Does Wojo Need a Hank?

[dgies9156]

At this point, Wojo seems to need his Hank.

For you youngsters out there, Hank was Hank Raymonds, Al's Number 1 Assistant. Hank was passed over for the head coaching job in 1964 in favor of Al. He stayed as #1 assistant throughout Al's reign and was the guy that Al admitted organized the practices, ran the practices, put in the offense and defense etc. He was Al's Xs and Os guys.

Buzz had the same thing in Jerry Wainwright. We got good under Buzz when Wainwright joined the staff and added some support for Buzz.

Wojo has a couple of guys who are as young as he is. OK, his Hank may not play ball with the boys at lunch, but whoever it is knows something about college basketball. Is Steve Lavin out there?

Bottom line: Wojo has the talent thing down. He is a year away from having a team full of "his" talent. The talent is there but molding it into something that consistently wins against comparable to better opponents is still a weakness.

[TAMU, Knower of Ball]

Was talking about this last night. Too much young blood on the roster. Would be good to get a grizzled veteran on the bench. Not sure who you let go. Stan is the man. I hear lots of good things about Nelson's work with the guards. And Carrawell and Wojo are close I believe. I think Carrawell would be the choice but could Wojo bring himself to do that?

[Boone]

Unsure what role Carrawell has. Recruiting is definitely not a primary responsibility

[Goose]

IMO Hank's reputation was greatly enhanced by Al wanting to be known as a non X's and O's guy. Truth be told Al was the complete package and he made Hank's role appear far greater than it actually was. Hank was great man and great addition to the program in many ways but I cannot sit here and say he was a major difference factor in the greatest era of MU ball.

All that said, I would prefer a high level D1 PG over anything else. Carter is not the answer and I would give Howard a ton of minutes.

[nyg]

Bottom line: Wojo has the talent thing down. He is a year away from having a team full of "his" talent.

If he can't pull things together with this team, especially with seniors Fischer, JJJ and Reinhardt, I have no clue as to what Wojo anticipates next year with his talent.  After watching the first four games this year, I would predict a starting lineup consisting of:

Hauser PF
Cain SF
Heldt C (he may last seven minutes before getting two fouls)
Cheatham
Howard, Carter, Rowsey at PG, since at this stage Wojo doesn't even know.

That leaves Duane Wilson at 6ft2 to spell Cain, like he has been doing for JJJ so far
                 Theo John to spell Heldt
                 Current 12th man Cohen and red shirt Sacar to spell Hauser
                 Recruit Ike, who many say is project, maybe he get better in a year

Unless Wojo picks up a JUCO or grad player with some size, next year may be worse.

Some colleges believe that having younger coaches relates into the players having better relationships with the players.  No clue if that is MU's criteria, but yes a veteran coach, especially with a defense plan, would probably be beneficial. 

[keefe]

IMO Hank's reputation was greatly enhanced by Al wanting to be known as a non X's and O's guy. Truth be told Al was the complete package and he made Hank's role appear far greater than it actually was. Hank was great man and great addition to the program in many ways but I cannot sit here and say he was a major difference factor in the greatest era of MU ball.

All that said, I would prefer a high level D1 PG over anything else. Carter is not the answer and I would give Howard a ton of minutes.

Goose

You are absolutely correct. If Hank wasn't the guy in 64 he wasn't the guy in 77.

Al played up Hank's role but we would have been just as successful without him.

The single biggest mistake in MU history was giving Hank the job. Denny Crum, among many others, were salivating for the Marquette job.

Buzz can coach but he is an insufferable  a$$hole. Wojo isn't an a$$hole but...

[Herman Cain]

Goose

You are absolutely correct. If Hank wasn't the guy in 64 he wasn't the guy in 77.

Al played up Hank's role but we would have been just as successful without him.

The single biggest mistake in MU history was giving Hank the job. Denny Crum, among many others, were salivating for the Marquette job.

Buzz can coach but he is an insufferable  a$$hole. Wojo isn't an a$$hole but...

I agree with this analysis.

[Goose]

Keefe

A slew of choices to replace Al and that hire altered the fate on the program from day one.

[Herman Cain]

Keefe

A slew of choices to replace Al and that hire altered the fate on the program from day one.

I still remember sitting in the stands with a crappy feeling at Market Square after we lost to Miami of Ohio. I knew right then and there we were on the downside of the mountain.

Hank was a great man but only a good coach. We could have done much better.

[dgies9156]

The single biggest mistake in MU history was giving Hank the job. Denny Crum, among many others, were salivating for the Marquette job.

Keefe,

I absolutely agree with you. The demise of MU basketball from an elite program began when Hank became head coach. We have discussed this many times in here.

Marquette went cheap and the rest is history.

Nonetheless, that's not my point. I'm not arguing Wojo needs a succession plan. I'm arguing he needs an older coach who has coached Division 1 to be on the sidelines the way Hank was with Al. Or Jerry was with the Hillbilly. These guys have been around for awhile and usually are looking for a last gig before retirement. He learned a lot under Coach K but a mentor at this point would sure help get him focused and us back to the promised land.
'   

[DienerTime34]

Bottom line: Wojo has the talent thing down. He is a year away from having a team full of "his" talent.

If he can't pull things together with this team, especially with seniors Fischer, JJJ and Reinhardt, I have no clue as to what Wojo anticipates next year with his talent.  After watching the first four games this year, I would predict a starting lineup consisting of:

Hauser PF
Cain SF
Heldt C (he may last seven minutes before getting two fouls)
Cheatham
Howard, Carter, Rowsey at PG, since at this stage Wojo doesn't even know.

That leaves Duane Wilson at 6ft2 to spell Cain, like he has been doing for JJJ so far
                 Theo John to spell Heldt
                 Current 12th man Cohen and red shirt Sacar to spell Hauser
                 Recruit Ike, who many say is project, maybe he get better in a year

Unless Wojo picks up a JUCO or grad player with some size, next year may be worse.

Some colleges believe that having younger coaches relates into the players having better relationships with the players.  No clue if that is MU's criteria, but yes a veteran coach, especially with a defense plan, would probably be beneficial.

Agree. This is the problem with the "be patient" crowd. It ain't getting better next year. Our frontcourt will be made up of underclassmen, and we'll have to be patient. By the time our frontcourt get more experienced, our backcourt will have graduated, and we'll be young at guard again. I guess things will be ironed out by 2020 and we should just respect the process.

[GGGG]

Agree. This is the problem with the "be patient" crowd. It ain't getting better next year. Our frontcourt will be made up of underclassmen, and we'll have to be patient. By the time our frontcourt get more experienced, our backcourt will have graduated, and we'll be young at guard again. I guess things will be ironed out by 2020 and we should just respect the process.

What is the alternative?

[79Warrior]

What is the alternative?

Good question. All I know is some fans keep calling it a rebuild. I get it. But, this is not football where you have to find 22 guys. Three or four solid players and you can have an awfully good basketball team. This rebuild excuse Dodds and others keep using as an excuse is tired. If we are in the same boat in March as last season then I really think some serious soul searching needs to take place about the program. Plenty of coaches have put together solid teams by year three.

[Herman Cain]

Good question. All I know is some fans keep calling it a rebuild. I get it. But, this is not football where you have to find 22 guys. Three or four solid players and you can have an awfully good basketball team. This rebuild excuse Dodds and others keep using as an excuse is tired. If we are in the same boat in March as last season then I really think some serious soul searching needs to take place about the program. Plenty of coaches have put together solid teams by year three.

I agree with this analysis.

[TAMU, Knower of Ball]

It is a rebuild but I was expecting to be back in the tournament by end of year three. If we don't make it I'll be disappointed. Not fite wojo disappointed. But we will officially be behind schedule.

[cheebs09]

What is the alternative?

That's the thing. I hope Wojo is a great coach, because if he's not we are rebuilding again.

[Lennys Tap]

Good question. All I know is some fans keep calling it a rebuild. I get it. But, this is not football where you have to find 22 guys. Three or four solid players and you can have an awfully good basketball team. This rebuild excuse Dodds and others keep using as an excuse is tired. If we are in the same boat in March as last season then I really think some serious soul searching needs to take place about the program. Plenty of coaches have put together solid teams by year three.

Sad but true.

[MUFlutieEffect]

It is a rebuild but I was expecting to be back in the tournament by end of year three. If we don't make it I'll be disappointed. Not fite wojo disappointed. But we will officially be behind schedule.

Definitely agree. 

Buzz didn't leave us in good shape (to say the least), but he also didn't inherit anything better in Blacksburg, and the Hokies are looking lightyears ahead of us right now...

[4everwarriors]

Once again Brother Goose shows us he's forgotten more basketball den any of us will have ever learned. Here's da thang dat pisses me off. Warrior hoops has always been synonymous wit great defense. But, not wit Wojo. His teams haven't shown da ability ta stop any team 'cept for cupcakes. I'm sorry, but a 15 point lead ta me says da game's over, ai na?

[Anti-Dentite]

Once again Brother Goose shows us he's forgotten more basketball den any of us will have ever learned. Here's da thang dat pisses me off. Warrior hoops has always been synonymous wit great defense. But, not wit Wojo. His teams haven't shown da ability ta stop any team 'cept for cupcakes. I'm sorry, but a 15 point lead ta me says da game's over, ai na?

Truth. We'd always show up ready to go 15 rounds....not so much anymore.

[Herman Cain]

Once again Brother Goose shows us he's forgotten more basketball den any of us will have ever learned. Here's da thang dat pisses me off. Warrior hoops has always been synonymous wit great defense. But, not wit Wojo. His teams haven't shown da ability ta stop any team 'cept for cupcakes. I'm sorry, but a 15 point lead ta me says da game's over, ai na?

In our glory days, our teams struck fear into the heart of our opponents and most games were won before they even started. Maurice Lucas etc. Guys who you would want to have on your side in a street fight. Heck we even had one guy cut down the nets with a switch blade.

That is why I wanted that Levi Stockard potential recruit. He was an intimidating type of guy who threw running backs and quarterbacks around like they were dolls. 

[keefe]

Heck we even had one guy cut down the nets with a switch blade.

Goose Brell. Goose went to Alaska to work on the pipeline.

[Goose]

4ever
Pressure D was, is and always be the best way to win in college ball. We were spoiled back in the day and closet we have come to that was a couple of seasons with the Buzzer. IMO you need a PG that can play lockdown D and score on other end. At the moment MU does not come close in that area.

[vogue65]

I have yet to see coach consult with his assistants during a time out???
Is that the DUKE way?

Did the team do a kick-out Sat?
Did they "spread " the floor as advertised?  Did they gang rebound as advertised?
How is it that they tend to take 3's without anybody around under the basket to rebound?

[dgies9156]

Heck we even had one guy cut down the nets with a switch blade.

Go look at the tapes of our national championship game. That's what we used in 1977 too!

We are Marquette. We don't cut nets down with scissors and ladders. Our guys do it (again, we hope) on the shoulders of their teammates with switchblades. That's our style.