Path to Success 2025-26 in 2026: Rotations

[Jay Bee]

When I say 'success' I mean 6-11 the rest of the way.

Nigel
Stevens
Chase
Parham
Ben

Those are the starters, and only Stevens is up for debate on being out of a 28-36 minute range per 40 minute game. I want those guys out on the court together a ton. Anything else is completely f*cked and I'm worried the staff is in debt and has a huge bet on under X wins for MU this year. I don't care to hear any of the 'it doesn't matter who starts' bullsh1t - it does and this staff has been nutzo. This isn't even a new criticism - lots of us have been saying it since the beginning of the season.

Zaide being gone makes things a bit more dicey, but thoughts are:

Damarius - 8-18 minutes as a normal target; as we look to the future, his ceiling is much higher than most. Plenty of worthy criticisms at this point, but he can offer what most can't. Get him work and let's hope he grows (pause).

Sean - 4 to 14 minutes; change of pace guy, if it's going well, great run it

Caedin/Clark - 6-18 minutes combined; depends on match ups and play (but not look in the eyes)

MP - 0-8 minutes; when teams go zone, try him out as a zone breaker. I think he'll continue to get worked when on defense, but if he's hitting shots wth

Tre - 0-8 minutes; let's see what Sean's doing.. if we need a steady guy, or if we can bully ball a team (lol) get him some run

Rest of bench: I don't give af if we 'waste' a year of eligibility. If someone feels they can gain more by playing this year, and our staff (eeeek) also does, play 'em. If in 4 years I'm whining because I wish we had f*cking Sheek or Nash one more year, then so be it.

Last night was not horrendous as far as minutes except for a couple of things and the timing of them. I still can't understand what the hell is going on with player rotation and time, but it makes me ill. The roster we came into the year with is better than we have performed - not world beaters, but better. A fair amount of this is on in-game decisions and strategy. Those have been f*cked -- it's not just roster construction.

#Pray

Sorry for being blunt. But ****!!!!!!!!!

[Jockey]

Most of us agree with the bluntness (IMO).

[PointWarrior]

6 - 11?  are you high?

[avid1010]

Start playing for next year.

[Vander Blue Man Group]

The idea of pulling redshirts in a lost season is and continues to be extremely dumb.

Stop it.

[WhiteTrash]

The idea of pulling redshirts in a lost season is and continues to be extremely dumb.

Stop it.

Desperate times call for Desperate ideas.

[Jay Bee]

The idea of pulling redshirts in a lost season is and continues to be extremely dumb.

Stop it.

Yes, they're so happy watching crappy bball and well so miss their fifth year with us. Get a grip, bub. There are many angles to it and I have zero problems with playing any of them if the angles all add up full circle.

[MarquetteMike1977]

No more self inflicted RGV but Yes transfer portal use!

[avid1010]

There is no way Shaka doesn't use the portal moving forward??  I'd like to see them target more "sure things" after their freshmen year like they did with Kolek, O-Max, etc... 

Sean, *Zaide, Trey, Damarius, Royce and Caiden as our upper classmen next year doesn't work. 

My faith in Shaka remains strong.  He'll figure it out, but it seems like he needs to use the method that immediately made him successful at MU.  His recruiting classes look awful. 

I defended him not using the portal, but I don't see how playing 2 freshmen a ton of minutes is any different than using the portal in relation to the other players on the team.

[rocky_warrior]

The idea of pulling redshirts in a lost season is and continues to be extremely dumb.

The idea of NOT pulling redshirts is extremely dumb if those players have a higher ceiling.  Shaka's players that could have had a fifth year have either transferred, or left for the NBA.

[Shooter McGavin]

Jay Bee, 

Couldn't have said it any better.  That rotation simply gives the team a better chance to win.  Full stop. 

[Badgerhater]

A caveat:

Play the seniors less and less as the end of the season approaches and give those minutes to those bench players who have earned more time.

This season is about game experience for next year.

But that assumes growth within the bench.

[HutchwasClutch]

There is no way Shaka doesn't use the portal moving forward??  I'd like to see them target more "sure things" after their freshmen year like they did with Kolek, O-Max, etc... 

Sean, *Zaide, Trey, Damarius, Royce and Caiden as our upper classmen next year doesn't work. 

My faith in Shaka remains strong.  He'll figure it out, but it seems like he needs to use the method that immediately made him successful at MU.  His recruiting classes look awful. 

I defended him not using the portal, but I don't see how playing 2 freshmen a ton of minutes is any different than using the portal in relation to the other players on the team.

This continues to be said here now and then and it's astounding.  If someone was brought in here with the express intent to ruin this program, they couldn't have done better.  Because anyone can see things are not looking up for future seasons because we've got players sitting out with major injuries or have 2 or 3 or whatever top 30 recruits coming on board. 

No competent coach does what Shaka's done to bring us where we sit today.  And that place is one of, if not THE worst team in modern program history.  There's no excuse for what he's done.  It's not just an off season or rebuilding year, it's egregiously bad and negligent handling of a major college program. 

[Warrior of Law]

Chase Ross is having a terrible season. Shooting percentages are way down, zero leadership. I'd have no problem giving his minutes to someone who can help win in 26 and beyond. If you're getting blown out with him playing, what's the harm in playing others?

[Elonsmusk]

This continues to be said here now and then and it's astounding.  If someone was brought in here with the express intent to ruin this program, they couldn't have done better.  Because anyone can see things are not looking up for future seasons because we've got players sitting out with major injuries or have 2 or 3 or whatever top 30 recruits coming on board. 

No competent coach does what Shaka's done to bring us where we sit today.  And that place is one of, if not THE worst team in modern program history.  There's no excuse for what he's done.  It's not just an off season or rebuilding year, it's egregiously bad and negligent handling of a major college program. 

So the program Shaka is "ruining" is the one that he built into being something that became a Top 10 program under his watch/building.  Inherited a program that was 83rd in Ken Pom.

Look, Shaka got burned by pretty much this whole returning team underperforming reasonable expectations of growth.  Zaide didn't take the next step despite seemingly getting it done in practice/but not able to translate to gamedays.  Sean largely has been a difference maker in the wrong direction. Ben Gold's shooting has regressed.  Royce started the year very slowly. Damarious hasn't taken much of a step forward.  Chase started the year looking like he'd made improvement but he's fizzled as Royce and Nigel have started to really improve.

The in game coaching has not been great, yet I also feel the crappy performance of pretty much every player (poor shooting, careless turnovers, missed layups), put Shaka into the spin cycle of wholesale substitutions, grasping for straws.

Assuming MU provides the $$$ resources to be very competitive in the portal, there is no reason to think after getting burned this badly by RGV Shaka wouldn't go to the portal and rebuild the program just as he did when he got to MU Year 1.  That is assuming he decides he wants to continue coaching in this day and age.

[HutchwasClutch]

So the program Shaka is "ruining" is the one that he built into being something that became a Top 10 program under his watch/building.  Inherited a program that was 83rd in Ken Pom.

Look, Shaka got burned by pretty much this whole returning team underperforming reasonable expectations of growth.  Zaide didn't take the next step despite seemingly getting it done in practice/but not able to translate to gamedays.  Sean largely has been a difference maker in the wrong direction. Ben Gold's shooting has regressed.  Royce started the year very slowly. Damarious hasn't taken much of a step forward.  Chase started the year looking like he'd made improvement but he's fizzled as Royce and Nigel have started to really improve.

The in game coaching has not been great, yet I also feel the crappy performance of pretty much every player (poor shooting, careless turnovers, missed layups), put Shaka into the spin cycle of wholesale substitutions, grasping for straws.

Assuming MU provides the $$$ resources to be very competitive in the portal, there is no reason to think after getting burned this badly by RGV Shaka wouldn't go to the portal and rebuild the program just as he did when he got to MU Year 1.  That is assuming he decides he wants to continue coaching in this day and age.

Right, it's 💯 on every player their underperformance.  Shaka got "burned" by each and every one of them.  Do you hear yourself and how nonsensical that is?? He's the one after all that came up with RGV.  The G part of that is most certainly his to impact.  Some kids won't live up to expectations.  That's the reality of college sports.  But when everyone falls short, sort of indicative of a much deeper problem, right?

 That and his and his staff evaluations of a few guys were completely off base.  Which Shaka owns completely.  It's not the kids fault if they were brought in and have no business playing at this level (Tre Norman).