New Orleans Coach Quits

[GrandGreen]

Sounds like a truely gutless move. He had one of the best recruiting classes in the Belt including Fulce which was apparently one of NT's main targets.

Williams Resigns as Men's Basketball Coach

Courtesy: UNOPrivateers.com

Release: 07/06/2007

Courtesy: UNOPrivateers.com

http://www.unoprivateers.com

NEW ORLEANS – University of New Orleans Director of Athletics Jim Miller has announced that head men’s basketball coach Buzz Williams has resigned to pursue other career interests.

Williams, who coached one year on the Lakefront, went 14-17 (9-9 Sun Belt Conference) this past season and helped the Privateers reach the SBC Tournament quarterfinals.

He leaves behind a team which will return four starters from the 2006-07 squad, including Sun Belt Conference Player of the Year and AP All-America guard Bo McCalebb.

“I am extremely disappointed that Buzz Williams has decided to resign,” Miller said. “But it’s his decision on what to do with his career, whatever the reasons. He has made giant strides at improving our program, for which we are grateful, and I pledge that those positive strides will continue with a new head coach.”

Miller said a search will begin immediately.

Williams came to UNO after serving as an assistant coach for two seasons at Texas A&M. Prior to that, the Van Alstyne, Texas, native spent four years at Colorado State where he was associate head coach in 2003-04.

He also had previous assistant coach stints at Northwestern State, Texas A&M-Kingsville and Texas-Arlington.

A 1994 graduate of Oklahoma City University, Williams has been a part of two NCAA Tournament teams (Texas A&M in 2006 and Colorado State in 2003) as an assistant.

WILLIAMS TIMELINE

2006-07 University of New Orleans (Men’s Head Basketball Coach)

2004-06 Texas A&M (Men’s Assistant Basketball Coach)

2000-04 Colorado St. (Men’s Assistant/Associate Head Basketball Coach)

1999-2000 Northwestern St. (Men’s Assistant Basketball Coach)

1998-99 Texas A&M-Kingsville (Men’s Assistant Basketball Coach)

1994-98 Texas-Arlington (Men’s Assistant Basketball Coach)

1992-94 Oklahoma City (Men’s Undergraduate Assistant Basketball Coach)

1990-92 Navarro (Men’s Undergraduate Assistant Basketball Coach)

[CMJ]

Very strange...

[greenminer]

hmmm.

[Censored by Laurie]

Like teacher, like pupil. He is straight out of the Gillespie mold...except Billy Clyde wouldn't leave until he had a job lined up. I knew Williams wouldn't stay long...but man that was a bit quick. He probably has another job lined up...just going to let some time pass so it doesn't seem like he was entertaining suitors while prepping UNO for next year. Are all of Gillespie's assistant roles filled yet?

[NT03]

I don't get this move. He only won 14 games last year , so he can't be headed for another HC post. If he wanted to "move up" in the coaching world you would think he would try to cash in after next year. He had 4 starters back & possibly the best player in the Belt. You would think NO would a favorite and could easily win 22+ games next year. So maybe he goes to be an assistant ? I don't get it.

Does Fulce ask to be released now ????

According to KU website , they only have 2 assistances to BG. I think most schools have 3 , if Buzz doesn't go to KU then I'm real confused

Edited July 7, 2007 by NT03

[GreenBat]

I wouldn't be surprised if UNO gets investigated by the NCAA within the next year. Something does not smell right here.

[NT80]

I don't get this move. He only won 14 games last year , so he can't be headed for another HC post. If he wanted to "move up" in the coaching world you would think he would try to cash in after next year. He had 4 starters back & possibly the best player in the Belt. You would think NO would a favorite and could easily win 22+ games next year. So maybe he goes to be an assistant ? I don't get it.

Does Fulce ask to be released now ????

According to KU website , they only have 2 assistances to BG. I think most schools have 3 , if Buzz doesn't go to KU then I'm real confused

He took an assistant's job at Marquette. Maybe it paid more?, but his timing is terrible leaving in the middle of summer. I hope all his recruits are given releases; perhaps Fulce still has an interest in NT?

[Censored by Laurie]

He took an assistant's job at Marquette. Maybe it paid more?, but his timing is terrible leaving in the middle of summer. I hope all his recruits are given releases; perhaps Fulce still has an interest in NT?

That is some sorry-ness. I think if the UNO program were in some type of trouble...Bo would've stayed in the draft and rather play for Idaho of the NBDL. An assistant job with Tom Crean is a step up from trying to rebuild a program in the Sun Belt...especially with as competitive as the Belt should be this year (atlarge bid?). I think he saw a roster of Bo and some guys and felt he had a better chance to pad his resume' with Marquette...3 years down the road he'll be looking for another head coaching gig and no one will remember him abandoning UNO. Sorry. I like Tom Crean too...this pisses me off.

[NT03]

FROM FOXSPORTS.COM

New Orleans coach Buzz Williams, coming off a 14-17 season in his first year as the Privateers head man, resigned on Friday afternoon, according to numerous sources close to the situation.

Williams, 34, was unavailable for comment. Sources indicated, however, that Williams was frustrated because of financial limitations and other obstacles at the program in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. Williams informed his team of the decision on Friday afternoon.

New Orleans was slated to open up its arena this spring, but sources told FOXSports.com it won't likely happen until May 2008. The Privateers also don't have locker rooms, and only have five sports currently active.

Williams brought in an impressive recruiting class this season, and also fielded interest from Kentucky head coach Billy Gillespie to be an assistant there before deciding on Marquette. The timing of the move was rare as it happened on the first day of the July recruiting period.

Edited July 7, 2007 by NT03

[Censored by Laurie]

FROM FOXSPORTS.COM

New Orleans coach Buzz Williams, coming off a 14-17 season in his first year as the Privateers head man, resigned on Friday afternoon, according to numerous sources close to the situation.

Williams, 34, was unavailable for comment. Sources indicated, however, that Williams was frustrated because of financial limitations and other obstacles at the program in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. Williams informed his team of the decision on Friday afternoon.

New Orleans was slated to open up its arena this spring, but sources told FOXSports.com it won't likely happen until May 2008. The Privateers also don't have locker rooms, and only have five sports currently active.

Williams brought in an impressive recruiting class this season, and also fielded interest from Kentucky head coach Billy Gillespie to be an assistant there before deciding on Marquette. The timing of the move was rare as it happened on the first day of the July recruiting period.

And this pisses me off even more. He knew damn well what he was getting into when he took the job in New Orleans. He knew the financial limitations an athletic program might be under in the face of REBUILDING AN ENTIRE CITY. He pulls a nice first class...is helping get this program on its feet...everyone knows that he's gone as soon as theres some success...but he leaves following the season with some fucking class. Now most, if not all of this very nice incoming class de-commits...leaving some 35 year old assistant from Tulane who has never been considered for a head coaching job before but is willing to take whatever UNO can afford to pay for the chance at his first head coaching gig with no recruiting class heading into July...3 and a half months before the season starts...one and half before practice should be starting.

Williams just set this program back 3-5 years. I can only hope that those who committed to UNO stay at UNO...that an 18 year old kid shows more maturity, respect and commitment than some greedy, self-important coach. If not...this is a very bad situation for UNO and the entire Sun Belt.

[GrandGreen]

You can't decommit from a signed scholarship agreement. Certainly smells like some recruiting "irregularities' may have surfaced and he is leaving for the good of all concerned. It will be interesting to see if more of this story is ever revealed.

[drex]

Gives new meaning to the term 'buzz off.'

[NT80]

You can't decommit from a signed scholarship agreement. Certainly smells like some recruiting "irregularities' may have surfaced and he is leaving for the good of all concerned. It will be interesting to see if more of this story is ever revealed.

They can be released from their committments by the school or coach, but I think they would still have to sit out a year if they transfer.

[Guest GrayEagleOne]

There's got to be something going on at UNO that we don't know about. In the last couple of months the volleyball, swimming and now, men's basketball coaches have resigned. There's too much smoke for there not to be at least a little fire.

New Orleans is now down to eight sports. I believe that 14 are required for 1-A status. UNO is in a 1-A league and must conform to the number of sports even though they don't play football. Due to Katrina, they were given a moratorium of three years or so before having to meet the full requirements. It could be that these coaches see the handwriting on the wall that UNO will drop to Diviion II or III, or may not have athletics at all.

UNO is a branch of LSU (it used to known as Louisiana State University at New Orleans) but I wouldn't count on a great influx of money from them to fix UNO's problem, at least as it pertains to athletics.

It's just hard for me to understand Williams and the others leaving ship without a good reason.

[GrandGreen]

They can be released from their committments by the school or coach, but I think they would still have to sit out a year if they transfer.

I think they could be released from their scholarship agreements by the school without the loss of a year, but I doubt that New Orleans would do that. Athletes sign contracts with schools not coaching staffs. I believe other schools were the coach has left before the recruits actually enroll have released the athletes but I think that is rare.

[Green Crazy]

Gives new meaning to the term 'buzz off.'

Norm?

[ADLER]

I think they could be released from their scholarship agreements by the school without the loss of a year, but I doubt that New Orleans would do that. Athletes sign contracts with schools not coaching staffs. I believe other schools were the coach has left before the recruits actually enroll have released the athletes but I think that is rare.

Didn't Oklahoma lose a couple of signees after their basketball coach left? I think the signed recruits were able to enroll at other schools without having to sit for a year. (One was a Dallas kid who wound up at UAB) Were there NCAA violatins at OU that would have made their cases exceptions?

[Guest GrayEagleOne]

Unless the University of New Orleans releases the signees from their National Letter of Intent they will lose a year of eligibility if they go elsewhere. That decision will likely be up to the new coach or the AD (Jim Miller).

My guess is that if they plan to continue their program in 1-A, that they will not release the players from their LOI.

[gksmith]

This story just keeps getting worse: Sources: Williams heads to Marquette

New Orleans coach Buzz Williams, coming off a 14-17 season in his first year as the Privateers head man, resigned on Friday afternoon, according to numerous sources close to the situation.

Williams has left to become an assistant coach for Tom Crean at Marquette.

Williams, 34, was unavailable for comment. Sources indicated, however, that Williams was frustrated because of financial limitations and other obstacles at the program in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. Williams informed his team of the decision on Friday afternoon.

New Orleans was slated to open up its arena this spring, but sources told FOXSports.com it won't likely happen until May 2008. The Privateers also don't have locker rooms, and only have five sports currently active.

Williams brought in an impressive recruiting class this season, and also fielded interest from Kentucky head coach Billy Gillespie to be an assistant there before deciding on Marquette.

The timing of the move was rare as it happened on the first day of the July recruiting period.

[Green to the Bone]

This would have been a great true movie:

Coach takes over the struggling program of a 45-year-old, non-prestigious, underfunded, urban state university in a crushingly impoverished city as the city tries to recover from the deepest heartbreak imaginable.

Despite not even having a place to dress out because of the storm's destruction, the team pulls off a respectable season, making the emotionally fragile city and even their opponents proud of their achievements against such huge odds.

An NBA prospect on the team chooses to forego the draft and finish his college career at his struggling alma mater, further lifting the hearts of people across the city.

The coach's accomplishments have gotten some notice, so some big programs come knocking at his door.

The coach struggles with the temptation of more money and more national prestige, versus his loyalty to this plucky group of young men who have chosen to walk this hard, hard road together.

In the end, he knows where his heart must lead him:

(Add your own ending).

[GreenBat]

In the end, he knows where his heart must lead him:

(Add your own ending).

He takes the NBA money and has a two year NBA coaching career befor he's canned. He ends up coaching at some back-water JUCO and is never heard from again.

I'm sorry, but I don't believe in happy Hollywood endings.

[UNTLifer]

or he becomes Vic Trilli's bench coach/top assistant.

[NT80]

UNO hires basketball coach

Posted by Times-Picayune July 09, 2007 10:24AM

UNO wasted little time in hiring a men's basketball coach as the school will announce later today that University of California assistant coach Joe Pasternack has taken the job.

Pasternack was a finalist last year when UNO hired Texas A&M assistant Buzz Williams. Williams resigned his position Friday to take an assistant coaching job at Marquette.

Pasternack is a New Orleans native, went to high school at Country Day. He is a graduate of Indiana, where he worked as a team manager under former coach Bobby Knight and has been an assistant at Cal for the past seven seasons.

[Green to the Bone]

Good luck to Joe Pasternack in his new hometown job. UNO has no money and is fielding just five sports right now.

That said, this year let's try to keep the ball out of McCaleb's hands as the buzzer sounds. He's a threat from anywhere within about a half-mile.

[UNOPrivatr]

UNO has no money and is fielding just five sports right now.

That said, the baseball team just finished second in the regular season and won the tournament, advancing to the NCAA's for the first time since 2000. The program was in shambles before Katrina. We sure didn't have any players the caliber of McCalebb to rebuild that program with post-Katrina. We recruited all our best current players during and after the immediate aftyermath of the Hurricane. With hard work and DEDICATION (that one was for Buzz) it can be done.

People assuming there is more to the story need to quit assuming. The story here is that Buzz bailed on us. Period. He knew the issues when we hired him. He saw them first hand last year. If he wanted to leave I can't say I'd have blamed him. It ticks me off to no end that he waited until July 6th to leave. Oh by the way, the July recruiting period BEGINS on July 6th. It has been reported that he told a player the reason he waited is so that we'd be stuck and we'd be forced to hire his top assistant. That tells you all you need to know. The man was a snake and UNO and the Belt are better off with him in Milwaukee.