I'll trust Wojo

[tower912]

It is time to accept some things: 
1.  Coaches like Derrick for what he brings.   Leadership, defense, taking care of the ball, being a coach on the floor.    Quit using 'coach's pet' as something negative. 
2.  Barring injury, he is going to continue to play lots of minutes.  The make up of the roster dictates that.
3.  Nobody is claiming he is a world beater as a PG.   He's not.   He is a caretaker PG.
4.  All he has ever done is represent MU with class.   He has played hard, led, done everything to the absolute best of his abilities.   It is not his fault that roster structure and circumstances have required him to play a role that he is not best suited for. 

You don't have to accept this but I am going to write it anyway.   To constantly tear down and harangue someone like Derrick is shameful and pathetic.   An MU education should have taught you that.   

[WarriorInNYC]

There is a big difference between "encouraging someone to transfer to free up a schollie" and being honest with a kid and saying "unless your game improves drastically, you will probably never earn consistent playing time here. If playing time is your priority, you might want to try transferring to a mid-major."

I may be naive, but everything I have learned about Wojo makes me believe he is a players first coach. He wouldn't cut somebody out just for the scholarship. But he is here to win games. He's not going to play a player who he thinks will hurt his team's chance to win a game. Besides UT Martin, all of our games this season have been close. I'm sure once we have another cupcake game (and actually handle the game like we should), all of our players will get some playing time.

If Dawson transfers, it won't be because he was unjustly nailed to the bench. It will be because he simply wasn't good enough to earn playing time here and doesn't want to wait until he is good enough (or may think he will never be good enough).

Very well put TAMU.  Just because Dawson isnt playing, doesnt mean Wojo is encouraging him to leave.  And if Dawson does decide to transfer, that again, does not mean Wojo encouraged him, but that he wanted to get more playing time, and that was not going to happen on this team.

[Lennys Tap]

There is a big difference between "encouraging someone to transfer to free up a schollie" and being honest with a kid and saying "unless your game improves drastically, you will probably never earn consistent playing time here. If playing time is your priority, you might want to try transferring to a mid-major."

I don't think there's much difference at all. Haters see the former, slurpers the latter. Semantics.

[brandx]

There is a big difference between "encouraging someone to transfer to free up a schollie" and being honest with a kid and saying "unless your game improves drastically, you will probably never earn consistent playing time here. If playing time is your priority, you might want to try transferring to a mid-major."

I may be naive, but everything I have learned about Wojo makes me believe he is a players first coach. He wouldn't cut somebody out just for the scholarship. But he is here to win games. He's not going to play a player who he thinks will hurt his team's chance to win a game. Besides UT Martin, all of our games this season have been close. I'm sure once we have another cupcake game (and actually handle the game like we should), all of our players will get some playing time.

If Dawson transfers, it won't be because he was unjustly nailed to the bench. It will be because he simply wasn't good enough to earn playing time here and doesn't want to wait until he is good enough (or may think he will never be good enough).

Apparently every coach in the country must be "encouraging" guys to transfer. Every team has players that the coach never or seldom uses.

[Sharpie]

It's hard to win and keep everyone on the team happy. Usually doesn't work out to be most effective in terms of wanting to win by splitting mins evenly. This isn't little league.

Dawson seems to be into the games even though he isn't playing. I don't think Wojo would encourage him to leave as Dawson seems like a good kid and hard worker. Having said that it's not rocket science that if he wants more playing time and hasn't improved at my to deserve any, then Wojo would probably tell him that it's johns call if he wants to look elsewhere for PT.

[wadesworld]

Is prolly subliminally being encouraged to Transfer to free up a schollie..... It doesn't take a Rocket Scientist to see that...

Encouraging him to transfer why, exactly?  You realize we still have one open scholarship with 4 incoming freshman already, right?  Do you really expect Wojo to add 2 more players and have a class of 6 players coming in in 1 year?  Because that's the only possible situation in which Wojo would encourage Dawson to transfer at this point.  Now next year when we graduate only 1, if Dawson is a junior and continues to sit on the bench and we are looking at a number of high major players wanting to come to Marquette then maybe you have a point.  But then again, he's a junior and has been okay sitting for 3 years, so why transfer at that point to sit another year and get just 1 year to play?  If Dawson transfers it is 100% his choice.  We still have an open scholarship.  To suggest Wojo has encouraged someone to transfer when there is still an open scholarship and a big recruiting class is already on its way in is ignorant and silly.

[madtownwarrior]

"He is a caretaker PG."

I disagree with this label - a caretaker PG would need to be able to make free throws at the end of the game to "take care of getting to end of the game with a win"

Maybe the label is "a good substitute PG when scoring and free throws are not necessary?"

[wadesworld]

"He is a caretaker PG."

I disagree with this label - a caretaker PG would need to be able to make free throws at the end of the game to "take care of getting to end of the game with a win"

Maybe the label is "a good substitute PG when scoring and free throws are not necessary?"

Making free throws has nothing to do with taking care of the basketball.

[willie warrior]

Making free throws has nothing to do with taking care of the basketball.

One could argue that it does in Duane's case. If we have a short lead and in the last two minutes or so, you start a Hack a Derrick, trading 0 or 1 point for 2 or 3, then the foul is as good as creating a TO--or gaining time=taking care of the basketball.

[jsglow]

No doubt improving his free throw percentage is very important as we move forward.  Both Derrick and Juan need to be on the floor at crunch time when we have a lead for our team to be most successful.  And to do that they need to get up into the 60% range.  I guess we're blessed that Matt has a very good handle and hits free throws with regularity.  I also have a lot of confidence in Duane at the line but I still worry some about his late game handle.  Those guys allow Derrick to be in a support role.  There was one late game possession against UT where Derrick made a very quick catch and pass during the fouling strategy period.  Ball was in his hands no more than a second.  I also like it that Wojo has challenged him to step up in this area of his game.  I'm confident that he got the message.  I hope he can deliver.

[WellsstreetWanderer]

Guaranteed that the last few minutes of each game will be interesting

[rocky_warrior]

Wow, you guys trying to make me believe the debate wasn't all Ner's fault????

[tower912]

If Crean could figure out how to work around DJames free throw shooting, Wojo can figure out how to work around Derrick's.    The easy fix is to let Carlino and Duane handle the ball in the last 2 minutes of a game.   The question for me is whether or not coaches start fouling Derrick when he is 40 ft away from the ball.   I assume that Luke can shoot FT's and will be either inbounding or coming up as an outlet for inbounding plays.     Derrick inbounding to Carlino/Duane/Luke, sprinting up the floor and letting the other 3 bring it up makes sense.   The really tricky part is that Juan is shooting poorly right now from the line.  Hiding 2 bad FT shooters is tougher.     I thought that was going to change now that we have a coach that practices free throws.   

[jsglow]

Wow, you guys trying to make me believe the debate wasn't all Ner's fault????

I actually think it has been a pretty interesting discussion of Derrick's role this year.  We all want him to successfully contribute.

[The Lens]

I thought that was going to change now that we have a coach that practices free throws.   

So well said. 

[Lennys Tap]

No doubt improving his free throw percentage is very important as we move forward.  Both Derrick and Juan need to be on the floor at crunch time when we have a lead for our team to be most successful.  And to do that they need to get up into the 60% range.  I guess we're blessed that Matt has a very good handle and hits free throws with regularity.  I also have a lot of confidence in Duane at the line but I still worry some about his late game handle.  Those guys allow Derrick to be in a support role.  There was one late game possession against UT where Derrick made a very quick catch and pass during the fouling strategy period.  Ball was in his hands no more than a second.  I also like it that Wojo has challenged him to step up in this area of his game.  I'm confident that he got the message.  I hope he can deliver.

When it's "foul time" Derrick and JJJ platoon (defense to offense). Juan has to step up or he'll be platooning too (Fischer, Burton?).

[jsglow]

When it's "foul time" Derrick and JJJ platoon (defense to offense). Juan has to step up or he'll be platooning too (Fischer, Burton?).

Not against UT Lenny.  Derrick asked if the platoon was in order and Wojo told him to suck it up and make his damn free throws.  Who knows if it's a 3 point game but I sure like the initiative.

[79Warrior]

So well said. 

You can practice FT all you want, no pressure. A game environment is a whole different situation.

[madtownwarrior]

That's one of the dumbest things I have read on Scoop to date.

At the end of game - the PG takes care of the ball, one of the frequent outcomes or even a stratgey is to foul in hopes of a missed free throw,

Making free throws has nothing to do with taking care of the basketball.

[NersEllenson]

That's one of the dumbest things I have read on Scoop to date.

At the end of game - the PG takes care of the ball, one of the frequent outcomes or even a stratgey is to foul in hopes of a missed free throw,

For some context:  Missed free throws are essentially a turnover/a possession that ends without points.  Curiously, I wonder if Pomeroy counts a dead ball situation (such as FT shooting) an actual possession?  Regardless, a 50% FT shooter basically puts your points per possession at .50.  This MU team is 64th in the country in its O-Rating at 104.9ppp.  The worst team in all of D-1 in 351st place averages .85 points per possession.

[mu-rara]

For some context:  Missed free throws are essentially a turnover/a possession that ends without points.  Curiously, I wonder if Pomeroy counts a dead ball situation (such as FT shooting) an actual possession?  Regardless, a 50% FT shooter basically puts your points per possession at .50.  This MU team is 64th in the country in its O-Rating at 104.9ppp.  The worst team in all of D-1 in 351st place averages .85 points per possession.

face palm.....Next up from Ners: an appeal to the NCAA asking that a missed FT be counted as turnover in the assist to turnover ratio.

[GGGG]

For some context:  Missed free throws are essentially a turnover/a possession that ends without points.  Curiously, I wonder if Pomeroy counts a dead ball situation (such as FT shooting) an actual possession?  Regardless, a 50% FT shooter basically puts your points per possession at .50.  This MU team is 64th in the country in its O-Rating at 104.9ppp.  The worst team in all of D-1 in 351st place averages .85 points per possession.

Well it isn't a turnover.  Missed free throws are basically missed shots.

And one slight correction.  A possession with a free throw ends if the last free throw is made OR if it is missed and the defense gets the rebound.  So a 50% FT shooter *at minimum* gives you a ppp at .5.  But in reality you have to add in any offensive rebounds from a missed FT, and points that result.  (Not a significant difference.)

[Lennys Tap]

Well it isn't a turnover.  Missed free throws are basically missed shots.

And one slight correction.  A possession with a free throw ends if the last free throw is made OR if it is missed and the defense gets the rebound.  So a 50% FT shooter *at minimum* gives you a ppp at .5.  But in reality you have to add in any offensive rebounds from a missed FT, and points that result.  (Not a significant difference.)

Actually, it's more than that. If it's a shooting foul or double bonus .5+.5 =1.0 plus the offensive rebound thing. if you're in the 1 and 1 a 50% shooter would be .75ppp (.5 + .25) plus the chance for an offensive rebound.

[MU82]

For the last few years, I have considered Cadougan's skill set and performance to be the absolute minimum any team with aspirations of anything should have for its PG.

Now I am to believe that Derrick has set a new "acceptable floor." Hmm.

I definitely will concede that Derrick's offense has been better this season. He has had one very good game, a couple of good games, maybe a decent game and a few clunkers. He is tough and smart and a great team player. He still can't be trusted to make a FT at crunch time and has the many other limitations that have been documented before.

Even if one terms Derrick's play now "acceptable" or whatever similar adjective one prefers, it's still quite a stretch to go from there to Wojo's labeling Derrick's play as "terrific."

Deron Williams, Chris Paul and Mateen Cleaves were terrific college point guards.

[GGGG]

Actually, it's more than that. If it's a shooting foul or double bonus .5+.5 =1.0 plus the offensive rebound thing. if you're in the 1 and 1 a 50% shooter would be .75ppp (.5 + .25) plus the chance for an offensive rebound.

Good points.  Good thing I'm not a mathematician.