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Honest thoughts from Coach Woodson's hiring and where we stand in conference


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I think we are on par from what most on here thought we would be in terms of wins and losses. I wanted to make the tournament and be top 6-7 in the BIG10. Win  a game or 2 in BIG10  tourney. I see this as on par. As some have said we could be Undefeated with this or that going our way. Recruiting is looking good, players like each other, we play hard , we are a better overall looking team than in the past few years, all in all I think we are looking UP. Some of the comments from  Iowa's game and  Neb. we did win got me thinking what most thought where we would be. I give us a B- overall for 2nd half of several games But very sure we are only getting better!!

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I wasn’t expecting to go from where we’ve been to where we want to be in one year. I came into the season expecting top half of the B1G and to hear our name called on Selection Sunday. We are on pace for that, so I’m feeling positive. Anything beyond that would be a bonus. In regard to Woodson specifically, he is meeting my year one expectations, not exceeding them, not missing them, but certainly meeting them.  

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9 minutes ago, Parakeet Jones said:

I wasn’t expecting to go from where we’ve been to where we want to be in one year. I came into the season expecting top half of the B1G and to hear our name called on Selection Sunday. We are on pace for that, so I’m feeling positive. Anything beyond that would be a bonus. In regard to Woodson specifically, he is meeting my year one expectations, not exceeding them, not missing them, but certainly meeting them.  

This was how I felt when CMW was hired. But I feel the recruiting is far better than I thought at this stage for not being a coach in college ranks before. But want to think (administration) did well with letting CMW get the STAFF he wanted and then some. To me the future looks bright

Edited by loviubb
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11 minutes ago, 5fouls said:

I've seen some real player development.  I can't judge the newcomers.  But, in my mind, we're seeing a better Trayce, Race, Galloway, and Geronimo than we would have under the previous coaching regime.   

I don't follow % but I do know I am trusting Galloway shooting when he feels he can make it. Geronimo is at the same thought. On the neg. is Landers is he being told what he needs to do or is he happy? I want this young Hoosier to get it and be a major player in IU'S  6th  banner.

Edited by loviubb
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He’s assembled a top-5 staff.  Recruiting has been great and will continue as such under him (assuming staff stays intact).  
 

on the court - agree - trending where a lot of us thought (7-10 seed).   
 

crazy thing is, not very far off from being a 1 or 2 loss team.  
 

my only complaints are kopp still starting (he wants experience) and lack of sets/plays for Stewart and kopp.  They r both one dimensional and shouldn’t be on floor together imo.

 

 

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I wasn’t really sold on the hire at first, but have been pleasantly surprised with Woodson and the team. I think the players like playing for him and that’s huge. And we are seeing some good player development (Galloway, Race, and Geronimo). We are still missing that grit and passion that I think good IU teams have to have, but I’m happy so far. 

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I was not happy with the hire at the time. I felt like Woodson would be an excellent X's and O's coach, and develop players well, but due to his age, I was concerned with recruiting and longevity (I felt the team would have to have a very quick turnaround vs a younger coach).

Thus far, I like his player development for the most part. I was hoping Lander would be further along, but I have no idea what is going on in practices, so maybe he is making progress. From what I can see, he has done very well here.

He has recruited better than I thought he would thus far. I was impressed he kept TJD, Race, and most of the other returning players, and was able to recruit some nice players.

If he is able to have this team keep improving and making the tourney this year, I would call it a fairly successful season.

He has a great coaching staff and I will expect him/the team to take another step in the right direction next season.

I try to be open minded and fair. We should give him the same chances that Miller and Crean received. I really hope he is able to right the ship and then hand it off to Fife in 5-7 years.

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1 hour ago, FritzIam4IU said:

I was not happy with the hire at the time. I felt like Woodson would be an excellent X's and O's coach, and develop players well, but due to his age, I was concerned with recruiting and longevity (I felt the team would have to have a very quick turnaround vs a younger coach).

Thus far, I like his player development for the most part. I was hoping Lander would be further along, but I have no idea what is going on in practices, so maybe he is making progress. From what I can see, he has done very well here.

He has recruited better than I thought he would thus far. I was impressed he kept TJD, Race, and most of the other returning players, and was able to recruit some nice players.

If he is able to have this team keep improving and making the tourney this year, I would call it a fairly successful season.

He has a great coaching staff and I will expect him/the team to take another step in the right direction next season.

I try to be open minded and fair. We should give him the same chances that Miller and Crean received. I really hope he is able to right the ship and then hand it off to Fife in 5-7 years.

This matches a lot of my thoughts and is a lot easier than typing all my thoughts. :coffee:

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I think it would be hard to find much to complain about. I'd love to have finished off a couple of those losses, because they have all been winnable, but it really seems like all areas of the program are trending in the right direction.

I’m cautiously optimistic we can really have a strong last 6 weeks of the regular season, finish over .500 in conference, win a game or two in the BTT and get a seed that puts us in position to make the second weekend in March. That would be phenomenal. Regardless, making the tournament will be a huge step in the right direction and our recruiting has been great. 

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Objectively this is a much better defensive team than in previous years, but offensively we are about the same. 

It will be interesting to see if CMW can improve the team in the rest of B1G season.  We have a lot of talent that could be doing better especially offensively.  I don't think this team is playing up to its potential offensively.

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A lot to like.  He coaches hard and he is demanding.  Yet he strikes that balance that he coaches you hard but he cares about you, and that caring is the basis for it all.  He is also a total gentleman and a credit to his family.  Because of his incredible knowledge about the NBA, he knows exactly what skill set a particular player will need at the NBA level and he has a unique insight into getting a kid to that point.  All of these things to me lead to a coach who has resonated with recruits, as we have seen already.

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1 minute ago, IUFLA said:

X 100...I think we've seen flashes, but consistency lacks...

I feel like the biggest problem is ball movement and getting the ball to Kopp and Stewart enough where they are ready to shoot.   You can see Stewart on the wing and he has his arm up for a shot and X/Phin go do something else, often inexplicable.

I will give the staff credit with Kopp.  I think they have gotten him going with the mid-range.  Get the ball 20 feet out.  Defender over plays you, take three bounces with the ball and pop a 15 foot mid-range shot.  He has been money with that.  That has been a nice adjustment.

But part of me also thinks we just aren't that good at the starting 1-3 positions.  When Galloway, Bates, and JG were running 2-4, we had athleticism and were like a different team.  Those three over the next two years...watch out.

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1 hour ago, BobSaccamanno said:

 

But part of me also thinks we just aren't that good at the starting 1-3 positions.  When Galloway, Bates, and JG were running 2-4, we had athleticism and were like a different team.  Those three over the next two years...watch out.

We don’t have consistent players in those spots at all. Hard to put that on the staff, they did a good job of upgrading as much as they could.

I think looking to next season though, JHS, Bates, Galloway, Geronimo and maybe (hopefully!) Race could be a much more dynamic and well balanced offensive unit than what we see this season. And frankly, probably better on defense too which could be scary. 

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2 hours ago, BobSaccamanno said:

I feel like the biggest problem is ball movement and getting the ball to Kopp and Stewart enough where they are ready to shoot.   You can see Stewart on the wing and he has his arm up for a shot and X/Phin go do something else, often inexplicable.

I will give the staff credit with Kopp.  I think they have gotten him going with the mid-range.  Get the ball 20 feet out.  Defender over plays you, take three bounces with the ball and pop a 15 foot mid-range shot.  He has been money with that.  That has been a nice adjustment.

But part of me also thinks we just aren't that good at the starting 1-3 positions.  When Galloway, Bates, and JG were running 2-4, we had athleticism and were like a different team.  Those three over the next two years...watch out.

And they're just "playing" at that point. Move Race to the 5 there, put in JHS. 🤷‍♂️

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Liking the hire more than i did at the start.  Like what he has done recruiting wise.  Still not sure about the team.  We play to much to our competition.  We'ew not as good team on the road which doesn't bode well for winning a couple game in the BTT which we have never ever done well.  We're an excellent defensive team so happy with that.  But offensively were still easy to defend scheme wise and we get sloppy with the ball.  We don't play to our strengths down the stretch (TJD not getting touches), we don't get PS enough shots throughout the game and Kopp shouldn't be starting.  Hopefully the 5 man sub rotation is going by the way side.

I think we'll finish 7-10th and be a bubble team.  

Its not all sunshine and rose and its not all doom and gloom  There are good things to say about the team and coach and there are areas that the coaching staff and team can get better at, whether its this year or next.  I didn't expect us to make the tourney this year so overachieved to me if we do.

Like this team better than anyone in the last 5 years or so.  Thats a plus.

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I was pretty high on the hire once the staff and Matta were announced. Just seemed like a no brainer with Woodsons NBA background. And since the season started that's further been driven home. Woodson is stupid good ATO, where most college coaches aren't. 

I like how we use quite a few guys in our rotation. We aren't going to be successful playing 7 or 8 guys for an entire season, and we aren't going to recruit well like that, and eventually when an injury occurs.. we won't be very well prepared to handle it. You can tell how engaged the sideline has become as a result. 

You can see how much better we are offensively from skill development to just understanding where the ball needs to go to more often. We get TJD the ball pretty well, mostly. We still need better PG play. Changes are needed coming into next year, at that position. Bates, JG, and TG are going to look like new players coming into next year. TG and JG already do, in spurts. TG still forces it way too often, but his frame and finishing ability... might be something there. 

I think Kopp will be more of a 12-15 mins a game guy next season, but hopefully get more open shots, and he might play the 4 more next year. Idk where Parker will be in the rotation, but obviously 40%+ he's going to play. 

Edited by btownqb
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18 minutes ago, btownqb said:

Fine with me. I don't agree, but that doesn't bother me at all. 

i don't know if i care that much, even though he isn't a starter.  Its more that we haven't deviated at all once this season from our starting line-up, unless someone was hurt or in trouble.  I never understand that.  If someone is playing better or we see a better grouping of kids why not start them.  Galloway and rob come to mind.  Rob and XJ play really well together.  Galloway is a better option than Kopp to start.  But we just start the same 5 regardless of how they play for both halves.  This is something i didn't like about CAM and its something i don't like about CMW.  Everyone says you have to earn playing time or whatnot, but everyone seems to say Miller Kopp is not a starter and should come off the bench. 

Just little things like this annoy me, but not enough to think about it unless i am watching a game or on here.

Cheers

Edited by IowaHoosierFan
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