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Post by sweep on Jan 30, 2019 10:08:20 GMT -6
I thought this was probably best placed under the "Whitford Performance" thread, but Rob has moved that in such a delightful direction I didn't want to sully it with talk of Ball State basketball. So, some thoughts that have been percolating ... 1. Has Whitford checked out? I've certainly gotten the impression that he would have bolted after the past couple of seasons if he had the chance, but maybe he was pointing toward this year, which seemed like it might be a good one. Now that it's turned the other direction and he's seen any hope of moving on and up wither and die, is he just coaching out the string? If so, I guess it might not be a bad thing. If he wants out of Muncie bad enough, he might just be willing to leave on his own. With his contacts, I'm sure he could still manage an assistant job at a bigger program. Actually might be the best way for him to have a hope of reviving his coaching reputation since the roster for next year isn't immediately inspiring. 2. How much do we miss Peters and Thornton? I've never thought a head coach had to do it all as long as he surrounded himself with a staff that could fill in where he was weak. Perhaps Botts and Crenshaw have not done a good job of filling the shoes of our departed assistants. 3. Why did we recruit KJ Walton? That is ... why did we recruit KJ Walton if we're not going to use his talents. OK, he's got issues, I know, but he should be a nightmare for most MAC teams. But from the little I've seen we don't seem to do anything to take advantage of his specific skills. If it's not him driving on his own, or making a steal, getting a rebound or getting out on the break, he really gets nothing from the coaching staff. It's like telling Tom Brady to just hand the damn ball off to the RB every play. 4. Are Persons and Moses going to be the latest in line of Whitford coached seniors to have disappointing senior campaigns? Moses' stats are down slightly from last year and Persons is actually about the same as last year except for his horrid assist/turnover ratio in conference play, so it's not like they've become the Jeremiah Davis, Jeremie Tyler or Francis Kiapway of this year, but ... even guys like Sellers, Weber and House seemed to struggle a lot as seniors. Why aren't our guys playing their best ball in their final season? Even if you say Persons' stats are similar to last year, he clearly does not seem to be the player he was last year. He certainly doesn't appear to have become the on-the-floor leader this team needs. 5. The more I watch this team, the more convinced I become that the main problem is still the coach. Yes, we do not have the athletes Buffalo has but we do not lack ability. It's just not handled correctly. Teague is grossly misused. I think Persons and Moses could be vastly better with a coach who maybe demanded some different styles of play. I've already mentioned Walton. And tonight we see that possibly Huggins has been wasted on the bench for most of the season. I'm not suggesting he should be starting but for him to have played more than 10 minutes in a game only twice this year ... especially in the games since Hazen has been out ... is just freakin' crazy. The kid is gonna make some bad plays, but it's not like he's not worthy of 10-15 minutes a game. On top of those questions I have ask what, in general has Whits recruiting philosophy been....... What don't you understand about recruiting six wing/3's who can't shoot or defend a folding chair ?
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Post by bsu0 on Jan 30, 2019 10:37:49 GMT -6
"It is what it is''. Do not get upset over a bunch of teenagers playing a sport. Your well being is worth a hellava lot more than that. Sorry guys but the bottom line is that we are not that good and we are not getting better. Get over it.
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Post by CallingBS on Jan 30, 2019 10:57:32 GMT -6
Did anyone see my post from a week ago? We had 26 assists and 61 turnovers in the four games leading up to the OU game on Saturday. Add another 18 assists and 35 turnovers from Saturday and tonight combined and our six game numbers are 44 assists and 96 TURNOVERS. That is fundamentally horrid and speaks to a lack of coaching or talent or both. That tends to happen when you haven't recruited a true PG in 6 years, especially when you haven't recruited ANY guards who can really handle the ball. Add in the fact that our passing and screen setting are extremely meh (kinda like Honda commercial - a great anthem for BSU basketball), and you have a real pathetic brand of basketball.
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Post by cardfan on Jan 30, 2019 11:12:27 GMT -6
To think just a few weeks ago we had rolled Toledo at Toledo and we were on a roll. Blowing the emu game really sent us spinning. As even whit says, we don’t react well to things not going well.
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Post by realitycheck on Jan 30, 2019 12:31:19 GMT -6
I think Reevo's assessment from a week or so ago is spot on. In the non-con portion of your schedule, opponents aren't really scouting you that deeply and may be experimenting with different line-ups, different sets, etc. Once you get into league play not only do you have lots of film and experience playing against your foes, but you're scouting to discover trends and take away what your opponents do well. In addition, by the time you get to game 15 and start league play, you are who you are. Clearly, who we are is a team that has quickness limitations, a short bench and the scouting report on us is pressure us, especially our guards, speed us up and make us play one-on-one. Self implosion will follow.
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Post by cardfan on Jan 30, 2019 12:34:59 GMT -6
I think Reevo's assessment from a week or so ago is spot on. In the non-con portion of your schedule, opponents aren't really scouting you that deeply and may be experimenting with different line-ups, different sets, etc. Once you get into league play not only do you have lots of film and experience playing against your foes, but you're scouting to discover trends and take away what your opponents do well. In addition, by the time you get to game 15 and start league play, you are who you are. Clearly, who we are is a team that has quickness limitations, a short bench and the scouting report on us is pressure us, especially our guards, speed us up and make us play one-on-one. Self implosion will follow. You mean like every season under whit?
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Post by williamtsherman on Jan 30, 2019 12:54:09 GMT -6
Ok, I'll grant you all that. But you're forgetting one thing...it works both ways! Doesn't it?
I mean Whitford is just as capable of watching film, spotting weaknesses and formulating game plans as the opposing coaches are. Right?
Isn't he?
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Post by realitycheck on Jan 30, 2019 13:01:21 GMT -6
From what I heard on the Monday radio show last week, apparently we are far more focused on doing us and not what our opponent does. That is paraphrased but essentially what he said. I get that you have to execute what you do well and it's your opponents job to stop you. For Buffalo, like our teams in 88-90, it is stop us if you can and here we come. Now it's, stop us if you can or if not we'll see what we can do for you.
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Post by redbirdman on Jan 30, 2019 13:06:52 GMT -6
Whitford continually in my opinion gets out coached. I don't think he has the ability to change the way his team plays both on offense & defense. So when other teams change their play at half times we never adjust. We certainly lack a point guard. Persons is a shooter who at this point in the season is wore down from handling the ball. I will say that the next ten games are all winnable but I will be pleasantly surprised if we win half of them. (That's with Moses playing as he was)
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Post by bsu0 on Jan 30, 2019 13:13:52 GMT -6
In a conversation I had with an official from IU on why Crean was fired, he said it was quite simple. IU was NEVER a better team in the second half of any game they played. Crean could not adjust during the game from his decided upon strategy. Looks like it is the same for us. Whit does not adjust any during a game.
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Post by cardfan on Jan 30, 2019 13:14:39 GMT -6
Ok, I'll grant you all that. But you're forgetting one thing...it works both ways! Doesn't it? I mean Whitford is just as capable of watching film, spotting weaknesses and formulating game plans as the opposing coaches are. Right? Isn't he? Whit can cite you analytics about opponents out the wazoo. But evidently he cannot teach his team how to counter whatever the data show. Or doesn’t try to? Again, as Persons says, “whit let’s us do us.”
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Post by reevo on Jan 30, 2019 13:27:14 GMT -6
Good Lord I am embarrassed this dude is part of the coaching profession. Talk about a lazy man's approach to teaching. He knows only one way. Our kids are not athletic enough or are they skilled enough to play the way he wants to play. Hell it is easy for his buddy at Arizona to get kids to play in this system when you are consistently getting top 40 talent at every position. You are seeing the same knock on Archie down at IU. No adjustments and a team that won't win if they can't get to the rim because offensively everything they do is based on dribble drive and little to no movement away from the ball. It is hope you beat your man to the basket and if you draw help, you kick to an open shooter. Problem is IU does not have great shooters or a solid inside player to take pressure off. Sound familiar? Very flawed philosophy particularly at the Mid Major level if you are not getting guys like Oates is getting at Buffalo.
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Post by cardfan on Jan 30, 2019 13:40:08 GMT -6
Archie has found a way to stop a McDonald’s all American. Problem is that player, Romero Langford, is his player. Whit tends to do the same to his guys. Isn’t able to put them in the best situations to maximize talents. Another knock on Archie that sounds familiar? His team too often is lethargic and sleepwalks and has poor fundamentals. They come from the same coaching trees.
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Post by rmcalhoun on Jan 30, 2019 15:40:01 GMT -6
So what we are seeing is that sean miller coaching tree might be a crab apple
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Post by JacksonStreetElite on Jan 30, 2019 15:55:12 GMT -6
Archie has found a way to stop a McDonald’s all American. Problem is that player, Romero Langford, is his player. Whit tends to do the same to his guys. Isn’t able to put them in the best situations to maximize talents. Another knock on Archie that sounds familiar? His team too often is lethargic and sleepwalks and has poor fundamentals. They come from the same coaching trees. Kiapway is the prime example in my mind of a player developed by Whit. Spent his senior year totally unproductive and apparently didn't even care about it.
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