It's a truly unfortunate situation. This program not only had exceptional talent this year, but was also built for sustained success in the years to come. Yet, for reasons unclear, the coaching staff chose to abandon a proven formula in favor of their own approach to playing and recruiting.
The consequences go far beyond just this season. Future recruiting classes have already taken a hit. A clear example is the noticeable drop-off in the 2026 recruiting class after POS's departure. Strong recruiters understand how to retain top talentsomething this staff has clearly failed to prioritize. Not being able to capitalize on 2024 success is indefensible.
Even if they somehow manage to pull off a winning season, the deeper issues with recruiting and culture will remain. Rather than securing high school prospects who genuinely want to be here and buy into the program's long-term vision, the staff is now forced to rely heavily on NIL deals and the transfer portal to patch over their poor decisions.
But there's a fundamental difference between a high school recruit who is committed to the school's future and a transfer chasing NIL money. These represent two vastly different mindsetsand two different cultures. One builds identity, stability, and cohesion over time. The other is transactional, temporary, and ultimately unsustainable.
Meanwhile, the head coach has become a punchline in and around the areadespite having a winning team, blind support from boosters, and top-tier talent. Failing to capitalize on that momentum during the offseason falls squarely on him. His questionable in-game decisions and offseason training program are already raising concern, and as pressure builds, those mistakes are likely to get worse. Think it's bad now? Just wait until the Austin series.
It's also completely unfair to expect the fanbase to blindly support him and cover for his inefficiencies by throwing money at NIL deals to hide his failures. Not only is that an irresponsible approach, but it's also unstableespecially considering how frequently the NCAA has changed NIL rules over the past three years. This is not a long-term solution.
We can't keep giving the athletics department a free pass with zero accountability. The fact that the university handed out a four-year guaranteed contract to an unproven coachwith no performance benchmarks or meaningful oversightis a slap in the face to a passionate fanbase and a sign that the school doesn't truly respect the sport or its supporters.
This short-sighted strategy, lack of leadership, and failure to build a winning culture will have lasting consequences. The responsibility lies entirely with the staffnot the playersand unless changes are made quickly, the damage could define the program's trajectory for years to come.
