I understand players will quite giving max effort for a play, a game, or even the rest of a lost season. But I just don't see how a player that has made it that far in their career can have such a bad season do to one problem, then not do anything to fix it the following season.
One thing's for sure, the lack of effort was obvious so it will be clear if I'm wrong pretty early.
Northside Hawk
Well-Known Member
When the coach has demonstrated that he will play eleven or twelve players, that in theory should discourage players even more from giving anything other than max effort. If a player can't give it and viable options are available they should sit and watch-period.
I, for one, was more of an effort guy when I was younger (baseball and cross country) than a talent guy. I can't imagine a division 1 athlete not giving effort. I would have killed for their talent. Plus all the work they put into it, the sacrifice?
lightning1
Well-Known Member
Because they've been getting away with it their entire lives. And they keep getting playing time. They keep getting starts. They keep getting scholarship offers. If they put half as much time into being good defenders as they did in their offensive skill set, last season never would have happened.
Sooner or later the competition matches or exceeds your talents and you're deficiencies are exposed. Those deficiencies for this group of players, happen to be defense. I'm not saying they won't do anything this off season, to attempt to correct the problems. They might. It's hard work to practice it. It's harder work to play it in games against equal or superior talent. You have to be mentally tough to go out and bust your ass doing something in a game that goes largely unappreciated by the masses.
Then you have to have coaches that hold you accountable for those changes. I'm not sure we have that coach on our bench.
Jason Rann
Well-Known Member
Wrong. Your statement is nothing short of trolling. To make a blanket statement that nothing will change and it will look a lot like last year is very simple-minded.
BigD
Well-Known Member
1.5-2 won’t be good for the team.
The mistake he made over and over again last season was trying to go up against two defenders instead of looking for who wasn’t guarded and who was open. That leads to resentment from the other players.
If he had an open pathway to the basket and two guys try to collapse on him that’s one thing, but trying to force up a shot against two players who already have position on you is selfish and stupid. Hopefully he matures and includes his teammates when opportunities occur. Otherwise it could be another long season. With the offensive talent that is on this team there is no reason for anyone to be a ball hog.
Assume the role of a leader.
Learn to shoot a jump shot.
Give maximum effort. (role of a leader)
Develop a post move.
Play defense (I know it isn't fun and is a lot of work)
Focus on avoiding another season of embarrassment, not the NBA.
Learn the value of the pass to an open player.
Learn to pick and roll the proper way.
Box out, someone, anyone. (I know it isn't fun and is a lot of work)
Help out on defense. (I know it isn't fun and is a lot of work)
Don't go through the motions when things don't go right.
Let's start with that...
Learn to shoot a jump shot.
Give maximum effort. (role of a leader)
Develop a post move.
Play defense (I know it isn't fun and is a lot of work)
Focus on avoiding another season of embarrassment, not the NBA.
Learn the value of the pass to an open player.
Learn to pick and roll the proper way.
Box out, someone, anyone. (I know it isn't fun and is a lot of work)
Help out on defense. (I know it isn't fun and is a lot of work)
Don't go through the motions when things don't go right.
Let's start with that...
Northside Hawk
Well-Known Member
Stay out of foul trouble, which would be easier if he gave more defensive effort.
1hawkeye1
Well-Known Member
I'm actually a little nervous about this. I think he wants the NBA so bad he can taste it. I'm also afraid that he is going to put his stats over the good of the team. He was a human turnover machine last year.
If winning is his priority and he lets the game come to him, he'll be fine. If it's all about him...
If winning is his priority and he lets the game come to him, he'll be fine. If it's all about him...
I'm actually a little nervous about this. I think he wants the NBA so bad he can taste it. I'm also afraid that he is going to put his stats over the good of the team. He was a human turnover machine last year.
If winning is his priority and he lets the game come to him, he'll be fine. If it's all about him...
I don't think we have to worry about that. I think he's been told that the scouts want to see what he's capable of on defense and how smart he can be on offense. His numbers from last year would have gotten him in the NBA if he was a beast down low on defense, made smart plays on offense, and took the team to the tournament. Counterintuitively, he could well be the beneficiary of his own selflessness. Making opposing defenses have to account for all the shooters he could pass to by actually passing to them would significantly open up the post for him. Get that balance going on offense and its pretty darn hard to stop.
Knight78
Well-Known Member
To put that in perspective, Jordan was 4th in the Big 10 in assists as a freshman (with an assist to turnover ratio of 2.10) and 2nd as a sophomore (with an assist to turnover ration of 2.62). Last year, the leader in assists in the Big 10 averaged 6.8 assists per game. I agree that having a power forward who doesn't handle the ball that much and that we don't run our offense through average 7 a game is unrealistic.
Haha, okay now you really are sounding like a cyclone or husker fan by accusing me of trolling because of my skepticism.
We've been terrible on defense the past two seasons, finishing 301 and 317 and return nearly all of the same contributors from those two years, and some things like Bohannon and Garza's lack of quickness, or Fran's flawed defensive philosophy are unlikely to change. For those reasons, yes I think it's fair we have a similar season to last year especially considering how down the BIG was overall last year.
I actually think you should 100% buy that he's not a good defensive coach. 2013-2016 is the Woodbury years. Now I never gave the kid enough credit on D, but clearly he was a driving factor in the success on defense of those teams. IMO I think it's clear that Fran is fine when he recruits defensive players, but he cannot coach players to play good defense.
Defensive Eff with Woodbury: 24th, 77th, 34th, 30th
Defensive Eff without: 56, 205, 123, 242
NikeHawk21
Well-Known Member
So if a team is good at defense it’s because the players are good not because of Fran’s coaching.
But if a team is bad a defense it’s because Fran is not good at coaching not because of the players.
Seems fair.
MelroseHawkins
Well-Known Member
To kick ass.
No, Fran is fine when he recruits good defenders. He's not when he has to coach them up or recruits guys physically unable to defend well. I don't think that's unfair at all and I think the data shows it.
lightning1
Well-Known Member
It should be obvious to anyone that understands basic team defense and then watches Fran's teams. If Fran prioritized coaching team defense each and every season, the fundamentals would be there each and every season. Regardless of what players are in the program. Fran's teams don't play fundamentally sound team defense and they never have, in his time here. So, I think it's safe to say that the massive fluctuation in defensive numbers under Fran, from year to year, strongly reflect the defensive ability of the individual players. Or lack there of.
MWS604
Well-Known Member
As I have posted on a few occasions, Cook led the team in turnovers with 82, JBo was next at 68. Your last paragraph describes how he got many of those TOs. My concern is this stat may be even worse this year if his focus is on personal goals instead of team goals.
MWS604
Well-Known Member
Great picture! He sure can dunk.
lightning1
Well-Known Member
Yep. Our entire back court had a negative defensive box +/- for last season. Lots of "doggin it" to go around.
Bohannon: -3.4
Ellingson: -2.2
Moss: -2.0
Dailey: -1.6
Connor: -1.5
No other Iowa player had a negative defensive box +/-. Except Charlie Rose but he didn't play minutes in significant contests.
