Maybe it's been this way every year and I don't remember because it all works itself out by the end.
the beasley year was worse, at least in terms of on the court turmoil. they were pretty cacty against everyone through the end of december (cal, oregon, the neutral games, xavier), then they had a week off and came out defending like a completely different team. went on a expectation-raising streak to open conference play before reverting to their mean.
neither of the clemente years were that dramatic, either in cactyness early or in rapid improvement.
Beasley year: awful early, great run in conference 7-1, sputter towards the end 3-5, USC.
Clem's first year: awful early, f'ing iowa, like 0-4 to start conference, then 6-0, denis slaps t-magic, sputter at the end, suck on it Jank.
Last year: decent early, but worried about the run of games we have coming up, then fort hays state, then fantastic basketball - suck it dayton, unlv, alabama, texas, energy get's frank'd, good conference play, stumble at the end, then EMAWastic basketball for like 3 weeks.
this year: I'll be nice and say underwhelming early......not sure what the next week will hold.
we've never had this much "suspension" or "personal issues" in any year. sutton came late but that wasn't turmoil, Colon was gone for the a while last year, denis slapped t-magic his first year, frank knocks out energy...that's pretty much it, iirc. christ, this year it's been Sutton leaving, curtis not playing, jamar not playing, now wally gone-ish and frank's oversigned.
updated for frank punching energy last year.