Iowa Basketball Rotations

[ISUfan2010]

Hello, Cyclone fan here. I have a question...I don't follow Iowa forums and threads very often, so I am looking for opinions on this.

Why does Fran run so many guys? I saw somewhere that Fran had played 11 guys at the 10 min mark of the first half. It seems to me (at least in the CyHawk game last night) that a group would really start to get on a roll and then he'd pull one or two of them. It really seemed to me like it messed with the rhythm of the team (and a few players) quite a bit.

Also, why don't you guys play Pemsl more? He kinda reminds me of a Georges Niang type around the basket...doesn't seem to rush shots and has a plethora of crafty moves. Hope he's ok, sounds like the bleacher got a chunk of his leg. Again, just observations from one game...

I'd be interested to hear your thoughts on this. Good luck the rest of the year.

 

[ArvadaHawk]

Pemsl has been inconsistent. he tries too many moves and winds up not faking anyone out. last night, he was going to the basket off his first fake and that's when he is good. And Pemsl has shown zero willingness to take the open 10-15 ft jumper.

fran runs 11 because he can and he tries to match guys to the game. outside of the core 4-7 guys, you'll see the remainder getting heavier minutes one night and lighter the next.

 

[HaydenHawk56]

Playing a number of guys can have its advantages and disadvantages. But individual player scoring and less minutes does seem to a problem for other programs out there that run other run and gun systems.

But, Iowa's main problem is that is does not have a quality, true point guard and center on this team (imho). It probably lacks a quality, true 3 as well. Iowa has a lot of tweeners that are great to have....coming off the bench. Iowa is 2 or 3 guys away from having a balanced roster.

Equally important:

Then, I have to wonder how well are our players being coached up individually and how the finer details of our Xs and Os are being implemented with our half court offense, half court defense (considerably here), and transition game. Do our players like playing for Fran? What is he like behind the scenes? Are they afraid of making a mistake for whatever reason.

We have never been exactly mentally tough under Fran. His best teams to date have welted under pressure.

 

[PCHawk]

Playing a number of guys can have its advantages and disadvantages. But individual player scoring and less minutes does seem to a problem for other programs out there that run other run and gun systems.

But, Iowa's main problem is that is does not have a quality, true point guard and center on this team (imho). It probably lacks a quality, true 3 as well. Iowa has a lot of tweeners that are great to have....coming off the bench. Iowa is 2 or 3 guys away from having a balanced roster.

Equally important:

Then, I have to wonder how well are our players being coached up individually and how the finer details of our Xs and Os are being implemented with our half court offense, half court defense (considerably here), and transition game. Do our players like playing for Fran? What is he like behind the scenes? Are they afraid of making a mistake for whatever reason.

We have never been exactly mentally tough under Fran. His best teams to date have welted under pressure.

I think most coaches have some players that love them and some that don't. Rarely is it all one way or the other. I would also guess that a high percentage of players love him.

 

[theboat]

Honestly, every single player on this team is inconsistent. It’s a chicken and egg thing. does Fran do this because they are inconsistent and he is trying to see where everyone is that day or are they inconsistent because he does this and nobody can get a rhythm. Either way, there isn’t a single player on this roster that you know what you are gonna get from them night in and night out.

In football if you have 2 QBs, then you don’t have one.
This team has 11 because they don’t have 7.

 

[hawkeyemark]

I think most coaches have some players that love them and some that don't. Rarely is it all one way or the other. I would also guess that a high percentage of players love him.

What the players think of Fran doesn't necessarily correlate with whether or not they like playing for him. Fran seems like a complex personality who has a really raw side to him. They may respect Fran as a man while at the same time growing tired of playing for him and putting up with his outbursts. How we act on the surface represents only part of the picture which most open minded people can see through.

 

[PCHawk]

What the players think of Fran doesn't necessarily correlate with whether or not they like playing for him. Fran seems like a complex personality who has a really raw side to him. They may respect Fran as a man while at the same time growing tired of playing for him and putting up with his outbursts. How we act on the surface represents only part of the picture which most open minded people can see through.

What you say is true. But I would guess it's really rare that you could really like your coach as a person but hate playing for him. That would be really hard to do.

 

[hawkeyemark]

What you say is true. But I would guess it's really rare that you could really like your coach as a person but hate playing for him. That would be really hard to do.

I never played sports and don't know the dynamics that go on. In a different realm I had a co-worker who recently left who I found overly negative and not somebody I particularly enjoyed working with. Have since unexpectedly received a couple friendly e-mails from him and knew he had a really decent side to him. This seems one of those not black and white situations.

Whether they like him or not we may well have some guys on this team who don't feel happy at all playing for Fran even though they say all the right things talking to the media which they learn to do. I thought something seemed funny about the Williams situation with the timing of it leaving when he did. He knew from the get go that Connor had point guard skills and might take minutes from him and even mentioned prior to the season that they wanted him playing on the wing some where he seemed a better fit. Bottom line these guys don't look like they enjoy playing basketball and that raises a red flag of maybe some issues going on behind the scenes.

 

[trj]

Honestly, every single player on this team is inconsistent. It’s a chicken and egg thing. does Fran do this because they are inconsistent and he is trying to see where everyone is that day or are they inconsistent because he does this and nobody can get a rhythm. Either way, there isn’t a single player on this roster that you know what you are gonna get from them night in and night out.

In football if you have 2 QBs, then you don’t have one.
This team has 11 because they don’t have 7.

I was one of those that wasn’t worried about the rotation at the beginning of the year. I thought it would work itself out. Based on what I have seen so far your assessment is spot on.

 

[Cyclone911]

I've watched Fran for years. I honestly don't understand his rotation logic at all. It's like a box of chocolate and you don't know what you are going to get. From an outside perspective I'll say this. 1. If you ask me who is the leader on the team I couldn't tell you. 2. Players always seem to be rotated in groups without strategic mismatch considerations. Help me here. Does he understand mismatch at all? 3. Players should be rewarded minutes by proving their worth in practice and games. Basketball 101. If players have to compete and prove themselves they compete harder in games and practice. Fran plays what I call Cuban ball. Everybody plays. That can work for some teams but very few. 4. Five defined starters + 3 primary bench substitutes. If a player doesn't produce they get benched until they can. That should have been established BEFORE the season started. 5. Fran is suffering from Joc shock. Joc is gone and he doesn't know what to do. 6. The Hawks are loaded with talent. They got some great players. With this level of talent there is no way in hell they should be averaging 18 turnovers per game. Every team has a bad day but not 18. Take away the turnovers and the Hawks win most games including Ames. IMO a team has to be built on the foundation of creating a positive synergy from their starters and that comes with minutes played together. Fran's rotation logic is killing this team. I wish the Hawks well the rest of this season.

 

[Iahwk06]

I’ve had season tix the last 6 years, being at the games I feel you can see more of what’s going on. You can set your watch to when he pulls the first guy. A guy could make numerous mistakes and stay in, play great and get pulled. Players sit on the bench for long periods of time. These guys are college kids playing the best players more minutes should be a given. Should be a win today.... hopefully we see improvement.