Sounds like Fran mentioned he may not be a starter, which would be good news for our youth movement.
Connor to bench
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His mobility unfortunately won’t ever be the same after two surgeries. But his toughness, passing ability, and control will be a great asset for our bench.
Really excited to see what some of the younger guys can do with their new opportunities.
Really excited to see what some of the younger guys can do with their new opportunities.
I'm 100% all in on speeding up. 100ppg, go for it.
Again, many of the critics were wrong. Fran isn’t favoring his kid or kids….his kids are both talented players and he will use them in the way that’s best for the team.
JBo had the same surgeries and he says he is moving better than he has in years.
Difference between the two tho is that Bohannon is also an elite shooter. Connor I would hope is moving better too now, but he also remains limited offensively, and on paper we should have guys who can do the same thing he does so he shouldn’t be needed like he was the past couple years.
if not for injuries to Cordell 2/3 years ago, and Nunge last year, I think Connors basketball career takes a very different and far less prominent path.
This is a very premature statement. Fran says a lot of things. How many times have we heard "This player has earned more minutes" and the guy doesn't even play in the next game. There's literally no evidence of him sitting Connor while Connor has been healthy. I'd argue the evidence says he's going to play Connor a lot because that's what he's done. Before you claim victory let's wait and see if this actually happens.
I may be in the minority here but Connor is a guy we need on the floor, especially with a younger team.
Conner is a warrior. Some how , some where, the team needs his toughness.
Actually we have a some years now of watching Fran and what he does. Other than maybe overhyping some players he is a very straightforward guy. When you say there is no evidence of him sitting Connor when Connor is healthy.......he obviously never said he was going to do that prior to this statement. Have you ever heard him say he was going to sit Connor before this year?
Assuming there isn't some string of injuries or other unforeseen situations, I expect that Fran will do what he said he was going to do.
Connor had the perfect skill set (post feeds) for last years roster. Without Luka that skill set won't be nearly as needed and bc of that I think you will see Connor come off the bench to settle the team and to finish out tight games (poise and free-throws). If this is going to be a team of running, pressing, and shooting he will certainly see his minutes reduced.
That's basically my take as well.....this year's roster appears to be one that lends itself to the running-pressing-etc......Connor doesn't fit that team as well. He will still be an important contributor when we face a team that is successful in the half court, slowing our team down, and we needs a stabilizer in those instances. When/If Josh or Riley play and we have an advantage in the post then Connor will be utilized.
Maybe if we get rattled by another pressing team, maybe for specific inbounds plays, last second execution needed to get to the exact player at the right time....many places where Connor's role will be important and he can be a player coach to this young team.
Says his minutes will probably be the same...
Absolutely. Conner is the most mentally tough player Hawks have had for a long time. Will not back down and more than once when things looked bad toward the end of a game has virtually willed team in their fight back. All I hear on here is his inability to shoot but people don’t understand the intangibles he brings. If you played at a high level they are very obvious.
oregon apparently unimpressed by the warrior.
They were apparently unimpressed by anyone else on the team then either, right?
And I say that as someone who thinks that he might be best suited to coming off the bench.
I don't mean to pick on Connor (I can at least spell his name) but he's also nothing special as a defender, can't drive to the rim and is a downright bad rebounder for a guy his size...JBo averaged as many boards per game. He does pass the ball well and doesn't turn it over which are very valuable but you'll have to inform us peons who didn't reach a high level the other very obvious intangibles besides those.
Mental toughness is great but lil lick could have been the most mentally tough guy ever and it wouldn't have mattered...needs to be backed up with skill at some point. If Connor can get his free throw pct up to where it was early in career and bump the 3 pt pct a bit I like him coming off the bench and playing 20-25 mins a game but with all the scoring we lost he just doesn't fit as well on this roster so I'm glad Fran will be bringing him off the bench. Hopefully he was able to improve in the off season and being healthy makes a noticeable difference
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I have not been at practice, but with Fran’s history the only way I see Connor having much more limited minutes/ not starting is if it is a signal he is not fully recovered from the surgeries. If fully healthy, then I will believe it when I see it for a significantly reduced role.
Connor won't be starting, so his role is already different. And it almost guarantees his minutes will go down. Believe it.
Not sure what history Cyber is referring to for Fran. Did Connor play too many minutes last season? Imo, yes. Was it because he's Fran's son? No, because imo, his other son, Patrick didn't play enough minutes. Connor's going to the bench. Problem solved. If there were a history, it doesn't matter now
Not sure what history Cyber is referring to for Fran. Did Connor play too many minutes last season? Imo, yes. Was it because he's Fran's son? No, because imo, his other son, Patrick didn't play enough minutes. Connor's going to the bench. Problem solved. If there were a history, it doesn't matter now
I guess it is pretty popular to trash Connor as he has not been a scorer in the past. I would ask you to go rewatch Iowa at MSU from last season. Connor had a phenomenal game and hit 3 or 4 three point shots. He has the potential to fill a very different role for us this year. He can play 4 positions and will be a leader for this team. He is leaner this year and finally healthy. His shot looks better and he is a lot quicker. Don't sleep on this kid. His experience will help us this year and he will definitely help bring the young guys around as he is a team first guy. Maybe I will be disappointed but I fully expect a big year from CM.
I didn’t say it was because he was Fran’s son. Didn’t even mention that. More to do with loyalty to players he trusts in the floor. If he doesn’t start I just feel that is a nod to not being fully healthy. We saw that with J-Bo coming back from hip surgery, and similarly with Naz Long at ISU. Both tried to go the next year and both had to shut it down. I just feel if he isn’t playing that much it has more to do with Fran knowing his health than it is Fran replacing him with younger talent.
I saw an interview with Fran recently where he commented on how last year’s team needed someone to feed the post so that’s what Connor was asked to do. This year’s team will be different so Connor’s role will be different. (if Fran gave any details about what exactly that new role will be I’ve forgotten, I just know it will be different as Fran sees the same things everyone else in this thread has commented on).
He must be a great athlete because how many people out there are legit D1 athletes in two different sports. And I’ve heard about how dedicated he is to working on his shot (he needs it). Let’s hope he comes back next year as a better player, I’ll be rooting for him.
He must be a great athlete because how many people out there are legit D1 athletes in two different sports. And I’ve heard about how dedicated he is to working on his shot (he needs it). Let’s hope he comes back next year as a better player, I’ll be rooting for him.
Where exactly did Fran say he'd be sitting Connor this year? I think a lot of folks are reading tea leaves and really have no idea what's going to happen this season.
Fran said something close to, "he might be coming off the bench", in the press conference Perry is referring to. It was about a week ago
He did say something like that. That is not the same thing as saying Connor would not be starting or that he wouldn't be getting 20+ minutes per game as he did last year. Nobody knows what's going to happen until it does. Until then everything is conjecture.
Okay, for accuracy sake he said the following.....
Iowa coach Fran McCaffery said at Iowa’s annual media day event on Monday that Connor McCaffery, a fifth-year senior combo guard, could come off the bench this season as Iowa learns to play with a vastly different lineup compared to last season.
“Connor’s role won’t change that much,” Fran McCaffery said. “He may be coming off the bench. It would change a little bit there. But he’s still going to play four positions. He’s still going to be the guy that is constantly talking to guys on the floor or on the bench.
So granted, Fran did not say he WOULD be coming off of the bench........my mistake. I think it's telling in the context that he said it in. I think that a smart coach could decide that his young team doesn't mature enough in early practices that they need Connor to start....or IF he were playing behind Patrick and Patrick hasn't healed or gotten enough practice then Connor would start. IF Joe T got injured and couldn't play, and Fran thinks Ulis isn't ready then he could start Connor....and consequently the coach doesn't flatly state that Connor won't start because some fans would go nuts slamming the coach for playing his kid when some unanticipated injury or something happens.
This is all true. He didn't say that "Connor won't be starting". He didn't say that "Connor would be sitting". In a casual way he did say that Connor "might not be starting". Historically that could suggest that Connor's minutes might be lower than they were last year when he averaged 23 per game. Nobody knows that this will change this year until the season unfolds. To suggest otherwise is purely conjecture.
100% agreement....it is all speculation and conjecture at this point. That's what message boards are for.
I would suggest that the coach still doesn't know how things will unfold for the season....he just has the most educated guess based on his coaching experience and knowledge of his players.
as for rebounding, CONNOR averaged 4 per game playing mostly pt guard two years ago, whereas Jordon averaged 1.6. Last year CONNOR at 6’5”- 6’6” was basically playing power forward which meant his job was to keep his player blocked off and away from the basket on defense. as for the mental game their are certain players you need and want at the game when it’s decision time. those that can handle the pressure, direct other players, and who virtually see the game come to them in slow motion. you can see it in those players and feel it….quite a few players with all their skills are not who will be there for their teams when its “win or lose” time.
