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Coach Mike Woodson Megathread


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Dustin Dopirak had some recent comments on Twitter that I've been thinking on ever since:

This thinking seems to explain what we've seen as well as anything. Woodson has brought in some talented guys: Tamar, Hood-Schifino, Reneau, Ware, Mgbako, even convincing Trayce to stay. Where it seems we've struggled has been in developing that supporting cast. 

I've been puzzled by our recruiting for a few years now. We didn't land many prep targets in '23, with the explanation we were conserving resources for '24. But then that class rolls around and we again hone in on a select group of guys at the very top. When we don't get them there's not really a plan B of guys in that 40-100 range who will contribute over multiple years. In fact, we actively stop recruiting those guys because we're trying to land bigger fish. This is an adjustment to the college game Woodson needs to make that was perhaps overlooked in discussion at the time of his hire. Kids don't need NBA potential to still contribute on winning teams at the college level.

This familiarity with what NBA players can do also explains some coaching decisions. There's the infamous quote that it's not his job to get Miller Kopp shots. Might ring true in the NBA, where guys are freaks and can mostly do whatever you ask. College players are less skilled, and I imagine needing of more structure in support. Maybe Kopp is doing all he can, but when players are still growing, still learning what they can do, and trying to find who they are as a player - like every other college kid - maybe they don't think of passing out to Kopp unless you actively coach it into being a habit. Guys in the league are closer to fully formed. Guys in college need more guidance.

I actually don't think Woodson is necessarily stubborn. We've seen a lot of changes in Xs and Os strategy over the years, and this season alone. The lack of use of the three point shot remains puzzling, but perhaps this is best explained by ossification. The NBA is still what Woodson knows best. A season like this, which demonstrates all the ways college is different, might be just what's needed to prompt a new approach. 

 

 

Edited by Maedhros
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29 minutes ago, Maedhros said:

Dustin Dopirak had some recent comments on Twitter that I've been thinking on ever since:

This thinking seems to explain what we've seen as well as anything. Woodson has brought in some talented guys: Tamar, Hood-Schifino, Reneau, Ware, Mgbako, even convincing Trayce to stay. Where it seems we've struggled has been in developing that supporting cast. 

I've been puzzled by our recruiting for a few years now. We didn't land many prep targets in '23, with the explanation we were conserving resources for '24. But then that class rolls around and we again hone in on a select group of guys at the very top. When we don't get them there's not really a plan B of guys in that 40-100 range who will contribute over multiple years. In fact, we actively stop recruiting those guys because we're trying to land bigger fish. This is an adjustment to the college game Woodson needs to make that was perhaps overlooked in discussion at the time of his hire. Kids don't need NBA potential to still contribute on winning teams at the college level.

This familiarity with what NBA players can do also explains some coaching decisions. There's the infamous quote that it's not his job to get Miller Kopp shots. Might ring true in the NBA, where guys are freaks and can mostly do whatever you ask. College players are less skilled, and I imagine needing of more structure in support. Maybe Kopp is doing all he can, but when players are still growing, still learning what they can do, and trying to find who they are as a player - like every other college kid - maybe they don't think of passing out to Kopp unless you actively coach it into being a habit. Guys in the league are closer to fully formed. Guys in college need more guidance.

I actually don't think Woodson is necessarily stubborn. We've seen a lot of changes in Xs and Os strategy over the years, and this season alone. The lack of use of the three point shot remains puzzling, but perhaps this is best explained by ossification. The NBA is still what Woodson knows best. A season like this, which demonstrates all the ways college is different, might be just what's needed to prompt a new approach. 

 

 

So right on. The team seems to struggle and get stagnant when he loosens the reigns. It's a relatively young team that doesn't have a whole lot of experience playing together - so I get it. They have trouble finding good shots unless a play is called or drawn up for them.

That said, this team has been starting games well. For the most part, they come out of halftime ready to play. They do execute inbounds play under the basket decently. They execute out of time-outs decently. However, the further (minutes in a game) they get away from instruction, they seem to dismantle. 

Sure, Ideally you want a team to be able to think and execute on their own, but if they can't, I think a coach needs to 'hold their hands' a little more and be quicker to call timeouts. Coming from the NBA, I could see why it's not instinctive for Woody to micro-manage players and the game to this degree. 

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6 hours ago, 13th&Jackson said:

What happened to “next man up?”

I have been reading up on Nick Saban a lot since he retired - I don’t see a lot of similarities in how Saban talks and how Woodson does.

Not that a basketball coach has to talk like Saban, but he’s probably the best modern example (or maybe in any era) we have of what building a winning culture looks like. 

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17 hours ago, Indykev said:

Here is reason 50 to fire his _____ass. The open scholly says get off your deadass and go recruit.

And any media person not afraid to lose their credentials should have followed up that statement with a question like, "Given that, do you wish you had a do over on not filling the 13th scholarship?"

IU media are kind of cowardly down the line though.

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I’ve been holding back on this thread, because I like Woody, and he was one of my all time favorite players, but this loss is inexcusable, and all on him. I was ok with his first 2 years, but I’m not sure we can recover from this one. While you can turn it around in a hurry through the portal, not sure another year is the answer.

 

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13 minutes ago, KDB said:

Trilly Donovan in regards to IU/Woody: “I was just told some prominent boosters have started piping up a bit.”

This and the Purdue game will do that. Can’t imagine whatever happens to us next weekend is going to quiet anyone that’s upset. 

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1 minute ago, Hoosier4Life53 said:

I’ve been holding back on this thread, because I like Woody, and he was one of my all time favorite players, but this loss is inexcusable, and all on him. I was ok with his first 2 years, but I’m not sure we can recover from this one. While you can turn it around in a hurry through the portal, not sure another year is the answer.

 

Could you imagine where we would've been without TJD?

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My email I just sent to Dolson

I assume you will be getting a lot of these kinds of emails today. Maybe not because most fans are totally over this coaching regime. I wasn't in favor of the hire when you made the hire but was going to give it a chance. I am now totally over it today because that was the most embarrassing loss I can remember in all of my years watching IU bay.

 

The roster construction is horrible and we have absolutely no guard play. We left one scholarship open even though everyone knew we needed more guards. Instead of bringing in some guards he brings in Walker and Sparks who don't even see the court.

 

You need to fire him tonight because this is totally unacceptable and should not happen at IU. It sounds like he is not totally dedicated to work hard on the recruiting front that a college basketball coach needs. This team plays with no passion or enthusiasm and that comes from your coach. He looks uninterested and has no emotion on the court. I just don't think he knew what the college game entailed and shouldn't have ever been hired to coach IU basketball.

 

Please do all of us long time Hoosiers a favor and try to rebuild this program. I would like to get a coach like the Indiana State coach who actually runs a modern style of offense.

 

Scott Roberts

 

 

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