Steve Forbes joining Wichita State staff

[calfan]

Do you think he will have a hard time getting ready for our home game against Tennessee???

[Aargh]

Do you think he will have a hard time getting ready for our home game against Tennessee???

Coach Angry!

[WSUwatcher]

And that doesn't even take into account 3G and Jans. We won't see any kind of dip in recruiting here.

I just want to know if we, with the current staff, have sufficient connections in OK/TX. Lots of talent there and it's been pretty good to us. I think I read somewhere that Forbes has connections all over the country and I believe Jans has some TX connections as well. I know we'll find plenty of talent wherever we look, I just don't want us to lose what TX has to offer.

WSU has recruited effectively enough in Texas under Marshall that there's no reason to worry -- losing Ford had no impact, neither will losing Turner. As for Oklahoma, the Shocks were at work there before Turner ever arrived.

[SubGod22]

My only concern is that we've had guys with strong TX connections in Gross and Turner. Two major reasons they were hired were because of those connections. Perhaps the others have picked up more contacts because of those previous coaches as well. Time will tell how effective our TX recruiting is without someone who has had a great deal of connections down there.

Coming off of a FF also helps no matter where you want to recruit. Hell, we've expanded the areas we see names pop up within the current staff as it is, so I'm not deeply concerned. But we have lost certain connections I'm sure.

[newshock1234]

ya we may have lost some connection but with forbes hired we gain alot more

[Downtown Shocker Brown]

Interesting read.

“Over the past couple years, Steve has made a tremendous impact on our recruiting,” UT head coach Bruce Pearl said. “But as a former head coach, Steve understands the challenges programs face in all aspects of the game.“Most recruiters are simply that–bring in talent every year, and then go back out on the road. But Steve is different. His strengths are the relationships and levels of trust he’s able to build with our student-athletes. He is a complete coach.”In the three seasons Forbes has sat alongside Pearl on the Tennessee bench, the Vols have*won a total of 76 games and advanced to three consecutive NCAA Tournaments–making back-to-back Sweet 16 appearances in 2007 and 2008.Listed as the No. 8 assistant coach in the nation by FOXSports.com,*Forbes has played a key role in recruiting top talent*to Knoxville. Tennessee’s 2008 recruiting class was highlighted by McDonald’s All-America Scotty Hopson and wasranked seventh in the nation*by Rivals.com.Forbes came to Tennessee after spending two seasons at Texas A&M, where he helped turn the Aggies from a team that had posted a 7-21 record the previous season and hadn’t received a postseason invitation in 11 years, to a program that averaged more than 21 wins in his two seasons and advanced to postseason play both years. A&M posted back-to-back seasons with the most Big 12 Conference wins in school history with Forbes on the bench. In 2005-06 Texas A&M advanced to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 1987 while recording a 22-9 record, the third-most wins in school history.* Texas A&M’s recruiting also benefited from Forbes’ experience, as*each of the Aggie’s two recruiting classes during his time in College Station were ranked among the top 10 in the nation.Before joining Billy Gillispie’s coaching staff at Texas A&M, Forbes coached at Illinois State (2003-04) and spent three years at*Louisiana Tech(2000-03), where he helped sign two nationally-ranked recruiting classes,*including a top-10 class in 2003. In 2002 the Bulldogs posted a 22-10 record and went 2-1 in the National Invitation Tournament, their first postseason appearance in 10 years.In 1998 Forbes joined the Idaho coaching staff as an assistant coach before being promoted to associate head coach for the 1998-99 season. In his first season, the Vandals improved to 16-11 and signed a*nationally-ranked recruiting class.Forbes compiled a 68-28 record in three years (1995-98) as the*head coach*at Barton County Community College in Great Bend, Kan. During his three seasons competing in the Jayhawk Conference, the Cougars produced three All-Americas, twice finished the season with a national ranking and earned victories over 15 nationally-ranked teams. After spending two years (1989-91) as an assistant coach at Southwestern Community College in Creston, Iowa, Forbes was promoted to*head coach*in March 1991. (end of bio).

[CourtJester]

Fantastic coach and an even better guy. Fun watching him in action all these years.

[ShockerInKC]

ACSF for prez!
I googel'd his name on the internets (which is a series of pipes) and he appears to be rich and famous.

I'm also a fan of his flat-tax idea.

[Spaulding]

So he coached at aTm with Gillespie and tenessee with pearl?

[Dan]

So he coached at aTm with Gillespie and tenessee with pearl?

That is correct.

[WuDrWu]

I have to say...without any personal information....those 2 names scare the living hell out of me.

[BOBB]

I have to say...without any personal information....those 2 names scare the living hell out of me.

+1. Let's hope the leadership of HCGM and this guy's experience of the consequences of doing it the wrong way keep things on the straight and narrow.

[ShockerGorilla]

I have to say...without any personal information....those 2 names scare the living hell out of me.

I'm glad I'm not the only one to feel this way. We may have attracted a lot more attention from the NCAA with this hire.

[wu_shizzle]

Billy Gillespie had anger/substance abuse issues. And Coach Forbes moved on.

Pearl has always been a little sleazy, but I doubt that Coach Forbes embraced that as much as he tolerated it.

Coaching with BG and BP was a resume enhancer until just a few years ago. It's hard to fault a guy with ambition for working with guys who can get you jobs.

[_kai_]