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Kenyon Murray has A LOT to say about this team

Agree. I also don't remember those teams doing anything different in different situations. Always pressed, always ran the same motion offense, and always left 3 pt shooters open.

Kenyon is correct in his points, IMO. But I don't agree that Davis's teams did those things.

Our defense has definitely slipped over the last 6 games; it reminds me of what happened 2 years ago

also, we have been shooting under 40% lately and its had to win ball games when you don't put the ball in the basket

well, one time Woody did, but it was offensive basket interference :(
 
Agree. I also don't remember those teams doing anything different in different situations. Always pressed, always ran the same motion offense, and always left 3 pt shooters open.

Kenyon is correct in his points, IMO. But I don't agree that Davis's teams did those things.

Totally agree 4 and Dan above....and like Dan said

"To me it sounds like a lot of frustration on Kenyon as a fan, like we all feel"

And Kenyon is correct in his points but like 4 is saying, Tommy D played a lot of trapping and pressure D which will leave shooters open if you break the pressure and move the ball well...

One of my biggest frustrations watching a Tommy D's team.....again when they LOST a game was they didn't cover the shooter well enough. WIDE OPEN. Which is what posters in this thread and too many others, myself and Kenyon are saying today like I was thinking back in 1992 to 1996. Got to get stops Kenyon.
 
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You know what I wish I'd heard?

"I've been coming down to Iowa City and working with Brandon Hutton on defensive fundamentals.", Kenyon Murray.

95% of defense is heart and guts. But there was certainly that extra 25%...and yeah it does too add up in this case!...that Kenyon squeezed out of the rock to turn defense into an art form.
 
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41-27, 41-30. Guess what those are. o_O

To me it sounds like a lot of frustration on Kenyon as a fan, like we all feel. I'm not going to say anything derogatory about Kenyon's comments as another poster figured people would. Because when things are going well Kenyon says so! My complaints are saved for the fair weather fans one never hears give a compliment to any player.

Again, just my opinion but I think Murray made many excellent points. I would remind him though that as far as identifying the hot three point shooter it is easy to criticize but sooner or later someone is going to point out that Dr. Tom's teams constantly sagged in and left shooters wide open!!! :)

So anyway, those numbers? Kenyon went 41-27 in Big Ten play. Our current seniors are at 41-30.
Tom Davis and that 2-3 zone. I've always thought there was a lot of similarities between Dr. Tom and Fran. The 2-3 zone is killing Fran as of late and he continues to run it. I believe that the 2-3 zone was a big factor in Dr. Tom getting ran out of town. I just wonder if that will ultimately be Fran's downfall as well.
 
Tom Davis and that 2-3 zone. I've always thought there was a lot of similarities between Dr. Tom and Fran. The 2-3 zone is killing Fran as of late and he continues to run it. I believe that the 2-3 zone was a big factor in Dr. Tom getting ran out of town. I just wonder if that will ultimately be Fran's downfall as well.

I don't think so. Being two games over .500 in his last ten years as a coach (Big Ten games) is probably the straw that among everything and anything was what cost Dr. Tom his job. If Fran can keep going at a .551 clip (that's not counting the first year...but a one year rebuild isn't beyond reason to give.) I think we'll have the makings of a long term program just good enough to hope for a very special year or two each decade, and just bad enough to feed the zombies just enough to keep them Argh-Arrrrrghing after losses. :confused:-"Arrrrghhhh"
 
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I don't think so. Being two games over .500 in his last ten years as a coach (Big Ten games) is probably the straw that among everything and anything was what cost Dr. Tom his job. If Fran can keep going at a .551 clip (that's not counting the first year...but a one year rebuild isn't beyond reason to give.) I think we'll have the makings of a long term program just good enough to hope for a very special year or two each decade, and just bad enough to feed the zombies just enough to keep them Argh-Arrrrrghing after losses. :confused:-"Arrrrghhhh"
Yeah ultimately it comes down to wins and losses. I was just implying that the 2-3 zone is why some of those games where lost for Dr. Tom. I think it's been part of the problem this year with this year's team. I do believe that we'll be a much better zone team next year. A lot more length, kind of like last year's team. Last year's team was exceptional in the zone.
 
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Yeah ultimately it comes down to wins and losses. I was just implying that the 2-3 zone is why some of those games where lost for Dr. Tom. I think it's been part of the problem this year with this year's team. I do believe that we'll be a much better zone team next year. A lot more length, kind of like last year's team. Last year's team was exceptional in the zone.
While I think they'll be able to play zone well next year, I think they'll be athletic enough to play better man as well. We're lacking lateral quickness this year. Teams like Indiana can really expose that when you try and play man against them...
 
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Identifying shooters and APPROPRIATE off ball help defense. 2 things they've struggled with mightily.
 
Yeah ultimately it comes down to wins and losses. I was just implying that the 2-3 zone is why some of those games where lost for Dr. Tom. I think it's been part of the problem this year with this year's team. I do believe that we'll be a much better zone team next year. A lot more length, kind of like last year's team. Last year's team was exceptional in the zone.

I like the athleticism. I'm hoping that Jones comes back and we have gun slingers at the 2,3,4. And frankly the one, but I'd be stretching it I think to assume Williams will shoot over 35% from the three next year.

I do think though he can be part of a trapping defense that is a nightmare. And our rebounding should improve. Who knows but honestly I don't see why we can't hope for another NCAA team next year.
 
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While I think they'll be able to play zone well next year, I think they'll be athletic enough to play better man as well. We're lacking lateral quickness this year. Teams like Indiana can really expose that when you try and play man against them...
I agree with this. One thing I think they really miss is a rim protector as well. Uthoff is good but he can only do so much. Not complaining because it's just the roster they have. I love Woodbury and everything he brings but he's just not the rim protecting type of player and there's nothing wrong with that. I'm hoping Wagner can develop into that. He's just inexperienced right now. When he doesn't have to help and get into defensive rotations he's been great on D. But get him rotating and he gets a little lost. I think this has been part of Uhl's problem and effort at times. I'm hoping with experience they will both improve in this area.
 
I like the athleticism. I'm hoping that Jones comes back and we have gun slingers at the 2,3,4. And frankly the one, but I'd be stretching it I think to assume Williams will shoot over 35% from the three next year.

I do think though he can be part of a trapping defense that is a nightmare. And our rebounding should improve. Who knows but honestly I don't see why we can't hope for another NCAA team next year.

I don't either and so agree with this in bold. Iowa will present a team on the floor next year like a lot of those teams we as avid BB fans have been lusting after (does this sound bad? If so, use craving instead) with IOWA for many many years. It will be a team quicker to the ball on both ends with the rebounds, quicker and better hops (see Wagner/Cook), no 7 footers but rangy kids with better hands inside and on the perimeter (1 and 2) on the floor who can play well above the rim and get to the rim on Offense (see Williams, Moss and Hutton). Even Fleming gets to the rim and does a nice job rebounding as a perimeter player.

I am hoping Jones comes back too as you are saying.
 
Here is an unpopular opinion - Fran has done his best coaching job ever with this team.

Hop into the wayback machine to October, 2015 and remind me of the expectations of this team. Then take an objective look at the skill sets of the players on the team. I don't remember a lot of all-B1G preseason selections on this squad.

But, this team came together and played GREAT for a couple of months - probably the best an Iowa team has played in years. They blew out teams at home and on the road.

So, now we have decided that THAT team was the benchmark for this club, and now that they aren't playing up to that level it's because of poor coaching and because these players have no heart.

Well, rubbish I say! This team played beyond their expected abilities and now they have a target on their backs. They are playing good basketball teams and can't quite summon the same magic they had in January.

Let's see how they finish before we write off 2015/216.:)
 
Hawk4Shur! I don't want to steal your thunder, but I've thought for awhile this season that we were getting far more as a collection of five guys than the talent of those guys added up.

In other words more team than individuals. And that does go to coaching.

Not that we are as bad as our recent games seem to indicate, this has been a very legitimate slump and we can do better.

It, to me is the end of the McCaffery rebuild phase one. Where he owned the state of Iowa and found some surprises outside the border.

Phase two, keep doing that and increase the athleticism.
 
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Excellent assessment. Unfortunately too many Iowa fans don't get it. Despite Fran being a fiery guy, his teams play soft, uninspired basketball. This does affect the product on the court, especially late in games when both teams are tired. You need emotion, passion, intensity...leadership. Nobody acts like they care. Maybe they do, but I don't see it. Other than Baer early in the season, Woodbury at times and Gesell occasionally, these guys are as animated as a knitting club. This topic has come up every year since Fran has been here and the only two guys who get a passing grade in my book are Jarryd Cole and Eric May. I think of guys like BJ, Marble Sr., Ed Horton, Settles, Chris Street, Brunner, Horner, and others and cringe at the lack of passion these guys show.
 
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Here is an unpopular opinion - Fran has done his best coaching job ever with this team.

Hop into the wayback machine to October, 2015 and remind me of the expectations of this team. Then take an objective look at the skill sets of the players on the team. I don't remember a lot of all-B1G preseason selections on this squad.

But, this team came together and played GREAT for a couple of months - probably the best an Iowa team has played in years. They blew out teams at home and on the road.

So, now we have decided that THAT team was the benchmark for this club, and now that they aren't playing up to that level it's because of poor coaching and because these players have no heart.

Well, rubbish I say! This team played beyond their expected abilities and now they have a target on their backs. They are playing good basketball teams and can't quite summon the same magic they had in January.

Let's see how they finish before we write off 2015/216.:)

Like Dan......I like how you post.......4shur.. :)

It is Fran's best coaching job....the mileage and wins he is getting out of this roster and playing some of the best ball in the country and in Iowa's history for quite a while there was remarkable and we are not done yet.

I watched that IU game again and boy was that a fun game even with the loss to watch. God did I love the Carver crowd in that game. Way to go and the bench was going nuts to watch Jones, Hutton and Moss yell their heads off and they were on the floor screaming and high fiving as much as Crean was. They were into the game so much and it was great to see this.

And I can't wait to get that talent out of their shirts and ties back in an IOWA BB uni and out on the floor next year to go with Peter, Dom, Wagner, Baer, Williams, Ellingson, Fleming with those true frosh players.

It's going to be a lot fun.....a roster full of the type of players that can make it a lot of fun....how soon is the ?? mark. I think sooner than later but let's finish out this season first.
 
Excellent assessment. Unfortunately too many Iowa fans don't get it. Despite Fran being a fiery guy, his teams play soft, uninspired basketball. This does affect the product on the court, especially late in games when both teams are tired. You need emotion, passion, intensity...leadership. Nobody acts like they care. Maybe they do, but I don't see it. Other than Baer early in the season, Woodbury at times and Gesell occasionally, these guys are as animated as a knitting club. This topic has come up every year since Fran has been here and the only two guys who get a passing grade in my book are Jarryd Cole and Eric May. I think of guys like BJ, Marble Sr., Ed Horton, Settles, Chris Street, Brunner, Horner, and others and cringe at the lack of passion these guys show.
I hear this stuff all the time when Iowa loses. They are soft, they play uninspired and they have no leadership. Then it all goes away when they win. They win and it's this team is so tough, inspired and have a ton of leadership. Woody, Gesell, Clemmons and Baer are all guys that are always fiery. Jok can be at times. Uthoff is the same always, he's like KF. All that being said it's a lot easier to be fiery when things are going your way in a basketball game as opposed to not going your way. That's why it's called the big Mo. Momentum is a huge factor in what your talking about. Look at the energy and passion at different points in the Indiana game. Iowa gets down by what 17 and no energy and passion. They come back the whole second half and there is a ton of energy and passion.
 
Yeah ultimately it comes down to wins and losses. I was just implying that the 2-3 zone is why some of those games where lost for Dr. Tom. I think it's been part of the problem this year with this year's team. I do believe that we'll be a much better zone team next year. A lot more length, kind of like last year's team. Last year's team was exceptional in the zone.

Tom Davis' zone was a 3-2 zone (much different than Fran's 2-3 zone). When he would have a taller player the top of the 3-2, they would also drop down and help protect the rim and rebound.

Here's a clip of a longer video that shows what Iowa did back then.

 
I like the athleticism. I'm hoping that Jones comes back and we have gun slingers at the 2,3,4. And frankly the one, but I'd be stretching it I think to assume Williams will shoot over 35% from the three next year.

I do think though he can be part of a trapping defense that is a nightmare. And our rebounding should improve. Who knows but honestly I don't see why we can't hope for another NCAA team next year.

I have said it before, but Williams is going to be a matchup nightmare over the next three years for opposing teams. I'll gladly take 35% next year for his outside shooting. I would love to see him develop a little floater as he is driving down the lane. His skill set is really exciting.
 
Thanks for that clip HR17! The thing I remember about Iowa's zone back then is how packed-into-the-paint it was. Certainly helped with rebounding, but a lot of shooters were left open. Interestingly, during Keno's lone season at Drake, he also played a 3-2, but it was extremely spread out and aggressive. Absolutely drove UNI nuts both times they played. I do agree with Dr. Tom's observation that a lot of high school teams struggle against a decent zone.
 
Some more Murray quotes:

"You have to have a counter because you know by this time of the year everybody has seen so much film on you, it's just like in football; we talk about scouting reports and taking away a team's tendencies and that's what they are doing to Iowa and there has to be something else that they have to be able to go to and we just haven't seen that. It's kind of been the same script every game and teams have caught on to them."

On what he experienced with Tom Davis and switching things up:

"Lot of times when your motion is not working, we go to play calls every time down the floor. That's just another different wrinkle. A team is not used to you running set after set after set and those kinds of things can help to shake things loose when you can get 2 to 3 options off one set and you have an open look and I thought they struggled to get open shots today. Something's got to change."

On why the motion offense has gone stagnant:

"Teams are getting more physical with Jok and Uthoff coming off those screens where the defenders are riding right on their hip; they are forcing them off those screens, so they are not getting the looks they once got. That's what I saw against Wisconsin; Wisconsin bodied up and was physical with Iowa in the 2nd half and I thought that you saw that in Ohio State with how they got after them. Iowa likes to play with space. Teams have figured out they have to close down that space and make Iowa uncomfortable, a lot like what happened to Uthoff in the 2nd half vs Iowa State. Thomas stayed under him and did not give him any space."
Great comments from KM. Fran's teams have always struggled against physical teams and games where teams didn't give Iowa space. Either Fran needs to change his philosophy, or he needs to recruit more physical players.
 
More thoughts from Kenyon:

"They didn't box out today (vs OSU). It comes back to fundamentals. It comes down to closing down driving lanes, it comes down to who is going to hurt you from the perimeter. and its going to come down to boxing out. So, understanding the scouting report, taking away the lane, which they didn't do (vs OSU) and rebounding. Those THREE things; if they can do that, they'll be able to win."

"Adam is so much better on the move. you get him more on pick and roll opportunities.Even if they hedge it, it gives Adam time to roll and when the help comes in the paint on the roll, now you have yous shooters coming in to the basketball. Adam made his HS career because he ran pick and roll with Marcus Paige; when he's had good games, its because he's been in on that action and he's been moving. He's not a back to the basket kind of guy. You have to get him moving. That's how you get him more involved. That's the wrinkle. We've got to get a big guy involved. There's nobody (on the OSU roster) physically that could stay with him. If he's moving to the basket, there's nobody big enough, strong enough to keep him from getting to the rim. That way you start putting pressure on their big guys inside."

On Iowa's offensive approach:

"If they (the opponent's D) make an adjustment, I make an adjustment. If I put pressure on the basket with the dribble or the roll, that's going to force the defense to go help or else we are going to get layups; so, do you want to give up layups or do you want to give up 3's. That way you are getting your shooters moving and everything is about rhythm. I just think you have to get Adam involved, whether he is scoring or not; you're forcing the D to make adjustments and that's going to get your guys open. When he's been involved with screen and roll plays and he's scoring the basketball, Iowa is better; there's no doubt about it. "

Regarding if the team is tired:

"Everybody is tired. Practices are a lot shorter. Practices are about fine tuning, about getting your body healed, resting; players have to go watch film; practices this time of year may be an hour long. It's upon the player to watch film with the coaches and evaluate how you are playing. If you are playing like crap, its up to the player on how am I going to change that. One thing Chris Street taught me early on is that you always have to be evaluating your game. And he would sit and watch film on why he didn't get 10 or 11 rebounds this game. What did I do different from game 1 to game 2."

On Uthoff stating that he didn't know there the team's confidence was at:

"Then you don't have a pulse on your team. You're the leader of the team. There's got to be somebody on that team that has their finger on the pulse on how everybody is feeling. It comes down to leadership from those guys."

Other thoughts:

"I guarantee you that in this loss, the coaches probably feel worse than the players and that can't happen. And you won't win if the coaches are always feeling worse than the players. You will never win a championship at any level."

"Wagner is getting 8 minutes per game. Make those 8 minutes count. If someone comes in the lane, let him know that this is our paint. Same thing with Uhl; guy goes to the rim; you are 6'9! If I can't block the shot, I am going to make sure you don't get it up. You just have to play that way. Playing with Jess and Kingsbury, if you went to the lane....we know Kingsbury would ride you into the bench. We were not opposed to laying a hard foul on you so you knew you couldn't come into the paint."

"Unless you are the Golden State Warriers, you can't make your identity on offense. It's got to be on defense, rebounding and toughness."

Kenyon sat right behind the bench during the Wisconsin game. "The one thing I never saw was one of the guys come off the floor, to the bench, and be animated toward the other guys on the bench. That's non existent. There's got to be someone other than Fran that has got to get pissed off. "

On the fact that some guys don't respond well to Fran yelling at them and that they turtle up: "It's sports, though, too. Come on, man. Then they don't need to be here and that's a whole new issue that we can get into, there."

"If you are in any kind of relationship, boyfriend, girlfriend, you are going to get yelled at at some point in time. And Fran is not going to change who he is. The players knew the way Fran was when they signed here. But now does it become a case of in one ear, out the other?"

"In 4 years at Iowa, we never lost a Senior game. None of our seniors ever lost. And there is a reason for it. It's the last time they dress and get to play in front of that great crowd at Carver Hawkeye Arena. I loved playing at Carver Hawkeye. If you can't get amped up for your Senior game, then you never deserved to wear the uniform."
OMG. Get rid of Fran and hire Kenyon for the job. His points are spot on.
 
41-27, 41-30. Guess what those are. o_O

To me it sounds like a lot of frustration on Kenyon as a fan, like we all feel. I'm not going to say anything derogatory about Kenyon's comments as another poster figured people would. Because when things are going well Kenyon says so! My complaints are saved for the fair weather fans one never hears give a compliment to any player.

Again, just my opinion but I think Murray made many excellent points. I would remind him though that as far as identifying the hot three point shooter it is easy to criticize but sooner or later someone is going to point out that Dr. Tom's teams constantly sagged in and left shooters wide open!!! :)

So anyway, those numbers? Kenyon went 41-27 in Big Ten play. Our current seniors are at 41-30.
LOL. So, in the past you said a current coaches comments (N. Fla) should be ignored and now a former Hawkeye. I guess you forgot that when KM played you played every team twice, and you didn't have the cupcake schools Neb and Rutgers in the conference. Once again, you are as great at comparing apples to oranges as you are cherry picking stats using various data points.

KM's points are spot on and Fran would be wise to read them, study them, and take them to heart. Hell, he'd be smart to give the guy a job as an assistant coach. Take off the black and gold blinders for just a second, and you will see there are problems going on with this program.
 
LOL. So a current coaches comment (N. Fla) are to be ignored and now a former Hawkeye. I guess you forgot that when he played you played every team twice, and you didn't have the cupcake schools Neb and Rutgers in the conference. Once again, you are as great at comparing apples to oranges as you are cherry picking stats using various data points.

KM's points are spot on and Fran would be wise to read them, study them, and take them to heart. Hell, he'd be smart to give the guy a job as an assistant coach.

Please just don't reply to me. I'm asking nicely.
 
Some of you brainiacs are so transparent. KM sounded like know-it-all Dakich, who also never coached a team for an entire season. Your logic is "duh yeah! Kenyon was a hawk, confirms all the negative stuff I would have said if I knew X's and O's half as well as him. He should be elevated to #1 assistant."

Let me offer 2 questions.... What was MSU doing wrong during their slump at the beginning of conf play? No. 2 what was Purdue doing wrong during their slump during the first half of conf play?

Feel free to ignore me again... Im used to it and wouldn't expect you adolescents to enter into a didactic conversation....mostly because you have nothing intelligent to offer.
 
Here is an unpopular opinion - Fran has done his best coaching job ever with this team.

Hop into the wayback machine to October, 2015 and remind me of the expectations of this team. Then take an objective look at the skill sets of the players on the team. I don't remember a lot of all-B1G preseason selections on this squad.

But, this team came together and played GREAT for a couple of months - probably the best an Iowa team has played in years. They blew out teams at home and on the road.

So, now we have decided that THAT team was the benchmark for this club, and now that they aren't playing up to that level it's because of poor coaching and because these players have no heart.

Well, rubbish I say! This team played beyond their expected abilities and now they have a target on their backs. They are playing good basketball teams and can't quite summon the same magic they had in January.

Let's see how they finish before we write off 2015/216.:)

I believe there is a lot of truth to this assessment. Hawks were probably playing over the heads in January, especially Uthoff, and now teams have figured out how to take away (or at least diminish) what Iowa was doing best. Everyone spends a lot of time complaining about Mike, Sapp and Woody not stepping up, but I think they are playing about the same as they were when Iowa was on fire. Woody has even been better.They don't have another gear, if the other team takes away our big 2, who both have trouble with really dedicated physical players in their jersey. The bench struggling, up until the IU game, gave opponents the advantage they needed to win.
 
Difference between repeatedly blaming one player and pointing out numerous things that almost everyone on the team could be doing better.
If he posted this on here without you knowing who he was, your telling me people on this board would be ok with it.

"I guarantee you that in this loss, the coaches probably feel worse than the players and that can't happen. And you won't win if the coaches are always feeling worse than the players. You will never win a championship at any level."

"In 4 years at Iowa, we never lost a Senior game. None of our seniors ever lost. And there is a reason for it. It's the last time they dress and get to play in front of that great crowd at Carver Hawkeye Arena. I loved playing at Carver Hawkeye. If you can't get amped up for your Senior game, then you never deserved to wear the uniform."
 
I believe there is a lot of truth to this assessment. Hawks were probably playing over the heads in January, especially Uthoff, and now teams have figured out how to take away (or at least diminish) what Iowa was doing best. Everyone spends a lot of time complaining about Mike, Sapp and Woody not stepping up, but I think they are playing about the same as they were when Iowa was on fire. Woody has even been better.They don't have another gear, if the other team takes away our big 2, who both have trouble with really dedicated physical players in their jersey. The bench struggling, up until the IU game, gave opponents the advantage they needed to win.

Yes. Maybe because we were so experienced we peaked sooner than most, and they caught up with us. Our shooting goes along with that and it pretty much sums up (maybe) the why's of the losses. I don't know for sure but I don't get a sense our guys just quit playing.
 
If he posted this on here without you knowing who he was, your telling me people on this board would be ok with it.

"I guarantee you that in this loss, the coaches probably feel worse than the players and that can't happen. And you won't win if the coaches are always feeling worse than the players. You will never win a championship at any level."

"In 4 years at Iowa, we never lost a Senior game. None of our seniors ever lost. And there is a reason for it. It's the last time they dress and get to play in front of that great crowd at Carver Hawkeye Arena. I loved playing at Carver Hawkeye. If you can't get amped up for your Senior game, then you never deserved to wear the uniform."

Good Question. I think from now on everyone should have to post their real name. :)
 
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The same people ragging on KM are the same that do it to DD and for record it all comes back to mental toughness, which most on this team don't have, we will have more next year and might be better because of it.
 
Some of you brainiacs are so transparent. KM sounded like know-it-all Dakich, who also never coached a team for an entire season. Your logic is "duh yeah! Kenyon was a hawk, confirms all the negative stuff I would have said if I knew X's and O's half as well as him. He should be elevated to #1 assistant."

Let me offer 2 questions.... What was MSU doing wrong during their slump at the beginning of conf play? No. 2 what was Purdue doing wrong during their slump during the first half of conf play?

Feel free to ignore me again... Im used to it and wouldn't expect you adolescents to enter into a didactic conversation....mostly because you have nothing intelligent to offer.

Let's see, MSU did not have Valentine and when he came back he was not 100% and the team needed to adjust to his return. Forbes was also mired in a shooting slump early in conference play. Purdue has lost some big leads, but have righted the ship. Neither team is facing losing 6 of 7. Usually a slump is defined by a few games, not the second half of a season.

Insults are always an indication someone is willing to engage in intelligent dialogue. Please share your thoughts as to why Iowa is on a skid. UFO's? Bush? Global warming? Clearly the North Florida coach, Dakich, Bonner, Shon Morris, Kenyon Murray , Bobby Hansen and others who have commented on Iowa's lack of passion and lax play are all nuts and know nothing.
 
LOL. So, in the past you said a current coaches comments (N. Fla) should be ignored and now a former Hawkeye. I guess you forgot that when KM played you played every team twice, and you didn't have the cupcake schools Neb and Rutgers in the conference. Once again, you are as great at comparing apples to oranges as you are cherry picking stats using various data points.

KM's points are spot on and Fran would be wise to read them, study them, and take them to heart. Hell, he'd be smart to give the guy a job as an assistant coach. Take off the black and gold blinders for just a second, and you will see there are problems going on with this program.



Which year(s) did Iowa play every Big Ten team twice? I guess I missed those twenty game conference schedules.
 
The same people ragging on KM are the same that do it to DD and for record it all comes back to mental toughness, which most on this team don't have, we will have more next year and might be better because of it.

I guess I'm missing where a bunch of people are ragging on Murray. In fact we've got one poster saying we would if we didn't know who Kenyon was. So are we or aren't we?

I was accused once on this thread for complaining about him, after I posted my thoughts that included saying that Murray had made excellent points!! :confused:

Kenyon has every right to have his opinions. But what is amazing to me is how quick the dimwits latch onto the most negative comments he made. Comments made with concern and hope things turn around as opposed to the bizarre amongst us who live to complain. The unexplainable fans who've never expressed kind words toward the team or coach, and you know who you are. You take the Murray opinions and make them some kind of certain fact... one guy even called for making him coach!

And yet, for the second time, Iowa's seniors, 41-30 in the Big Ten. Murray, 41-27...how is he such an expert? Excellent points, food for thought, but talk about going to the extreme!?!? Not him, but posters making up stuff like he's being attacked.

Sorry but it's just dumb. Like the facts are indigestible to some people.
 
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Let's see, MSU did not have Valentine and when he came back he was not 100% and the team needed to adjust to his return. Forbes was also mired in a shooting slump early in conference play. Purdue has lost some big leads, but have righted the ship. Neither team is facing losing 6 of 7. Usually a slump is defined by a few games, not the second half of a season.

Insults are always an indication someone is willing to engage in intelligent dialogue. Please share your thoughts as to why Iowa is on a skid. UFO's? Bush? Global warming? Clearly the North Florida coach, Dakich, Bonner, Shon Morris, Kenyon Murray , Bobby Hansen and others who have commented on Iowa's lack of passion and lax play are all nuts and know nothing.

Ihawkhoops, appreciate the response.
 
The highlighted annoys the hell out me. It's a major point the Stacy King brings up during Bulls games. You must identify who the other teams shooters are early on and you make sure they don't get wide open looks. You don't leave them open by rotating over, you keep in contact with that guy and never give him wide open shots.

The last paragraph also touches on a point I've made when I call Fran, The Frontrunner. When things are going well, and everyone is hitting their shots, all is good in Fran world. However, when that's not the case the team plays tentative, guys are hesitant, and they look like a mess. Part of that is on coaching, it's the coaches job to change the mindset, to get the team believing in themselves again. Fran hasn't shown he has this ability, as we've seen some incredible meltdowns during his tenure. He's yet to show he can right the ship when the team is headed for the iceberg. I'll be surprised if this team wins the rest of the season. I don't know if it's something that can be fix by bringing in a new asst coach, but Fran has to do something when the team starts on a downward spiral. Right now it looks like Fran is the man with no plan.

when you look at other teams, i think THEY do a good job at identifying Uthoff and Jok and if they screw up, their coach calls a time out.

This years's D, over the last 6 games, reminds me of the 2014 team; we are just not stopping anyone. and if you are not stopping anyone and you are struggling on offense, TOO, you get the slump we are in today.

One thing to keep in mind: even Izzo has his stretches when he is trying to figure out rotations, etc. However, Izzo teams rarely struggle in late Feb and March, unlike Iowa 2 of the last 3 years.

Fran does seem to struggle with making adjustments during the season and in games. I think that's why Kenyon makes some very good and very interesting points.

By the way, Kakert, in this podcast, said if Iowa lost to Wisconsin, they would lose their 2 remaining games and so far, he is correct.
 
It's very popular right now to beat up on Gesell these days but the way I see it, he realizes in the final minutes that nobody else is going to do anything so he tries to take it over. Not always wisely, but he doesn't do something, nothing is going to be done.

and this is where coaching comes in; they need to run better offense and its up to the coaches to make it happen.
 
Tom Davis and that 2-3 zone. I've always thought there was a lot of similarities between Dr. Tom and Fran. The 2-3 zone is killing Fran as of late and he continues to run it. I believe that the 2-3 zone was a big factor in Dr. Tom getting ran out of town. I just wonder if that will ultimately be Fran's downfall as well.

correct me if i am wrong, but when we are in zone, we struggle big time finding someone to block out; it just seems that the other guys slip thru too easily to get the offensive rebound
 
I believe there is a lot of truth to this assessment. Hawks were probably playing over the heads in January, especially Uthoff, and now teams have figured out how to take away (or at least diminish) what Iowa was doing best. Everyone spends a lot of time complaining about Mike, Sapp and Woody not stepping up, but I think they are playing about the same as they were when Iowa was on fire. Woody has even been better.They don't have another gear, if the other team takes away our big 2, who both have trouble with really dedicated physical players in their jersey. The bench struggling, up until the IU game, gave opponents the advantage they needed to win.

agreed. and everything KM brought up makes sense, too, in why Iowa is struggling now. KM, among a ton of other things, said that we need to be playing D like we did when we were a top 5 team in the country. We need to defend better, control the paint better, recognize shooters better, rebound better; if we do ALL THOSE THINGS, it helps get Iowa in transition going the other way, hopefully leading to easy points.

Iowa can control the effort they give on D when their offense is struggling.
 
correct me if i am wrong, but when we are in zone, we struggle big time finding someone to block out; it just seems that the other guys slip thru too easily to get the offensive rebound

I don't know and disagree with this cause I am watching the girls right now play top ranked Maryland playing Man to Man, doing a nice job like the Men do too but running into some foul trouble in the 3rd quarter with both Coley (4) and Gustafson (3) fouls. Now slipped back into a zone ....is this coaching too? Just asking?

I think way too many do not give enough credit to the talent Iowa teams are playing against. You try and cover a guard like Yoggi or DValentine or this Maryland talent I am watching now....good luck coach with your decisions.

I would be OK if you would just point out that Fran and Lisa need to recruit better talent cause in the end that's what this game is all about....that makes sense to me.

Women now down by 13...running out of gas with the talent they have. I know....it's a coaching thing.
 
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