PiPress: Gophers’ Richard Pitino could have his best team next season

[BleedGopher]

per Marcus:

Just how good can the Gophers be next season? NCAA tournament good? Upper half of the Big Ten good? It’s way too early to tell if Pitino will go dancing a year from now for the first time in his head-coaching career.

A 20-win season is possible. That would mean 12 more wins, the biggest year-to-year improvement in school history. Tubby Smith inherited a 9-22 team in 2006-07 and finished 20-14 in 2007-08.

“We can do big things next year,” junior Charles Buggs said. “Make a push to win a lot more games and winning close to a Big Ten championship. That’s the plan next year. We can do that. The biggest thing is just being connected all the time.”

http://www.twincities.com/2016/03/12/gophers-richard-pitino-could-have-his-best-team-next-season/

Go Gophers!!

 

[Block M]

I really like Marcus' writing.
On paper, with everyone back who is supposed to be back: his strongest team.
Too bad its…8 months off.

 

[bleedsmaroonandgold]

I think he needs to have his best team next year, or his seat is going to be really toasty.

 

[MadtownGopher]

Marcus is the best beat writer by far. Thankful ESPN didn't steal him instead of Myron. Imagine if we were stuck with Myron and Amelia...

And I don't care what anyone says I'm super excited for next years team.

 

[short ornery norwegian]

After watching Coffey in the State Tournament, I'm not sure if he's going to have the impact next year some people are expecting. He needs to get a lot stronger - even his coach, Kenny Novak, says so. Novak was on with Sid, and said Coffey's biggest challenge will be competing physically with college players. (Sid asked if Coffey was the best player Novak has coached, and he said no - said Kris Humphries was better as a HS player.)

Don't get me wrong - I thing Coffey will be a solid D1 player - but it might take him a year or so to make a major impact.

I see the two transfers as having the biggest impact next year. And then, there is the great unknown of what happens to the three suspended players.

Bottom line - the Gophers will have a better record next year, but I will be pleasantly surprised if they finish over .500 for the season. Is that enough to keep Pitino around? only time will tell.

 

[Ewert86PC]

The Gophers need to finish next season 6th or 7th in the Big Ten and win at least 18 games. Otherwise, the Pitino promise will be broken and he should be fired.

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[scher215]

After watching Coffey in the State Tournament, I'm not sure if he's going to have the impact next year some people are expecting. He needs to get a lot stronger - even his coach, Kenny Novak, says so. Novak was on with Sid, and said Coffey's biggest challenge will be competing physically with college players. (Sid asked if Coffey was the best player Novak has coached, and he said no - said Kris Humphries was better as a HS player.) Don't get me wrong - I thing Coffey will be a solid D1 player - but it might take him a year or so to make a major impact. I see the two transfers as having the biggest impact next year. And then, there is the great unknown of what happens to the three suspended players. Bottom line - the Gophers will have a better record next year, but I will be pleasantly surprised if they finish over .500 for the season. Is that enough to keep Pitino around? only time will tell.

I agree Coffey needs to add weight. But he's also not a strength player. His game isn't predicated on it. He wants to be a PG. he will have an advantage there with his height, not strength.

Basically he should be able to alleviate some of the weight issues with his height and length. But additional muscle would still be ideal and probably help protect against injury to some extent as well.

 

[dtrain19]

The Gophers need to finish next season 6th or 7th in the Big Ten and win at least 18 games. Otherwise, the Pitino promise will be broken and he should be fired. Sent from my SM-N910V using Tapatalk

What was the Pitino promise?

 

[TheMetroTheFaust]

After watching Coffey in the State Tournament, I'm not sure if he's going to have the impact next year some people are expecting. Don't get me wrong - I thing Coffey will be a solid D1 player - but it might take him a year or so to make a major impact. Bottom line - the Gophers will have a better record next year, but I will be pleasantly surprised if they finish over .500 for the season. Is that enough to keep Pitino around? only time will tell.

You are being way to pessimistic on Coffey. That kid has the total package already. Get stronger? Sure, that will help, but he is going to be able to get to the hole whether he bulks up a lot or not. I can't wait to see him working with Mason and Murphy next year in maroon and gold. And the team will UNDOUBTEDLY crush your .500 winning percentage prediction.

 

[Tim1406]

After watching Coffey in the State Tournament, I'm not sure if he's going to have the impact next year some people are expecting. He needs to get a lot stronger - even his coach, Kenny Novak, says so. Novak was on with Sid, and said Coffey's biggest challenge will be competing physically with college players. (Sid asked if Coffey was the best player Novak has coached, and he said no - said Kris Humphries was better as a HS player.)

Not a surprise Kris(#16) was ranked higher than Amir(#48) by quite a bit. rankings from 247.

 

[bc2211]

The Gophers need to finish next season 6th or 7th in the Big Ten and win at least 18 games. Otherwise, the Pitino promise will be broken and he should be fired.

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I don't agree with this, as I don't think it is as cut and dry as you make it out to be. There are a lot of scenarios in which next year's team grows but doesn't break the top 7 in the conference. Keep in mind that Buggs is the only senior on the roster next year. This core group is going to be on the floor for a long time together. If (potentially a big if) the guys continue to show growth and promise next year, why do you want to break up a positive trend? Blame Pitino for the lack of stability that this roster has had in the recent years if you want (I personally think it is inevitable in a coaching and regime change), but we are finally at a turning point in the rebuilding process. **** could hit the fan again next year, in which case I'd be with you, but right now I'm with Madtown and am extremely exciting about he roster we have in front of us the next few years. I don't see Pitino having to reach on as many guys as his did his first year, so I don't see where the future looks bleak. Ultimately, an arbitrary win target would just be setting this team up for failure, and replacing Pitino next year would just send this program back into chaos if he finally has achieved roster stability.


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[ruppertflywheel]

Buggs being "connected" ? When pigs fly...

 

[Ewert86PC]

I don't agree with this, as I don't think it is as cut and dry as you make it out to be. There are a lot of scenarios in which next year's team grows but doesn't break the top 7 in the conference. Keep in mind that Buggs is the only senior on the roster next year. This core group is going to be on the floor for a long time together. If (potentially a big if) the guys continue to show growth and promise next year, why do you want to break up a positive trend? Blame Pitino for the lack of stability that this roster has had in the recent years if you want (I personally think it is inevitable in a coaching and regime change), but we are finally at a turning point in the rebuilding process. **** could hit the fan again next year, in which case I'd be with you, but right now I'm with Madtown and am extremely exciting about he roster we have in front of us the next few years. I don't see Pitino having to reach on as many guys as his did his first year, so I don't see where the future looks bleak. Ultimately, an arbitrary win target would just be setting this team up for failure, and replacing Pitino next year would just send this program back into chaos if he finally has achieved roster stability.


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Well finishing 6th in the conference would be his best conference finish ever. When he finished 7th the team won over 21 games, so 18 wins would not be his best record ever, in fact it would his third best overall record at the U.

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[Bob_Loblaw]

After watching Coffey in the State Tournament, I'm not sure if he's going to have the impact next year some people are expecting. He needs to get a lot stronger - even his coach, Kenny Novak, says so. Novak was on with Sid, and said Coffey's biggest challenge will be competing physically with college players. (Sid asked if Coffey was the best player Novak has coached, and he said no - said Kris Humphries was better as a HS player.)

Don't get me wrong - I thing Coffey will be a solid D1 player - but it might take him a year or so to make a major impact.

I see the two transfers as having the biggest impact next year. And then, there is the great unknown of what happens to the three suspended players.

Bottom line - the Gophers will have a better record next year, but I will be pleasantly surprised if they finish over .500 for the season. Is that enough to keep Pitino around? only time will tell.

I really like Amir's game. I came away more impressed than I thought I would be.

He is as versatile of a wing player as I can remember in college. He could log minutes at the 1-4. He rebounded well. He dribbles and passes well. He doesn't seem to force anything. He was able to post up the Lakeville North bigs with ease (and they're legit good). He gave Gary Trent JR fits.

MY expectations were never of someone that was going to put the program on his back and be a super star day 1. He'll be one of our more complete players next season, but I don't expect him to be All Big or anything as a FR.

 

[GopherOhana]

don't mind hearing Amir is second to Humphries per Novak

just to recap on Humphries (from his wiki page):
"At Minnesota, Humphries was named 2004 Big Ten Freshman of the Year and named to the All-Big Ten First Team by the media and coaches. He was named Honorable Mention All-America by the Associated Press and by Rivals.com. He was the first freshman to lead the Big Ten in scoring and rebounding in the same season"

Coffey being named to the second team would be great

 

[Winasota Gopher]

My hope is we have very few conversations about freshman next year. I hope that the upper classmen can step up and lead this team. Coffey being able to come in and take minutes at multiple positions is going to be a very nice thing to have done by a freshman. If hurt can provide some length and hit a couple shots, awesome. If curry can grab some minutes and hold his own and get some boards, great.

But my hope is we don't need anyone to do anything. We have 5 upper classmen and 4 sophomores that have logged significant minutes in their careers already. That's 9 in the rotation. The freshmen coming in and being difference makers isn't my hope, my hope is we don't need them and anything they provide is total upside.

 

[RickDornsby]

And I don't care what anyone says I'm super excited for next years team.

You've said this the past 4-5 years, though.

 

[bc2211]

Well finishing 6th in the conference would be his best conference finish ever. When he finished 7th the team won over 21 games, so 18 wins would not be his best record ever, in fact it would his third best overall record at the U.

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Right, I just think you are playing a game that will leave you discontent with what could be significant improvement and a bright future. It's April 2016 and you are already ready to fire Pitino based on the results of 2016-2017.


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[Block M]

Bottom line is that expectations are much higher for next season if the roster is what it is supposed to be. Fans, players, coaches all have these higher expectations, so it makes for some excitement.

 

[dtrain19]

I'm going with the Due Factor theory.

 

[Ewert86PC]

Right, I just think you are playing a game that will leave you discontent with what could be significant improvement and a bright future. It's April 2016 and you are already ready to fire Pitino based on the results of 2016-2017.


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I am already in discontent. The way this team fell apart would be grounds for Bo Ryan being fired. The only reason he hasn't been is that there is a $7 million sword of Damocles hanging over the wallet of the U.

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[bc2211]

I am already in discontent. The way this team fell apart would be grounds for Bo Ryan being fired. The only reason he hasn't been is that there is a $7 million sword of Damocles hanging over the wallet of the U.

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Funny you should bring up Bo Ryan. I grew up in Wisconsin and have watched almost every badger game for the last 15 or so years. What I've learned from watching him succeed at Wisconsin is that maybe three things are needed for a program to be successful.

1) seniors

Through some faults of his own and others out of his control, Pitino has had very little (talented) senior leadership to date. However, following next season, Pitino will have a succession in place.

2) stability

Very few significant players left Bo's program. Guys ended up at the positions they were recruited to play, and they could trust that the given role would be theirs after they understood how to operate in the offensive and defensive schemes. Pitino's brand of bball is finally being established. Firing Pitino blows this up for another 3 years (because we aren't in a position to lure any big time coaches at the moment).

3) continual improvement

Players at Wisconsin have shown improvement within seasons and took steps each offseason. I think Pitino's guards have done the same, and he helped Mo develop though has faltered with BK thus far. Im confident guys like Mason, macbrayer, and Gilbert will continue to develop into solid or great upperclassman. Hopefully the next recruiting class looks as promising.

To be more direct: Firing Pitino because you aren't happy with his record won't make the gophers a better team now or within the next couple of years, unless you know of a coach that can come in and do some serious damage control. In my opinion, it's better to get through this low and establish some programmatic stability and groom these young players into upper classman before you blow up the program.


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[MadtownGopher]

Funny you should bring up Bo Ryan. I grew up in Wisconsin and have watched almost every badger game for the last 15 or so years. What I've learned from watching him succeed at Wisconsin is that maybe three things are needed for a program to be successful.

1) seniors

Through some faults of his own and others out of his control, Pitino has had very little (talented) senior leadership to date. However, following next season, Pitino will have a succession in place.

2) stability

Very few significant players left Bo's program. Guys ended up at the positions they were recruited to play, and they could trust that the given role would be theirs after they understood how to operate in the offensive and defensive schemes. Pitino's brand of bball is finally being established. Firing Pitino blows this up for another 3 years (because we aren't in a position to lure any big time coaches at the moment).

3) continual improvement

Players at Wisconsin have shown improvement within seasons and took steps each offseason. I think Pitino's guards have done the same, and he helped Mo develop though has faltered with BK thus far. Im confident guys like Mason, macbrayer, and Gilbert will continue to develop into solid or great upperclassman. Hopefully the next recruiting class looks as promising.

To be more direct: Firing Pitino because you aren't happy with his record won't make the gophers a better team now or within the next couple of years, unless you know of a coach that can come in and do some serious damage control. In my opinion, it's better to get through this low and establish some programmatic stability and groom these young players into upper classman before you blow up the program.


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Great post.

 

[RickDornsby]

It's a catch-22. If Pitino was a good enough coach to warrant stability, he wouldn't have underachieved so often. I'm a fan of stability and letting coaches sit through some of their down years, but you run the risk of letting Pitino coach 2 more years and wasting more time if he continues to suck.

Also, to #2: are we really seeing his style formulate? We barely pressed this year. We played somewhat up-tempo but were extremely mistake-prone in doing so. Even if that gets cleaned up a bit as guys mature, that's a terrible formula.

The other catch-22 is 2017. We are hoping to open up spots for that loaded class with currently only 1. By doing so, we'd have to kill the continuity factor again. If Gaston leaves or If Dorsey has to go elsewhere, I know Gaston sucks, but we continue to crater the 4-year guys for the next greener pasture and pretty soon another coach will be coaching the next greener pasture of 2017 recruit.

 

[MadtownGopher]

If Gaston transferred, that would not kill the continuity. What would kill the continuity is if our major contributors left, like Mason, McBrayer, and Murphy. Most programs average about one transfer a season.

 

[Bad Gopher]

Also, to #2: are we really seeing his style formulate? We barely pressed this year. We played somewhat up-tempo but were extremely mistake-prone in doing so. Even if that gets cleaned up a bit as guys mature, that's a terrible formula.

This continues to be very disconcerting: Pitino's inability to implement his supposed style of play. We're headed into Year 4, people; just how many years into the future are we talking about before we see a running, pressing team? Or is it just a recruiting sales pitch?

 

[savagerube]

After watching Coffey in the State Tournament, I'm not sure if he's going to have the impact next year some people are expecting. He needs to get a lot stronger - even his coach, Kenny Novak, says so. Novak was on with Sid, and said Coffey's biggest challenge will be competing physically with college players. (Sid asked if Coffey was the best player Novak has coached, and he said no - said Kris Humphries was better as a HS player.)

Don't get me wrong - I thing Coffey will be a solid D1 player - but it might take him a year or so to make a major impact.

I see the two transfers as having the biggest impact next year. And then, there is the great unknown of what happens to the three suspended players.

Bottom line - the Gophers will have a better record next year, but I will be pleasantly surprised if they finish over .500 for the season. Is that enough to keep Pitino around? only time will tell.

Agreed. By no means am I a scout, but Hopkins' game against small-town Caledonia earlier in the year was concerning. I'll admit, the player I saw in the state tournament was completely different compared to the player I saw against Caledonia. Caledonia is a strong program and has some excellent players, but to put it into perspective, they were starting a 5'11" 8th grader at the 3. With that said, Coffey struggled to create his own shot and ended up with 4 points I believe. To see him struggle against the boys of Caledonia was alarming since he was 5" taller than the kid who was guarding him. His shot looks awkward and his upper body needs some extensive work. However, the player we witnessed in the state tournament was vastly improved. Sure, he's long and athletic, but so is the B1G. I hope the best for Coffey, but he shouldn't be considered the savior of the program. I just don't see it... Yet.

 

[RickDornsby]

If Gaston transferred, that would not kill the continuity. What would kill the continuity is if our major contributors left, like Mason, McBrayer, and Murphy. Most programs average about one transfer a season.

It depends what we do with his scholarship if he left, but the whole roster matters. The guy with the long post cited Wisconsin. They've had a couple of deep bench transfers, but their 7th and 8th man or surprise star is normally a guy that stuck around and wasn't expected to be much.

In a vacuum, Gaston leaving is a positive. On the whole, we seem to have a lot of turnover in the middle of the roster and say "eh, he wasn't that good anyways." Then we fill with a juco or transfer and have bumps in the road until the next guy.

Yes, ideally, they get a good fill-in for Gaston and the next 2 years have good depth behind the top 7 or so guys that all hopefully stay around. Way in the future and who knows if Pitino is here, but we're probably hitting the reset button on depth again in 2 years, so these next 2 are key.

 

[Otis]

This continues to be very disconcerting: Pitino's inability to implement his supposed style of play. We're headed into Year 4, people; just how many years into the future are we talking about before we see a running, pressing team? Or is it just a recruiting sales pitch?

Next year is the year, if it is going to happen. Joey is the last slow footed essential player and he is gone. Can Lynch run? Can he rebound and hit the outlet passes? If he can do the latter and get the ball out then he doesn't have to run.

Just remember, you cannot run without good defense and rebounding! If we can average around 40 rebounds per game next year and fill the break we will move a lot faster.

PG: Mason, Dorsey, McBrayer, Coffey, Sharp
SG: Coffey, McBrayer, Mason, Hurt
SF: Fitzgerald, Coffey, Hurt, Gilbert
PF: Murphy, Curry, Buggs
C: Lynch, Konate, Murphy

You can run a lot of different lineups with this group. You want to run? Throw out Dorsey, Mason, Coffey, Fitzgerald and Murphy. You want to go big? Coffey, Hurt, Fitzgerald, Murphy, Lynch.

Is there a shooting lineup? This is where we need work but Mason, McBrayer, Hurt, Buggs and Lynch might get it done.

I like the possibilities. Definitely should see lots of looks in the non-conference.

 

[bga1]

It's a catch-22. If Pitino was a good enough coach to warrant stability, he wouldn't have underachieved so often. I'm a fan of stability and letting coaches sit through some of their down years, but you run the risk of letting Pitino coach 2 more years and wasting more time if he continues to suck.

Also, to #2: are we really seeing his style formulate? We barely pressed this year. We played somewhat up-tempo but were extremely mistake-prone in doing so. Even if that gets cleaned up a bit as guys mature, that's a terrible formula.

The other catch-22 is 2017. We are hoping to open up spots for that loaded class with currently only 1. By doing so, we'd have to kill the continuity factor again. If Gaston leaves or If Dorsey has to go elsewhere, I know Gaston sucks, but we continue to crater the 4-year guys for the next greener pasture and pretty soon another coach will be coaching the next greener pasture of 2017 recruit.

There is no way in the world they could have pressed and ran this year. They had a roster that was short on depth, experience and rebounding. Next year looks to offer an improvement in all three of those areas. Let's see what he does with a full roster- assuming that the three amigos return. As to your extremely mistake prone comment- I disagree. We averaged 11 turnovers per game. That's pretty good when 4 frosh and two sophs are picking up a ton of the playing time.