Potts

[Cazzie22]

10 hours ago, Tom Jones said:

I find myself being Mr. Buzz Kill with what follows .... but I am convinced that this is the way it is.

 

"Big time post players who can score and defend" ... Those are hard to find and demand for them far exceeds supply. AM is a fantastic asset to this program not only in ability and production, but in character, work ethic, and leadership. Her ability to convert under the basket possessions into points is getting better and better.  But she lacks the length, the quickness and the hops to be considered big time.  Players who have all that don't have programs like ours on their short list.  They want to play for national championships and get on the pathway to WNBA.  If there were a daughter of the corn - a native Nebraskan with those abilities (like an A'ja Wilson version of Britt Prince), she might stay here, but otherwise those players are out of UNL's reach.

 

"players who can get to the rim and finish"  .... Potts can and will get better with practice, physical maturity, and experience.  AW can. BP, while not physically intimidating, has the speed to get there thru traffic, and I have hope for Hargrove in that department. 

 

"to take it to the next level" .... If the "next level" means consistently winning the winnable games, pulling the occasional upset of teams rated above us, regularly putting a quality product on the floor, finishing in the top fourth of the conference, and regularly getting to the tournament ... and doing all that with pride, sportsmanship, and character ..... we are on our way!  It has taken some years, but that is the path that Williams and her staff have put us on. 

 

but (and here is the buzz kill)

 

"to move up to the top level" .... If "the top level" means being a perennial top ten team, getting to the elite eight, being competitive with the UConn's, Stanfords, and SoCars, and consistently having players advance to WNBA .... it's just not going to happen here. UNL just lacks the foundational base to bring that off. 

 

I'd love to be wrong on that last point. 

 

 

 

 

 

No arguments with your points.  We had a conference winning coach and a coach who led us to a well deserved #1 seed.  I like Amy but she is not on Connie’s level. My expectations are to win the B1G on occasion.  We need the upgrades I mentioned to accomplish that.

[HUD]

4 hours ago, 12dozen said:

Agree.  Would you identify which posts in this thread are calling for the removal of Amy Williams?   "Sure hard to keep you guys happy" or "you guys just like to bitch"  type comments are painted with such a broad brush, one doesn't know who they are aimed at.  If I post an opinion you don't agree (I'm sure I often do), please reply to me.  I'm OK with that. 

I'll just say this and then move on.  The past is the past.  I like Amy Williams and feel she is doing a good job. Trev Alberts seems happy with our WBB program and I really enjoy going to the games and watching them play. It may be that my expectations are not as high as some other peoples but so be it.  I never try to piss anyone off but maybe some of my posts are in haste or well thought out.

[huskerchode]

1 hour ago, Cazzie22 said:

No arguments with your points.  We had a conference winning coach and a coach who led us to a well deserved #1 seed.  I like Amy but she is not on Connie’s level. My expectations are to win the B1G on occasion.  We need the upgrades I mentioned to accomplish that.

I agree.  And I'm also concerned we aren't keeping up enough with the rest of the conference, especially now that we have a couple new members coming in.

[caveman]

Short of Walz not really interested in bringing in someone new and shaking up the program.  

I like Coach Williams and the program she's building.  I new and hope everyone else new she would have to grow into the job as she wasn't a finished product.  That being said I really wish she would bring in someone who understands defense and defensive game planning, cause we just really don't.

[Tom Jones]

12 hours ago, Cazzie22 said:

No arguments with your points.  We had a conference winning coach and a coach who led us to a well deserved #1 seed.  I like Amy but she is not on Connie’s level. My expectations are to win the B1G on occasion.  We need the upgrades I mentioned to accomplish that.

2009-10 was indeed a magical season. It was Yori's eighth year at NU, and it all came together.  She  had two elite players, two other consistent and reliable seniors with a lot of experience, a talented junior, and a full bench.  But, in perspective, the record in the previous season was 15-16 and in the following season was 13-18.  Successful seasons did follow with 6th, 2nd, 3rd, 7th, and 7th place finishes in the (then smaller) conference.  She was, IMO, an excellent coach.  One observation from her record is how difficult it is to get past the sweet sixteen.  

[KarlHessEatMy....]

Woah.. Got off for a day. Didnt realize I would start the most responses I have seen in a long time on the Womens Board.

 

I really do like Amy. I think what irritates me the most is that 1.) We can go from looking like a top 25 team to looking like the 325 best team from game to game. The consistency drives me nuts that the coaches can't get these girls to play with the same enthusiasm and I know some of that is not her fault. And to me this has been all the years she has coached 2.) I hate to really freaking say it but the subbing in and out is not a way to recruit top notch players. They want to play it out and learn from their mistakes or keep the momentum going. Too many times does Amy take a person out right after they make a hustle play. What top notch player wants to do that. 3.) I fear that Potts could be just like Brown. I am sure Potts loves it here but she has seen that she can play with almost anyone but continues to get taken out and in often. I sit right by the bench and this last game against Indiana I would say about 4 times a girl or girls made a momentum play and then the next dead ball they were taken out. So then their high that they just got disappears before they get back on the court. To me no legit player wants to do that.

 

Lastly seeing Connie in very faint pink reddish made me happy. 

 

I think Nebraska could get Walz to come if the University wanted to make it happen. May cost more but what sport at Nebraska isnt paying a lot of money for their coaches. 

Edited January 11 by KarlHessEatMy....

[Huskerfanzzz]

8 minutes ago, KarlHessEatMy.... said:

Woah.. Got off for a day. Didnt realize I would start the most responses I have seen in a long time on the Womens Board.

 

I really do like Amy. I think what irritates me the most is that 1.) We can go from looking like a top 25 team to looking like the 325 best team from game to game. The consistency drives me nuts that the coaches can't get these girls to play with the same enthusiasm and I know some of that is not her fault. And to me this has been all the years she has coached 2.) I hate to really freaking say it but the subbing in and out is not a way to recruit top notch players. They want to play it out and learn from their mistakes or keep the momentum going. Too many times does Amy take a person out right after they make a hustle play. What top notch player wants to do that. 3.) I fear that Potts could be just like Brown. I am sure Potts loves it hear but she has seen she can play with almost anyone but continues to get taken out and in often. I sit right by the bench and this last game against Indiana I would say about 4 times a girl or girls made a momentum play and then the next dead ball they were taken out. So then their high that they just got disappears before they get back on the court. To me no legit player wants to do that.

 

Lastly seeing Connie in very faint pink reddish made me happy. 

 

I think Nebraska could get Walz to come if the University wanted to make it happen. May cost more but what sport at Nebraska isnt paying a lot of money for their coaches. 

I've noticed this too. I've tried to figure out the sub patterns for the last two years, but I'm baffled. I think you're right though, it's not really giving players much of an incentive to come out and be that shot in the arm that we need, because it doesn't seem to matter as far as staying on the floor, unless you're Jaz really, and there are times that I feel like she was left out there way too long. 

[All About the Corn]

Karl I think you points are pretty spot on. Amy has made her feelings known about using her bench. I get her thinking but players do not always have the same view, or parents for that matter. Watching the Indiana game back if we could have defended the 3 better maybe we have a better chance (instead of a 22 point defeat maybe it is only single digits) even with their hot shooting. Our two losses at home and the 3 figured into both of them. That to me is on the coaches and game prep. 

[Cazzie22]

I want to clearly state that I am not after Coach Williams to be let go.  I want her to be successful and I hope she will continue at Nebraska as long as she wants.  Nebraska is not an easy place to recruit.  I believe we can do better with Coach Williams.  Time will tell.  I don’t believe it’s  unreasonable to expect NU to contend and win a B1G Title on occasion.  We need more players like Natalie Potts.

[Neb Nets]

Full disclosure: last spring, I went on record on this forum and opined that after 7 seasons, Amy Williams had taken this program as far as she was capable of taking it, and that she had “reached her ceiling” as the NU WBB head coach. (Just wanted to publicly acknowledge that before someone dug it up and posted my quote. Lol) 

But hey, maybe I was wrong. I would love for Amy to prove me wrong. I do believe that she has made a couple key upgrades to her assistant coaching staff in the past couple years and I find that encouraging. 

[Red Don]

On 1/11/2024 at 12:46 AM, caveman said:

Short of Walz not really interested in bringing in someone new and shaking up the program.  

I like Coach Williams and the program she's building.  I new and hope everyone else new she would have to grow into the job as she wasn't a finished product.  That being said I really wish she would bring in someone who understands defense and defensive game planning, cause we just really don't.

 

I can't give this enough up-votes.   We have some amazing talent coming in; to complement the amazing talent we already have (loss of Allison Weidner to injury last year; and this year is devastating to the team imho).   Recruiting, and Recruits have stepped it up B1G time;  It seems like each succeeding season (such as Issie, Haiby, Bella, Jaz z, Alexis).  Nothing against Current Coaching staff, but, like caveman, I'd like to see coaching step it up a notch or two to match the talent they'll have to work with.  (Look at what Fred Hoiberg has been able to accomplish with Nate Loenser and Adam Howard.)

Edited January 12 by Red Don

[Gamafn]

Agree with several observations, especially about substitution patterns, defensive strategy and recruiting.  Here’s one more that’s actually related to the last two:  we don’t have nearly enough quickness and athleticism to compete against most top 10-15 teams, which is especially noticeable on defense.

[KarlHessEatMy....]

#5

[12dozen]

10 minutes ago, KarlHessEatMy.... said:

#5

Well done Natalie.  

[Bugeaters1]

 

[All About the Corn]

So would think with 7 BTFOW awards Potts should be the B1G FOTY.

[Bugeaters1]

 

 

Edited March 4 by Bugeaters1

[All About the Corn]

Make it 8 FOTW awards. Hello B1G FOTY! So Potts has tied Alexis with her 8th weekly award.

Edited March 4 by All About the Corn

[Bugeaters1]

https://hurrdatsports.com/nebraska-womens-basketball/potts-looking-to-build-off-fantastic-freshman-year-with-nebraska-womens-basketball/?fbclid=IwY2xjawF-oTVleHRuA2FlbQIxMQABHUOc51QeNDyvqdghi4bWXoMCV6sBsCqBH_yPg2R0Q9Yr3TmvTpfyF6G-fw_aem_E_gt898j7aXcKTrOOoy78Q