Isaac Brown: Head Coach

[proshox]

On rebounding - we are small at every single position (except for DD when he plays the three) and we have a few guys that mentally drop the ball when it comes to checking out. The problem isn't that our bigs are small - the problem is the fact we are small everywhere.

[pie n eye]

You didn't see me anywhere on this thread saying the Shocks are good at defensive rebounding. However I DID post a stat the showed we're top 40 in rebounding as a TEAM, yes. That has much to do with why they're in first place in the conference in the month of March.

If anyone is pointing directly to the lack of defensive rebounding at HC Brown (which it kinda' reads like) they are being short-sighted. I would feel stupid making such a point, but If I did, then it would be at the lack of execution that takes place sometimes on offense. But I'm not going to ignorantly say our lack of offense is Clarence Jackson's fault. We all know better (I think).

Where were the rebounding experts last year when the Mountaineers outrebounded the Shocks by a count of 31 to 48, this after having been outrebounded by Northern Iowa the previous night by a count of 40 to 35? Yes, you read that right. Or, last year in the Shocks' 2 match-ups against the Coogs when the rebounding tallies were 39-35 on January 18th in favor of the Coogs here in Wichita. In the second match-up on Febuary the 9th the rebounding tally was 44-30 Coogs. The Shockers lost both games. Who coached those teams, of which IB inherited every. single. player?

This years Shocker team, in 2 games against the might Coogs had rebound totals of 45-41 in favor of the Coogs at their gym, and 35-33 in favor of the Shocks in the return game in Wichita.

Wouldn't it be great if the Shocks were better on the glass so we could be ranked top 5 in the Nation heading into March? Maybe if we shot like 'Nova we could be National champs this year. Yeah, right...

Yeah, I’m with you, whatever rebounding woes exist it’s not fair to lay them at the feet of IB or the coaching staff. He obviously has been and continues to emphasize it in practice, it’s just a matter of the guys going out and doing it. I believe they’re capable of being a good enough rebounding team, they just need to continue to improve consistency.

There were plenty of people on this forum talking about rebounding the last few years.

No one is saying we’re close to a 2018 Villanova level team. Just making the point that they were “undersized” and still managed to have good rebounding numbers.

[ShockingButTrue]

There were plenty of people on this forum talking about rebounding the last few years.

No one is saying we’re close to a 2018 Villanova level team. Just making the point that they were “undersized” and still managed to have good rebounding numbers.

I guarantee you I was one of 'em.

Villanova's tallest player on the court in '16 and '18 National title games WAS NOT 6'8".

[SubGod22]

Villanova's tallest player on the court in '16 and '18 National title games WAS NOT 6'8".

And not one single person has said it was.

[Shockm]

If WSU was top 40 in defensive rebounding this year I doubt even the most hardcore fan of rebounding would complain.

Your point is good. You divide it into defensive rebounding and that is fine, but to me, rebounding is a mentality, and an attitude. X didn't care if the rebound was defensive or offensive. He just went and got a rebound. Either a team is good at it or not with some gray between. However, if you foul a lot, you should get more defensive rebounds (unless of course the other team is perfect on their free throws).

Nobody is probably responsible for our poor overall rebounding effort this year (sarcasm). The Head Coach is actually responsible for everything that a team does. I just hope that he gets a couple of recruits to replace our bad rebounding 5's (or at the very least create some competition) who average 6 between the two of them for 40 minutes.

I also hope that Dexter who has been disappointing as a rebounder this year overall continues his past several games where he exceeded his average every game.

[ShockingButTrue]

And not one single person has said it was.

Bingo. We agree it's stupid to compare this years Shocks team to the '16 and 18 National Champs, in any form or fashion. Thank you.

[ShockingButTrue]

Nobody is probably responsible for our poor overall rebounding effort this year (sarcasm). The Head Coach is actually responsible for everything that a team does. I just hope that he gets a couple of recruits to replace our bad rebounding 5's (or at the very least create some competition) who average 6 between the two of them for 40 minutes.

It was good to hear HCIB give a shout-out to the dummies roaming about here on Shockernet. I'm glad he got a good laugh out of it just like many on here having to read those posts did. We thank you.

Maybe HCIB can go and recruit another Xavier McDaniel. No problem...

[SubGod22]

Bingo. We agree it's stupid to compare this years Shocks team to the '16 and 18 National Champs, in any form or fashion. Thank you.

You're stretching. We have players on the floor over 6'8", though none of our starters are. Your continued excuse about size and rebounding is ridiculous. Rebounding is all about effort and execution. Size and athleticism can help, if you still have effort and execution.

Effort and execution is what has been painfully lacking in most games this year. We know they can rebound better but the fact that they don't is insanely frustrating.

[SubGod22]

Maybe HCIB can go and recruit another Xavier McDaniel. No problem...

And if he could, you wouldn't expect him to rebound worth a damn because he'd be too short.

[ShockingButTrue]

You're stretching. We have players on the floor over 6'8", though none of our starters are. Your continued excuse about size and rebounding is ridiculous. Rebounding is all about effort and execution. Size and athleticism can help, if you still have effort and execution.

Effort and execution is what has been painfully lacking in most games this year. We know they can rebound better but the fact that they don't is insanely frustrating.

Yeah. Maybe they could be a top 5 team in the country heading into the tournament too. It's the coaches fault...

[ShockingButTrue]

And if he could, you wouldn't expect him to rebound worth a damn because he'd be too short.

Dude. Pick someone else to project your stupidity on, ok? You're one of the people on this board who gave IB a good laugh (listen to Monday's coaches show), and us. Keep it up...

COACH BROWN: If you're reading this, please explain on the next Coaches show why you haven't recruited another Xavier McDaniel.

[Dan]

our guys CAN rebound. The problem is, for most of the year, they haven't put forth the effort to be better rebounders. The Houston game was a good example of what we can do when we are focused in the right direction. It's not about height. It's about boxing out, having active hands and staying around long enough to try to grab the board. In the games where we looked terrible, we would have maybe one guy boxing out and 1 or 2 other guys have heartedly trying to pursue the ball. Watch UH, Memphis, even USF. Those guys are constantly swiping, swatting, etc. You don't always rebound by out jumping the other team. A lot of times it's just catching a guy being loose with the ball, but you gotta be active all the time.

[SubGod22]

Dude. Pick someone else to project your stupidity on, ok? You're one of the people on this board who gave IB a good laugh, and us. Keep it up...

COACH BROWN: If you're reading this, please explain on the next Coaches show why you haven't recruited another Xavier McDaniel.

You seem to live at the extremes, which is why you come off as so ridiculous. Nobody is asking for X to be recruited. X put forth effort to rebound. You can put forth effort and not be X. Sadly, in most games, our guys aren't putting forth much effort. A few individuals maybe, but not the majority. So many games we've had guys standing flat footed, not putting a body on anyone, and then not even attacking the ball.

In these games, some fans want "over the back" calls, but when we're standing around putting forth little to no effort, you don't get those calls because the players getting the rebounds aren't fouling anyone and are actually making an effort to rebound. No ref is going to actively reinforce poor effort in such cases. Hell, if our guys would just put a body on someone, maybe we get a few of those calls.

Once again, height has very little to do with good rebounding. Effort and execution do. You seem to want to ignore that aspect of the game for some reason. I've never given IB a good laugh as you put it. I do have my concerns about him. I do think fans that have been clamoring for him to be hired, mostly to keep current players here, were being short sighted. That's still the biggest thing many of those all in on IB talk about. I care more about where IB will have this program in five years, than I do next year. If we keep everyone and are good next year and then fall off because he doesn't do the other things, it will have been a bad hire. I like IB. I want IB to succeed. But unlike you, I'm not going to kneel before the man and then post with my mouth full.

I'm not sorry if being objective doesn't sit well with you. But I'm not going to change because it bothers your fragile sensibilities.

[Shockadaisical]

Long story short. This is the best outcome after loosing the best coach in program history given the overall climate. I get people thinking how we should have waited and under “normal” circumstances I’d probably be right there but this isn’t normal by any means. After this crazy azz Covid infused season college basketball will basically go through free agency. Do you really want to be on your 3rd coach in 3 years when this happens?
Yes, we could get (fill in the blank) and he’d keep our young talent then get all the great transfers while recruiting the 5* big men that’d be stupid to not come here too because we are a top 20 program that should act and expect as such. (Little tongue and cheek)
Unfortunately, there are just too many variables this year to conclude that this would be a likely outcome. So when IB took his interim opportunity and ran with it this put us in prime position to take a lot of variables out of the equation. How fortunate are we to have IB through this messed up time? I feel had he not been able to lead us through this and get the gig we might have dug ourself a hole so deep that even a “Marshall” level hire won’t able to clime out of it mainly due to dumb luck in timing...that’s it. (A little over the top because how bare the cupboard was he got here but you get the point)
When I see some of you angered by this hire and then just breeze past the uniqueness of the whole situation this year seems hollow and self serving in a “rooting for your prediction” type of way. So we didn’t get to make a splash hire to push up back on the national spotlight but maybe we stumbled into the person to puts us back there the old fashion way like the guy before him by winning followed by more winning.

Well stated. I agree!!

[Arizona Shocker]

Congrats IB

The city is happy, the players are happy, the press is happy, and I am sure some recruits are happy...Hell even Marshall is happy for his former assistant as he gets paid nice sums weekly to watch us win.

But what sealed it for me was FVV and Baker endorsements...I haven’t seen them say great things lately about their own school let alone Marshall. What started as a disaster year for us and an embarrassment, has turned to a Cinderella story and the right culture I can get behind in the future.

And hopefully IB wife isn’t in the stands swearing at officials and jawing with opposing fans....Leave that for people like me to do! Hahaha