Sandfort Huge Miss.... Now?

We got Kris back, but it didn't help us in Lincoln or Happy Valley.

I think the Patrick issue affected this team on and off the court more than we will ever know.

Those guys are human, and they're like a band of brothers.
Not necessarily. PS is a shooter. He got untracked and allowed to get untracked as there wasn't an alternative and that opens things up. PM has strengths and weaknesses. A shooter he is not. He's a transition player and OK on the move. When he comes back, his skills will be needed but shouldn't come at much expense to PS' time only. PS points will come in bunches but he has to get a rhythm. Some players are good at instant offense. He is not.
 
We got Kris back, but it didn't help us in Lincoln or Happy Valley.

I think the Patrick issue affected this team on and off the court more than we will ever know.

Those guys are human, and they're like a band of brothers.
It helped in Happy Valley enough to give us a chance at the end. Sandort playing well would have been the difference in a one possession game. Just like it was the difference the last few games. That said, I agree with you about Patrick. I'm sure that was making a difference too.
 
I don’t really give Fran any more credit for the 3 game win streak as I gave him blame for the 3 game losing streak. Really the only difference is Sandfort made shots instead of missed them. Fran hasn't really coached him into better shots. He's just making the same shots he was missing earlier.

So much of winning or losing is whether a few shots rim in or rim out. We for sure lose at least 2 of the last 3 without Sandfort going off. It's hard for me to give Fran credit for that. What I do give him credit for is consistently putting a product on the court that competes most games and gets us in the tourney most years. That's what we get with Fran. It's what we've gotten from Fran for the last 10+ years (minus one shitty year). This year is no different. It wasn't different when we lost 3 straight, and it's not different after winning 3 straight.
I give him credit for developing the bench behind his starting line up, sticking with guys through adversity and pushing the right buttons down a starter almost all year. He’s coaching well right now and the reason I thought he wasn’t earlier is he was taking his lumps by playing guys who weren’t ready but he was building them up. Fran is a good coach, I lost faith and that’s on me. The game in Lincoln was that bad.
 
I give him credit for developing the bench behind his starting line up, sticking with guys through adversity and pushing the right buttons down a starter almost all year. He’s coaching well right now and the reason I thought he wasn’t earlier is he was taking his lumps by playing guys who weren’t ready but he was building them up. Fran is a good coach, I lost faith and that’s on me. The game in Lincoln was that bad.
Don't be too hard on yourself. It was ugly. Fran is a coach. Strengths and weaknesses. My hope is he will find a positive way to use PM without sacrificing the currently mix. Clearly the lane is farm more open due to outside threats. PM has a nice game but both he and KM can clog the middle and take away outside shooting at the same time as neither have the outside game as a strength and the Pt Guards aren't going to shoot outside that much (nor should they) but still be a threat. KM needs space. PS needs the opportunity to miss and stay in the game to get the rhythm. However MSU and Purdue will be more of a challenge underneath. I would have taken reluctantly 4-3 at this point, but not how we got there. Need a few more big wins against the big dogs.
 
Don't be too hard on yourself. It was ugly. Fran is a coach. Strengths and weaknesses. My hope is he will find a positive way to use PM without sacrificing the currently mix. Clearly the lane is farm more open due to outside threats. PM has a nice game but both he and KM can clog the middle and take away outside shooting at the same time as neither have the outside game as a strength and the Pt Guards aren't going to shoot outside that much (nor should they) but still be a threat. KM needs space. PS needs the opportunity to miss and stay in the game to get the rhythm. However MSU and Purdue will be more of a challenge underneath. I would have taken reluctantly 4-3 at this point, but not how we got there. Need a few more big wins against the big dogs.
They’ll get their chances and no more bad losses really on the schedule. As is, wins at Clemson, at Rutgers, and ISU by 19 are money in the bank.
 
If we can beat northwestern we could very well be in a tie for 2nd place by next weekend.
I’m truly blown away from what I saw in Lincoln. It was as bad as I’ve witnessed. They were just in a bad place. I don’t know what happen with Pat, but that’s when it changed. Other then coincidence, it seems to have opened up everything else. Fran has shown an uncanny ability to be able to read what is ailing his team mid season several times. We’re going to lose some games on the road, but I feel like they’ve taken some monster steps the last month or so and whether that’s shooting better or not, it’s also playing the right guys when they need to and continuing to prop the guys up and tear down the guys who needed it. Good coaching
 
The Hawkeyes are now 4-0 without PattyMc in the fold...just sayin.' What will Fran do if he comes back?
 
Per Fry...

"There are two things dooming this team and both are recruiting issues. Which sucks because I love Fran.

1) As said before, zero depth. The only way this team is successful is with a single 5 man lineup. With even one of those two players gone you’re going to struggle, when two are gone…turn out the lights—party’s over.

2)
Peyton Sandfort was a HUGE recruiting miss. Can’t blame that entirely on Fran because Sandfort was a high school film queen. There’s no way to know if a player is going to fall apart when he’s on a bigger stage until he gets to that bigger stage... Sandfort doesn’t have the stones to play on tv in front of 12,000 hostile fans."
 
Saying that Sandfort is a recruiting miss could be the most idiotic statement I've ever observed printed...and yes, I would have said the same before he went all Waukee Killa' on folks. His ceiling is a more complete Kyle Korver...
 
Saying that Sandfort is a recruiting miss could be the most idiotic statement I've ever observed printed...and yes, I would have said the same before he went all Waukee Killa' on folks. His ceiling is a more complete Kyle Korver...
I was thinking of the Kyle Korver comparison the other day. Not saying the Payton is the next Korver but there are some similarities, the obvious one being the outside shooting. Payton has multiple skills that could translate to the NBA. Great shooter, good rebounder, long and lanky defender. I think he is probably more athletic that Korver was too. And Korver had a 16 year NBA career.
 
Anyone remember Eric Snow from Michigan State? That dude completely lost it at the free throw line for an entire season. I think his percentage was in the teens. I remember being literally in tears from laughter watching him shoot them. One time specifically he hit the backboard and missed the rim. How can you be off that far sideways to accomplish that?

Yeah, you could count on him missing 99% of his free throws


1673899022939.png



However, in the NBA, he started making them, actually watched him nail clutch free throws

He had a 13-year career in the pros
 
I give him credit for developing the bench behind his starting line up, sticking with guys through adversity and pushing the right buttons down a starter almost all year. He’s coaching well right now and the reason I thought he wasn’t earlier is he was taking his lumps by playing guys who weren’t ready but he was building them up. Fran is a good coach, I lost faith and that’s on me. The game in Lincoln was that bad.
Word has it that Gaten's worked on his shot presentation... Elbow was too free/inconsistent...
 
The Hawkeyes are now 4-0 without PattyMc in the fold...just sayin.' What will Fran do if he comes back?
Not play him until his head is clear and focused. If he has lingering issues and it affects the team, it will potentially be the same situation as late December.
 
I agree. But he was doing all of that when we were 0-3 too.my point was he didn't change up his coaching. One player went from ice cold to on fire, and we got Kris back. That's the difference.
Agree. Also, most teams in the Big Ten go on good and bad streaks. Looks like the entire conference is in a similar boat right now. Glad we have a good coach.
 
By all means, ignore the turnarounds by Sandfort and Perkins and take another swipe at a cancer survivor struggling with anxiety.
I didn't take that as a swipe at all. He's just stating the obvious that adding a new player rotation to a team that's rolling could be tricky.
 
Agree. Also, most teams in the Big Ten go on good and bad streaks. Looks like the entire conference is in a similar boat right now. Glad we have a good coach.
I remember one year where Wisconsin won the conference where they looked unbeatable all year except a 3 game stretch where they lost all 3. Including a game to Rutgers who was the cellar dweller.
 

Latest posts

Top