Buzz has got to learn....

[Bo Ryan's Massage Therapist]

We all know it... Our best players don't play enough. Our starters don't contribute enough.  Hard to win when the best players don't play enough.  Our bench scored over 2/3 of our pts.  Wouldn't surprise me if Buzz leaves soon.  I'd hate to see him leave, but he's a hot commodity given recent success and after talking to some close to the program, he is for once under pressure... Doesn't take a genius to see what he has done isn't working and the big names will see this as a chance to poach him.  Hope I am wrong!

[Shark]

If he wants to leave, so be it. Marquette is the biggest spending program in the country. The program is bigger than the coach.

[79Warrior]

We all know it... Our best players don't play enough. Our starters don't contribute enough.  Hard to win when the best players don't play enough.  Our bench scored over 2/3 of our pts.  Wouldn't surprise me if Buzz leaves soon.  I'd hate to see him leave, but he's a hot commodity given recent success and after talking to some close to the program, he is for once under pressure... Doesn't take a genius to see what he has done isn't working and the big names will see this as a chance to poach him.  Hope I am wrong!

Pressure from who? The guy has had a winning season every year he has been HC at Marquette.  Sounds like horse sh## to me.

[Bo Ryan's Massage Therapist]

This is coming from someone in the know.  What grade would you give Buzz this year?  Be honest.

[brandx]

We all know it... Our best players don't play enough. Our starters don't contribute enough.  Hard to win when the best players don't play enough.  Our bench scored over 2/3 of our pts.  Wouldn't surprise me if Buzz leaves soon.  I'd hate to see him leave, but he's a hot commodity given recent success and after talking to some close to the program, he is for once under pressure... Doesn't take a genius to see what he has done isn't working and the big names will see this as a chance to poach him.  Hope I am wrong!

I would be shocked if he left just because he is under a little pressure - that would be the exact opposite action that he preaches to his players all of the time. and make no mistake, Buzz is a man of integrity. This is the first time he has had to face something like this season has been and I expect him to learn from his mistakes and come out of it a better coach..

[brandx]

This is coming from someone in the know.  What grade would you give Buzz this year?  Be honest.

I don't believe a word of it. I am shocked that you (or any fan of MU) look at Buzz as a quitter.

[NersEllenson]

This is coming from someone in the know.  What grade would you give Buzz this year?  Be honest.

I'm sure Buzz is really stressed out with the team's performance this year...as well as the criticism being leveled by our passionate fanbase.  First time he's had to deal with that, as he's been brilliant every year he's been at MU...other than this year.

Do think he got caught up in trying to prove point that he could win with his chosen starting lineup, and stuck with it too long...while not giving the freshman more opportunity in non-conference games so they'd be more ready for Big East.

[PGsHeroes32]

This year I would give Buzz a C- or possibly lower.

That said I don't think hes leaving, I don't want him to leave and I think this is his only bad year out of 6 so far.

[77ncaachamps]

This is coming from someone in the know.  What grade would you give Buzz this year?  Be honest.

Considering Vander's departure, McKay's transfer,
and Duane's injury, I'd give him a C-.

Why? Though he managed some close games with an inferior guard set, his blinding love for his guards has stifled the development of the frosh guards who actually have been somewhat productive compared to their starting counterparts.

[jesmu84]

Considering Vander's departure, McKay's transfer,
and Duane's injury, I'd give him a C-.

Why? Though he managed some close games with an inferior guard set, his blinding love for his guards has stifled the development of the frosh guards who actually have been somewhat productive compared to their starting counterparts.

What about TJ taylor? or reggie smith? or jamail jones? etc. etc. we've lost a lot of guys that should have been upper classmen this season. some of them may not have worked out or whatever. but they were supposed to be leading the team this season. not derrick, jake, etc.

[MU82]

Hard to win when the best players don't play enough.

Well, Jamil played 45 minutes, Mayo played 43 and Gardner played 31, which is about the upper limit for the big guy. Of course, Derrick and Jake played too much, but Burton and Dawson got more run than usual. As far as playing his better players the most minutes, this was one of Buzz's better examples.

[79Warrior]

This is coming from someone in the know.  What grade would you give Buzz this year?  Be honest.

What grade? How about an A for his first Five years and a C for this year. What frigging Moron in the school would even hint at being unhappy with Coach.

The AD? Wait, we don't have one.

Fr Wild? bill Cords? Shoot, they hired him.

I call Bullsh##!

[Lennys Tap]

We all know it... Our best players don't play enough. Our starters don't contribute enough.  Hard to win when the best players don't play enough.  Our bench scored over 2/3 of our pts.  Wouldn't surprise me if Buzz leaves soon.  I'd hate to see him leave, but he's a hot commodity given recent success and after talking to some close to the program, he is for once under pressure... Doesn't take a genius to see what he has done isn't working and the big names will see this as a chance to poach him.  Hope I am wrong!

Why would you hate to see a guy leave who doesn't know as much as you and the rest of whoever is part of your "we all" about coaching basketball? Why would "big names" want to poach a guy like that?

[77ncaachamps]

What about TJ taylor? or reggie smith? or jamail jones? etc. etc. we've lost a lot of guys that should have been upper classmen this season. some of them may not have worked out or whatever. but they were supposed to be leading the team this season. not derrick, jake, etc.

No. I don't include them. They weren't here last year so I ignore them.

[jesmu84]

No. I don't include them. They weren't here last year so I ignore them.

Fair enough.

[mattyv1908]

Gardner playing 31 is not his upper limit.  He's played at least that much in six games in regulation and they've been his most productive as a whole this year.

There's no reason Gardner shouldn't have got 40.

There's no reason Burton shouldn't have hardly seen the second half.

There's no reason our ineffective starting lineup should see 15-20% of regulation together as a unit (3-4 minutes to start each half).

These results at this point are on Buzz.  Every single advanced metric from multiple sources suggest different players should be playing more yet he is content to ignore all of the evidence and trod out this pathetic lineup game in and game out.

We're 17-13 and it's squarely on our coach this year.

[Eldon]

I'm sure Buzz is really stressed out with the team's performance this year...as well as the criticism being leveled by our passionate fanbase.  First time he's had to deal with that, as he's been brilliant every year he's been at MU...other than this year.

Do think he got caught up in trying to prove point that he could win with his chosen starting lineup, and stuck with it too long...while not giving the freshman more opportunity in non-conference games so they'd be more ready for Big East.

This.

It was abundantly clear we were not a tourney team after the Butler loss.  A bad team should take risks.  We had nothing to lose by letting Dawson (Burton and JJJ to a lesser extent) develop.  Practice is not perfect.  It is not a perfect simulator of the game.  Dawson showed potential early (Davante acknowledged as much on BE media day) and Buzz failed to realize that potential.  Now, unfortunately, we may have the same problem next season as DuWilson is fresh, DWil has likely hit his ceiling and Dawson has had very limited minutes this year.

IMO, Buzz gets a D, perhaps a D+ for this year.  I respect his willingness to schedule a strong OOC.  However, he didn't take enough risks and put being principled over being pragmatic.

Apparently,  at the BBQ, he tried to create a safety net for himself ("we aren't going to be good this year"), but I don't buy it.  We spend, what, the 2nd most in the country on bball?  We don't have talent?  Please.  Brad Stevens would have this team atop the BE, I'd bet on that.

I will say that I think Buzz will learn from this season.  And he certainly has earned the right to have some wiggle room.

[WarriorGreg1965]

The grade for this year would be a D.

The team hasn't improved at all over the course of the season.

And I'm not in the know, but know someone who is, and Buzz isn't in any trouble.  But some eyes are starting to pay closer attention.  Crean worked people.  Buzz could not care less what anyone thinks of him, outside of his players.  

[AirPunches]

Think buzz has been under a ton of stress the last two years or so. This has nothing to do with wins and losses. I think this year, despite the poor season buzz has finally gotten a breath of fresh air. People who post on this board are in the extreme minority and many fail to realize that. Most MU fans wouldn't know what the heck you were talking about if you brought up many of hot topics on this board. I find it really refreshing talking to friends about MU hoops who have never heard of this board.

[ATWizJr]

This.

It was abundantly clear we were not a tourney team after the Butler loss.  A bad team should take risks.  We had nothing to lose by letting Dawson (Burton and JJJ to a lesser extent) develop.  Practice is not perfect.  It is not a perfect simulator of the game.  Dawson showed potential early (Davante acknowledged as much on BE media day) and Buzz failed to realize that potential.  Now, unfortunately, we may have the same problem next season as DuWilson is fresh, DWil has likely hit his ceiling and Dawson has had very limited minutes this year.

IMO, Buzz gets a D, perhaps a D+ for this year.  I respect his willingness to schedule a strong OOC.  However, he didn't take enough risks and put being principled over being pragmatic.

Apparently,  at the BBQ, he tried to create a safety net for himself ("we aren't going to be good this year"), but I don't buy it.  We spend, what, the 2nd most in the country on bball?  We don't have talent?  Please.  Brad Stevens would have this team atop the BE, I'd bet on that.

I will say that I think Buzz will learn from this season.  And he certainly has earned the right to have some wiggle room.

  Will he learn?  Will he really?  Has he learned?  What evidence do  you see of that?

[Young_King]

The grade for this year would be a D.

The team hasn't improved at all over the course of the season.

And I'm not in the know, but know someone who is, and Buzz isn't in any trouble.  But some eyes are starting to pay closer attention.  Crean worked people.  Buzz could not care less what anyone thinks of him, outside of his players.  

+100.

[MUfan12]

The concern for me is player development. Buzz has done a great job with JUCOs and transfers, but the recruits from HS have been underwhelming.

Looking at the guys who came here from HS... how many have turned into impact players? Vander. Davante. A case can be made for Junior. The rest have either left, or haven't been much more than role players.

I sure hope Steve can get past this season, and the freshmen develop. MU will desperately need some help going forward.

[keefe]

[ChicosBailBonds]

Think buzz has been under a ton of stress the last two years or so. This has nothing to do with wins and losses. I think this year, despite the poor season buzz has finally gotten a breath of fresh air. People who post on this board are in the extreme minority and many fail to realize that. Most MU fans wouldn't know what the heck you were talking about if you brought up many of hot topics on this board. I find it really refreshing talking to friends about MU hoops who have never heard of this board.

I told my wife on Saturday during the Nova game that Buzz looked severely stressed out....just could see it in his face.  She laughed a bit and said he looks like you at times.  Not good for the soul or the heart.  This has been a tough year on him I am sure because he is wearing it for many to see.

[Eldon]

  Will he learn?  Will he really?  Has he learned?  What evidence do  you see of that?

Will he learn?  My hunch is yes.  What evidence do I have of that?  Well, just knowing that Buzz is goal-driven, very meticulous, and an ambitious young coach. 

Has he learned?  Over the span of this season?  I would say, overall no.  I mean he has played Burton and Dawson slightly more.  He also learned that Oxtule was a bad idea.  But IMO he also hasn't really had time to reflect and strategize to the extent that he should, partly because he "always be recruiting" or whatever the phrase is. 

Hopefully our assistant coaches also learn.  And more importantly, I hope they are not yes-men and point out Buzz's faults.