Ben Johnson is a Disaster

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Ogee Ogilthorpe said:
Seems like an odd decision for him to go to the Gophers, but we'll see. I sure as hell hope so, he clearly is very talented. Maybe if Evans does not end up playing for the Gophers, Bfan and MNjay banned from posting here again?
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If it wasn't for Evans, I wouldn't have a case to argue for Ben Johnson.

With Evans, it's a strong, strong hand to play and I go all in on that.
 

GopherWeatherGuy said:
The transfer portal is a huge advantage today, not a disadvantage as the Ben apologists keep trying to say. That's why so many 1st and 2nd year coaches are having so much early success after inheriting nearly the same situation as Ben did. He's had more than enough time to recruit better rosters than the awful product he's put on the floor for 2 straight years, and coaches hired at the same time as him or later, have proved that to be true all over the country.

Ben didn't come in after a scandal like PJ did. And despite that, PJ was still able to recruit players here without ever stepping a foot on campus. If he would have had the transfer portal like we have today, he would have likely had better teams in yI and 2.
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Or is that Year 0 and 1? Given the extensive debate on Year 0 in another thread, I’m confused.
 

Wet_Blanket_Guy said:
He’ll be back at some point. Some P5 school who is down on their luck will want to turn it around and hire him
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He’s 57. It ain’t happening at a P5 school. He’s good, but not that good and his behavior will kill him recruiting wise. His best chance would be to go pro.
 

I'm old enough to remember Clem Haskins. That maybe was Minnesota's best chance in my lifetime to keep a strong program going. It's been setbacks and restarts since.

So I am sincerely grateful for Ben Johnson getting Dennis Evans and maybe, just maybe, a consistent shooter guard also emerges from those young players.

I've seen this program start and stop and start and stop. I am tenacious for Johnson to go for it because it's the best hope I've seen since Clem.


1674354925342.png
 

Bfan said:
I'm old enough to remember Clem Haskins. That maybe was Minnesota's best chance in my lifetime to keep a strong program going. It's been setbacks and restarts since.

So I am sincerely grateful for Ben Johnson getting Dennis Evans and maybe, just maybe, a consistent shooter guard also emerges from those young players.

I've seen this program start and stop and start and stop. I am tenacious for Johnson to go for it because it's the best hope I've seen since Clem.


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Clem and Dennis Evans in one post! Double shots for all!
 


Bfan said:
I'm old enough to remember Clem Haskins. That maybe was Minnesota's best chance in my lifetime to keep a strong program going. It's been setbacks and restarts since.

So I am sincerely grateful for Ben Johnson getting Dennis Evans and maybe, just maybe, a consistent shooter guard also emerges from those young players.

I've seen this program start and stop and start and stop. I am tenacious for Johnson to go for it because it's the best hope I've seen since Clem.


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You're more excited about this team's future than you were in the lead up to the 2009 season?

That team had Al Nolan (JR), Damian Johnson (SR), Blake (JR), Devoe Joseph (SO), Mbakwe (JR), Rodney (FR), Royce White (FR), Westbrook (SR), Ralph Sampson (SO), and Colton Iverson (SO).

I get that it unraveled but before it unraveled we were stacked.
 

Bob_Loblaw said:
You're more excited about this team's future than you were in the lead up to the 2009 season?

That team had Al Nolan (JR), Damian Johnson (SR), Blake (JR), Devoe Joseph (SO), Mbakwe (JR), Rodney (FR), Royce White (FR), Westbrook (SR), Ralph Sampson (SO), and Colton Iverson (SO).

I get that it unraveled but before it unraveled we were stacked.
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Clem Haskins took them to the NCAA Tournament I think 6 times including a Final 4, an Elite 8, and a Sweet 16. Plus with an asterisk Haskins won two NIT tournaments. That's pretty close to being an established program for more than a blip up.

Dennis Evans is the most exciting news since then.

Recruiting is so important. A catch 22. You can't get top prospects without them.

Tubby Smith didn't advance in the NCAA tournament those years and -- I could be wrong here -- didn't recruit any elite players like a Kris Humphries or a Dennis Evans.

My memory for years has been that Minnesota just doesn't get the players, trapped.

Ben Johnson did that! Give the man his due. And hope one of those freshman pans out as a legit guard/wing shooter.
 

Bfan said:
Clem Haskins took them to the NCAA Tournament I think 6 times including a Final 4, an Elite 8, and a Sweet 16. Plus with an asterisk Haskins won two NIT tournaments. That's pretty close to being an established program for more than a blip up.

Dennis Evans is the most exciting news since then.

Recruiting is so important. A catch 22. You can't get top prospects without them.

Tubby Smith didn't advance in the NCAA tournament and -- I could be wrong here -- didn't recruit any elite players like a Kris Humphries or a Dennis Evans.

My memory for years has been that Minnesota just doesn't get the players, trapped.

Ben Johnson did that! Give the man his due.
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Let’s pump the breaks on Evans. We get your doing a bit, but woah.

You better hope he’s like 12 pts 12 Rebs 6blocks a night with 60% + shooting and 75% from the line. If you look up tons of these five stars, especially the super frail one, 50% are flops
 

Bfan said:
Clem Haskins took them to the NCAA Tournament I think 6 times including a Final 4, an Elite 8, and a Sweet 16. Plus with an asterisk Haskins won two NIT tournaments. That's pretty close to being an established program for more than a blip up.

Dennis Evans is the most exciting news since then.

Recruiting is so important. A catch 22. You can't get top prospects without them.

Tubby Smith didn't advance in the NCAA tournament those years and -- I could be wrong here -- didn't recruit any elite players like a Kris Humphries or a Dennis Evans.

My memory for years has been that Minnesota just doesn't get the players, trapped.

Ben Johnson did that! Give the man his due. And hope one of those freshman pans out as a legit guard/wing shooter.
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Tubby got Royce White who was a top 25 guy. Royce said on a pod a few years back that he was coming here no matter who the coach was, but Tubby got him. He got Mbakwe to come back. He also got top 100 guys in Ralph, Rodney, Devoe Joseph, and Andre Hollins. If memory serves me correct his class with Cobb, White, Williams, Bostick, and Carter or Mbakwe was the highest rated we’ve had in had since Clems with Courtney James.
 



scools12 said:
I would be completely surprised if Ben Johnson didn’t get at least 4 and probably 5 years. Coyle knew what type of hire this was. I don’t see him bailing on the hire any earlier than that.
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You keep him any longer with last place finishes every year he won’t be able to recruit. I would bet his next class 24-25 is not going to be good. You can sell hope for a couple of years, but once you have a record on the books for 3 years nobody will buy your bs, at some point you are your record. If Coyle made a B1G head coaching hire thinking BJ needed time to learn, then he needs to step down. B1G head coaching jobs are not for training.
 

Gopherfan84 said:
Tubby got Royce White who was a top 25 guy. Royce said on a pod a few years back that he was coming here no matter who the coach was, but Tubby got him. He got Mbakwe to come back. He also got top 100 guys in Ralph, Rodney, Devoe Joseph, and Andre Hollins. If memory serves me correct his class with Cobb, White, Williams, Bostick, and Carter or Mbakwe was the highest rated we’ve had in had since Clems with Courtney James.
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That's a strong record of nabbing players, and I commend you for having that knowledge.
 

Bfan said:
That's a strong record of nabbing players, and I commend you for having that knowledge.
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The biggest what if in the last 20 years was if Royce didn’t take the laptop and Trevor was acquitted sooner. There was a time when this team could’ve had Al Nolan, Blake, Royce, Rodney, Mbakwe, Devoe, Ralph, Colton Iverson, Paul Carter, and Westbrook. Hands down the deepest and best opportunity to win the conference. Fell apart with Royce, Nolan, and Mbakwe not playing, but we still went 9-9 in conference.
 

Two things with Evans: It is very difficult to project how good he is going to be, especially as a freshman. I think it is likely he is going to burst on the scene pretty slowly.
But, the bigger question is how he fits with the guys we have. We got a lot of guys who can't play together. Evans and four shooters or Evans and four fast breaking athletes seems like the best fit but we don't have either.
If you play slow you need shooters...the games are close and free throws decide whether you win or lose. We have a couple guys who maybe can and a bunch who have proven they can't shoot.
I was excited at the inception when Ben said shooters were his number one requirement. He evidently changed his mind the next day.
 



60's Guy said:
Two things with Evans: It is very difficult to project how good he is going to be, especially as a freshman. I think it is likely he is going to burst on the scene pretty slowly.
But, the bigger question is how he fits with the guys we have. We got a lot of guys who can't play together. Evans and four shooters or Evans and four fast breaking athletes seems like the best fit but we don't have either.
If you play slow you need shooters...the games are close and free throws decide whether you win or lose. We have a couple guys who maybe can and a bunch who have proven they can't shoot.
I was excited at the inception when Ben said shooters were his number one requirement. He evidently changed his mind the next day.
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As to shooting- we have been terrible but.... Henley was reputed to be a good shooter, so was Carrington. Battle is a good shooter as is Garcia. Cooper has shot great. So he has recruited some shooters, obviously Payne and Ola Joseph can't at this point. The problem is that they don't get good looks, because the offense is run so poorly. Cooper is the only guy who is selective and only shoots if he is on the drive or wide open from the 3 pt line- and it shows in his percentage.
 

Wet_Blanket_Guy said:
Let’s pump the breaks on Evans. We get your doing a bit, but woah.

You better hope he’s like 12 pts 12 Rebs 6blocks a night with 60% + shooting and 75% from the line. If you look up tons of these five stars, especially the super frail one, 50% are flops
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Tommie boy, we get you're doing a bit. Post at Tommies Butthole instead of the Gopherhole since you're just a troll.
 


60's Guy said:
Two things with Evans: It is very difficult to project how good he is going to be, especially as a freshman. I think it is likely he is going to burst on the scene pretty slowly.
But, the bigger question is how he fits with the guys we have. We got a lot of guys who can't play together. Evans and four shooters or Evans and four fast breaking athletes seems like the best fit but we don't have either.
If you play slow you need shooters...the games are close and free throws decide whether you win or lose. We have a couple guys who maybe can and a bunch who have proven they can't shoot.
I was excited at the inception when Ben said shooters were his number one requirement. He evidently changed his mind the next day.
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Yep, I can see Evans growing in much the way Eddy has grown at Purdue. Remember Eddy's first year? He was a defensive help, but little help on offense. Today he's learned how to play in the post, with his back to the basket. He will likely win the POY in Division 1 basketball.
 

MennoSota said:
Yep, I can see Evans growing in much the way Eddy has grown at Purdue. Remember Eddy's first year? He was a defensive help, but little help on offense. Today he's learned how to play in the post, with his back to the basket. He will likely win the POY in Division 1 basketball.
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Edy.
 


Gopherfan84 said:
Tubby got Royce White who was a top 25 guy. Royce said on a pod a few years back that he was coming here no matter who the coach was, but Tubby got him. He got Mbakwe to come back. He also got top 100 guys in Ralph, Rodney, Devoe Joseph, and Andre Hollins. If memory serves me correct his class with Cobb, White, Williams, Bostick, and Carter or Mbakwe was the highest rated we’ve had in had since Clems with Courtney James.
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The 08-09 recruiting run had way more to be excited about than 2023, imo. Lots of elite and high caliber talent coming in.
 

MennoSota said:
Yep, I can see Evans growing in much the way Eddy has grown at Purdue. Remember Eddy's first year? He was a defensive help, but little help on offense. Today he's learned how to play in the post, with his back to the basket. He will likely win the POY in Division 1 basketball.
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Isn’t there like 100+ lbs difference between the two of them, if not more
 

Gopherfan84 said:
The biggest what if in the last 20 years was if Royce didn’t take the laptop and Trevor was acquitted sooner. There was a time when this team could’ve had Al Nolan, Blake, Royce, Rodney, Mbakwe, Devoe, Ralph, Colton Iverson, Paul Carter, and Westbrook. Hands down the deepest and best opportunity to win the conference. Fell apart with Royce, Nolan, and Mbakwe not playing, but we still went 9-9 in conference.
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Was that the year devoe transferred for playing time prior to Nolan going out?
 

MennoSota said:
Yep, I can see Evans growing in much the way Eddy has grown at Purdue. Remember Eddy's first year? He was a defensive help, but little help on offense. Today he's learned how to play in the post, with his back to the basket. He will likely win the POY in Division 1 basketball.
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By what year will Evans be National Player if the Year?
 

My take on Evans is he has the physical tools to become great but I'm actually not holding my breath on any instant impact. I wouldn't be shocked if he gets bullied a bit in his first year if he doesn't bulk up. The B1G is no joke physically. Edey wasn't playing extended minutes until this year because his body simply couldn't handle it.

The people claiming Evans will be Johnson's savior might actually see just the opposite if they don't temper expectations and stop looking at his recruiting ranking. He's not even on campus and he might need 2 years to get it. Hopefully Ben is around for that long.
 

I'm A Maroon 2! said:
My take on Evans is he has the physical tools to become great but I'm actually not holding my breath on any instant impact. I wouldn't be shocked if he gets bullied a bit in his first year if he doesn't bulk up. The B1G is no joke physically. Edey wasn't playing extended minutes until this year because his body simply couldn't handle it.

The people claiming Evans will be Johnson's savior might actually see just the opposite if they don't temper expectations and stop looking at his recruiting ranking. He's not even on campus and he might need 2 years to get it. Hopefully Ben is around for that long.
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I don't know about Evans being Johnson's savior either, but I do believe he'll have an impact. Sure, he's going to be bullied around some in the Big Ten, but I'd be awfully surprised if he doesn't put on some muscle between now and when he plays next year. Keep in mind his dad is 7 feet and looks to be around 320 based on how he looks in pictures-huge guy. And Evans frame looks like he can easily pack it on with some help from the trainer here.

And even if he gets bullied a bit, a guy with a 7-7 wingspan who's pretty athletic and is widely regarded as the best shot blocker in the country is going to have an impact on this team. Pair him with an impactful point guard, and some improvement from the freshmen (and some depth help possibly from Fox and Ihnen, assuming they don't blow out their knees again), and this team is definitely better. And they need to get better.
 


bc2211 said:
Was that the year devoe transferred for playing time prior to Nolan going out?
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I believe there were some other infractions too. Cobb left for playing time. I get the years mixed up, but that 3 year span was depressing. Royce, Cobbs, Joseph, and Iverson leaving. Nolan with the academics. It was depressing because that was going to be our most talented team since 98 and a top 2 most talented in the last 30 years
 


Formerswish said:
I don't know about Evans being Johnson's savior either, but I do believe he'll have an impact. Sure, he's going to be bullied around some in the Big Ten, but I'd be awfully surprised if he doesn't put on some muscle between now and when he plays next year. Keep in mind his dad is 7 feet and looks to be around 320 based on how he looks in pictures-huge guy. And Evans frame looks like he can easily pack it on with some help from the trainer here.

And even if he gets bullied a bit, a guy with a 7-7 wingspan who's pretty athletic and is widely regarded as the best shot blocker in the country is going to have an impact on this team. Pair him with an impactful point guard, and some improvement from the freshmen (and some depth help possibly from Fox and Ihnen, assuming they don't blow out their knees again), and this team is definitely better. And they need to get better.
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How many minutes a game do you forecast for evans next year?
Fans see him as a huge impact kid immediately. I'm not so sure.
 

I understand the praise for the talent and basketball expertise of Tubby Smith.

And at the same time they lost 62-76 in the first round to Texas and then the next year first round to Xavier 65-54.

The "oohs" and "ahs" of that era probably have some memory drift of what really happened.

OK, so here we are today. Dennis Evans changes everything next season.

They're playing the freshmen now because the bet is that everything is on the line next year. Right now Carrington and Henley are not looking good. I believe that Carrington is going to come through. But if not, the promise of Evans coming and the freshmen are coming only works once.
 

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