underwhelmed by Atwood's videos

[1977Hawkeye]

I've come to have no optimism in our recruiting the top players. Fran just can't quite seem to get over the hump in these 2 or 3 team battles for players. If Huff goes through with his Michigan visit, you gotta think we'll lose that one too.

Kind of the way I've come to feel. Fran's done a nice job at getting local players (Woodbury, Gesell, Oglesby) or players that commit early in the process (Meyer, Hutton, etc.) but when it comes down to a highly touted player that is neither of these, we sure do seem to come in 2nd place a lot.

Granted, Iowa wasn't even in the conversation when Lick was our coach, and at least we're coming close now.. So I guess we can be encouraged by that. But it doesn't help if you don't seal the deal.. When it comes to recruiting, if you don't come in first, you come in last. ASU is getting Atwood, Iowa and FSU aren't. Period.

 

[okeefe4prez]

Kind of the way I've come to feel. Fran's done a nice job at getting local players (Woodbury, Gesell, Oglesby) or players that commit early in the process (Meyer, Hutton, etc.) but when it comes down to a highly touted player that is neither of these, we sure do seem to come in 2nd place a lot.

Granted, Iowa wasn't even in the conversation when Lick was our coach, and at least we're coming close now.. So I guess we can be encouraged by that. But it doesn't help if you don't seal the deal.. When it comes to recruiting, if you don't come in first, you come in last. ASU is getting Atwood, Iowa and FSU aren't. Period.

You know why I'm not worried? Fran has something no other coach has - a system. The system alone is good for 15 wins.

 

[Tmoney12]

You know why I'm not worried? Fran has something no other coach has - a system. The system alone is good for 15 wins.

Just like Bo. However, the B1G officials refuse to follow the rules, which damages Fran's system. If refs were even somewhat competent this season, I was an Elite 8 team.

As the refs adjust to the new rules, watch Fran's system start to dominate the conference.

 

[Hawknigh]

You know why I'm not worried? Fran has something no other coach has - a system. The system alone is good for 15 wins.

Just having a pulse should be good for 10 wins.

 

[hawkdrummer1]

If RDM didn't become the start, middle and end of our offense... and team chemistry had gelled... we would have won 3-4 more games, and at least one game in the NCAA and none of this angst would be occurring about our talent. Handing the team over to Marble last season (despite "feeling" like the right thing to do as a reward to Dev) was Fran's biggest mistake since taking the job.

We have guys who can score next season. If Fran can't morph the offense in a way that gets the shots for the right players...in the right places... he's not the coach we thought he'd be.

It's not "a player" ...it's putting what we have together effectively.

 

[Benddontbreak]

I've come to have no optimism in our recruiting the top players. Fran just can't quite seem to get over the hump in these 2 or 3 team battles for players. If Huff goes through with his Michigan visit, you gotta think we'll lose that one too.

Can’t disagree with that. However I do think we’ll get over the hump. Just a matter of time - maybe 2 or 3 years in a row in the ncaa’s, or an elite 8 run will spark it. Its amazing the amount of credibility coaches build with 1 or 2 good tournaments, and I think that is really important for someone like Fran who hasn’t been on the high major scene very long.

We have a good chance to sign 2 top 150 players for the 2015 class, and probably another one already in Pemsl for the 2016 class.

 

[PCHawk]

If RDM didn't become the start, middle and end of our offense... and team chemistry had gelled... we would have won 3-4 more games, and at least one game in the NCAA and none of this angst would be occurring about our talent. Handing the team over to Marble last season (despite "feeling" like the right thing to do as a reward to Dev) was Fran's biggest mistake since taking the job.

We have guys who can score next season. If Fran can't morph the offense in a way that gets the shots for the right players...in the right places... he's not the coach we thought he'd be.

It's not "a player" ...it's putting what we have together effectively.[/QUOTE


Marble probably has the fewest shot attempts in the history of "ball hogs". When a player has the ability to get a shot off every single time down the floor, you would think he would average a lot more shots per game if the start, middle, and end of the offense ran through him.

 

[jacknicholson]

Lot of good stuff on here. In the videos Willie certainly seemed to have the mid range jumpshot down well, never missed a shot, didn't even miss a free throw. Devyn had a decent mid range jumpshot and couldn't get his shot off very well in the Big, so he dribbled the ball around while the shot clock wound down. Probably would have been the same with Willie. We could have used him off the bench. One of our best players was the cheerleader who is now gone. He was the highlight of many games, if only the team played with such enthusiasm the entire game.....

Intramural games remind me of my freshman year at Dowling. I was on the honor roll every time and looked like a nerd at the time with my horn rimmed glasses. After our first intramural game, Father Kelly asked who won. Someone said we did. He asked who was the leading scorer, he was told Jack scored 14 points. He was somewhat surprised, then he heard about me sitting on top of the bleachers, out of the game for a little bit. Someone from the other team stole the ball and was headed for an uncontested layup. I jumped off the bleacher and blocked his shot cleanly, no foul, I tipped it to one of our players, jumped on top of the bleachers and the game went on. Father Kelly said; Excellent work, Jack....

As far as Fran and the Iowa program is progressing, I have faith, and have seen how we can play, especially at the end of the third season for Fran. We really missed the leadership of Eric May. No one can deny that there have been surprises even during the first Fran year. Beating Michigan State at Carver by 20 or so, beating #4 Purdue the last game of the regular season. Jaryd Cole has been sorely missed ever since. We need a dominant beastly power forward/center, or a change of attitude. If they are going to call tickey tacky fouls on us when we are being slammed around with no calls, we need to change those tickey tacky fouls to slamming the opponent on the floor along with the ball. No more baskets plus one.....

I want Fran to offer Ssckelley, he got game....

It is only a matter of time, there has been improvement every year, remember, no matter how badly we ended the season we were ranked in the top 25 until the end of the regular season, after we lost our last regular season game/loss we fell out of the top 25. Apparently the "experts" considered us a quality team the entire season, even though it was painful for the fans.....

I have a feeling that the new blood coming in will bring talent and enthusiasm. Dickerson, Uhl and Ellingson look like solid players. Ellingson's videos remind me of Ben Brust's high school videos.....

 

[Tmoney12]

It is only a matter of time, there has been improvement every year, remember, no matter how badly we ended the season we were ranked in the top 25 until the end of the regular season, after we lost our last regular season game/loss we fell out of the top 25. Apparently the "experts" considered us a quality team the entire season, even though it was painful for the fans.....

Remember, polls don't matter, except for when they do...

 

[jacknicholson]

Remember, polls don't matter, except for when they do...

How true is is, T.....

 

[Tierney]

How true is is, T.....

I would of rather had Nzei than Atwood. Iowa was recruiting Nzei a long time before Atwoods name even came up. I wonder if Nzei is having a hard time qualifying since he is a transfer from Africa. We could use a guy like Nzei thats a rebounding machine with a non-stop motor.

 

[ArvadaHawk]

If RDM didn't become the start, middle and end of our offense... and team chemistry had gelled... we would have won 3-4 more games, and at least one game in the NCAA and none of this angst would be occurring about our talent. Handing the team over to Marble last season (despite "feeling" like the right thing to do as a reward to Dev) was Fran's biggest mistake since taking the job.


Drummer, certainly RDM did a lot of dribbling and quite often, he was the offense. However, I wouldn't categorize it has Fran handing the team over to RDM. There were many, many, many times last season I would get frustrated because Uthoff or White would not take an open mid-range shot. I think, if anything, RDM & Fran felt like no one else "wanted" to take shots, so the strategy became give RDM the ball and go one on one. There certainly were times last season when RDM would have minimal scoring impact in the first half, but others would be scoring and RDM would be getting assists. I think RDM's role of dominating offensive posessions "became" a requirement because others were too passive.

 

[ArvadaHawk]

I would of rather had Nzei than Atwood. Iowa was recruiting Nzei a long time before Atwoods name even came up. I wonder if Nzei is having a hard time qualifying since he is a transfer from Africa. We could use a guy like Nzei thats a rebounding machine with a non-stop motor.

This decision, to me, comes down to what is needed the most. For me, I wanted Atwood because he could fill an immediate need at the 4 (if White isn't going to make taking the mid-range jumper his priority and make a high %, our offense will suffer considerably, again). Nzei would be a project, and I don't think we have the luxury of time to find another player to play the 4. As it stands right now, we have no one to play the 4 in 2015. And White isn't a traditional 4, anyway; particularly on defense.

 

[hawkdrummer1]

If RDM didn't become the start, middle and end of our offense... and team chemistry had gelled... we would have won 3-4 more games, and at least one game in the NCAA and none of this angst would be occurring about our talent. Handing the team over to Marble last season (despite "feeling" like the right thing to do as a reward to Dev) was Fran's biggest mistake since taking the job.

Drummer, certainly RDM did a lot of dribbling and quite often, he was the offense. However, I wouldn't categorize it has Fran handing the team over to RDM. There were many, many, many times last season I would get frustrated because Uthoff or White would not take an open mid-range shot. I think, if anything, RDM & Fran felt like no one else "wanted" to take shots, so the strategy became give RDM the ball and go one on one. There certainly were times last season when RDM would have minimal scoring impact in the first half, but others would be scoring and RDM would be getting assists. I think RDM's role of dominating offensive posessions "became" a requirement because others were too passive.

Good points. I guess that will always be the question... how did our offense get to the point it did, last season? Chicken/egg kinda thing. Did Marble take so many shots because nobody else would.... or did other guys stop looking for their offense because Marble took so many shots and was ID'd as the "go to guy".

I have to think Fran had something to do with the Marble-heavy approach. But it drove me nuts too, watching White pass up open shots.

 

[Tierney]

Good points. I guess that will always be the question... how did our offense get to the point it did, last season? Chicken/egg kinda thing. Did Marble take so many shots because nobody else would.... or did other guys stop looking for their offense because Marble took so many shots and was ID'd as the "go to guy".

I have to think Fran had something to do with the Marble-heavy approach. But it drove me nuts too, watching White pass up open shots.

I think Woodbury, Uthoff, and Jok are going to be much improved next year. Iowa should be a lot more diversified in their offense next year. It wasn't really until toward the end of Woodburys sophomore year that he really started to come on offensively. Iowa is going to have a lot of guys that can score. They are getting better every year.

 

[ArvadaHawk]

I think Woodbury, Uthoff, and Jok are going to be much improved next year. Iowa should be a lot more diversified in their offense next year. It wasn't really until toward the end of Woodburys sophomore year that he really started to come on offensively. Iowa is going to have a lot of guys that can score. They are getting better every year.

As good as RDM is, I do agree that Iowa's offense "should" be better/more diversified without him. Addition by subtraction: these guys have no choice but to start scoring; or we'll suck big-time.

 

[BrueCrew3]

I think Woodbury, Uthoff, and Jok are going to be much improved next year. Iowa should be a lot more diversified in their offense next year. It wasn't really until toward the end of Woodburys sophomore year that he really started to come on offensively. Iowa is going to have a lot of guys that can score. They are getting better every year.

I may have mentioned this before but I'll say it again: I'm reminded of Brett Favre, Sterling Sharpe, and the Green Bay Packers. Sharpe was Favre's go to guy for the first few years of his career. Once Sharpe's career was ended, Favre was forced to go to other options and he spread the ball around more, making him a better QB and the Packers a legitimate Super Bowl contender.

Fast forward to 2014-15. While Marble was great for the Hawks, his absence should (hopefully) make more then one individual step up.

Just my $.02 .. ..

GO HAWKS!!!

 

[jacknicholson]

If RDM didn't become the start, middle and end of our offense... and team chemistry had gelled... we would have won 3-4 more games, and at least one game in the NCAA and none of this angst would be occurring about our talent. Handing the team over to Marble last season (despite "feeling" like the right thing to do as a reward to Dev) was Fran's biggest mistake since taking the job.


Drummer, certainly RDM did a lot of dribbling and quite often, he was the offense. However, I wouldn't categorize it has Fran handing the team over to RDM. There were many, many, many times last season I would get frustrated because Uthoff or White would not take an open mid-range shot. I think, if anything, RDM & Fran felt like no one else "wanted" to take shots, so the strategy became give RDM the ball and go one on one. There certainly were times last season when RDM would have minimal scoring impact in the first half, but others would be scoring and RDM would be getting assists. I think RDM's role of dominating offensive posessions "became" a requirement because others were too passive.

Whether by coach command or Devyn simply taking over, other than McCabe every Hawk player was reluctant to shoot, even Devyn would pass up shots he normally have taken. Josh Oglesby and Jarud Uthoff should have taken open threes when they were in one of their sweet spots. They were our two best three point shooters most of the season between 40 and 50% at one time. Gesell can shoot but sometime forces the issue and passes up a lot of open shots that he could have made. We need to shoot when open without hesitation especially when in one's spot, which a good point guard knows and gets the ball to the player when he is is in position, on the run or standing in place.....

Nothing against Devyn whom without we would not have been as good a team as we were ever since he took over after Cully's injury.....

We have two natural three point shooters on the team right now in Jo and Jok along with Uthoff. We are bringing in Trey and Brady who can especially light it up. If, a huge if, they are on this year, Watch out, the middle will be open for our forwards and centers to do damage. I do believe we will be quicker with the new recruits and will be a difficult win for our opponents.....

It's payback time, Fran and the team are aware of this and Hawk Pride, along with intensity and concentration with the relentless D we have been capable of in the past should spell trouble for the opposition.....

Absolute Homerism, no excuses....