Evansville AD gives Lickliter Vote of Confidence

by **pafan** » February 24th, 2022, 7:46 pm

Evansville ABC sports anchor Randall Parmley got a written statement out of UE AD Mark Spencer today. It's a doozy.

UE athletic director Mark Spencer remains confident in Todd Lickliter, asks for fan’s patience

I've attached a poll to this thread. Do you think this "vote of confidence" is sincere? Will Todd Lickliter return to Evansville in 2023?

**Sponsor**

by **Mikovio** » February 24th, 2022, 8:02 pm

The Evansville AD sounds like a clown.

by **goramblers2011** » February 24th, 2022, 8:13 pm

Yikes. I guess I just don't see what hope he gives. They don't seem to be recruiting any real talent. His system isn't the type that would really attract talented JUCOs or transfers. There aren't signs of improvement.

by **BCPanther** » February 24th, 2022, 8:14 pm

I mean, he didn't knock up a cheerleader and skip town so that makes him an improvement by default.

by **Birdfan2018** » February 24th, 2022, 8:42 pm

pafan wrote:Evansville ABC sports anchor Randall Parmley got a written statement out of UE AD Mark Spencer today. It's a doozy.

UE athletic director Mark Spencer remains confident in Todd Lickliter, asks for fan’s patience

I've attached a poll to this thread. Do you think this "vote of confidence" is sincere? Will Todd Lickliter return to Evansville in 2023?

What is the amount of his buyout?

by **pafan** » February 24th, 2022, 9:02 pm

Unknown.
We do not know how many years are left on his deal or any financial terms thereof. However, it is believed that Lickliter's contract runs through 2023, we just do not know how many years past that.

by **Roberts Stadium** » February 24th, 2022, 9:13 pm

I was rooting for this AD because I was glad the university finally got rid of the previous AD and administration and that administrations coach (2 coaches ago) but I cannot see how this makes any sense other than the fact that they're never going to be able to open the checkbook up and get anyone decent in. It's a miracle already that they've decided against going DIII then the Horizon League as is.

by **E-Villan** » February 24th, 2022, 10:07 pm

Mikovio wrote:The Evansville AD sounds like a clown.

He is.

While this seems like a cross between the Onion and Babylon Bee, Spencer has to know his seat is very, very warm, and he is peddling this BS as a job preservation piece. What else can he say? I screwed the pooch by not vetting McCarty, then doubled down on my stupidity with a panic hire of a introvert who had flamed out spectacularly at his last two gigs.

Lickliter had success at Butler, but he didn't build a thing. The pieces were already in place, Barry Collier is actually a competent AD, and they were outspending everyone else in the Horizon by a country mile. Just maintain Todd and all will be well. He is a decent man, but this is a scorched earth rebuild that is way out of his job capabilities. No excuse for Spencer not realizing that.

This poll should be whether Spencer will be back. That is the change that has to happen. If he is retained, I would say it is about 50/50 Lickliter is back, and it will have to be a resignation if Spencer is still running things. He waited years too long to move on Marty or possibly the worst women's coach in the history of women's collegiate basketball, he would happily leave Lickliter in place.

The Horizon or other downgrade talk can stop. It simply won't happen. We have MVC level everything except personnel. We have to change the idiots running things. If not, there will be no downgrading, just an eventual implosion. Plus, these clowns half-assing it in the Horizon or OVC would not produce much better results.

It is criminal what they have done to this once proud program.

by **pafan** » February 24th, 2022, 11:13 pm

E-Villan wrote:While this seems like a cross between the Onion and Babylon Bee, Spencer has to know his seat is very, very warm, and he is peddling this BS as a job preservation piece.

If this is the kind of statement president Pietruskevich wants to see from Spencer, we're in real deep. Real deep.

E-Villan wrote:This poll should be whether Spencer will be back. That is the change that has to happen. If he is retained, I would say it is about 50/50 Lickliter is back, and it will have to be a resignation if Spencer is still running things.

I see no reason to think Spencer will be relieved of his duties in the next 7-21 days, when all the basketball coaching changes will be taking place. Especially so if Spencer is following the "company line" with this statement.

by **MissouriValleyUnite** » February 25th, 2022, 12:44 am

Lickliter took Evansville from 0-18 to the 4/5 game last year, which was one of the biggest improvements in recent memory. He’s had 1 good year and 1 bad year. The 0-18 year can’t be attributed to him because he took over late and couldn’t fully implement his systems but the Aces got better as that conference season progressed, carrying over and culminating into the following season.

Lickliter is a proven coach who’s taken 2 different cycles to a Sweet 16, but he needs a dynamite recruiter for an assistant.

Remember, Lickliter had a 13-15 year at Butler sandwiched between his Sweet 16s. Good players have down years, good coaches have down years.