***Official 2019-2020 Transfer Thread***

[isucy86]

We need to be able to switch on defense. Length is key to this upcoming season IMO. Our offense will be good no matter what but this coaching staff can't figure out ball screen defense unless we can switch

IMO our coaching staff takes the easy approach by switching as our primary defensive approach to screens and PNR.

I would prefer if the staff focus on defenders fighting through ball screens. Better communication and help from teammates is crucial to execution of an elite half court defense. Developing a mental & physical toughness on the defensive side is the first priority.

Even if a team effectively switches positions 1-4, a good opposing coach is going to create a matchup mismatch with the 5.

Once guys become adept at fighting through screens, post hedging- then introduce automatically switching as another defensive technique.

 

[Sigmapolis]

Even if a team effectively switches positions 1-4, a good opposing coach is going to create a matchup mismatch with the 5.

A PnR with a guard ready to attack the paint screened by a big man who is either very dangerous cutting to the rim or in a pick-and-pop (and ideally both) is basically the "standard" half-court play for college and professional basketball in 2020.

Surround that with good shooters and make the two defenders covering the PnR have to make a difficult set of decisions very quickly to cover either the driving guard, the rolling big man, the pick-and-pop, or just switch and tolerate a bad mismatch... and, meanwhile, the remaining off-ball defenders have to make a similar set of uncomfortable decisions about helping and leaving a shooter uncovered, hoping the other guys see and then respond instinctively on their rotations to cover the snipers... all bad options.

That is a good recipe for an offense who knows how to run it (and ours does) and a very difficult one to learn how to consistently defend with aplomb.

 

[LLCoolCY]

Here could be an interesting name depending on Gach and Smith's decision. Thought I reconized the name Prohm offered him out of HS. 6'7" SF.

@mzenitz Have learned that Ole Miss basketball forward Antavion Collum has entered the transfer portal.
Played in 22 games as a freshman last season. Former finalist for Tennessee’s Mr. Basketball award.

https://247sports.com/Recruitment/Antavion-Collum-99331/RecruitInterests/

 

[Statefan10]

Here could be an interesting name depending on Gach and Smith's decision. Thought I reconized the name Prohm offered him out of HS. 6'7" SF.

@mzenitz Have learned that Ole Miss basketball forward Antavion Collum has entered the transfer portal.
Played in 22 games as a freshman last season. Former finalist for Tennessee’s Mr. Basketball award.

https://247sports.com/Recruitment/Antavion-Collum-99331/RecruitInterests/

Hmm. Didn't really play much last year but had a plethora of good offers coming out of high school.

 

[Sigmapolis]

Hmm. Didn't really play much last year but had a plethora of good offers coming out of high school.

He looks awful on Bart Torvik.

I can understand taking a look if he was hurt or just in a bad place mentally and needs some time/help to get better, but he does not look like a high-major guy.

Ole Miss recruiting wayyyyy over him with Romello White.

Smith and/or Gach, please.

 

[heitclone]

Here could be an interesting name depending on Gach and Smith's decision. Thought I reconized the name Prohm offered him out of HS. 6'7" SF.

@mzenitz Have learned that Ole Miss basketball forward Antavion Collum has entered the transfer portal.
Played in 22 games as a freshman last season. Former finalist for Tennessee’s Mr. Basketball award.

https://247sports.com/Recruitment/Antavion-Collum-99331/RecruitInterests/

Kane guy Im assuming.

 

[WhoISthis]

A PnR with a guard ready to attack the paint screened by a big man who is either very dangerous cutting to the rim or in a pick-and-pop (and ideally both) is basically the "standard" half-court play for college and professional basketball in 2020.

Surround that with good shooters and make the two defenders covering the PnR have to make a difficult set of decisions very quickly to cover either the driving guard, the rolling big man, the pick-and-pop, or just switch and tolerate a bad mismatch... and, meanwhile, the remaining off-ball defenders have to make a similar set of uncomfortable decisions about helping and leaving a shooter uncovered, hoping the other guys see and then respond instinctively on their rotations to cover the snipers... all bad options

Tough to defend, but it’s worth asking, why has ours struggled with it to such a degree? In watching IU games, they finished with a top-30 defense with major minutes of two bigs. The difference in physicality and attention to detail is noticeable.

 

[Sigmapolis]

Tough to defend, but it’s worth asking, why has ours struggled with it to such a degree? In watching IU games, they finished with a top-30 defense with major minutes of two bigs. The difference in physicality and attention to detail is noticeable.

You know that I am with you beating the drum on our defense being bad.

It is just a total program failure after last year.

Name a factor, and it probably contributed to it, including the coaching.

 

[WhoISthis]

You know that I am with you beating the drum on our defense being bad.

It is just a total program failure after last year.

Name a factor, and it probably contributed to it, including the coaching.

The type that you’d expect to see a staff change or two. We did change S&C, although I’m not sure which side initiated it. It makes sense for outsiders and models to heavily weight our last known state (very bad), and see that as close to our ceiling when losing our best defender (and overall player).

I’ve have (unwarranted?) confidence we’ll improve though- that last year is an outlier more than a trend...that the models for next year represent the floor. Just like players, maybe staffs can improve in one offseason. Add in an improved roster composition with guys experienced in other P6 defenses (Smith?), and it could be major improvement.

It would be nice to get a Jay Jordan type review of our play. I imagine that article to have it being less about flawed gameplans and more about players with poor execution.

 

[bosco]

IMHO you need 2 things to play great defense. Desire and ability. Last season we had desire for the most part. Not so much on ability. This season it might shape up to have the ability, time will tell if there is the desire.

 

[Sigmapolis]

IMHO you need 2 things to play great defense. Desire and ability. Last season we had desire for the most part. Not so much on ability. This season it might shape up to have the ability, time will tell if there is the desire.

 

[Rural]

IMHO you need 2 things to play great defense. Desire and ability. Last season we had desire for the most part. Not so much on ability. This season it might shape up to have the ability, time will tell if there is the desire.

When you lose 20 you have neither.

 

[ChickenNuggetMan]

IMHO you need 2 things to play great defense. Desire and ability. Last season we had desire for the most part. Not so much on ability. This season it might shape up to have the ability, time will tell if there is the desire.

If anything it would be the exact opposite. Last years team was a soft bunch of children who didn’t try to grab rebounds or box out.

 

[Doc]

I thought they gave good effort last year, for the most part. They were just small, had guys playing out of position, and were slow to react much of the time.

 

[clonedude]

If anything it would be the exact opposite. Last years team was a soft bunch of children who didn’t try to grab rebounds or box out.

I've always been ticked off about how bad we are at simply boxing out and rebounding. Just the basic fundamental stuff. You know.... like inbounding the ball too!

 

[isucy86]

IMHO you need 2 things to play great defense. Desire and ability. Last season we had desire for the most part. Not so much on ability. This season it might shape up to have the ability, time will tell if there is the desire.

At the level ISU recruits, every player has the ability to be a serviceable defender.

So having a poor defense comes down to poor coaching, flawed roster, low effort and/or un-coachable players.

 

[Psiclone]

I've always been ticked off about how bad we are at simply boxing out and rebounding. Just the basic fundamental stuff. You know.... like inbounding the ball too!

Agree especially re: out-of-bounds plays. Seemed like every time Hoiberg took a time out, we scored on the inbounds pass. There were times last year when I would have settled for just getting the ball inbounds let alone score.

 

[RustShack]

At the level ISU recruits, every player has the ability to be a serviceable defender.

So having a poor defense comes down to poor coaching, flawed roster, low effort and/or un-coachable players.

I think last year was a flawed roster. They really needed Lewis and Griffin to take the next step and they didn’t.

This year there’s more potential.

 

[mplueg]

I think last year was a flawed roster. They really needed Lewis and Griffin to take the next step and they didn’t.

This year there’s more potential.

People try to blame Lewis and Griffin too much IMO.

We had a cumulative of 2 Big 12 players last year, that was the problem.
Haliburton 0.75 because of injury
Bolton 0.75 because needs a bit more time
Young 0.5 because only worth a crap last part of season

no one else was Big 12 caliber. I think there was potential from others, but not there yet.

 

[Pat]

People try to blame Lewis and Griffin too much IMO.

We had a cumulative of 2 Big 12 players last year, that was the problem.
Haliburton 0.75 because of injury
Bolton 0.75 because needs a bit more time
Young 0.5 because only worth a crap last part of season

no one else was Big 12 caliber. I think there was potential from others, but not there yet.

If a guy on 3rd Team All Big 12 is only .75 of a “Big 12 Caliber” player, your standard might be too high.