What is frustrating about JB traditionally not playing a deeper rotation

[Alsacs]

This doesn't apply to Malachi Richardson because last year JB had no bench beyond Lydon and Howard.

However, because JB doesn't traditionally like to play his 8th-10th guys on the bench it causes our starters to inflate their numbers because of all the minutes they play.

Now because of the scholarship reductions and losing 3 guys from our 10 man team and only bringing in Moyer, Gillon, and Battle right now means we only have 8 players on scholarship and 3 openings.

How we only have 3 guards on the roster is insane and the excuse used is well JB only plays 3 guards. You can't say that because if we have any injuries or foul trouble we are looking at walkon guards.

I honestly don't care that Richardson left it was obvious for the last 2 weeks. We need a full roster and now we are looking at 3 years in a row we are 2 scholarships below every one else.

2014 we had 11 scholarship players
2015 we had 10 scholarship players
2016 we currently have 8 scholarship players

The Chino/Johnson/Patterson/Ennis class is killing us right now.

Gbinije covered a lot of holes last year.

The Turk recruit could give us some post scoring and we should really hope we can get that guy and play him at the 3 or 4. We have to hope Gillon can be the SG next year with Battle at PG.

 

[jsshap]

That makes sense and I agree with a lot of it, not to mention the value of trying to get more kids confidence early (as Hop sought to do a bit more than JB) but the analysis of the optimal # of players in the rotation is different for SU than other teams. From a foul trouble and stamina standpoint, an advantage of the zone is that it mitigates the downside/risk of playing a short bench heavy minutes. So to depart from that -- and in turn lessen the minutes for the best players (with less benefit in the form of protection from foul trouble and higher energy) -- is not the no brainer it sometimes seems to be. To the extent you are suggesting JB should play a deeper bench so that the top players numbers don't get too high and their value inflated, I don't agree with that at all.

 

[stuckinbig11]

JB plays each game to win.

 

[Cusefan0307]

We are going to add two more pieces IMO, but they won't be guards.

 

[Briancuse]

We are going to add two more pieces IMO, but they won't be guards.

I would love to get Thompson, but we could really use another guard.

 

[dollarbill44]

JB plays each game to win.

You can play each game to win and use more of the bench. They don't have to be mutually exclusive.

 

[Shark58]

lack of rotational depth has (imho) hurt us in several ways, this is just one of them

others include:
- players not being as "game ready" as necessary when needed due to injury/fouls
- fatigue
- stunted player development year over year
- driving me crazy

 

[Antiprodigy]

You all can complain all you want. This thread is just a copy of 100's before it.

This is the gist. You think he should use more of his bench and give more scholarships. The theory is that things will be better if he did.

You may or may not be right. JB's style doesn't take to that format. The thing is, he doesn't give a **it what you think. As long as he is coach, it isn't going to change.

All is right with the world now. We got this monthly/quarterly complaint of JB's bench usage over with. On to other threads until it's time to bring this up again!

 

[jordoo]

We are going to add two more pieces IMO, but they won't be guards.

Agreed and I hope for the sake of the 2017/18 season one of them is TT. He will give us a returning front court player. Neither of the other two possibilities would be back for that season IMO. Either would be a great along side TT though.

 

[HOFCeluck]

The Chino/Johnson/Patterson/Ennis class is killing us right now.

.

It's the 2013 and 2014 classes back to back that are hurting us.

Much like the underwhelming class of 2003 and the piss poor class of 2004 hurt us back in the day.

 

[realorange]

This doesn't apply to Malachi Richardson because last year JB had no bench beyond Lydon and Howard.

However, because JB doesn't traditionally like to play his 8th-10th guys on the bench it causes our starters to inflate their numbers because of all the minutes they play.

Now because of the scholarship reductions and losing 3 guys from our 10 man team and only bringing in Moyer, Gillon, and Battle right now means we only have 8 players on scholarship and 3 openings.

How we only have 3 guards on the roster is insane and the excuse used is well JB only plays 3 guards. You can't say that because if we have any injuries or foul trouble we are looking at walkon guards.

I honestly don't care that Richardson left it was obvious for the last 2 weeks. We need a full roster and now we are looking at 3 years in a row we are 2 scholarships below every one else.

2014 we had 11 scholarship players
2015 we had 10 scholarship players
2016 we currently have 8 scholarship players

The Chino/Johnson/Patterson/Ennis class is killing us right now.

Gbinije covered a lot of holes last year.

The Turk recruit could give us some post scoring and we should really hope we can get that guy and play him at the 3 or 4. We have to hope Gillon can be the SG next year with Battle at PG.

Frank and Battle with Gillon off the bench for either.

 

[Dave85]

JB plays each game to win.

I think that is his primary motivation. I don't think he cares about player PT that much.

 

[Dave85]

This doesn't apply to Malachi Richardson because last year JB had no bench beyond Lydon and Howard.

Come tournament time the good thing about having a short bench is players who are playing are at the best they are going to be. And since there are so many lengthy commercial breaks during the NCAA tournament it doesn't really matter if you have a short bench. Each game has about 6 halftimes worth of commercials. With all the commercial breaks you need short bench for the players to even get warmed up!

 

[Dave85]

Frank and Battle with Gillon off the bench for either.

Howard may win some extra minutes. He showed some brilliance as a freshmen. He's very strong and athletic. I think his problem is just little freshmen-itus. I can see Howard making a Dion type sophomore leap in play.