Ben Johnson is a Disaster

Johnson is 7-39 against Q1/Q2 competition.
19 of his 34 wins are against Q4 competition.

If there was ever a year to show his worth it was going to be this year, with a charmin soft schedule and a down B1G.

We are improved, but if anyone would have said that when he was hired, they'd be satisfied with being a fringe top 100 team mid-way through his 3rd season, you're lying to yourself or a CBJ apologist.
 


If Danny Sprinkle can get the job done in Utah State in YEAR 1, why can't we get it done. Or Maybe we need to leave the Big Ten.

He's a proven winner who knows what he's doing. Dude took Montana State to back-to-back tournaments. When they had only been to three in their history. And he wasn't scared to challenge himself in the non-conference.
 







If Danny Sprinkle can get the job done in Utah State in YEAR 1, why can't we get it done. Or Maybe we need to leave the Big Ten.
It sure seems that way on here at times, a program is supposed to build off of the previous regime

I have seen a decline since Tubby in both terms of recruiting and in game performance. Some on here would ask for your patience during our building period. I feel a softness towards BJ that I never felt in either of the previous regimes.
 



On this particular night Ben Johnson got totally and completely schooled by the opposing coach. It looked like McCaffrey had a system to get his players easy buckets (time and time again) and Ben did not.
Have we ever seen Ben make adjustments in Big Ten games and be successful?
 


On this particular night Ben Johnson got totally and completely schooled by the opposing coach. It looked like McCaffrey had a system to get his players easy buckets (time and time again) and Ben did not.
Agreed. We are outcoached every game. Ben just doesn't have what it takes.
 

But you still haven't moved. You're still sitting there like we're in rainbow-and-unicorn land, when we clearly are not
You forgot the puppy 🐶, you meanie!!
The honking is the demand for action.
If you think complaining on an anonymous chat board is a call to action, I’ll bet you a fiver that your sock drawer is still unorganized, let alone your unders😱
If you are just sitting there with your feelings,
then you are not displaying a sense of urgency in your actions. This is sports and in sports results matter, not feelings.
I’m so glad that sports play such an integral part on your life and matter soooooooooo much, that you feel the need to try and insult and demean me. I was the same way when I was a younger man, before maturation allowed me to view it as entertainment and amusement, much like your postings🥸

Your ridiculous "we heard you the first time" defense is the aloof, disingenuous and self-absorbed response
You forgot smug, Sir Troll
From someone who is out of their depth
You won’t throw me a life preserver 🛟, will U 🤡
and unwilling to get out of the way thanks to their overinflated sense of self-importance.
I’m not impressive or important at all, but my best friend is, and he and I both love you 🙏, it’s okay you can love yourself too
You are the "get out of the way" in the "lead, follow or get out of the way" leadership model. Impeding leadership is not leadership.
Who knew I had such power???

Hint: Mark Coyle is not my name, but I have forwarded your NIL to the U, and subsequently you will be banished from all Gopher athletic events; the Internet 🛜 Police 👮 have spoken.

Its not that hard to understand that winning is the bottom line and the rest is shenanigans.
I knew you were a bottom line, kind of macho man; so sexy.

A few parting thoughts, as this encounter reminded me why I ignored you previously-

Some people are adroit enough to comprehend that supporting the players and coach is because you are a fan of the team and in being a dedicated fan means rooting for them even when they aren’t playing their best; any chuckle head can be positive, when they’re good, but looking for the positivity when they’re not is an admirable quality, not a disdainful one.

I’m a few birthdays shy of 60 and sports has slowly become less important to me over the last decade, during my belated maturation process. I’ve also had significant life changes/challenges over the last several years, which have lead to a broader perspective.

You may or may not have had significant challenges in your life to this point, but someday you will if you’re blessed to live long enough, as none of us get to stay - “Young, dumb and full of rum,” till the end.

As for me, I’m going to keep a smiling mug on my face and be positive regardless if a W or an L, through good or bad times. I have the freedom to live and post the way I want to, just as you do as well; if I offend you so deeply, you can ignore me or not read my posts- simple, see. I’m on record as saying if we don’t make the NIT this year, then he should be fired. I don’t see the value to my mental or physical well being in complaining incessantly about it until the season is over - if you do, good for you. That’s not my choice and last time I checked, I have one.

Have a great day, unless you’ve made other plans🤗

 
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Have we ever seen Ben make adjustments in Big Ten games and be successful?
In all three BIG wins he did, apparently you didn't watch those, so they don't count?
 

In all three BIG wins he did, apparently you didn't watch those, so they don't count?
yep...I get the negativity but were down big at the half against Nebraska and also down at half time against Maryland and Michigan. Came back and won all 3 games so would seem that some adjustments must have been made.

That said, this team/staff has to find a way to stop digging big holes in the first half. 3 point shooting has been atrocious in the past few games and it has been especially bad in the first half.

Yesterday they at least started fast but weren't able to sustain it. So many times last night they had a chance to cut the lead to a single possession and just couldn't get it done.

This next 7 game stretch could make or break things for Johnson. 4 on the road and the home games won't be easy with Wisconsin, Northwestern, and Michigan State. They have to find a way to avoid going on a long losing streak and falling back to the bottom of the pack. If they can't then whatever good will was earned by the improved play early in the year might be erased and we will be looking for a new coach after the season.
 

Every team has their ups and downs, especially this year. I honestly expect the Gophers to play better again. That said, if they don't--if this becomes a season-defining slide--something is obviously wrong. There's too much talent here to continue to play like they did last night. The defense and ball security were embarrassing.

I don't think Greg Gard would contend for the conference title with this roster, but he'd have them in the upper half of the league by the end. Unless the Gophers start upsetting the likes of MSU on the road and Wisconsin at home, we're headed into the lower third of the standings...again. I continue to wonder why we have to settle for what we've been sentenced to settle for.

These rotations are so baffling. The last couple years, we've asked what Johnson would do with a deeper roster. I think we have our answer. Players are regressing. I actually hope it's because of injury because the other option is disquieting. This is the closest thing I've seen to Ben losing a team, and it's still early in the conference schedule.

My season ticket group is down in the mouth. It's not like it's been great since the academic scandal, but this is definitely plumbing new depths. We've had our tickets since 1990 and have seen a lot, good, bad and worse. This is the worst situation--not just that we've seen but that any of us could have imagined back in the day. We don't talk about it much anymore, but we all do remember what it had been like and what we all know in our hearts in minds it can be and should be.
 


Big Ten Conference is a tough physical conference with many experienced coaches. Tough for Ben to walk into with little HC experience. Been rooting for him, but his inexperience is showing and still have to remember Christie, Freshman, Carrington, Payne, JOJ all sophomores playing many many minutes and learning it is a physical conference. Be interesting to see all them as Juniors and Seniors(if they stay) when they are an older team. Wonder why Jack Wilson was brought here if he isn't even going to see 2-5 minutes a game banging down low. Will Ramberg provided some sparks last year and even though he might not be the most skilled he always found some ways to make some meaningful plays. Ben needs to start getting some key wins soon!
 

People can call all of the bellyaching piling on. But it's justified. Ben just went last night and let his guards chuck 30 three point baskets!! 30!!!! when they couldn't hit the broad side of the barn!

When they took the ball inside they scored almost at will. A successful BT coach flat out does not let his guards do this to his team in a conference game. You sit them, whatever it takes. Like sit and you are done for 2 games. Izzo wouldn't stand for it I can tell you that, neither would Painter.

Also their effort on the glass and defense was second rate last night. Again, coaching. How do you not get your team up to play a border rival in a must win conference game?!?!?!?
 

Too bad....I like Ben but he is not a Big 10 Coach at this point in his career. He has not recruited well in the portal, and has not addressed two major issues to date. SHOOTING and GUARD PLAY!
They had enough talent to win this game last night. That is what is hard to watch. It had nothing to do with talent and everything to do with effort and brains. Zero of either last night.
 

People can call all of the bellyaching piling on. But it's justified. Ben just went last night and let his guards chuck 30 three point baskets!! 30!!!! when they couldn't hit the broad side of the barn!

When they took the ball inside they scored almost at will. A successful BT coach flat out does not let his guards do this to his team in a conference game. You sit them, whatever it takes. Like sit and you are done for 2 games. Izzo wouldn't stand for it I can tell you that, neither would Painter.

Also their effort on the glass and defense was second rate last night. Again, coaching. How do you not get your team up to play a border rival in a must win conference game?!?!?!?
And 66% FT shooting again. One guy having 15 of 24 FT attempts.
 

Big Ten Conference is a tough physical conference with many experienced coaches. Tough for Ben to walk into with little HC experience. Been rooting for him, but his inexperience is showing and still have to remember Christie, Freshman, Carrington, Payne, JOJ all sophomores playing many many minutes and learning it is a physical conference. Be interesting to see all them as Juniors and Seniors(if they stay) when they are an older team. Wonder why Jack Wilson was brought here if he isn't even going to see 2-5 minutes a game banging down low. Will Ramberg provided some sparks last year and even though he might not be the most skilled he always found some ways to make some meaningful plays. Ben needs to start getting some key wins soon!
ZERO! He had ZERO HC experience. 007gopherfan= Ben apologist.
 

And 66% FT shooting again. One guy having 15 of 24 FT attempts.
Again, a physical limitation. I don't get mad at those. Sometimes, you are what you are when it comes to limitations such as those. What you can control is defense, rebounding, effort, smart play. Saw none of it last night.
 


Lets get a Big 10 Ten caliber coach in here. Iowa game last night: 5 or 6 back cuts for layups, team acted like we've never seen a press before, multiple times beaten down court for layups, and at the other end the answer is jack up another three which will then be missed. I dont know about the rest of you, but we deserve better. Horse bleep hero ball, no discipline. pathetic to let a very average Iowa team look that superior. The difference was coaching. Sorry Ben I want you to succeed, but you are a terrible coach, that I would love to game plan for.
 

It’s really not that difficult. The problem the last few games is twofold. Ben’s sub patterns feel random and senseless. More alarming, his over usage of Carrington has disrupted everything. Just look at the+/-. The team would be better suited playing the starters extended minutes and have carrington sub in for spot minutes near tv timeouts. With him in, the offense is stagnant having four guys stand still senselessly on the perimeter. Time for Ben to take off the rose colored glasses and pay attention to the analytics. Otherwise it may cost him his job.
 

Johnson is 7-39 against Q1/Q2 competition.
19 of his 34 wins are against Q4 competition.

If there was ever a year to show his worth it was going to be this year, with a charmin soft schedule and a down B1G.

We are improved, but if anyone would have said that when he was hired, they'd be satisfied with being a fringe top 100 team mid-way through his 3rd season, you're lying to yourself or a CBJ apologist.

I think this post is pretty accurate.

Just looking at last night's game......they played awful. Defense was non-existent. Offense was way too dependent on shooting 3's or incapable of creating better shots. Many of the same complaints we have had for 2.5 seasons now. The meltdown on this board is very noticeable.

HOWEVER.....it was at worst a 12 point lead for Iowa last night. It felt like 30. Last year it probably would have been 30. The floor has been raised, at least somewhat, for any individual game's result. Has the ceiling also been raised? I suppose we have seen stretches of very good basketball too.

We have 14 more regular season games to evaluate the totality of year three. Does this coaching staff have the ability to get this team on an upward trajectory in future years? Not just hoping for an NIT bid, but competitive for NCAA bids year in and year out. I just don't know.
 

Fran McCaffery didn't make any excuses not having McCaffery in the lineup on the road, in the big ten. See he got a guy in Krikke from transfer portal able to plug into his system for 16.9 pts per game 45% -3s and 74% FT for a big guy. CBJ keeps talking about finding an identity. How long we going to seek each year....implement an identity and coach it. Fran could plug and play many kids into his system with little adapts to current players on the floor and then it is just the execution.
 

The free throw shooting was so good at the beginning of the year I thought they had turned a corner. With the abysmal shooting of late, they’re down to 280th in the country in FT%. I don’t think there’s a chance to repeat as worst free throw shooting team in the country like last year, but things are not looking good.
 




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