Why the hell is that dude getting so much PT?

[hawktrooper1]

Hey Hawk Friends,

Back again with a second semi-obvious thread about a topic that hasn't been necessarily discussed on this board: the most hated dude on the team.

I've been struggling to put a finger on what makes this team different than past Fran teams. Sure... it's a bunch of underclassmen getting it done, whereas we've watched seniors choke in similar situations.

But that wasn't quite it...

All year I've been like... I like this team. The whole team. What's different?

And after the Wisconsin win it finally donned on me. This Hawkeyes squad runs 10-12 players deep (some games) but there isn't that one dude on the team that pisses all the fans off. The dude who leaves everyone thinking "How the hell is he getting minutes?"

Think about it.

In years past, Fran always had to play that one dude we all knew would suck as soon as he stepped on the floor. We groaned as he checked in. I won't even name names. No need. We all just knew it would end in him sucking.

This year the weakest links are dudes like Uhl, Ellingson and Christian Williams. Not the strongest players but guys who play a role. As a fan I find myself rooting for each of them to make a big play. Sometimes they do, sometimes they don't. But they never really choke or affect the team in a negative way.

This team, albeit young, is Fran's best unit from top to bottom. No scrubs. That's why I like these Hawks an awful lot.

 

[jo2knight]

Good post. I agree, the entire team is pretty talented.

 

[hawkeyeguy69]

I started reading your post to figure out who the heck you could be talking about. Then I see it is about nobody.

Fran has done a great job learning these fellas. And balancing the minutes. Especially with playing this many young guys. Having them all play together and know their roles. No one seems to step outside of their abilities. They all play well together, and it is getting better.

That written, someone will need to redshirt next year, or there might be an unhappy player or three, for lack of minutes. No might be, there will be. And they will probably be good enough to play more, we just won't have the minutes. What a great problem to have!

 

[relishingwinning18]

I got to be honest, I still feel like Fran is playing the one dude, that makes me scratch my head.

 

[bagdropper]

I wouldn't say there are weak links so much as some that have less game to game major impacts. The simple fact is the "11" have at some point all contributed at key times. Some have had more game to game impact obviously...but all 11 have contributed.

We've needed every one of them. And I believe this year had to play out like this to determine how they move on for the coming years. Fran "had to truly find out" what each had so to speak. Remember...there wasn't a single guy on the roster who had to be relied upon to be leaders, major providers of production, etc before on this team. So...every one of them had to be put in that spot to get a proper evaluation going forward.

 

[luvmyhawks]

I got to be honest, I still feel like Fran is playing the one dude, that makes me scratch my head.

Well, let's hear it.

 

[HoustonHawkeye]

My only potential person to put on this topic is Maishe Dailey. Seems like he has confidence and talent, but needs 10-15 lbs of muscle and experience. A redshirt would have been beneficial.

 

[SotaHawk87]

Well, let's hear it.

Cough*Uhl*Cough

 

[luvmyhawks]

Cough*Uhl*Cough

Really? Do you think he shouldn't be playing at all? How many minutes Is he actually playing and who is he taking minutes from?

I have never really sat there and thought dom has no business being on the court like I have some other players in years past. In fact, I would even say he has been a difference maker at times.

 

[Jonnymungo]

Really? Do you think he shouldn't be playing at all? How many minutes Is he actually playing and who is he taking minutes from?

I have never really sat there and thought dom has no business being on the court like I have some other players in years past. In fact, I would even say he has been a difference maker at times.

Yeah, see the home game against Rutgers this year. We don't win that one without Uhl. Defense, Rebounding, running the floor and using his length and athleticism to affect the game. He can play a needed role his SR year if he is willing to do it.

 

[terrehawk]

Cough*Uhl*Cough

He actually ate up some good minutes the other night guarding Hayes. 6'9 and athletic he can be oretty versatile.

If only he didnt have the touch of a serial rapist

 

[NWIAHawkfan]

Uhl played really good at the beginning of last year but has been terrible this year. He plays decent defense but is a liability on offense. IMO his only minutes should come if the other bigs are in foul trouble.

 

[SotaHawk87]

I think 4 minutes in the first half is perfect.. I think second half should be all Pemsl, Wagner, Cook, and Kreiner

 

[BGHAWK]

I'm just happy Fran is making the decisions and not a bunch of posters.

 

[HawkLogic]

Uhl is really good rebounder and both he can make a difference on defense. Uhl was more valuable earlier (like Rutgers) when Cook and Pemsl were not rebounding or playing defense and Kriener had not shown he has some talent making jumpers. That situation has changed.

I think Uhl needs to find one thing he can do offensively or else he is not going to fit in next year. If he is 25% from 3pt line with slow release and 40% making layups on drives, teams will not guard him.

 

[hawkeyeguy69]

My only potential person to put on this topic is Maishe Dailey. Seems like he has confidence and talent, but needs 10-15 lbs of muscle and experience. A redshirt would have been beneficial.

Agreed. I like Dailey's potential. This season is a Wasted year for certain. That would have made for a potentially Huge 5th year senior season(or sophomore or junior season). Baer talked about that on The Journey... That benefit from an extra year cannot be understated. Just imagine not having Uthoff last year...

None of these guys will reach their peak physical ability until after they graduate. That is scientific fact. The average NBA player is 27 years old. An extra year of maturity is incredibly beneficial. If you disagree, then you must belong to the flat earth society...
Now is having Cook or Bohannon play this year good for the team? Uh yeah. There are obvious necessities that need to be filled (Jok's position,where Dailey will play, is not one of them). But they will be better players after their Iowa days. Guaranteed.

That noted, I like Dailey's skillset, athleticism, length, ball handling and quickness. He will develop that this spring, summer (especially with the Germany trip & individual practices) and fall.... If he can learn to play within himself, he can be a major asset to this team. Let's hope so, as we need some quick guards that can play!

 

[EastIowaHawk]

I think these guys really like each other. When I see Pemsl hugging Kriener and jumping up and down, I like that. I like players encouraging Moss. It's like Abraham Lincoln's cabinet "Team of Rivals." With Fran playing so many guys competing for time and spots, there could be jealousies and conflict, but I truly think they all like and respect each other. This team has a lot of off-the- court personality, too- so I would imagine it's fun to be on this team. I think that's a big reason that Garza and Nunge are coming.

 

[kceasthawk]

Agreed. I like Dailey's potential. This season is a Wasted year for certain. That would have made for a potentially Huge 5th year senior season(or sophomore or junior season). Baer talked about that on The Journey... That benefit from an extra year cannot be understated. Just imagine not having Uthoff last year...

None of these guys will reach their peak physical ability until after they graduate. That is scientific fact. The average NBA player is 27 years old. An extra year of maturity is incredibly beneficial. If you disagree, then you must belong to the flat earth society...
Now is having Cook or Bohannon play this year good for the team? Uh yeah. There are obvious necessities that need to be filled (Jok's position,where Dailey will play, is not one of them). But they will be better players after their Iowa days. Guaranteed.

That noted, I like Dailey's skillset, athleticism, length, ball handling and quickness. He will develop that this spring, summer (especially with the Germany trip & individual practices) and fall.... If he can learn to play within himself, he can be a major asset to this team. Let's hope so, as we need some quick guards that can play!

Again on the redshirt stuff. Baer redshirted because he wanted to! He knew as a walk on, he wasn't getting on the floor as a skinny freshmen Good decision. Dailey did not want to redshirt. His decision. Before anyone says this was a mistake, Id' have to assume you know him personally? He may have a good reason for not wanting to be in college for five years! I don't understand why people don't get that. Maybe he thought it would be a long shot that he'd ever play major minutes at Iowa, and wanted to keep his options open by not wasting a redshirt. I don't know, but maybe we could just respect his decision?

 

[perryhawk]

I think Uhl can be used as a defensive specialist. Being 6'9" athletic and long he can guard opposing perimeter shooters, rebound, and push it up the floor.

I agree with an earlier poster who said he needs to do one thing well offensively. I think he was on his way earlier this year when he drove to the basket to Jam it and hurt his thumb.

 

[TDJ7]

Uhl reminds me of McCabe. Will have 1 game where he plays great and you think he's starting to get it. Then turns around and has 4 straight games where he looks like it's the 1st time he's ever played.

 

[bravehawks1]

The 11 man rotation is both a blessing and a curse. Fran knows he has a bunch of guys to call on each game and there is a pretty good chance that 7-8 will come through on any given night and that will generally be what is needed. But the downside is that he never know which of the 7-8 it will be and you have the Indiana game where he actually played 12 before getting something that started working. I personally would like to see the rotation be 8 maybe 9, but it is working out and as long as you have team first guys Fran will be able to continue. But if any of these guys turn in to "me first" guys, then there are likely to be problems. Fran has had a couple teams that appeared to have some of that and we saw things detierate as the season progressed. Glad this year is not one of them

 

[The Sleeping Dog]

Normally like to see a team play its 8 best players 'til they drop. This group is so young and inconsistent I agree with the above posts that Hawks really do need to see everyone play to learn who's going to be the difference maker.

Uhl and Williams, for example, are dreadful offensive players, especially Williams but may be the two best defenders on the team, after The Baer anyway. So I've come to kind of enjoy watching the second unit of Pemsl, Baer, Uhl, Ellingson and Williams play. Even Ellingson has improved his D tremendously over the season. Pemsl and Baer can score and Ellingson gets hot and drops threes. Williams, The Baer and Uhl cause havoc on the defensive end and that generates fast break points. They all contribute.

 

[Lonetreehawk]

Let's face it, Uhl's playing style is like Aaron White, Jarrod Uthoff, Gabe Olaseni & almost every other 'Big' during McCaffrey's initial seasons. Athletic and versatile sure, but weak physically. He's also not as polished as most of them were. I think after faltering down the stretch over the past few years, when officials allow a more physical brand of play, we have moved past that. Wagner, Cook, Pemsl and even Kreiner are all much more willing to initiate or absorb contact, and they're not even close to mature yet. Bottom line, we've got guys who are better suited than Dom to play in the lane and others who are better suited than he to play on the perimeter. He just doesn't have a role on this team right now.

 

[KuwaitHawk]

Playing 11 deep will help when playing 4 games in 4 days.