2016-2017 Season

[jacobkdoyle]

What do you want Mick to do? Just curious because I hear this stuff all the time but I never hear specifics. I can name 10 things Tuberville could/should do and it has zero to do with play calling/offense. It's pretty much all personnel decisions or stupid things he has said off the field, or decisions around taking knees, kicking FGs, or going on 4th down. Curious what you think.

Off the top of my head, on thing comes to mind: Start and play the best players. That didn't happen last year. We were told it doesn't matter who starts, yet we constantly came out flat and went down 10 early regularly with the guy who many consider our go-to player on the bench in Evans. That's just stupid. The best players need to be out there setting the tone and playing as many minutes as possible together. I don't know who our best group of 5 is yet (we can speculate), but it isn't fair to anyone on the team to not put that lineup out there.

 

[waterhead]

What do you want Mick to do? Just curious because I hear this stuff all the time but I never hear specifics. I can name 10 things Tuberville could/should do and it has zero to do with play calling/offense. It's pretty much all personnel decisions or stupid things he has said off the field, or decisions around taking knees, kicking FGs, or going on 4th down. Curious what you think.

I would like to see him instill more toughness. Not physical...mental. how to focus and win the close games...we need to want it more if we want to be great.

Obviously I would like to see a better offensive philosophy. Get our bigs to dominate the paint. Emphasis on getting in the lane. Can't settle on the 3 too much. We have enough shooters to get a decent look late in the clock but we should try to penetrate first.

 

[#BearcatNation]

What do you want Mick to do? Just curious because I hear this stuff all the time but I never hear specifics. I can name 10 things Tuberville could/should do and it has zero to do with play calling/offense. It's pretty much all personnel decisions or stupid things he has said off the field, or decisions around taking knees, kicking FGs, or going on 4th down. Curious what you think.

I generally trust the coaching staff to do what's best, seeing as I'm just some kid that didn't make the final cut for his jr. high school basketball team, but you will still certainly see things that can be improved. For me, it really just comes down to being more efficient on offense. That's a bit vague, but I want to see guys constantly moving and passing the ball around. If a guy is open, and it's a relatively high-percentage shot, and guys are in position to rebound, just take it. I've stated many times I don't care one bit about pace. Don't worry about speeding it up nor slowing it down. Find ways to get open, and take what the defense gives you.

It's Mick's job to implement an offense that is more efficient, and although vague, I'll be watching closely this year to see if it's anything like what I just described.

 

[jacobkdoyle]

I would like to see him instill more toughness. Not physical...mental. how to focus and win the close games...we need to want it more if we want to be great.

Obviously I would like to see a better offensive philosophy. Get our bigs to dominate the paint. Emphasis on getting in the lane. Can't settle on the 3 too much. We have enough shooters to get a decent look late in the clock but we should try to penetrate first.

I'm not sure this team will be dominating the paint. Coach talked a little bit about that in his press conference yesterday.

 

[jacobkdoyle]

I know I've said it a zillion times so I won't dwell, but not using the 2 for 1 to our advantage (especially with an upperclassman All-League PG) is not smart basketball. It's simple math and it could be a factor in pulling out one of the close games we had so much trouble with last year. It's isn't justifiable to simply say "Nah, we're good" when being presented with an opportunity for an extra possession in the final minute of a game.

 

[WAITE HOYT 2]

Take care of the ball. Guard the perimeter and rebound the basketball. If we do those things consistently I'm good. I'll leave the coaching to Mick. It changes game to game situation to situation anyway. Who starts or who plays has many factors associated with it. We have the talent to be a very good team. I'm much more interested in wins then style.

 

[UCBearcats]

Things Mick could do better..........

1. Recruit - get better players, specifically kids who can shoot the basketball instead of always going after long athletic types who aren't very skilled fundamental players.

2. Manage subs/in game coaching - quit pulling kids out of the game if they make a defensive mistake when that move will hurt you on offense. Practice what you preach, Mick talks every year about the importance of getting better on the offensive side of the ball yet every time he's in a tough spot he reverts back to his rock fight philosophies.

3. Quit making excuses - Excuses are like a$$holes, everybody has one. Quit crying about refs and conferences and how hard it is to build a program. Just do it, you're paid well to #makeucsportsgreatagain so shut your mouth and do your job

4. Install an offense - Do we currently run an offense? Do we ever run off ball screens? Do we ever run plays that allow us to get the ball to the rim? Figure something out instead of 5 players standing around for 30 seconds. Mick's offensive sets lead the universe in shot clock violations over the last decade. Find a way to get our guys to the FT line more often, again, this requires an actual offensive strategy.

5. Quit being such a smug prick in his interviews - quit talking about how "everyone is a genius" after he loses and people criticize him. Quit acting like he's the second coming of John Wooden, he's not. He's not consistently putting our team in a position to be ranked, to get high seeds in the NCAA's and to compete for championships. He could be doing MUCH better and he needs to recognize it instead of always deflecting when he starts feeling a little heat.

There's a few things to start.........I'm sure I'll have many more SPECIFIC things to complain about once this train wreck of a coaching staff gets started this season. I'll be sure to let you all know what those SPECIFIC things are just as I always do.

Go Cats!!

 

[waterhead]

I'm not sure this team will be dominating the paint. Coach talked a little bit about that in his press conference yesterday.

Well that's not good because it's an attitude. Gary Clark has a decent post game and I was under the impression Washington was tough to stop 10 feet and in. I hope we don't abandon for 3 pointers all game. If we shoot 40 percent from 3 I wouldn't mind so much...but we aren't that team. I want to see Evans and Cumberland slashing the lane and entry passes to the post from the wing.

 

[waterhead]

We are so late on entry passes sometimes. We let the defense get into position and then we don't throw it in the post because of that.

 

[JasonS]

I would like to see him instill more toughness. Not physical...mental. how to focus and win the close games...we need to want it more if we want to be great.

Obviously I would like to see a better offensive philosophy. Get our bigs to dominate the paint. Emphasis on getting in the lane. Can't settle on the 3 too much. We have enough shooters to get a decent look late in the clock but we should try to penetrate first.

We disagree here. College hoops is moving outside the arc and the best teams are able to spread the floor, shoot the three and create driving lanes. The days of bigs camping on the block is over. They will flash there and post but they won't run down the floor, straight to the block, turnaround and demand the ball. Those days are done. I actually think, if I had one criticism to make of Mick, that he needs to recruit players that fit a 4 out 1 in mentality. I think he has been slow to adapt to that but this class and the 2017 class is showing a move in that direction.

 

[JasonS]

I know I've said it a zillion times so I won't dwell, but not using the 2 for 1 to our advantage (especially with an upperclassman All-League PG) is not smart basketball. It's simple math and it could be a factor in pulling out one of the close games we had so much trouble with last year. It's isn't justifiable to simply say "Nah, we're good" when being presented with an opportunity for an extra possession in the final minute of a game.

I agree with this! It's not just Mick. For whatever reason, it's most college coaches that fail to go 2 for 1. Would love to see Mick coach the kids that way.

 

[JasonS]

Things Mick could do better..........

1. Recruit - get better players, specifically kids who can shoot the basketball instead of always going after long athletic types who aren't very skilled fundamental players.

2. Manage subs/in game coaching - quit pulling kids out of the game if they make a defensive mistake when that move will hurt you on offense. Practice what you preach, Mick talks every year about the importance of getting better on the offensive side of the ball yet every time he's in a tough spot he reverts back to his rock fight philosophies.

3. Quit making excuses - Excuses are like a$$holes, everybody has one. Quit crying about refs and conferences and how hard it is to build a program. Just do it, you're paid well to #makeucsportsgreatagain so shut your mouth and do your job

4. Install an offense - Do we currently run an offense? Do we ever run off ball screens? Do we ever run plays that allow us to get the ball to the rim? Figure something out instead of 5 players standing around for 30 seconds. Mick's offensive sets lead the universe in shot clock violations over the last decade. Find a way to get our guys to the FT line more often, again, this requires an actual offensive strategy.

5. Quit being such a smug prick in his interviews - quit talking about how "everyone is a genius" after he loses and people criticize him. Quit acting like he's the second coming of John Wooden, he's not. He's not consistently putting our team in a position to be ranked, to get high seeds in the NCAA's and to compete for championships. He could be doing MUCH better and he needs to recognize it instead of always deflecting when he starts feeling a little heat.

There's a few things to start.........I'm sure I'll have many more SPECIFIC things to complain about once this train wreck of a coaching staff gets started this season. I'll be sure to let you all know what those SPECIFIC things are just as I always do.

Go Cats!!

Honest question, were you a Huggins fan? I was a big Huggins fan. Just curious.

 

[waterhead]

Mostly I would like to see an attitude of "we will not lose this game if I can help it".

The great teams pull those out more often than not. Mediocre teams Have good players that don't know yet how to win them.

Some of this is on the players shoulders...but the coach is in charge of getting that out of them.

 

[JasonS]

Well that's not good because it's an attitude. Gary Clark has a decent post game and I was under the impression Washington was tough to stop 10 feet and in. I hope we don't abandon for 3 pointers all game. If we shoot 40 percent from 3 I wouldn't mind so much...but we aren't that team. I want to see Evans and Cumberland slashing the lane and entry passes to the post from the wing.

You have to spread the floor and make shots to open the lane for driving. That's what the zones force in college. If you can shoot a team out of the zone, you will open up driving and cutting lanes.

 

[jacobkdoyle]

We disagree here. College hoops is moving outside the arc and the best teams are able to spread the floor, shoot the three and create driving lanes. The days of bigs camping on the block is over. They will flash there and post but they won't run down the floor, straight to the block, turnaround and demand the ball. Those days are done. I actually think, if I had one criticism to make of Mick, that he needs to recruit players that fit a 4 out 1 in mentality. I think he has been slow to adapt to that but this class and the 2017 class is showing a move in that direction.

Completely agree. Seems like the 4 out approach is set up nicely for the future with Brooks and Nsoseme having potential to be rim protectors and the only true bigs on the floor (Nsoseme might need to redshirt to bulk up). But if Scott develops, he may be the type of versatile stretch 4 that fits well into the modern game. And I'm guessing we'll be looking for another guy like that as a transfer or 2018 prospect.

 

[JasonS]

Mostly I would like to see an attitude of "we will not lose this game if I can help it".

The great teams pull those out more often than not. Mediocre teams Have good players that don't know yet how to win them.

Some of this is on the players shoulders...but the coach is in charge of getting that out of them.

I would agree but that falls on the players more than the coach. Kenyon had that attitude. SK had that attitude. Troy and Gary need to have that attitude.

 

[UCBearcats]

Honest question, were you a Huggins fan? I was a big Huggins fan. Just curious.

I was a big Huggins fan, and when he got fired and we hired Mick I was really happy about it, thought Mick was the perfect hire.

 

[jacobkdoyle]

Take care of the ball. Guard the perimeter and rebound the basketball. If we do those things consistently I'm good. I'll leave the coaching to Mick. It changes game to game situation to situation anyway. Who starts or who plays has many factors associated with it. We have the talent to be a very good team. I'm much more interested in wins then style.

Would you agree that giving the team the best chance to win is hands down the biggest factor?

 

[waterhead]

I would agree but that falls on the players more than the coach. Kenyon had that attitude. SK had that attitude. Troy and Gary need to have that attitude.

The coach recruits the players. It's part of the process to find the right attitude in your selections. By the way...I think Troy has a great attitude. I hope Gary isn't content.

 

[WAITE HOYT 2]

I do but with my limited access to the team makes me defer to his decisions. I look at wins and losses not how he manages the game. No one here is a D-1 coach or has access to the team. I'm Expecting a good season by my standards. At the end of year I'll let you know if he met my expectations. As a leader and manager in the military and industry I prided myself on letting people do their job. I did not second guess I graded on results.