Hoiberg taking ISU to the next level his way

[cytown]

First, I am 100% convinced that ISU will be in the final four within the next couple of years. That BS call against OSU was the difference between an early exit and the final four last year. Fred is bringing in impact talent - not just middle of the big12 talent - but future NBA talent. He is doing it with high school kids (Custer, Morris, Thomas all top 100 players) and calculated JUCO's and transfers (too many to list, but they have all had huge impacts). He is doing it HIS way. A way many questioned from the outset.

ISU will never be able to recruit toe-to-toe with Kansas and Kentucky, at least right now. Fred knows this - it is the landscape of college basketball today. But his ability to go out and bring in star talent, coach them up, and put all of the pieces together with almost zero off the court issues is incredible. And they are playing team ball. Non one-on-one isolation crap. We are seeing before our eyes ISU take a step up in basketball. Once we break through and make a big time splash in the tourney (and conference), recruiting will pick up even more. ISU will become a destination school - a step closer to being a peer with MSU, Syracuse, Lousiville, etc.... We will start landing some blue-chippers out of high school whereas today, its just a pipe dream.

Fred is doing what many questioned being possible - taking ISU to elite status. We are all witness. What a great time to be a cyclone.

 

[RollsRoyce]

You just gave me a huge woody. Be back in a while.

 

[Cydkar]

We have a chance but a Final 4, even if with have superior talent, is a bit of a crapshoot. The call last year gets us to the Sweet 16. The leap to the Final 4 can't be assumed like you did.

 

[GoSTATE71]

We are bringing in great talent already. Its hard to remember that a lot of those transfers were 4* star kids out of high school. Think about this. Next year our probable starting 5 (not saying this is set in stone or anything but my own prediction) is all 4* recruits. Just for fun lets say Vaughn commits.

Monte Morris-4* (Mr.Basketball Michigan)
Matt Thomas-4* (Top 50 recruit)
Rashad Vaughn-5* (Top 15 recruit)
Jameel McKay-4* (One of Top Jucos in America)
Georges Niang-4* (Top 100 recruit)

Not to mention everyone off the bench is at least a 3* recruit or better.

Future is bright, enjoy this ride!

 

[cyclone13]

Sometimes it takes an element of luck to go to the final four. While I am confident with Fred's ability and our players, I am always worried: We are Iowa State.

 

[LLCoolCY]

I totally agree... Fred had a plan (Play a fast NBA style offense and adjust it to the players strengths, and get as much talent to Ames using all avenues possible (HS, Transfer, JC) no appologies) then executed it to perfection.
To think that he took over a program in such disarry and hurting for talent from McD tenure, turned it around and to see where we are are after just 3 years is remarkable. Now projecting forward with this roster's potential is truely amazing.


Great time to be part of CyclONE Nation.

 

[iacyguy]

We are bringing in great talent already. Its hard to remember that a lot of those transfers were 4* star kids out of high school. Think about this. Next year our probable starting 5 (not saying this is set in stone or anything but my own prediction) is all 4* recruits. Just for fun lets say Vaughn commits.

Monte Morris-4* (Mr.Basketball Michigan)
Matt Thomas-4* (Top 50 recruit)
Rashad Vaughn-5* (Top 15 recruit)
Jameel McKay-4* (One of Top Jucos in America)
Georges Niang-4* (Top 100 recruit)

Not to mention everyone off the bench is at least a 3* recruit or better.

Future is bright, enjoy this ride!

Custer 4*
SDW 4*? Wasn't he ranked in the top 150? I can't remember..

Hopefully we get 5* Diallo a few years from now too

 

[Gunnerclone]

I'm loving what the OP is throwing down but the tourney is the tourney and crap happens. What I really would like, is a run of like 4 out 5 or 5 out of 6 years of either a regular season conference championship or B12 tournament championship (or both).

 

[acgclone]

I do agree that Fred has us on an upward trajectory. We are upgrading our talent level and depth. We don't have elite talent yet, but I think starting next year, we'll at least be close to where most of the teams that tend to make up the Sweet 16 are in terms of talent. As we've seen the past two years, we're not far off. Upgrade 1-2 starters, and add 1-2 quality back ups, and we're right in line with most of the top 25 from a talent level.

Then when you factor in Fred's style, and affinity for exploiting mismatches, and you can see how a Final Four is not out of the question. Those things are very hard to attain however, so even if you have all the pieces, it only takes one game in the tourney for the ball to not bounce your way.

 

[Rabbuk]

I've never in my life been more excited for the next couple seasons. In any sport at any level.

 

[acgclone]

One thing that is just starting to pay off for us in recruiting and will only continue to help us, is that the media LOVES Fred (you would have to be a Hawkeye not to).

He gets great pub all the time. They talk about his style, and how he exploits mismatches. That is going to pay off in recruiting as more HS coaches and players get to know his reputation.

 

[CyFan61]

You just gave me a huge woody. Be back in a while.

 

[ruxCYtable]

We have a chance but a Final 4, even if with have superior talent, is a bit of a crapshoot. The call last year gets us to the Sweet 16. The leap to the Final 4 can't be assumed like you did.

True, but our own coach said he was confident we'd have made the Final 4 if we'd gotten past OSU.

 

[Acylum]

I guess we've got the talkin' part done.

 

[CyFan61]

Custer 4*
SDW 4*? Wasn't he ranked in the top 150? I can't remember..

Hopefully we get 5* Diallo a few years from now too

Custer is a 4*.

SDW was a 3* but ranked #125.

 

[cytown]

True, but our own coach said he was confident we'd have made the Final 4 if we'd gotten past OSU.

We were playing just as well as anybody at that point. We got bent over and dry hammered by the refs.

 

[huntt26]

We were playing just as well as anybody at that point. We got bent over and dry hammered by the refs.

Refs aside, if Babb could have played - Craft would not have gotten a good look on that last shot.

 

[erikbj]

Hopefully he turns into the next Coach K............does things the right way and brings in top talent. AND STAYS FOREVER!!!!!!

 

[GoSTATE71]

Refs aside, if Babb could have played - Craft would not have gotten a good look on that last shot.

False. Babb would of been guarding Deshaun Thomas, not Aaron Craft. Our team played that last play how it was supposed to be played. Their 3 point shooters were covered and Niang/Ejim were playing to stop the lane. Craft has no 3 point shot and has a poor percentage plus you figure they want to try and draw a foul or get into the lane with 5 seconds left not launch a 3.

 

[CycloneJames]

Hopefully he turns into the next Coach K............does things the right way and brings in top talent. AND STAYS FOREVER!!!!!!

I'd be ok with that! I'd even be ok if he coached the USA team to get his NBA fix in.:smile: