News Article: Alabama Hires Nate Oats From Buffalo

CrimsonTheory

All-American
Mar 26, 2012
4,088
2,775
187
CrimsonBleedRed
Re: Alabama Set to Hire Nate Oats From Buffalo

I LOVE this hire. People who hate it, or is underwhelmed by it are going to eat crow in 3 years.

Some people seem to think Alabama can pick and chose who they want to coach the basketball program. That is no how this work. In some ways, what Tennessee is to football right now, Bama is to basketball. Bama needs a good coach, even if it's a gamble. Thad Matta would have been a gamble, just like Pitino, etc. Heck, even hiring Saban was a gamble after two mediocre years in Miami.

Nate Oats is a worthy gamble, imo.
 

rolltide_21

Hall of Fame
Dec 9, 2007
12,549
9,376
187
NW AL
Re: Alabama Set to Hire Nate Oats From Buffalo

Good hire. Should be the end of scoring droughts with his offense. Interesting to see what his staff looks like. Imo, the first call he needs to make is to Antonine Pettway.

Already offered a three star player he was recruiting @ Buffalo. Kid had two other P5 offers. Getting started quickly.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 

Bazza

TideFans Legend
Oct 1, 2011
39,399
27,320
187
New Smyrna Beach, Florida
Re: Alabama Set to Hire Nate Oats From Buffalo

Looks like a very good hire in my humble opinion. Impressed that the process wasn't drawn out real long. Props to your AD and staff.

Congrats!!!
 

bamacpa

Hall of Fame
Jul 19, 2006
5,025
1,620
182
Re: Alabama Set to Hire Nate Oats From Buffalo

I think this is a proactive move to strike quickly before other vacancies get filled, which is a positive. I like that Byrne didn't get left at the altar and we have a well regarded coach in place in a matter of days. I like this hire !
 

cuda.1973

Hall of Fame
Dec 6, 2009
8,506
607
137
Allen, Texas

Imdone

BamaNation Citizen
Mar 18, 2019
49
16
27
Re: Alabama Set to Hire Nate Oats From Buffalo

I think first priority is to try and sway Petty and Lewis out of the transfer portal.
After that, I have no idea and we'll see. I wish Coach Oats the best.
I do like his emphasis on fundamentals. That was lacking.
 

Con

Hall of Fame
Dec 19, 2006
6,932
5,155
187
Northern Hemisphere
Re: Alabama Set to Hire Nate Oats From Buffalo

I wonder if Coach Saban will pick Coach Oats to be on his summer basketball team. This sounds like a good hire to me. I am excited about basketball again.
 

jthomas666

Hall of Fame
Aug 14, 2002
24,573
14,054
287
62
Birmingham & Warner Robins
Re: Alabama Set to Hire Nate Oats From Buffalo

My lack of bball keeps me from making much in the way of an evaluation, but I will make the following observations:

1. His teams have a rep for playing hard the entire 40 minutes--that in itself would be a solid upgrade.
2. He's got a great rep as an up and comer--it's still a gamble, but all coaching hires are to one extent or another.
3. Coaches are just starting to get fired; if Byrne hadn't acting decisively, we likely would have found ourselves in a bidding war, possibly fighting for scraps (see Tennessee's last football search).

Let's see what he's got!
 

CullmanTide

Hall of Fame
Jan 7, 2008
6,633
911
137
Cullman, Al
Re: Alabama Set to Hire Nate Oats From Buffalo

Doesn't that sound a lot like Gottfried, and Grant, and a lot of other guys that have been on previous Alabama lists? Sounds like Shaka Smart, sounds like just about any up and comer. May be he worked out, may be he doesn't, but he's darn sure not a been there done that coach. He is a typical Alabama basketball hire.
This is not the typical Alabama hire. His personality is completely opposite that of the previous 2 coaches.
 

cuda.1973

Hall of Fame
Dec 6, 2009
8,506
607
137
Allen, Texas
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.
All the STEM nerds are pumped over this hire!

Seriously, what big-name coach was chomping at the bit to come here. I bet none.

We didn't waste any time, and get run over by all the other wanna-bes who also need a coach. Soon.

Bet a lot of them wished they had offered first.

Time will tell. Pretty sure we will be able to say his teams played hard, every game, and left everything on the court.

And hit their FTs......................
 

rgw

Suspended
Sep 15, 2003
20,852
1,351
232
Tuscaloosa
Re: Alabama Set to Hire Nate Oats From Buffalo

Looks like a very good hire in my humble opinion. Impressed that the process wasn't drawn out real long. Props to your AD and staff.

Congrats!!!
Thanks! As quick as this went and judging by Byrne's comments on Monday morning: he knew who we wanted from the outset and went to get his guy immediately. The decisiveness of this hire lets you know he was the top candidate all along.
 

mlingerfelt31

All-SEC
Mar 9, 2017
1,570
689
137
Re: Alabama Set to Hire Nate Oats From Buffalo

Is he bringing his staff I am sure his top assistant would replace him.