Cal Fans: Question. WFC has devoted a lot of time and attention to how historically bad basketball has been this season. While I appreciate the time and effort put into this endeavor, when will we start to see the same analysis and effort put into future coaching candidates? With all due respect, I don't need a million different ways to analyze "we suck". That is obvious. What I would really like to start reading about is what coaches should or might be willing to take on the rebuilding project known as Cal Basketball? What do we have to do to get back to respectability?
once the season is over that's for damn sure. I wish you could see how many games we've punted from covering in the group chat already this season because of how bad it's been lmao. And then when the news of a new staff (hopefully) gets brought on board then we will do deeper dives with big boards and eventually whoever gets hired.
At least they don’t have to watch their team anymore. And will be forced to fully clean house. We still have a non-zero possibility that Knowlton does nothing.
We have decent one-on-one defensive players - but we are terrible in communication - and honestly that's the key for team basketball. Individual talent doesn't matter as much, when teams play good defense, they fill in the gaps, help, and keep rotating.
An individual stopping his man is always going to lose in basketball - offensive players are too good - if you have less than athletic players who communicate and anticipate that actually would result in a better defensive result.
The key is getting the athletes and THEN coaching them to communicate and move as one - that's when you get an elite defense.
Have to think the talent exodus is a factor. Our players are athletic but not skilled. With Bradley and Kelly the last two years we could at least practice against someone with skill and get a little bit of an understanding of a modern Pac-12 offense.
Right now we're basically practicing against Pac-12 quality bench players, meaning they're not getting requisite preparation to deal with Pac-12 starter talent.
And yeah I don't think Fox is doing anything beyond basics in a clear dead man walking year.
The 3-21 record is justified. This team doesn’t do anything well, They don’t have any shooters, no defensive intensity, it plays soft. The offense doesn’t attack, it’s a combination of bad coaching and no players. I was once a Mark Fox fan in the past,many years ago. However, for whatever reason he and his team looks lost and he doesn’t no what to do when you have a team that can’t throw it in the ocean. There is no way that you can allow Fox to keep his job, his entire career has been a disaster at Cal. When you can’t keep good player and they continue to transfer year after year this is what you get. The football team is facing the same challenges and I’m sure will suffer the same fate.
1. Lars is not a defensive presence on the interior. He is fine in man-to-man, but he does not control the paint as much as a 7 footer could. We lose the rebounding wars, and he is slow to react when he should provide secondary help on driving/cutting action.
2. Fox wants to slow the game down. He does not pressure the ball handler or apply a press, even as a change of pace. Teams are never made uncomfortable, so they can run their offense almost in practice fashion.
3. We are slow as a team to react to switches and high screening action. Arizona made us look silly a couple times, but its been a trend all year.
Point 3 is rather salient... our guys are about a half step slow which nothing can help. Also, too many times I've seen two of our defenders following a man off a screen, leaving the the screener free to roll & score unimpeded. I highly doubt Fox is coaching this, Avi's point is right on - our players are athletic but not skilled. Some teams play defense the entire game like their hair's on fire, you see this in flashes from Cal (Roberson's block!), but they relax, get flat-footed, lose energy, hope for a miss.
If this team played D the whole game with their hair on fire, they’d win more games.
Do we think the players have quit on Fox? Tuned him out? It’s odd the D would tail off so much with largely the same crew and same scheme…Nick’s right - it wasn’t ALL Grant.
Definitely tough to keep up the same intensity when you’re losing every game.
"Also, too many times I've seen two of our defenders following a man off a screen, leaving the the screener free to roll & score unimpeded."
Yes yes yes. We're also not that good at it when we do have 2 people follow. Compare to how Colorado immediately trapped the ballhandler when two people committed, and forced Cal into turnovers. When we have 2 people, the ball handler is not under immediate pressure. This also points back to my Lars comment. He is slow to pick up the rolling screener in the paint.
Point 2 is rather salient…Fox’s preference is to play slow, as he has basically his entire career. However, he has compiled a roster at Cal that is built to play the opposite…deep, long, athletic teams often excel with increased pressure…more turnovers are created, which ostensibly leads to easy offense. He’s just not comfortable coaching a style that seemingly would fit the roster he has assembled to a T.
I did think we'd hang with Arizona for awhile but the 2nd half pull away by the Cats doomed Cal. Plus we had too many unforced turnovers once we cut the deficit to nine. Invariably when that happened Az would hit a three.
Cal Fans: Question. WFC has devoted a lot of time and attention to how historically bad basketball has been this season. While I appreciate the time and effort put into this endeavor, when will we start to see the same analysis and effort put into future coaching candidates? With all due respect, I don't need a million different ways to analyze "we suck". That is obvious. What I would really like to start reading about is what coaches should or might be willing to take on the rebuilding project known as Cal Basketball? What do we have to do to get back to respectability?
once the season is over that's for damn sure. I wish you could see how many games we've punted from covering in the group chat already this season because of how bad it's been lmao. And then when the news of a new staff (hopefully) gets brought on board then we will do deeper dives with big boards and eventually whoever gets hired.
Then again, it can always be worse.
Imagine being New Mexico State fans right now…
At least they don’t have to watch their team anymore. And will be forced to fully clean house. We still have a non-zero possibility that Knowlton does nothing.
Thanks, Nick! Another quality piece…it sure is a puzzle to figure out all the things that are going wrong.
We have decent one-on-one defensive players - but we are terrible in communication - and honestly that's the key for team basketball. Individual talent doesn't matter as much, when teams play good defense, they fill in the gaps, help, and keep rotating.
An individual stopping his man is always going to lose in basketball - offensive players are too good - if you have less than athletic players who communicate and anticipate that actually would result in a better defensive result.
The key is getting the athletes and THEN coaching them to communicate and move as one - that's when you get an elite defense.
Have to think the talent exodus is a factor. Our players are athletic but not skilled. With Bradley and Kelly the last two years we could at least practice against someone with skill and get a little bit of an understanding of a modern Pac-12 offense.
Right now we're basically practicing against Pac-12 quality bench players, meaning they're not getting requisite preparation to deal with Pac-12 starter talent.
And yeah I don't think Fox is doing anything beyond basics in a clear dead man walking year.
The 3-21 record is justified. This team doesn’t do anything well, They don’t have any shooters, no defensive intensity, it plays soft. The offense doesn’t attack, it’s a combination of bad coaching and no players. I was once a Mark Fox fan in the past,many years ago. However, for whatever reason he and his team looks lost and he doesn’t no what to do when you have a team that can’t throw it in the ocean. There is no way that you can allow Fox to keep his job, his entire career has been a disaster at Cal. When you can’t keep good player and they continue to transfer year after year this is what you get. The football team is facing the same challenges and I’m sure will suffer the same fate.
A couple thoughts on our defense;
1. Lars is not a defensive presence on the interior. He is fine in man-to-man, but he does not control the paint as much as a 7 footer could. We lose the rebounding wars, and he is slow to react when he should provide secondary help on driving/cutting action.
2. Fox wants to slow the game down. He does not pressure the ball handler or apply a press, even as a change of pace. Teams are never made uncomfortable, so they can run their offense almost in practice fashion.
3. We are slow as a team to react to switches and high screening action. Arizona made us look silly a couple times, but its been a trend all year.
Point 3 is rather salient... our guys are about a half step slow which nothing can help. Also, too many times I've seen two of our defenders following a man off a screen, leaving the the screener free to roll & score unimpeded. I highly doubt Fox is coaching this, Avi's point is right on - our players are athletic but not skilled. Some teams play defense the entire game like their hair's on fire, you see this in flashes from Cal (Roberson's block!), but they relax, get flat-footed, lose energy, hope for a miss.
If this team played D the whole game with their hair on fire, they’d win more games.
Do we think the players have quit on Fox? Tuned him out? It’s odd the D would tail off so much with largely the same crew and same scheme…Nick’s right - it wasn’t ALL Grant.
Definitely tough to keep up the same intensity when you’re losing every game.
"Also, too many times I've seen two of our defenders following a man off a screen, leaving the the screener free to roll & score unimpeded."
Yes yes yes. We're also not that good at it when we do have 2 people follow. Compare to how Colorado immediately trapped the ballhandler when two people committed, and forced Cal into turnovers. When we have 2 people, the ball handler is not under immediate pressure. This also points back to my Lars comment. He is slow to pick up the rolling screener in the paint.
Good points BP.
Point 2 is rather salient…Fox’s preference is to play slow, as he has basically his entire career. However, he has compiled a roster at Cal that is built to play the opposite…deep, long, athletic teams often excel with increased pressure…more turnovers are created, which ostensibly leads to easy offense. He’s just not comfortable coaching a style that seemingly would fit the roster he has assembled to a T.
I did think we'd hang with Arizona for awhile but the 2nd half pull away by the Cats doomed Cal. Plus we had too many unforced turnovers once we cut the deficit to nine. Invariably when that happened Az would hit a three.
Stan Johnson is a really good coach. He's in the Bay Area on Saturday @Santa Clara at 4 for those who want an up close look at a potential new coach
Stan Johnson was on my list, Bob. He’d be a great hire!
I love his style. The buy in he gets is next level. His culture of effort as a prerequisite vs an expectation shows off during the game.
Man, you beat St. Mary’s and the ‘Zags in the same year, you’re definitely doing good things.