uneblinstu's Post Game Chatter: ed 7, vol 8 - Hawaii

[Bugeaters1]

- that was a very choppy game, and uneven officiating in the second half, not an excuse but in the first, and part of the second, it was very physical down low, multiple times they swallowed their whistle on both sides, than in the last five minutes they got very touchy with their calls down low. 

- I love Tai, one of my favorites...but man.. we need something from him in the worst way. 

- Benny played like one of the only guys who had heart and some intrest in the game. 

- When Shavon, and Terran are not in their flow and are not hitting shots... its almost a guaranteed lost. 

- Count me in for the camp that says this teams identity changes when moses is back, and leslee returns

- Walter needs to seriously have a deep thought about how he wants to turn his season around over Christmas..or this afternoon, when he isn't hitting his shots he could amp up his physicality on the defense of end with boxing out, not letting his get deep position in the post, on offense go up stronger in the post, take more shots from 10 feet and in, be cleaner on his picks. 

- I really like the mins Tarin gave us, glimpse of the future. 

 

This game similar to the IW game, the cincy game shows how badly we need a classic big man in the middle. I don't know where we are going to find one, or we have to get two different players to make a classic big man but man we got to find one. 

some of my thoughts

Why is it hard for the Huskers to find a good big man? It seems other teams can find them why not the Huskers. Do the Huskers have a big man cruse on them? What is the answer!

[HB]

 

- that was a very choppy game, and uneven officiating in the second half, not an excuse but in the first, and part of the second, it was very physical down low, multiple times they swallowed their whistle on both sides, than in the last five minutes they got very touchy with their calls down low. 

- I love Tai, one of my favorites...but man.. we need something from him in the worst way. 

- Benny played like one of the only guys who had heart and some intrest in the game. 

- When Shavon, and Terran are not in their flow and are not hitting shots... its almost a guaranteed lost. 

- Count me in for the camp that says this teams identity changes when moses is back, and leslee returns

- Walter needs to seriously have a deep thought about how he wants to turn his season around over Christmas..or this afternoon, when he isn't hitting his shots he could amp up his physicality on the defense of end with boxing out, not letting his get deep position in the post, on offense go up stronger in the post, take more shots from 10 feet and in, be cleaner on his picks. 

- I really like the mins Tarin gave us, glimpse of the future. 

 

This game similar to the IW game, the cincy game shows how badly we need a classic big man in the middle. I don't know where we are going to find one, or we have to get two different players to make a classic big man but man we got to find one. 

some of my thoughts

Why is it hard for the Huskers to find a good big man? It seems other teams can find them why not the Huskers. Do the Huskers have a big man cruse on them? What is the answer!

 

 

It is hard for most teams to find good bigs.  Not that many out there.   We're far from the only team making do without a quality 5. 

[BenJammin63]

-Walt is pretty weak in the legs and he just gets tossed around down low which is just killer, but it's hard to complain when he grabs 10 boards so I'll take it.

-X and Os for this team is terrible. We really have no offense, and if it's taken us this long and we still haven't been able to figure out a simple press break, it could be a long season.

-Our guys are soft, mentally and physically. Terran wants to be the head guy, the leader, the MVP, but if you pick up your third foul on a technical for taunting, then you aren't playing for the right reasons.

-This team isn't a team. We've had, what seems like 15+ turnovers every game and averaging like 4 assists a game. (I have no idea what the actual stats are, just what it feels like)

-Our passing is similar to a high school team. Trying to make skip passes that even high schoolers know you shouldn't make. And trying to break the press, our guys are clueless to what to do.

-Playing a scared and soft type of basketball, with no basketball IQ, is a recipe for disaster.

[tbowman]

Are any of the coaches doing any teaching whatsoever?  That was some of the worst basketball I've seen in years - competing with even some of the worst Princeton offense Collier years.  After building a small lead they lose the ball 3-4 consecutive times at mid-court?  And this was indicative of the entire game - offensively and defensively.  What is going on? 

 

I am livid - but not at the players.  This is pretty much the exact same team that went to the NCAA tournament last year, beat Wisconsin at home, and beat Michigan State on the road.  These kids can play.    

 

It seems clear to me that Craig Smith was the glue that held everything together.  This year's team looks like the coaches are just rolling the ball out and saying "go play".  

[HuskerFever]

 

- that was a very choppy game, and uneven officiating in the second half, not an excuse but in the first, and part of the second, it was very physical down low, multiple times they swallowed their whistle on both sides, than in the last five minutes they got very touchy with their calls down low. 

- I love Tai, one of my favorites...but man.. we need something from him in the worst way. 

- Benny played like one of the only guys who had heart and some intrest in the game. 

- When Shavon, and Terran are not in their flow and are not hitting shots... its almost a guaranteed lost. 

- Count me in for the camp that says this teams identity changes when moses is back, and leslee returns

- Walter needs to seriously have a deep thought about how he wants to turn his season around over Christmas..or this afternoon, when he isn't hitting his shots he could amp up his physicality on the defense of end with boxing out, not letting his get deep position in the post, on offense go up stronger in the post, take more shots from 10 feet and in, be cleaner on his picks. 

- I really like the mins Tarin gave us, glimpse of the future. 

 

This game similar to the IW game, the cincy game shows how badly we need a classic big man in the middle. I don't know where we are going to find one, or we have to get two different players to make a classic big man but man we got to find one. 

some of my thoughts

Why is it hard for the Huskers to find a good big man? It seems other teams can find them why not the Huskers. Do the Huskers have a big man cruse on them? What is the answer!

 

 

Where is Jorge Brian Diaz when you need him?

[moulds33]

This might be the lowest basketball IQ team I've ever watched at NU.  Dean hit it on the head, mentally weak all around.  Jr high kids know that you can't dibble into a trap or pickup your dribble right in front of the half court line. I keep waiting for this team to show some signs of improvement, but nothing yet and I'm not real hopeful it will get any better this year.  Miles has a lot of work to do with this group, which seems crazy after last year.

 

If I set the over/under of conference wins at 5.5 right now.  Would anybody take the overs?  It's gonna be tough sledding.

 

Also, why was the floor so slick?  Can't remember so many guys slipping during one game in my life.

 

Side Note:

Did anyone else watch the Wiscy/Cal game at all?  I'm willing to bet Wiscy passed the ball more on a couple of single possessions than NU did during the entire 1st half last night.  They cut hard, pass willingly, play great D, and can all shoot.  It's like watching a different sport than what we've been playing.  I know they have a lot of good players and run a different offense but it's just so night and day.  If you are a fan of good basketball, they are a blast to watch.

[bobcat402]

This might be the lowest basketball IQ team I've ever watched at NU.  Dean hit it on the head, mentally weak all around.  Jr high kids know that you can't dibble into a trap or pickup your dribble right in front of the half court line. I keep waiting for this team to show some signs of improvement, but nothing yet and I'm not real hopeful it will get any better this year.  Miles has a lot of work to do with this group, which seems crazy after last year.

 

If I set the over/under of conference wins at 5.5 right now.  Would anybody take the overs?  It's gonna be tough sledding.

 

Also, why was the floor so slick?  Can't remember so many guys slipping during one game in my life.

 

Side Note:

Did anyone else watch the Wiscy/Cal game at all?  I'm willing to bet Wiscy passed the ball more on a couple of single possessions than NU did during the entire 1st half last night.  They cut hard, pass willingly, play great D, and can all shoot.  It's like watching a different sport than what we've been playing.  I know they have a lot of good players and run a different offense but it's just so night and day.  If you are a fan of good basketball, they are a blast to watch.

the floor is slick due to the humidity and moisture, they have the same problems in Maui every year.

[Silverbacked1]

This might be the lowest basketball IQ team I've ever watched at NU. Dean hit it on the head, mentally weak all around. Jr high kids know that you can't dibble into a trap or pickup your dribble right in front of the half court line. I keep waiting for this team to show some signs of improvement, but nothing yet and I'm not real hopeful it will get any better this year. Miles has a lot of work to do with this group, which seems crazy after last year.

If I set the over/under of conference wins at 5.5 right now. Would anybody take the overs? It's gonna be tough sledding.

Also, why was the floor so slick? Can't remember so many guys slipping during one game in my life.

Side Note:

Did anyone else watch the Wiscy/Cal game at all? I'm willing to bet Wiscy passed the ball more on a couple of single possessions than NU did during the entire 1st half last night. They cut hard, pass willingly, play great D, and can all shoot. It's like watching a different sport than what we've been playing. I know they have a lot of good players and run a different offense but it's just so night and day. If you are a fan of good basketball, they are a blast to watch.

the floor is slick due to the humidity and moisture, they have the same problems in Maui every year.

yep, rained hard all day yesterday and was 80 so that makes for some slick floors.

Also, when these guys get back from Hawaii, I would lock all the doors to any basketball court they could get to. Might even lock the place tight for 36 hours or so. Tell them to get away from each other, go to a movie, read a book, sleep, anything that will let them reset their basketball brains.

Then 6:00 am practice and we go hard and we go long the first minute that lockeroom is unlocked. I think they need to get away for it. What ever it is for each of them.

Write down what is wrong with your game and then burn it, go for a long run, call your family, find a slump buster. Whatever each player and coach needs to do to get back on the fast track.

[bobcat402]

 

 

This might be the lowest basketball IQ team I've ever watched at NU. Dean hit it on the head, mentally weak all around. Jr high kids know that you can't dibble into a trap or pickup your dribble right in front of the half court line. I keep waiting for this team to show some signs of improvement, but nothing yet and I'm not real hopeful it will get any better this year. Miles has a lot of work to do with this group, which seems crazy after last year.

If I set the over/under of conference wins at 5.5 right now. Would anybody take the overs? It's gonna be tough sledding.

Also, why was the floor so slick? Can't remember so many guys slipping during one game in my life.

Side Note:

Did anyone else watch the Wiscy/Cal game at all? I'm willing to bet Wiscy passed the ball more on a couple of single possessions than NU did during the entire 1st half last night. They cut hard, pass willingly, play great D, and can all shoot. It's like watching a different sport than what we've been playing. I know they have a lot of good players and run a different offense but it's just so night and day. If you are a fan of good basketball, they are a blast to watch.

the floor is slick due to the humidity and moisture, they have the same problems in Maui every year.

yep, rained hard all day yesterday and was 80 so that makes for some slick floors.

Also, when these guys get back from Hawaii, I would lock all the doors to any basketball court they could get to. Might even lock the place tight for 36 hours or so. Tell them to get away from each other, go to a movie, read a book, sleep, anything that will let them reset their basketball brains.

Then 6:00 am practice and we go hard and we go long the first minute that lockeroom is unlocked. I think they need to get away for it. What ever it is for each of them.

Write down what is wrong with your game and then burn it, go for a long run, call your family, find a slump buster. Whatever each player and coach needs to do to get back on the fast track.

 

agree with this %100, i think sometimes tho cheesy, they lose sight of the lets just have fun part of the game.. when these guys are out there having fun, playing loose we're unbeatable, we tighten up and its over. I could see it on Tai's face, when he is having fun and loose, it has a dramatic affect on Terran he is loose which leads to easier buckets, and less forced shots and heat checks. Walt P, Terran, Tai, and David definite just need a break and to get away, Benny and Shavon are constants there personality are even keel, the other four contributors are more emotional and our the ones that definitively need the break. 

[The Coach]

Ridiculous. Miles is a builder, and he's assembling good pieces going forward. But he's playing with a wounded roster right now that includes Doc's leftovers. It's easy to find coaching mistakes every game, but look at what he has to work with.

 

 

 

 

 

Doc's leftovers (Benny and Rivers) are the only ones with any mental toughness out there.  All of Miles' guys are soft.

[HB]

Are any of the coaches doing any teaching whatsoever?  That was some of the worst basketball I've seen in years - competing with even some of the worst Princeton offense Collier years.  After building a small lead they lose the ball 3-4 consecutive times at mid-court?  And this was indicative of the entire game - offensively and defensively.  What is going on? 

 

I am livid - but not at the players.  This is pretty much the exact same team that went to the NCAA tournament last year, beat Wisconsin at home, and beat Michigan State on the road.  These kids can play.    

 

It seems clear to me that Craig Smith was the glue that held everything together.  This year's team looks like the coaches are just rolling the ball out and saying "go play".  

I love the people who keep saying it's the exact same team as we had last year.  Tbow has done it twice today in different threads.  As if Leslie Smith and Ray Gallegos didn't even exist.  As if taking a 30-35 minute guy out of the lineup doesn't matter.

[tbowman]

 

Are any of the coaches doing any teaching whatsoever?  That was some of the worst basketball I've seen in years - competing with even some of the worst Princeton offense Collier years.  After building a small lead they lose the ball 3-4 consecutive times at mid-court?  And this was indicative of the entire game - offensively and defensively.  What is going on? 

 

I am livid - but not at the players.  This is pretty much the exact same team that went to the NCAA tournament last year, beat Wisconsin at home, and beat Michigan State on the road.  These kids can play.    

 

It seems clear to me that Craig Smith was the glue that held everything together.  This year's team looks like the coaches are just rolling the ball out and saying "go play".  

I love the people who keep saying it's the exact same team as we had last year.  Tbow has done it twice today in different threads.  As if Leslie Smith and Ray Gallegos didn't even exist.  As if taking a 30-35 minute guy out of the lineup doesn't matter.

 

Gallegos and Smith were both role players.  Smith barely played and didn't play all that well during the run at the end of the season.  Huskers returned 90% of their production from last year.  Absolutely no reason this team should be struggling the way it is.  

[Dean Smith]

 

 

"At the end of the day, you can't make excuses with key injuries, the record is your body of work....and in Tim's case, he didn't win enough of them..."  I can hear a red-headed AD in 2016....(God I hope not)

The silent one, Miles is a TO hire so it wouldn't suprises me that he gets the ax

 

Ridiculous. Miles is a builder, and he's assembling good pieces going forward. But he's playing with a wounded roster right now that includes Doc's leftovers. It's easy to find coaching mistakes every game, but look at what he has to work with.

 

He has lots to work with. Doc's leftovers include Shields, Parker and Rivers. They are all big contributors. The rest are his players. Right now, I would put Doc's holdovers against Miles new players and I think they come out OK. He is assembling good pieces and he has good pieces to work with. I'm not for throwing players under the bus to defend MIles and I'm sure he wouldn't either. They need to get mentally stronger and tougher as a team. Those are things they can work on going forward, but they need to get stronger right now.

[NUdiehard]

My biggest problem with the game last night was that NU did not attack the press.  Miles said they spent the 9 days off working on the offense and press break.  What????  The offense was horrid and the press break was a disaster. 

 

When a team presses, you must make them pay.  You must attack the press.

 

Let me repeat. 

 

When a team presses, you MUST make them pay.  When a team presses, you MUST ATTACK!!

 

I HATE. let me repeat HATE when we are content to throw it sideways repeatedly against the press and then just walk into double teams at half court.  ATTACK the press with a hard dribble drive or maybe, just maybe, pass the ball DOWN THE FLOOR!!!

 

Think about it.  If Hawaii is putting 3 defenders to guard 2 ball handlers in the back court, what does that mean?  It means that NU has 3 offensive players on its side of the court being guarded by 2 Hawaii defenders.  So why don't we pass it to one of our 3 players on our side of the court?  Why do we keep passing it sideways? Never attacking.  Never trying to make them pay!

 

If you allow a team to press with impunity, then they will press you all game and get the better end of the stick b/c eventually the press will cause some turnovers resulting in points the other way.  That is why you must make a team pay for pressing.

 

Let me state it another way by asking a question.  Why doesn't NU press other teams?  The  reason is b/c usually the advantage gained is not worth the risk.  Yes, you might get create some turnovers, but you will also (unless we are playing ourselves) give up easy baskets.  The press is always susceptible to giving up easy baskets.  That is why most teams don't press.  It is high risk/reward.  BUT, if a team like Nebraska does not attack the press, then it is all reward with no risk. 

[Silverbacked1]

My biggest problem with the game last night was that NU did not attack the press.  Miles said they spent the 9 days off working on the offense and press break.  What????  The offense was horrid and the press break was a disaster. 

 

When a team presses, you must make them pay.  You must attack the press.

 

Let me repeat. 

 

When a team presses, you MUST make them pay.  When a team presses, you MUST ATTACK!!

 

I HATE. let me repeat HATE when we are content to throw it sideways repeatedly against the press and then just walk into double teams at half court.  ATTACK the press with a hard dribble drive or maybe, just maybe, pass the ball DOWN THE FLOOR!!!

 

Think about it.  If Hawaii is putting 3 defenders to guard 2 ball handlers in the back court, what does that mean?  It means that NU has 3 offensive players on its side of the court being guarded by 2 Hawaii defenders.  So why don't we pass it to one of our 3 players on our side of the court?  Why do we keep passing it sideways? Never attacking.  Never trying to make them pay!

 

If you allow a team to press with impunity, then they will press you all game and get the better end of the stick b/c eventually the press will cause some turnovers resulting in points the other way.  That is why you must make a team pay for pressing.

 

Let me state it another way by asking a question.  Why doesn't NU press other teams?  The  reason is b/c usually the advantage gained is not worth the risk.  Yes, you might get create some turnovers, but you will also (unless we are playing ourselves) give up easy baskets.  The press is always susceptible to giving up easy baskets.  That is why most teams don't press.  It is high risk/reward.  BUT, if a team like Nebraska does not attack the press, then it is all reward with no risk.

Yes I also hate that we throw the ball back, and I do remember, if correct, Tarin beating the press off the dribble a couple of times. Am I remembering correctly?

[hhcmatt]

During the 10 minutes Petteway was on the bench, we were outscored by 20 points. A strong argument can be made he played his way there.

 

Tarrin ended up playing more minutes than Tai...22 vs 16 minutes

His 22 minutes and 8 points were career highs.

[HB]

 

 

Are any of the coaches doing any teaching whatsoever?  That was some of the worst basketball I've seen in years - competing with even some of the worst Princeton offense Collier years.  After building a small lead they lose the ball 3-4 consecutive times at mid-court?  And this was indicative of the entire game - offensively and defensively.  What is going on? 

 

I am livid - but not at the players.  This is pretty much the exact same team that went to the NCAA tournament last year, beat Wisconsin at home, and beat Michigan State on the road.  These kids can play.    

 

It seems clear to me that Craig Smith was the glue that held everything together.  This year's team looks like the coaches are just rolling the ball out and saying "go play".  

I love the people who keep saying it's the exact same team as we had last year.  Tbow has done it twice today in different threads.  As if Leslie Smith and Ray Gallegos didn't even exist.  As if taking a 30-35 minute guy out of the lineup doesn't matter.

 

Gallegos and Smith were both role players.  Smith barely played and didn't play all that well during the run at the end of the season.  Huskers returned 90% of their production from last year.  Absolutely no reason this team should be struggling the way it is.  

 

 

But Smith played 15-20 minutes at a position we don't have anyone to play.  And Ray was a role player only for the casual fan who doesn't watch defense.  And running the offense.  He may be the first 30 minute a game role player, I guess.

[The Coach]

Remember how bad our press break was against Ohio State last year in the Big Ten tournament?  After that, you would think the press break would have been a major point of emphasis.  But somehow, it's gotten even worse this year.  I've seen junior high girls teams that can break a press better.

[Dean Smith]

Remember how bad our press break was against Ohio State last year in the Big Ten tournament?  After that, you would think the press break would have been a major point of emphasis.  But somehow, it's gotten even worse this year.  I've seen junior high girls teams that can break a press better.

There is nothing fundamentally wrong with the way Nebraska is trying to break the press. It is a lack of execution and sorry about my redundancy, but lack of mental toughness. Right now they are playing to not make a mistake instead of attacking which guarantees mistakes will be made more often than not. There is no magic press break or everyone would be using it. They need to demonstrate the ability to understand the basic principles in breaking pressure and then execute them. Same thing with the offense. There are no magic offensive plays, they need to demonstrate they understand how to play the game.

[NUdiehard]

 

 

 

 

But Smith played 15-20 minutes at a position we don't have anyone to play.  And Ray was a role player only for the casual fan who doesn't watch defense.  And running the offense.  He may be the first 30 minute a game role player, I guess.

 

HB, I can understand your position on this to a point.  However, if losing two role players makes NU so much worse, then almost every other team in the country should be MUCH worse this year than last year (and every year).  Most teams (and I would venture virtually every team we have played this year) lost MUCH more than NU lost.  That is why many media members and prognosticators picked NU to do well.  It is always a function of how you did last year and what you return versus what other teams return.

 

If anything, I felt Nebraska should do quite well in the non-conference because it would be returning 5 starters and 6 of its top 8 players from a team that went to the NCAA tourney last year.  And although we lost Leslee, we also added Moses who played in all of the games except the last 3 (so his injury cannot be the excuse for NU's struggles this entire season).  In contrast, most teams are breaking in 2,3 or 4 new starters this year.  NU's experience from last year should carry over.  NU should not have to start over every year when it is returning 5 starters.  That is why I cringe whenever people on this board bring up "last year we started this way and we know what happened."  This is not last year.  It is understandable why NU struggled early last year--It was breaking in 4 new starters.  Now, the shoe should be on the other foot.  NU is returning 5 starters and other teams are breaking in new starters.   

 

If anything, it was in conference play that I felt we might begin to struggle, because that is when other teams "new" players begin to hit their stride and teams with more "talent" begin to take over. 

[The Coach]

 

Remember how bad our press break was against Ohio State last year in the Big Ten tournament?  After that, you would think the press break would have been a major point of emphasis.  But somehow, it's gotten even worse this year.  I've seen junior high girls teams that can break a press better.

There is nothing fundamentally wrong with the way Nebraska is trying to break the press. It is a lack of execution and sorry about my redundancy, but lack of mental toughness. Right now they are playing to not make a mistake instead of attacking which guarantees mistakes will be made more often than not. There is no magic press break or everyone would be using it. They need to demonstrate the ability to understand the basic principles in breaking pressure and then execute them. Same thing with the offense. There are no magic offensive plays, they need to demonstrate they understand how to play the game.

 

 

Lack of execution?  You sound like Bo Pelini.  If D-I college players struggle with understanding the basic principles of breaking a press, then the coach has done a very poor job of preparing them.

[atskooc]

 

Remember how bad our press break was against Ohio State last year in the Big Ten tournament?  After that, you would think the press break would have been a major point of emphasis.  But somehow, it's gotten even worse this year.  I've seen junior high girls teams that can break a press better.

There is nothing fundamentally wrong with the way Nebraska is trying to break the press. It is a lack of execution and sorry about my redundancy, but lack of mental toughness. Right now they are playing to not make a mistake instead of attacking which guarantees mistakes will be made more often than not. There is no magic press break or everyone would be using it. They need to demonstrate the ability to understand the basic principles in breaking pressure and then execute them. Same thing with the offense. There are no magic offensive plays, they need to demonstrate they understand how to play the game.

 

Dribbling into a trap isn't fundamentally wrong?  Foregoing a ball fake and throwing the ball into the defender's arms isn't fundamentally wrong?

[49r]

 

 

Remember how bad our press break was against Ohio State last year in the Big Ten tournament?  After that, you would think the press break would have been a major point of emphasis.  But somehow, it's gotten even worse this year.  I've seen junior high girls teams that can break a press better.

There is nothing fundamentally wrong with the way Nebraska is trying to break the press. It is a lack of execution and sorry about my redundancy, but lack of mental toughness. Right now they are playing to not make a mistake instead of attacking which guarantees mistakes will be made more often than not. There is no magic press break or everyone would be using it. They need to demonstrate the ability to understand the basic principles in breaking pressure and then execute them. Same thing with the offense. There are no magic offensive plays, they need to demonstrate they understand how to play the game.

 

Dribbling into a trap isn't fundamentally wrong?  Foregoing a ball fake and throwing the ball into the defender's arms isn't fundamentally wrong?

 

 

I believe that would fall under the "lack of execution" category.  Basically you two are in total agreement on this subject as far as I can tell.

[Norm Peterson]

I disagree with NUdiehard and agree with Dean Smith.  I don't think you want to do a lot of dribble driving to break a press that's trying to trap you.  Man to man, full court tends to be just like token pressure to make you take time getting the ball up the floor so that you can't get into your offense as quickly.  But throwing double teams and trying to trap is intended to force turnovers.

 

In the trapping, double-teaming variety, you're not looking to dribble penetrate, but instead reverse the ball and force the defense to do a lot of running back and forth.  The key is getting good spacing on the floor so that you have more than one spot to go with the ball and if the defense tries taking away the diagonal cross-court pass, you can advance the ball to a 2nd or third option such as the middle of the floor across the timeline or down court along the sideline.  Good spacing is key.

 

And it is about execution.  Yes, it's the coach's job to coach the team to execute but it's the players job to then go do it.  If the players aren't executing, it might not be because they haven't been coached how; it might be because of some other reason that the coach might or might not be able to control. 

 

In the mid-90s walkout year, the problem wasn't ability.  And it certainly wasn't knowing how to execute a game plan.  The problem was a lack of cohesion and esprit de corps and the players walked out on Danny Nee because, quite frankly, they felt mentally beat down by what you didn't see -- what was happening in film sessions or practices or pre- or post-game or half-time "pep" talks.  Somewhere, Nee was getting into the heads of his guys in a way that diminished their effectiveness as a unit and they reacted with a mutiny.

 

That's an example where it's not about ability or teaching, but about some other "thing" the coach has control of.

 

Last year, we had a different issue that the coach also had some degree of control of.  We had a locker room cancer that needed to be excised.  And it was excised.  And after it was excised -- after the tumor was removed -- the team started functioning better.

 

Now, maybe the lack of execution is the fault of the coach and maybe not.  I've proposed somewhere earlier today (which thread?  I dunno) that the kids have placed expectations on their own heads from last season that are causing them to play stupid basketball because they're afraid of losing.  I've seen this phenomenon so many times in my life that I can relate.  You know you're capable of being fantastic and you feel pressure to be fantastic and the first hint of things not being fantastic can of makes you worry.  And then it snowballs and your fears become reality.  And it's mental.

 

I'm sure for Walt, his bad shooting at the beginning of the year is exactly for this reason.  He doesn't go from super confident 16 of 25 at the open scrimmage to hitting 1 of his first 16 treys when play goes live unless there's something mental getting in the way.  Now, to Walt's credit, he's starting to come around.  But you have to admit there's a distinct probability that there's a mental component to this that could be a bit beyond a coach's ability to readily control.

[Dean Smith]

 

 

Remember how bad our press break was against Ohio State last year in the Big Ten tournament?  After that, you would think the press break would have been a major point of emphasis.  But somehow, it's gotten even worse this year.  I've seen junior high girls teams that can break a press better.

There is nothing fundamentally wrong with the way Nebraska is trying to break the press. It is a lack of execution and sorry about my redundancy, but lack of mental toughness. Right now they are playing to not make a mistake instead of attacking which guarantees mistakes will be made more often than not. There is no magic press break or everyone would be using it. They need to demonstrate the ability to understand the basic principles in breaking pressure and then execute them. Same thing with the offense. There are no magic offensive plays, they need to demonstrate they understand how to play the game.

 

Dribbling into a trap isn't fundamentally wrong?  Foregoing a ball fake and throwing the ball into the defender's arms isn't fundamentally wrong?

 

I was talking about the press breaker. You know, where you draw those little X's on the whiteboard. You need someone under the trap, someone over the trap and someone to split the trap. How you get them there doesn't really matter. Nebraska had players in those positions but didn't execute. They were passive  in attack and failed to execute fundamental principles like executing a ball fake. The scheme itself and having the skills to execute the scheme are different types but both are fundamentals. Personally I feel teaching the skills to break a press are more important than whatever x & o scheme you use to draw up to accomplish that task, but you need to have both to be successful.