Weaknesses
- Thread starter dogpause
- Start date
- Joined
- Jul 12, 2016
- Messages
- 456
- Reaction Score
- 2,743
They're too skilled, too deep, and too exciting. And they'll win too many games
StllH8L8ner
You’ll get nothing and like it!
- Joined
- Mar 22, 2020
- Messages
- 1,786
- Reaction Score
- 9,160
No blackout unis announced.
- Joined
- Apr 16, 2017
- Messages
- 3,557
- Reaction Score
- 20,364
nice try, Jay Wright.
CL82
NCAA Men’s Basketball National Champions - Again!
- Joined
- Aug 24, 2011
- Messages
- 56,872
- Reaction Score
- 208,321
Are you saying the fans will get tired of “winning, winning, winning?”
- Joined
- Jan 6, 2015
- Messages
- 6,995
- Reaction Score
- 56,867
I'll stay on thread: frontcourt shooting.
ColchVEGAS
Still buckin like five, deuce, four, trey.
- Joined
- Apr 13, 2018
- Messages
- 930
- Reaction Score
- 3,112
Shooting.
The team is crazy athletic at just about every position and the guards/wings will get to the hoop with ease. If they cannot have somebody spot up and consistently knock down the 3 off the dribble drive there will be some tough nights.
The team is crazy athletic at just about every position and the guards/wings will get to the hoop with ease. If they cannot have somebody spot up and consistently knock down the 3 off the dribble drive there will be some tough nights.
- Joined
- Dec 8, 2015
- Messages
- 12,524
- Reaction Score
- 94,465
3 pt shooting. We are really relying on Gaffney and Akok and Martin and Adams shooting better, Tyler coming back to form, and Jackson learning how to shoot at all. If we role out a lineup of Gaff, Bouk, Jackson, Whaley Carlton like some have suggested a zone with eat this team for lunch. 0 spacing. A post-injury Polley and Bouk are our only proven shooters at the high-major level on this team we have... the potential for a disastrous offensive season is there. In general, people are assuming a MASSIVE jump in production from Gaffney this year--I am in that camp, but it might not happen. Not everyone will shoot 35+% from 3--but I think we need at least 4 if we want to be competitive at the highest level. My guess is Gaff, Cole, Bouk, Polley end up being our best shooters--Adams low 30s, Akok/Jackson high 20s again on lower attempts. With four shooters we could always have 3 of them on the floor in crunch time (which I believe is a requirement).
Unproven frontcourt. Whaley came on strong late, Carlton MIGHT turn it around, but the rest of our frontcourt hasn't played D1 ball at all.
Lack of experience in big games. I think this might be the one that gets us in the 2nd round more than anything when we make the tournament. This team may be athletic and talented, but no one has proven they are a crunch time winner outside of Bouk.
Perimeter defense. Bouknight was a garbage defender last year. Let's assume the added bulk and hard work this summer has helped him improve on that end. Even the coach is saying that Cole wasn't very good. Gaffney wasn't good either last season. Adams is probably going to be our strongest perimeter defender, but he's more of a 2/3 than a 1/2 defender. How do we stop a talented PG? The Gaffney weight gain and healthy ankle needs to lead to noticeable improvements.
(I think our defense on the wing should be very good though. I have high hopes that Adams/Jackson/Martin/Akok will be able to shut down the 3-4)
Interior defense. Carlton is incapable of hedging the ball and recovering--that was true even before the weight gain. Brown and and Sanogo are not particularly fleet of foot themselves. Sanogo hedged a lot in HS and didn't look like anything special. Young bigs always take a long time to develop good defense so I am not expecting much from Sanogo anyways on that end. I think we end up relying on Whaley A LOT unless Carlton has developed a better PnR IQ.
In general, Hurley's best trait is player development. This summer really messed with player development all over the country. I think this will effect us more than most teams.
Unproven frontcourt. Whaley came on strong late, Carlton MIGHT turn it around, but the rest of our frontcourt hasn't played D1 ball at all.
Lack of experience in big games. I think this might be the one that gets us in the 2nd round more than anything when we make the tournament. This team may be athletic and talented, but no one has proven they are a crunch time winner outside of Bouk.
Perimeter defense. Bouknight was a garbage defender last year. Let's assume the added bulk and hard work this summer has helped him improve on that end. Even the coach is saying that Cole wasn't very good. Gaffney wasn't good either last season. Adams is probably going to be our strongest perimeter defender, but he's more of a 2/3 than a 1/2 defender. How do we stop a talented PG? The Gaffney weight gain and healthy ankle needs to lead to noticeable improvements.
(I think our defense on the wing should be very good though. I have high hopes that Adams/Jackson/Martin/Akok will be able to shut down the 3-4)
Interior defense. Carlton is incapable of hedging the ball and recovering--that was true even before the weight gain. Brown and and Sanogo are not particularly fleet of foot themselves. Sanogo hedged a lot in HS and didn't look like anything special. Young bigs always take a long time to develop good defense so I am not expecting much from Sanogo anyways on that end. I think we end up relying on Whaley A LOT unless Carlton has developed a better PnR IQ.
In general, Hurley's best trait is player development. This summer really messed with player development all over the country. I think this will effect us more than most teams.
Last edited:
Youth.. Good news/bad news... The speed with which the young guys develop will dictate the trajectory of the season.. A lot of our talent is young..We have very talented slashers/scorers.. Can hide the lack of outside shooting with smothering defenses creating TOs and open court fast break opportunities.. RJ/JG will be getting the ball to the right guys in their favorite spots.. Trust me.. DH/staff have these guys taking a lot of long range jumpers in practice..Maybe Polley plays the John Gwynn role of the Microwave.. Instant Offense off the bench..
glastonbury50
You Enjoy Myself
- Joined
- Jan 21, 2018
- Messages
- 919
- Reaction Score
- 3,055
You can teach shooting, though.
"Kindness is the language which the deaf can hear and the blind can see"..Mark Twain
Dream Jobbed 2.0
“Most definitely”
- Joined
- May 3, 2016
- Messages
- 14,844
- Reaction Score
- 55,872
Caring too much
HuskyHawk
The triumphant return of the Blues Brothers.
- Joined
- Sep 12, 2011
- Messages
- 31,982
- Reaction Score
- 82,092
429 does a good job of it.
I think there are lineups that can shoot, but those lineups probably can't defend the interior or rebound.
There are lineups that can devastate teams with interior scoring and defense, but those will lack outside shooting.
I am not sure it is a weakness exactly, but Hurley is going to need this team to be multiple different teams, depending on what is needed that day. Like a football team that may throw often one game and run the ball the next. There will be teams we play that can't handle our size. There will be teams that can't handle our guys on the perimeter. There will be teams we need to defend a certain way. I believe defense needs to lead the way, not offense This team, no matter who is on the floor, can score in transition off of turnovers.
The keys to overachieving: Jackson becomes a shooter. Martin is a better shooter than we think. Akok comes back and is good. Polley learns how to rebound and play interior defense. Josh is late sophomore season Josh.
I think there are lineups that can shoot, but those lineups probably can't defend the interior or rebound.
There are lineups that can devastate teams with interior scoring and defense, but those will lack outside shooting.
I am not sure it is a weakness exactly, but Hurley is going to need this team to be multiple different teams, depending on what is needed that day. Like a football team that may throw often one game and run the ball the next. There will be teams we play that can't handle our size. There will be teams that can't handle our guys on the perimeter. There will be teams we need to defend a certain way. I believe defense needs to lead the way, not offense This team, no matter who is on the floor, can score in transition off of turnovers.
The keys to overachieving: Jackson becomes a shooter. Martin is a better shooter than we think. Akok comes back and is good. Polley learns how to rebound and play interior defense. Josh is late sophomore season Josh.
- Joined
- Nov 7, 2016
- Messages
- 130
- Reaction Score
- 541
We need to learn to defend better without fouling, especially with the front court. This was a consistent theme last year. At least this year we should have more depth to counteract this.
- Joined
- Aug 27, 2011
- Messages
- 5,006
- Reaction Score
- 10,810
They will need to find a team leader.
They will need to find another shooter.
Hurley will need to find his go to line up, and rotations are not a strong suit for him.
They will need to find another shooter.
Hurley will need to find his go to line up, and rotations are not a strong suit for him.
Fairfield_1st
Sitting on this Barstool talking like a damn fool
- Joined
- Nov 16, 2012
- Messages
- 2,514
- Reaction Score
- 7,857
My weakness is I'm a perfectionist, or at least that's what I say in my interviews.
Dream Jobbed 2.0
“Most definitely”
- Joined
- May 3, 2016
- Messages
- 14,844
- Reaction Score
- 55,872
A lot hinges on shooting. Polley is our only proven shooter and he’s coming off an ACL tear. Bouk, Gaffney, Adams, Cole, Akok shooting well is a big if. There will be nights we shoot loke 4/25 from 3 and nights we shoot 10/20.
- Joined
- Aug 26, 2011
- Messages
- 33,579
- Reaction Score
- 96,718
Defense. We know Whaley is a great plus but we also need to remember on many of his successful helps Vital and AG were involved in bothering the other guards as well. Can Cole and Gaffney defend to the point of keeping other teams guards from being comfortable starting their offenses? Can Bouk, Martin and Jackson defend scoring wings from getting in the lanes as well as creating havoc on the perimeter for other teams shooters?
We know Whaley will be good is Josh quick enough now to be decent on D, his steps lost last year on D were horrid and hurt often? Are the freshman smart enough to be like Whaley and not Enoch?
Lots of question marks but also lots of options and different line ups available. Not just on the kids but on the staff also to find the right combos.
We know Whaley will be good is Josh quick enough now to be decent on D, his steps lost last year on D were horrid and hurt often? Are the freshman smart enough to be like Whaley and not Enoch?
Lots of question marks but also lots of options and different line ups available. Not just on the kids but on the staff also to find the right combos.
- Joined
- Aug 28, 2011
- Messages
- 365
- Reaction Score
- 1,364
Regarding defensive liabilities, one plus this season is across the board length. For example, Bouknight may have been a negative man to man defender but his length created steals, disruptions and rebounds which led to easy baskets. Almost everyone they throw out on the floor has length with the exception of Cole and if the energy and effort is there, they will be very tough on the defensive end.