FULL STORY: UWGB basketball recruits react to Linc Darner's sudden departure

FULL STORY: UWGB basketball recruits react to Linc Darner's sudden departure

THE UNIVERSITY ISPARTING WAYS WITHLINC DARNER, AFTERFIVE YEARS AT THEHELM...SPORTS DIRECTORBRANDON KINNARDJOINS US WITH THESTORY...FIVE SUCCESSFULYEARS AT THAT...DARNER'S PHOENIXTEAMS CONSISTENTLYFINISHED NEAR THETOP OF THE HORIZONLEAGUE...HE TOOK THEM TOTHE N-C-A-ATOURNAMENT IN 2016,THE PHOENIX'S FIRSTBIG DANCE BID IN 20YEARS...THIS IS A PUZZLINGMOVE - ESPECIALLYSO LATE INTO THEOFFSEASON...AFTER RUMORSCIRCULATEDSUNDAY... UW-GREENBAY HAS MADE ITOFFICIAL...LINC DARNER ISOUT... AS ITS MEN'SBASKETBALL COACH...NATSA SHORT STATEMENTFORM THEUNIVERSITY MADE ITSEEM THE DECISIONWAS MUTUAL... BUTU-W-G-B DID NOTACCEPT FURTHERQUESTIONS...THE ANNOUNCMENTGAVE NO SPECIFICREASON FOR WHYTHEY'RE PARTINGWAYS...NOR DID IT INDICATEHOW THE UNIVERSITYPLANS TO BUY OUTDARNER'SCONTRACT... WHICHHAD SIX YEARS ANDMORE THAN A MILLIONDOLLARS LEFT ON IT...NATSWHAT DOES THISMEAN, ON THECOURT?G-B HAS A MASSIVERECRUITING CLASS -WITH EIGHT NEWPLAYERS SET TO JOINTHE PROGRAM...I SPOKE WITH TWOOF THOSENEWCOMERS -INCLUDINGSOUTHERN DOORSTAR RYAN CLAFLIN...BOTH SAY, THEYWERE BLINDSIDED BYTHE NEWS..."I was pretty shocked.

Iwasn't really seeing thatcoming.

I don't think anyof the guys did either.

Soit's kind of disappointing.""I was kind of hurtbecause Green Bay wasmy first offer so... Just thefact that he wanted to giveme the opportunity andthey believed in me... thatsets like a strongfoundation."CLAFLIN PLANS TOWALK ON AT G-B ANDREDSHIRT NEXTYEAR... THEN, HE'LLBE ON SCHOLARSHIPAFTER THAT...THE NORTHEASTWISCONSIN NATIVEKNOWS WITH A NEWCOACH, GREEN BAY'SPLANS FOR HIMCOULD CHANGE...BUT AS OF NOW...HE'S STILLCOMMITTED TO THEPHOENIX..."I have to see whatunfolds.

But as of rightnow I'm still planning toplay at Green Bay."FOR JONES, IT'S ABIT MORECOMPLICATED...THE INDIANA NATIVECHOSE GREEN BAYLARGELY BASED ONSCHEME... HE WOULDHAVE BEEN APERFECT POINTGUARD IN DARNER'SUP-TEMPO SYSTEM...THAT TEMPO WILLLIKELY SLOW DOWNWITH A NEW COACH...BUT JONES SAYS,HE'LL , RATHER THANFIND A NEW SCHOOL..."I guess I'll just have tosee.

Basketball is a gameof adjustments.

So if Ihave to adjust to adifferent system then Iwill."THE UNIVERSITYSAYS IT WILL BEGIN ANATIONAL SEARCHFOR A NEW COACHIMMEDIATELY...IN ADDITION TOTALKING WITH THOSERECRUITS...I ALSO REACHEDOUT TO BOTH OFGREEN BAY'S TOPTWO RETURNINGPLAYERS...SENIOR GUARD P-JPIPES SAID HE HADNO COMMENT...CONFERENCEFRESHMAN OF THEYEAR AMARI DAVISHAS YET TORESPOND...BUT HE DID SENDOUT THIS TWEET INRESPONSE TO THENEWS...SAYING QUOTE"WHEN WILL THENIGHTMARES END..."THAT'S THECORNERSTONE PIECEOF THE PHOENIXPROGRAM...SEEMINGLY VERYUPSET OVER THESUDDEN DEPARTUREOF HIS HEAD COACH...JON...LATER ...