PTW on LA TECH hoops

Louisiana Tech is a program that needed an infusion of energy and a fresh direction -- any new coach is awarded a period of time to get it going, usually two to three seasons, and that's what LT required and has purchased in hiring Mike White.

As for anyone who says White will succeed or fail, well, does anyone really know? Really?

Digging into that, X's and O's are generally not the dramatic difference in athletic outcomes in college basketball -- although it's true some coaches are more proficient than others in this aspect.

It all really starts with getting talent. Without that, all the coaching in the world will hit a ceiling unacceptable to donors, fans and athletics directors. Label this the basketball skills and the running and jumping -- call it a raw material of sorts and the foremost building block in any program.

The best mentors also 'develop' what they have to work with although it's never a one way street. The players must be willing to make the effort necessary to deepen and broaden their skills sets, something that unfortunately doesn't happen as often as we think.

As for Kerry Rupp, he cast his lot with a mix of D-1 transfers, some JC-ers, a bit of inherited talent (the pantry was beyond bare when he arrived) and a few newcomers.

Magnum Rolle came over from Louisiana State and Kenneth Cooper from Oklahoma State, although the latter was nowhere near as successful as the former and was booted off the team. LSU signee D.J. Wright almost arrived in Ruston but that's a whole 'nother story. Steady Kyle Gibson was already there. Olu Ashaolu came in as a freshman and leaves as a success story. Nebraska transfer Jamel White and junior college transfer J.C. Clark were dismissed after spending time as Bulldogs as was JC-er DeAndre Brown late this season, a period where senior leadership was absolutely critical but absent.

Rupp did enjoy a couple of seasons in which he had a solid core of talent that was on the court for most of the minutes but it was upperclassmen and the ranks behind this group, for multiple reasons, never coalesced into being ready to assume the roles of their elders.

A major issue was there were too many forced departures which prevented any maintenance of continuity. Plus, there weren't enough high school signees who progressed.

The current roster has one or two starting calibre players. The remainder are either 15 minute a game reserves or actually lacking in WAC level contributional talent. White has to change that level.

He has deep South and in-state recruiting connections and that's where the core of Louisiana Tech's roster must come from. The current Bulldog roster already has such an identity but White must bring in higher caliber raw material.

Playing time will obviously be available and he'll need two or three junior college frontcourters to come in right away in order to stabilize a below par situation. He also needs a 15 points a night wing and a solid prospect at the point.

Getting back to being competitive is his initial task but just as crucial will be landing, in his first pair of recruiting classes, the foundation that will carry LT forward once the eligibility of his initial bunch of junior college upperclassmen is completed.

Rupp wasn't able to do that and paid the price.