“I used to be simply the caretaker. Oregon basketball goes to be nice shifting ahead. It was good earlier than I obtained right here, and it will be even higher after I go away. I used to be simply the caretaker for 16 years.”
These had been amongst Dana Altman’s last phrases as he closed the ebook on over half a decade on the helm of the Oregon Geese males’s basketball program. Altman revealed that he’d been going backwards and forwards on the choice not too long ago, however finally got here to the choice that this system can be in higher arms with another person as his power and dedication to all issues that include teaching a crew within the fashionable age of school basketball dwindled.
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The person that Altman can be passing on the reins of this system to is Tony Stubblefield — who, himself, tried to get Altman to remain regardless of a golden alternative to reinforce his personal profession.
“He (Stubblefield) tried to speak me out of it, however I do know down deep how unhealthy he needed this,” Altman stated, earlier than claiming that he felt Stubblefield can be a greater coach of the crew than Altman would.
Stubblefield even added in a Zoom assembly with media on Wednesday night that he selfishly needed Altman to stay round and attain the 800-win mark, however that he understood the choice to finally retire.
Now with the job in his arms, it most definitely will not be straightforward for Stubblefield. He’ll be tasked with piecing collectively a roster that has solely three holdovers from final season’s 12-win crew: Sean Stewart, Wei Lin and Drew Carter.
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Eight gamers transferred out, together with stars Jackson Shelstad and Kwame Evans Jr., with 9 transfers coming into this system. Some, like guard Fred Payne (previously of Boston Faculty), ahead Andrew Meadow (Boise State) and ahead Tyrone Riley IV (San Francisco) have proven that they’ll produce on the collegiate degree. Others, similar to Dwayne Aristode (Arizona), Jasper Johnson (Kentucky) and Jerry Easter II (USC) noticed little enjoying time final season after coming into faculty as blue-chip recruits.
It is a group that even the perfect coaches in basketball would have issue meshing collectively. However now, with Altman retiring, all of it falls on Stubblefield.
It may well go one among two methods: Stubblefield is unable to get the new-look Geese to play collectively, with Oregon stumbling by means of Large Ten play for the second straight season. Athletic Director Rob Mullens introduced that he’ll conduct a nationwide seek for the subsequent head coach that may start after the 2026-27 season, doubtless which means that it will be a one-and-done 12 months for Stubblefield as the top man in Eugene.
The opposite approach that this goes is that Stubblefield turns the tide of this system round, enhancing Oregon’s file and taking them to the postseason, grabbing the respect and admiration of Geese followers alongside the best way. It is a one-year job interview for Stubblefield — however not his first time main a program, happily.
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From 2010-2021, Stubblefield was an assistant to Altman at Oregon earlier than being employed as the top coach at DePaul, a perpetual bottom-feeder within the Large East. They had been simply that underneath the previous Geese assistant, successful 15 video games his first season, 10 in his second and simply three in 18 video games through the 2023-24 marketing campaign earlier than Stubblefield was fired.
That is his head teaching expertise: 30-66 file in two and a half seasons. That should not be inspiring to Geese followers; the usual is far, a lot increased in Eugene regardless of the Geese successful simply 12 video games final 12 months. However what needs to be inspiring is how a lot confidence Altman expressed in Stubblefield, his longtime assistant and right-hand man within the recruiting recreation.
CBS Sports activities analyst Jon Rothstein repeatedly tweeted on Twitter and X over the previous decade: “His title is Dana Altman and he aligns Rubik’s Cubes,” for Altman’s capacity to resist some early-season struggles and get his crew enjoying their greatest come March.
With Altman now not heading this system, that falls onto Stubblefield to resolve simply probably the most troublesome Rubik’s Dice of a roster within the final twenty years at Oregon. We’re about to see if he is as much as the duty — and if he’s, he may be round as the top coach for lots longer than simply his interim standing would counsel.
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This text initially appeared on Geese Wire: Dana Altman offers vote of confidence to interim Tony Stubblefield