My Early Review on Hop

[IthacaMatt]

Not looking to repeat anything that's been said. Here's what I have seen and what I like so far, results notwithstanding:

• More trapping out of the zone. LOTS more trapping out of the zone.
• More use of the press
• More substitutions in the second half (especially offense/defense with the big men)
• Willingness to go deeper into the bench

I think these things are positives, and I think we see some of the future of how Hop is going to coach. The 2-3 zone is a tremendous advantage in terms of converting defense into offense, and I think that by making the zone even more aggressive than the 4-1 type of zone we've been playing the past few years to REALLY get out on to wing shooters, I think we are going to see Mike trap and press like crazy with the team when he holds the reins permanently.

I like what I've seen so far from Mike, apart from a couple disappointing losses, obviously.

 

[JrodCuse]

Coach isn't missing 80% of the threes were taking. If team could actually hit a few shots we'd be doing way better.

 

[longtimefan]

Not looking to repeat anything that's been said. Here's what I have seen and what I like so far, results notwithstanding:

• More trapping out of the zone. LOTS more trapping out of the zone.
• More use of the press
• More substitutions in the second half (especially offense/defense with the big men)
• Willingness to go deeper into the bench

I think these things are positives, and I think we see some of the future of how Hop is going to coach. The 2-3 zone is a tremendous advantage in terms of converting defense into offense, and I think that by making the zone even more aggressive than the 4-1 type of zone we've been playing the past few years to REALLY get out on to wing shooters, I think we are going to see Mike trap and press like crazy with the team when he holds the reins permanently.

I like what I've seen so far from Mike, apart from a couple disappointing losses, obviously.

Like (most) anyone beginning a coaching career, he seems to be lacking a certain "feel" for coaching the game. I hope that comes in time. And, maybe this 9-game audition will yield long-term dividends.

 

[br801]

Keep in mind that what we've seen in these three games may be more a function of the fact that the team has trailed significantly throughout in two of them and less a function of Hop's actual coaching philosophy. I need to see him coach with the lead and in closely contested games (more the norm for this program) before drawing any conclusions about his coaching style.

 

[CuseFaninVT]

How much can we really know about his actual style? He's like a fill-in chef cooking another person's recipes with the ingredients the original chef selected. I imagine his menu will be similar, but until Boeheim is retired and gone (which I think will be interesting - wonder how close the situation will be to when Dean Smith retired???), we aren't getting the true picture of Mike.

 

[1040su]

I think the fact that he can have no contact whatsoever with JB hurts him in a lot. I would think as a rookie coach (any rookie coach), regular conversations with a mentor is a tremendous help. He has always had JB to rely on & now he doesn't. That has to make it tougher for him to get solid footing.

 

[DPCuse]

Make no mistake, Hop is running this team as if Jimmy B would. I'm not going to make any judgments on Hop's coaching ability until he is fully in charge and has his kids and system in place.

 

[No Hoyas]

Make no mistake, Hop is running this team as if Jimmy B would. I'm not going to make any judgments on Hop's coaching ability until he is fully in charge and has his kids and system in place.

Well, he does has HIS kids in.

 

[kcsu]

A major silver lining is that Hop gets to coach 9 games after which JB will have a true body of work to critique and help him with.

 

[Brooky03]

It sucks that Hop can't get feedback from JB during this stretch. I'm sure coach is taking some mental notes to share with Hop after the suspension, but it's nice to get immediate feedback when you start something new.

 

[UelSU]

It seemed to me that Hop let the guys play through some tough stretches without calling a timeout to regroup. I just feel like JB would have called more TO's
to rip into a few guys, but that may not be Hops style. I might like that better, but I kept waiting for a TO after some of those 3's SJU was making, just to break momentum.

 

[kuethstheman]

It seemed to me that Hop let the guys play through some tough stretches without calling a timeout to regroup. I just feel like JB would have called more TO's
to rip into a few guys, but that may not be Hops style. I might like that better, but I kept waiting for a TO after some of those 3's SJU was making, just to break momentum.

I agree, although it's kind of funny. One of the raps on JB early in his career was that he didn't call timeouts to regroup often enough.

 

[teamco]

Somebody should teach Hop and JB how to SnapChat. Could come in handy under the current circumstances . . . or maybe use one of those encrypted messaging service we have heard so much about. If you believe the news not even the NSA can crack the communications on those sites. Just thinking out loud

 

[tbonezone]

if you ain't learned to drive after sittin' shotgun 20 years you ain't never gonna learn. buckle up. rough road ahead.

 

[UnderHisOwnPower]

Somebody should teach Hop and JB how to SnapChat. Could come in handy under the current circumstances . . . or maybe use one of those encrypted messaging service we have heard so much about. If you believe the news not even the NSA can crack the communications on those sites. Just thinking out loud

"Pizza delivery! Mike, is that you? No, no, of course not. Names Mickey, and while you're digging for change, scratch some game planning notes out for Cornell for me, would ya?"

I don't think it is a question of IF JB is getting word back to Mike, it is a question of how? Do they share paper boys? Kids share a carpool? Wives shop at Wegmans together?

 

[Briancuse]

Its not fair to judge Hop at all, this isn't his team, he is coaching it the way Jb would have wanted it to be coached, its an unfair evaluation.

 

[pulaski74]

well, I am not a student of the game, but I've lived SU basketball for over 45 yrs, what I see is too much dribbling, overpassing and missed free throws not to mention rebounding, I know 3's lead to long rebounds but good grief you got to want it. guess I'm just sayin its not the coach but the players. I think Mike Hopkins will be fine and hoping the kids will step up as I do every year

 

[KaiserUEO]

what id like to see is to not let an inferior team get into the game and think they can win like the johnnies did.

he didnt press, trap or pressure the ball till it was too late.

and the johnnies guards are 8th grade level at best.

waisted Fn opportunity.

all Hops fault.

 

[FrancoPizza]

he didnt press, trap or pressure the ball till it was too late.

and the johnnies guards are 8th grade level at best.

waisted Fn opportunity.

all Hops fault.

What on earth suggests that JB would have pressed and trapped sooner? History says he always starts in his base 2-3 and only starts pressing and trapping out of desperation.

 

[HeaterCuse22]

Somebody should teach Hop and JB how to SnapChat. Could come in handy under the current circumstances . . . or maybe use one of those encrypted messaging service we have heard so much about. If you believe the news not even the NSA can crack the communications on those sites. Just thinking out loud

I am somehow imagining Boeheim and Hop discussing critical coaching maneuvers over a COD allnighter.

 

[KaiserUEO]

What on earth suggests that JB would have pressed and trapped sooner? History says he always starts in his base 2-3 and only starts pressing and trapping out of desperation.

i didnt say that, i said Hop shouldve.

he was the coach, he coached them to a loss, by not making a simple adjustment.

hell, to pressure the ball just a little, is an adjustment that he shouldve done at the tip.

everybody and their grandmother knows...(and can force turnovers), that st johns cant dribble.

well all except Hop apparently.

 

[STEVEHOLT]

It sucks that Hop can't get feedback from JB during this stretch. I'm sure coach is taking some mental notes to share with Hop after the suspension, but it's nice to get immediate feedback when you start something new.

I dont know on what planet others live on , but the idea that he's not communcating with HOP in some fashion is ludicrous to me. I dont know if its through walkie talkie or cans connected by a string, but some communication is going on.

 

[MG44]

Somebody should teach Hop and JB how to SnapChat. Could come in handy under the current circumstances . . . or maybe use one of those encrypted messaging service we have heard so much about. If you believe the news not even the NSA can crack the communications on those sites. Just thinking out loud

I'll bet if someone backtracks Hops route to and from work they will find a trail of burner phones and destroyed sim cards strewn along the way

 

[br801]

I dont know on what planet others live on , but the idea that he's not communcating with HOP in some fashion is ludicrous to me. I dont know if its through walkie talkie or cans connected by a string, but some communication is going on.

I would hope they are actually complying with the idiotic punishment considering how much of a hard on the media and NCAA have for this program. They need to get this behind them and move on.

 

[CuseFaninVT]

I'll bet if someone backtracks Hops route to and from work they will find a trail of burner phones and destroyed sim cards strewn along the way

Are you binge watching Homeland as well?