MVC Coach of the Year...

[bleach]

I think Devries is the frontrunner but the season isn't over.
I also don't know that starting from scratch is a disadvantage. How often do we hear "he hasn't got his players yet"? Devries has HIS players. Ford was handed players who were feared by no one. Anyone scared of Jared Dixon or Ryan Kreklow before this year? Ford has made them the heart of his team.

Check back in a week.

[Drakey]

Moser? Seriously? The Ramblers were in many preseason top 25 lists. They have underperformed significantly. The only arguments are for Ford and Devries. I think Devries has done more. I can't believe someone saying that he had an advantage because he only has two players who had ever scored a point.when he arrived. his recruiting was amazing.

[BirdsEyeView]

Anti Coach of the year?

Dan Muller

[glm38]

Anti Coach of the year?

Dan Muller

Nice win today though.

[Go4Valley]

I think Devries is the frontrunner but the season isn't over.
I also don't know that starting from scratch is a disadvantage. How often do we hear "he hasn't got his players yet"? Devries has HIS players. Ford was handed players who were feared by no one. Anyone scared of Jared Dixon or Ryan Kreklow before this year? Ford has made them the heart of his team.

Check back in a week.

Well Seniors playing with sense of urgency. Dixon was a decent player who has shown flashes...especially in Arch Madness. Very capable guy before this year. Kreklow has made the biggest leap so I can agree with you there

[Bearvision]

I will say this; both Drake and MSU's coaches have done a nice job this year and both are deserving.

What Ford did in putting his ego aside and realizing that the way they were playing and changing their entire style after conference had already started and getting the team to buy into that style at the expense of their own stats is exactly what great coaches do. Ford lost Church, who analytically speaking was one of the Bears best players the previous three years but didn't seem to be that same fit with Ford and had a hurt knee. Szymon Wojcik is a nice player who gave size and depth but wasn't a difference maker.

DeVries lost a very good player in Norton, albeit one who was going to regress towards the mean as the year went along, but they were undoubtedly worse without him. He rebuilt a team with little in the way of established players.

Analytically speaking, Drake is the better team. Expectations wise, they probably overachieved more this year, but both very much have.

In the end, I'm not sure how you arrive at any conclusion other than DeVries, but is it a big deal to anyone outside the families of the coaches? Both programs are probably quite happy with what they have and the award isn't changing things for either team moving forward.

LFG Bears.

[Adunk33]

1- DeVries (did everything with nothing.)
2- Ford (Picked 8th or 9th and is fighting for 1st)
3- Jacobsen (Never can count out Coach Jake. His teams always play hard)

Then it gets kind of tough... I guess I would say

4- Wardle (despite an awful start, he rallied his team).
5- Moser (this season could have been a lot better but also a lot worse. Obviously, missing Lucas has hurt, but you still had a strong core from your F4 team)
6- McCarty (despite being 4-12, they have remained more competitive than expected in his first year.)
7- Lottich (his team was competing for first place for the first couple of weeks, but cooled after a hot start.)
8- Hinson (last two losses were only by 3 points, so it could be worse)
9- Lansing (just because Muller deserves to be 10th)
10- Muller (He had almost all of his team back from last season and added the California juco POY, and his team struggled. For what its worth, I am a pro-Muller guy, unlike the most outspoken of the fan base, but he underachieved this year. That said, I would be the least surprised person in the world to see them make a run in STL (to Saturday if they start play Thursday, to Sunday if they start play Friday.)

[Majik45]

I would currently give the award to DeVries. He was supposed to have nothing back at Drake this year, and then lost his starting PG right at the start of Valley play who was averaging 14 points, 4 rebounds, and 6 assists. How many times do we hear about how important a PG is, and he was arguably Drake's best player.

Only way I would change it is if MSU wins the Valley, then I would give it to Ford.

Both have done an amazing job in their first year.

Who cares about anyone else honestly. Moser, Wardle, Jacobsen could all get 3rd place votes, but is anyone really voting anyone but DeVries and Ford 1 and 2?

[E-Villan]

1- DeVries (did everything with nothing.)
2- Ford (Picked 8th or 9th and is fighting for 1st)
3- Jacobsen (Never can count out Coach Jake. His teams always play hard)

Then it gets kind of tough... I guess I would say

4- Wardle (despite an awful start, he rallied his team).
5- Moser (this season could have been a lot better but also a lot worse. Obviously, missing Lucas has hurt, but you still had a strong core from your F4 team)
6- McCarty (despite being 4-12, they have remained more competitive than expected in his first year.)
7- Lottich (his team was competing for first place for the first couple of weeks, but cooled after a hot start.)
8- Hinson (last two losses were only by 3 points, so it could be worse)
9- Lansing (just because Muller deserves to be 10th)
10- Muller (He had almost all of his team back from last season and added the California juco POY, and his team struggled. For what its worth, I am a pro-Muller guy, unlike the most outspoken of the fan base, but he underachieved this year. That said, I would be the least surprised person in the world to see them make a run in STL (to Saturday if they start play Thursday, to Sunday if they start play Friday.)

I agree with you on the first two...and the case could be made for both. Neither were picked out of Thursday, Devries has rebuilt the team twice, and Ford turned around an awful start. After that, I think you could shake the other 8 up and throw them out on the table.

I will get accused of homering, but McCarty has done quite a bit with what little was left. People don't realize how little SImmons left, not to mention pushing the top two returnees to transfer. Would have a hard time giving him 3rd, but not sure who else is deserving. I would probably put Moser there ahead of Wardle. Wardle can get some credit for turning things around, but he should also get blame for the horrible 0-5 start. You have Jacobsen too high at 3rd. He is in his 13th season, and the highest paid coach in the league, yet he is fighting to stay out of his 2nd consecutive Thursday night. He shouldn't be expected to win the league every year, but shouldn't be this low back to back either. I don't have a real feel on Lottich, but they have improved from the last place spot a year ago. Lansing would get my vote at 8th. I know people in Terre Haute are frustrated, but he is not given anything to work with. I would give Hinson 9th and Muller 10th solely because Muller should have won the league this year.

1 DeVries
2 Ford (very close)
3 Moser (stayed competitive)
4 Wardle (turned the corner, but put them in big hole to begin with)
5 McCarty(Didn't go 0-18, with wins over the top teams in league, solid recruiting)
6 Lottich (better than last year)
7 Jacobsen (should not be potential back to back Thursday team this far in tenure)
8 Lansing (Nothing to work with, maybe coach, maybe admins)
9 Hinson (Really wanted this to work, time for fresh eyes in Carbondale)
10 Muller (Lusk level underachievement, should have won league)

[Blers]

Devries and Ford both have strong cases; for me the tie breaker is the non-con+adversity that Deveies had to over come. It woulda been so easy for that team to fold, plus while McGlynn was good last year I don’t think I would have expected him to be this effective this year. On top of all that finding Wilkins and offering him when almost no one even noticed him has to be the recruiting steal of the year.