Inside The Hall: Iowa Hawkeye Preview

HawkeyeHypnosis

HawkeyeHypnosis

Well-Known Member
https://www.insidethehall.com/2018/10/01/2018-19-ith-season-preview-iowa-hawkeyes/

From article:

Bottom Line: With two of the Big Ten’s top 15 players, Iowa has a chance to be a dangerous team in a league that appears to be wide open. But unless the defense improves significantly, the Hawkeyes are unlikely to crack the top half of the league standings. McCaffery and the Iowa players will say all of the right things in the preseason about the program’s defensive improvements in the offseason, but until tangible evidence is presented, skepticism about the Hawkeyes is warranted.
 
HawkeyeHypnosis said:
https://www.insidethehall.com/2018/10/01/2018-19-ith-season-preview-iowa-hawkeyes/

From article:

Bottom Line: With two of the Big Ten’s top 15 players, Iowa has a chance to be a dangerous team in a league that appears to be wide open. But unless the defense improves significantly, the Hawkeyes are unlikely to crack the top half of the league standings. McCaffery and the Iowa players will say all of the right things in the preseason about the program’s defensive improvements in the offseason, but until tangible evidence is presented, skepticism about the Hawkeyes is warranted.
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pretty fair and spot on.
 
Here's the skinny, as far as I'm concerned. This team has to actually make a commitment to playing team defense and not just pay lip service to it. That means they have to put in the practice time, hold each other accountable on the court and Fran has to bench the players that won't play defense. And make no mistake about it, it falls entirely on Fran's shoulders to get this done. He is the HC and he decides who plays and who doesn't play. He puts the practice plan together. If he sacks up and holds his players accountable, this season can be a huge turnaround in wins/losses. We could easily see a 7 or 8 game improvement.
 
Ree4 said:
Tough to win with this stat:

"Iowa allowed 1.19 points per trip last season in Big Ten games, which is the second worst defense for a conference team ever in the Ken Pomeroy era."
Click to expand...
That goes further than players being poor defensive players and coaches not teaching defense very well. That starts to bring effort into question. I saw it with my own two eyes in the February Indiana game. First our players couldn't close out on hot shooters. Then they just stopped trying. Then you started seeing poor effort going for 50/50 balls, etc.

There was a plethora of coaches in the eighties and nineties that basically treated defense like it a disease. Tom Penders, Bill Mulligan, Ken Trickey (post Iowa State) perhaps Billy Tubbs. We will find out in a few short weeks just how much a commitment we have made to improve our defense.
 
Northside Hawk said:
That goes further than players being poor defensive players and coaches not teaching defense very well. That starts to bring effort into question. I saw it with my own two eyes in the February Indiana game. First our players couldn't close out on hot shooters. Then they just stopped trying. Then you started seeing poor effort going for 50/50 balls, etc.

There was a plethora of coaches in the eighties and nineties that basically treated defense like it a disease. Tom Penders, Bill Mulligan, Ken Trickey (post Iowa State) perhaps Billy Tubbs. We will find out in a few short weeks just how much a commitment we have made to improve our defense.
Click to expand...
That points to a group of players that don't want to play defense. I can see them in the film room with confused looks on their faces. Looking at how many points they scored and then looking at the final score...in utter confusion. "I average 14 ppg! How are we losing?"
 
The Garza loss is going to really hurt...especially in Big Ten play if he can't make it back in time or is still rusty. I was really looking forward to him take a big step forward this season. Looks like that could be hampered significantly.

I think Moss is going into this year sort of under the radar. Last year he improved pretty significantly from his Freshman year, and it went largely unnoticed because of all the losing. He shot 39% from 3 and 88% from the free throw line. He also mysteriously declared for the NBA draft which could either make or break him this year if he tries to do too much.

Cook, bohannon, moss, kriener, baer, Pemsl, Dailey....all of them are upper classmen now. Its time to prove you belong at this level.
 
Garza is supposed to be re-evaluated soon. That will be the day of reckoning.

Again, Wiescamp could be key as a true freshman. He could give us the flexibility to go smaller if Garza misses significant time or takes the redshirt.

If Moss is serious in any way about the NBA:p he better play with more passion and consistency. That does not go unnoticed. It shouldn't at this level, but that's a different story.
 
Defense, defense, defense.

"McCaffery and the Iowa players will say all of the right things in the preseason about the program’s defensive improvements in the offseason, but until tangible evidence is presented, skepticism about the Hawkeyes is warranted."

Count me as one the skeptical ones. I've seen videos of practice at Kentucky...their rebounding drills are brutal and Cal is screaming at them every step of the way. I know Fran's a screamer...but treating college kids like professionals is a big mistake. They aren't. Maybe it's my old school approach to things...defense was learned through someone pushing you to keep taking the intensity to a higher level...more than you thought you could do.

This was a strange Q/A to me. I came away thinking they aren't going to be better defensively. I know it's not fair maybe to say that...just a feel. Let's face it, getting a little better means you still suck. They have to get a lot better.
 
Playing defense is about grit and playing like a TEAM. Offense is usually all about ME (and my stats). We need to play more like a TEAM. Hoping that happens this year!
 
mopkins said:
The Garza loss is going to really hurt...especially in Big Ten play if he can't make it back in time or is still rusty. I was really looking forward to him take a big step forward this season. Looks like that could be hampered significantly.

I think Moss is going into this year sort of under the radar. Last year he improved pretty significantly from his Freshman year, and it went largely unnoticed because of all the losing. He shot 39% from 3 and 88% from the free throw line. He also mysteriously declared for the NBA draft which could either make or break him this year if he tries to do too much.

Cook, bohannon, moss, kriener, baer, Pemsl, Dailey....all of them are upper classmen now. Its time to prove you belong at this level.
Click to expand...


I agree with you in a big way...no one is even talking about Moss. If he improves as much as he did year over year last year...he's a 15 point guy. If he improves his defense and is more aggressive defensively...he's invaluable. This guy can shoot the three...a little inconsistently at times...but consistency comes from work and experience. He has the potential to have a special year.

I also have to think that Garza losing a 9 pound weight he was jumping with every play...is going to look more agile and explosive. May be wishful thinking, but that's some useless weight to be carrying around. Hope he gets healthy over the next month and by Thanksgiving he's back to his old self.
 
Ree4 said:
Tough to win with this stat:

"Iowa allowed 1.19 points per trip last season in Big Ten games, which is the second worst defense for a conference team ever in the Ken Pomeroy era."
Click to expand...
What are the probabilities of Iowa improving that stat this year?
 
This will be one of the best teams there has been for a while. They have experience, talent, and tremendous incoming freshmen.
 
mopkins said:
The Garza loss is going to really hurt...especially in Big Ten play if he can't make it back in time or is still rusty. I was really looking forward to him take a big step forward this season. Looks like that could be hampered significantly.

I think Moss is going into this year sort of under the radar. Last year he improved pretty significantly from his Freshman year, and it went largely unnoticed because of all the losing. He shot 39% from 3 and 88% from the free throw line. He also mysteriously declared for the NBA draft which could either make or break him this year if he tries to do too much.

Cook, bohannon, moss, kriener, baer, Pemsl, Dailey....all of them are upper classmen now. Its time to prove you belong at this level.
Click to expand...

With Conner at the point Moss should be better. Moss is best in transition on the wings. Many times last season he was in position to receive a pass on the wing, but didn't happen.....

I kept begging Jordan to please pass the damned ball to Isaiah, but he ignored me.....

:cool:
 
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