If roundball is your blood, this is the place to discuss the Flames as they move into the Ritchie McKay era for the 2nd time.

Moderators: jcmanson, Sly Fox, BuryYourDuke

Should Dale Layer be fired?

Yes
47
73%
No
16
25%
He only keeps his job if we win the Big South again
1
2%
By SuperJon
Registration Days Posts
#445811
I'd say that was a different situation. He was the top assistant at Marquette. In the coaching world, Layer is well known. We were also trying to save a sinking ship and went to someone we knew and the player knew.
By Bigsouthking
Registration Days Posts
#445812
If Meyer would have never gotten fired or run out of town Allison would have been on staff the day after he graduated. Those 2 are tight.

How bout John Jones? He's a LU grad and just won his 200th college game. He also worked under Greg Marshall at Winthrop for a season.
User avatar
By jinxy
Registration Days Posts
#445815
4 things are clear that we all keep repeating. First, layer is a stand up guy and fits what we do perfectly. Second, he inherited a mess. Third, he has underperformed the last two years with his recruits and has whiffed on 5-7 players the last 3 years. Fourth, he has an extension no matter how dumb we think it was and its going to keep him here a couple more years regardless. There is one thing that dale should do that he wont and that is bring allison on staff. He could help save his job. Layer probably isnt keen on adding a guy that could replace him when the seat is warm. I dont think it will happen for obvious reasons but thats the one thing that could be changed
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By jinxy
Registration Days Posts
#445817
Jon you know we could pay more and make it happen if we wanted it. If hes truly interested in his alma mater then that would help. Duggar isnt going anywhere and they are happy with him. Not like hes going to move up there anytime soon
By Lburglifer
Registration Days Posts
#445818
Have y'all been around here long? LU just opened a 50 million dollar library, have a 500 million dollar building campaign under way. Hired Dot Richardson and are building her a state of the art softball complex! Do you think Jerry is going to hire a BSC assistant from a school LU beats? Not likely, good or bad it will be a splash hire if it happens.
User avatar
By SumItUp
Registration Days Posts
#445821
Obviously, no one is pleased with the results of the program right now. Dale Layer is going to be the coach. We are not looking for replacements. His first recruiting class after the run to the NCAA tourney and the addition of the new practice facilities looks really good. With better recruits, Layer might look like a basketball genius. This season is not over. There have been disappointing losses and stretches of miserable play, but also there are some exciting players to build around.

Everyone likes to point to Jeff Meyer as the best coach at Liberty. I also remember that the most popular chant at the end of his Liberty career in games when his teams struggled was "Fire Meyer!"
User avatar
By VAGolf
Registration Days Posts
#445823
SumItUp wrote:Obviously, no one is pleased with the results of the program right now. Dale Layer is going to be the coach. We are not looking for replacements. His first recruiting class after the run to the NCAA tourney and the addition of the new practice facilities looks really good. With better recruits, Layer might look like a basketball genius. This season is not over. There have been disappointing losses and stretches of miserable play, but also there are some exciting players to build around.

Everyone likes to point to Jeff Meyer as the best coach at Liberty. I also remember that the most popular chant at the end of his Liberty career in games when his teams struggled was "Fire Meyer!"
Who gives a rip about recruiting classes? You know who's had great recruiting classes in football for the past several years? UVA. Do you know what their record is for the past several years? Pathetic. I hate the "well, we've got a solid recruiting class!" argument.

And the practice facilities? As if we haven't had the best facilities in the conference for the past 5 years+. Recruiting classes and practice facilities aren't the problem.

I've been to the games, we have talent. Maybe not as much as a team like CSU or Radford but we have more talent than High Point and Longwood. The talent isn't great, but I don't think it's part of the problem. The culture surrounding our athletics is the whole problem. IMO, Jeff Barber and Dale Layer are the reasons behind the lack of success in basketball.

And let's stop with this, "He inherited a mess" crap. It's his 5th year here, the mess is gone. Also, his best two years here were his first two years. So, if he inherited a "mess," that was a much better "mess" than what we currently have.
By Bigsouthking
Registration Days Posts
#445824
SumItUp wrote:Obviously, no one is pleased with the results of the program right now. Dale Layer is going to be the coach. We are not looking for replacements. His first recruiting class after the run to the NCAA tourney and the addition of the new practice facilities looks really good. With better recruits, Layer might look like a basketball genius. This season is not over. There have been disappointing losses and stretches of miserable play, but also there are some exciting players to build around.

Everyone likes to point to Jeff Meyer as the best coach at Liberty. I also remember that the most popular chant at the end of his Liberty career in games when his teams struggled was "Fire Meyer!"
They chanted "Fire Meyer" and his last team went 23-9 a co conference 1st place finish, Big South Tournament Runner up.... maybe that's the problem with LU, their fans dont know what success is.
User avatar
By jcmanson
Registration Days Posts
#445828
jinxy wrote:Jon you know we could pay more and make it happen if we wanted it. If hes truly interested in his alma mater then that would help. Duggar isnt going anywhere and they are happy with him. Not like hes going to move up there anytime soon
We had an assistant's job open last year, if you recall. Allison met with Layer at the Final Four about it.
User avatar
By Sly Fox
Registration Days Posts
#445831
For the record, I'd love to see John be a part of an LU staff someday. He's done a nice job toiling undercover in some lower profile head coaching gigs. And he is certainly LU to the core.
User avatar
By jcmanson
Registration Days Posts
#445852
bballfan84 wrote:Bob Davis best coach I have ever had or been around..he could get it done for sure but would need some help recruiting from his assistants
So, let me get this straight...we want to hire a guy who's a D3 coach with the following records:
can't find record for his 1st season, but just 8 wins
15-10
12-13
16-10
10-15
3-22
4-21
11-15
3-12

He's had 2 seasons with a winning record in 9 years in D3...yep, sign me up!!!
User avatar
By -army56mike-
Registration Days Posts
#445853
Seriously..... What is the mission statement, team goals or expectations for LU basketball or athletics in general? Is it written or explained anywhere? Is it to compete at the highest level of sports or is it to win at the highest level of sports? Is it to represent the body of Christ and graduate players solely? Or is delivering championship level teams part of the equation? If there is no expectation of winning and striving toward championships, but rather simply mentoring young Christians than maybe Coach Layer is fulfilling his obligation. However if he is supposed to be building a championship program even he needs to stop and consider if be is getting the job done.
By Chippy
Registration Days Posts
#445856
-army56mike- wrote:Seriously..... What is the mission statement, team goals or expectations for LU basketball or athletics in general? Is it written or explained anywhere? Is it to compete at the highest level of sports or is it to win at the highest level of sports? Is it to represent the body of Christ and graduate players solely? Or is delivering championship level teams part of the equation? If there is no expectation of winning and striving toward championships, but rather simply mentoring young Christians than maybe Coach Layer is fulfilling his obligation. However if he is supposed to be building a championship program even he needs to stop and consider if be is getting the job done.
So we can put you down as a maybe Play Basketball
User avatar
By Purple Haize
Registration Days Posts
#445857
jcmanson wrote:
bballfan84 wrote:Bob Davis best coach I have ever had or been around..he could get it done for sure but would need some help recruiting from his assistants
So, let me get this straight...we want to hire a guy who's a D3 coach with the following records:
can't find record for his 1st season, but just 8 wins
15-10
12-13
16-10
10-15
3-22
4-21
11-15
3-12

He's had 2 seasons with a winning record in 9 years in D3...yep, sign me up!!!
Given the resources he has to deal with he's doing fine. I agree he's a very very good coach. I'd sign him and take the heat if it didn't work out. It's never going to happen but I sure wish it would.
By Lburglifer
Registration Days Posts
#445858
-army56mike- wrote:Seriously..... What is the mission statement, team goals or expectations for LU basketball or athletics in general? Is it written or explained anywhere? Is it to compete at the highest level of sports or is it to win at the highest level of sports? Is it to represent the body of Christ and graduate players solely? Or is delivering championship level teams part of the equation? If there is no expectation of winning and striving toward championships, but rather simply mentoring young Christians than maybe Coach Layer is fulfilling his obligation. However if he is supposed to be building a championship program even he needs to stop and consider if be is getting the job done.
Or is it that we can play the mission card when we can't build a championship program because this athletic department will put a football player with a cocaine felony charge in uniform to try to win.
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