Wojo, 4 years in

[Goose]

Chitown

For the record, Wojo looks like John Wooden in comparison Dukiet. The only time I EVER cheered against MU has Dukiet's final month at MU. At the time, anyone with a brain figured and thought he would be fired, but even folks on the inside were confident MU would pull the trigger.

[ChitownSpaceForRent]

Chitown

For the record, Wojo looks like John Wooden in comparison Dukiet. The only time I EVER cheered against MU has Dukiet's final month at MU. At the time, anyone with a brain figured and thought he would be fired, but even folks on the inside were confident MU would pull the trigger.

Oh I don't disagree. For the longest time I actually thought Dukiet was actually a nickname scoop gave him because he was such a crap coach.

Trust me I am as frustrated as anybody else. I went from a Sweet 16 and an Elite 8 my Freshman and sophomore years to Marquette's first losing season in a long time my senior year but even though I didn't live through that era, I thank my lucky stars I did not have to watch a Bob Dukiet coached team. I feel bad for anybody who did.

[Charlotte Warrior]

Top 15 offensively the last two years.

following this logic Wojo is also a defensive moron

[TAMU, Knower of Ball]

following this logic Wojo is also a defensive moron

I wouldn't use the same words (genius or moron) but yes,  I think there are a lot of concerns in Wojos ability to coach defense and a lot to like in how he coaches offense

[MilWarrior]

So you've got one instance in how many?

You asked - I answered. Thought it was funny given how just this year Theo came in looking like Terry Crews. Here are some other freshman that came in and already had college-ready bodies:

Wes Matthews
Dominic James
Derrick Wilson
Joe Nethen
Faisal Abraham

[GGGG]

You asked - I answered. Thought it was funny given how just this year Theo came in looking like Terry Crews. Here are some other freshman that came in and already had college-ready bodies:

Wes Matthews
Dominic James
Derrick Wilson
Joe Nethen
Faisal Abraham

Joe Nethen???

[Juan Anderson's Mixtape]

You asked - I answered. Thought it was funny given how just this year Theo came in looking like Terry Crews. Here are some other freshman that came in and already had college-ready bodies:

Wes Matthews
Dominic James
Derrick Wilson
Joe Nethen
Faisal Abraham

Wes Matthews weighed 190 as a frosh and 220 as a senior.

Sure he came in stronger than Elliott, Cain, and Jajaun Johnson but far from a finished product.

[MilWarrior]

Wes Matthews weighed 190 as a frosh and 220 as a senior.

Sure he came in stronger than Elliott, Cain, and Jajaun Johnson but far from a finished product.

Did I say finished product? He was college ready. Compare frosh Wes to frosh Cain/Elliot.

[MilWarrior]

Joe Nethen???

I threw in Joe for fun. But anyone who tore down a backboard in high school would qualify as having a college-ready body.

[Juan Anderson's Mixtape]

Did I say finished product? He was college ready. Compare frosh Wes to frosh Cain/Elliot.

Ok. I think by that definition we are in agreement.  I incorrectly inferred finished product.

[79Warrior]

Anyone that doesn't think Wojo is an offensive genius is a freaking moron. I'm sorry, but he took a terrible offensive team and turned it into a top-10 offense last year, then lost JJ, Fischer, and Reinhardt and maintained it despite a virtual non-factor at the 5 and five new players that had a combined 19 points scored for Marquette (Anim's freshman year total).

Defensively, we were a sieve each of the past two years and I have serious concerns about that improving, but offensively he is a wizard. We had two of the three most prolific scoring seasons in school history, sandwiched around a guy named Wade. I understand the differences between the 1970s players and today in terms of the three-point line and number of games played, but those are still incredibly impressive numbers.

Despite all that, if we are a bubble team again next year, even if we are in the tournament, I think it may be time to part ways with Wojo. I'm not sold on him yet as a long-term answer and I don't think simply taking Rowsey out and adding Morrow and Joey will magically turn our sub-175 defense into a top-75 defense. But in terms of offense? Yeah, the guy has a golden touch and I have no doubt we'll lose the most prolific single-season scorer in Marquette history and still have a top-20 offense next year.

He is a good offensive coach. Hardly a genius. He has/had three of the best shooters in MU history. With Andrew leaving, lets see how next season pans out offensively.

[Dr. Blackheart]

He is a good offensive coach. Hardly a genius. He has/had three of the best shooters in MU history. With Andrew leaving, lets see how next season pans out offensively.

Derrick Wilson by far had his best shooting season under Wojo.  That is the tipping point of genius.

[WarriorDad]

Had a thought today. If everybody is so pissed off at Wojo after a admittedly mediocre 4 seasons, what would scoop have been like during the Bob Dukiet years? As much as we have some crazy posters, I'd say we're pretty patient in comparison to other Power Conference schools.

Admittedly 4 mediocre seasons?  You lost me there.  First few years rebuild. Two post season appearances since, youngest team in Big East this year.   Way too many glass half empty fans.

[We R Final Four]

He is a good offensive coach. Hardly a genius. He has/had three of the best shooters in MU history. With Andrew leaving, lets see how next season pans out offensively.

Next years offense is the least of my concerns.

[Floorslapper]

Admittedly 4 mediocre seasons?  You lost me there.  First few years rebuild. Two post season appearances since, youngest team in Big East this year.   Way too many glass half empty fans.

This is one way to look at it.  Another?  4-years into the regime and we've yet to win an NCAA game.  Understand you feel we could be a Top 30 team next year, which essentially becomes a coin flip win/lose in NCAA tournament. 

Lots of pressure on Wojo next year.  Vast majority of fanbase is expecting a 20-30 spot improvement, and NCAA bid.  Miss the NCAA again next year, and the seat will be getting warm.

I can see reasons for optimism, however, all of that is tempered by the loss of Rowsey.  For all we gain in experience, Morrow, Joey - losing a guy like Rowsey will create MANY more challenges offensively for Sam and Markus.

[GoldenWarrior11]

The biggest weakness of Wojo's tenure, and I wouldn't put all of the blame on him, is getting the classes balanced.  This is due to the many transfers, and the consistent aspect of each of our teams being under-manned and - for the most part - inexperienced.  I think this past freshmen class - Cain, Elliot, John and Eke - is the most important class for Wojo.  He not only needs to make sure they stay, but also that they also develop and continue to get better.  Former players that transferred out - like Cohen, Carter, Cheatham - clearly regressed and took a step back in their 2nd years (which probably led to them looking to transfer and seek other playing opportunities).  It also led to younger players getting more minutes, leading to the inexperienced problem. 

With regards to this past year's team, an interesting thought is what the team would have done if Duane and Haanif stayed.  While it would have cut the minutes of the freshmen down, it also would have given us experience and length. 

Hopefully, the balance of classes gets solidified next year and the inexperience factor gets eliminated.  It'll be interesting to see what transfers are added to the group. 

[Frenns Liquor Depot]

The biggest weakness of Wojo's tenure, and I wouldn't put all of the blame on him, is getting the classes balanced.  This is due to the many transfers, and the consistent aspect of each of our teams being under-manned and - for the most part - inexperienced.  I think this past freshmen class - Cain, Elliot, John and Eke - is the most important class for Wojo.  He not only needs to make sure they stay, but also that they also develop and continue to get better.  Former players that transferred out - like Cohen, Carter, Cheatham - clearly regressed and took a step back in their 2nd years (which probably led to them looking to transfer and seek other playing opportunities).  It also led to younger players getting more minutes, leading to the inexperienced problem. 

That is what happens when you recruit players that aren’t good enough to be starters in the Big East.  They lose playing time and leave. 

[dgies9156]

Miss the NCAA again next year, and the seat will be getting warm.

Miss the NCAA again next year and his seat will be 1,000 degrees Kelvin.

The runway is shortening. We are moving into a new arena. We're four years into Wojo's era and we expect results in Year 5.

The "youngsters" aren't youngsters anymore. The recruits are good and Loyola is showing it is the preeminent Jesuit college basketball team -- at least this year. They've outlasted Gonzaga and Creighton and showed up when Marquette and Georgetown didn't. This cannot happen again! No way, no how.

Wojo needs to get himself a point guard, or find it among this year's remaining team members. He needs to fill the last two schollys with people who will push us over the edge and, ideally, get us to teh Sweet 16 or better.

No more "we're young," or "we lost a lot with Rowsey." Or, we had transfers. Those days are now over.

[MUDPT]

Do any of the posters that don't think Wojo is a good offensive coach, watch any other teams besides MU?  The BE is filled with elite offenses, better than all other major conferences.  The NCAA tournament is filled with mid-tier major conferences tournament, whose best offensive set is get it to your best ball handler and let him go one on one.  Loved winning under Buzz, but his offense at times were rock fights. 

Defensively, we have gotten worse every year under him.  A competent defense would put this team in the top 25.

To be truly successful in the NCAA, we have to either recruit heavily the top 25. Or recruit guys that will develop into top players by the time they are junior and seniors, like the rest of the Big East.

[bork]

Lack of  4 year players has hurt them as much as anything.  It's been apparent watching boys against men this year.

5 of the 6 Big East 1st team players are seniors.  Marquette has had one 4 year senior in the past 3 years.  I know there are a number of reasons for this, but that's one that that needs to change.

[WarriorDad]

The crazy thing is that Wojo will get us to the NCAAs next year, and probably the year after and likely one of a few scenarios happen.

Didn't go far enough in the tournament because some people only care about that outcome, and he leaves.
We go far in the tournament and he leaves anyway because a better job opens up.
Or we don't make the tournament, and he's let go.


Either way, we start all over again.  One guy has stuck around longer than 6 years here in the last three decades. 

[willie warrior]

Miss the NCAA again next year and his seat will be 1,000 degrees Kelvin.

The runway is shortening. We are moving into a new arena. We're four years into Wojo's era and we expect results in Year 5.

The "youngsters" aren't youngsters anymore. The recruits are good and Loyola is showing it is the preeminent Jesuit college basketball team -- at least this year. They've outlasted Gonzaga and Creighton and showed up when Marquette and Georgetown didn't. This cannot happen again! No way, no how.

Wojo needs to get himself a point guard, or find it among this year's remaining team members. He needs to fill the last two schollys with people who will push us over the edge and, ideally, get us to teh Sweet 16 or better.

No more "we're young," or "we lost a lot with Rowsey." Or, we had transfers. Those days are now over.

There should not even be any talk of missing the NCAA's next year, because according to all the Wojo Kool Aiders here, we will be really really good next year, Wojo is an offensive genius, and it is his 5th year with all his own studs. With all that Kool Aid, we should all realize that we will be top tier in BEast and make deep run in the dance. We can all dream.

[GGGG]

There should not even be any talk of missing the NCAA's next year, because according to all the Wojo Kool Aiders here, we will be really really good next year, Wojo is an offensive genius, and it is his 5th year with all his own studs. With all that Kool Aid, we should all realize that we will be top tier in BEast and make deep run in the dance. We can all dream.

When we were in the BE and made deep runs in the dance you complained about the coach then too.

My guess is that you would still complain if we did it again.

[bilsu]

After only four years at MU, Wojo's player's include the top scoring freshmen in MU history (Ellenson), the top scoring sophomore in MU history (Howard) and the top scoring senior in MU history (Rousey). There is a good chance that Howard will be the top scoring junior in MU history after next year.

[TSmith34, Inc.]

There should not even be any talk of missing the NCAA's next year, because according to all the Wojo Kool Aiders here, we will be really really good next year, Wojo is an offensive genius, and it is his 5th year with all his own studs. With all that Kool Aid, we should all realize that we will be top tier in BEast and make deep run in the dance. We can all dream.

Remember how much you whined about S16-S16-E8 Buzz?  We sure do.  There is just no pleasing a wee willie.