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Akron fan here....first congrats on stealing our coach. This was a surprise to many Akron fans because he was Akron through and through. I think he still had like 10 years on his contract and everyone thought he would retire at Akron. In the end, winning 27 games and not getting a sniff at the NCAAT was what did him in. I thought I'd drop by and give you guys some info about KD and answer any questions you may have. I'll miss all the great memories of Dambrot at Akron. Thanks!!! Last edited by townsonkid (3/29/2017 1:30 pm) Thanks for the assessment. We are excited to have a coach who knows how to play defense. Some f those "cupcakes" have gone further than we have in the last few decades. I think we have lost to a couple of them. The multiple bid aspect of the A10 I think was an even bigger factor for KD than the pay increase. With incentives this past year he got a little under a million from us, Thats what a good coach should do, not coddle them like babies or be afraid they will react poorly. Thanks for stopping by and giving your insights as a fan. Thats what a good coach should do, not coddle them like babies or be afraid they will react poorly. I saw it was at Ppg is it open to the public? Is there any info out there other than time and place? I think I'm going Good luck to Akron on finding the replacement for Coach Dambrot and may your program continue to flourish in the MAC. Thanks, I appreciate it. I hope Dambrot does great things for Duquesne. You also hit the nail on the head about the comment of Akron not getting the elusive NCAAT win. Our best teams over the last decade weren't able to see what they could do in the dance. Thats what a good coach should do, not coddle them like babies or be afraid they will react poorly. I saw it was at Ppg is it open to the public? Is there any info out there other than time and place? I think I'm going Yes, 6:30, Lexus Club Good luck to Akron on finding the replacement for Coach Dambrot and may your program continue to flourish in the MAC. Thanks, I appreciate it. I hope Dambrot does great things for Duquesne. You also hit the nail on the head about the comment of Akron not getting the elusive NCAAT win. Our best teams over the last decade weren't able to see what they could do in the dance. Thanks for your input. Speaking of assistant coaches has it been mentioned anywhere about the status of his assistant coaches? Are they all coming here? I know that the one guy has been there like 12 years... is he up for the HC gig? This was very informative, Fear the roo. Expect a weak OOC schedule. Not sure about the weak OOC part. This past season, Akron played Creighton and Gonzaga on the road, losing to both. Last year, they played Villanova and Arkansas on the road, losing one, winning one. The year before that, they played USC, Miami and South Carolina in a tournament and Penn State on the road, breaking even in those games. The year before that, they played St. Mary's and South Carolina on the road and Oregon State, Iowa State and South Carolina again in a tournament. Oklahoma State and Penn State in a tourney, Creighton on the road the year before that. I could live without the Adrians, Hirams and John Carroll or any other non-D1 teams,but by and large, I'd say they've played a way tougher OOC schedule than we're used to seeing at Duquesne the last 5 years. Last edited by DennisC91 (3/29/2017 3:50 pm) Probably played a weak ooc schedule because no one decent wants to play MAC teams on the road. You either play cupcakes at home, or be a cupcake on the road. If you're decent, you can't even get road games. This was really great insight. Thanks for taking the time to share it. NCAA records are all about seeding. MAC teams aren't going to get a favorable matchup in the NCAA tournament. Last edited by levon1975 (3/29/2017 8:32 pm)
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Things to Know about KD
Expect a weak OOC schedule.
Akron is one of 4 teams (Duke, Gonzaga, & Kansas) who have won 21+ games in each of the last 12 seasons. A large part of this is because KD liked to schedule a cupcake OOC schedule. Get used to seeing Coppin State, Adrian, Hiram, Arkansas Pine Bluff, Bethune Cookman, Lipscomb, and other schools that are good bar trivia questions on where that school is located.
Expect an emphasis on defense.
KD is a defensive guy. Defense is his number on priority for the team. He plays man to man 99% of the time. You might see him play zone once every other year. He has tested full court pressing in the past (he talks with Shake Smart a few times a week).
Expect the green light on 3's.
Before last season KD got in deep with some analytics in the off season. Over the last two years, Akron has since been around the top 10 in 3-pts attempted. I believe this past season we actually shot more 3's than 2's in many games. Last season we made 20 3's in a game against Ohio U.
Expect honest & blunt interviews.
One thing I loved about KD is he doesn't do "coach speak". He is very blunt and honest in interviews and tells it how it is. He likes to use boxing analogies about teams (we need to punch them in the guy) and other team's fan bases generally take offense to these comments.
Ignore Recruit Rankings
KD brought in 1 top 50 recruit to Akron, but everyone else is usually unranked in common ranking systems. He likes to find "diamond in the roughs". He's more focused about finding players that fit his system than how many stars they have.
Don't expect a star player
Dambrot's system is set up so there are no star players. While he did produce 2 MAC POTYs, that's mainly due to voters picking the best player on the best team. I don't think we've had anyone average over 15 ppg due to the system. He likes to go deep in the bench and do hockey line changes where he will sub 3-5 players in at a time. He likes to keep everyone fresh. Expect 1-2 players to transfer out each year due to this system. He likes to play inside out. The ball will touch a front court player's hand on 80% of possessions (the other 20% are quick 3 pt attempts).
The Lebron Connection
I know several of you are curious on this. Lebron practices with our team a lot during the summer. I've seen him bring Durant, Wade, Chris Paul, and basically every Cavs player on campus. Not sure if this will follow to Duquesne, or if it's more since he lives in Akron. He hooked Akron up on a Nike deal for his line of products. We are one of 4 to wear the line (OSU, Duke, & I can't remember the 4th). And no, Lebron can't help on recruiting, he can only have his name dropped by KD. He usually makes it to a game or two at Akron.
Post Season
KD has a terrible post season record. 3-6 in MAC championship games, 0-3 in NCAAT, something like 2-4 in NIT, and he hasn't been able to get wins in the CBI or CIT. Not sure what it is, but the teams come out not motivated and generally crap down their leg. Next year, if you get around 17 or 18 wins, I would be willing to bet KD gets the school to pony up money for the CBI or CIT.
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Re: Things to Know about KD
I have read he likes a big man who can dish the rock, play inside to out. I like that much more than chuckin it from the cheap seats with no plan at all on offense. Any LeBron is good LeBron when dealing with HS and college kids. LeBron's kid is in middle school, so within 7 years he will be recruited(wink wink). I am fine with cupcakes in OOC, the A10 is legit and he will be up against decent coaches there, and teams, and the school up the street lives with that same plan, and they have done well for themselves until the last 2-3 years.
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Re: Things to Know about KD
The schedule doesn't bother me as the A10 will mandate that ours is super weak anyways. It can't be worse than it was under Ferry, only now we might win.
Kudos to the post season. We are so starved that if we don't win the A10 tourny, it won't be the end of the world. Plus, you don't need to win it like you do in the MAC. We typically get 3 bids minimum. I think this was a key for Dambrot leaving.
Do his players seem to like him?
"You have to be realistic about these things." - Logen Ninefingers
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Really appreciate your comments.
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Re: Things to Know about KD
His players respect him. He's tough on them. They have to earn playing time. If they mess up in games they can get yanked out pretty quickly since he uses so many players. •
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Re: Things to Know about KD
Is anyone going to the presser tomorrow at PPG arena?
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Re: Things to Know about KD
If I could make a comparison to what I see in Keith Dambrot's body of work and the things you describe about how he runs his program I think I could say he has been a "mid-major" version of Jamie Dixon even right down to ascending to the HC position from the assistant's chair.
You can look at the defense and the balanced scoring approach while also the solid consistent teams throughout the year. pitt fans were frustrated he could't get them to the promised land of the Final 4 and I won't speak for Akron fans but Akron's success may fly under the radar a bit because they haven't gotten that NCAAT win and busted brackets and that has to sting (especially in the early part of the decade when Ohio would win the MAC tourney with a mediocre regular season record and then parlay it into three NCAA wins).
I think for us, this has some similarities to Dixon leaving for TCU as it was a surprise to the national media regular fan though both had some unique ties to the University they were leaving for.
Right now, we are essentially TCU pre-Dixon (probably worse since our arena hasn't been redone like theirs has) and would be ecstatic if we could be anywhere near as consistent in the A-10 as Akron has been in the MAC. I'm hopeful our teams under Dambrot can play defense (huge weak spot nearly every season for us) and benefit from what appears to be an eye for talent and developing projects that went under the radar and that will bring us to a good spot and for the long suffering fans, an NCAA Tourney bid down the road.
Good luck to Akron on finding the replacement for Coach Dambrot and may your program continue to flourish in the MAC.
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Re: Things to Know about KD
townsonkid wrote:
Is anyone going to the presser tomorrow at PPG arena?
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Brian wrote:
Another thing I'll mention about Dambrot's coaching is that he runs all the drills in practice. His assistants are there helping a little, but he is the one actually doing all the team drills and the one on one coaching. •
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Re: Things to Know about KD
Duques102 wrote:townsonkid wrote:
Is anyone going to the presser tomorrow at PPG arena?
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Re: Things to Know about KD
Fear_The_Roo wrote:Brian wrote:
Another thing I'll mention about Dambrot's coaching is that he runs all the drills in practice. His assistants are there helping a little, but he is the one actually doing all the team drills and the one on one coaching.
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Despite a weak OOC schedule and post-season difficulty, this immediately addresses about 4 systematic issues many had with Ferry. His teams played no D, he tried to outrecuit the A10/Pitt (spoiler: that's really hard to do), he'd play 3 players 38 minutes a night and just exhaust them, and he underutilized our big men, whom i think we still have two quality guys left who haven't graduated.
I hate myself for loving you. Quoting me without the expressed written consent of the National Hockey League is prohibited.
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Re: Things to Know about KD
Akron is one of 4 teams (Duke, Gonzaga, & Kansas) who have won 21+ games in each of the last 12 seasons. A large part of this is because KD liked to schedule a cupcake OOC schedule. Get used to seeing Coppin State, Adrian, Hiram, Arkansas Pine Bluff, Bethune Cookman, Lipscomb, and other schools that are good bar trivia questions on where that school is located.
That is really not true. What people fail to realize is that for every time you go play Villanova you have to schedule someone to take their place on the home schedule because Villanova (or any P5 team) is not playing at a MAC school. The only teams that will play at a MAC school and not get a return game are cupcakes. Sadly....that is the life of a mid-major. Akron's away OOC was always good bit it meant that the home schedule would be weak. Dambrot always was looking to get big programs scheduled on a neutral court so he played in a lot of early season tournaments. Not sure if that will be required in the A10.
Go Dukes You have a new fan. Don't be offended if I wear my Zip gear when I show up for a game or 2.
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As for talent, I think in time he will be able to attract a higher level of talent to Duquesne than he could at Akron.
The thing I always liked about Akron teams is that they played with an edge, normally very physical teams.
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