I think we have a vacuum because of Moses and Dusty carrying us last year, but they are both in different roles this year. Moses is not accepting the new role very well, but Dusty appears to be doing well in his new role. Macon has been somewhat of a leader but that is terribly difficult to EARN as a new player. Barford is another new guy but also a quiet guy. Cook is new but not in a position to be a leader. Beard is more of a leader than anyone else, but he is coming off a crazy year that probably keeps him from being comfortable. You have multiple people trying to drive the bus but nobody is strong enough to take full control. Macon is the one with the moxie and performance to gain respect as THE leader. I think this is an issue for this team.
The leader maintains control sets an example for others to follow is an extension of the coach on the floor and demands others to do their job. That is not what happens with this team.
Beard needs to take the bull by the horns and take over. MA needs to demand ball movement and running plays on offense.
Macon and Bardford are good players they have over achieved to this point but they don’t have control of themselves yet on the floor! Manny is the team leader and gives everything he has. There’s talent on this team and when they decide to play as one they win. Sometimes that’s only 5 minutes a game. It must be 40 minutes a game
We are missing a true point guard.
Frontcourt recruiting has been way below SEC/high-major standards. When we get Gafford and Hall next season, they will have to play the four and five, even though we badly need a wing player. Our power forwards are overmatched in many games. Hall would be better off on the wing but will have to play the four, where he will be another undersized PF in an unending series of them at Arkansas.
Gafford will have to play the five, and he might be a moderately improved version of Kingsley even as a freshman. But for a lot of teams he would be a face-up forward. Arkansas will continue to lack a traditional, back-to-basket low post player. That will diminish the effectiveness of the offense in certain situations.
Arkansas is overstocked with “make own shot” guards and understocked with a variety of useful types: Defense-first guards, point guards, guard-forwards. In many ways, Hannahs and Barford and Macon and Jones and Beard are the same kind of guard. Nobody’s committed to creating shots for others. Nobody’s a terrific ballhandler who can drive and dish or get fouled without too many blunders. Nobody can match up on defense well against competent point guards. Heck, K.J. Walton had a career high on us last Saturday. He’s not even a competent point guard.
All the Hogs problems seem to go back to three roots:
Arkansas never has a legitimate point guard (and currently, freakily, has nobody averaging better than a 17% assist rate).
Arkansas never has a high major-class power forward and ends up playing its bigs out of position.
Arkansas always has to play three guards instead of using a wing forward, a position where SEC/high-major teams tend to put 6-6, 6-7 guys who are really difficult matchups for our guards.
Next year, we’ll be without our best scorer, our best rebounder, and our best defensive guard. Adding a power forward who will play center, a wing forward who will be put at the four, and a wing guard who wants to be a point guard.
Hey Randy that was an excellent detail of the team issues and nuances!
You are right but I have no idea why they don’t mesh and play together. It doesn’t make sense.
Agree. Nice synopsis. And one that even CNR understood which was why he went and got Darnell Robinson and Lee Wilson. Corliss was a fantastic back to the goal player but CNR knew what he needed to get get to make that run.
Totally agree!!! When this team plays team basketball they can play with anyone in the country! Going back to too much one on one at times with a couple stints here and there of team ball! Give me that 2nd half Bamma team for 40 minutes a game and I bet you see one of the SEC Tournament Finals team and a 7 or better seed in the NCAAs! Dont and you are talking mid seed NIT!!!
Having watched Darious several times now this season, I don’t see how you could characterize him as a wing right now unless you are simply doing it because of his height
Maybe down the line, but not at this moment.
As the current team is constructed, he would a small 4 and add to what they have currently
it appears to me to be Manny Watkins from what he does doing the games leadership wise
Dudley when Manny is on the Bench who is the leader?