Column: Colin Cowherd Rant on Washington Hoops Harsh, Not Inaccurate
SEATTLE -- Wearing a purple undershirt with a grey long-sleeve over Fox Sports' Colin Cowherd pinned an undoubtably harsh tag, but one that isn't inaccurate, on Washington head men's basketball coach Lorenzo Romar.
Cowherd, who hosts The Herd with Colin Cowherd on Fox Sports Radio and on FS1, said of Romar "that's a guy who can recruit, but can't coach" while starting the commentary with the notion he found the worst coach in college basketball.
Noting the Huskies lack of postseason appearances since the 2010-11 season, the last time the program made the NCAA Tournament. Washington made consecutive appearances in the NIT in 2011-12, and 2012-13, before missing out on postseason play each of the past two seasons before returning to the NIT following the 2015-16 season.
In that time span, with Cowherd choosing to go from 2012-16, Washington produced five, first-round picks: Terrance Ross, Tony Wroton, C.J. Wilcox, Marquese Chriss and DeJounte Murray.
To add onto Cowherd's point, since Romar rattled off four consecutive 20-plus win seasons from 2008-09 to 2011-12, the Huskies haven't cracked more than 19 wins, which they did this past season.
But the Huskies lack of postseason success or appearance isn't due to a lack of ability to recruit, it's on the floor which Cowherd said. Yet at the same point the "worst coach in college basketball" can't be the same coach that produces five, first-round picks in a five-year span.
Romar signed the No.5 overall prospect in 2016 according to Rivals rankings, combo guard Markelle Fultz, and is poised to sign the No.2 overall prospect in 2017 in Michael Porter Jr., who recently moved to Seattle with his father, Michael Porter Sr., being hired as an assistant coach at UW in May.
Has Romar lost his coaching ability? No. Has he lost his touch on the recruiting trail? No. Has Romar underperformed with some elite talent at his disposal? Yes, and there is no denying that.
With new athletic director Jennifer Cohen in charge, and having a strong relationship with Romar already, there is an understanding that Cohen has given Romar what he needs to return to not only the NCAA Tournament but the Sweet Sixteen and Elite 8.
This season brings another that Romar has some of if not the best group of players in the Pac-12 conference, led by Fultz, but a need to finally get over the hump and back into a deep tournament run. But Romar is not the worst coach in college basketball, and it's not even close.