I'm with you. I would have guessed we'd have been a few games ahead of where we were last year. And the team didn't improve over the course of the year. The program still doesn't really have an identity. Program building is not just on the head coach of course, but it's hard not to see what Dennis Gates and Todd Golden have done at their…
I'm with you. I would have guessed we'd have been a few games ahead of where we were last year. And the team didn't improve over the course of the year. The program still doesn't really have an identity. Program building is not just on the head coach of course, but it's hard not to see what Dennis Gates and Todd Golden have done at their respective programs and wonder what might have been if we had pivoted from Fox earlier as we all begged of Knowlton.
I think Madsen can get us to be able to hang offensively with most P5 teams…hell one more shooter this year and we probably win a couple more games and that’s a .500 club and progress. Rytis and Campbell both taking major steps back in the shooting department with the jump up to the ACC was disappointing.
But if this program is gonna even sniff the Bubble, we gotta be physically and mentally tougher and simply have to defend better…and that’s the identity you’ve referenced. This program is going to have to hang its hat on something - it needs to be defense, IMO. You can count on one hand the amount of 2H stops this team got in crucial situations of L’s with the game on the line v Mizzou, Ga Tech, ND, etc.
I think the one trend we've had over two years with Madsen that I desperately hope doesn't solidify in a 3rd year is a complete lack of guard play & recruitment. It hurt us last season when we didn't have a ball handler for have the year until Tyson learned the skill set. It hurt us this year because while Blacksher and Campbell have the skill set, they were both undersized and massive defensive liabilities. I think Madsen *can* teach defense. Outside of those two, the last 3 of our starting 5 were defensive standouts.
We desperately need our two commits from last year to pan out immediately so we can use Wilkinson's NIL to fill out the rest of the depth & roster.
Also, I really hope we get away from such heavy dependence on iso offenses.
I'm with you. I would have guessed we'd have been a few games ahead of where we were last year. And the team didn't improve over the course of the year. The program still doesn't really have an identity. Program building is not just on the head coach of course, but it's hard not to see what Dennis Gates and Todd Golden have done at their respective programs and wonder what might have been if we had pivoted from Fox earlier as we all begged of Knowlton.
Agree 100%.
I think Madsen can get us to be able to hang offensively with most P5 teams…hell one more shooter this year and we probably win a couple more games and that’s a .500 club and progress. Rytis and Campbell both taking major steps back in the shooting department with the jump up to the ACC was disappointing.
But if this program is gonna even sniff the Bubble, we gotta be physically and mentally tougher and simply have to defend better…and that’s the identity you’ve referenced. This program is going to have to hang its hat on something - it needs to be defense, IMO. You can count on one hand the amount of 2H stops this team got in crucial situations of L’s with the game on the line v Mizzou, Ga Tech, ND, etc.
I think the one trend we've had over two years with Madsen that I desperately hope doesn't solidify in a 3rd year is a complete lack of guard play & recruitment. It hurt us last season when we didn't have a ball handler for have the year until Tyson learned the skill set. It hurt us this year because while Blacksher and Campbell have the skill set, they were both undersized and massive defensive liabilities. I think Madsen *can* teach defense. Outside of those two, the last 3 of our starting 5 were defensive standouts.
We desperately need our two commits from last year to pan out immediately so we can use Wilkinson's NIL to fill out the rest of the depth & roster.
Also, I really hope we get away from such heavy dependence on iso offenses.