When an opposing team has record night shooting, it is easy to say, “It happens.” However, when it keeps happening, it’s a lack of defense. We have good players so it is not because of lack of talent. Instead, the wily SEC coaches have figured out Mike Anderson and unless he can change, the future is not bright.
I think it is more a question of the three senior guards not being plus defenders. They are either limited physically (Beard) with what they can do on defense or just are not consistently good defenders. We have a particular problem staying in front of quick guards, which makes everyone sag off to help, leaving guys open for threes and makes us vulnerable to passes/put backs inside. CJ Jones is terrible on defense, which means they can’t give him big minutes if he’s not hitting threes.
Now all of our guys do work for deflections and have quick hands, but plus defenders use their feet well, and that just does not happen with this group.
Hall is going to be a good defender, and a fine overall player, but he is still a pup. Bailey brings a lot of energy to interior defense, but he still is working on understanding college defense. They and Gafford all should be pretty good defensively next year, and some of the guards coming in look to be improvements on the defensive side.
But this year we live and die on one or more of the guards scoring big, and finding a way on defense.
The stupid trap double teams leaves someone wide open all the time. Fatigue is killing us at the guard spot, so the logical thing to do is stop trapping so much, go to more zone with some man to keep the opponent off balance. We play a style of pressing and trapping that requires deep guard rotation to wear down the other team but this year it is wearing us down instead. The problem is that we don’t have the depth to play this style ALL the time. I don’t care what the CMA apologists say- we have very tired guards. CJ Jones is the pivotal player because he is a liability on Off and Def if he isn’t shooting well. He can’t sub for our 3 starting guards if he isn’t shooting well. All 3 starting guards are fatigued because they had to play more after CJ’s minutes dropped after Dec 27/Cal St Bakersfield.
If we don’t have depth by year seven, we are never going to. That tells me coach needs to make changes in his style of coaching.
I very much agree he needs to make changes. He proved he can do it last year.
Yes he can, then he keep returning to a style of basketball that was great for the 1990’s but is no longer successful. Basketball evolves so I want his style of basketball to evolve into what is successful now.
Somehow teams like Florida use a high scoring style and adapted to the changes, by emphasizing assists, good floor spacing, good rebounding, tight man to man defense, good zone, etc. They can run and they can play half court. It all comes down to the scheme and talent that fits it. We are using a scheme that our roster can’t support.
I agree with the highlighted statement, but if Chiozza wouldn’t have gone to FL, they wouldn’t be as good with their system either. Now AR tried to recruit Chiozza, Allen, Monk, and Trey Young. Those four alone would change your opinion. Heck Garland being cleared this year, probably leads to at least another one or two wins, and changes opinions. Can’t fault CMA for having a style that works, but the kids choo$ing to go elsewhere.
Edit: Well I guess you can blame him for the kids not choo$ing AR.
To your point the Garland would have negated some of the slump by CJ. We don’t have the depth and talent for this style so CMA should adapt and modify. He doesn’t have to do anything more than what he did last year- reduce the trapping man to man, use more zone and press at strategic points only.
I don’t care what defense this plays because from the tip half of the games they have played they give up wide open shots to players that are in slumps. That player breaks out and is off to a career night against us. It is the players. Not the scheme or coach. Garland would have made a big difference. We should have won the Moo U game and there was no reason to get waxed at home by LSU. There also was no reason to get beat at Texas A&M. This team plays ball about 5 minutes per game on the defensive end!
They attemp to go crazy after rebounds at the end of games. Where is that stored! Why don’t they rebound with that fire all the time. This is just not a great defensive team.
I’m more concerned with our offense. Especially on the road.
It may be Mike is using a scheme our roster can’t support, However, the players you listed are 5 star players. With several 5 star players, you win regardless of the scheme, but 5 star players are very rare and occasionally we get one. Getting 5 star players is unrealistic for any team other than Kentucky, Duke, and maybe Kansas. Arkansas signs 4 star players and with the right scheme, we can win just like Nolan and Sutton, but not with style that was successful in the distance paste.
I don’t necessarily agree with some of your post. I believe it’s actually harder to win with a bunch of five stars, you have a group of guys, who are uber talented, but each thinks they are the man. In order to win with them, you have to make them realize, no one is “the man.” That’s why Calipari struggles to win NC’s every year. He may actually have the most talented roster, but not the best team.
Now, as for the “system” there are several schools using the system. Some, like “Press Virginia” are having success, others like Texas aren’t having as much. Now, look at Texas’ HC. At VCU, Havoc was 40 MOH, it worked. Texas, different conference with better athletes, players, and teams that can play the style with you. At W Virginia they’ve got athletic players to run that system, at both Texas and AR, they have several athletes to run the system but not enough players. That’s been my point about next year, we will have players who are athletes, not athletes that are players.
I think I’m saying the same as your highlighted statement. I do think this year’s team needs to adjust.
[quote=“bakedhog19741”]
I don’t necessarily agree with some of your post. I believe it’s actually harder to win with a bunch of five stars, you have a group of guys, who are uber talented, but each thinks they are the man. In order to win with them, you have to make them realize, no one is “the man.” That’s why Calipari struggles to win NC’s every year. He may actually have the most talented roster, but not the best team.
Now, as for the “system” there are several schools using the system. Some, like “Press Virginia” are having success, others like Texas aren’t having as much. Now, look at Texas’ HC. At VCU, Havoc was 40 MOH, it worked. Texas, different conference with better athletes, players, and teams that can play the style with you. At W Virginia they’ve got athletic players to run that system, at both Texas and AR, they have several athletes to run the system but not enough players. That’s been my point about next year, we will have players who are athletes, not athletes that are players.
I think I’m saying the same as your highlighted statement. I do think this year’s team needs to adjust.
[/quote]You are right about Kentucky but they are one and done. 4 star players with 2 or more experience may play better than first year 5 star players other than the even more rare super talented 5 star players.