12/31/2013 - At Iowa Report Card

[Norm Peterson]

This staff is building a program, not a team.  This was debated a few weeks ago with some disagreement amongst the ranks.  Hawkins is playing because he has earned time and Rivers is apparantly not earning time, nor is Vooch.  For me, the disappointment is not with who is playing, rather, it is with those players who are not working hard enough or smart enough in order to earn time.

 

For those that are disappointed with Tai, are not seeing the same thing I am seeing.  Yes, his shot needs to improve, and yes, he is still tenative at times.  But he plays good defense.  Tell me, how did the Iowa PG's perform last night?  When Biggs and Tai are on the floor at the same time, the defensive pressure and tenacity picks up substantially. 

Part of building a program is convincing recruits that you can get to that elusive "next level" and that they wouldn't be signing on to shore up a loser.  A few weeks ago, Miles himself said that, in order to land that next level type of recruit, we first have to prove we can win.  Beating a ranked Iowa team at Carver-Hawkeye would have certainly given us something to tell recruits who might be thinking about signing with us but want to know that we're movin' on up.

 

Remember the talk last year about how Akoy Agau might have signed with us if he'd come out a year later and had a chance to see that Miles was going to be a capable coach at Nebraska?

 

I don't know if Miles chose Hawkins over a chance to win, but I would have a problem with it if he did.

[49r]

Norm, while I get your premise, and don't necessarily disagree with it, how do you explain Jacob Hammond then?  You'd certainly have to consider him to be a "next level" recruit, don't you?

[Cheap Seat Perspective]

I agree with a lot of your points Norm,

 

I think Rivers needs to be playing, he is a glue guy and busts his ass off on the floor. There has to be something going on as to why he isn't playing, and if not, shame on Miles. I personally would have liked to see Hawkins Redshirt but I understand if the player doesn't want to RS you can't make him because the fear of the player transferring. (don't know if that was the case with Hawkins at all)

 

In regards of Biggs starting... that is on him not Miles. If he would get his stuff together he would be starting, he is definitely playing better right now than Webster, but he is to inconsistent and is having some off the court issues. 

[hhcmatt]

Players sign on for different reasons.  Some of them sign on because we're losing because they think they can be the key to us winning/see playing time immediately.  

 

It's not terribly surprising that Rivers isn't getting playing time in some games.  It's surprising he not playing in any games.

Is the box score right?  Did Menke get off the bench for 30 seconds?

 

If Smith is missing any time and Rivers/Surge get no playing time against Ohio St.....I know I'm going to be doing much head scratching regardless of the outcome.

[hhcmatt]

A few weeks ago, Miles himself said that, in order to land that next level type of recruit, we first have to prove we can win.  Beating a ranked Iowa team at Carver-Hawkeye would have certainly given us something to tell recruits who might be thinking about signing with us but want to know that we're movin' on up.

 

We play in the Big 10.  We have plenty of chances to prove we can beat a ranked team.

We're playing an Ohio St team on Saturday that has to be looking ahead to Michigan St on Tuesday....shhhhhhhhh

[Huskerpapa]

 

This staff is building a program, not a team.  This was debated a few weeks ago with some disagreement amongst the ranks.  Hawkins is playing because he has earned time and Rivers is apparantly not earning time, nor is Vooch.  For me, the disappointment is not with who is playing, rather, it is with those players who are not working hard enough or smart enough in order to earn time.

 

For those that are disappointed with Tai, are not seeing the same thing I am seeing.  Yes, his shot needs to improve, and yes, he is still tenative at times.  But he plays good defense.  Tell me, how did the Iowa PG's perform last night?  When Biggs and Tai are on the floor at the same time, the defensive pressure and tenacity picks up substantially. 

Part of building a program is convincing recruits that you can get to that elusive "next level" and that they wouldn't be signing on to shore up a loser.  A few weeks ago, Miles himself said that, in order to land that next level type of recruit, we first have to prove we can win.  Beating a ranked Iowa team at Carver-Hawkeye would have certainly given us something to tell recruits who might be thinking about signing with us but want to know that we're movin' on up.

 

Remember the talk last year about how Akoy Agau might have signed with us if he'd come out a year later and had a chance to see that Miles was going to be a capable coach at Nebraska?

 

I don't know if Miles chose Hawkins over a chance to win, but I would have a problem with it if he did.

 

Man, I cannot even imagine Coach Miles taking that approach...I do not understand exactly how, but David Rivers played himself out of a role.  I have to believe he has every opportunity to earn minutes (and a role)...

[Handy Johnson]

Starting back court for Nebraska: Tai 0-4, Ray 0-0. What else do you need to know?

[Norm Peterson]

Starting back court for Nebraska: Tai 0-4, Ray 0-0. What else do you need to know?

Sharp pains in my stomach.  Them's a couple stats that don't set well, if you know what I mean.

[Norm Peterson]

Norm, while I get your premise, and don't necessarily disagree with it, how do you explain Jacob Hammond then?  You'd certainly have to consider him to be a "next level" recruit, don't you?

Hammond is clearly a step in the right direction.  I think Miles, when he made the comment, was probably referring to Elbert Robinson and guys like him.  Players who are clearly program improvers, who would make us competitive with the top half of the league.  We're on the cusp with guys like Elbert, we're getting more interest from such players than we have in awhile.  But we're not getting over the hump, yet, because we haven't proven that success is going to happen here for certain.  You can offer them a lot of hope and a lot of expecations and you can justify those expectations in various ways.  But, until you prove it, it's just promises. 

 

My guess is that Miles was having a lot of people ask him about Elbert and getting visits from players of that nature or at least making their list before being cut from it (Cheatham, Robinson, etc., etc.)  And I think his response was basically to say we'll get there with those guys but we have to prove we can win first.

 

So, back to my point about Rivers.  I don't know if Rivers gives you a better chance to win than giving those minutes to Hawkins.  I can say that Hawkins certainly didn't improve our chances.  And we were within 5 with less than 2 minutes to play.  Two possession game with the ball under a minute to go.   Does Rivers do more for us than Hawkins did?  I think there's probably a good chance he would have. 

[Norm Peterson]

Norm, while I get your premise, and don't necessarily disagree with it, how do you explain Jacob Hammond then?  You'd certainly have to consider him to be a "next level" recruit, don't you?

And, probably more simply, some people have lower thresholds for being able to be convinced that we're on the cusp of doing great things.  Others are tougher sells.

[hhcmatt]

Starting back court for Nebraska: Tai 0-4, Ray 0-0. What else do you need to know?

 

There are a couple of teams from last year whose game plan is STOP RAY GALLEGOS.

Ray isn't really forcing things so it's taking him out of games.

[Swan88]

"Does Rivers do more for us than Hawkins did? I think there's probably a good chance he would have,"

says Norm.

That's why you get those millions of dollars, Norm--to make judgment calls like that for the Husker basketball program.

. . . Oh, wait a minute . . . that would be Tim Miles, not Norm.

Never mind.