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What can Fran do to improve this team in 2022-2023?

Just out of curiosity, what does a “program that does it the right way” look like to you?

Athletes treated fairly, supported by the program, developed by the coaches, and not recruited over...
 
Connor is easily in the top 3 for this team right now. Patrick is probably playing to many minutes for a guy who really doesn't do much if he's not hitting 3s.

To me chemistry doesn't necessarily mean how well people get along it means how well they play with eachother. How well they read and anticipate eachothers movements and decisions.

Connor may deserve his current minutes, but for years he’s played too much. Many of the players on the team know this, and so do many that bailed on the Hawks or chose other universities during their recruitment.

I like your second point and can agree to an extent. I think it’s just really hard to overcome human nature - jealousy or envy are natural emotions and it’d be hard playing on a team where the leash is a different length for some players.
 
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So you're going to only recruit players who aren't as good as you currently have?

Of course not, you recruit the best players you can get, but you don't shit on the current roster simply because a shiny thing just became available,.. You bring the new talent in and meld them with what you have.
 
Of course not, you recruit the best players you can get, but you don't shit on the current roster simply because a shiny thing just became available,.. You bring the new talent in and meld them with what you have.
Honest question. Who, in your mind, doesn't do that?

Kentucky, I guess for one.
 
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Connor may deserve his current minutes, but for years he’s played too much. Many of the players on the team know this, and so do many that bailed on the Hawks or chose other universities during their recruitment.

I like your second point and can agree to an extent. I think it’s just really hard to overcome human nature - jealousy or envy are natural emotions and it’d be hard playing on a team where the leash is a different length for some players.
Yea. I’d agree with this for sure. CMac has been playing well but if he wasn’t the coaches son he wouldn’t have played anywhere close to the minutes he played for the prior three seasons. Isn’t that a big unofficial reason why CJ left?!? If I’m a big time guard I don’t want any part of competing against the coaches son for playing time.
 
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Connor may deserve his current minutes, but for years he’s played too much. Many of the players on the team know this, and so do many that bailed on the Hawks or chose other universities during their recruitment.

I like your second point and can agree to an extent. I think it’s just really hard to overcome human nature - jealousy or envy are natural emotions and it’d be hard playing on a team where the leash is a different length for some players.
In your first paragraph do you know this as fact or is it an assumption?
 
Honest question. Who, in your mind, doesn't do that? Kentucky, I guess for one.

Kentucky sure, but certainly also a majority of the so called Blue Blood programs,.. Apparently that's what they think they have to do. Just depends on what you feel is most important for the program,.. Winning at all cost isn't on my radar.
 
Interesting to me that people are now seeing the chemistry issues, which is simply code for PM or CM and sometimes both getting minutes they simply don’t deserve.

Since this team is bad the McCaffery brother deserve the minutes they are getting this year....in the past few years, no doubt both have gotten preferential minutes over more talented/produtive teammates. Given the way Sandfort is shooting.....even skinny Josh dix seems better option than Sandfort right now.
 
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Yea. I’d agree with this for sure. CMac has been playing well but if he wasn’t the coaches son he wouldn’t have played anywhere close to the minutes he played for the prior three seasons. Isn’t that a big unofficial reason why CJ left?!? If I’m a big time guard I don’t want any part of competing against the coaches son for playing time.
CJ never had to compete against CMac for playing time. CMac played point and then the 4 during CJ's time.
 
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Starting 5-
5-Ogundele, Mulvey
4-Rebecca
3-Murray
2-Connor
1-Bowen
I could possibly buy into Ogundele, as he has shown he can be a serviceable low post presence on defense and big body to set picks. He brings virtually zero offense, but could potentially free up Rebraca and Murray to do even more. He just does not have the stamina for more than 5-7 minutes at a time. Mentioning Mulvey is laughable, he is terrible and has no business on the floor.

I agree with the rest of starters, but this is really about minutes. All of those other 4 will get heavy minutes, and we have to stick with Saucy, even though he has been terrible, is our most athletic player and need his defense.
 
The ugly truth is there’s really nothing he can do until the off-season. There’s no blockbuster trade to be made nor any free agents to sign. All Fran and the staff can do is tell the lads to keep playing and take it one game at a time and do everything they can to maintain positivity amongst the team.
 
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I never said he did. But I remember that there were rumors about CJ not being happy about it.
I remember someone claiming to have overhead relatives talking about his dissappointment in certain players playing more than CJ. This was months before he transfered.

I assumed it was Jbo who was less than mediocre that year and god awful on defense and still played far more than CJ who was a much better shooter and defender.

Connor in an even more ridiculous choice by Fran was playing over Keegan at the 4 but that didn't effect CJs pt.
 
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Connor is easily in the top 3 for this team right now
Quite possibly. He's playing so much better I've been shocked but he still has huge limitations and if he's seriously the 3rd best player I can't think of a more clear indictment of Fran's low talent and low athleticism roster. I've got my theory on why he was fine sitting on two schollies but two offseasons in a row the team has needed serious help and he's fell flat on his face outside of Filip but team needed a true big then... not another 4

And I'm not buying the convenient NIL excuse, he's been striking out on the talent Iowa needs loooong before NIL
 
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Quite possibly. He's playing so much better I've been shocked but he still has huge limitations and if he's seriously the 3rd best player I can't think of a more clear indictment of Fran's low talent and low athleticism roster. I've got my theory on why he was fine sitting on two schollies but two offseason in a row the team has needed serious help and he's fell flat on his face.

And I'm not buying the convenient NIL excuse, he's been striking out on the talent Iowa needs loooong before NIL
Not going to argue with that.

Being a 6th year adult aged player going against mostly kids certainly plays into his success.
 
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I sure hope you are right. There is hope.
Well I'm not saying we will as we have some shooting deficiencies that as noted are allowing teams to take away dribble drive and cuts. That really hinders Perkins PMac and Kris Murray's abilities at getting to rim.

Really need our guards and Sandfort to start hitting the open shots
 
It's kind of embarrassing that we are asking this question 13 years into Frans time at Iowa.

It's all about defense and it won't get better until we have someone who specializes in it.
 
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