Dean Francis new podcast out there...

[pearl31]

gotta love it.

WHY WON'T JB GO AFTER THE STUDS FROM ALL OVER THE COUNTRY

JB lands stud from unlikely locale

WHY DOES JB TRY AND GO AFTER THESE GUYS THAT'S NOT OUR RECRUITING MO WE NEED 4-YEAR PROGRAM GUYS

 

[HOFCeluck]

As far as the style of play is concerned, the dude should've done his due diligence before committing. That's on him. I also don't think we'd be playing 53-50 rock fights if he wasn't on the roster. I still don't think we'll be doing that.

 

[SoBeCuse]

Look. I am firmly in the camp that the sanctions created an incredible challenge to the program. To have continued a winning tradition, even if the results might have been somewhat below our standards during the last few regular seasons while overachieving significantly in our last two NCAA Tournament appearances is a testament to the team's heart and the coaching staff's ability to adapt.

The one shortcoming I see is that we have not adapted well to the one-and-done culture. Seems like there are two approaches:
I. Become an NBA lottery factory like Kentucky, Duke, and increasingly Arizona and Kansas or -
II. Build a program on slightly less talented players who will bring some continuity like Villanova, Xavier, Gonzaga, Virginia.

First option is tough because we do not run a plug-and-play system. Very few upper echelon recruits have the ability or the desire to fully embrace the principles of the zone when they first step on campus.
Second option has been challenging because players that seem to have been multi-year contributors show enough early on to enhance their profiles and get NBA consideration. I think part of this is that due to the zone, we focus recruiting on kids with the measurables the NBA craves, part is that opportunities with a short rotation are abundant and part, as K said, because "all Jim's payers get better."

As a result we've kind of ended up with an in between philosophy that keeps us successful but a notch below the top tier talent factories. Of course all of that can change on one given day - hence the post season success - but ultimately it catches up with you.

Going to be an interesting transition as the one-and-done environment is sunset but I'm optimistic that the end result will be very good for us.

Good post. The problem I see with let’s say hypothetically going after the less talented players are potential major issues here. One is that still those zone measurables are more than likely really raw offensive players. Beanpoles too. We don’t run a system where those flaws are hidden with lots of ball movement, off ball movement, good screening, etc. We can’t play a system where you have four stout guards on the floor who do everything well and a big PF as your C like a Villanova or whomever. It’s the opposite. Over-dribbling with subpar players, no movement, etc. Now, if you show some promise if you’re a more talented player/athlete like Malachi who has good size for a SG and is allowed all the ISO freedom then it is a good recipe for getting drafted. But now we’re stuck. If anything the staff should know how this has been trending here and should be better prepared. I’m definitely worried.

 

[HOFCeluck]

"More interesting stuff."

Oh god...

 

[SoBeCuse]

I

I don't think we really have a major disagreement. I just think that the slow down style, eat the clock, for a programwhich has never employed it, is only obvious in retrospect. If we tried to run with the thoroughbreds and been blown out, it would have been dismissed as being attributable to slower horses. It was really, for us, a revolutionary style of play.

I hear ya. But our pace as been trending slower and slower the past five years or so. That’s my concern. Our tempo was pretty slow last year at 243 and that was skewed IMO by getting buried in games and having to make ferocious rallies and up the pace. I mean how many times last year in the 1H of games the D was actually doing fine but we just couldn’t extend leads or get anything going offensively. Then we would get down big and finally crank it up offensively. We had shooters who made tons of contested shots and lots of them poor shots, IMO. The offense was pretty laughable at times last year.

 

[721Comstock]

I hear ya. But our pace as been trending slower and slower the past five
years or so. That’s my concern. Our tempo was pretty slow last year at 243 and that was skewed IMO by getting bureid in games and having to make ferocious rallies. I mean how many times last year in the 1H of games the D was actually doing fine but we just couldn’t extend leads or get anything going offensively. Then we would get down big and finally crank it up offensively. We had shooters who made tons of contested shots and lots of them poor shots, IMO. The offense was pretty laughable at times last year.

And yet, it was only 3 ppg lower than what has been our average (70) over the past 8 seasons.

 

[phil77]

Couple questions:

Will playing the zone 100% of the time hurt Duke in recruiting?? Didnt seem to hurt them this year in recruiting.

Did we play the style we did because that is what JB wants or is that the style of play we played because of personnel we have??


I do agree we need to do a better job of keeping the program depth players like Moyer and that is on the coach. And we need to do a better job of targeting players that want to be here.

 

[SoBeCuse]

And yet, it was only 3 ppg lower than what has been our average (70) over the past 8 seasons.

Right but our possessions are down. Makes a bigger difference than for most teams.

 

[HOFCeluck]

For example, tonight he revealed we're giving EJ Montgomery a bag and he'll be here in the fall.

That's EXACTLY how I interpreted that too.

 

[Fly Rodder]

The one shortcoming I see is that we have not adapted well to the one-and-done culture.

it’s not really one and done, IMO. there’s a long list of things JAB doesn’t like or plan on doing. The short list is his way or the highway. Right or wrong and for forty years it’s worked really well. Regardless of how well SU has done in some respects, JAB doesn’t make the program as attractive to any & all types of recruits/talent as other programs do. They are pluses & minuses to this philosophy.

D1 has gotten a lot more competitive over the years and if you want exclude all the players that are hard to manage, too short or not quick enough to play zone, there aren’t many leftover who still have skills to basketball. He hasn’t exactly embraced the philosophy of getting kids to the NBA as one of his responsibilities like other coaches (that’s not the same his kids getting drafted. how many NBA drafts has he attended in support of them? How many pro-days has SU hosted?).

As a result, they’re recruiting from a really small pool of talent and if a kid doesn’t adapt to the system, they don’t get any minutes and they’re gone.

 

[Fly Rodder]

Couple questions:

Will playing the zone 100% of the time hurt Duke in recruiting?? Didnt seem to hurt them this year in recruiting.

Did we play the style we did because that is what JB wants or is that the style of play we played because of personnel we have??


I do agree we need to do a better job of keeping the program depth players like Moyer and that is on the coach. And we need to do a better job of targeting players that want to be here.

I don’t think K has committed to playing zone 100% to the point of it becoming a trademark.

 

[SoBeCuse]

For example, tonight he revealed we're giving EJ Montgomery a bag and he'll be here in the fall.

You can’t be serious. The sarcasm must go right over your head.

 

[Dave]

I

I don't think we really have a major disagreement. I just think that the slow down style, eat the clock, for a programwhich has never employed it, is only obvious in retrospect. If we tried to run with the thoroughbreds and been blown out, it would have been dismissed as being attributable to slower horses. It was really, for us, a revolutionary style of play.[/

Wait...I don't understand....we can disagree without questioning each others parentage!?

Nice.

 

[phil77]

I don’t think K has committed to playing zone 100% to the point of it becoming a trademark.

We will see going forward what happens. Just a question I am asking.

 

[HOFCeluck]

You can’t be serious. The sarcasm must go right over your head.

I thought (hope) he was being tounge in cheek.

 

[longislandcuse]

Re: Marek, im sure the staff has some kind of indication that he's coming back, no? Otherwise, yes/no, are you coming back?..circle one. If not, let us get one of these high level grad transfers since we can offer minutes.

Brissett is obviously a way different situation and we just have to hope he comes back.

 

[iommi]

Re: Marek, im sure the staff has some kind of indication that he's coming back, no? Otherwise, yes/no, are you coming back?..circle one. If not, let us get one of these high level grad transfers since we can offer minutes.

Brissett is obviously a way different situation and we just have to hope he comes back.

Staff fully expects Marek to come back but we have to hope he stays solid when he goes home.

 

[Oakland]

A lot more troubling stuff in there than comforting stuff.

 

[iommi]

When Dean says something about recruiting, like who we sure targeting or whatever, it is considered great info. When Dean says something about JB or the staff and how they are operating, suddenly Dean is a hater and just spouting speculation.

Funny how that works. It's ironic that his biggest critics are people who claim to be insiders (and clearly aren't) and people who rip him at the drop of the hat but still subscribe to his podcasts.

Hypocrisy.

 

[albanycuse]

Dean is the only one who never speculates and is as right as you can be without things changing at the last minute as you can get.

 

[Day2]

Dean is the only one who never speculates and is as right as you can be without things changing at the last minute as you can get.

Patently false. He speculates quite a bit and has been wrong plenty of times. He is a great source for recruiting info. Everything else I take with a grain of salt.

 

[Day2]

Right, do you have a source like Dean does who is obviously very close to the team and program? Don’t shoot the messenger man. Dean may give some opinions as we all do about the players/coaches/scheme but why dis the pod and the info he is sharing from his source? There’s a perception out there like it or not.

Actually, I think Dean’s sources are the recruits, their families/handlers, and their HS/AAU coaches for the most part. I don’t think he’s that close to the program itself. There are better sources on this board if that’s what you’re looking for. He might get some second-hand info from time-to-time, but I don’t think there’s much of a relationship between him and our coaching staff. And that’s not for a lack of effort on his part. JB probably isn’t interested.

I wonder what would have happened had Dean tipped them off about Bazley...

 

[albanycuse]

Patently false. He speculates quite a bit and has been wrong plenty of times. He is a great source for recruiting info. Everything else I take with a grain of salt.

Totally disagree buddy.

 

[Cuse9292]

Totally disagree buddy.

I agree with you disagreeing with that man, it's nice to have an opinion.

 

[kjb120]

I for one enjoy Deans content and have for a long time now.

It’s great that whenever someone with a little bit of inside knowledge gives it out they are automatically attacked because some people don’t like what they hear. This cycle is repeated on a monthly basis and then we wonder why no one is willing to come on here and give info that they have. Makes me miss the days of the pay board.