News Article: Alabama Hires Nate Oats From Buffalo

Rama Jama

All-American
Jan 4, 2011
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Tuscaloosa
Re: Alabama Set to Hire Nate Oats From Buffalo

I'll give him a chance, but this hire doesn't excite me at all. Byrne made a good baseball hire and he knows basketball, but this feels like we went too far down the list.
 

CoolBreeze

Hall of Fame
Sep 18, 2002
9,618
9,579
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Hoover
Re: Alabama Set to Hire Nate Oats From Buffalo

I see lots of negativity here on the Oats hire. We've been to the tourney dance what, twice in a decade? This dude has been three out of the past four years...at Buffalo? I like him. Welcome to the Capstone Nate!
 

AlexanderFan

Hall of Fame
Jul 23, 2004
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Re: Alabama Set to Hire Nate Oats From Buffalo

Less than six years ago, Oats was teaching five math classes a day – algebra, geometry and statistics – at Romulus High School in Michigan. He sold Flamin’ Hot Cheetos, Capri Suns and Pop-Tarts out of his office to fundraise for his basketball program and in 11 seasons transformed the school into a state and national power.

Romulus high school, it’s an omen. He’s going to build an empire.


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CrimsonForce

Hall of Fame
Dec 20, 2012
12,757
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67
Re: Alabama Set to Hire Nate Oats From Buffalo

Underwhelmed. Someone please explain to me the rationale for this hire. What on his resume is so impressive? I don’t see anything, other than some good years while coaching at the HIGH SCHOOL level.
Do you really think we just hired a high school coach??

From his time at Buffalo:

2015 - 2016 20-15 overall 10-8 conference. MAC tournament champion, round of 64

2016 - 2017 17-15 overall 11-7 in conference, 3rd in MAC

2017 - 2018 27-9 overall 15-3 in conference. MAC regular season and tournament champion. Round of 32.

2018 - 2019 32-4 overall 16-2 in conference. MAC regular season and tournament champion. Round of 32.

Overall 97-43 (.693) 52-20 (.722) in conference.
 

RKel32

All-SEC
Nov 17, 2004
1,186
5
57
Madison, AL
Re: Alabama Set to Hire Nate Oats From Buffalo

This is exactly the kind of hire I expected, and I'm actually excited about it. It's risky, but he's young, energetic, and had proven to be successful. It's very similar to the Grant hire, and mid-major successes are a bit of roulette, but we're not in a leverage position to hire a big proven name, no matter the size of our wallet.

To all those who said we were getting Billy Donovan, Thad Matta, or Mark Few, consider this a wake up call on the reality of what Alabama basketball is and what it isn't.
 

deliveryman35

Hall of Fame
Jul 26, 2003
13,003
1,198
287
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Gadsden, AL
Re: Alabama Set to Hire Nate Oats From Buffalo

He beat Arizona last year in the tournament. He was in the tournament this year. That’s better than his predecessor


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And you hire him for THAT? As much as I didn’t want Prohm, HE would have been a better hire than this.
 

beatthemtigers

All-American
Jan 4, 2006
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Re: Alabama Set to Hire Nate Oats From Buffalo

Finding a lot of positivity on how he runs the program, gets max effort and builds close relationships with his guys, great recruiter, has nba sets in his offense, but not seeing any comments on him holding players accountable and that he lets players play through slumps if they have that max effort, that kind of concerns me
 

TideEngineer08

TideFans Legend
Jun 9, 2009
37,639
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Beautiful Cullman, AL
Re: Alabama Set to Hire Nate Oats From Buffalo

I don't think it was unreasonable to believe someone like Thad Matta would take the job.

My initial reaction to this is underwhelmed. But it's happened way too fast to think we missed out on initial targets. This had to be one of if not the main target for Byrne.
 

KrAzY3

Hall of Fame
Jan 18, 2006
10,966
5,483
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kraizy.art
Re: Alabama Set to Hire Nate Oats From Buffalo

This looks a lot like previous Alabama hires.

I won't really say anything else because I hope he works out, but this is exactly what I was hoping Alabama wouldn't do. Gamble on another young coach who had mid-major success.
 

RTR91

Super Moderator
Nov 23, 2007
39,407
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Prattville
Re: Alabama Set to Hire Nate Oats From Buffalo

And you hire him for THAT? As much as I didn’t want Prohm, HE would have been a better hire than this.
Good lord. Calm down.

We’re talking about a young guy that has done well in just four years. His career is projecting upward, which gives reason to believe it will continue.


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deliveryman35

Hall of Fame
Jul 26, 2003
13,003
1,198
287
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Gadsden, AL
Re: Alabama Set to Hire Nate Oats From Buffalo

Lol I tried to temper expectations in the other threads, but people just weren't hearing it.
You did and had it pegged, RK32. Byrne probably had his hands tied, and maybe this was really the best he could do with resources that he had.

Very disappointed but by no means surprised.
 

deliveryman35

Hall of Fame
Jul 26, 2003
13,003
1,198
287
57
Gadsden, AL
Re: Alabama Set to Hire Nate Oats From Buffalo

Finding a lot of positivity on how he runs the program, gets max effort and builds close relationships with his guys, great recruiter, has nba sets in his offense, but not seeing any comments on him holding players accountable and that he lets players play through slumps if they have that max effort, that kind of concerns me

Weren’t we told the same thing about CAJ?
 

JustNeedMe81

Hall of Fame
Sep 30, 2011
15,423
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Huntsville, Al
Re: Alabama Set to Hire Nate Oats From Buffalo

I like this hire for several reasons. Everyone is so focused on his total records at the school he coached: 97-43. But guess what?

Look at his first two years as a HC at Buffalo: 20-15 (10-8) and 17-15 (11-7) There is improvement there.

Look at his last two years as HC at Buffalo 27-9 (15-3) and 32-4 (16-2)

He made NCAA tournament 3 times out of 4 times.

Now, he has a better talent at Alabama and I think he can take the team further than what Avery can do. The players will love his offense.

Now, How does he do that? By recuiting better players and quality assistant coaches.

Read the article: https://buffalonews.com/2018/03/13/how-nate-oats-co-kept-ubs-hoops-juggernaut-rolling/

This is good fit for Petty, Lewis and others:

So when he became a coach, he was determined to let his players be free.

“I didn’t want to be that coach that guys are looking over at the bench, scared to shoot,” he said.

It’s a big reason why the average Buffalo offensive possession lasts fewer than 15 seconds. They play at blazing speeds, and the first open shot is a good one. Oats is happy with anyone shooting their shot.

That is, as long as they played hard. In his second year at Buffalo, Oats felt like his team was soft, and was looking for a way to fix it. He came up with a gimmick, a blue construction hard hat given to the player who collected the most “blue collar points.” Four points for taking a charge, two points for diving on the floor, one and a half for an offensive rebound, one for deflections, loose balls, steals, and defensive boards.
 

Rama Jama

All-American
Jan 4, 2011
3,312
267
102
Tuscaloosa
Re: Alabama Set to Hire Nate Oats From Buffalo

He has to keep the kids we have now and then get a few more to come to Alabama. My question is can he recruit? I think we'll be able to tell pretty quickly if he deserved a seat at the big boy table. Lots of guys can coach X's and O's.

Are the recruits we signed obligated to come here after Coach Johnson left?
 

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