Longhorn Hoops: All Big XII & Coach of the Year
From 
Big 12 Sports:
Barnes wins his third Big 12 coaching accolade after leading the Longhorns to a 26-5 regular season record. Despite losing National Player of the Year Kevin Durant from last season’s roster, he has had UT in the top five of the rankings for a good part of the year. He led Texas to a share of its second Big 12 crown in the last three years and third overall. The 26 wins for the Longhorns are also the most in regular season competition in school history. Barnes is the first coach to be named Big 12 Coach of the Year three times.
Congrats to Rick Barnes who won Coach of the Year, first teamer DJ Augustin, second teamers Damion James and AJ Abrams.
March 10, 2008 at 12:51 pm
He deserves it, and I still don’t think he gets enough credit for his ability to adjust to personnel problems as they arise.
Dogus Balbay and Matt Hill were lost before the season, and both (especially Balbay) were counted on to give important relief minutes off the bench. Also the top freshman (Gary Johnson) was out for well over a third of the season. Barnes won’t allow any kind of pity party for anything that is deemed to be unfair.
March 10, 2008 at 4:03 pm
Way to go Rick! Wow! I don’t know how you did it, but you kept the team winning through all kinds of trials. National Coach of the Year should go to no other. It is nice to see a Texas coach who keeps his team playing at a level beyond the sum of its parts. I hope Mack is taking notes!
March 10, 2008 at 9:15 pm
man alive. i dunno. i have to go with Scott Drew for COY. What he’s done for the Bears - with or without a ‘Death’ Penalty, so to speak - is remarkable.
However, i do believe this was Rick’s best coaching season by far I have seen…
April 1, 2008 at 8:45 am
i kind of heart barnes
April 1, 2008 at 9:54 am
Drew chokes against Colorado in the Big 12 tourney and then Baylor lays an egg in the NCAAs against a very mediocre Purdue team.
I’m pretty comfortable with Barnes as the choice here.