Cashius McNeilly & Emanuel Miller (Texas A&M) both in the portal

[SanDiegoGopherFan]

Isn't there like 1400+ in the portal?

There are, think its closer to 1500. Do we have any players that we are specifically targeting who are also interested in us?

 

[PMWinSTP]

There are, think its closer to 1500. Do we have any players that we are specifically targeting who are also interested in us?

I would think so, and not going to do much hand-wringing or teeth gnashing at this point. Ben will do the best he can to pull in players to field a respectable squad this year and is focused on 2022.

 

[Tucker32]

I’ll be happy if BJ is willing to go zone a half dozen possessions a game. If nothing else to confuse the opponent’s O for 5-10 seconds. Pitino’s unwillingness to do this drove me nuts. 2nd only to our PG leading the country in dribbles every year.

Going zone doesn’t make a lot of sense if you don’t play it well. Changing it up to change it up doesn’t make sense. Instead, the best coaches do what they do well, and you can use a lot of variety within man defense.

 

[howeda7]

Going zone doesn’t make a lot of sense if you don’t play it well. Changing it up to change it up doesn’t make sense. Instead, the best coaches do what they do well, and you can use a lot of variety within man defense.

If we happen to schedule High Point or New Mexico we should absolutely go zone 10 minutes in. If history is any guide, they will pee down their leg for at least the next 20 minutes of game time.

 

[bizzle22]

What are you asking me? I predicted they win more games than last year and I stand by that. I don't think I need to know what type of offensive system they are going to run because that's not really a big thing in basketball. You adopt to your players like every coach will say in America. I asked you a simple question about what coaches say during introductory periods about offense and defense and you didn't answer. For example Porter Moser said he's going to create offense through defense as his offensive philosophy. Is that a better answer?

I don’t disagree with your premise that coaches talk in coachspeak during press conferences, and people shouldn’t read into it too much. Almost no coach will actually be specific. That’s normal.

I also think it’s normal to parse words and read into everything when the new head coach has never even been in the big chair before. Much different than a coach who lead a team to the Final Four recently and is weeks removed from a trip to the Sweet Sixteen. First impressions are less important if the one making the first impression has accomplished a great deal.

If Chris Beard were introduced as the Gopher head coach he could answer every question by talking about how he often he waters his basil plants and everyone would still be excited.

 

[Ski-U-Ham]

So what is the system then? What kind of offense will they be running? I have not yet seen anyone definitively state what that will be yet. Is the plan to assemble the roster and then figure it out? What did their interviews tell you? Seems like they completely laid it out from they way you put it above.

Why does it matter to you? If they definitely state, are you going to vehemently disagree, and what difference do you think that will make? They are under no obligation to let anyone know what their offensive or defensive philosophies are.

 

[Ski-U-Ham]

I’ll be happy if BJ is willing to go zone a half dozen possessions a game. If nothing else to confuse the opponent’s O for 5-10 seconds. Pitino’s unwillingness to do this drove me nuts. 2nd only to our PG leading the country in dribbles every year.

I like this. Iowa had their 1-2-2 3/4 court zone that they'd pull out to change things up. Northwestern had a 1-3-1 in the half court that drive us fits (IIRC). It takes time to practice something different but can prove to be useful.

 

[Tucker32]

I like this. Iowa had their 1-2-2 3/4 court zone that they'd pull out to change things up. Northwestern had a 1-3-1 in the half court that drive us fits (IIRC). It takes time to practice something different but can prove to be useful.

Two examples of how not to play defense. Both would benefit from doing one thing well defensively.

 

[Ski-U-Ham]

Two examples of how not to play defense. Both would benefit from doing one thing well defensively.

No, I would say different examples, not necessarily how not to. That's over-simplifying.

 

[Tucker32]

No, I would say different examples, not necessarily how not to. That's over-simplifying.

Both schools play very poor defense overall.

 

[Ski-U-Ham]

A lot of schools that don't mix up their defenses play poor defense too. Is that really your point?

 

[upnorthkid]

Notice it's sources, as in plural. The Star Tribune sports editor will require Marcus Fuller to have more than one source when he reports something. It doesn't make it correct, but he has two sources telling him the same thing. FWIW, this shouldn't be confused with most of the internet Twitter garbage people love to believe.

The intense interest in assist coaches is fascinating.

doogie said he heard it from "2 sources" on his twitter and one supposedly is this random guy he says said it, but there's nothing on twitter. just all weird

 

[Gopherfan84]

Going zone doesn’t make a lot of sense if you don’t play it well. Changing it up to change it up doesn’t make sense. Instead, the best coaches do what they do well, and you can use a lot of variety within man defense.

Thorson and Ben hate zone FWIW too. It’s really pretty pointless when you switch screens and play gap or pack line d.

 

[GopherBlood777]

Why does it matter to you? If they definitely state, are you going to vehemently disagree, and what difference do you think that will make? They are under no obligation to let anyone know what their offensive or defensive philosophies are.

LOL dohkay, people spent years complaing about pitinos lack of identity. Now it's just "trust the coach"? Very odd change of pace for gh... Isn't that why we frequent this board, for the gritty details?

 

[Gopho Sapiens]

LOL dohkay, people spent years complaing about pitinos lack of identity. Now it's just "trust the coach"? Very odd change of pace for gh... Isn't that why we frequent this board, for the gritty details?

The difference?

Pitino had eight years to establish an identity for his program.

Johnson hasn't run his first practice.

 

[Tucker32]

A lot of schools that don't mix up their defenses play poor defense too. Is that really your point?

Play effective defense. That's all that matters. The very best coaches focus on doing one thing well and for the most part stick with that. A few change things up, but with only a couple of things. If you can't master one priority, it doesn't make sense to do multiple things poorly.

 

[Ski-U-Ham]

LOL dohkay, people spent years complaing about pitinos lack of identity. Now it's just "trust the coach"? Very odd change of pace for gh... Isn't that why we frequent this board, for the gritty details?

I'm not saying I do or don't trust them, I'm saying they have no reason to care about the fact that they aren't giving you the information you desperately crave and think you deserve. We'll all know the details soon enough, at least I will because I still plan on watching the Gophers play.

 

[Ski-U-Ham]

Play effective defense. That's all that matters. The very best coaches focus on doing one thing well and for the most part stick with that. A few change things up, but with only a couple of things. If you can't master one priority, it doesn't make sense to do multiple things poorly.

Agree, just play good defense. All I'm saying is that for some teams part of that equation is having something different in their back pocket that they can pull out when they think it can be effective.

 

[umn99]

The difference?

Pitino had eight years to establish an identity for his program.

Johnson hasn't run his first practice.

And still needs to fill a roster, and get his third assistant officially hired, and get the players moved on campus, and probably unpack his office.

It’s been 5 weeks. I think knowing the identity of how they are going to play can wait until the season.

 

[UpAndUnder43]

I’ve been busy. We aren’t getting the A&M starting 5 and the Canadian pipeline isn’t running through dinkytown?

 

[MNVCGUY]

And still needs to fill a roster, and get his third assistant officially hired, and get the players moved on campus, and probably unpack his office.

It’s been 5 weeks. I think knowing the identity of how they are going to play can wait until the season.

Nope, not ok....we need to know now....right now.....

Coaching changes always get scrutinized and dissected but it feels like this one has been taken to a whole new level.

The reality is that we are going to know little to nothing about this team until we see them on the court in a few months. This hire was extremely polarizing with the fanbase. You really seem to have 3 camps, a good sized group that hates the hire, another good sized group that is in the wait and see mode, and a small group that actually likes the hire. For my part I am willing to wait and see how it all shakes out and will give Coyle/Johnson the benefit of the doubt that they know what they are doing until the prove otherwise.

 

[GopherBlood777]

The difference?

Pitino had eight years to establish an identity for his program.

Johnson hasn't run his first practice.

So just figure it out as he goes, that worked great last time. I thought Johnson sold the U on his grand vision for this program. I have a hard time believing that was just win games with local talent and no other substance. Every coach at this level should have an idea of what they want to do before the first practice. Especially when you've been in training mode for the last 15 years waiting for your shot.

 

[Johnnyboy18]

So just figure it out as he goes, that worked great last time. I thought Johnson sold the U on his grand vision for this program. I have a hard time believing that was just win games with local talent and no other substance. Every coach at this level should have an idea of what they want to do before the first practice. Especially when you've been in training mode for the last 15 years waiting for your shot.

How do you not understand the difference between him knowing what to do vs him telling you in a 1 minute press conference answer what he's going to do? I get you're trolling and still sad Pitino got fired but it's a really bad job at trolling.

 

[GopherBlood777]

I'm not saying I do or don't trust them, I'm saying they have no reason to care about the fact that they aren't giving you the information you desperately crave and think you deserve. We'll all know the details soon enough, at least I will because I still plan on watching the Gophers play.

LOL we are on gopher hole ALL looking for more info than the casual fan. Any paying customer of the Gophers deserves to know basic info on the team they support. Your statement is the epitome of the obey/consume mindset. I didn't know asking questions about the team was so selfish.

 

[GopherBlood777]

How do you not understand the difference between him knowing what to do vs him telling you in a 1 minute press conference answer what he's going to do? I get you're trolling and still sad Pitino got fired but it's a really bad job at trolling.

Are you sure you aren't trolling me at this point? You don't seem to read anything because you keep going back to this press conference straw man I never mentioned. I have repeatedly stated Pitino deserved to be fired, you must have lost sight of that during all of your Johnson simping.

 

[umn99]

Coaching changes always get scrutinized and dissected but it feels like this one has been taken to a whole new level.

Absolutely. I get a lot of it is trolling for trolling sake but again...5 weeks.

 

[alchemy2u]

So just figure it out as he goes, that worked great last time. I thought Johnson sold the U on his grand vision for this program. I have a hard time believing that was just win games with local talent and no other substance. Every coach at this level should have an idea of what they want to do before the first practice. Especially when you've been in training mode for the last 15 years waiting for your shot.

Then just give coach Johnson a call and see if he will share his presentation with you... You may have to wait, because the coach is busy trying to fulfill all of the other items that you guys are bitching about.

Are you really that blinded by your disappointment in our coach that you really think he is so incompetent to not have any strategy? You are actually suggesting that he has no substance and has no idea what to do before the first practice.

There is absolutely no reason, or purpose, for the head basketball coach at the University of Minnesota to explain ever detail of his plans to some yahoos on a message board. If you want to have a better understanding of what his plans are, then it is up to you to read and listen to ever interview that the staff has done.

 

[MNVCGUY]

LOL we are on gopher hole ALL looking for more info than the casual fan. Any paying customer of the Gophers deserves to know basic info on the team they support. Your statement is the epitome of the obey/consume mindset. I didn't know asking questions about the team was so selfish.

Asking questions is fine but the questions you are asking can't/won't be answered until the team takes the court for real. And Johnson is under no obligation to dissect his plans and vision for the fanbase. His job is to do the things he needs to do internally to get the team ready to play and to work his butt off in recruiting to try and bring in the best future players he can.

 

[SanDiegoGopherFan]

Asking questions is fine but the questions you are asking can't/won't be answered until the team takes the court for real. And Johnson is under no obligation to dissect his plans and vision for the fanbase. His job is to do the things he needs to do internally to get the team ready to play and to work his butt off in recruiting to try and bring in the best future players he can.

Yeah I don't know about that. He's the head coach, part of his job is also selling the program to the fan base. If he was an associate head coach or an assistant head coach, I get it.

For example, Pitino is on almost every week talking about the program at New Mexico on Youtube. PJ did the same thing when he was first hired here, yes yes ON TOP OF HIS RECRUITING, ETC DUTIES.

This is something BJ will learn, its a much harder workload to be a HC than just an assistant. IF he would have been promoted to associate head coach somewhere, hed have a better idea but thats ok

 

[Ski-U-Ham]

LOL we are on gopher hole ALL looking for more info than the casual fan. Any paying customer of the Gophers deserves to know basic info on the team they support. Your statement is the epitome of the obey/consume mindset. I didn't know asking questions about the team was so selfish.

I would say that what you have been given IS basic information. Anything above and beyond would be given on a need to know basis that (I'm guessing) neither of us are a part of. I never said you were selfish, it just seems like you want information that you don't need to have. If Ben shares the info, great for all if here in GH. If not, so be it.

This will conclude my derailing of this thread.