Red opens up about new Syracuse players:

[007]

I think you'll see them try and run more full-court press. White, Souare, and Betsey are all lengthy athletic frontcourt players. Could provide an interest spark off the bench.

I'd be thrilled to see a pressure style defense whether that was full, ¾, or half court. But, I highly doubt we will see a pressing defense other than when down late in games. Pragmatically, I'd be satisfied to see an aggressive, ball pressure, switching style defense in the half court with help rotations and rim protection. That is place to start. We were nowhere near that last season.

 

[Niastri]

I'd be thrilled to see a pressure style defense whether that was full, ¾, or half court. But, I highly doubt we will see a pressing defense other than when down late in games. Pragmatically, I'd be satisfied to see an aggressive, ball pressure, switching style defense in the half court with help rotations and rim protection. That is place to start. We were nowhere near that last season.

The way I see it, we don’t really have a point guard when George is on the bench. Watching Fennell play, he’s the closest we have, but he’s really more of a combo guard. We know what Starling brings as a combo…

The best way to minimize damage when George is resting is to have them both out there. Starling in particular is good in the open court, where he can go straight to the basket.

Also, we have the bodies to play pressing full court from time to time. White, Kyle, Souare, maybe Betsey and Fennell all have good builds for press defense, long limbs and quick feet.

Combining the lack of a true point guard, and the physical characteristics of our guys, I think pressing when George is resting is a strong option. It also can give short minutes to guys that otherwise won’t play very much that have a big impact. If you’re playing 10 minutes a game, but the team is pressing full court for 8 of them, you really feel like you did something…

 

[atlanticuse]

I think it’s unlikely we’ll have a losing record.

I think the team wide talent increase is too significant for that.

I also think Red might be able to get more out of Kyle in his last college season than we saw at UCLA.

Following this post until next year.
And you can project based on talent and coaching.

 

[Oakland]

Underrated and overlooked post early on a Tuesday. The rebounding potential is huge this year. One thing that I noticed in last year's ACC play was just how the rebounding was hit or miss on so many normally tough ACC teams, it seems to be something that alot of teams are not interested in focusing on.

Eddie was the 2nd best rebounder in the ACC, Cuse overall was 4th in rebounding margin and that's with our mess in the backcourt with undersized guards and Bell who was allergic to rebounding. If Freeman stayed healthy and played the same # of mins as a true top of the league player he would've been at the top of the league in rebounding.

People want to worry about the offense but extending possessions with boards especially offensive will make the difference especially with more shooters on the floor.

Kline is a Knicks guy and if anyone wasn't paying attention this year and the playoffs they lived and died on solid point guard play and alot of second chance points from rebounding.

Rebounding is the number two reason that the zone had to go.

 

[Niastri]

Following this post until next year.
And you can project based on talent and coaching.

Fair enough, I was really wrong about a few things last year.

 

[atlanticuse]

Fair enough, I was really wrong about a few things last year.

We all love the program.
If Red has help coaching, 25 wins.
If not, 18.

 

[OrangeXtreme]

 

[hoopsupstate]

Instead of full court pressing, I would rather see some half court trapping. This team is extremely long and athletic. If Red wants to take advantage of his bench, it might be worth establishing a second unit that is really good trapping and chasing in the half court. It might be a way to use his freshmen, who are usually behind learning how to play college level man to man.

 

[baggerbob]

Instead of full court pressing, I would rather see some half court trapping. This team is extremely long and athletic. If Red wants to take advantage of his bench, it might be worth establishing a second unit that is really good trapping and chasing in the half court. It might be a way to use his freshmen, who are usually behind learning how to play college level man to man.

Like to mix it up 3/4 and half court trapping.
Keep the opponent on edge not knowing what to expect.

 

[capeorange]

“We got who we got,’’ Autry said of SU’s transfers. “Did we beat some people? Yes. I felt like we could compete. I didn’t feel like we lost anyone because we couldn’t afford them.’’

Hopefully this puts an end to the "we can't compete" NIL threads.

 

[Lukeyloo]

I'm being reserved in my optimism for this team until after Rothstein stops by for a look at them. He overexaggerates and embellishes at times, but he sees enough teams leading up to the season where he can reasonably determine how good (or bad) they look comparatively. His remarks of our team last year weren't exactly glowing and it concerned me at the time. That obviously showed to be a foreshadowing of our worst season in decades.

 

[sufan59]

 

[Cusefan0307]

Based on who they have I’m not very impressed. Lots of overpays.

 

[RedtheGOB]

UNC is in blank check mode. UNC in particular is watching Duke and NCState down the road play in Final Fours while UNC is playing in First Fours.

When it comes to some of the blue bloods and top tier recent programs Reddit gets some good commentary. It's shocking how many fans are writing the exact same comments as we are. We upgraded XYZ positions that were lacking last year and are hoping the sum of the parts is better etc.

 

[Cusefan0307]

UNC is in blank check mode. UNC in particular is watching Duke and NCState down the road play in Final Fours while UNC is playing in First Fours.

When it comes to some of the blue bloods and top tier recent programs Reddit gets some good commentary. It's shocking how many fans are writing the exact same comments as we are. We upgraded XYZ positions that were lacking last year and are hoping the sum of the parts is better etc.

 

[RCDICK44]

I'm really getting tired of you guy's knocking te Syracuse coaching staff. It is what it is. The last 5 years of Boeheim weren't all that great either. give Red a chance for Christ sake. He seems to be recruiting better.

 

[orangefog]

I'm really getting tired of you guy's knocking te Syracuse coaching staff. It is what it is. The last 5 years of Boeheim weren't all that great either. give Red a chance for Christ sake. He seems to be recruiting better.

Do you think the coaching has been good under Red? I wish he would hire another coach or two.

 

[pearl31]

I'm really getting tired of you guy's knocking te Syracuse coaching staff. It is what it is. The last 5 years of Boeheim weren't all that great either. give Red a chance for Christ sake. He seems to be recruiting better.

I think most of us are giving him a chance - but are being real about how alarming last season was, from roster assembly to a litany of in-game stuff - what was on display ought to make anyone who's being honest at least a tad bit skeptical

 

[OrangeinDC]

Instead of full court pressing, I would rather see some half court trapping. This team is extremely long and athletic. If Red wants to take advantage of his bench, it might be worth establishing a second unit that is really good trapping and chasing in the half court. It might be a way to use his freshmen, who are usually behind learning how to play college level man to man.

Agree! I would use both, as change ups.

 

[cusefan88]

I think most of us are giving him a chance - but are being real about how alarming last season was, from roster assembly to a litany of in-game stuff - what was on display ought to make anyone who's being honest at least a tad bit skeptical

Everything for me comes back to PG and Center. Red saw they got killed inside and went splash with a big center. Problem was he's a total zero on defense. Carlos another miss. Very nice kid and ok player but should be a backup.

 

[007]

The way I see it, we don’t really have a point guard when George is on the bench. Watching Fennell play, he’s the closest we have, but he’s really more of a combo guard. We know what Starling brings as a combo…

The best way to minimize damage when George is resting is to have them both out there. Starling in particular is good in the open court, where he can go straight to the basket.

Also, we have the bodies to play pressing full court from time to time. White, Kyle, Souare, maybe Betsey and Fennell all have good builds for press defense, long limbs and quick feet.

Combining the lack of a true point guard, and the physical characteristics of our guys, I think pressing when George is resting is a strong option. It also can give short minutes to guys that otherwise won’t play very much that have a big impact. If you’re playing 10 minutes a game, but the team is pressing full court for 8 of them, you really feel like you did something…

Yeah, I understand the benefits of pressing and why this roster looks like a good fit for a pressing team. What I doubt is Red using the press that often, similar to JB's coaching philosophy. The other issue is that to be effective with pressing concepts you have to devote significant time in practice. I'm guessing that practice emphasis will be first and foremost on playing fundamentally sound M2M in the half court.

 

[RedtheGOB]

Yup word for word comments from a lot of the UNC fanbase and other fanbases in North Carolina.

 

[RedtheGOB]

Yeah, I understand the benefits of pressing and why this roster looks like a good fit for a pressing team. What I doubt is Red using the press that often, similar to JB's coaching philosophy. The other issue is that to be effective with pressing concepts you have to devote significant time in practice. I'm guessing that practice emphasis will be first and foremost on playing fundamentally sound M2M in the half court.

Exactly. The half court defense needs to click first and consistently. then worry about the second and third options like zone and press.

This is a brand new squad not a team with multiple years playing together.

 

[RF2044]

Yeah, I understand the benefits of pressing and why this roster looks like a good fit for a pressing team. What I doubt is Red using the press that often, similar to JB's coaching philosophy. The other issue is that to be effective with pressing concepts you have to devote significant time in practice. I'm guessing that practice emphasis will be first and foremost on playing fundamentally sound M2M in the half court.

And given last year's defensive struggles, it is difficult to pinpoint whether the defensive shortcomings were due to personnel or due to flawed coaching / defensive concept. Probably a little from column A and a little from column B.

Agree that the approach will be to solidify the base concept, with that being the practice emphasis. Difficult to envision that they would seek to implement an entirely new core defensive concept for that reason.

Not suggesting that we WON'T press, or seek to implement that package, just that the concentration will be elsewhere.

 

[phsyra]

I'm really getting tired of you guy's knocking te Syracuse coaching staff. It is what it is. The last 5 years of Boeheim weren't all that great either. give Red a chance for Christ sake. He seems to be recruiting better.

Our players are 100 times better and Lemoyne made us look like swiss cheese...never forget!