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Tubbs says SMU better than before
Two years into contract, coach has losing record but OK with direction

09:23 PM CST on Tuesday, March 7, 2006
By CALVIN WATKINS / The Dallas Morning News


MEMPHIS, Tenn. – When SMU athletic director Jim Copeland hired Jimmy Tubbs two seasons ago, he gave the coach a four-year contract instead of the traditional five-year deal because he thought it was quicker to improve in basketball.

In two seasons, Tubbs is 26-29 and headed toward a losing season that could end today in a first-round game of the Conference USA tournament against Rice.

SMU (12-15) has lost six of its last seven games to Rice (12-15).

To finish with a record over .500, SMU needs to win the conference title. If SMU defeats Rice, the Mustangs will play UAB (22-5) in the second round.

SMU's time under Tubbs raises the question: Is SMU better off with Tubbs now than it was several years ago?

In the two seasons before Tubbs, SMU was 29-31 with no NCAA or NIT appearances. Tubbs is hopeful that will change.

"We've done a good job the last two years," Tubbs said. "We need better luck with our injury situation and we have gone through some things. We lost [leading scorer] Bryan [Hopkins] to academics early in the season but I think we have improved from a recruiting standpoint and I'm happy with the direction."

Over the last month, SMU officials have conducted an investigation into the program about a potential NCAA rules violation. Every player and coach and several boosters have been interviewed by SMU and NCAA officials.

It appears the ongoing investigation has taken a toll on the players and coaches.

"Not as much as you would think," said Hopkins, a senior point guard. "But it's on our minds."

SMU has lost eight of the last 10 games with six of those losses coming by fewer than five points.

Hopkins is the only consistent offensive threat but his numbers have dipped from a season-high 19.5 points per game average in December to 15.3.

Promising sophomore forward Derrick Roberts has scored in double-figures three times in the last seven games.

Talented freshman post players Bamba Fall (back) and Brian Morris (knee) are battling injuries. Fall won't play in the C-USA tournament, but Morris will.

Point guard Dez Willingham, a transfer from Kansas State, has posted only four games with five or more assists.

"I think in the past we've had bigger names on the team," Hopkins said. "But we still have talent here."

With two years remaining on his contract, Tubbs said he deserves a contract extension to finish the building of the program.

Copeland, who is retiring May 31, said he'll decide after the season.

Complicating things is that Copeland has taken a medical leave for kidney surgery, and it's not known when he will return.

With tight losses, an NCAA investigation and inconsistent play the themes of the season, SMU hopes to finish things on a positive note.

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No. 7 Rice (12-15) vs. No. 10 SMU (12-15)
Noon today, Memphis, Tenn.


GETTING OUT OF THE GATE
Previous SMU coaches and their records after their first two years:


Coach Years Rec. Comment
Jimmy Tubbs 2004-06 26-29 Injuries, inconsistent play are themes
Mike Dement 1995-97 24-32 Earned an NIT bid in 2000
John Shumate 1988-90 23-34 Reached NCAA Tourney in fifth season



GUARD
Dez Willingham and Bryan Hopkins, when they play consistent, are difficult to stop. Willingham has scored 21 points with eight assists in the two games against Rice. Rice's Lorenzo Williams (10.9 ppg) has struggled at times this season. EDGE: SMU


FORWARD
Morris Allmond scored a career-high 40 points in the regular-season finale vs. SMU. The first-team all- conference player averages 21.6 points a game and is shooting 49 percent from the field. Rice also has J.R. Harrison (12.1 ppg). SMU's Devon Pearson and Ike Ofoegbu can become a physical presence to help offset Harrison. EDGE: Rice


CENTER
SMU's Bamba Fall isn't playing with a back injury, so Rice should be able to drive to the basket without much fear. Rice uses a small lineup but is more athletic than SMU. EDGE: Rice


BENCH
SMU's depth is thin and reserve guard Jon Killen isn't an offensive threat. Donatas Rackauskas becomes the shot blocker SMU needs with the absence of Bamba Fall. Rice uses centers Matt Hagen, Paulius Packevicios and Greg Killings for effective minutes. Rodney Foster (4.3 ppg) gives Rice quality minutes. EDGE: Rice


BOTTOM LINE
SMU has lost three straight and eight of its last 10 games. Rice was struggling until it beat SMU in the regular-season finale. The Owls have lost three of their last four games. EDGE: Rice

I think we have improved from a recruiting standpoint and I'm happy with the direction."

Really? How? Why? Bamba and Morris? Arthur's gonna sign?

Every player and coach and several boosters have been interviewed by SMU and NCAA officials.

Alright....SEVERAL boosters? At least one of them must be someone on this board. It wasn't me, so.....c'mon, someone step up and give us some skinny. What good is a message board if it provides no scoop?

"I think in the past we've had bigger names on the team," I guess he's talking about Q?

RGV Pony wrote:I think we have improved from a recruiting standpoint and I'm happy with the direction."

Really? How? Why? Bamba and Morris? Arthur's gonna sign?

I don't know of anyone who actually expects us to sign Arthur (although I will continue to dream), but yes, I'd say Fall and Morris -- even with their injuries -- are a vast upgrade over the Paulius Ritter/Chris Reay classes that Coach Tubbs inherited.

Every player and coach and several boosters have been interviewed by SMU and NCAA officials.

RGV Pony wrote:Alright....SEVERAL boosters? At least one of them must be someone on this board. It wasn't me, so.....c'mon, someone step up and give us some skinny. What good is a message board if it provides no scoop?

Well, it's not the place for rumor-mongering, either. I expect they are just SMU-ing this by over-checking every single thing and person who might know someone who knows someone who once went to SMU .... the excessive self-scrutiny around SMU -- I know, we brought it on ourselves -- is unreal.

RGV Pony wrote:"I think in the past we've had bigger names on the team," I guess he's talking about Q?

Or Jeryl Sasser? Wasn't Sasser considered the highest-profile signee in the last 20 years or so?

What excessive self investigation are you talking about. A relative came to the AD and said violations occurred. The AD was mandated by NCAA rules to report the violations. An investigation ensues. This is how the game is played these days by SMU and everyone else. We don't need anybody working at this school who would done anything but report and investigate the violations.

In today's Washington Post, there was a preview of conference tournaments and in the column about mid-majors, they had a box for "On the Hot Seat" and the only mid-major coach mentioned was Jimmy Tubbs concerning the record over the last two years and of course the investigation into his taking money from parents of players. That should make friarwolf and his "roomie" mustangicon happy.

Obviously we have to wait for this investigation to shake out and see. There are too many things up in the air. The new AD should certainly have a say in the matter.

if there is a surprise major finding in the investigation, then it will be appropriate for Tubbs to be on the hot seat. However, aside from something like that, its absolutely ludicrous for anybody to be talking about firing a second year coach at SMU given what he inherited and that its only his second freakin year. Not even North Carolina had that little patience with Matt Doherty, and they are North Carolina. SMU needs to give coaches just a tad more time before losing patience dont ya think?

If it all comes clean, I see no reason to talk about an extension until next year.

I confess. Last summer I bought Bamba Fall a cow and tried to make him eat it in one sitting. As you can see from his frame, he did not finish the whole thing.

Isn't this the second or third time that Tubbs has been mentioned as being on the hot seat, by a source outside this message board? I'm not saying that automatically makes him guilty, but maybe it indicates that there is more to the story/investigation than we have had access to on this board.

AGAIN, I'M NOT SAYING I THINK TUBBS SHOULD BE FIRED!!!

It just makes me wonder what is really going on. I would think that if it had been a minor violation they would have already been able to investigate it fully and issue a ruling, it's been what, close to a month now?

Pony_Fan wrote:Tubbs says SMU better than before
Two years into contract, coach has losing record but OK with direction

09:23 PM CST on Tuesday, March 7, 2006
By CALVIN WATKINS / The Dallas Morning News


MEMPHIS, Tenn. – With two years remaining on his contract, Tubbs said he deserves a contract extension to finish the building of the program.

Copeland, who is retiring May 31, said he'll decide after the season.

2 Questions

1) Does anyone on this Board think Tubbs is worthy of an extension? Count me as one who absolutely thinks he is not.

2) Does anyone think Copeland should be the one making the decision? Count me as one who thinks Copeland absolutely should not be making this decision.

GETTING OUT OF THE GATE
Previous SMU coaches and their records after their first two years:


Coach Years Rec. Comment
Jimmy Tubbs 2004-06 26-29 Injuries, inconsistent play are themes
Mike Dement 1995-97 24-32 Earned an NIT bid in 2000
John Shumate 1988-90 23-34 Reached NCAA Tourney in fifth season


Hmmmm........Let's see eaststang, Tubbs in a weaker conference setting has 2 more wins than Dement and 3 over Shumate. Two years in, Dement had recruited Sasser, Davis, the tall athletic kid from Beaumont, and had a line of Hancock and Q. Tubbs has Bamba and Morris and an incoming class of a kid "who's shot is improving" and a commitment from a Chris Reay clone. I felt much better about our prospects back then. How about you? And don't even go there with the tired old comeback of "those were Tubbs' recruits" because you like to play both sides of that argument. Not to mention the fact that Tubbs has a violation hanging over his head. Oh and by the way, did you read the article about Oklahoma's investigation? Think Jimmy learned a few things other than X's and O's while up there??????? And one last thing about that violation investigation. Let's say it was something stupid - a relative giving Tubbs money to give to the players so the kids could get their jollies about getting "money under the table". How stupid does a coach have to be to participate in that?????????? That's not a coach who inspires confidence in me. And now he's lobbying in the papers for an extension - for what???? A crappy record, a NCAA investigation, player's that can't stand him, and recruiting classes that certainly don't get me excited about the future. An employee strolling in my office trying to sell me on a raise on that track record might not get out of my office with his job - let alone a raise.

You really must like that koolaid. Ask them for a larger glass next time so you don't have to keep going back for refills as frequently.

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SoCal_Pony wrote:2 Questions

1) Does anyone on this Board think Tubbs is worthy of an extension? Count me as one who absolutely thinks he is not.

2) Does anyone think Copeland should be the one making the decision? Count me as one who thinks Copeland absolutely should not be making this decision.

1) No

2) No

SoCal_Pony wrote:

Pony_Fan wrote:

2 Questions

1) Does anyone on this Board think Tubbs is worthy of an extension? Count me as one who absolutely thinks he is not.

2) Does anyone think Copeland should be the one making the decision? Count me as one who thinks Copeland absolutely should not be making this decision.

I think its too early to tell! Thats the whole point. His record is comparable to Dements (with powers comparable to Wonderboy!).

One last thing - anybody recall that 2 years into his tenure, the speculation was beginning that SMU was not going to be able to retain Dement - that some higher profile school was going to swipe him from us??????? By the way, I was not a huge fan of Dement, either - but I sure was feeling good about the future with him at that point. Sorry, but I don't to have that feeling now two years into Tubb's regime.....