Williams

[whatisthat]

Fran's most used quote this year always comes after Williams gets a few good minutes in. "Christian played great we're going to get him more minutes next game." Then the next game appears, we fall behind, and there goes that theory. The reason we have usually been behind is because AC or Mike are struggling, so get him in there. I've never been high on Clemons or Gesell, but they have been serviceable in their careers and have had great stretches. But how many times can those two drive to the basket and get swatted before they realize that isn't a great idea? I am excited for Williams to take over next year...6'6" PG will be a change of pace for us. I'm not comparing the two, but he reminds me a lot of Michael Carter Williams from Syracuse a few years back. Michael was 6'7", both with long arms. I'm pumped for him to get his chance...after a deep run in the tourney by this years squad!!!
Go Hawks!

 

[hawkeyeguy69]

We will live & die in the tourney by what Clemmons & Gesell do. Fingers crossed.

 

[IllQChawk]

We will live & die in the tourney by what Clemmons & Gesell do. Fingers crossed.

The 4 seniors have earned the right to go out on their own terms....good or bad. The way this season has ended I'd rather see it that way. Next year, Iowa fans will see if coach Fran's recruiting has improved on this years senior class or not.....here's hoping it has...

 

[MTHawkeyes43]

The 4 seniors have earned the right to go out on their own terms....good or bad. The way this season has ended I'd rather see it that way. Next year, Iowa fans will see if coach Fran's recruiting has improved on this years senior class or not.....here's hoping it has...

That is mediocre thought. If the younger guy can contribute and the coach is not playing him because the "senior" has earned the right to go out on his terms then the team ends up 1 and done in the BTT. Just play the best players and tell the senior he needs to work harder or eat some pine.

 

[hawkeyeguy69]

The 4 seniors have earned the right to go out on their own terms....good or bad. The way this season has ended I'd rather see it that way. Next year, Iowa fans will see if coach Fran's recruiting has improved on this years senior class or not.....here's hoping it has...

The seniors built this program from ground zero. Literally. Let's hope they can go out on a high note and finish strong. They will need the support of the bench tho... We need more than just Baer to show up!

I think Fran's recruiting has definitely improved with the exception of PG. My thoughts on that are a push. Fran has tried and almost scored(Ulis is the main miss), but come up short. We will see the bearing of the fruit in regards to the recruits next year, in my opinion... Everyone else is saying it will be a down year, NIT at best, and we need to wait a year. But I believe we will be fine. If our schedule isn't brutal, then I say 11-7 in the B1G. We have 10 returning players. I am sure there is another team in the B1G that has that many. I am just not sure who that is...

 

[Ihawkhoops]

Fran has developed Ferentzitis and plays his guys come hell or high water. He can't risk his ego getting wounded by someone not named Clemmons, Gesell, or Woodbury doing something positive. We saw it with Olaseni year one and heard the same quotes from Fran about 'needing to get him more PT and feeling bad for not getting in the game'.

If we had Valentine and Forbes on the floor, then fine, sit guys, give them spot duty, but we have two very mediocre guards out there who needed to be pushed two years ago.

 

[2432Hawk]

So what if Gesell and Clemmons are our best players?

Williams may have upside but he's not there yet.

 

[hawkeyeguy69]

Fran has developed Ferentzitis and plays his guys come hell or high water. He can't risk his ego getting wounded by someone not named Clemmons, Gesell, or Woodbury doing something positive. We saw it with Olaseni year one and heard the same quotes from Fran about 'needing to get him more PT and feeling bad for not getting in the game'.

If we had Valentine and Forbes on the floor, then fine, sit guys, give them spot duty, but we have two very mediocre guards out there who needed to be pushed two years ago.

Who is he going to play?? Ellingson? Fleming? Not this year, and maybe not ever, unless they get better.. Williams saw the floor. But that's all we got... Unlike KF, (with the exception of the last 4 football recruits) Fran has tried to score big time recruits. Including at the PG position. He just has not landed them. He was darn close on a couple, but that's not close enough. That said, I think he will land a high PG recruit. It just isn't going to happen as quickly as we wanted.

 

[Ihawkhoops]

I agree with you regarding limited options, but is this Fran's first rodeo? If you polled members of this forum the last two years, I suspect 85% would point to our guard play as our greatest liability. What has Fran done to address it? Nothing.

There are a thousand Jake Kelly / Brody Boyd or Justin Johnson / Bryce Cartwright guys out there that get overlooked and we can't get one? We don't need a Ulis or Paige type talent. I would take Washpun in a heartbeat as an addition to the back court. If Fran and his staff can't see the obvious deficiency staring them in the face since AC and MG arrived on campus and address it over 4 years, then they are in over their heads.

To make matters worse, he is starting to spin like Ferentz about guys not having a handle on our complex system. Seriously? So every other team has freshman who can grasp their systems, but ours takes an entire year? I have always respected Fran's candor, but he is turning into a spin doctor like the football coach.

 

[Titanhawk2]

That is mediocre thought. If the younger guy can contribute and the coach is not playing him because the "senior" has earned the right to go out on his terms then the team ends up 1 and done in the BTT. Just play the best players and tell the senior he needs to work harder or eat some pine.

Agree, but your thought that Williams would do better is baseless

 

[Ihawkhoops]

Agree, but your thought that Williams would do better is baseless

I would be hard pressed to think Williams, Fleming, or Ellingson could put on a worse performance than Clemmons did yesterday. In terms of awful performances I have witnessed in Iowa hoops, Gesell, Clemmons, and Woodbury took the prize.