Coaches Culpable?

[Captain Quette]

This year has been a disaster but it didn't just suddenly occur at game 1 in the Fall It has been years in the making. First, years ago when recruiting this lack luster senior class. Second, 3 years ago when recruiting the perhaps worst recruiting class this century. Third, lack of development of any of the aforementioned. Fourth, in game tactics and not playing any young guys until 2nd H. Not even commenting on lack of portaling as that has been beaten to death.

We have openly criticized shaka and players but what about all the other coaches and staff. Shouldn't we fire some of them as underperformers as well?

I would like to see some new faces on the staff.

[Biggie Clausen]

I doubt Shaka will shake up his staff unless he's ordered to do so.  If the articles written about the program at the beginning of the year are to be believed, Shaka is more interested in creating the RGV version of "Pluribus" than he is in bringing in any outsiders who might have an original thought.  But maybe this disastrous season has changed that.

[Scoop Snoop]

This year has been a disaster but it didn't just suddenly occur at game 1 in the Fall It has been years in the making. First, years ago when recruiting this lack luster senior class. Second, 3 years ago when recruiting the perhaps worst recruiting class this century. Third, lack of development of any of the aforementioned. Fourth, in game tactics and not playing any young guys until 2nd H. Not even commenting on lack of portaling as that has been beaten to death.

We have openly criticized shaka and players but what about all the other coaches and staff. Shouldn't we fire some of them as underperformers as well?

I would like to see some new faces on the staff.

You have some really good points, but suggesting that a coach's employees should be fired for HIS failures was not, to put it very mildly, one of them.

[Zog from Margo]

You have some really good points, but suggesting that a coach's employees should be fired for HIS failures was not, to put it very mildly, one of them.

I'm not sure I agree. There's a delegation of responsibilities and the HC has to rely on assistants to a large extent with respect to talent evaluation. The assistants see the players much more often. Who was concluding that the guys on the roster were BE players?

At minimum, MU should hire a coach focused solely on shooting. Their FT and 3-pt shooting leaves a lot to be desired.

[Jay Bee]

At minimum, MU should hire a coach focused solely on shooting. Their FT and 3-pt shooting leaves a lot to be desired.

If someone is hired for the purpose of coaching FT shooting, they should be fired on their first day and the program should be shut down.

[Scoop Snoop]

I'm not sure I agree. There's a delegation of responsibilities and the HC has to rely on assistants to a large extent with respect to talent evaluation. The assistants see the players much more often. Who was concluding that the guys on the roster were BE players?

At minimum, MU should hire a coach focused solely on shooting. Their FT and 3-pt shooting leaves a lot to be desired.

Very fair, yet we will agree to disagree.

A boss I had years ago once made a comment that I never forgot. He said if you have a higher-than-expected number of employees who are not doing their jobs well, the problem is that you don't know how to hire. When I had employees who failed, I knew that I also failed.

Edit: Earlier this memorable season, someone started a thread suggesting that perhaps the players were partly responsible for the season's losses. Technically? Yes, BUT...who recruited them? Who helped them "grow"? Who decided the lineups? The assistant coaches and players are partially responsible for this season, but ultimately it all comes back to Shaka. That's simply part of being the boss. I know about that because I founded a small manufacturing company and ultimately, I was responsible when things did not work out well. I also got the credit when they did. Fortunately, things worked out VERY well for me, but for a while? Nope. I effed up Big Time before I got things humming.

[willie warrior]

Shaka is the guy responsible. He must be held accountable for overseeing one of the worst seasons in MU'S storied history in about 60 years. Can't believe the slack some people here are cutting for the guy. College BB is big time business. If MU wants to play with the big dogs, then this years performance is unacceptable and must be immediately corrected

[Nukem2]

You have some really good points, but suggesting that a coach's employees should be fired for HIS failures was not, to put it very mildly, one of them.

That was one of the reason's among others that the previous AD Bill Schooll fired Wojo.  Wojo did not want to make changes. Obviously Shaka is not going to be fired this year, but he should be reviewing his staff very closely.

[Zog from Margo]

If someone is hired for the purpose of coaching FT shooting, they should be fired on their first day and the program should be shut down.

A little selective editing on your part, but I know you do not believe it matters if teams make FTs. (It's an odd belief because making all of the missed FTs and the missed opportunities for FTs off missed front ends was pretty much the difference in the game yesterday.) In any event, I said shooting which includes more than FTs. MU shoots like crap in both form and substance.

[GoldenWarrior11]

I predict there will be some staff movement once the season concludes.  Pretty remarkable that the entire staff has remained in place since Shaka was hired - don't see that too often.

[Mu8891]

It may be " remarkable " that there's been no staff changes in Shaka's time ...
But that's NOT a good thing.

All of his staff seem to be complete yes men.  I can see them now ( last summer)
... " yes, Shaka .. Hamilton CAN play in the BE "

How is it that none of them have moved to a head job ?  Do they $uck or are they just not ambitious?

Every single past coach has had guys move on / up to a head job.  Even WOJO had two , Stan Johnson and Dwayne Killings.

But ... I'm sure the last thing Shaka wants is to have someone give him honest feedback.

[Jay Bee]

A little selective editing on your part, but I know you do not believe it matters if teams make FTs. (It's an odd belief because making all of the missed FTs and the missed opportunities for FTs off missed front ends was pretty much the difference in the game yesterday.) In any event, I said shooting which includes more than FTs. MU shoots like crap in both form and substance.

#FakeNews #Lies

I have never said that I do not believe it matters if teams make FTs. That's patently false. I said team FT% isn't of meaningful relevance to winning basketball games. Very different statements.

Now, "the difference in the game yesterday" that you're attributing yesterday's loss to is also bizarro thinking. In what world would the expectation be to make 100% of free throws?

#muMbb scored flippin 0.81 points per possession. 3 missed front ends, but also 2 made and 1's. If we say net 12 possessions used at the line... 11/12 = .092. Free throws helped our offense yesterday - they were not 'the difference in the game'. You shoot sub-43% eFG% and turn it over more than 20%, with sporting an OR% below 20%, you're in deep sh1t.

[brewcity77]

I think we need a defensive overhaul. Shaka has a rep as a defensive guru but he hinges success on turnovers and disruption. As a result, he's had one elite (top-10) defense in his 17-year career.

The focus should be on stopping shots. eFG% is far more important. Defensive length and a focus on challenging everything is a better strategy and less gimmicky. We've seen loss after loss with 32+ deflections this year.

Shaka can get us into the 20-40 defensive range of good teams, but he's not a good enough defensive coach to routinely put out sustainably elite defense.

[Zog from Margo]

#FakeNews #Lies

I have never said that I do not believe it matters if teams make FTs. That's patently false. I said team FT% isn't of meaningful relevance to winning basketball games. Very different statements.

Now, "the difference in the game yesterday" that you're attributing yesterday's loss to is also bizarro thinking. In what world would the expectation be to make 100% of free throws?

#muMbb scored flippin 0.81 points per possession. 3 missed front ends, but also 2 made and 1's. If we say net 12 possessions used at the line... 11/12 = .092. Free throws helped our offense yesterday - they were not 'the difference in the game'. You shoot sub-43% eFG% and turn it over more than 20%, with sporting an OR% below 20%, you're in deep sh1t.

#FakeNews #Lies

I didn't say MU lost because they missed FTs. I said the total misses roughly approximated the difference in the game. They missed 10 FTs and, as you note, 3 opportunities to hit second shots. They left 13 points at the line and lost by 11.

They lost because MU played lousy and DePaul effectively plugged the middle and forced MU into perimeter shots. You might say the reason MU lost goes to my original point—-they shoot like crap whether from the FT line or the 3pt line.

Missing an FT is like missing a moderately contested layup. It's a golden opportunity to put points on the board and  Shaka's teams leave a lot of points at the FT line. They also leave a lot of points at the 3-pt line. They shoot like crap and their shooting doesn't improve year to year. Get a shooting coach because no one the current staff seems to be able to help players improve their shooting. 

[rgoode57]

I think MU is at a crossroad with the basketball team. They have to choose between being a big-time basketball program or being just a run-of-the mill program year after year. If they choose to be a big-time program, major changes are in order. If they are ok just being a mediocre program with a great arena and cool uniforms, then they can just keep doing what they are doing.

[Billy Hoyle]

#FakeNews #Lies

Missing an FT is like missing a moderately contested layup. It's a golden opportunity to put points on the board and  Shaka's teams leave a lot of points at the FT line. They also leave a lot of points at the 3-pt line. They shoot like crap and their shooting doesn't improve year to year. Get a shooting coach because no one the current staff seems to be able to help players improve their shooting. 

We are dead last in the Big East in FT percentage - 67%. We've gotten worse as the season has gone on. Villanova is 2nd worst in the BE and their missed FTs kept us in in the game at their place. Nationally, we are 337th and the fifth worst among P4+ BE teams. That's just brutal.

Butler was in the 340s during the non-conference schedule and yet has improved as the season has gone on to 71% on the season.

Meanwhile, when playing us, our opponents are #1 in FT shooting in BE. There's the difference in a couple of our close losses.

[Jay Bee]

Meanwhile, when playing us, our opponents are #1 in FT shooting in BE. There's the difference in a couple of our close losses.

#FakeNews #Lies

[The Sultan]

If Marquette would have shot FT at the same percentage as the league leaders (Providence), they would have score 49 additional points throughout the Big East season. Or 2.7 points a game.

They could have exceeded this by making one additional three pointer per game obviously. Which would have brought their 3PT% from 10th in the BE at 31.8% to 7th at 34.2%.

Simply put, FT% isn't very concerning. 3PT% and EFG are WAY more concerning.

[Jay Bee]

Thank you, Sultan. Furthermore, shooting 67% at the line is insanely efficient offensive production. Having something else end the possession (eg, missed shot, turnover, etc) in all other ways combined comes nowhere near 67% at the line.

Folks may wish we shot better from the line - I do - but, the fact is bad FT shooting is still great offense.

#Math

[Stretchdeltsig]

I'm not sure I agree. There's a delegation of responsibilities and the HC has to rely on assistants to a large extent with respect to talent evaluation. The assistants see the players much more often. Who was concluding that the guys on the roster were BE players?

At minimum, MU should hire a coach focused solely on shooting. Their FT and 3-pt shooting leaves a lot to be desired.

You are spot on. Also, a coach specializing in rebounding, blocking and screening should be added. Is the BE so tough that our recruits can't compete? Can't shoot or rebound?

[willie warrior]

#FakeNews #Lies

I didn't say MU lost because they missed FTs. I said the total misses roughly approximated the difference in the game. They missed 10 FTs and, as you note, 3 opportunities to hit second shots. They left 13 points at the line and lost by 11.

They lost because MU played lousy and DePaul effectively plugged the middle and forced MU into perimeter shots. You might say the reason MU lost goes to my original point—-they shoot like crap whether from the FT line or the 3pt line.

Missing an FT is like missing a moderately contested layup. It's a golden opportunity to put points on the board and  Shaka's teams leave a lot of points at the FT line. They also leave a lot of points at the 3-pt line. They shoot like crap and their shooting doesn't improve year to year. Get a shooting coach because no one the current staff seems to be able to help players improve their shooting. 

Rumor is that Gold will be a paid assistant next teaching all the bigs on how to gun from the perimeter. He will be affectionately called Coach GoooolllldddBrick!