Ernie Kent: It is Kilkenny's Call

In the next couple of weeks Oregon AD Pat Kilkenny will be faced with a difficult decision; whether to retain or release Oregon Basketball Head Coach Ernie Kent. Kilkenny and crew are much closer to the situation than I am, so instead of me telling you what I think Oregon should do, I will instead present both sides of the argument and let you make the call.

Those who want Kent gone: It has long been said that Kent isn’t a top of the line in game coach, and that he doesn’t make the proper adjustments following halftime. I have seen the Ducks look confused, uninspired, and at times completely lost in second half’s, so maybe there is some merit to these remarks. Another common complaint used when describing Kent’s coaching, is that his players don’t develop over their four years on campus. I believe this argument has the most merit, looking at the careers of players like Malik Hariston, Bryce Taylor, Chris Christofferson, and many others. Not one of those players was significantly better on senior night than they where when they first arrived in Eugene. Due to the new arena, that is currently being built as we speak, the expectations will be raised for Oregon basketball, and losing seasons will not be acceptable. Along with these raised expectations, financial pressure could soon follow, because nobody in this economy is going to pay top dollar to see a .500 team. Many Duck fans feel Kent’s time is up, and he isn’t the man to lead them into Matthew Knight Arena. These fans have been longing for Mark Few to come home to rest in the Willamette Valley and lead the Ducks to the bigger and better things. Oregon fans feel like they could get something better (Few, Tubby Smith, etc.)...I just want to remind them to be careful what they wish for.

Those who want Kent around: Emotions certainly play a role for all of us when looking at the Ernie Kent situation. The 2008-2009 season is still fresh in our minds, and if it weren’t for the 2008 Beavers, Oregon’s season this year would be one of, if not the worst in Pac-10 history. So I ask you to step back from the fire, and look at Kent’s body of work. He has the most wins in Oregon history, and has lead his teams to the NCAA’s 5 times, two of them being Elite Eight trips. The only other school on the West Coast to do that this decade is UCLA, and sorry Duck fans Oregon isn’t exactly on UCLA’s level when it comes to basketball tradition. The reason so many Duck fans are on Kent’s ass is because of the expectations he has created. Ernie is the only coach I have known as a Duck fan, but I am very familiar with Oregon basketball history, and to be honest there is very little of it. Pick up a media guide and take a look at the top career stats for Oregon players. The record books are littered with players Kent recruited. Names like Ridnour, Jackson, Jones, Brooks,and Luenen will live on forever. Teams like the 2001-02, and the 2006-07 were legitimate national title contenders. This is Oregon basketball folks, and the only reason people around the country know anything about it is because of the players and teams Kent has assembled.

Conclusion: I understand that for every great season Oregon has had, there have been two disappointing ones to follow. That must change because Oregon can’t go into the new arena with a team that makes the tourney every two or three years. Let me know what you think about the Kent situation. I tried to be impartial and present both sides to the argument; I hope I was successful at doing so.