Uthoff Minutes?

[CanadaHawk]

One thing everyone can agree on is that Uthoff is going to be the star of the 2015-16 team.
He averaged 30 min/game this past season. How many does he average in the coming year?
I'm guessing 32. Gatens averaged 34 his senior year but he was a guard.

 

[Kurt Warner]

I would personally like to see him never out of the game. He's gonna be hands down our best player like you mentioned. Always hated seeing him leave the game last year.

 

[DanL53]

White only averaged around 31 minutes. And Coach McCaffery has said in the past that to run his offense the length of the season takes depth so guys don't get run down. Now, I know there are many different ways to look at it. Someone could even toss out that the ends of 2013/14 and 2014/15 were completely opposite of the notion that a shorter lineup will burn out.

But I suspect we will go deep in 2015/16. Much to the chagrin of couch coaches...including me. The one thing we do have is starters minutes increased for some guys as the year wore on last season.

 

[nu2u]

Once B10 games begin, he will get more than 30. Before then, I think Fran will try to spread some of his playing time to one or more of the newcomers -Wagner, Hutton, and/or Jones.

The pre-conference games should be highly entertaining as a multitude of new players audition for extended playing time. Eight (8) new players -Six new recruits and two rFR - will be vying for a support role or even significant playing time. Should be very interesting to see how it gets sorted out !

 

[EpenesaEpenesa]

Speaking of Uthoff. How ridiculous was that dunk against Gonzaga. Really kind of forgotten since Iowa lost, but that was ridiculous. He'll probably average 32-35 mins.

 

[iabcuda]

Optimistically I said 30 minutes because that would mean that the new comers have stepped up and Uthoff is playing fresh. If Jarod is playing 34-35 minutes a game we are in trouble depth wise.

 

[1BigGalloot]

Uthoff will get four breathers a game sandwiched around TV timeouts. The length of his bench time will depend on the score and how well the team is doing without him. I'd guess he'll come out around the 13 minute mark, re-enter by 11 or 10, leave at 6 or 5 and re-enter for the last 4 or 3. Players who play hard, need breaks. He's the best player. He needs to play hard. If he averages 35 to 36 minutes a game it's a bad sign. It means the bench is unreliable, and Iowa is trailing significantly more than it leads.

 

[ynglbc]

One thing everyone can agree on is that Uthoff is going to be the star of the 2015-16 team.
He averaged 30 min/game this past season. How many does he average in the coming year?
I'm guessing 32. Gatens averaged 34 his senior year but he was a guard.

Gatens played 34 because we didn't have a good team that year.
I believe our incoming freshmen will be used more than most people on here think. They may not be starters or get majority of the minutes but will play key roles in our success this coming season.
Woody and Jones will be playing in the middle this season. Uthoff will be very good and Jok will take another step up. What is really going to set us apart next year is our guard play. We have several guards that can hit 3 point shots next year which will open the middle up for us.
Guards:
Jok Nice touch on 3 pt shots and can also drive
Gesell nice 2 pt pullup shots and driving
Ellingson 3 point, toughness
Fleming Outstanding 3 pt, passing, leadership
Clemmons Defense and occasional offense, toughness
Moss Driving to rim and 3 pt shooting
Williams Can be a PG, passing, and shooting

Forwards:
Hutton Plays exceptional defense, has a really nice pullup jumper that he's developed.
Wagner Could be our garbage man this season, cleaning up on the glass, maybe a defensive presence, toughness with a football mentality
Jones Over 40% from 3 this past season, good on defense, glue guy.
Uhl Even though Uhl is a forward he can also nail the 3 pt shot, expect his defense to improve, very good hands with the BB and can get in between defenders and to the rim.
Uthoff Good at everything, great shooter and defender. Expect 16 ppg at the minimum with some 20 point games.


Lacking:
We could be lacking this year on free throw attempts since White is gone. The team needs to attack the rim to draw fouls so we can continue getting these free points.

 

[1BigGalloot]

Lacking:
We could be lacking this year on free throw attempts since White is gone. The team needs to attack the rim to draw fouls so we can continue getting these free points.

Good post, and I agreed with nearly everything. However, I'd replace "could be lacking" with "will be lacking."

Uhl will be the rim attacker. He has a better chance of scoring going to the hole than launching from 3. I'm afraid he's easy to scout though. He's only a threat from the left side and right hand dribble.

However, it's time for a new paradigm.

The king is dead. Long live the king.

Yes, as you outlined, 2015/16 should be a better shooting team. And yes, jump shooters tend to launch rather than attack. Good shooters should attack the rim, because they will make free throws. The last thing we want is "settling."

How is "settling" defined? Often, by a pull up that is missed, since a made pull up is a water under the bridge, two points.

However, it won't be a bad thing if Iowa shoots fewer free throws this coming season. In fact, it's almost guaranteed, after all, didn't White attempt more free throws than any player in history?

Another reason to anticipate fewer FT's is because higher shooting percentage teams require fewer offensive rebound put backs, which is where many fouls occur. Also, if this team is the most athletic in Fran's tenure, they may score at the rim faster than the defense can even foul them.

Aaron White didn't have a stop and pop game, and had to be met at the rim because he couldn't dunk over you and wasn't athletic enough to avoid contact. The best chance for the best player to score in 2014/15 was for him to be in the open court and get hammered at the rim, and be sent to the line to knock down two, 15 foot shots for 2 points.

In 2015/16, Iowa should hope for an army of guys going to the rim in the open floor and getting it in the hole before the defense even arrives.

The only reason Iowa might come close to 2014/15's FT attempts would be the shot clock change.

 

[CanadaHawk]

Uhl Even though Uhl is a forward he can also nail the 3 pt shot, expect his defense to improve, very good hands with the BB and can get in between defenders and to the rim.

IMHO, Uhl is the biggest question mark going into the off-season and into next year. With his length, ball-handling, and quickness, he could be a big threat in transition and on D. His shot looks good, but he only hit 20% from 3 last year and in his 1st PTL. IF he can improve that well enough that a defender has to guard him outside, he could be a star.

 

[The Sleeping Dog]

I guess 32-33 A little more than last year. Uthoff rarely came out down the stretch which PT is, of course, pretty essential to victory next year in close games. Uthoff improved last year. He's never going to be physical but he's a very good forward who can, and does, get inside. He's just never going to be a post defender and inside rebounder but is killer flying off help and weak side rebounding. Uthoff doesn't need to be anything more than really good at what he does because his strengths very much outweigh his weaknesses. Uhl, same way. We need Jones or Wagner to provide the tougher interior play.

 

[5StarHawk]

I want an effective Uthoff when he is on the floor. He will get the toughest defenders and the most attention from other coaches. So, the amount of his minutes being extended can be a recipe for his playing subpar if he is worn down either in one game or over a season. Basketball at D1 is very hard physically and you have to be a physical beast, at least cardio wise, to play at your best. I expect Jarrod to play at the level of a 1st or 2nd All Big Ten player. He cannot do that tired, especially in Fran's offense. Jarrod was the only guy who could get his own shot at the end of the clock or end of game last year. You need him with fresh legs if you want to win close games. Iowa will have a lot more close games this coming year as the team is not picked to be in top half of league. Keep the guy fresh. White did not play 40 minutes a game last year for the same reasons. He only averaged around 31. Uthoff will be the same. It is more important WHICH minutes you play, rather than how many you play and what you do during those minutes.

 

[hawkeyedude#1]

His minutes are irrelevant. Bottom line is the double teams as well as having the opposing team's best defensive guy shadow him will lead to diminished production unless someone else on the team steps up big time. As of right now, there are several question marks as to who might indeed step up. My sense is this will be a "rebuilding" year for the Hawkeyes.

 

[wondergrape]

His minutes are irrelevant. Bottom line is the double teams as well as having the opposing team's best defensive guy shadow him will lead to diminished production unless someone else on the team steps up big time. As of right now, there are several question marks as to who might indeed step up. My sense is this will be a "rebuilding" year for the Hawkeyes.

lol. An NIT year? Maybe. A rebuilding year? Nah.

 

[hawkeyedude#1]

lol. An NIT year? Maybe. A rebuilding year? Nah.

NIT = Rebuilding year.