Expectations/Goals for 2021-22 Gophers

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I think this is a fair assessment. 12 wins is kind of a good over/under bench mark. Would be nice to steal 1 big upset at home and to show improvement as the season goes on, far too often we've seen Gopher teams get worse as the season goes on compared to others in the conference. It shouldn't matter what the roster looks like, improvement in player and team development is a big part of Year 1 assessment IMO.
 


1. Preseason: 5-5. I think we lose vs. WKU and then to either Princeton or South Carolina. Also lose @Pitt and @Miss St. Then I think we'll lose to one of the bad teams on the schedule.

2. B1G play: 3-17. I think this probably a little optimistic since there isn't a sure fire win in conference, but we'll manage an upset or two hopefully and maybe beat PSU at the Barn

3. Lose in the 1st Round of the BTT as the #14 seed to the #11 seed.
 

Finish at least 12th in B1G and still be playing in the BTT on Thursday (either by virtue of avoiding weakling Wednesday or winning on Wednesday).
 



Goals: play hard. play smart. show the ability to adjust during games and from game-to-game.
Show improvement from the start of the season to the end of the season. Establish a philosophy and a system, and have all the players buy in.

and my personal #1 goal: NO HERO BALL. play as a team.
 

The truth is that this is such a unique season to be a first year coach. Ben took over a program at a time when players had a free pass to go wherever else they would like. I think it's going to make for a particularly painful first year but I think it might make for a smoother eventual build. We don't have many Pitino guys left.

It's really hard for me to a put a number on it this year. I'd rather see us run a real modern offense, hustle on defense, and win 7 games than get hot playing hero ball a few more times and win 8-10 games. So "style" really matters to me this year.

I'm not going to judge Ben after this year (that doesn't mean I won't point out things I dislike) but it's really hard for me to gauge what are realistic expectations this year.
 

I'll offer a friendly amendment to the goal of "being better at the end of the season" mentioned by so many. I'd like that improvement to be the result of growth of players who will actually be back for the 22-23 season. If the improvement is led by the one year guys, I don't see it having much bearing on what might happen next season. Returning players getting better would offer concrete reason for hope for the future.
 



If the team was 100% healthy to start, yes, this is reasonable.
With Fox and Ihen out, my outlook, 10 wins. Anything more is amazing, I would not be surprised at less.
 

I think the goal should be not to embarrass themselves. Professional hard working coaches and players.
If we have discipline problems, guys quitting in games or leaving the team, guys throwing tantrums, ineligibility, insubordination, off court issues etc then we are off to a very rocky start. Just play hard and don't embarrass the team or school. If that happens, year one is a success.

If wins happen doing that, great! If not, next year the standards and demands are more demanding. We will have benchmarks and realistic comparisons to improve upon.
 





I couldn't care less about wins and losses this season. What I am looking for is both offensive and defensive identity. How will Coaches use the players they have and put them in the best position to highlight their strengths. This is a season to learn the identity of a Ben Johnson coached team. This is the same rope I gave to Richard Pitino, but Richard had past players to build off from. Ben is starting with nothing from last year.
 



MRJ
Please define bad basketball,if loosing is your definition, ok ,but I believe you can play good BB and still loose
THIS TEAM WILL PLAY GOOD BB,whether they can win enough to please you is doubtful.
 


goals and expectations are two different things.

Expecations: Don't finish last as that's always unacceptable. The guys who have eligibility remaining after this year better improve as the season goes along and look like real rotation players for a good team in '22 . Off the court is more important. Need to land impact recruits in the '23 class and find some big time players in the transfer market this Spring. Absolutely cannot punt a second season.

Goals: Above .500 in conference play. It won't happen, but I don't see a point in establishing goals lower than that.
 

Lion King said:
MRJ
Please define bad basketball,if loosing is your definition, ok ,but I believe you can play good BB and still loose
THIS TEAM WILL PLAY GOOD BB,whether they can win enough to please you is doubtful.
Click to expand...
I'll make sure to check in and see if your definition of "good basketball" holds weight in a few months.
 

On paper, when comparing rosters of other scheduled opponents, I have them at 6 or 7 wins at most...In the Big Ten finding a single win would be a moral victory, the matchups overall will be one-sided and not in the Gophers favor...I think the team on a given night will play beyond their ability directed by the leadership of coach Jonson...Hunch also these kids will play their heart out no matter what the win/loss record is in the season.....but... , most of all they need your support....
 



xxxdog said:
On paper, when comparing rosters of other scheduled opponents, I have them at 6 or 7 wins at most...In the Big Ten finding a single win would be a moral victory, the matchups overall will be one-sided and not in the Gophers favor...I think the team on a given night will play beyond their ability directed by the leadership of coach Jonson...Hunch also these kids will play their heart out no matter what the win/loss record is in the season.....but... , most of all they need your support....
Click to expand...
This is why I see the current team as a 10 win team. We just don’t have the talent, that’s okay. I just want to see if this staff can develop these kids.

if so, that will pay huge dividends with recruiting.

development also means when we get an influx of better talent, the overall outlook should be good.
 

Double digit wins and the semblance of a competent offensive system would be a good start.
 




EG#9 said:
goals and expectations are two different things.

Expecations: Don't finish last as that's always unacceptable. The guys who have eligibility remaining after this year better improve as the season goes along and look like real rotation players for a good team in '22 . Off the court is more important. Need to land impact recruits in the '23 class and find some big time players in the transfer market this Spring. Absolutely cannot punt a second season.

Goals: Above .500 in conference play. It won't happen, but I don't see a point in establishing goals lower than that.
Click to expand...
The gophers have played 24 seasons since the final four run. In the time they have 3 conference records above 500, 3 conference records at 500, and 18 conference records under 500.

If they get 500 out of this miserable roster Ben Johnson will be coach of the year in the Big Ten and should receive a lifetime contract extension.
 
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