Fran's Lack of Playing Time For the Freshmen a Mistake?

[iowalaw]

Am I the only one who notices that Fran is hyper reluctant to play the freshmen this year? We can be ahead by 18 points, and Uthoff is still out there popping 3s after a nice assist from Gesell.

We've got two senior point guards on this year's team, which is a great luxury to have. But Does Gesell really need to average 30 mins per game and Clemmons average 28 mins per game, like they are doing as of now? We have been jumping out to huge leads on opponents, and it would make logical sense in such situations to sprinkle in the freshmen to get them some experience as well. Their redshirts are already burned. We could be in for a MAJOR fall next year when the heir to the point guard throne, Christian Williams, is only averaging 4 mins and .6 points per game.

Similarly, Woody and Uthoff provide amazing side for us this year...but they are gone next year. Shouldn't we be sneaking Wagner in there a little more to build up the experience? From everything he's shown in the few minutes he's played, he's a stud. Uthoff is great, but he doesn't need to be averaging 30 mins per game.

Aside from the valuable experience our bench could be getting, given the margin of victory we have been having, the college basketball season is a marathon, not a sprint. It would kinda be nice to have our seniors FRESH in March, and not on empty tanks. It would be great to get the seniors' minutes down and start utilizing what could be a very strong bench.

 

[Tunadog]

Am I the only one who notices that Fran is hyper reluctant to play the freshmen this year? We can be ahead by 18 points, and Uthoff is still out there popping 3s after a nice assist from Gesell.

We've got two senior point guards on this year's team, which is a great luxury to have. But Does Gesell really need to average 30 mins per game and Clemmons average 28 mins per game, like they are doing as of now? We have been jumping out to huge leads on opponents, and it would make logical sense in such situations to sprinkle in the freshmen to get them some experience as well. Their redshirts are already burned. We could be in for a MAJOR fall next year when the heir to the point guard throne, Christian Williams, is only averaging 4 mins and .6 points per game.

Similarly, Woody and Uthoff provide amazing side for us this year...but they are gone next year. Shouldn't we be sneaking Wagner in there a little more to build up the experience? From everything he's shown in the few minutes he's played, he's a stud. Uthoff is great, but he doesn't need to be averaging 30 mins per game.

Aside from the valuable experience our bench could be getting, given the margin of victory we have been having, the college basketball season is a marathon, not a sprint. It would kinda be nice to have our seniors FRESH in March, and not on empty tanks. It would be great to get the seniors' minutes down and start utilizing what could be a very strong bench.

I think the Iowa State loss still lives large in Fran's head. No lead is too big, at least until the final few minutes.

 

[wyohawk]

Am I the only one who notices that Fran is hyper reluctant to play the freshmen this year? We can be ahead by 18 points, and Uthoff is still out there popping 3s after a nice assist from Gesell.

We've got two senior point guards on this year's team, which is a great luxury to have. But Does Gesell really need to average 30 mins per game and Clemmons average 28 mins per game, like they are doing as of now? We have been jumping out to huge leads on opponents, and it would make logical sense in such situations to sprinkle in the freshmen to get them some experience as well. Their redshirts are already burned. We could be in for a MAJOR fall next year when the heir to the point guard throne, Christian Williams, is only averaging 4 mins and .6 points per game.

Similarly, Woody and Uthoff provide amazing side for us this year...but they are gone next year. Shouldn't we be sneaking Wagner in there a little more to build up the experience? From everything he's shown in the few minutes he's played, he's a stud. Uthoff is great, but he doesn't need to be averaging 30 mins per game.

Aside from the valuable experience our bench could be getting, given the margin of victory we have been having, the college basketball season is a marathon, not a sprint. It would kinda be nice to have our seniors FRESH in March, and not on empty tanks. It would be great to get the seniors' minutes down and start utilizing what could be a very strong bench.

Fran knows what he's doing. The schedule's been tough and he's been playing the best rotations to win (even the Rutgers game came down to the wire). A more inclusive rotation can quickly slide from an advantage to a disadvantage. The only non-redshirt not getting good minutes is Fleming.

I wouldn't be surprised if Williams gets some more spot minutes moving forward on the second half of the conference schedule but everything else will probably remain the same. Chill out, trust the process, and enjoy the ride.

 

[revkev73]

Second half of the conference schedule should provide more time for rest for the starters and playing time for the future...

Front loaded schedule is brutal...not many coaster games...

And...perhaps Fran has such extreme confidence about what is coming in next year when MG and Sapp are gone...it isn't that important to him at this juncture!

 

[20Hawks14]

I think Fran has been subbing a good amount although not with a huge rotation. Look at Iowa state for a team that has its starters playing almost the entire game, every game.

I especially like how Fran almost always keeps two or more starters on the floor.

 

[nu2u]

Nicholas Baer
Brady Ellingson
Ahmad Wagner

Iowa freshman who have had decent playing time this year .....on a team dominated by upper classmen / veteran starters. I don't see the glaring reluctance described by OP.

Also, something tells me lawhawk would be leading the chorus of complainers if Iowa suffers a defeat after playing more freshman with an 18 point lead.

 

[luvmyhawks]

Until Fran gives a reason, not worried.

 

[Kurt Warner]

I think fran is doing a great job of subbing, much better than times in the past when a lot of times we had no scorers on the floor. 15-20 point leads can evaporate very very fast with the 3 point shot, 30 sec shot clock and a hostile environment. I believe the reason we are doing so well is because we have a lot of vets and they are playing the most....that's my 2 cents.

 

[MepoDawg#]

He mentioned before the Rutgers game that he needed to get Williams and even Fleming more time after neither played.

 

[Kurt Warner]

He mentioned before the Rutgers game that he needed to get Williams and even Fleming more time after neither played.

We never really put Rutgers away like he was probably hoping for is probably the reason here. We could have lost that game without the big guns in there an he knew it, stranger things have happened.

 

[icwesthawk]

Williams played in the Rutgers game and I bet he plays a lot more as season wears on.

 

[buttermypancakes]

I think the Iowa State loss still lives large in Fran's head. No lead is too big, at least until the final few minutes.

The funny thing is that the lack of subbing in that game contributed to the comeback. Fran's rotations have settled in since that game though. When all people can worry about is that our 9th guy in the rotation isn't seeing the floor enough it must be a good year.

 

[Packer54]

In Fran I trust....someone else mentioned it but our schedule is a ball buster. And the way Indiana is playing is does not get THAT much easier. Rutgers was a missed opportunity for guys getting more time but I understand the letdown a bit.
These guys have done great but we still have

Purdue
At Maryland
Indiana twice
At Michigan
Wisky playing better-glad it's at home

Good news is 4 of the next 5 would put us in great shape and make for a real interesting matchup at Indiana.

 

[HellaHawk]

One play can make the difference between a loss and a win. And one win or lose could be the difference between a Big Ten title and a trip to Des Moines in the NCAA. So I understand Fran's reluctance to say, play Flemming, when Jok is playing so well.

There will also be plenty of playing time next year. Fran knows this is a special season. He think this team could compete for a national championship. He said it on the radio. He's not going to just throw in players to help out next year's team unless they are ready.

 

[IronFist1776]

Although the OP mentioned all of the freshmen, its clear that he's primarily referring to Williams. I had hoped the Rutgers game would've gotten him significantly more PT but it wasn't to be. No need to panic but yes, I get nervous wondering how well look after we lose several hundred game starters. I really want to see Williams out there for awhile w/out fear of being pulled. Maybe the first time we blow out Indiana by 20. At least the 2nd time.

Mark my words, many of the Gesell/Woody detractors will finally see what we look like w/out 'em and then they'll miss them.

 

[iowalaw]

Fran himself has said in post game press conferences that he regretted not playing Williams and Wagner on at least 3 or 4 occasions. He tends to get tunnel vision while coaching and it just doesn't occur to him during games, but he regrets it after. Hell, there were 2 mins left in the Rutgers game, we were up by 16, and all of the starters were still on the floor while guys like Williams and Fleming are sitting at the end of the bench thinking "what's it going to take for coach to play me?"

It just doesn't make sense in that context not to clear the bench and throw the kids a bone who work their butts off and burned a redshirt. It's good for morale, it's good for team depth, and it's good to keep the starters fresh.

 

[Wordel]

Umm no. His rotation is waayyy better than a couple years ago when he tried to play 10-12 people. We're not that deep and a big lead can dwindle quickly in this league. Fran's rotation is just fine.

 

[Packer54]

We play 8 and one guy is out with an injury. I am fine w Frans rotation....not that he asked.

 

[DanL53]

Fran himself has said in post game press conferences that he regretted not playing Williams and Wagner on at least 3 or 4 occasions. He tends to get tunnel vision while coaching and it just doesn't occur to him during games, but he regrets it after. Hell, there were 2 mins left in the Rutgers game, we were up by 16, and all of the starters were still on the floor while guys like Williams and Fleming are sitting at the end of the bench thinking "what's it going to take for coach to play me?"

It just doesn't make sense in that context not to clear the bench and throw the kids a bone who work their butts off and burned a redshirt. It's good for morale, it's good for team depth, and it's good to keep the starters fresh.

At the 2:08 mark we were up twelve when Jarrod got a defensive rebound. The players could have called a timeout at that time or up until the 1:43 mark when Woody made a layup. Dead ball, Fran could call a timeout here. Personally, I feel like at that point there was no reason to toss the subs in.

But I do agree, Fran has said multiple times he wants to get Christian and Andrew into games.

 

[bravehawks1]

I too would like to see a little more time for Wagner and Williams and maybe Fleming here and there. The substitution pattern that Fran is terrible at is taking out a Gesell or uthoff 30 seconds before a scheduled TV time out. They miss only a small amount of game time but can get 3-4 minutes of rest and water break. Watched Kansas and Self did that at least twice with Perry Ellis in one game. Never see that from Fran, but it is a smart way to rest the starter. If those 30 seconds go good and you get a 5-0 run, you have the option to hold the starter a little longer too. Talking about Gesellschaft with hamstring tweak, this will not go away anytime soon so that needs to be watched

 

[Packer54]

I too would like to see a little more time for Wagner and Williams and maybe Fleming here and there. The substitution pattern that Fran is terrible at is taking out a Gesell or uthoff 30 seconds before a scheduled TV time out. They miss only a small amount of game time but can get 3-4 minutes of rest and water break. Watched Kansas and Self did that at least twice with Perry Ellis in one game. Never see that from Fran, but it is a smart way to rest the starter. If those 30 seconds go good and you get a 5-0 run, you have the option to hold the starter a little longer too. Talking about Gesellschaft with hamstring tweak, this will not go away anytime soon so that needs to be watched

When you pull someone 30 seconds before a "scheduled" tv timeout, that may be 30 seconds, but it may be 5 minutes. There has to be a stoppage in play. I can't find a definite fault in what Fran is doing with his sub pattern.

 

[The Sleeping Dog]

There really aren't that many minutes, especially for the guards. Who sits so a freshman can play? Barring injury or fouls AC & MIkey G need to be on the floor for as many minutes as they can play. Both kids are really good athletes and can probably play 40.

We catch a blow out, then we can experiment with the deeper bench. Right now the focus is on winning.

 

[StormHawk42]

I'll worry about it next year. I prefer winning this year.

 

[Packer54]

I'll worry about it next year. I prefer winning this year.

This.... Be in the moment

 

[LuteHawk]

Coach Fran is living in the moments of this year. He wants
to win a Big Ten Title with his 4 Seniors. Also he would like
to make a deep run in the NCAA Tournament in March.

Bottom Line: He is having a great season, so our fans can
relax and enjoy the ride.

 

[PhantomFlyer]

Good grief, these aren't 40 year old men, they are 18-22 year olds. They should have no problem playing 30-35 minutes a game. As long as Iowa doesn't have injuries Fran is doing fine playing just 7-8 guys for the majority of minutes. The first objective is to win games today. Worry about tomorrow when it comes, and worry about next year, well, next year. The schedule has been brutal. You don't start counting early W's with teams like MSU, Mich, Purdue, even if you do have a good size lead. If the boys are tired Fran can back off on how hard they practice.

 

[HoustonREDHawk]

Since the ISU game, I think Fran has done a masterful job with substitutions. I suspect he wishes that he could get a few more minutes from either Ellingson or Williams than he has played them the past few weeks, but except for Rutgers, the schedule has been tough. As long as no one is injured, the 8-9 man rotation is working great. Uhl, Baer, and recently Wagner are getting significant minutes.

 

[Floyd_Of_Rosedale]

Am I the only one who notices that Fran is hyper reluctant to play the freshmen this year? We can be ahead by 18 points, and Uthoff is still out there popping 3s after a nice assist from Gesell.

We've got two senior point guards on this year's team, which is a great luxury to have. But Does Gesell really need to average 30 mins per game and Clemmons average 28 mins per game, like they are doing as of now? We have been jumping out to huge leads on opponents, and it would make logical sense in such situations to sprinkle in the freshmen to get them some experience as well. Their redshirts are already burned. We could be in for a MAJOR fall next year when the heir to the point guard throne, Christian Williams, is only averaging 4 mins and .6 points per game.

Similarly, Woody and Uthoff provide amazing side for us this year...but they are gone next year. Shouldn't we be sneaking Wagner in there a little more to build up the experience? From everything he's shown in the few minutes he's played, he's a stud. Uthoff is great, but he doesn't need to be averaging 30 mins per game.

Aside from the valuable experience our bench could be getting, given the margin of victory we have been having, the college basketball season is a marathon, not a sprint. It would kinda be nice to have our seniors FRESH in March, and not on empty tanks. It would be great to get the seniors' minutes down and start utilizing what could be a very strong bench.

In IOWA's 2nd win over Michigan State this year (at MSU) --- 13 Sparty players saw action.

Of them:

4 didn't score any points.....

1 scored 1 point....

and 2 of the players 2 points each.....

7 Sparty players combined a total of 50 playing minutes with 5 points while also committing 6 personal fouls.

This isn't practice.

THIS IS NOT A DRILL

 

[NI hawk]

I'll worry about it next year. I prefer winning this year.

Exactly!

 

[lonewolf52]

We haven't won a conference title since 1979. Therefore, I am concerned about THIS year. In the past, Fran has tried to expand the rotation which I believe many would agree actually brought harm to the teams performance. We need to conine what we are doing by narrowing the lineup to identify the hot hand and then riding it to victory. JUSE WIN BABY. I believe Fran will try to get more PT for freshman buy not at the expense or risk of a loss which may be the difference between winning the conference and a high seedegree or falling back to where we were in years past.

 

[PhantomFlyer]

Since the ISU game, I think Fran has done a masterful job with substitutions. I suspect he wishes that he could get a few more minutes from either Ellingson or Williams than he has played them the past few weeks, but except for Rutgers, the schedule has been tough. As long as no one is injured, the 8-9 man rotation is working great. Uhl, Baer, and recently Wagner are getting significant minutes.

His substitutions were even fine in the ISU game. Uhl was not playing good and looked bad and Baer looked like he was outmatched that game. A short bench wasn't why they lost that game. They look rattled against the press (which has been cleaned up since that game), and they panicked because of the crowd. These are young guys in their prime physical condition. They should have no problem playing 35 minutes for one game. Hell, NBA guys will sometimes play over 40 minutes in a game and their schedule is much more grueling. Really, the only time fatigue should come into play is multiple games in a row, like a conference tournament. Ironically, when we get into tournament play, both conference and NCAA, you see coaches giving even fewer minutes to their starters, relying on a 7 or 8 man rotation. Bo Ryan basically played 7 guys last year and that was it.

 

[Lone Clone]

I think the Iowa State loss still lives large in Fran's head. No lead is too big, at least until the final few minutes.

But reserves had nothing to do with that.

 

[HoustonREDHawk]

His substitutions were even fine in the ISU game. Uhl was not playing good and looked bad and Baer looked like he was outmatched that game. A short bench wasn't why they lost that game. They look rattled against the press (which has been cleaned up since that game), and they panicked because of the crowd. These are young guys in their prime physical condition. They should have no problem playing 35 minutes for one game. Hell, NBA guys will sometimes play over 40 minutes in a game and their schedule is much more grueling. Really, the only time fatigue should come into play is multiple games in a row, like a conference tournament. Ironically, when we get into tournament play, both conference and NCAA, you see coaches giving even fewer minutes to their starters, relying on a 7 or 8 man rotation. Bo Ryan basically played 7 guys last year and that was it.

Fran has basically doubled the number of minutes off the bench since the ISU game, and it seems to have helped. The bench only played 28 min total in the ISU game. I think Fran even commented about trusting his bench more, and that being a big part of our success.

Iowa lost because ISU made plays in the second half and the Hawks didn't respond to the pressure. Uthoff played an unbelievable first half and probably his worst half of the year in the second. Maybe a blow somewhere could have helped, who knows? Uhl was the only player off the bench that played more than 7 min in that game, and Uthoff played 37 min. I like how we are substituting now...

 

[mazda1]

He's giving a bunch of minutes to freshman, but we've got a lot. I think he's searching for spots to give Williams experience, but other than that he's getting people enough IMO.

 

[EpenesaEpenesa]

Rotation is fine. Enjoy the ride

 

[HawkLogic]

Although the OP mentioned all of the freshmen, its clear that he's primarily referring to Williams. I had hoped the Rutgers game would've gotten him significantly more PT but it wasn't to be. No need to panic but yes, I get nervous wondering how well look after we lose several hundred game starters. I really want to see Williams out there for awhile w/out fear of being pulled. Maybe the first time we blow out Indiana by 20. At least the 2nd time.

Mark my words, many of the Gesell/Woody detractors will finally see what we look like w/out 'em and then they'll miss them.

We lose Uthoff, B1G player of they year. Don't you think that loss dominates?

We'll miss Sap, Gesell, Woody. Woody is nice weapon for defense matchups, Sap has run the team well when Gesell is out. Yeah, we will miss Gesell AND Sap, but Gesell is not the straw that stirs the drink---Uthoff is.

 

[ZumaHawk]

Not sure if Iowalaw watched this Purdue game but this is exactly why the seniors need to stay in the game. We were up 17 and have a chance to make it more with the freshman in there. Next thing ya know we are up 10 in a matter of 1 minute. IMO Fran is doing a wonderful job with his subs. Wagner/Baer/Ellingson all played today. Just the right amount of time too.

 

[Phenomenally Frantastic]

OP thinks he is smarter than Fran.

LOL, dumbass.

 

[hawkeyemike23]

Not sure if Iowalaw watched this Purdue game but this is exactly why the seniors need to stay in the game. We were up 17 and have a chance to make it more with the freshman in there. Next thing ya know we are up 10 in a matter of 1 minute. IMO Fran is doing a wonderful job with his subs. Wagner/Baer/Ellingson all played today. Just the right amount of time too.

He's doing a nice job of bringing these guys along, getting them meaningful minutes while not hurting the team this year either. If Ellingson looks tenative, he only gets a couple minutes. When he looks confiden, like today and plays real well, Fran finds more minutes for him. Same with Wagner. The type of big game minutes these guys are getting are much more valuable than just end of game blowout minutes.

 

[backinblack23]

I'm good with whatever Fran wants to do, He's improved the team every year since he got here. We all know we are going to take our lumps next year cause we are going to be super young and we lose 4 senior starters. I'm not even expecting a NCAA birth next year. If you look at it we have gotten Baer, Uhl, Wagner, and Ellingson very good minutes this year so they won't be exactly green next year. As some have stated already that he wants to get Flemming and Williams more minutes but it's tough when you are trying to win games and even tougher when competing for a conference title. Like I said before next year is a rebuilding year and everyone should realize it, but the next few years after that this team will return a lot of starters for 2 years and hopefully make some good runs.