Ask The AD - January Edition
01/28/2015 | 12:00:00 | General
E-Mail a question to Harold Bardo
Do you have a results-oriented evaluation process you review with the coaches? I don't care how nice of guys these guys are, I've met with Coach Lennon and heard good things about Coach Hinson, but the school can't continue being in the last 1/3 of the Valley. Can you give me your opinion on the state of our coaches?
Coaches have goals and objectives they strive to meet, and they are evaluated annually on the extent in which they meet those goals and objectives. Since becoming interim AD on Jan. 1, I have visited with all of our head coaches, but have not conducted any formal evaluations. The records are what they are. I don't believe any of the coaches are satisfied with their season unless they have won it all.
How close are we to finding a permanent Athletic Director?
Earlier this week, President Randy Dunn announced the names of a search committee that will conduct interviews and select our permanent AD. The timeframe is to announce a hiring this spring. I look forward to helping that individual when he/she arrives on campus.
Are any plans in place for increasing the strength of schedule for men's basketball?
Strength of the men's basketball schedule is an important issue for the Missouri Valley Conference, because it impacts the ability of our teams to earn post-season bids to the NCAA and NIT tournament. Appearances in those tournaments are critical, because they generate revenue that is shared by all Valley schools. Schools that do not meet minimum strength of schedules in the future will be fined, so our strength of schedule must improve.
What are the chances of getting several of the home football games scheduled for the afternoon next season? Some of us alumni who live in Southern Illinois have a drive of over two hours to get there and then back home after the games. If there are night games, there is the danger of deer on the highway.
The football game times were scheduled based on input from a number of groups -- faculty, staff, students and community. The predominance of night games last season (5 of the 6 games) was a result of that input. We saw a significant increase in attendance and ticket revenue, so I would expect we will continue to have multiple night games. We value your input and will take it into consideration when we discuss game times this summer.
What will be the process in determining whether a coaching change is needed in men's basketball? Also, what would be owned to Coach Hinson should the remaining years of his contract be bought out?
That decision would require input from the Athletic Director, Chancellor, President and Board of Trustees. I don't know what Coach Hinson's contract entails, so I am not sure what he would be owed if his contract were voided, and I have no plan to void his contract.
I come from the Walt Frazier days, and what I see on the court now is no effort by the Dawgs. We attend road games at Bradley, ISU and now Chicago, and we plan trips around the road schedule. What is going on? Is it coaching?
I am pleased that you attend the road games. My hope is that you return to Carbondale to watch us play as well. Fans see effort by students playing hard -- setting picks, diving on the floor for loose balls and taking charges, for example. I also attend a lot of games and I see some of those example in games. What I don't believe I see is all of the players doing all of these things during the entire game, every game. The reason I don't believe we see it all of the time is that we are a young team and have not learned that to win in a big way, we need to do all of those things all of the time, each and every game.
