Frontcourt depth

franstheman

franstheman

Well-Known Member
Without Atwood and by losing Meyer we are left with only 3 true post players and I'm not sure you can even count White as a true 4 when he has played most his career at the 3.


It almost seems like the staff should sign someone even if he's a project who can rebound and play d just for depth purposes.
 
White is better at the 4 than he is at the 3.

80 minutes to divide up between the 3 and 4 spots.

It wont be that hard to fill those minutes between Woody, Gabe, White, Uthoff and Uhl.
 
they are thin

uhl is a 3; he was recruited as a 3.

5: woody, gabe
4: utoff is too thin, white will probably start at the 3 as he did last year, uhl can't play power forward in the big ten -- he was undervalued as a recruit because everyone assumed he was 4
3: utoff has the skills but lacks quickness to cover explosive 3s, white lacks a reliable jump shot and a handle, uhl will be a freshman, and freshmen are freshman.

iowa lost two 4s and replaced them with one 3.

that makes you thin at a key spot.

the frontcourt will depend some on player development (white may have maxed out, utoff can't suddenly gain 20lbs), and a lot on how fran manages rotation patterns to compensate/adjust for the limitations the cast of tweeners (white, utoff, and uhl) bring: it will be a frustrating year for those who like to second-guess fran's substitutions, because it's inevitable that the team will have nights when there is magic lineup answer to the (especially defensive) limitations of the forwards.

if jok can up his defense, he may log minutes at the 3, since the addition of dickerson. if jok can take a lot of minutes at 3, that frees either white or utoff to play the 4 exclusively, which will still expose utoff's lack of strength, but makes managing frontcourt rotations instantly easier.
 
No question we are thin at the 4-5 spot. That's why we were trying so hard to sign a Juco. Its also why I think Gabe may get a few min at the 4 spot
 
The depth at 4 really depends on the development of our 5s. If they play well, our 4s won't have as much of a load. However, I expect White to spend 30min/game there. He a hard-nosed senior who probably would have been better served at the 4 last year. Uthoff and Gabe will fill in the last 10min. JU will be weaker than a lot of 4s but quicker too.
 
let's just sign any one over 6'8" and see how it works out.... mmm k ...we don't just need bodies anymore. Those days are over thankfully. We either pick up something of quality or we roll with what we have or we end up in a bigger mess 2 seasons from now. We can go smaller line up if need be, it's not like we have any beasts inside as it is on this roster as far as front court play.

I also enjoy hearing how "weak" Uthoff is because he's thin. Being strong with the ball and being strong are two different things. You don't have to be strong to be strong with the ball. I hear all the time about him bulking up, he's never going to bulky, or appear "strong" no matter how much he eats or how much he lifts, just not the body type, so stop with that nonsense. He's plenty "strong" enough to play with B1G 4's if he works on his handles and being stronger with the ball.
 
Iowa has a lot of good basketball players itll be okay. Still love how much of a math problem some of you nerds want to make this.
 
No. No projects! Not unless there's no other choice! Once used, a scholarship is gone for 4 years, unless you go JUCO, so the last thing I want to see our coaches do is spend a scholarship on a project just because they're worried about maybe being a bit small ONE year.. How does a project help us next year, anyway? Maybe 2-3 years from now, they start to produce something if we're lucky.

Besides, we have White, Gabe, Woody, Uthoff & Uhl, all 6'8" or more, so I'm not overly worried about it. Maybe we go smaller & quicker at times next year, anyway.

If no one suitable is available, I say bank the scholly until next year. Grab a quality player when you can, wherever you can, even if it's next year, but let's not grab another Andrew Brommer or Devon Archie just for the sake of having an extra warm body on the bench.
 
PalmettoHawkFan said:
they are thin

uhl is a 3; he was recruited as a 3.

5: woody, gabe
4: utoff is too thin, white will probably start at the 3 as he did last year, uhl can't play power forward in the big ten -- he was undervalued as a recruit because everyone assumed he was 4
3: utoff has the skills but lacks quickness to cover explosive 3s, white lacks a reliable jump shot and a handle, uhl will be a freshman, and freshmen are freshman.

iowa lost two 4s and replaced them with one 3.

that makes you thin at a key spot.

the frontcourt will depend some on player development (white may have maxed out, utoff can't suddenly gain 20lbs), and a lot on how fran manages rotation patterns to compensate/adjust for the limitations the cast of tweeners (white, utoff, and uhl) bring: it will be a frustrating year for those who like to second-guess fran's substitutions, because it's inevitable that the team will have nights when there is magic lineup answer to the (especially defensive) limitations of the forwards.

if jok can up his defense, he may log minutes at the 3, since the addition of dickerson. if jok can take a lot of minutes at 3, that frees either white or utoff to play the 4 exclusively, which will still expose utoff's lack of strength, but makes managing frontcourt rotations instantly easier.
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No way will White play the 3 again. He played the 4 exclusively as a freshman and was good, of course he can do it as a senior and he needs to play that spot because, really, hes terrible at the 3.

Now as for whos too skinny.

Take a look at who was starting at the 4 for Wisconsin, Michigan, MSU, and OSU.

Sam Decker, a guard. Glenn Robinson, another guard. Brandon Dawson, a 6'6 tweener who played the 3 the previous year, and Laquinton Ross a skinny out side shooter.

Meanwhile Iowa started a huge front line of guys who couldn't shoot or put the ball on the floor, the lane was clogged all game and we couldn't score in the half court.

Iowa will be fine with Woody, Gabe, White and Uthoff, most likely better.
 
RocknRollface said:
No way will White play the 3 again. He played the 4 exclusively as a freshman and was good, of course he can do it as a senior and he needs to play that spot because, really, hes terrible at the 3.

Now as for whos too skinny.

Take a look at who was starting at the 4 for Wisconsin, Michigan, MSU, and OSU.

Sam Decker, a guard. Glenn Robinson, another guard. Brandon Dawson, a 6'6 tweener who played the 3 the previous year, and Laquinton Ross a skinny out side shooter.

Meanwhile Iowa started a huge front line of guys who couldn't shoot or put the ball on the floor, the lane was clogged all game and we couldn't score in the half court.

Iowa will be fine with Woody, Gabe, White and Uthoff, most likely better.
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Agree very much. Last year we had four 4's with White, Basabe, Utoff & McCabe so we put White at the 3. The problem is he is not a three. He is a high energy garbage man who reminds me of Ryan Bowen. The three spot ends up out on the perimeter a lot and is required to shoot the three and slash none of which fits White. He needs to be at the 4 to affect the game in the half court and beat his man down the floor in transition. That is the bulk of his scoring.

The best thing is to put White back at the 4 going forward. The real problem is we do not have a true 3 man yet.
 
SpecialKHawk said:
The best thing is to put White back at the 4 going forward. The real problem is we do not have a true 3 man yet.
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exactly. also, atwood was being recruited as a 4 (one of the reasons he went asu is that they told him they saw him as a 3) -- that recruitment, plus white's all-conference season at the 3, suggests that fran may keep him there.

whether its a 4 problem or a 3 problem, its still a forward problem.

how many times did we see teams take advantage of weak interior defense and weak rebounding last year (yes, the team had great rebounding stats -- we also saw physical 4s push our kids around in march and april)? basabe and mccabe had some strength and some toughness, which we simply haven't seen from utoff (it's not just about being "strong with the ball" -- it's about holding position on the block and in the paint, which jarrod was not effective at against more muscular 4s last year).

it's going to be a problem, and dickerson/gesell/jok/oglesby will have to step up and make this a guard-oriented team next year, unless woody makes a major offensive jump.
 
RocknRollface said:
No way will White play the 3 again. He played the 4 exclusively as a freshman and was good, of course he can do it as a senior and he needs to play that spot because, really, hes terrible at the 3.

Now as for whos too skinny.

Take a look at who was starting at the 4 for Wisconsin, Michigan, MSU, and OSU.

Sam Decker, a guard. Glenn Robinson, another guard. Brandon Dawson, a 6'6 tweener who played the 3 the previous year, and Laquinton Ross a skinny out side shooter.

Meanwhile Iowa started a huge front line of guys who couldn't shoot or put the ball on the floor, the lane was clogged all game and we couldn't score in the half court.

Iowa will be fine with Woody, Gabe, White and Uthoff, most likely better.
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Iowa had a lot of problems with spacing in the half court and that is why I think its funny that people want to see woody and gabe in at the same time. That would destroy the halfcourt offense. Not enough room for 2 big men to work.
 
I'm not at all worried about Uthoff at the 3 or the 4. He can play either IMO. Uthoff needed a season of Division 1 basketball after sitting 2 straight years. There's no way a guy can get used to the physical play of the B1G by watching film. He had to go through it.

IMO - Woodbury and Olaseni will split time at the 5. I don't know of any team in the conference that will be better at the 5 than Iowa. I think White will play the 4 almost exclusively. Uthoff will spell him there and also play the 3. If we have injuries or foul problems then Uhl will play some 4...out of necessity. I know Uhl was recruited as a 3 but he will have to play some 4 if that's what we need. Uhl and Jok to a lesser extent can spell Uthoff at the 3 when he's at the 4 or on the bench. No worries!
 
WindsorHawk said:
I'm not at all worried about Uthoff at the 3 or the 4. He can play either IMO. Uthoff needed a season of Division 1 basketball after sitting 2 straight years. There's no way a guy can get used to the physical play of the B1G by watching film. He had to go through it.

IMO - Woodbury and Olaseni will split time at the 5. I don't know of any team in the conference that will be better at the 5 than Iowa. I think White will play the 4 almost exclusively. Uthoff will spell him there and also play the 3. If we have injuries or foul problems then Uhl will play some 4...out of necessity. I know Uhl was recruited as a 3 but he will have to play some 4 if that's what we need. Uhl and Jok to a lesser extent can spell Uthoff at the 3 when he's at the 4 or on the bench. No worries!
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I know Uhl was recruited as a three, but he might have grown into a four. Iowa lists him as 6 foot 9, and Fran has said he has the frame to put on some weight. He probably needs a year or two of weight work to really come into his own, but he probably is a pretty good player already.
 
WindsorHawk said:
I'm not at all worried about Uthoff at the 3 or the 4. He can play either IMO. Uthoff needed a season of Division 1 basketball after sitting 2 straight years. There's no way a guy can get used to the physical play of the B1G by watching film. He had to go through it.

IMO - Woodbury and Olaseni will split time at the 5. I don't know of any team in the conference that will be better at the 5 than Iowa. I think White will play the 4 almost exclusively. Uthoff will spell him there and also play the 3. If we have injuries or foul problems then Uhl will play some 4...out of necessity. I know Uhl was recruited as a 3 but he will have to play some 4 if that's what we need. Uhl and Jok to a lesser extent can spell Uthoff at the 3 when he's at the 4 or on the bench. No worries!
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Minny will have Eliason and Walker...solid. Wisky will have Kaminsky...solid. OSU will have Williams and McDonald...solid. PU will have Hammons...solid...probably the best in the league. Iowa will be in that group.
 
JHHawk said:
Minny will have Eliason and Walker...solid. Wisky will have Kaminsky...solid. OSU will have Williams and McDonald...solid. PU will have Hammons...solid...probably the best in the league. Iowa will be in that group.
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None are better than Woodbury and Olaseni combined IMO.
 
WindsorHawk said:
None are better than Woodbury and Olaseni combined IMO.
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Your opinion is wrong. Kaminsky was all Big 10, and will be a pre-season AA. AJ Hammons will be a 1st round NBA pick. Woodbury and Olesani are decent, but they are not going to be a wrecking crew, and they certainly will not be elite, even if you consider them as a pair.

Sorry, but there is absolutely no way anyone would consider Iowa to have the best centers in the B1G, unless they were a huge homer. One Kaminsky is more valuable than Woodbury and Olesani together, and it's not even close.
 
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