Coaching search

[Aargh]

The season is young, but so far it seems like IB is doing as well as GM could have been expected to do. Players seem to be happy and playing harder than last year. Maybe players don't have to be unhappy to play hard.

There's a lot of season left, so IB's coaching evaluation is in an early stage. We will learn more. There's a serious question about an unknown coach's ability to recruit. It seems obvious that Marshall was a known coach with recruiting connections. IB doesn't have that working for him and recruiting could be more challenging.

If the rest of the season goes the way the season has gone so far, WSU has a legitimate shot at a top-3 finish in the league and an invite to the dance. If that were to happen, IB would have shown that he's a winner, which would open some recruiting doors. I think IB has a realistic shot at getting the permanent job.

I'm still a Jans guy, but IB is in a position to get consideration.

[1972Shocker]

The one thing I am not particularly worried about is Coach Brown's recruiting connections. After 19 years as an assistant coach I am sure he has been in the recruiting trenches far more than 3G has been over the past 19 years. The challenge for Coach Brown will be convincing players to play for an inexperienced head coach that does not have a track record as such.

He and his assistant coaches won't be able to sell a recruit on coming to WSU to play for a very successful, long-term head coach. On the other hand he won't have to overcome other schools telling recruits to avoid WSU because the head coach is total asshole which you know was happening and would be even a bigger issue had 3G stayed on at WSU.

[pie n eye]

I love the work that Taylor Eldridge does at the eagle. He is incredibly smart, talented, and thorough. He does an incredible job covering the team.

That being said I have to disagree with his opinion that the offense is more free flowing and dribble drive oriented under Isaac Brown than it was under Gregg Marshall.

I think it only appears that way because we didn’t have the necessary personnel the last two years. Burton and Sherfield in particular looked like an invisible force field would stop them about 1 foot inside the arc. Stevenson could drive at times but preferred to shoot pull ups from half court. Dexter didn’t quite have the handle. Who am I missing?

If you go back and look at our past teams we got plenty of penetration (haha) off the dribble. Tekele, Fred, Ron, Cle, Rashard, Landry, hell even Reaves.

Marshall is not stupid. He and his staff went out in the off season and corrected that weakness. Gilbert, Etienne, Porter, Council, and Jackson are all threats to get to the rim now. Dexter has been better.

[shockersx]

I love the work that Taylor Eldridge does at the eagle. He is incredibly smart, talented, and thorough. He does an incredible job covering the team.

That being said I have to disagree with his opinion that the offense is more free flowing and dribble drive oriented under Isaac Brown than it was under Gregg Marshall.

I think it only appears that way because we didn’t have the necessary personnel the last two years. Burton and Sherfield in particular looked like an invisible force field would stop them about 1 foot inside the arc. Stevenson could drive at times but preferred to shoot pull ups from half court. Dexter didn’t quite have the handle. Who am I missing?

If you go back and look at our past teams we got plenty of penetration (haha) off the dribble. Tekele, Fred, Ron, Cle, Rashard, Landry, hell even Reaves.

Marshall is not stupid. He and his staff went out in the off season and corrected that weakness. Gilbert, Etienne, Porter, Council, and Jackson are all threats to get to the rim now. Dexter has been better.

Yep I agree. I would say it’s more due to personnel than any schematics. We haven’t had a guy that could break down his defender off the bounce and get his hips/shoulders past him since Fred, probably. I mean even Landry wasn’t a great playmaker necessarily, and Reaves was crafty but not consistent at it. Alterique certainly has his flaws but he can sure get in the lane at will. Porter is just a really smart, smooth player and I’d bet he’s gaining the confidence he needs to continue being more aggressive and making plays.

[MikeKennedyRulZ]

The one thing I am not particularly worried about is Coach Brown's recruiting connections. After 19 years as an assistant coach I am sure he has been in the recruiting trenches far more than 3G has been over the past 19 years. The challenge for Coach Brown will be convincing players to play for an inexperienced head coach that does not have a track record as such.

He and his assistant coaches won't be able to sell a recruit on coming to WSU to play for a very successful, long-term head coach. On the other hand he won't have to overcome other schools telling recruits to avoid WSU because the head coach is total asshole which you know was happening and would be even a bigger issue had 3G stayed on at WSU.

100% agree. The assistants do the majority of the in person player scouting and recruiting at least initially anyway. Most of the time it is the assistants (particularly high level assistants) locating the talent and evaluating and making initial contact. The head coach is generally the closer in recruiting. I am not worried a single bit about IB and any potential recruiting connections.

Having said that...Jans.

[shock]

Jans

[RoyalShock]

Ironic how one of the hottest Mid Major coaches is a 45 year old from Winthrop. Doesn’t have FHCGM’s resume at the same point in their careers, but he will be on some final lists of teams needing a coach at the end of the year.

And in 2017 he accepted the UMass job and two days later returned to Winthrop. Spooky.

[ShockTalk]

I love the work that Taylor Eldridge does at the eagle. He is incredibly smart, talented, and thorough. He does an incredible job covering the team.

That being said I have to disagree with his opinion that the offense is more free flowing and dribble drive oriented under Isaac Brown than it was under Gregg Marshall.

I think it only appears that way because we didn’t have the necessary personnel the last two years. Burton and Sherfield in particular looked like an invisible force field would stop them about 1 foot inside the arc. Stevenson could drive at times but preferred to shoot pull ups from half court. Dexter didn’t quite have the handle. Who am I missing?

If you go back and look at our past teams we got plenty of penetration (haha) off the dribble. Tekele, Fred, Ron, Cle, Rashard, Landry, hell even Reaves.

Marshall is not stupid. He and his staff went out in the off season and corrected that weakness. Gilbert, Etienne, Porter, Council, and Jackson are all threats to get to the rim now. Dexter has been better.

Are you sure you want to say Burton wouldn't take it to the hole? I seem to remember a number of finger rolls and dunks. Problem is, if you only have one who will take it to the whole, you can better force him to stay outside.

[AZ Shocker]

But he missed sooooo many bunnies. Lol

[MikeKennedyRulZ]

I remember him getting the ball stuffed in his face about 90% of the time he took it to the hoop.

[ShockingButTrue]

But he missed sooooo many bunnies. Lol

... And free throws.

[Wooglin]

I love the work that Taylor Eldridge does at the eagle. He is incredibly smart, talented, and thorough. He does an incredible job covering the team.

That being said I have to disagree with his opinion that the offense is more free flowing and dribble drive oriented under Isaac Brown than it was under Gregg Marshall.

I think it only appears that way because we didn’t have the necessary personnel the last two years. Burton and Sherfield in particular looked like an invisible force field would stop them about 1 foot inside the arc. Stevenson could drive at times but preferred to shoot pull ups from half court. Dexter didn’t quite have the handle. Who am I missing?

If you go back and look at our past teams we got plenty of penetration (haha) off the dribble. Tekele, Fred, Ron, Cle, Rashard, Landry, hell even Reaves.

Marshall is not stupid. He and his staff went out in the off season and corrected that weakness. Gilbert, Etienne, Porter, Council, and Jackson are all threats to get to the rim now. Dexter has been better.

I believe you have contradicted yourself in your post. You disagree with Taylor Eldridge's assessment, then follow it up with evidence supporting his case with your example of JB and GS. His statement is neither a slight to one coach or a compliment to the other, but his opinion of how the offense flows. I also believe the offense is more free flowing. Its a different roster, of course the offense will be executed in a different way. As the season progresses, it will be interesting to see if this type of offense continues to flow or morphs into something else.

[Shockm]

Are you sure you want to say Burton wouldn't take it to the hole? I seem to remember a number of finger rolls and dunks. Problem is, if you only have one who will take it to the whole, you can better force him to stay outside.

I agree. His problem was that they sagged back off of him (because his outside shooting was a big weakness), so often we were playing 4 against 5. Every once in a while, his outside shooting got hot, and he burned them. But that didn’t happen often. However, when teams would occasionally attacked us (their defense to our offense) in the half court, the ball stuck in his hands. Teams with very good, very quick, half court defenses, hurt our point guards because quickness wasn’t their strengths. Thus year, AG, CP, TE, and TW are all very quick and can break down defensive pressure with their quickness. Hopefully, this is the case tonight.

[ShockingButTrue]

JB couldn't shoot reliably and had a problem with what GGG calls "momentum killers." That would be unforced errors and critical points of a contest.

[ShockTalk]

But he missed sooooo many bunnies. Lol

I remember him getting the ball stuffed in his face about 90% of the time he took it to the hoop.

JB couldn't shoot reliably and had a problem with what GGG calls "momentum killers." That would be unforced errors and critical points of a contest.

Well, the rest of the team (besides centers) must have been worse.

JB had the best FG% on the team (-centers) in 2019-20.

He was 2nd on the team in 3pt% at 38.1 (just 0.6 behind ETN).

He was 2nd on the team in A/TO, also just behind ETN who had 60% fewer assists.

44.0 FG / 38.1 3pt / 3.4 assists / 2.2 TOs

For comparison:

This year so far, Gilbert is playing about 2 minutes more per game. 37.2 FG / 29.0 3pt / 3.3 assists / 1.9 TOs