Fran knows no D

[frannymacfan]

I love Fran and his intensity, however, has anyone else noticed that Iowa never puts pressure on the ball? They play a sagging/sit back defense. It just makes everything easier for the Offense, entry passes, ball reversal ext.. For the most part, you notice how other teams play us, pressuring the hell out of the ball. Is he so afraid of getting beat off the dribble since our help defense is so terrible? I don't get it! Also, how come we can never seem to guard the perimeter. It always seems like teams shoot lights out from three because we can never close out and run them off. It is something I have noticed for the past 4 or 5 years and it drives me nuts. Maybe I am wrong, and I am not expert, it just seems like we never pressure the ball and lack intensity on Defense year in and year out. I know every coaching philosophy is different, just seems simple to me I guess to put pressure on the ball.

 

[HaydenHawk56]

I love Fran and his intensity, however, has anyone else noticed that Iowa never puts pressure on the ball? They play a sagging/sit back defense. It just makes everything easier for the Offense, entry passes, ball reversal ext.. For the most part, you notice how other teams play us, pressuring the hell out of the ball. Is he so afraid of getting beat off the dribble since our help defense is so terrible? I don't get it! Also, how come we can never seem to guard the perimeter. It always seems like teams shoot lights out from three because we can never close out and run them off. It is something I have noticed for the past 4 or 5 years and it drives me nuts. Maybe I am wrong, and I am not expert, it just seems like we never pressure the ball and lack intensity on Defense year in and year out. I know every coaching philosophy is different, just seems simple to me I guess to put pressure on the ball.

The bend, but don't break (win) version of basketball.

 

[Knight78]

He has when he has the backcourt quickness, depth and experience to do so. At this point, I believe that we only have a little experience in our backcourt and are missing the depth and the quickness (with the exception of Moss).

 

[seepig]

He has when he has the backcourt quickness, depth and experience to do so. At this point, I believe that we only have a little experience in our backcourt and are missing the depth and the quickness (with the exception of Moss).

8 years of the same problem. I don't think HE can fix it.

 

[familydc]

I have been wondering. Is Fran as bad a defensive coach as Kirk is an offensive coach?

 

[HawksMN]

Mr. Davis's teams, outside the press, played some bad perimeter D too. Must be Hawk code or something.

 

[HaydenHawk56]

Kirk....keep running into the brick wall, we eventually have to break one open.

Fran....keep letting them shoot from the outside....they have to get cold sometime.

Both win by hoping the other team makes a mistake and we have great execution of our systems.

 

[PCHawk]

We should just concede the 3 pointers and pack the lane so they can't get a wide open layup every other time down the floor. Running around trying to guard both ends up leaving both open.

 

[STILLBUSTER]

We should just concede the 3 pointers and pack the lane so they can't get a wide open layup every other time down the floor. Running around trying to guard both ends up leaving both open.

That is actually a fundamental premise of defense - to force the opponent away from the basket, into lower % shots.

I haven't seen any live action yet this season but is he still hedging his 5 on D, like he always did with Woodbury? If so, then this thread title is spot on.

That is the most idiotic, strategically unsound defense in the history of basketball and confirms his ineptitude on that end of the floor. At the very least, it confirms what I've suspected about Fran since his arrival - very limited understanding of the post position.

 

[DJL]

That is actually a fundamental premise of defense - to force the opponent away from the basket, into lower % shots.

I haven't seen any live action yet this season but is he still hedging his 5 on D, like he always did with Woodbury? If so, then this thread title is spot on.

That is the most idiotic, strategically unsound defense in the history of basketball and confirms his ineptitude on that end of the floor. At the very least, it confirms what I've suspected about Fran since his arrival - very limited understanding of the post position.

which is crazy because he doesn't recruit very many guards; mostly big guys.

 

[STILLBUSTER]

which is crazy because he doesn't recruit very many guards; mostly big guys.

Yes he recruits "big guys" but just because you're 6'10+ doesn't make you a post player. The closest thing he ever had to a real 5 was Gabe / Woodbury but even they weren't your bruising - space-eating - own the lane - get that sh!t outta here true 5.

Every single season the #1 or #1a question on these very boards has been, "Who's gonna play on the blocks? Whose gonna be the 5?" because, except for above, Fran has never had any player more than a 3.5 to 4. They've always been long and thin with far more face-up skills than back-to skills. Again, Gabe / Woodbury were 4 to 4.5ish but got out muscled and / or were rarely "mean" enough to play post. Those that did / do have the attitude were either too small (Pemsl and Wagner) or just too unskilled (Gabe).

I know everyone likes to regurg the idea that it's all about the guards but, as you have seen all the easy layups in the last 2 games (and most of Fran's tenure) your last line of defense - your rim protector - is THEE foundation to defense and you build out from there.

It's one of those things that REALLY bothers me about today's game.

 

[DJL]

Yes he recruits "big guys" but just because you're 6'10+ doesn't make you a post player. The closest thing he ever had to a real 5 was Gabe / Woodbury but even they weren't your bruising - space-eating - own the lane - get that sh!t outta here true 5.

Every single season the #1 or #1a question on these very boards has been, "Who's gonna play on the blocks? Whose gonna be the 5?" because, except for above, Fran has never had any player more than a 3.5 to 4. They've always been long and thin with far more face-up skills than back-to skills. Again, Gabe / Woodbury were 4 to 4.5ish but got out muscled and / or were rarely "mean" enough to play post. Those that did / do have the attitude were either too small (Pemsl and Wagner) or just too unskilled (Gabe).

I know everyone likes to regurg the idea that it's all about the guards but, as you have seen all the easy layups in the last 2 games (and most of Fran's tenure) your last line of defense - your rim protector - is THEE foundation to defense and you build out from there.

It's one of those things that REALLY bothers me about today's game.

I agree that the big guys rim defense has been pathetic. And we don't have quick enough guards to stay in front of a lot of the quick guards we will see, so we need rim protectors. So basically our entire defense is bad. And yes, the tall guys we have aren't necessarily post players, but they aren't ball handlers either. This team has some serious holes, but the biggest one is our overall lack of defense.

 

[PCHawk]

I think Garza is about as "5" as they get.

 

[PCHawk]

So defense was horrible again. I bet over half of their points were on wade open layups. They kept complaining about free throw disparity, but we weren't even close enough to foul. This team that played so far will win about 6 more games. I don't know how it's not easy to clean up. But if it was, we wouldn't be seeing this right now.

 

[lightning1]

So defense was horrible again. I bet over half of their points were on wade open layups. They kept complaining about free throw disparity, but we weren't even close enough to foul. This team that played so far will win about 6 more games. I don't know how it's not easy to clean up. But if it was, we wouldn't be seeing this right now.

This gets back to my much maligned comment about Garza being flat footed and why I wasn't sold on his 4* ranking. If you can't move quickly enough, it's a lay up line drill. Maybe that's the reason and maybe it's not. But that was my point.

 

[thedukeofearl]

I thought the Hawks would continue their progress from last season, just continue the performance that won at Wisconsin and Maryland and carry on with Garza and Nunge. However there seem to be growing pains incorporating them into a finely tuned starting lineup. Just like last season's start, it will take a while to implement this. I do Not have any doubt at all that this will work out to almost everyone's satisfaction.....

I watched Virginia Tech recently and think we will be able to play with them very well. Am going to predict a win.....

The D needs to settle down and first of all, Get Back after a made or missed basket. Protect the paint to prevent easy somewhat uncontested layups/dunks. Then after securing the paint apply pressure via the half court trap which worked very well, at times, last season.....

When Baer is back things will settle down. With Nickolas and Nunge on the perimeter we just might be able to contest the dreaded threes.....

Nunge seems ready to play interior D, and Garza is also getting ready. Needs to improve footwork, but has the skills to alter and block shots around the rim. Tyler is rebounding well and will improve as time goes on. Cordel will adjust to playing pain-free with his weight loss and will be a dangerous factor around the rim, same as last season.....

Jordan seemed to be adjusting to include a midrange game, driving to the rim. I wonder if he should just play like last season, running the ball downcourt, hitting an open man or launching a three on the move. That is his main strength and he is almost unstoppable when in a groove.....

I would like to see him recognize Moss on the wings. He seems to have missed him on occasion so far. Would like to see Tyler on one wing and Moss on the other with JBo driving down the court. Could be a problem to defend. Time should enable this strategy......

No reason to lose faith in the Lads at all. Things will fall into place. We have always had difficulty defending the three from DrTom on up to now, no matter who was coaching. We might be able to control this factor better with the length of Nunge, Baer and Dailey on the perimeter. Moss will certainly be able to keep his man in front of him. When Connor gets back into the fold, that certainly should help with his savvy and height.....

Looking forward to a run to TheDance.....

 

[thedukeofearl]

Forgot to mention that Everyone on the team should use the backboard much MORE.....

 

[HuckFinn]

We have trouble defending the three. But, teams seem to have a lot of trouble defending the three when they play Iowa. We don't have, at this point, a rim protector. We have two freshmen, who have played only a few games in college and Tyler Cook, who is a soph at that position. Guess what? We are not polished yet. We had a rim protector in Adam W. But, this board spent more time talking about his inability to score than his defense and passing.

Just a thought: Are the same posters who are coming close to wanting Fran fired, about the same posters who want to fire Ferentz 1 and Ferentz 2, and likely the rest of the staff, including our long time weight trainer. And, we really need to fire Gary Barta and more recently, Bruce Herrald, according to this group.

Go ahead...begin the attack boys!

 

[BryceC]

That is actually a fundamental premise of defense - to force the opponent away from the basket, into lower % shots.

I haven't seen any live action yet this season but is he still hedging his 5 on D, like he always did with Woodbury? If so, then this thread title is spot on.

That is the most idiotic, strategically unsound defense in the history of basketball and confirms his ineptitude on that end of the floor. At the very least, it confirms what I've suspected about Fran since his arrival - very limited understanding of the post position.

Basically every high level stat measurement says that hedging hard with your big men is the best possible defense to play, but it's absolutely exhausting and most teams don't have the depth to do it. Now that was in the NBA, not college, maybe things work a bit differently at this level.

You can have your misgivings about advanced stats when it comes to basketball but to call it strategically unsound is absolutely false.

 

[hawkeyemark]

We have trouble defending the three. But, teams seem to have a lot of trouble defending the three when they play Iowa. We don't have, at this point, a rim protector. We have two freshmen, who have played only a few games in college and Tyler Cook, who is a soph at that position. Guess what? We are not polished yet. We had a rim protector in Adam W. But, this board spent more time talking about his inability to score than his defense and passing.

Just a thought: Are the same posters who are coming close to wanting Fran fired, about the same posters who want to fire Ferentz 1 and Ferentz 2, and likely the rest of the staff, including our long time weight trainer. And, we really need to fire Gary Barta and more recently, Bruce Herrald, according to this group.

Go ahead...begin the attack boys!

Thank you for the Woodbury comment. I spent four years defending Woodbury mostly over at HR where I used to post and that board obsessed over his lack of post moves as well. Sometimes you don't appreciate what you have in life until you no longer have it. Not the first to say it but you absolutely need a rim protector to play effective defense as it starts there. I don't know if we will get that with Garza and Nunge or not. I have hopes for Kreiner who plays with a bit of a mean streak.