U-Conn't always get what you want

[connie]

Heading into the season, this was a middle of the pack team.  Wins over Wisconsin and Creighton, both where we were a bit lucky to win caused higher expectations but it is clear as day that we are still a middle of the pack team.

Problem with this team does lie squarely on Wojo.  His teams never have an identity.  Its not defense.  In fact our defensive philosophy is awful.  I hate our help/rotational defense that leaves opponents wide open with any decent ball movement.  Its not offense.  We have little motion on the offensive of the ball.  It seems like this year we are trying to get the ball down low which is great but kick outs are slow and we turn the ball over at a ridiculous rate.

Last night UConn's defensive intensity and pressure was outstanding.  We had a hard time just making and catching a pass half of the time which forced us to rush our offense.  Where was the motion off the ball.  Why were we not passing out of the post double teams at a quicker rate with quicker passing.  Positioning off the post was awful.  Didn't punish them once so it kept coming. 

Its not rocket science.  Either Wojo doesn't know how to adjust or doesn't know how to translate his message for better execution or they don't practice any adjustments but it all falls on Wojo.  I view Wojo's coaching as this.  You need to try harder.  You need to shoot better.  You need to pass better.  You need to protect the ball better.  Great.  Any 10 year old can figure out to say those things.  The coaching part is telling them and showing them how to do those things. I think Wojo is failing miserably on those fronts, especially during games.

I strongly agree with this. My only hesitation is with "middle of the pack."  Its technically accurate, but since we are almost always finishing in the lower half of our league it doesn't seem to really capture where we are.  "Below average" or "Top 60%" don't work either.  The feeling of futility I get watching Wojo's teams is missing from that description.

[The Hippie Satan of Hyperbole]

8 man rotations isn't the issue.  In fact, Duke when they beat Wisconsin and both Villanova teams that won the national titles did not go deep into their bench for a lot of minutes.  The problem is the 8 guys they played were all studs, and ours are not.

Right.  And 9-11 apparently can give us absolutely nothing.  Dex has been pretty bad in his appearances.  Osa is as raw as hell.  And Jose is?  I don't know...

The fact is we have a couple players who have the POTENTIAL of being real studs:  DJ and Dawson.  Maybe even Lewis too.

The rest are essentially replacement level who have the ability to play above that for a game or two, but that's about it.

[dw3dw3dw3]

I strongly agree with this. My only hesitation is with "middle of the pack."  Its technically accurate, but since we are almost always finishing in the lower half of our league it doesn't seem to really capture where we are.  "Below average" or "Top 60%" don't work either.  The feeling of futility I get watching Wojo's teams is missing from that description.

Agree with this assessment as well. No identity 7 years in of what a Wojo team is. I'd like a good team next year and by all accounts we should have a more experienced team, but they'll be young in a couple important spots and the ingredients will be the same for Wojo to live in the middle of the pack.
Another thing I don't see mentioned around here is how physically weak we look. For all the love Todd Smith has gotten over the years, I really don't see it. Maybe there was a shift in philosophy post Buzz and the supposed freedom of movement era, but our guys our apt to getting manhandled.

[monkeyman34]

i feel like people are to casual about a loss like this. up 18 and lose by double digits? some people are just like"oops tough game,were good though. on to the next one".

Sadly, that's what 7 years of the same old garbage turns people into

[Billy Hoyle]

Right.  And 9-11 apparently can give us absolutely nothing.  Dex has been pretty bad in his appearances.  Osa is as raw as hell.  And Jose is?  I don't know...

The fact is we have a couple players who have the POTENTIAL of being real studs:  DJ and Dawson.  Maybe even Lewis too.

The rest are essentially replacement level who have the ability to play above that for a game or two, but that's about it.

What are you seeing to determine DJ's potential to become a "real stud?" Just because he was highly ranked coming out of HS doesn't mean anything, or are you forgetting Dameon Mason?

[The Hippie Satan of Hyperbole]

What are you seeing to determine DJ's potential to become a "real stud?" Just because he was highly ranked coming out of HS doesn't mean anything, or are you forgetting Dameon Mason?

Oh he's better than Mason.

I see a guy who sees the floor well, is quick, and can get to the basket.  He needs to tighten up his handle and develop a more consistent outside shot.

And that's just potential.  That doesn't mean he will.  He will undoubtedly approve but maybe not to the level I think / hope.

[shoothoops]

Right.  And 9-11 apparently can give us absolutely nothing.  Dex has been pretty bad in his appearances.  Osa is as raw as hell.  And Jose is?  I don't know...

The fact is we have a couple players who have the POTENTIAL of being real studs:  DJ and Dawson.  Maybe even Lewis too.

The rest are essentially replacement level who have the ability to play above that for a game or two, but that's about it.

The problem or challenge is that Lewis, Garcia, and Oso (I like Oso's future) are all first year players, getting experience, ups and downs, as expected. They are not to be counted on as the team's best players in their first season. Contribute? Sure. Get better as rhe season goes, sure.

Where are those veteran players? Best on the team players? Especially in the backcourt and on the wing. To this point it has been good enough to be a mid 60's KenPom or NCAA Net team, which isn't good enough. We'll see where it finishes.

This year's team has the feel that Frosh and newcomers need to do more than some other years. While good, these are not one and done type recruits. And that is okay, that is not the problem. The problem is not having a better, deeper roster elsewhere.

[4everwarriors]

8 man rotations isn't the issue.  In fact, Duke when they beat Wisconsin and both Villanova teams that won the national titles did not go deep into their bench for a lot of minutes.  The problem is the 8 guys they played were all studs, and ours are not.

Yeah, knot 'nough 5 stars, aina?

[Galway Eagle]

Yeah, knot 'nough 5 stars, aina?

If only he had all his borderline 5 stars at once Henry Joey Markus Dawson and DJ would've been a solid 6 seed under Wojo. Good enough for lifetime job security now days.

[tower912]

The problem or challenge is that Lewis, Garcia, and Oso (I like Oso's future) are all first year players, getting experience, ups and downs, as expected. They are not to be counted on as the team's best players in their first season. Contribute? Sure. Get better as rhe season goes, sure.

Where are those veteran players? Best on the team players? Especially in the backcourt and on the wing. To this point it has been good enough to be a mid 60's KenPom or NCAA Net team, which isn't good enough. We'll see where it finishes.

This year's team has the feel that Frosh and newcomers need to do more than some other years. While good, these are not one and done type recruits. And that is okay, that is not the problem. The problem is not having a better, deeper roster elsewhere.

Which has been my point about expectations all along.   This looked like a rebuilding year to me.  10 players, 5 frosh, 3 role players and a starter who only played half the minutes.

Now, if you want to make the argument about whose fault the roster composition is, we can find common ground.  Wojo has never recruited a switchable nor used all of his schollies.  Depth issues and flexibility issues.

[shoothoops]

Which has been my point about expectations all along.   This looked like a rebuilding year to me.  10 players, 5 frosh, 3 role players and a starter who only played half the minutes.

Now, if you want to make the argument about whose fault the roster composition is, we can find common ground.  Wojo has never recruited a switchable nor used all of his schollies.  Depth issues and flexibility issues.

Why am I to lower my almost annual expectations? I am not interested in lowering my program expectations. When you are more successful in your first six years, you get to have rebuilding years in year 7.

I will happily support the players, and coaches, and I wish them the best each game and practice.

But at some point roster construction counts, coaching counts, the final score counts.

I can get the team a spot in the A league at the Rec Center if we want to lower expectations.

Perhaps we can go back to several teams at a time in the far back of the basement of the Old Gym, in the weight room?

We can do those things.

Or, we can have reasonable expectations annually. I'd like to think my expectations are reasonable.

[GoldenWarrior11]

For high-major college basketball programs, like Marquette, unless there is a scandal or a major coaching change, they should never need to be a substantial rebuild.  These programs should be retooling.  Within conference, the shining beacon is Villanova.  They are nationally elite year-in and year-out, moving-in and moving-out players.  The culture is there and the coaching is there.  Creighton does it.  Xavier looks to be roaring back.  Even Seton Hall this year, which lost Powell, McKnight and Gill, is 5-1 in the Big East; they do not appear to have lost a step.  If a program like Marquette needs to rebuild under a seventh-year head coach, something very wrong occurred.  Alas, I'd also argue only having a true rotation of six-players (since the other two of our eight-man rotation do not offer anything production-wise) is another example of something very wrong having occurred. 

[MU82]

Very poor night for Wojo. The offense just stopped. The defense fell apart. The rebounding was non-existent. We were outhustled.

He has had a few good games this season, but too few. And last night certainly wasn't one of them.

But at least he'll carry a time-out over to the next game.

[goldeneagle91114]

Which has been my point about expectations all along.   This looked like a rebuilding year to me.  10 players, 5 frosh, 3 role players and a starter who only played half the minutes.

Now, if you want to make the argument about whose fault the roster composition is, we can find common ground.  Wojo has never recruited a switchable nor used all of his schollies.  Depth issues and flexibility issues.

Tower, come on.. a rebuilding year? isn't that what the last 6 seasons have been?

Maybe I'll count the last year the Hauser's were here as a solid year, but other than that, wojo is just building sand castles.

[hairy worthen]

Which has been my point about expectations all along.   This looked like a rebuilding year to me.  10 players, 5 frosh, 3 role players and a starter who only played half the minutes.

Now, if you want to make the argument about whose fault the roster composition is, we can find common ground.  Wojo has never recruited a switchable nor used all of his schollies.  Depth issues and flexibility issues.

You have to actually build something before you can rebuild it.