Class of 2019 PG Dakota Leffew (GA) Portal to Georgia

[Orangezoo]

Red was a part of the previous regime and helped pour that water to begin with. I am not saying he needs to be axed tomorrow but you have to admit this offseason has been pretty underwhelming. We'll see if the team is any better in the fall regardless of who joins the program. Will likely be a slow start with all the new faces though. Teams don't gel overnight.

If you aren’t the boss and can’t overrule the boss you either leave or stick with it and have the option to do things differently. That doesn’t start until you have the gavel.

 

[FrancoPizza]

It's almost as if some think that Red is deliberately settling for lower tier players and hoping they will be good. Or, better still: "My expectations are championships - why doesn't Red share those expectations? Why can't he make that happen? Doesn't he realize how mediocre we are? I demand more, damn it!!"

At some point reality has to come in to play. Red can not simply pick and choose whoever he wants from the Portal Store. I know most here get that. But there seems to be an assumption that the staff is not doing enough due diligence by scouting, watching tape, talking to contacts/agents/evaluators/other coaches.

They have a list of players based on those evaluations who might share a mutual interest in Syracuse. But that doesn't guarantee anything. That's not an excuse, it's reality.

It's not magic. It's hard work, diligence, decision making, and selling.

Look no further than Fran Brown and how he energized the donor base. It seems like the hoops staff is settling in some cases because we are simply getting outbid. It happened last year and very likely cost us an NCAA bid. It's happening again with Mack. I'm not here to judge what an impact transfer is worth. I'm sure they are getting way overpaid. But other schools are ok with it because they are desperate for results and, more importantly, have the NIL donor base that doesn't mind overpaying.

 

[Red2003]

Red wants toughness. Alot of people worried about the glamour muscles like blocks & points per game.

The physical and mental toughness is what kept us out of the tournament this year. Toughness gets us a wins against BC, GT and FSU and we're looking at a tourney run. The offensive and defensive rebounding comes along with the toughness.

This is why we brought in Lampkin. Not for stats on scoring or shotblocking. He's reliable on the boards and tough. Started 35 games last year I think.

I also think the staff is looking at 6'5 Leffew and thinking about the length he brings. I was high on Mack until I saw that he weighs 170 pounds. That may fly in the Ivy but not the ACC. Leffew brings some length that will help with the zone if we want to mix up defenses.

 

[FrancoPizza]

The physical and mental toughness is what kept us out of the tournament this year.

Don't forget Jesse Edwards' dad.

 

[albanycuse]

That characterization is unfair. The buck stopped with JB and we’ve heard about some jaw-dropping decisions he made in the past 5 years where he overruled assistants.

Yup the culprit was JB, he ultimately decided the players he wanted on the team even when there wasn’t an agreement between the assistants and him. To throw Red under the bus because of guilty by association doesn’t fit the bill here. Matter of fact we would of been better off with JB listening to them.

 

[FrancoPizza]

Yup the culprit was JB, he ultimately decided the players he wanted on the team even when there wasn’t an agreement between the assistants and him. To throw Red under the bus because of guilty as association doesn’t fit the bill here. Matter of fact we would of been better off with JB listening to them.

I'd cut Red some more slack if he wasn't essentially running the same JB iso-based offense and built a staff that compensated for his inexperience (offensive Xs and Os specialist or defensive guru that can teach m2m).

 

[Red2003]

Ol Jimmy deserves some blame but also the praise. Regardless of records and seeds 2 Final 4 appearances in 2013 and 2016 gave the old man and everyone else confidence that the program was a well oiled machine on the right track. Reality is that it was, because there's how many active coaches that have seen 2+ Final 4's and even fewer that got there twice in 4 years. No doubt we lost momentum though and are struggling to get it back the last 5 years ish.

2012: Elite 8
2013: Final 4
2015: Sanctions
2016: Final 4
2017: Hopkins Leaves
2018: Sweet 16
2020: Covid
2021-Sweet 16
2022-Current: Portal and NIL Wild West

 

[albanycuse]

I'd cut Red some more slack if he wasn't essentially running the same JB iso-based offense and built a staff that compensated for his inexperience (offensive Xs and Os specialist or defensive guru that can teach m2m).

He didn’t have the troops to run anything else that would of produced better results. Half the time players were out of position on the court and not following his direction. You could read his body language and face palms from your tv set.

 

[orange79]

Dakota, folks.

I don't want to have to state it again.

Thanks.

 

[albanycuse]

Dakota, folks.

I don't want to have to state it again.

Thanks.

What state would you be stating it from?

 

[CDNCuse]

That characterization is unfair. The buck stopped with JB and we’ve heard about some jaw-dropping decisions he made in the past 5 years where he overruled assistants.

I am very much open to giving Red the benefit of the doubt and a couple of more seasons to prove himself, but if he was not the lead assistant at least partially responsible for the previous seasons he worked here, on what merit did he get hired for the job of head coach?

 

[hoopsupstate]

Look no further than Fran Brown and how he energized the donor base. It seems like the hoops staff is settling in some cases because we are simply getting outbid. It happened last year and very likely cost us an NCAA bid. It's happening again with Mack. I'm not here to judge what an impact transfer is worth. I'm sure they are getting way overpaid. But other schools are ok with it because they are desperate for results and, more importantly, have the NIL donor base that doesn't mind overpaying.

Fran hasn’t gone out and brought in a five star portal players. He picked up good players who would fit his system. McCord fell into his lap. There’s not a five star in the group. The guys Red are trying to bring in are four star portal guys. Look around. Schools are all looking for players who played a level below.

 

[djcon57]

Fran hasn’t gone out and brought in a five star portal players. He picked up good players who would fit his system. McCord fell into his lap. There’s not a five star in the group. The guys Red are trying to bring in are four star portal guys. Look around. Schools are all looking for players who played a level below.

Literally not true. He FLEW TO HIM

 

[pearl31]

but you have to admit this offseason has been pretty underwhelming

a) how do you arrive at that? b) relative to what? c) the "offseason" is barely underway

 

[pearl31]

Look no further than Fran Brown and how he energized the donor base. It seems like the hoops staff is settling in some cases because we are simply getting outbid. It happened last year and very likely cost us an NCAA bid. It's happening again with Mack. I'm not here to judge what an impact transfer is worth. I'm sure they are getting way overpaid. But other schools are ok with it because they are desperate for results and, more importantly, have the NIL donor base that doesn't mind overpaying.

oh gawd

 

[Sherman20]

Exactly. Problem is we have a fan base that expects Red to turn water into wine immediately and if he doesnt then fire him!

I dont get it.

I don’t think this is true about the fan base, at least as it relates to this board. There’s a few outliers on here that seem to be skeptical of Red but most seem supportive and willing to give him time to develop and find his footing and like what they see so far. But maybe you’re seeing that more on social media and talk radio?

 

[djcon57]

I don’t think this is true about the fan base, at least as it relates to this board. There’s a few outliers on here that seem to be skeptical of Red but most seem supportive and willing to give him time to develop and find his footing and like what they see so far. But maybe you’re seeing that more on social media and talk radio?

Yeah I don't think expecting to at least be on the bubble in Year 2 is asking to turn water into wine. But seems like a bridge to far for some.

 

[djcon57]

Back to Leffew...is the expectation a decision after this weekend?

 

[albanycuse]

I am very much open to giving Red the benefit of the doubt and a couple of more seasons to prove himself, but if he was not the lead assistant at least partially responsible for the previous seasons he worked here, on what merit did he get hired for the job of head coach?

You don’t get it , even if he had input to add on players to bring in and what not or even changing up the defense that wasn’t happening and it got overruled. Like JB wanted someone questioning his every move or even half of them. He did what he was told and kept his mouth shut that’s what kept him around and he was good at it.

 

[albanycuse]

Back to Leffew...is the expectation a decision after this weekend?

No, he has other visits planned but you never know what happens.

 

[Cuseball]

Yeah I don't think expecting to at least be on the bubble in Year 2 is asking to turn water into wine. But seems like a bridge to far for some.

I would hope everyone on here agrees that if we are not on the bubble then Red's seat will be awfully hot in year 3. I would even go so far to say if we miss the tournament this year then Red will have underperformed. A 3 year turnaround is not required in this environment.

 

[jordoo]

Back to Leffew...is the expectation a decision after this weekend?

On the weekend trip even if we don’t hear about it till afterwords. If he takes his Monday trip then oops.

 

[phil77]

Back to Leffew...is the expectation a decision after this weekend?

I would think if he leaves this weekend and takes those other visits it would be a bad sign.

 

[OttoinGrotto]

What state would you be stating it from?

This is a good joke.

 

[albanycuse]

This is a good joke.

Good as in pretty pathetic than you’re correct.