Mark Turgeon

[Gofannon]

Now that the season is over, what are your thoughts on Mark Turgeon's first year here at Maryland?

I have been really impressed by him so far. I feel like he has the program headed in the right direction and brings a passion and energy to all aspects of the job - coaching the kids who are there and recruiting the guys who aren't there yet.

I think he was able to get a lot out of a group of guys lacking in ACC-level talent. I appreciated his willingness to challenge people to step up defensively and liked when he sat people down due to a perceived lack of effort/team play.

When it comes to the roller coaster relationship with Terrell Stoglin, I've been on Turgeon's side. I think if Stoglin stays here, works within the flow of the offense, and improves his defense and his ability to run the point, Turgeon will have helped the team as well as any chance Stoglin has at the NBA. I just hope Stoglin is willing to work with Turgeon.

As far as I'm concerned, my only quibbles are with some of the in-game stuff. I haven't been a big fan of the offense, which with a few exceptions, was just a series of largely ineffective high ball screens where the screener wasn't an offensive option. When designed plays were executed (Stoglin off screens, for example), they seemed to work, and I would have liked to see more structure. When you're short on talent, you have to get creative. Watching Pankey, Len, and Weijs set mediocre screens and then wander back to the basket (unprepared to be an offensive option) just didn't do it for me.

Also, I would have like to see things switched up on defense a bit from time to time. I'm all for the man to man defensive philosophy, but I like to see things switched up a bit, even a one-shot deal out of a timeout.

Overall, though, I'm very excited with where the program is heading, and Turgeon is a huge part of that for me. Sad the season is over, but looking forward to next year.

[Sports Guy]

You can't be anything but excited for the future of the program under this guy if you are a Terps fan.

Whether he can coach as well as Gary remains to be seen but the recruiting is off to a good start(some of that is on the coattails of Gary) and his team played hard this year and did better with the talent they had(especially when you consider injuries) than most would have thought.

[Todd-O]

I agree with the above. The future is looking good on all fronts. This coach had character, apparently is a good recruiter, has had past success, likes to speak his mind, and took what many would be a horrible team an had a respectable season with injuries.

I don't think we can comment on his in-game coaching until he gets the right players to execute.

Go Terps!

[glenn__davis]

I'd give him a solid B.

From a personality standpoint, as a guy to continue the grittiness, fire and battle mentality that Gary created, I think he gets an A++++++. I really can't think of a better coach to replace Gary to continue that brand of MD basketball.

I do think he was a little slow to adjust to in-game situations at times, but it is tough to put too much into that when he personnel was so limited. Watching Mason Plumlee destroy Ashton Pankey on like 10 straight plays was tough to take, though.

Overall, I'd say I was lukewarm about the hire to start, but have warmed up considerably. Still not as in the tank for him as others seem to be, but I definitely think he's got us moving in the right direction.

[Lucky Jim]

Exhibit A for the defense: the 2011-2012 Texas A&M Aggies.

[Gofannon]

I do think he was a little slow to adjust to in-game situations at times, but it is tough to put too much into that when he personnel was so limited. Watching Mason Plumlee destroy Ashton Pankey on like 10 straight plays was tough to take, though.

Overall, I'd say I was lukewarm about the hire to start, but have warmed up considerably. Still not as in the tank for him as others seem to be, but I definitely think he's got us moving in the right direction.

Honestly, I think the people who are most "in the tank" for Turgeon are the people who were most ready for Gary to move on. I just described myself, and I readily admit that I'm probably grading with a curve based on that.

[Lucky Jim]

Honestly, I think the people who are most "in the tank" for Turgeon are the people who were most ready for Gary to move on. I just described myself, and I readily admit that I'm probably grading with a curve based on that.

I am, and was, a Gary fan and was sort-of "meh" on Turgeon, but I'm a staunch supporter now. If he runs off Stoglin instead of working with him I'll be disappointed, and he'll lose a bit of my trust, but I'm solidly behind him.

[Slappy]

It's hard to really be too much against Turgeon at this point. He coached the team to a record consistent with their talent level. I originally thought this was a 3-4 ACC win team, but then I also didn't expect the league to be as weak as it was this year. There were no signature wins but no real deflating losses either. Miami/GT pretty much evens out.

His first few recruiting classes are shaping up nicely. Right now, Turgeon really reminds me of the early Gary era, before Gary stopped trying to recruit.

[glenn__davis]

I am, and was, a Gary fan and was sort-of "meh" on Turgeon, but I'm a staunch supporter now. If he runs off Stoglin instead of working with him I'll be disappointed, and he'll lose a bit of my trust, but I'm solidly behind him.

Yeah, just to be clear, I'm solidly behind him as well. Just would like to see what he does when he has some legitimate talent.

His first few recruiting classes are shaping up nicely. Right now, Turgeon really reminds me of the early Gary era, before Gary stopped trying to recruit.

Well, his first class is shaping up nicely. His second remains to be seen. MD is certainly in on a lot of good players from the 2013 class, but so are a lot of other big-time schools.

Regardless, this staff has shown they have some recruiting chops, so let's hope they continue the momentum.

[Sports Guy]

I am, and was, a Gary fan and was sort-of "meh" on Turgeon, but I'm a staunch supporter now. If he runs off Stoglin instead of working with him I'll be disappointed, and he'll lose a bit of my trust, but I'm solidly behind him.

If Stoglin leaves, I am going to say that Turgeon isn't the one at fault.

Stoglin is just selfish.

That would be my take on that situation at least.

[Lucky Jim]

If Stoglin leaves, I am going to say that Turgeon isn't the one at fault.

Stoglin is just selfish.

That would be my take on that situation at least.

That's fine. He may be. That won't change my analysis/take, though. (Nor should my opinion be taken to mean I think yours is invalid.)

[tylerfrombelair]

Couldn't be more happier with the hire of Turgeon. As many posters above have stated, when Turgeon gets his guys into his system and has a full off season to bulk up Len, and Faust, this team will be a top 5 team in the ACC next year if there are no surprising departures.

The recruiting class coming in next year is rated number 19 on ESPN, after the signing of Mitchell and Turgeon has been stated that the staff is not done with this years recruiting class. Cassell Jr, a PG/SG and Trey Dickerson both 3 star PG seem to be the likely remaining targets of this years class that the staff wants to bring on. If Turgeon can consistantly keep the Terps in the top 15 recruiting classes year to year there will be no problem in making NCAA tourney's every year, something Turgeon that was quoted on last night that pained him not making it this year.

Turgeon brings intensity and demands a lot out of his team, it is yet to be determined how well of an in game coach he is but Bilas had a segment on a radio show recently where he named several young coaches who are great in game coaches and he mentioned Turgeon, and talked a good five minutes about him.

Turgeon got more wins out of this team than I expected this year. Before the season started I predicted a 4 win season this year. The Terps were in most, if not all of the games in the ACC. The losses against Duke, UNC, and Virginia that were lopsided were due to the Terps lack of depth on the interior and not a consistent second scoring option next to Stoglin. I think next year will be a different story with Len getting a full off season of lifting and understanding the offense more, along with the progression Faust had the last 10 games of the ACC and the additions of Shaq, Layman, Allen, and Mitchell, the lack of depth won't be an issue barring any attrition after this year.

[Hallas]

Gary might have managed to do equally well with Jordan Williams departing early, but he wouldn't have followed it up with a killer recruiting class like Turgeon has done.

Yeah, we're nowhere where we want to be, but given the circumstances he did pretty darn well.

[Sports Guy]

Gary might have managed to do equally well with Jordan Williams departing early, but he wouldn't have followed it up with a killer recruiting class like Turgeon has done.

Yeah, we're nowhere where we want to be, but given the circumstances he did pretty darn well.

Gary recruited many of these guys, right? Cleare was coming to MD with GW for example.

[clapdiddy]

Gary recruited many of these guys, right? Cleare was coming to MD with GW for example.

I thought Cleare was going to Texas A&M before Turgeon left there? I could be wrong...