Personally, I am a big Hop supporter, but there is no question I want to see the program evolve under him and not have him just be a straightline continuation of what Jimmy does.
Specifically, criticism over the missed timeout at this stage of Hop's career as a coach is nitpicking. No question, he will learn game management with time in the saddle.
The areas where Hop needs to evolve as compared to the way Jimmy coaches in my mind are at least twofold:
1. I am tired of ultra-short benches & kids playing the end of games with no legs and their tongues hanging out. I understand there is a big drop-off if G or Cooney comes out of the game, but it is not worth keeping them in for 40 if they can't get it done at the end. We are capable of recruiting good players, why when the season starts to we only seem to have five or six of them every season when other programs manage to get seven to ten. That is not on the talent, that is on the staff's utilization of the talent. This season, Frank seems to be showing he can be a cog even though he is not yet ready for prime time, so why can't G or Cooney get a blow ? I am far from convinced that Obokoh is a totally lost cause who shouldn't see the time of day on the court as many here seem to think. To me, he had a big game three games ago. We then had another cupcake on tap, it was inexcusable that the kid didn't get off the bench to see if he could build upon his prior game.
2. I am also tired of 100% reliance on the Zone. I understand Zone is a tradition at the Cuse, and perhaps with the right personnel it should continue to be our primary D. That being said, this season we do not have the right personnel to play the Zone exclusively. Furthermore, the college game is changing. Every halfway decent team now has multiple three point shooters that can stretch the Zone. Most of those teams also have one or two decent inside players who can punish us. Next year, we should have the right talent to play Zone with a big defensively oriented center coming in and three big forwards. If the Zone can't cut it next season it will be time to move on and keep up with the evolution of the game. I want Hop to have the flexability of mindset to make those changes should they be advantageous. I just can't live with us getting trampled off the glass game after game because the Zone is over-extended. Something has to give. Hopefully, most can be corrected with the right personnel, but we will not have the right personnel every season and we need adjust when necessary.
I love Hop's recruiting talents, and I understand this isn't really his team quite yet. I also believe he will coach in a style where kids will never quit on him. I am totally giving him the benefit of the doubt, but in the end he has to build upon Jimmy's foundation and not try to be a Jimmy clone when his time comes.