Atl Gopher
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- May 28, 2010
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I am watching the replay of the last regular season game with Penn State. This game symbolizes our last 10 or so games. I am home this week recovering from hip replacement surgery, so some observations and thoughts:
• Guard play was atrocious. With 3 freshmen guards and a shooter (Hoff) trying to play point, it was understandable. The 3 struggled to finish when they penetrated and other than Hoff, could not hit a big 3 pointer. With some bright exceptions the 3 could not hit an outside shot in general.
o With the loss of Nolan and the defection of Devoe we lacked anyone that could consistently bring the ball up the floor and distribute the ball inside. After Devoe’s finish in 2009-2010, I thought he could have been our best player, so this was a huge loss. When the 3 did distribute, the results were quite positive. Austin has the ability to hit the outside shot and the other 2 guards now have gained some not anticipated extremely valuable experience. They will be better this year. We have added 2 other guards that will add to our depth at the point position and are arguably our most talented guards going into this season. We have added a 3rd guard in Joe who may surprise a lot of people this year. He can hit the outside shot. We lose Hoff but we will have several options this year (as compared only one last season who can hit the 3) so I look for our performance overall in this area to be improved.
o The biggest question here is do we have that go-to guy that can make things happen with that outside shot? Andre, Austin, Joe, Otto, Julian and others may not be that person that can take over a game just yet. If one of them steps up or Rodney can finally lives up to expectations then, WOW!
• Free throw shooting overall was poor and often was the difference in losing games last year. Chip will have to dramatically improve in this area or he will find himself on the bench in a clean-up role.
o I believe that all 3 guards added will be much stronger free throw shooters than we have had in the past. Otto will see a lot of time on the floor and that will add to our improved free throw shooting. Hopefully, Mo will recover and although he only took 10 free throws last year, I think he will be an improvement over Iverson. Trevor needs to improve in this area most of all but I believe he will. I could see us adding 4 to 5 more points per game just through improved free throw shooting.
• Tubby loves defense. Tubby loves to press. With the loss of 3 players (including Mo) during the year, he lacked the depth to make the kinds of substitutions that would allow him to press the way he likes. With the loss of Nolan we lost our most talented person in this area and one of the best steal leaders in the country.
o We will have depth this year. We will have depth at the guard position. I don’t know if we will have the lock-down defender like Al or Damian but our depth will allow us to press and steal.
• We could be one of the best rebounding teams in America this year. Trevor should be one of the best in the country and Ralph will be better. Now add a healthy Mo, Elliot (who Tubby has repeatedly said has excited him during his red-shirt year), Andre Ingram, Rodney stepping up, and Chris. We lose only Iverson and although he rebounded okay, I felt he was completely lost most of the year.
• We were in most of our games down the stretch but lacked the player that could control the game in the end. With our lack of depth we seemed to run out of steam in almost every game. This will simply not be an issue this coming season.
• I can’t wait to see Rodney this year.
• Ralph came back and he knows what he has to do to play at the next level. Sometimes it takes longer for some of us to mature. I think Ralph will be one of the top players in the Big Ten this year. He has all of the tools.
• Trevor came back and that alone gives us hope for a great season this year.
I am very excited about this upcoming season. We have a great coach who will finally have a team that he can coach up. With all of the issues we have faced over the past two years behind us, we are due. I can’t wait for November and I am not taking any of the strong medications prescribed by my Surgeon while I recuperate from my surgery.
• Guard play was atrocious. With 3 freshmen guards and a shooter (Hoff) trying to play point, it was understandable. The 3 struggled to finish when they penetrated and other than Hoff, could not hit a big 3 pointer. With some bright exceptions the 3 could not hit an outside shot in general.
o With the loss of Nolan and the defection of Devoe we lacked anyone that could consistently bring the ball up the floor and distribute the ball inside. After Devoe’s finish in 2009-2010, I thought he could have been our best player, so this was a huge loss. When the 3 did distribute, the results were quite positive. Austin has the ability to hit the outside shot and the other 2 guards now have gained some not anticipated extremely valuable experience. They will be better this year. We have added 2 other guards that will add to our depth at the point position and are arguably our most talented guards going into this season. We have added a 3rd guard in Joe who may surprise a lot of people this year. He can hit the outside shot. We lose Hoff but we will have several options this year (as compared only one last season who can hit the 3) so I look for our performance overall in this area to be improved.
o The biggest question here is do we have that go-to guy that can make things happen with that outside shot? Andre, Austin, Joe, Otto, Julian and others may not be that person that can take over a game just yet. If one of them steps up or Rodney can finally lives up to expectations then, WOW!
• Free throw shooting overall was poor and often was the difference in losing games last year. Chip will have to dramatically improve in this area or he will find himself on the bench in a clean-up role.
o I believe that all 3 guards added will be much stronger free throw shooters than we have had in the past. Otto will see a lot of time on the floor and that will add to our improved free throw shooting. Hopefully, Mo will recover and although he only took 10 free throws last year, I think he will be an improvement over Iverson. Trevor needs to improve in this area most of all but I believe he will. I could see us adding 4 to 5 more points per game just through improved free throw shooting.
• Tubby loves defense. Tubby loves to press. With the loss of 3 players (including Mo) during the year, he lacked the depth to make the kinds of substitutions that would allow him to press the way he likes. With the loss of Nolan we lost our most talented person in this area and one of the best steal leaders in the country.
o We will have depth this year. We will have depth at the guard position. I don’t know if we will have the lock-down defender like Al or Damian but our depth will allow us to press and steal.
• We could be one of the best rebounding teams in America this year. Trevor should be one of the best in the country and Ralph will be better. Now add a healthy Mo, Elliot (who Tubby has repeatedly said has excited him during his red-shirt year), Andre Ingram, Rodney stepping up, and Chris. We lose only Iverson and although he rebounded okay, I felt he was completely lost most of the year.
• We were in most of our games down the stretch but lacked the player that could control the game in the end. With our lack of depth we seemed to run out of steam in almost every game. This will simply not be an issue this coming season.
• I can’t wait to see Rodney this year.
• Ralph came back and he knows what he has to do to play at the next level. Sometimes it takes longer for some of us to mature. I think Ralph will be one of the top players in the Big Ten this year. He has all of the tools.
• Trevor came back and that alone gives us hope for a great season this year.
I am very excited about this upcoming season. We have a great coach who will finally have a team that he can coach up. With all of the issues we have faced over the past two years behind us, we are due. I can’t wait for November and I am not taking any of the strong medications prescribed by my Surgeon while I recuperate from my surgery.
