Guard Play

Quote from: Dave on December 21, 2015, 11:16:44 AM

I don't think Mussini is as bad as a defender as some are making him out to be. I think the team defensively is lost and think that has to do with none of the coaches being defensive minds. Too many times guys are out of position, over committing, going under on screens, etc. There is no consistency.

This combined with empty offensive possessions leads to deficits.

He is constantly turning his head and never knows where he should be. Might be worst defender I have seen since I have been a fan. Again for me to complain about defense, especially from a player I like.... well lets just say it is really, really bad.

Actually thought he put in a lot of effort on defense yesterday...of course, his late game failure to keep tabs on his man led to a back breaking lay-up...prior to that I thought is was one of his better defensive efforts...

Quote from: we are sju on December 21, 2015, 11:28:56 AM

Quote from: Dave on December 21, 2015, 11:16:44 AM

I don't think Mussini is as bad as a defender as some are making him out to be. I think the team defensively is lost and think that has to do with none of the coaches being defensive minds. Too many times guys are out of position, over committing, going under on screens, etc. There is no consistency.

This combined with empty offensive possessions leads to deficits.

He is constantly turning his head and never knows where he should be. Might be worst defender I have seen since I have been a fan. Again for me to complain about defense, especially from a player I like.... well lets just say it is really, really bad.

Actually thought he put in a lot of effort on defense yesterday...of course, his late game failure to keep tabs on his man led to a back breaking lay-up...prior to that I thought is was one of his better defensive efforts...

Must have been back doored at least 3 - 4 times. Terrible to watch.

I think the team defensively is lost and think that has to do with none of the coaches being defensive minds.

Weren't you the same poster who just last week thought it was crazy that I suggested the staff felt more comfortable with man to man (because they said so)? 

Quote from: Dave on December 21, 2015, 11:16:44 AM

I think the team defensively is lost and think that has to do with none of the coaches being defensive minds.

Weren't you the same poster who just last week thought it was crazy that I suggested the staff felt more comfortable with man to man (because they said so)? 

You were stating your belief as fact. I merely pointed out that it was your belief not necessarily the coaches' philosophy.

I've been impressed with St. Jean's coaching acumen offensively but still think he's very inexperienced to be coaching at high major level. Rest of staff including Dan Matic (ops) are recruiting guys. I think there is a lot of trial by fire and this team just faced two very well respected X & O coaches who schooled Mullin and staff.

SPeaking of the staff, is Zendon still working with the team?  I haven't noticed him on the sidelines.

Quote from: Marillac on December 21, 2015, 10:38:52 PM

Quote from: Dave on December 21, 2015, 11:16:44 AM

I think the team defensively is lost and think that has to do with none of the coaches being defensive minds.

Weren't you the same poster who just last week thought it was crazy that I suggested the staff felt more comfortable with man to man (because they said so)? 

You were stating your belief as fact. I merely pointed out that it was your belief not necessarily the coaches' philosophy.

I've been impressed with St. Jean's coaching acumen offensively but still think he's very inexperienced to be coaching at high major level. Rest of staff including Dan Matic (ops) are recruiting guys. I think there is a lot of trial by fire and this team just faced two very well respected X & O coaches who schooled Mullin and staff.

Jim Engels schooled Chris Mullin. Good one.

Quote from: Dave on December 22, 2015, 02:12:31 AM

Quote from: Marillac on December 21, 2015, 10:38:52 PM

Quote from: Dave on December 21, 2015, 11:16:44 AM

I think the team defensively is lost and think that has to do with none of the coaches being defensive minds.

Weren't you the same poster who just last week thought it was crazy that I suggested the staff felt more comfortable with man to man (because they said so)? 

You were stating your belief as fact. I merely pointed out that it was your belief not necessarily the coaches' philosophy.

I've been impressed with St. Jean's coaching acumen offensively but still think he's very inexperienced to be coaching at high major level. Rest of staff including Dan Matic (ops) are recruiting guys. I think there is a lot of trial by fire and this team just faced two very well respected X & O coaches who schooled Mullin and staff.

Jim Engels schooled Chris Mullin. Good one.

Welcome to NY. Today a peacock, the next a feather duster. We praised him for SU, but in these last two games, the problems ran deeper than just missing shots. The players don't know what they're doing yet. There is no leadership, and our coach has to keep looking for it. NJIT, however, had us spooked. We didn't know what was coming next from them. Engels is a good coach. I don't think we get to poke fun at him until we have a better coached team than he does.

the problems ran deeper than just missing shots. The players don't know what they're doing yet. There is no leadership, and our coach has to keep looking for it. NJIT, however, had us spooked. We didn't know what was coming next from them. Engels is a good coach. I don't think we get to poke fun at him until we have a better coached team than he does.

I didn't poke fun at anyone. But it wasn't Jim Engels bamboozling Chris Mullin that resulted in 15 wide open threes, it was the guards playing crappy defense, and it wasn't the alleged Princeton offense that caused SJU to miss 16 free throws.

There's no reason this team should be leaving as many shooters open as it has been these last few games when we have not one but 2 strong rim protectors underneath. Defense needs to fully extend and as Dave said defending screens has been poor.

As for Mullin/St. Jean I don't think definitive rulings can be made either way yet on whether the coaching and game preparations have been good yet or not, but I posted on this board when St. Jean was hire that Mullin needed a guy with more experience.  St. Jean had never been in charge of a practice or game prep at any level ever and to put a 25 year old without experience with a ridiculously young team and completely inexperienced head coach was not the wisest move.  Leading practices and preparing teams for games is so much more than just knowing schemes, its knowing how to communicate to players and you just don't know how good someone is that hasn't done it before.  Hopefully it turns out that the guy is a young coaching prodigy and can really grow this team, though. We shall see. 

There's no reason this team should be leaving as many shooters open as it has been these last few games when we have not one but 2 strong rim protectors underneath. Defense needs to fully extend and as Dave said defending screens has been poor.

As for Mullin/St. Jean I don't think definitive rulings can be made either way yet on whether the coaching and game preparations have been good yet or not, but I posted on this board when St. Jean was hire that Mullin needed a guy with more experience.  St. Jean had never been in charge of a practice or game prep at any level ever and to put a 25 year old without experience with a ridiculously young team and completely inexperienced head coach was not the wisest move.  Leading practices and preparing teams for games is so much more than just knowing schemes, its knowing how to communicate to players and you just don't know how good someone is that hasn't done it before.  Hopefully it turns out that the guy is a young coaching prodigy and can really grow this team, though. We shall see. 

+100

The problem as I see it is everyone is getting beat off the dribble and guys are hedging whether to help and they are losing their man. With Sima back there you don't have to come over and in fact they are not. They are going halfway which is useless.

Quote from: Dave on December 22, 2015, 02:12:31 AM

Quote from: Marillac on December 21, 2015, 10:38:52 PM

Quote from: Dave on December 21, 2015, 11:16:44 AM

I think the team defensively is lost and think that has to do with none of the coaches being defensive minds.

Weren't you the same poster who just last week thought it was crazy that I suggested the staff felt more comfortable with man to man (because they said so)? 

You were stating your belief as fact. I merely pointed out that it was your belief not necessarily the coaches' philosophy.

I've been impressed with St. Jean's coaching acumen offensively but still think he's very inexperienced to be coaching at high major level. Rest of staff including Dan Matic (ops) are recruiting guys. I think there is a lot of trial by fire and this team just faced two very well respected X & O coaches who schooled Mullin and staff.

Jim Engels schooled Chris Mullin. Good one.

I won't go there, but good coach, good guy

I won't go there, but good coach, good guy

Yeah, he's fine. My point was that Sunday's loss was attributable to faulty execution, not faulty strategy.

Quote from: we are sju on December 22, 2015, 10:26:58 AM

I won't go there, but good coach, good guy

Yeah, he's fine. My point was that Sunday's loss was attributable to faulty execution, not faulty strategy.

The thing with this roster is it is not so much that it is bad, which for the most part it is, but it is a mish mosh. You got new guys that won't be here after this year and young guys. I think it actually might be harder to coach this team then a team totally full of underclassmen.

The defense thing does seem to be a lack of instincts or confusion on players part. Might help for coaching staff to make easier on them and tell them definitely do not help, stay on your man. Or def come over and help. Don't  give them any room for interpretation.

Quote from: Marillac on December 21, 2015, 10:38:52 PM

Quote from: Dave on December 21, 2015, 11:16:44 AM

I think the team defensively is lost and think that has to do with none of the coaches being defensive minds.

Weren't you the same poster who just last week thought it was crazy that I suggested the staff felt more comfortable with man to man (because they said so)? 

You were stating your belief as fact. I merely pointed out that it was your belief not necessarily the coaches' philosophy.

I've been impressed with St. Jean's coaching acumen offensively but still think he's very inexperienced to be coaching at high major level. Rest of staff including Dan Matic (ops) are recruiting guys. I think there is a lot of trial by fire and this team just faced two very well respected X & O coaches who schooled Mullin and staff.

I don't disagree with any of that.  I think they'll find their way to more zone with time.  They have obviously have the theory down, they just need to see how it is applied at the college and Big East level. It's not rocket science.

Some of these posts are borderline blasphemous.  As the losses and fan frustration mount, it's likely to get worse before it get's better.

I repeat my call for a lifetime ban on criticism for this particular coach!

There are a lot of new guys, first timers, and they are short handed.  It will be hard to see any serious improvement on this team until next year, when there is more experience and a fuller roster....Once Jordan and CO left the program most people on this board thought if everything broke right for this team, they had a good shot of making the NIT. 

That hasn't happened and in fact the team has had  a few bad breaks, that will impact the rest of the season.  Any positive changes will probably be limited regardless whose coaching this team. If they continue to lose it is what it is. If they pull off an upset take it for what it is worth....an upset, nothing more or less. Of this team is not improving next year, then maybe get concerned....Any real expectations should probably held till year three, IMO.

Is Ellison good enough to be part of the guard rotation when better players show up? Any thought he might be a candidate to transfer?

Is Ellison good enough to be part of the guard rotation when better players show up? Any thought he might be a candidate to transfer?

A bit precipitous. Usually we wait until  kid's played 20 college games before pronouncing him a failure and throwing him overboard.

Is Ellison good enough to be part of the guard rotation when better players show up? Any thought he might be a candidate to transfer?

I think you will have a much better answer for that question in about two months. He missed a bunch of games and is clearly out of rhythm. If his play doesn't pick up it would be hard to see him getting a lot of pt, next year or the year after with a lot of guard talent. I don't know anything about a possible transfer but as for being a part of the rotation I think he will need to play a lot better and that doesn't mean he can't do it but the jury is still out. His shooting stroke from 3 is pretty poor, he has a lot to work on.