Dunn not to blame for cager woes

During the last two seasons the Penn State men's basketball team has lost 26 times. With those losses have come some finger pointing by Nittany Lion fans and the media.

The circumstances that have surrounded the program in the last two years have been out of Dunn's control. Last season, he was forced to hand the reins of the team over to a freshman point guard, Ryan Bailey, after Dan Earl decided to redshirt with back problems.

He also lost two members of his frontcourt in the middle of the season when members of their families died. John Wooden couldn't have won in that situation.
This season he was faced with another challenging situation at the point guard position. When Earl tore his anterior cruciate ligament on Dec. 6, it again meant Dunn would have to put his trust in an inexperienced freshman. This time it was Joe Crispin.

After Dunn's first season, 1995-96, he lost two of his biggest recruiters, Ed DeChellis and Frank Haith. These two landed much of the talent currently on the Penn State team. With their departures, Dunn was faced with another challenge in finding their replacements.

He hired Mike Boyd and Chuck Swenson, two proven recruiters. Boyd was an assistant at Michigan and was instrumental in the recruitment of Glen Rice and Rumeal Robinson and some of the Fab Five. Swenson was an assistant at Duke in the '80s and helped turn the Blue Devils into a national powerhouse. Getting those two to come to Penn State is a tribute to Dunn.

Talk to the man once and you realize how hard he works at coaching. The long nights he spends watching film and preparing for his opponents are evident by the drooping bags under his eyes. His never-dying belief in his team is obvious with the optimism that shines through in his voice.

The Penn State players have respect for Dunn and they all seem to like him, at least publicly. Other coaches always are quick to comment on what a good job he's doing. He may not land the top recruits in the nation but the players he does bring here are all class acts and good students. I don't think fans should ask him to compromise values for talent when he's recruiting.

As for those who feel this season is a disappointment, you must take into account that the heart of this team was ripped out only five games into the season. Most of Penn State's hopes and dreams rode on Earl's return this season. When he went down, so did the team's spirit.

The Lions slumped after Earl's injury, losing five of their next seven games. But they didn't quit on the season. Dunn must receive credit for this.

The Lions rebounded after an embarrassing 76-57 loss to Wisconsin by playing their toughest basketball of the year against Northwestern, Michigan State, Iowa and Illinois. Now with six games left, Penn State's NIT hopes are still alive.

Maybe this season could be considered a disappointment if everything had gone as planned back in October, when talk of the NCAAs abounded. But after the trials and tribulations the Lions have gone through, any Penn State fan must be happy with where this team is.

If you're tempted to criticize Dunn Saturday when Penn State plays Wisconsin and Calvin Booth launches a 3-pointer or Crispin commits a silly turnover, look at Dunn. Watch how he paces up and down the sideline, never relaxing. Look at the passion in his eyes and see how his players react.

You'll see a coach who cares and one who deserves more than three years on the job (two at less than full strength) to evaluate what kind of coach he is.