Portal season (Abson, Spillers, etc)

[AppSt94]

We have a huge problem in college sports. There is an idea that the grass is always greener on the other side and it isn't. I think most of these guys either had money offers from power schools like Abson and Spillers and the rest pretty much thought they could get better offers. Some said Brown entered to get close to home but I never understand why he would have come to App in the first place. He knew the distance.

Marsh would be way better off staying in Boone unless there is something bad we don't know about. Before people assume we have issues there are a lot of players in the portal and the biggest problem is with this current system and not App.

There is portal regret going on in basketball as well and I am wondering if some of our guys are going to experience that over the next couple weeks.

Isn't it more likely that these guys played for Kerns, not App. If they know Kerns is out the door, there's no reason to stick around Boone. Our basketball program has basically been garbage. That's why I've been so concerned about keeping Kerns. Obviously I don't know that he is leaving, but to me that's the obvious explanation.

None of us know for sure but there is definitely a chance he is leaving. My point is that a lot of players entered the portal from teams whose coach is not leaving but not to this level. JMU already filled their vacancy and the pressure is on Gillin now to get something done and announced ASAP. Signing day is coming up and while under contract I am curious if he is looking around or coming back? A lot of players have entered the portal for a team whose coach is returning.

Kerns is our Coach. He is under contract last I looked. Other than an extension, what is there that needs to be announced?

A lot of players have entered the portal for there to be nothing wrong and Kerns 100% locked in to return. Do you not think there is something going on? I know players have different reasons for leaving but he just lost the entire team. I think an extension or new deal is happening for sure. I don't see any way Kerns comes back next season without a big raise.

I don’t think that is fair to draw that conclusion simply from the standpoint if something were wrong, I don’t think that Kerns is still here. It could be a plethora or reasons for any of them leaving. Academics, homesick, told that it would be in the players best interest to move on, guys not satisfied with pt and thinking the grass is greener. It could be all of these among multiple guys. Could be a FOMO situation where you want to get your name out there before all the seats are taken. Who knows. It’s all speculation. I only know the actual reason for two of the players so I’m not going to speculate on the others.

[AppStFan1]

Isn't it more likely that these guys played for Kerns, not App. If they know Kerns is out the door, there's no reason to stick around Boone. Our basketball program has basically been garbage. That's why I've been so concerned about keeping Kerns. Obviously I don't know that he is leaving, but to me that's the obvious explanation.

None of us know for sure but there is definitely a chance he is leaving. My point is that a lot of players entered the portal from teams whose coach is not leaving but not to this level. JMU already filled their vacancy and the pressure is on Gillin now to get something done and announced ASAP. Signing day is coming up and while under contract I am curious if he is looking around or coming back? A lot of players have entered the portal for a team whose coach is returning.

Kerns is our Coach. He is under contract last I looked. Other than an extension, what is there that needs to be announced?

A lot of players have entered the portal for there to be nothing wrong and Kerns 100% locked in to return. Do you not think there is something going on? I know players have different reasons for leaving but he just lost the entire team. I think an extension or new deal is happening for sure. I don't see any way Kerns comes back next season without a big raise.

I don’t think that is fair to draw that conclusion simply from the standpoint if something were wrong, I don’t think that Kerns is still here. It could be a plethora or reasons for any of them leaving. Academics, homesick, told that it would be in the players best interest to move on, guys not satisfied with pt and thinking the grass is greener. It could be all of these among multiple guys. Could be a FOMO situation where you want to get your name out there before all the seats are taken. Who knows. It’s all speculation. I only know the actual reason for two of the players so I’m not going to speculate on the others.

I know two players were offered big money and I think one of them entered to get back close to home possibly. The others I don't know but I fully expect some of them to withdraw from the portal if Kerns return.

Bottom line is that some announcement is coming. We are either going to hear that Kerns has resigned to go somewhere else or he is signing an extension or new contract because he will get a big raise to stay

[PhillyApp1]

We can all take guesses... why?

Because no one has said a word about the whole team leaving and a coach who has not declared that he is still the coach.

[AppStFan1]

We can all take guesses... why?

Because no one has said a word about the whole team leaving and a coach who has not declared that he is still the coach.

Exactly! And it is 100% fair to wonder because Kerns has tried multiple times to get other jobs since he got here. We also know that because of that there is no way he is returning to App without some sort of raise. The fact he is recruiting does not mean he is not going anywhere. He can't just stop for a couple weeks and then start back when all is settled. He has to go about business until there is a deal in place that would change his employer.

[AppSt94]

His current contract is through 2026.

[AppStFan1]

His current contract is through 2026.

I remember reading that but he will have to get a raise to return next year. He should be the highest paid coach in the Sun Belt in the 2024-25 season.

[spacemonkey]

An optimistic view with no knowledge....Maybe....Some of our donors have stepped up big time and Kerns has told some to enter the portal knowing he can make offers to better players. That is my optimistic hope.


P.S. you guys need to quit adding to long threads responding. Make a new statement...the rest of us can follow who you are arguing with.

[PhillyApp1]

Remember

F the SEC !!

And the horse they rode in on !!!

[Saint3333]

Some is a vague term, very few wanted Clark gone mid-season.

Many wanted to see 8 wins last season and revised that downward to 7 after the first seven games.

Please don’t paint with such a broad brush.

I didn’t realize that the use of “some” was considering all encompassing. SMH.

Let me help you, few is the word you’re searching for.

Agree to disagree.

It’s fine I’m used to being right when it comes to the using words accurately. “Fully funded”…

[T-Dog]

Charleston is hiring Chris Mack, so take that rumor off the board.

[311neers]

Maybe he didn’t get the offers we thought he would.

[hapapp]

Maybe he didn’t get the offers we thought he would.

I certainly could be proven wrong, but I never thought he was the hot commodity some have thought. Certainly not for any high profile job.

[Saint3333]

Kerns is the best on the court coach we’ve had since Buzz.

The recent exodus is troubling of course and can’t help his stock with prospective schools.

[DenverOfTheEast]

Kerns is the best on the court coach we’ve had since Buzz.

The recent exodus is troubling of course and can’t help his stock with prospective schools.

I agree with this "on court coach" comment for sure. Doesn't have 1% of Buzz personality.

Buzz 2.0 inherited a great team from Fancher/McMahon staff.
Buzz 1.0 first staff was young and hungry - major rebuild in the late 90's.

Kerns was never in the mix for a job seriously this off season - and you could tell he was stressing it in his Wake Forest coaching demeanor, he needed that win since he didn't make the SBC championship game.

Interesting off season awaits in the Holmes Dome.

[agentpaul001]

The whole situation is super odd and feels like the University is going to get the short end of the stick.

The simplest explanation is Kerns thought he had a firm offer in-hand and out of decency to his players conveyed something to that effect. The team seemed to have a good rapport with each other & him. I’d be shocked if there was some grand falling out that happened. (Abson & Spillers aside since they likely had NIL offers beyond what App could do.)

It wouldn’t shock me if Kerns left (and few players followed) to a “bigger” opportunity.

I also wouldn’t be surprised if Kerns negotiated an extension and some of these players recommitted.

[Rekdiver]

Here’s the conundrum non cartel schools face….it’s not in their control. It’s gotta be tough for an AD with limited budgets and tapped out supporters. I’ll be waiting for the chips to fall where they may.

[BambooRdApp]

Here’s the conundrum non cartel schools face….it’s not in their control. It’s gotta be tough for an AD with limited budgets and tapped out supporters. I’ll be waiting for the chips to fall where they may.

Well said. If honestly look at App and Alumni, we are a blue collar type of school for lack of a better term. Have some of our grads done well, yes ..but not at the rate as the larger programs.. or at overall rate. We need more deep pockets and do not have it. It is great that we contribute what we can...we need more deep pockets that can give the $500K and $1.0 million as compared to $500 to $1000 a pop. We need both.

[appgrad95&97]

Here’s the conundrum non cartel schools face….it’s not in their control. It’s gotta be tough for an AD with limited budgets and tapped out supporters. I’ll be waiting for the chips to fall where they may.

Well said. If honestly look at App and Alumni, we are a blue collar type of school for lack of a better term. Have some of our grads done well, yes ..but not at the rate as the larger programs.. or at overall rate. We need more deep pockets and do not have it. It is great that we contribute what we can...we need more deep pockets that can give the $500K and $1.0 million as compared to $500 to $1000 a pop. We need both.

The only thing here I would disagree with is the $500 to $1000 a pop comment. We have far to few donors at the $1000 an up level. Every year the Yosef reported comes out I am shocked and disappointed at how few people give in the $1000 to $5000 range. We can't all wait for committed millionaires. We should just have more people who do more

[311neers]

Here’s the conundrum non cartel schools face….it’s not in their control. It’s gotta be tough for an AD with limited budgets and tapped out supporters. I’ll be waiting for the chips to fall where they may.

Well said. If honestly look at App and Alumni, we are a blue collar type of school for lack of a better term. Have some of our grads done well, yes ..but not at the rate as the larger programs.. or at overall rate. We need more deep pockets and do not have it. It is great that we contribute what we can...we need more deep pockets that can give the $500K and $1.0 million as compared to $500 to $1000 a pop. We need both.

Need better degrees that lead to higher paying jobs. It seems like we are improving at this over the past few years but it will take time.

[appgrad95&97]

Today we graduate more kids from Business than Education.