Four U men’s basketball players with limited roles in the 2001-02 season?sophomore Lance Allred, freshman Eric Osmundson, redshirt Cameron Goettsche and walk-on Chris Huber?all decided to vacate the program in a matter of weeks of each other, leaving only five active team members to return for the 2002-03 season.
So what was the reason for the departures?
Was the exodus a venture for more playing time in the grind of Division I collegiate basketball?
Or with three top-100 recruits from California and a newly acquired Australian coming in, was U coach Rick Majerus cleaning house to create ample playing time for Bryant Markson, Tim Drisdom, Richard Cheney and Aussie Andrew Bogut?
In the case of Goettsche, he said it was neither, but rather a clash of styles between player and coach.
“I didn’t feel comfortable playing for coach Majerus,” Goettsche said. “The way he treated the players on the team, especially the seniors?I didn’t like what he was doing.
“It wasn’t the yelling or verbal abuse. He just had no respect at all for the seniors,” he said.
Goettsche, a 6-foot-7 forward with tremendous leaping ability, was told he was going to be the first one off the bench next year, and the primary backup for star forward Britton Johnsen.
However, newspaper reports had Majerus saying Goettsche’s departure was over a matter of playing time, which Goettsche discredited.
“It wasn’t fun, and basketball should be fun,” Goettsche said.
Goettsche announced he is transferring to Salt Lake Community College. After a season of ball there, he plans to continue his sophomore year at Cal State-Santa Barbara.
Allred, a sophomore, said he was the one who asked to leave following a season in which he averaged 2.4 points and 1.4 rebounds per game, but he didn’t pinpoint a specific reason.
“Things weren’t working out. I don’t want to point any fingers,” Allred said. Allred plans to transfer to either San Diego University, Fresno State, Weber State, Utah State or Montana.
He started in six games and played in 22, but he failed to receive expected playing time when Duke transfer and center Chris Burgess went down with a season-ending injury at midseason.
Majerus elected to use junior Cameron Koford or go with a no-center lineup in favor of Allred.
“Coach Majerus controlled my life for three years. I’ll take the high road on that [regarding why he left],” Allred said.
Osmundson did not return calls from The Chronicle seeking comment.
Majerus declines to speak to The Chronicle.