Rod Barnes reportedly hired as Assistant.

[birddog]

the coach of the year in 2001 is joining capel's staff.

he took his team to the Sweet 16 at ole miss yada yada yada, i don't know how to post stuff. there are a couple of articles on newsok.com.

[King Crimson]

i don't see anything conclusive at this point at the Oklahoman site. today's article states he is a candidate....which has been rumoured for a few days around the net. a Tulsa World article states that Capel has stated he's bringing in "two heavyweights"--and all that needs (rumour) to be done is signing the contracts since the offers have been accepted. Kermit Holmes name has been floating around.....but, who knows?

http://newsok.com/article/1842987/

Ex-Ole Miss coach is candidate for OU staff

By Justin Harper
The Oklahoman

NORMAN - Jeff Capel might be closer to adding a second assistant coach to his staff than anticipated.

Rod Barnes, the former head coach at Mississippi and the national coach of the year in 2001, has been verified as a candidate for a spot on Capel's staff and even rumored to have already accepted the job. He was also reportedly in Norman last week.

"Obviously, I have a lot of respect for coach Barnes," Capel said Friday. "He was a great player, assistant coach and head coach at Mississippi. He took his team to the Sweet 16 in 2001 (the best NCAA finish in program history) and was named national coach of the year. When you've accomplished as much as he's done, he's obviously a guy you would consider a good addition to your staff."

Capel said Thursday that he didn't want to mention specific names or a timetable of when he would complete his staff. However, he said Friday that Barnes was definitely a guy who would be in the picture assuming there was interest on both ends.

"He's a guy -- if he were interested -- he's someone I would be interested in. No doubt about that."

Barnes, who has been Mississippi's head coach for the past eight seasons before being fired earlier this year, recently interviewed with Tennessee head coach Bruce Pearl. However, not only did that job not materialize, but rumors out of Knoxville -- where Barnes spoke with friend and former Mississippi football coach David Cutcliffe (now an assistant at Tennessee) -- were that Barnes informed Cutcliffe that he had accepted a position as an OU assistant.

Capel neither denied nor confirmed that Friday. But when told Barnes, 40, was said to prefer OU to Tennessee, Calep said: "That may be, but that's all news to me."

Barnes had three 20-win seasons in his first four years at Ole Miss and was national coach of the year after a 27-8 record in 2001. However, with losing records in his final four seasons -- including 14-15 last season -- Mississippi pulled the plug.

Regardless, Pearl, the Tennessee coach, had plaudits for Barnes.

"I like a lot of things about Rod," Pearl said. "He'd be a good assistant for a good, young coach."

Capel, 31, no doubt fits that description. And, if hired, Barnes might serve as more of a right-hand man to the young Capel than he would Pearl, who has been a head coach for 15 years.

So far, Capel's only hire as an assistant coach has been Mark Cline, who worked with Capel at Virginia Commonwealth.

[GDC]

Nervous Nellies wonder if Capel can recruit
By DAVE SITTLER World Sports Writer
5/13/2006

The first time Joe Castiglione was introduced to Kanika Capel, Oklahoma's athletic director turned to her husband and said: "Now I know you can recruit."

Kanika (pronounced kuh-NEE-kuh) Capel is the wife of Jeff Capel, the man Castiglione hired to rescue an OU men's basketball program left adrift by former coach Kelvin Sampson.

Felton Jeffrey Capel III definitely found a blue-chipper when he convinced Kanika Blue to become his beautiful bride. The future Mrs. Capel had already graduated from Duke University and Yale Law School when the two were married Aug. 9, 2003.

A month ago, Castiglione took a gamble that Capel could have as much success recruiting players as he did finding his life partner. Not only was the 31-year-old Capel young, but he had only four years of head-coaching experience.

A month later, Castiglione's bold move still seems risky. At least on the outside it does. It's difficult to determine what's going on inside the Sooner program because Capel remains guarded as he settles in.

Interview requests must go through OU's sports information director. The SID informs media members that certain subjects are off limits with Capel, including why he didn't retain popular assistant Bob Hoffman and the names of

candidates under consideration to fill out his staff.

That's fair enough. No reason to drag out the Hoffman situation. And coaches don't want their names out there until they are hired. Those who don't receive job offers never want their names made public.

So, at this point, this is all we know about the young coach who replaced Sampson:


Capel has hired one full-time assistant and a director of basketball operations.


With the spring recruiting period set to expire next Wednesday, Capel has yet to sign a single prospect.


Capel has yet to convince three of Sampson's incoming recruits to recommit to OU. Capel and Castiglione released the three from their letters of intent, which means they can sign with any school and play immediately.


So, can Capel recruit or not? That's what some OU hoops fans are asking as they reach for the panic button. What does Capel have to say to those nervous Nellies?

"I would tell those people not to panic," Capel said Friday in a telephone interview. "But it's probably going to fall on deaf ears, because maybe to them it looks like the sky is falling.

"But I know what's going on in our program, because I live it 24 hours a day. And we're going to be OK."

Capel has acknowledged that he still hopes to retain the three players. But sources have said guard Scottie Reynolds is considering Villanova among several offers, forward Damion James has narrowed his list to Texas and Texas A&M and forward Jeremy Mayfield is looking at Cincinnati.

Perhaps Capel will work some last-minute recruiting magic and persuade one or two of them not to leave. But he's also moving on and looking at other prospects.

"We don't want to just add guys to have (enough) bodies," Capel said. "If we add someone, it's going to be someone who we feel can come in and really help us.

"We'd like to have one guy in place by the signing date. But that day is quickly approaching, so it may not happen."

Once the spring signing period ends, players can only give verbal commitments. That doesn't legally bind them to a school until they enroll.

Capel remains confident the other two recruits from the outstanding class Sampson signed last fall will play for OU next season. Guard Tony Crocker and forward Keith Clark still must pass some academic hurdles.

"We feel confident that both of them are going to make it," Capel said. "They are very, very talented. And if we can add one or two more guys to that, it will help us out tremendously."

Capel confirmed that he's close to hiring the final two assistants. Sources confirmed that two coaches have accepted job offers, and OU is waiting for paperwork to clear before releasing their names.

"They are two heavyweights," Capel said. "I hope the Sooner Nation is excited about them, because they are going to bring experience, incredible knowledge and a passion for the game."

Capel has actually made one signing. It was on the papers for a home that is under construction, which Capel hopes is finished by late July.

Capel found the house when his wife visited last week. Kanika Capel still lives in Richmond, Va., where she works for a law firm and teaches a law class at the University of Richmond.

"Those were the best four or five days I've had out here, just with her being here," Capel said. "You just feel safe. She's my right hand, and the person who knows me better than anyone."

Until the Sooner Nation gets to know Capel better, it will have to feel safe in the knowledge that Kanika Capel and Castiglione obviously saw something special in OU's new hoops coach..

[Jimminy Crimson]

Barnes and then Griffin.

Sounds good to me.

[Big Red Ron]

One of my major knocks on Sampson was that he seemed too insecure to hire AND listen to another "Big Time" basketball coach. So we got yes men and lackys for the most part.

I'm feeling better and better about this hire.

[Gandalf_The_Grey]

Well to be fair Ron, you were just so happy Sampson was gone that they could have hired Manuel from the Atomic Burrito....oh never mind that was Martin :P

[Big Red Ron]

Well to be fair Ron, you were just so happy Sampson was gone that they could have hired Manuel from the Atomic Burrito....oh never mind that was Martin :PYes it was him. Not that I wasn't ready to move on... Too bad Atomic Burrito didn't take in Norman, I loved it!

[birddog]

just using the words from the column. i hope it's a done deal. i mean, he did a great job as a Head Coach. anyone know where he has been lately, or did i miss it in the column?

[King Crimson]

Rod Barnes bio:

http://olemisssports.cstv.com/sports/m-baskbl/mtt/barnes_rod00.html

Rod's teams kinda ran out of gas the last 4 years......i wonder out loud what that says about recruiting (his own players vs. his success with Evans')....or maybe Ole Miss is just not a place where you can sustain hoops success in the SEC. ?

[Big Red Ron]

or maybe Ole Miss is just not a place where you can sustain hoops success in the SEC. ?Ol's Miss' best finish ever in the tourney was a sweet 16. Heck Tulsa has a better tradition than that.

[birddog]

well, either he cheated fast and early and found success, or he had success with other talent and couldn't find his own way after a couple of years. i still think he'd make a nice addition.

[BillyBall]

anyone know where he has been lately, or did i miss it in the column?

ASU

[King Crimson]

ASU

nope. Rob Evans was the former Ole Miss coach who went to ASU, he was fired this year and replaced with Herb Sendek. Rod Barnes (possible OU assistant) was the head coach at Ole Miss until last year. and got axed after going 14-14.

[oumartin]

Hey, my name is mentioned in the same sentence with the atomic burrito. Kick ***.

[Big Red Ron]

Hey, my name is mentioned in the same sentence with the atomic burrito. Kick ***.you both give me gas.:D

[oumartin]

vBulletin Message
You must spread some Reputation around before giving it to Big Red Ron again.

thanks BRR, I guess thats better than the sh!ts! :D

[Gandalf_The_Grey]

Dusty gives BSG the ~squirts!~

[Big Red Ron]

Dusty gives BSG the ~squirts!~eeewww, that's just gross.

[OUstud]

[QUOTE]Capel neither denied nor confirmed that Friday. But when told Barnes, 40, was said to prefer OU to Tennessee, Calep said: "That may be, but that's all news to me."[\QUOTE]

There it is, Capel's Calvin name.

[Big Red Ron]

[quote]Capel neither denied nor confirmed that Friday. But when told Barnes, 40, was said to prefer OU to Tennessee, Calep said: "That may be, but that's all news to me."[\QUOTE]

There it is, Capel's Calvin name.Good call, I almost said the same thing!:D

[GDC]

South Carolina State coach to join OU
By GUERIN EMIG World Sports Writer
5/17/2006

View in Print (PDF) Format


NORMAN -- It appears South Carolina State head basketball coach Ben Betts will be joining the Oklahoma staff soon.

"He has informed my AD that he is to resign effective June 1," South Carolina State sports information director Bill Hamilton said Monday. "He's headed for Oklahoma."

Betts did not return phone calls, and Sooner representatives withheld comment pending Betts' official hiring by coach Jeff Capel.

Betts would become the third man added to OU's staff since Capel's hiring April 11. Assistant Mark Cline followed Capel from Virginia Commonwealth, while Bryan Goodman was hired away from Bucknell May 1 to become the Sooners' basketball operations director.

Like Cline, Betts served under Capel at VCU. He spent the 2002-03 season as a Rams assistant, then left to take over at South Carolina State. Betts went 51-38 with the Bulldogs and lost in the semifinals of the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference tournament all three years he coached.

Betts' hiring would leave Capel needing one assistant to complete his staff..

[LSUdeek]

Barnes gets his players to play hard for him. The only problem recently was that he didn't have any players.

They gave LSU everything they wanted in a couple of losses this past season. We beat them 79-73 at their place in a game that each team shot a torrid percentage... and 55-52 at our place where neither team could hit the broad side of a barn.

[TJKDone]

He's a good coach and an even better person. I don't think Capel would have been hired if he couldn't recruit. Barnes is a great name for a basketball coach:D

Hook'em