Are we the worst at playing zone defense in the country?
Also why does Fran insist on playing a defense that doesn’t work?
Also why does Fran insist on playing a defense that doesn’t work?
Zone Defense
- Thread starter BrunoMars420
- Start date
Yep. Lacking in athleticism to play man to man. Not disciplined enough, nor playing with the kind of hustle needed to play zone.
They can play man or zone, but whatever defense they play would have to be extremely well-taught, well-drilled, well-coached, and well-executed. While they don't have the athletic talent to get away with poor teaching, drilling, coaching and execution, they do have enough talent to be much better than what they're currently displaying.
All hyperbole aside, this is the right answer. You don't need elite athletes in order to play great team defense. But you do need a coaching staff that teaches great team defense, recruits players that want to play defense and demand that they play defense like they practice.
I think we might be worst defensive team in nation in both zone and man-to-man.
To me this is where we stand. From here on out you earn minutes based on how well you defend. The offensive end wil take care of itself. But we’ve got to channel guys to the positions on the floor we want them in. No more two way gos — shade a guy to his off hand and push him to the baseline, or guide him to your help. But I’m sick of watching a guy take a jab step at the top of the key — then crossing over and driving the lane and not having any big react until he gets all the way to the rim.
Iowa's roster isn't that different — athletically — than many of Bo Ryan's rosters. You think Bo Ryan would have these guys playing like this?
Give this roster to Jay Wright. Hell, give it to Ben Jacobson.
For Iowa to have the most experienced staff in college basketball produce this product is very telling. I watch these games over the years and basically all I do is blurt out defensive mistake after defensive mistake. Fran has had some teams play inspired defense from time to time, but mostly I think because of the kids versus because of the coaching. Sapp and Mike G were tough kids on the ball, Uthoff and White were extra long and smart players, Woody was great keeping everybody organized with his back line communication (and effort). Gabe was a talented shot blocker. But never, not any single year or even a stretch of a year, did I find myself watching Iowa under Fran and thinking "there is some good defensive coaching going on at Iowa." Hell, aside from the occasional well-executed set, I've never felt that positive about coaching on the offensive end, either.
Offensive nor defensive skill development impress me over the years. Uhl, who is a talented athlete, still holds the damn ball like a 5th-grader. How in the hell is that not corrected. Aaron White, for all his statistical success, never learned to straight-line drive people, rip and go. Uhl had all the talent to be a consistent contributor, a guy who could guard multiple positions, who could catch, rip and attack the rim, who could make an open three. Hell he showed as much as a damn freshman. Drives me crazy that he is, as a senior, a total non-contributor on a bad team — full of guys who have not exactly done anything to completely displace him.
What does that say about Fran and staff?
I've known it for 2 or 3 years now. I hate his rotations, his use of time outs and his lack of defensive coaching.
