GMac: Does he coach to his players strength or...

[ketelmeister]

Will GMac's coaching style evolve as his players get better, or is he already in his offense. I saw a lot of half court play and not as much running as I would expect in the future. Any insight into where he will take us?

[Bobber]

Gmac said at the beginning of the season that it would be pretty vanilla this year due to so many new players learning his system and lack of talent.

From what I've read his offensive sets are quite sophisticated. While he'll run when he can, I'd venture to say long term his teams will look more like Tim Floyds than Wayne Morgans.

[darts180]

I am not sure what this thread is intended to do. Greg has been a head coach at the collegiate level for a decade, and won over 200 games. He has never been fired from any of the three schools that he was employed by. In fact, the people at Wayne St., ND, and UNI all respect the job that he did. That doesn't happen if you can't maximize your players abilities, and their strengths.

What I can see is that as the talent level increases, it will demand more of him. I also understand that he has never coached the caliber of player that he will at Iowa State. I just think that he spent 15 years as a coach preparing for this opportunity, so I am pretty sure that he has already thought about this dilemma.

I understand that we are in a dry season, where there is nothing happening, and, I do appreciate that you are trying to stir up some discussion. I just think that this thread is a dead end.

[Drive4cy]

I think he added quite a bit to the offense as the season went along. If you watched a game from the first weekend and then watched the game at Nebraska or at home to Texas Tech you would see a big difference. I look forward to seeing what he can do with an experienced group, and not replacements like this season.

[ketelmeister]

My point is, did he change his game this year to reflect his players? Some coaches recruit for their system, some adapt to the best players they can get. I don't know which GMac is.

[acody]

Sounds defensive! This is not Wayne State, North Dakota or UNI. This is now the big time. I'm sure GMAC is a very good coach. Can he get big time talent to ISU? We do not know that yet, until we see them play out their career.

[darts180]

My point is, did he change his game this year to reflect his players? Some coaches recruit for their system, some adapt to the best players they can get. I don't know which GMac is.

OK, now I see what you are saying. To answer that question, I am pretty sure that he believes in what he does very strongly. His playbook is as thick as most football playbooks that you will ever see.

But, I also think that he will let his players make plays as well. He did that for Jacobsen at UNI, and Robbie Sieverding before that. But I think that the allowance for individual play making comes within a strong framework of set plays.

Again, I think that it will come down to how well he can adapt, personally, to coaching a different caliber of player. My guess is that he will probably loosen up as he has more good players.

[darts180]

Sounds defensive! This is not Wayne State, North Dakota or UNI. This is now the big time. I'm sure GMAC is a very good coach. Can he get big time talent to ISU? We do not know that yet, until we see them play out their career.

Well, I only have history to judge the man by. I have never seen him coach anyone as talented as Wesley Johnson, or as heralded as Craig Brackins. I think that he will be able to handle it, but can he get those bigtime players to come to Iowa State??? Time will tell. However, I think that it will be important for him to continue to hire strong recruiters when this batch of assistant coaches moves on.

[ISUFan22]

Good coaches have their systems and coach it well.

Great coaches have their systems, coach it well and also adapt it to the personnel they have at the time.

[BryceC]

Greg repeatedly talked during his call-in shows and post game shows about how he wasn't doing all the things he wanted to do this year because of personell issues. We didn't have the depth to do a lot of the things he wanted and that's why we played such a slow, deliberate game.

[cyclonenum1]

Gmac said at the beginning of the season that it would be pretty vanilla this year due to so many new players learning his system and lack of talent.

From what I've read his offensive sets are quite sophisticated. While he'll run when he can, I'd venture to say long term his teams will look more like Tim Floyds than Wayne Morgans.

Why do so many of you talk about McDermott's "system" as though it is "rocket science"?

Personally, I don't think the game of basketball is all that complicated. The most simple plays are lethal with the right personnel and proper execution...the pick and roll with Stockton and Malone...the triangle offense with Jordan, Pippen, and one other Bull...just to name a couple.

The most important factor is having talented personnel. After that comes execution of simple tasks (keeping your man in front of you on defense, boxing out, etc.).

Frankly, I think there are quite a few coaches out there who over-coach. I'm not saying McDermott is doing this but coaching is far less important in a sport like basketball than it is in a sport like football.

[CyRocket]

Why do so many of you talk about McDermott's "system" as though it is "rocket science"?

Personally, I don't think the game of basketball is all that complicated. The most simple plays are lethal with the right personnel and proper execution...the pick and roll with Stockton and Malone...the triangle offense with Jordan, Pippen, and one other Bull...just to name a couple.

The most important factor is having talented personnel. After that comes execution of simple tasks (keeping your man in front of you on defense, boxing out, etc.).

Frankly, I think there are quite a few coaches out there who over-coach. I'm not saying McDermott is doing this but coaching is far less important in a sport like basketball than it is in a sport like football.

The concepts may be simple but getting players to execute them is very difficult. Who is the only team to use the pick and roll with great success year after year, Jerry Sloan's Jazz period. Is Jackson a great coach with the triangle offense without Jordan and Pippen or O'Neal and Bryant ...No. What I'm saying is it takes a great coach to get players to play together. I think GMac is capable of doing that with good players and a spinkling of stars. Even Coach K fell on his face this year with 10 MacDonald's AAs on his bench because they didn't play together.

[coachdags]

Why do so many of you talk about McDermott's "system" as though it is "rocket science"?

Personally, I don't think the game of basketball is all that complicated. The most simple plays are lethal with the right personnel and proper execution...the pick and roll with Stockton and Malone...the triangle offense with Jordan, Pippen, and one other Bull...just to name a couple.

The most important factor is having talented personnel. After that comes execution of simple tasks (keeping your man in front of you on defense, boxing out, etc.).

Frankly, I think there are quite a few coaches out there who over-coach. I'm not saying McDermott is doing this but coaching is far less important in a sport like basketball than it is in a sport like football.

I totally agree with this post....

I also feel the challenge of any good coach in basketball is to get players to not only execute, but to "react and adjust" you have to understand the game, when the defense takes something away, something opens up!
Find that something, play together and SCORE!