Coach's Show

[LandStander]

The thing is coach just advises the kids, it's up to them to declare the redshirt. Honestly, I would rather have a player like TT who is told of the available minutes he's staring at and say to himself, f that, I'll work my butt off to get more. I'll earn more. I'm sure a player like TT is aware of his situation and thinks he could earn more in practice.
I feel like ZB might have been advised to take one last year and I would have agreed but then I would miss those highlights against Indiana and KU. If a kid feels like they will make an impact on the team against all odds because of who is playing in front of them is exactly the type of kid I want playing out there.

[Aargh]

As I understand it, the complexity of WSU's sets is that they have a lot of variations and a lot depends on how the defense reacts.

It's sort of like the PG has to be a lot like an NFL QB, Read the defense, read how the defense reacts, and then choose which of multiple options to go to. The rest of the team has to react according to how the play is developing and may have to move to various spots, depending on which variation is being run.

Then there's the sequence of sets. If one breaks down, I believe there is a series that are run. It's sort of if this one breaks down, then run this one and then this one. And that seems to apply to a lot of different sets of sequences. Most seem to start with a pick and roll, a pick and pop, or a pick and drive. I don't have the BBIQ to follow complex stuff, but I'd bet that there are variations on what the other 3 players do in those situations to create various types of open looks.

Maybe I'm just making this up as I go, 'cause I'm not a BB guru, but...on a pick-n-pop. Is it designed for the picker to get an open look, or is it designed as a screen for Baker, or is it a deceptive play where someone on the perimeter (instead of using the screen) uses a screen toward the basket trying to get an open look going to the hoop.

I think it's a complex system.Those kenpom offensive efficiency rankings don't happen unless defenses are confused. Defenses don't get confused by simple offensive sets.

It's very possible that Baker and VanVleet aren't AA's if they're not playing in Marshall's system.

[MTXE31]

Aargh, I think it's almost a guarantee that FVV and Baker wouldn't be AA's in other systems. It's not a knock on them, it's just that this system is exactly the one they needed to fit their skillsets. People recognize them for all aspects of the game not just one thing. If Baker was at KU he would be Brady Heslip 2.0. Self wouldn't have let Baker do much else besides shoot (because we all know he likes to milk the main skill of each player). FVV wouldn't have been much more than a passer. His defense has come a long ways over the years. He was never terrible, it's just that playing against Armstead every day forced Fred to focus on that aspect of the game as well.
These young men have pushed themselves to achieve their full potential over the years, and hats off to then for that. But hats off to Marshall especially for getting two guys who fit the offensive and defensive systems perfectly

[Aargh]

Aargh, I think it's almost a guarantee that FVV and Baker wouldn't be AA's in other systems. It's not a knock on them, it's just that this system is exactly the one they needed to fit their skillsets. People recognize them for all aspects of the game not just one thing. If Baker was at KU he would be Brady Heslip 2.0. Self wouldn't have let Baker do much else besides shoot (because we all know he likes to milk the main skill of each player). FVV wouldn't have been much more than a passer. His defense has come a long ways over the years. He was never terrible, it's just that playing against Armstead every day forced Fred to focus on that aspect of the game as well.
These young men have pushed themselves to achieve their full potential over the years, and hats off to then for that. But hats off to Marshall especially for getting two guys who fit the offensive and defensive systems perfectly

I still remember the press conference when Marshall accepted the coaching job at WSU. He said that he coaches to emphasize players strengths and hide their weaknesses. So, is it that Baker and VanVleet fit perfectly into Marshall's system, or is it that Marshll produced the perfect system for the abilities that Baker and VanVleet brought to him?

I'm of the opinion that, unlike Marty Simmons, Marshall adjusts his system to the players he has on the roster.

[WuDrWu]

This is one HELL of a team if a guy like Landry Shamet is the 10th man. The sky really is the limit this season and we all should consider ourselves lucky to be a part of such a great atmosphere

I understand there were variables 5 days ago, but Landry STARTED Saturday. Anyone that thinks he's going to be 10th on the depth chart is fooling themselves.

[tropicalshox]

Landry appears to be 2nd team sg and will see plenty of pt.

[lemuel777]

Here's the deal. During 12-13 Final Four season I recall at least five guys off the bench getting a lot of playing time. The starters came out and pound the teams in the first five minutes. Then the second wave came in and continued the intensity. This gave everyone plenty of rest throughout a long season. Then came tournament time and the starters stayed in longer than previous games, those those coming off the bench were ready to play without any fall off. I believe this will be the coach's strategy this year. Spread out the playing time so the new guys will be veterans by March.

[MTXE31]

I understand there were variables 5 days ago, but Landry STARTED Saturday. Anyone that thinks he's going to be 10th on the depth chart is fooling themselves.

Good point. He did look pretty solid and starting in place of one of our 2 best does go a long way to say what Marshall thinks of him. He always could have went with ZB, but he played Landry and we can see why

[Dave Stalwart]

I understand there were variables 5 days ago, but Landry STARTED Saturday. Anyone that thinks he's going to be 10th on the depth chart is fooling themselves.

I forgot about that. He effectively beat out Zach Brown for that spot. That's probably about where Landry really is on the current minutes scale. Based on last year, I would have thought the "no-FVV" starting lineup would have been exactly what it was but with Brown opening up at the SG. I remember turning to my wife at the exhibition and saying "that freshman just started in front of the kid who embarrassed an NBA lottery pick last year."

[Kel Varnsen]

I wouldn't say he "beat" out Brown for that spot. FVV, our PG, was out. Zach is not a point guard. Landry can play the 1 or 2 effectively. That's why he started and Zach did not.

[shocka khan]

I understand there were variables 5 days ago, but Landry STARTED Saturday. Anyone that thinks he's going to be 10th on the depth chart is fooling themselves.

100 percent. He has a high BBIQ and a high emotional IQ. He is positive, he has a great attitude and he encourages his team mates (and did so last year). I think we will all be very proud of him and what he's going to accomplish here before he's done.

[shocka khan]

I wouldn't say he "beat" out Brown for that spot. FVV, our PG, was out. Zach is not a point guard. Landry can play the 1 or 2 effectively. That's why he started and Zach did not.

Zach also committed a LOT of fouls in an exhibition game (4, I believe). He needs to cut the fouls down if he wants to play. If this had been a game that counted, he would have been on the bench during crunch time.

[Jhook89]

I'm not sure BWam is guaranteed to be in the 10. I'd almost rather have Morris and Grady hold down the 5 to make room for McDuffie.

I almost didn't include Bush, but I feel we are all reading too much into the first game of the year that doesn't even matter. After the exhibition last year we all that Holland was going to make an impact Brown was going to redshirt.

People seem to be overlooking that to end the year Bush was one of the key reserve big men. He shut down Tuttle and played big minutes in the tourney.

The reality is he is 6'11" and the only true center we have. Even though Mcduffie, Taylor, Hamilton, and Shamet have more talent and are arguably already better players already, they all have really good players who play their position in front of them. The guys who Bush will be competing with are all 4's who can play the 5.

Just imagine this, we are at Evansville and Shaq has picked up 3 fouls in the first 10 minutes of the game. Without Bush in the rotation our front line becomes pretty thin. Grady, Kelly, and Hamilton are all 4's and would have a hard time containing Mock.

Bush will play because he's the only true 5 and we will need him against teams that have a good front court.

[Dave Stalwart]

On another note, I wonder what it does to a coach when your own children reach the age where you are recruiting and coaching kids who are the same age as your son.

Kellen is the same age as this class, and he's now a manager for WSU. I bet that feels pretty crazy for HC3Gv3.3

It just occurred to me that Landry is the same age as Kellen.

And does it just continue to get weirder as a coach the older your kids get?

[shockmonster]

I'm not discounting Bush W. as a contributor. He may even be in the regular rotation. However, he wasn't in the rotation last year, and he was a major contributor in the KU game. You can't put Gregg's coaching in a box. He doesn't do it like most coaches and isn't afraid to change the rotation when he feels he needs to. Bush is going to play in most games, even if it is mop up minutes. We will find out when we play in close games what will happen. But I have a feeling it may not be the same every game for Bush.