Coach Wojo

[tower912]

Some people frustrated after last night's loss started kvetching about Wojo's coaching.   Naturally.   Once again, IMO, the long view needs to be taken.    Wojo is a quality recruiter.   Why?   He spent 15 years recruiting for Duke and K.    Wojo and his staff teach.   Why?   Wojo spent 15 years teaching with K at Duke and the National team.    MU teams come out with a plan and a scheme.   Why?   Wojo spent 15 years scouting and doing game prep.   

Wojo is not yet a great game coach.   Why?   He has been doing it 1 year.   Just like this year's team is inexperienced, Wojo is inexperienced as a game coach.    I firmly believe that he will learn and grow and get better.   But just like this team, to expect instant greatness, to not accept that there is a learning curve for all involved, is myopic.    A little patience and a long view is required for Wojo, too.   

[brewcity77]

I agree. There's room for improvement and hopefully he makes it. But I do think this is a big part of the teaching process. Duane shooting that three was a terrible decision. I realize he's a sophomore, but he's also supposed to be one of the experienced leaders. Just can't do that. As someone else pointed out, shades of Dwight Buycks at Louisville. I feel this team will be better come March and hopefully Belmont will finish top-100 so this is at least a good loss. But we definitely need to improve late game decision making.

[tower912]

Completely agree about Duane's play.   He needs to make better choices.    Virtually any other decision he could have made right there, short of intentionally throwing the ball out of bounds, would have been a better choice than what he did.   He went for the hero play and ended up a zero.   I agree the team will be better in 3 months. 

[mu03eng]

I agree with the setiment, but there were definitely 3 "coaching decisions" in the last 40 seconds that all negatively impacted the game.  Duane's 3, which I get is a player decision but they've gotta know the situation and that comes from the coach.  The Ellenson play design was just terrible, that works if Ellenson is a veteran player, not an 18 year old freshmen playing his first game of the season and you are asking him to drive the lane.  Lastly, I like the Engine a lot, but based on this game and the exhibition, he shouldn't have even been in the game, should have been Haanif.  Haanif may not be as flashy as Carter, but he is definitely more even keeled.

I'm not panicked in any way, but this is the most concerning of all things this early in the season.  Clearly we have talent and they can play....can Wojo put them in a position to win consistently?

[tower912]

I agree with the setiment, but there were definitely 3 "coaching decisions" in the last 40 seconds that all negatively impacted the game.  Duane's 3, which I get is a player decision but they've gotta know the situation and that comes from the coach.  The Ellenson play design was just terrible, that works if Ellenson is a veteran player, not an 18 year old freshmen playing his first game of the season and you are asking him to drive the lane.  Lastly, I like the Engine a lot, but based on this game and the exhibition, he shouldn't have even been in the game, should have been Haanif.  Haanif may not be as flashy as Carter, but he is definitely more even keeled.

I'm not panicked in any way, but this is the most concerning of all things this early in the season.  Clearly we have talent and they can play....can Wojo put them in a position to win consistently?

I wasn't that disappointed in the play for Henry.   Spread the floor, get the ball to your best player at the foul line, and have him make a play is a time-tested tactic.    It worked for Crean, it worked for Buzz.    Granted, it was Wade, Butler, Crowder, Lazar making the play and they all played in the league, but Henry is going to play in the league, too.   Now, it was telegraphed and the Belmont player defended it like he knew it was coming, so kudos to them.   Based on how they had been playing, what play would you have like to see run and who did you want to see take the shot?

  I agree that based on their performances up to that point, I would have preferred Haanif to Traci in the game in the last few seconds.

[mu03eng]

I wasn't that disappointed in the play for Henry.   Spread the floor, get the ball to your best player at the foul line, and have him make a play is a time-tested tactic.    It worked for Crean, it worked for Buzz.    Granted, it was Wade, Butler, Crowder, Lazar making the play and they all played in the league, but Henry is going to play in the league, too.   Now, it was telegraphed and the Belmont player defended it like he knew it was coming, so kudos to them.   Based on how they had been playing, what play would you have like to see run and who did you want to see take the shot?

  I agree that based on their performances up to that point, I would have preferred Haanif to Traci in the game in the last few seconds.

I didn't mind the ball in Henry's hands, but I would have set Henry in the post where he was most successful.  Henry set a back screen on Luke's man while the guards reverse the ball (Luke going to the ball side post is the fake that they jump on), ball is reversed and then entered to Henry in the post and he goes to work.

Alternative, Henry sets a screen for Duane to drive then trails weak side for a dish if Duane can't get to the rack with Sandy in the strong side corner should a bail out to the perimeter be needed.

Just don't like an ISO play with the game on the line with an 18 year old freshmen with no college experience.

[tower912]

Fair enough.   My only caveat to your play call is that you are expecting an inexperienced team to make a coordinated play at crunch time versus your best player (also inexperienced) making a play.   

[GGGG]

I thought Henry should have taken a shot from there.  They were sagging off him enough.

[Herman Cain]

Wojo is a good recruiter and salesman. Ideal as an assistant. He has not developed the leadership qualities necessary for success as a head coach.  Part of that is identifying leaders on the floor and getting them to buy in to your philosophy.  I just don't see these kids responding to Wojo at all.

[GGGG]

Wojo is a good recruiter and salesman. Ideal as an assistant. He has not developed the leadership qualities necessary for success as a head coach.  Part of that is identifying leaders on the floor and getting them to buy in to your philosophy.  I just don't see these kids responding to Wojo at all. 

It is a little premature to make that statement.  I see players that play very hard but are young.  And he is dealing with his first real recruiting class.  There have been many rookie coaches that have struggled early in their first gig. It is way too early to suggest that he's not a capable head coach.

[fjm]

Wojo is a good recruiter and salesman. Ideal as an assistant. He has not developed the leadership qualities necessary for success as a head coach.  Part of that is identifying leaders on the floor and getting them to buy in to your philosophy.  I just don't see these kids responding to Wojo at all.

He has had officially 1 game... (One, uno) with his recruits. And we lost by 3 because of a few frosh mistakes. Last year we lost many close games but also... Look at the team we had.
(If we win this game, NYC and warriorfish are claiming he's amazing... So settle)

I think some people need to learn to take a deep breath or two.

[tower912]

I firmly believe that Wojo can learn and grow.   And I think Henry should have pulled up at the foul line for the jumper.   

[esotericmindguy]

Duane's play wasn't all that bad. My guess is he's 60% from top of the key while being that wide open. Plus it allowed for a 2 for 1. Had Marquette held it another 12 seconds oand missed, Belmont would have had the last shot. I didn't have a problem with it. Had he held up the refs probably would have whistled and allowed Belmont to substitute the injured player. Likely the best look they would have gotten.

[Eldon]

It is a little premature to make that statement.  I see players that play very hard but are young.  And he is dealing with his first real recruiting class.  There have been many rookie coaches that have struggled early in their first gig. It is way too early to suggest that he's not a capable head coach.

I can agree with this.

Though, I must say, these are the growing pains that I was hoping to avoid in getting a new coach.  Growing pains that could have been avoided with a more experienced coach (e.g., Howland [who won yesterday, BTW]).  AND growing pains that MU may not even be able to reap the benefits of, e.g., if, say, he "grows up" and then leaves to go back to Duke. 

[keefe]

I think the jury is still out but let's remember that he is the head coach. Life is about accountability.

A 2LT wearing wings with an aeronautical rating is held to the same standard of airmanship as the Col with 4,000 hours.

When Wojo applied for the job he was telling Marquette he is ready. He didn't say let me grow into it over a few years. And Wojo isn't the 2LT with 100 hours; he's been a coach for 17 years and been immersed in the college basketball world for more than 20. 

College basketball is big business and success on the court is critical to Marquette as a corporate entity. Wojo needs to win. 

[GGGG]

I think the jury is still out but let's remember that he is the head coach. Life is about accountability.

A 2LT wearing wings with an aeronautical rating is held to the same standard of airmanship as the Col with 4,000 hours.

When Wojo applied for the job he was telling Marquette he is ready. He didn't say let me grow into it over a few years. And Wojo isn't the 2LT with 100 hours; he's been a coach for 17 years and been immersed in the college basketball world for more than 20. 

College basketball is big business and success on the court is critical to Marquette as a corporate entity. Wojo needs to win. 

No one said he shouldn't be held accountable.  No one doubts that he needs to win.

I just think making projections about his ability as a coach after one season + one game is premature.  Here is what I expect this year:

Significant improvement from now until March
Constant competitiveness during the BE season
A post-season birth.  If not an NCAA bid, then a high seed in the NIT.

If Marquette falls short in any of the above, then I think questioning his abilities is fair.

[keefe]

No one said he shouldn't be held accountable.  No one doubts that he needs to win.

I just think making projections about his ability as a coach after one season + one game is premature.  Here is what I expect this year:

Significant improvement from now until March
Constant competitiveness during the BE season
A post-season birth.  If not an NCAA bid, then a high seed in the NIT.

If Marquette falls short in any of the above, then I think questioning his abilities is fair.

As I said, the jury is still out as we are looking for more evidence. Thus far it has not been the best start for Wojo.

And don't get me wrong: I am a fan of the hire. But I think it is fair to expect better results than what we have seen.

[TAMU, Knower of Ball]

As I said, the jury is still out as we are looking for more evidence. Thus far it has not been the best start for Wojo.

And don't get me wrong: I am a fan of the hire. But I think it is fair to expect better results than what we have seen.

That's fair I suppose. Personally, last year was about what I was expecting. I also expected either a close win or a loss against Belmont. So far, my expectations have been met. Just as long as there is steady improvement as this season goes on.

[keefe]

That's fair I suppose. Personally, last year was about what I was expecting. I also expected either a close win or a loss against Belmont. So far, my expectations have been met. Just as long as there is steady improvement as this season goes on.

I give Wojo a pass on last year because he inherited Bert's train wreck. This is his team, now, and he deserves time to mature such a young roster. But I will argue that what we see in March must be better than what we saw last night.

A winning basketball program is critical to Marquette's strategic plan. That is the benchmark.

[tower912]

That's fair I suppose. Personally, last year was about what I was expecting. I also expected either a close win or a loss against Belmont. So far, my expectations have been met. Just as long as there is steady improvement as this season goes on.

Exactly.   Anyone who didn't think last year would resemble a Detroit Lions season was delusional.   Wojo impressed me with how he held the team together and got the max that he could have out of the talent at his disposal.    Another delusion is to think a team with no seniors, 3 juniors, only one of whom has ever logged heavy minutes, that is counting on 5 freshmen to carry a large burden is going to have instant success.    It is absurd.   

I do not expect an NCAA bid this year.    What I want to see is steady improvement and an installation of an ethos, as well as a system.   I have consistently said that this year is a building block for 16-17.   If Henry stays and the no one else leaves, either, I expect a contender for a conference championship and a sweet 16.   Next year. 

[TAMU, Knower of Ball]

I give Wojo a pass on last year because he inherited Bert's train wreck. This is his team, now, and he deserves time to mature such a young roster. But I will argue that what we see in March must be better than what we saw last night.

A winning basketball program is critical to Marquette's strategic plan. That is the benchmark.

I didn't watch last night. Couldn't find it anywhere. But from what I can tell from comments here, others who watched the game, and the stat sheet, this team is much better than last years. This board is underestimating Belmont. Losing by three, the first game of the season, is not a bad loss.

[mattyv1908]

I didn't watch last night. Couldn't find it anywhere. But from what I can tell from comments here, others who watched the game, and the stat sheet, this team is much better than last years. This board is underestimating Belmont. Losing by three, the first game of the season, is not a bad loss.

Belmont was the better coached team for the entire game despite having disadvantages in size, athleticism, and depth.

[tower912]

This board is underestimating Belmont. Losing by three, the first game of the season, is not a bad loss.

Belmont went to the dance last year.   They were one of the most efficient offensive teams in all of college basketball last year.    They lost one player off of that team.    Last night was not the first time they have played a high-major.   Their experience at crunch time, their understanding of how to take what the defense gave them as well as how to break down the defense, their having been there before  (vs 5 freshmen, 2 sophs, 3 juniors, only 2 of whom have been anywhere near a focal point at the D1 level) was the difference.   

MU will get better.   But there is a learning curve for the coaches and the players.   

[Eldon]

I didn't watch last night. Couldn't find it anywhere. But from what I can tell from comments here, others who watched the game, and the stat sheet, this team is much better than last years. This board is underestimating Belmont. Losing by three, the first game of the season, is not a bad loss.

Why not stream the radio?

[TAMU, Knower of Ball]

Why not stream the radio?

I did. But there's only so much you can tell from Homer and Mac's play by play.