The right players for the right system

H

HawkeyeJim75

Well-Known Member
Let me throw this question out that has probably been discussed before. Considering the two ridiculous loses, does Stan have the right players for his style of play? Is the boys that he plays lacking hustle because maybe they are gassed early? Lack condition? Not totally fit for his system?

I don't really like calling out names but Fran has some boys on this team that are tad bit slow or not fit for his style of play. However, he does have some boys that do but are not on the same page right now.

The three wins came from playing teams that don't match up well against the High major conferences such as the Big-Ten. You don't lose to them.
Campbell was a very quick team with also some athletic players. Perhaps to quick for Iowa.
This may prove that Iowa may have some players that can't hang with the quicker teams. Problem! Big-Ten is nothing but quick and physical style of play.

I know that this team has some of TL's players. We know what type of program he ran. Enough said! Gatens, May, McCabe were boys who probably dreamed playing for Iowa and worked hard to get to the level of play to play for someone like Iowa(a Big-Ten school). Does it mean they are cut out for that team? Maybe, maybe not. I am not saying that have not panned out. I'm asking are kid's like this the right players for Fran's style of play.

I know the boys he has coming in next year are cream of the crop type players that even top programs in the nation were after. They will help!
His first year class is talented and should be able to hang with the upper teams. They need experience, that's all!

So after 5 games, two that were embarrassing, does Iowa have the right players for the right system? Please correct me or just chime in!
 
I don't think any sane Iowa fan would argue with your post. McCaffrey was in a tough spot when he took over, as the cupboard was empty. McCaffrey wants to race around the track, but doesn't have the horses. We have a number of guys logging major minutes that would not be on other big ten rosters and should probably be playing a couple levels down. Crean has been at IU one year longer and you can see what an infusion of talent has done for them in year 3.
 
Was at the game last night and there are players that are not in playing shape. Basabe is one and thereis no doubt about that. He is not even close. Cartwright appears to be another one as well.
 
HawkeyeJim75 - It's nice to FINALLY read something on this site where somebody is not pushing the panic button, jumping off a bridge, suggesting we have zero talent on the squad, blah, blah, blah. Your comments were pretty much spot on. This is NOT Fran's team at this point. 3 kids on this team were his recruits (Josh, Gabe, Aaron). Each of those kids will indeed be solid, BIG players in time. White has shown signs of being pretty frickin awesome, he's then shown signs of a complete dufus. Josh has shown signs of being a tremendous offensive threat. He's also shown signs of being a moron passing the ball behind his back in a CRITICAL point during the last game resulting in a turnover. Gabe has proven he is a work in process. Simply put...each are freshman...need one say more? This team is not as bad as theyve looked the past 2 games, nor as good as they looked the first 3 games. I can tell you there are a few very, very, VERY upset and frustrated young men on the team that are determined to turn things around. I also am tired of reading where the recruits next year will save the program, provide instant winning seasons, provide championships, blah, blah, blah. Really? Dear God people. THIS IS A PROCESS. It takes time. It takes a system. It takes players....PLAYERS....not one or two players. It takes everybody working as a team. It takes chemistry. It takes incredible effort and determination. That is the one thing that bothers me with the last two losses. We have shown ZERO effort, grit, determination, etc. etc, led by Mr Basabe. Simply put, and this comes with a certain amount of fact and certainty, the young man needs an attitude adjustment. Have patience Hawkeye fans. The tide will indeed turn. It's just gonna take some time, and I realize that after years of losing and frustration, that is hard to swallow. GO HAWKEYES!!!
 
BasketballMan said:
HawkeyeJim75 - It's nice to FINALLY read something on this site where somebody is not pushing the panic button, jumping off a bridge, suggesting we have zero talent on the squad, blah, blah, blah. Your comments were pretty much spot on. This is NOT Fran's team at this point. 3 kids on this team were his recruits (Josh, Gabe, Aaron). Each of those kids will indeed be solid, BIG players in time. White has shown signs of being pretty frickin awesome, he's then shown signs of a complete dufus. Josh has shown signs of being a tremendous offensive threat. He's also shown signs of being a moron passing the ball behind his back in a CRITICAL point during the last game resulting in a turnover. Gabe has proven he is a work in process. Simply put...each are freshman...need one say more? This team is not as bad as theyve looked the past 2 games, nor as good as they looked the first 3 games. I can tell you there are a few very, very, VERY upset and frustrated young men on the team that are determined to turn things around. I also am tired of reading where the recruits next year will save the program, provide instant winning seasons, provide championships, blah, blah, blah. Really? Dear God people. THIS IS A PROCESS. It takes time. It takes a system. It takes players....PLAYERS....not one or two players. It takes everybody working as a team. It takes chemistry. It takes incredible effort and determination. That is the one thing that bothers me with the last two losses. We have shown ZERO effort, grit, determination, etc. etc, led by Mr Basabe. Simply put, and this comes with a certain amount of fact and certainty, the young man needs an attitude adjustment. Have patience Hawkeye fans. The tide will indeed turn. It's just gonna take some time, and I realize that after years of losing and frustration, that is hard to swallow. GO HAWKEYES!!!
Click to expand...

I agree but would say you are wrong about who is Frans rwcruits. Basabe and Cartwright are definately Fran's guys.
 
The answer to the question at hand really is easy: Iowa doesn't have the right players yet.

That said, Iowa does have some good players, just not enough of them. Right now it simply comes down to effort and attitude. I really like the way Oglesby plays and he is a good passer when people pay attention, he finds the open guy and he should be playing about 30 minutes a game. If Iowa is going to get nothing out of Archie then it should be Brommer and Olaseni at the 5 position, both are aggressive. I have probably posted somewhere that Basabe could be benched, but it is too early for it, cut his minutes some, but if he is benched now, Iowa may not get anything out of him all season, keep him in for now and see if he can work out of it. If it is true about Cartwright having health issues, bench him until he is fine, not getting a whole lot out of him right now anyway.
It was a total rebuilding project that Fran had at hand here. Nothing was going to happen overnight, but I don't think anyone thought the last two games would go the way they have. There are roadbumps and those have been pretty big ones.
Help in the recruiting area is coming, it sucks that it won't be until next season. Here is the way I look at Iowa's roster shaping up. All the returning players are the fillers around the incoming freshman, except for Oglesby, White and Basabe (given he turns his season around). That is not a bad thing, Fran has had to get basketball players in place first before he could get some stars like Gesell and Woodbury (we hope they turn out to be stars anyway), but along the way, hoping that some players can develop with a lot of hard work. There are players at Iowa that can do that, but time will tell. When Basabe/Marble/McCabe are Seniors, we will know for sure how they all turned out, until then I will continue to support my Hawkeyes everyday.
 
Spare me the "system" talk.. The "right" players for any system are those with more skill and more athletic ability. These players didn't work in Lick's system, and they are not working in Fran's system, either. The simple fact is that this program doesn't currently have the neccessary talent to win. Period.

The "system" is completely irrelevant when you are playing in the Big Ten against bigger, stronger, quicker, and more skilled competition. That might be a little blunt, but I have to call it the way I see it. My hope right now is that the talent disparity will become much less once Woody, Gessell & Co. make it to campus. Until then, I have little hope that we're going to suddenly start rolling if we were outclassed by the likes of Campbell.

Recruiting is the only answer to fix the problem. That, and the recruits getting a year or two of experience under their belts. This isn't going to be an overnight fix.
 
Welcome to Grantland;)

That being said, I expect a year just like the last one. Some great wins, some terrible losses and a record right around .500.

My expectations are not high. But I would like to see a little more effort from a few. I still have faith in this team and in FM.

Like the rest of you, I about had a stroke when I saw the score from the Campbell game crawl across the bottom of the screen. I laughed, I cried, I kicked my dog......then took a deep breath and remembered what this team is. Not good. I love em, but they are not good this year.
 
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