Do you think maybe coaches MIGHT know better?

[longliveCS40]

Of course the coaches know the players and what they have way better than we fans do.

The coaches have been doing this, and ONLY THIS, all their professional lives. They have forgotten more about basketball than any of us know about basketball. Nevertheless, the "experts" on here are constantly questioning why Fran starts "so and so" and why "so and so" only gets so many minutes.

Anyone who knows anything about basketball knows Connor has always brought a lot to the table. Yet the "experts" on here wanted Connor benched. And now he's hitting the 3 ball, which makes him an even bigger threat. Now the "experts" want him to play and to come back for one more season!!!

When all the "experts" on here wanted JBo benched, Fran, the actual expert, did the opposite by moving JBo back to Point Guard; this was the turning point of the season, of course. And now Fran is being mentioned as a B1G Coach of the Year candidate.

"Expert" weighing in. Connor brings good defense, passing, and rebounding. However, when Connor is shooting 18% from 3 point range, he shouldn't be playing much in my "expert" opinion. It was absolutely killing our offensive flow and Keegan's inside game when defenses were so easily collapsing down not having to guard CMac.

Something clicked and he's hitting threes. While he's doing that, he deserves good minutes and it makes this team WAY better. /expert out

 

[perryhawk]

"Expert" weighing in. Connor brings good defense, passing, and rebounding. However, when Connor is shooting 18% from 3 point range, he shouldn't be playing much in my "expert" opinion. It was absolutely killing our offensive flow and Keegan's inside game when defenses were so easily collapsing down not having to guard CMac.

Something clicked and he's hitting threes. While he's doing that, he deserves good minutes and it makes this team WAY better. /expert out

I think this is interesting.....Fran (and other coaches) have indicated that the only way out of a slump is to shoot your way out. He believes that a coach demonstrating tremendous confidence in a player, allows that player to develop confidence and work their way through temporary issues.

That leads me to believe that Fran is well aware of Connor's ability...and that if Connor just flat out could never shoot well from 3 he wouldn't have allowed it in the games. Most coaches believe that a player has to prove it in practice in order for the coach to put someone out there.

So (honest question) how would you know when it was time to allow someone on the floor who was trying to get through a slump AND how would you know when to stop playing them when they weren't shooting well? The problem here, of course is, that a player can shoot well in practice but not in a game....heck, they can be hot in warm ups and not shoot well in a game. Conversely, someone can shoot terribly in warm ups and then turn around and shoot well in a game.

 

[longliveCS40]

I think this is interesting.....Fran (and other coaches) have indicated that the only way out of a slump is to shoot your way out. He believes that a coach demonstrating tremendous confidence in a player, allows that player to develop confidence and work their way through temporary issues.

That leads me to believe that Fran is well aware of Connor's ability...and that if Connor just flat out could never shoot well from 3 he wouldn't have allowed it in the games. Most coaches believe that a player has to prove it in practice in order for the coach to put someone out there.

So (honest question) how would you know when it was time to allow someone on the floor who was trying to get through a slump AND how would you know when to stop playing them when they weren't shooting well? The problem here, of course is, that a player can shoot well in practice but not in a game....heck, they can be hot in warm ups and not shoot well in a game. Conversely, someone can shoot terribly in warm ups and then turn around and shoot well in a game.

It's a valid question and that's why there's so much room for different interpretations here. To me, when you have given a guy the pre-Big Ten season to work out shooting woes and are in the heart of Big Ten season losing games partially as a result of poor outside shooting, you make a change. I'm sure it varies from player to player as to how much of a leash you give them. As stated previously, Connor plays good defense, rebounds, passes well, and is a leader on the floor. Based on that, you give him a longer leash as he brings other things to the table.

But...at a point, you have to say "We're losing games with this lineup and we've given it X games to succeed. We need to make a change which may improve or worsen things but a change to see what happens." And, to be fair, I think you saw that from Fran. I'd have to look up stats to be sure but I think Connor's minutes went down for a stretch there when he was struggling and PMac, Kris, Sandfort and Ulis minutes ticked up.

The combination of lineup changes and opponents have been working out as of late. I don't *think* the lineup changes are what has made CMac suddenly shoot like Steph Curry from 3. He was getting open looks with most of the lineups when he was cold. He and JBo making 3 pointers certainly make this offense run much better so I hope it keeps up. If it doesn't, I'll be that "expert" saying "We should give Kris, Sandfort, Ulis, Perkins more minutes" again.

 

[RocknRollface]

I think this is interesting.....Fran (and other coaches) have indicated that the only way out of a slump is to shoot your way out. He believes that a coach demonstrating tremendous confidence in a player, allows that player to develop confidence and work their way through temporary issues.

That leads me to believe that Fran is well aware of Connor's ability...and that if Connor just flat out could never shoot well from 3 he wouldn't have allowed it in the games. Most coaches believe that a player has to prove it in practice in order for the coach to put someone out there.

So (honest question) how would you know when it was time to allow someone on the floor who was trying to get through a slump AND how would you know when to stop playing them when they weren't shooting well? The problem here, of course is, that a player can shoot well in practice but not in a game....heck, they can be hot in warm ups and not shoot well in a game. Conversely, someone can shoot terribly in warm ups and then turn around and shoot well in a game.

Connor has never demonstrated the ability to consistently knock down 3s in 5 seasons until now.

He basically avoided shooting 3s at all costs for two seasons despite being dared by opponents to do so.

Again, its completely silly to act like Fran knew Connor was going to have this hot streak shooting the ball and was just waiting on it for 5 years.

Connor has brought many good facets to the game but those aspects were being largely neutralized by the way opponents were not defending him.

Im sure Fran had more faith in his sons shot than Connor did himself and probably communicated to him that I can't have you on the floor anymore if you're not going to shoot when your defender is 20 feet away from you in the lane. And im sure Connor realized I have one option left and its shoot when wide open.

And the rest fell into place.

 

[Bulldogs1974]

Connor has never demonstrated the ability to consistently knock down 3s in 5 seasons until now.

He basically avoided shooting 3s at all costs for two seasons despite being dared by opponents to do so.

Again, its completely silly to act like Fran knew Connor was going to have this hot streak shooting the ball and was just waiting on it for 5 years.

Connor has brought many good facets to the game but those aspects were being largely neutralized by the way opponents were not defending him.

Im sure Fran had more faith in his sons shot than Connor did himself and probably communicated to him that I can't have you on the floor anymore if you're not going to shoot when your defender is 20 feet away from you in the lane. And im sure Connor realized I have one option left and its shoot when wide open.

And the rest fell into place.

Josh ogelsby is a perfect example. Take out the Minnesota x2 and Wisconsin game his junior season and he was college basketballs greatest 29% 3pt shooter.
Fran has a blind spot for some.

 

[jonesy5960]

Connor has never demonstrated the ability to consistently knock down 3s in 5 seasons until now.

He basically avoided shooting 3s at all costs for two seasons despite being dared by opponents to do so.

Again, its completely silly to act like Fran knew Connor was going to have this hot streak shooting the ball and was just waiting on it for 5 years.

Connor has brought many good facets to the game but those aspects were being largely neutralized by the way opponents were not defending him.

Im sure Fran had more faith in his sons shot than Connor did himself and probably communicated to him that I can't have you on the floor anymore if you're not going to shoot when your defender is 20 feet away from you in the lane. And im sure Connor realized I have one option left and its shoot when wide open.

And the rest fell into place.

How do you know that Connor didn't tell Fran he was saving it up for just the right moment? 🤔

 

[perryhawk]

Connor has never demonstrated the ability to consistently knock down 3s in 5 seasons until now.

He basically avoided shooting 3s at all costs for two seasons despite being dared by opponents to do so.

Again, its completely silly to act like Fran knew Connor was going to have this hot streak shooting the ball and was just waiting on it for 5 years.

Connor has brought many good facets to the game but those aspects were being largely neutralized by the way opponents were not defending him.

Im sure Fran had more faith in his sons shot than Connor did himself and probably communicated to him that I can't have you on the floor anymore if you're not going to shoot when your defender is 20 feet away from you in the lane. And im sure Connor realized I have one option left and its shoot when wide open.

And the rest fell into place.

This is where you just go off the rails for a poster who is obviously intelligent…”it’s completely silly etc etc…no one said Fran knew he was going on a hot streak….none. Does Fran see him shoot in practice?

 

[RocknRollface]

This is where you just go off the rails for a poster who is obviously intelligent…”it’s completely silly etc etc…no one said Fran knew he was going on a hot streak….none. Does Fran see him shoot in practice?

Yes, but that doesn't mean that he was hitting shots in practice.

Connor's playing time was never based on shooting or the expectation that he would eventually start hitting 3s. He almost never shot the ball.

He was out there to be a facilitator and scrapper.

So the conclusion that Fran knew what he was doing is fine but the premis of basing it on shooting doesn't make sense.

 

[perryhawk]

Yes, but that doesn't mean that he was hitting shots in practice.

Connor's playing time was never based on shooting or the expectation that he would eventually start hitting 3s. He almost never shot the ball.

He was out there to be a facilitator and scrapper.

So the conclusion that Fran knew what he was doing is fine but the premis of basing it on shooting doesn't make sense.

Agreed…..Connor is a smart player and a great facilitator. In tonight’s game you didn’t see Michigan leaving him open.

That said I would bet good money that Connor was taking a ton of extra 3 pointers in and after practice and hitting a good percentage.