Hugh Durham Award update
Here’s the latest on the Hugh Durham National Coach of the Year Award, given annually to the top mid-major coach in the country by the good people over at CollegeInsider.com.
As you know, Hawaii coach Benjy Taylor was given the Hugh Durham award at midseason as the Rainbow Warriors completed their pre-conference portion of the schedule, going 12-4 with some surprising wins over power conference teams.
There was some initial confusion about whether that was the full annual award or whether there would be another winner at the end of the season. I was thrown off by it, first believing the latter and then was convinced otherwise.
Well, there will be another winner. A list of 16 finalists was released on Monday, and Taylor was not among them, despite UH piling up 22 wins on the season and making the Big West tournament final.
UC Davis’ Jim Les, the Big West Coach of the Year, is among the finalists.
Obviously this is something of a disappointment to those hoping UH would get some further recognition for its surprising season under its interim coach.
Taylor will be in Indianapolis, site of the Final Four. At last word, he was to collect his midseason award at the CollegeInsider.com awards banquet on April 3.
Brian:
Well quite confusing, however, they should have just Named it, Mid Major Coach of Mid Season Award , The winner, for fall of 2014. Benjy Taylor, for that half way point. I guess, he if he won BWC regular season, would have been finalist for Total Season award. You say not big thing, however I disagree, On Benjy’s resume, wherever he will be next season, His mid season Hugh Durham award, will be in front of his BB coaching peers, and AD’s, Basketball insiders, and school, presidents, chancellors, etc.. pretty sure, he is getting contacts and looks.. from mid majors, he did a great job..
Benjy Taylor, even if for ONE year.. the most memorable one for me.. a 22 win season, despite, overwhelming odds !!
Only in Hawaii, Brian, kind of okole backwards, and slower than a Honu on dry land.. i.e. UH power that be, getting AD and MBB hired.. They DO NOT GET IT.. unless, they Make Benjy a guaranteed Interim, Acting for ONE more year.. by then , they can find the guy they want for HC.. ..crazy. however. Benjy and Team, they were exciting, and really did well !!
Kudos to Jim Les , rebuilt UC Davis , in a out of place area of Northern Cali, fit the right pieces in the puzzle and had a great player in Cory Hawkins, who gave us fits each time we played them. Our Warriors played them tough and beat them in the tournament. Word out Les is moving on to a higher conference school. BTW when we going to get a new Athletic Director ,It’s almost April Vrohman.
We are wasting time just hire Benjy Taylor for an impossible job well done.
oldtimer808:
Hey, that would be prudent, thing to do….Benjy and team had great year, everyone coming back except Jawato and Nevels. foundation laid.. MBB interest at all time high..great season despite adversity. Think.. that they are putting Athletics, way down the list, Academics and infrastructure first.. Yet they support NC and football, wow?
oldtimer808, and hon2255…from another Makule MBB fan, give Benjy a chance, whether 1 , 2 or 3 year, deal.. so with Another Big, and a shooter, JC recruits, probably.. UH can win the BWC next season..That would be Akamai thing
Agree with Both of you, and thousands more, even those Not UH MBB fans, ,just casual , at the store, down the road, next door neighbor, heard about success of UH MBB, and Benjy.. he admits not perfect, however.. he did , and the team a Helluva job.. Why Wait sooooo long? Only in Hawaii.. auwe..time is running out.
The prudent thing to do ,is the protocal UH has to follow and that is to post the ad, interview applicants that are on top of the list ,and make the best decision, based not only on wins , but the applicant’s integrity, behavior on and off the court to be an exemperly citizen, as this year’s team had 22 wins but the lack of discipline on and off the court(there was more than one drug use instance) . There is a student code and that is in black and white. At times it appeared the inmates were running the asylum . I am sure that the new AD will thorougly go through the final applicants with a fine tooth comb and make the best decision once all the facts are in.
good points.. however.. kind of hurry up but wait.. used to work for them.. so I know..
AD… both good choices.. that can get done soon.
you know what should do? as mentioned. let Benjy interim, another year.. stabilize program, and hope keep all guys here.. in one year time. after hopefully another good season. if UH wants another guy, then go from there. When they say, well wait until October 2015.. or No hurry, when in midst of recruiting, and So much movement, and hirings firings of MBB coaches. late April. or Awards banquet, .. that is too late..
yes, the ones who worked for that entity. we know the deal..sad.. however, get AD pronto, then.. he works , I think Ketih and Dave would be good choices.. just the delay, and lack of monies indecision..auwe.. hope they get it right..
Brian:
Do You have any clue.. or insight, insider information. .IF Benjy Taylor would be given a fair, a huge fair share, to sign on as Head Coach for multi year contract. OR is UH admin, Power that be, polticians, lobbyists.. probably will pick someone out of the blue. Think that if Benjy had any idea, he would not apply, if he is not given a fair shake.
Just wondering. Whether politics so strong. and No discussion with Coach Taylor, even before the BWC championship game?
OR does Benjy have legitimate chance? Otherwise, very, very sure, Benjy and staff, and some athletes, looking into future , next year options, have to move on.
Hawaii, UH Manoa, admin, politics.. man.. go back in time, Stan the Man Sheriff, gave his life, literally to get SSC built, and really was a man’s man, loved the coaches and athletes, as an AD …Dick , Wags, Dave Holmes, June, some very good FB coaches, even Mack had that 10-3 record? remember and after one losing season was fired? Weird.. 22 games. won, under the worst scenarios and tribulations you could think of, and NOT winning the BWC championship.. game and NCAA invite. IS That Cause to NOT hire him?
Weird !