This season is going to be very interesting. Most who closely follow Cuse basketball are excited about what is to come. We have so much potential to be really good. However, those on the outside seem to be focusing on all of the unknowns - players, new coach, new style, etc. which is completely fair. So who is right - the skeptics or the diehards? As what is often the case, it's probably going to be somewhere in the middle.
I just hope the diehards understand and expect some early struggles and challenges. To expect everything to come together smoothly right out of the gate is a bit unrealistic. My hope and expectation is that at some point during the year that we we get a chance to say "told you so!" to all of the sports "experts". I see us squarely into the ncaa tournament with the players we have and coaching adjustments that will be made. It will be nice to get back to discussions about our seed versus bubble talk.
even with all of the flux, theres still more continuity and talent on this roster than the majority of NCAABB
two things for me will be determinative:
1. was JBs "system" and rigidity actually holding this team back recently (as many posters surmised, myself included) in other words, had JB stopped getting the most out of his rosters???
or was last year's performance close to the actual ceiling of that roster?
basically, was a significant cause of the poor performance in recent seasons due to poor coaching?
(my guess is yes)
I assume, since JB always got the most out of his rosters throughout his career - most outside people would put almost all of the blame on recent poor play to lack of talent and not lack of coaching...while I do think talent wasnt as good as it coudlve been - my opinion is that it was primarily coaching that caused the poor records of recent years.
in the end, I think the outside view of the current talent on the roster is probably way below what it could be with the right system and coaching i.e. the current players took a hit on their perceptions due to the poor system they have played in for the last 1-2 years.
2. how good are the new coaches?
can they actually coach? how will they manage games??
everyone loved hopkins but he has struggled big time as a head coach
IF the new coaches are good at managing games and strategy etc...then the ceiling will be high...if not, it wont.
overall, I can understand the "wait and see" approach in terms of prognositicating this team...but for me...just changing the coach should be an improvement and the transfers are big time talents so I expect a jump just from that, as well. simple replacement level coaching (and absence of a system that was weighing down performance) should mean this team has a much better record than the last few seasons, imo.
on the other hand, if it really was just talent and JB did a great job last season...then, well, it could still be a good year if the new faces are as advertised, anyway...
so I'm bullish.
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