. But who knew what actually went down? Very few, and they weren't talking.

A similar scenario is unfolding this season. Lots of questions and few answers.

Questions from last year ?

Kids left mid season, parents involved, internal team fights, Walker voiced his displeasure with the coaching and lies in a he said she said situation. Trouble outside the classroom. Last year was an odd year with chemistry and retainment. Chemistry seemed fine between coaches and players this year and retainment is more Portal/NIL related, not team issues.

[AtlAppMan]

Let me just recap for some of us to make sure we are on same page.

Jim Fox
5 yrs - Overall 56-99 (.361) - Conf 35-59 (.372)
Best year - 2018-19 15-18 (.455), NO winning seasons, NO reg season conf championships, NO conf tournament championships, NO post season appearances.
In fairness he did inherit a dumpster fire but he NEVER improved year over year. He wasn't even close.

One would have to say Kerns may have inherited a few players but you have to be fair and say everything Kerns has done is his. Kerns is on an upward trajectory over his 5 yrs. I really like Gregory but Fox didn't do anything with his guys after 5 yrs. I have a very hard time giving Fox any credit another 5 yrs later. Kerns may or may not be a recruiter but basically almost every player on the court this season was his.

[DenverOfTheEast]

Reading these, it is obvious you guys don't follow or understand the details of one's career path, everyone starting point in coaching is different, (example, Schreyer took over a castle, Coach K built the castle).

Scheduling:
How many NON D 1 wins does Kerns have in 5 seasons?
For 2 seasons Kerns coached an abbreviated Sun Belt schedule due to COVID, never having to travel west, some games were not played due to failed COVID test.

Roster:
What was the program like when he arrived, the roster more specially, sure App had a losing basketball record, but the previous coach left a very good roster for Kerns to start out with.
If Kerns leaves this spring the next coach will inherit absolutely nothing.
No coach in the history of App Basketball had the access to the portal like Kerns had, so therefore making it easier to sign or flip incoming talent instantaneously. All the other coaches had to sign HS kids and develop them.

And for what it's worth we should never mention Capel in the same breath as any of these other coaches. He laid on his office couch daily and watched Guiding Light.

AtlAppman saying we kept Fox too long shows his lack of knowledge on the situation, every coach should get 5 years, Fox walked into APR sanctions, post season ban, reduced practice days and 3 players suspended for failing a pee test. All Capel's mess. Plus a new conference to navigate through in 2014.

Kerns on court a B+ (if he woulda beat Norfolk State or USC UPSTATE I would make that an A)
Kerns off court a D-

#TeamClark

I was judging based on this year but if you are going that far back you have to give Kerns credit for taking us to the next step. As you mentioned, Fox took over a nightmare and he improved the situation but that did not take much because Capel had us at the bottom of the league. The APR deal was a disaster, like you mentioned.

I am grading Kerns on a curve because he has improved everything about the team a lot from even the Fox years. I would quickly drop the grade to a B- or C+ if he takes a huge step back next year though.

I don't disagree - I think Kerns and the department pushed Basketball on 1) social media, 2) home schedule has improved 3) and the overall basketball resources have improved, the 3rd isn't a credit to Kerns necessarily but more to cutting other sports during COVID, football success has increased some money across the board for other sports and more money going to Hoops than ever before.

[DenverOfTheEast]

Let me just recap for some of us to make sure we are on same page.

Jim Fox
5 yrs - Overall 56-99 (.361) - Conf 35-59 (.372)
Best year - 2018-19 15-18 (.455), NO winning seasons, NO reg season conf championships, NO conf tournament championships, NO post season appearances.
In fairness he did inherit a dumpster fire but he NEVER improved year over year. He wasn't even close.

One would have to say Kerns may have inherited a few players but you have to be fair and say everything Kerns has done is his. Kerns is on an upward trajectory over his 5 yrs. I really like Gregory but Fox didn't do anything with his guys after 5 yrs. I have a very hard time giving Fox any credit another 5 yrs later. Kerns may or may not be a recruiter but basically almost every player on the court this season was his.

Here is the issue you aren't considering - what did Fox inherit? Post season Ban and reduced scholarships to 12.

His overall record was awful because he was forced to play money games which 90% of the time turn into losses.

He finished 6th in sun Belt his first year team could not go to SBC tournament 2014-15
He finished 5th in Sun Belt his 4th season 2017-18

He got fired because in year 5 he was picked to finish 5th and started SBC play 0-6 -- the guy(FOX) couldn't make in game adjustments and he couldn't schedule wise enough to give his players any confidence.

Kerns has a lot of Non D 1 wins my friend but I can't make you believe what you don't want to believe.
He left Kerns a very very healthy roster that was in good academic standing, time will tell where Kerns leaves it.

[BambooRdApp]

27 wins with only one Fox player on the roster that had substantial playing time....

[DenverOfTheEast]

SO...is it safe to say App State Men's Basketball progressed or regressed under DK's leadership?
Sometimes it makes sense to ignore diatribe/conjecture and examine objective metrics like:

- Wins/losses
- Home winning streaks
- Home game attendance
- Championships
- Tournament bids

The numbers don't lie. And I find it more impressive that Kerns has been able to accomplish this in spite of questionable recruiting and dealing with the TP.

[DOTE, sorry you're late to the party. I hope everything went well on your top secret mission fighting the Sandinistas in Nicaragua...or was it taking down big-time drug lords in Columbia? Just messing with you, bud ]

A lot of factors have made basketball program better -- but don't drink the kool aid that Kerns is John Wooden. App State Premium board on 247sports.com goes into more details.

(And I am in coffee business - I hope your cup of Joe was good this Easter morning)

[Stonewall]

It will be interesting to see how this plays out. Remember last spring? Lots of drama and questions about DK and the squad. But who knew what actually went down? Very few, and they weren't talking.

A similar scenario is unfolding this season. Lots of questions and few answers.

Questions from last year ?

Kids left mid season, parents involved, internal team fights, Walker voiced his displeasure with the coaching and lies in a he said she said situation. Trouble outside the classroom. Last year was an odd year with chemistry and retainment. Chemistry seemed fine between coaches and players this year and retainment is more Portal/NIL related, not team issues.

My point : answers have been well documented. Top recruit parents demanded that he play before he was ready. They took him out of school. Top transfer falls asleep , literally , and misses a game. Doghouse. Kid doesn’t show for class …it’s dealt with. I don’t see there are “ questions “.

[appdaze]

SO...is it safe to say App State Men's Basketball progressed or regressed under DK's leadership?
Sometimes it makes sense to ignore diatribe/conjecture and examine objective metrics like:

- Wins/losses
- Home winning streaks
- Home game attendance
- Championships
- Tournament bids

The numbers don't lie. And I find it more impressive that Kerns has been able to accomplish this in spite of questionable recruiting and dealing with the TP.

[DOTE, sorry you're late to the party. I hope everything went well on your top secret mission fighting the Sandinistas in Nicaragua...or was it taking down big-time drug lords in Columbia? Just messing with you, bud ]

A lot of factors have made basketball program better -- but don't drink the kool aid that Kerns is John Wooden. App State Premium board on 247sports.com goes into more details.

(And I am in coffee business - I hope your cup of Joe was good this Easter morning)

The last person that told me they imported coffee from south america went to prison. It must be a risky job idk.

[BambooRdApp]

SO...is it safe to say App State Men's Basketball progressed or regressed under DK's leadership?
Sometimes it makes sense to ignore diatribe/conjecture and examine objective metrics like:

- Wins/losses
- Home winning streaks
- Home game attendance
- Championships
- Tournament bids

The numbers don't lie. And I find it more impressive that Kerns has been able to accomplish this in spite of questionable recruiting and dealing with the TP.

[DOTE, sorry you're late to the party. I hope everything went well on your top secret mission fighting the Sandinistas in Nicaragua...or was it taking down big-time drug lords in Columbia? Just messing with you, bud ]

A lot of factors have made basketball program better -- but don't drink the kool aid that Kerns is John Wooden. App State Premium board on 247sports.com goes into more details.

(And I am in coffee business - I hope your cup of Joe was good this Easter morning)

The last person that told me they imported coffee from south america went to prison. It must be a risky job idk.

Short dirt runways beneath the forest...and sometimes you have to drop your "coffee" in the Atlantic Ocean before landing in the US..

[appgrad95&97]

Let me just recap for some of us to make sure we are on same page.

Jim Fox
5 yrs - Overall 56-99 (.361) - Conf 35-59 (.372)
Best year - 2018-19 15-18 (.455), NO winning seasons, NO reg season conf championships, NO conf tournament championships, NO post season appearances.
In fairness he did inherit a dumpster fire but he NEVER improved year over year. He wasn't even close.

One would have to say Kerns may have inherited a few players but you have to be fair and say everything Kerns has done is his. Kerns is on an upward trajectory over his 5 yrs. I really like Gregory but Fox didn't do anything with his guys after 5 yrs. I have a very hard time giving Fox any credit another 5 yrs later. Kerns may or may not be a recruiter but basically almost every player on the court this season was his.

Here is the issue you aren't considering - what did Fox inherit? Post season Ban and reduced scholarships to 12.

His overall record was awful because he was forced to play money games which 90% of the time turn into losses.

He finished 6th in sun Belt his first year team could not go to SBC tournament 2014-15
He finished 5th in Sun Belt his 4th season 2017-18

He got fired because in year 5 he was picked to finish 5th and started SBC play 0-6 -- the guy(FOX) couldn't make in game adjustments and he couldn't schedule wise enough to give his players any confidence.

Kerns has a lot of Non D 1 wins my friend but I can't make you believe what you don't want to believe.
He left Kerns a very very healthy roster that was in good academic standing, time will tell where Kerns leaves it.

Guys, if you had a Fox defense on your DOTE BINGO card, you are a winner.

Fresh from South America, by which I assume he means Tallahassee, the dude does not disappoint.

[WASU 93]

Let me just recap for some of us to make sure we are on same page.

Jim Fox
5 yrs - Overall 56-99 (.361) - Conf 35-59 (.372)
Best year - 2018-19 15-18 (.455), NO winning seasons, NO reg season conf championships, NO conf tournament championships, NO post season appearances.
In fairness he did inherit a dumpster fire but he NEVER improved year over year. He wasn't even close.

One would have to say Kerns may have inherited a few players but you have to be fair and say everything Kerns has done is his. Kerns is on an upward trajectory over his 5 yrs. I really like Gregory but Fox didn't do anything with his guys after 5 yrs. I have a very hard time giving Fox any credit another 5 yrs later. Kerns may or may not be a recruiter but basically almost every player on the court this season was his.

Here is the issue you aren't considering - what did Fox inherit? Post season Ban and reduced scholarships to 12.

His overall record was awful because he was forced to play money games which 90% of the time turn into losses.

He finished 6th in sun Belt his first year team could not go to SBC tournament 2014-15
He finished 5th in Sun Belt his 4th season 2017-18

He got fired because in year 5 he was picked to finish 5th and started SBC play 0-6 -- the guy(FOX) couldn't make in game adjustments and he couldn't schedule wise enough to give his players any confidence.

Kerns has a lot of Non D 1 wins my friend but I can't make you believe what you don't want to believe.
He left Kerns a very very healthy roster that was in good academic standing, time will tell where Kerns leaves it.

This isn't even a valid comparison. No one "leaves" a roster anymore. With the transfer portal, players are recruited every year and there is going to be roster turnover, good and bad every season.

[WASU 93]

Reading these, it is obvious you guys don't follow or understand the details of one's career path, everyone starting point in coaching is different, (example, Schreyer took over a castle, Coach K built the castle).

Scheduling:
How many NON D 1 wins does Kerns have in 5 seasons?
For 2 seasons Kerns coached an abbreviated Sun Belt schedule due to COVID, never having to travel west, some games were not played due to failed COVID test.

Roster:
What was the program like when he arrived, the roster more specially, sure App had a losing basketball record, but the previous coach left a very good roster for Kerns to start out with.
If Kerns leaves this spring the next coach will inherit absolutely nothing.
No coach in the history of App Basketball had the access to the portal like Kerns had, so therefore making it easier to sign or flip incoming talent instantaneously. All the other coaches had to sign HS kids and develop them.

And for what it's worth we should never mention Capel in the same breath as any of these other coaches. He laid on his office couch daily and watched Guiding Light.

AtlAppman saying we kept Fox too long shows his lack of knowledge on the situation, every coach should get 5 years, Fox walked into APR sanctions, post season ban, reduced practice days and 3 players suspended for failing a pee test. All Capel's mess. Plus a new conference to navigate through in 2014.

Kerns on court a B+ (if he woulda beat Norfolk State or USC UPSTATE I would make that an A)
Kerns off court a D-

#TeamClark

I was judging based on this year but if you are going that far back you have to give Kerns credit for taking us to the next step. As you mentioned, Fox took over a nightmare and he improved the situation but that did not take much because Capel had us at the bottom of the league. The APR deal was a disaster, like you mentioned.

I am grading Kerns on a curve because he has improved everything about the team a lot from even the Fox years. I would quickly drop the grade to a B- or C+ if he takes a huge step back next year though.

I don't disagree - I think Kerns and the department pushed Basketball on 1) social media, 2) home schedule has improved 3) and the overall basketball resources have improved, the 3rd isn't a credit to Kerns necessarily but more to cutting other sports during COVID, football success has increased some money across the board for other sports and more money going to Hoops than ever before.

4. Kerns has made a concerted effort to attract student support over his tenure. It took a while and winning certainly helps, but in my son's last 4 years on the mountain Kerns and the players have been accessible, celebrated wins with the students in attendance and Kerns has thanked the regulars who show up for most of the games. It paid off this year and hopefully will continue.

[ASU843]

Reading these, it is obvious you guys don't follow or understand the details of one's career path, everyone starting point in coaching is different, (example, Schreyer took over a castle, Coach K built the castle).

Scheduling:
How many NON D 1 wins does Kerns have in 5 seasons?
For 2 seasons Kerns coached an abbreviated Sun Belt schedule due to COVID, never having to travel west, some games were not played due to failed COVID test.

Roster:
What was the program like when he arrived, the roster more specially, sure App had a losing basketball record, but the previous coach left a very good roster for Kerns to start out with.
If Kerns leaves this spring the next coach will inherit absolutely nothing.
No coach in the history of App Basketball had the access to the portal like Kerns had, so therefore making it easier to sign or flip incoming talent instantaneously. All the other coaches had to sign HS kids and develop them.

And for what it's worth we should never mention Capel in the same breath as any of these other coaches. He laid on his office couch daily and watched Guiding Light.

AtlAppman saying we kept Fox too long shows his lack of knowledge on the situation, every coach should get 5 years, Fox walked into APR sanctions, post season ban, reduced practice days and 3 players suspended for failing a pee test. All Capel's mess. Plus a new conference to navigate through in 2014.

Kerns on court a B+ (if he woulda beat Norfolk State or USC UPSTATE I would make that an A)
Kerns off court a D-

#TeamClark

As always DOTE puts others down as he knows it all.

[DenverOfTheEast]

27 wins with only one Fox player on the roster that had substantial playing time....

and that one player is All SBC and been in the program 5 years... be like Noah Hannon on the court. Get clue big guy, he's gone and the rest of the team is gone now... sums it up doesn't it.

[DenverOfTheEast]

Let me just recap for some of us to make sure we are on same page.

Jim Fox
5 yrs - Overall 56-99 (.361) - Conf 35-59 (.372)
Best year - 2018-19 15-18 (.455), NO winning seasons, NO reg season conf championships, NO conf tournament championships, NO post season appearances.
In fairness he did inherit a dumpster fire but he NEVER improved year over year. He wasn't even close.

One would have to say Kerns may have inherited a few players but you have to be fair and say everything Kerns has done is his. Kerns is on an upward trajectory over his 5 yrs. I really like Gregory but Fox didn't do anything with his guys after 5 yrs. I have a very hard time giving Fox any credit another 5 yrs later. Kerns may or may not be a recruiter but basically almost every player on the court this season was his.

Here is the issue you aren't considering - what did Fox inherit? Post season Ban and reduced scholarships to 12.

His overall record was awful because he was forced to play money games which 90% of the time turn into losses.

He finished 6th in sun Belt his first year team could not go to SBC tournament 2014-15
He finished 5th in Sun Belt his 4th season 2017-18

He got fired because in year 5 he was picked to finish 5th and started SBC play 0-6 -- the guy(FOX) couldn't make in game adjustments and he couldn't schedule wise enough to give his players any confidence.

Kerns has a lot of Non D 1 wins my friend but I can't make you believe what you don't want to believe.
He left Kerns a very very healthy roster that was in good academic standing, time will tell where Kerns leaves it.

This isn't even a valid comparison. No one "leaves" a roster anymore. With the transfer portal, players are recruited every year and there is going to be roster turnover, good and bad every season.

You don't now how this works -- DG had Kerns retain Fox assistant Allison to keep the roster around to help retain the players. Therefore a roster was left for Kerns to have a good starting point.

It was like in 2019 - Clark and Watts held the roster together when Drinkwitz arrived he had a loaded team, just like Kerns won 18 his first year. Not more clearly how I can explain things to you.

[BambooRdApp]

27 wins with only one Fox player on the roster that had substantial playing time....

and that one player is All SBC and been in the program 5 years... be like Noah Hannon on the court. Get clue big guy, he's gone and the rest of the team is gone now... sums it up doesn't it.

Every coach inherits players from former coaches. It is what you do with the players. Gregory did not go out there and play 1 on 5...and the Team won the regular season conference championship. Fox do that?

Bahaha. Noah Hannon..you really should go read a intro basketball 101 book..