1) Stop calling out a freshman who has one semester under your system. If you are going to call someone out, call out CB or DG, someone who will have an impact on the rest of your team. Colvin's play has not lost any games this year...and certainly was not a major problem against Duke.
2) Teach the team to rebound. They got out-rebounded by one of the poorest rebounding teams in the country (Houston). Your lottery pick (CB) had 0 rebounds the first half against Duke....and only 2 for the game. Ridiculous!
3) Make them shoot free throws every practice until they get better at it.
4) You are supposed to have so many plays. Design some that take advantage of your team's talents. Design some plays for CB to shoot from 10 to 15 feet. Some for MG on the baseline, or driving to the basket. More plays and touches for Hamilton inside. Plays that will open up the lane for DG and Colvin. Teach them that when they drive to pass to the outside on the drives. Design and use plays for specific players.
5) Do not start Lucca. Make him earn the spot back. If he is not shooting well, he has no value on the floor at all. SC brings a lot more of a total package to the team.
6) Insert some plays for Dendy when he is in there. Plays that take advantage of his specific skills. He is not Lucca, SC, MG, or anyone else. You can't expect him to just plug into the same plays.
7) Work the ball inside more to MG and Hamilton and JVB when he is in there, but he doesn't seem to want to stay there. Thinks he is a European player I guess, since he played in a foreign country.
8) Stop the dribbling around at the top of the key! If you are not driving, then stop dribbling and start working the offense! Seems DG dribbles around for 15 to 20 seconds before starting the play. Ridiculous! Teach the team to pass crisply. Make 4 quick, crisp passes minimum before a shot can be taken. Make the players watch the movie "Hoosiers" at least twice a week until they get the message about passing.
9) Play Buckley. You call Colvin out, yet a player that has been here a couple of years, and got quite a bit of playing time last year gets virtually none this year? Is he doing something wrong? How does that look to the other younger players on your team? Is there really any reason for them to put in the effort and work hard if they are just going to sit on the bench like DB?
10) Realize that yes, your team will look good in practice. THEY ARE PLAYING AGAINST YOUR DEFENSE! I'm sure CB is a strong re-bounder in practice and Lucca probably makes 75 per cent of his 3's. The trick is to do that same thing against other teams in a game situation.
11) Be sure all players know what is expected from them in a game. If they do not give you what is expected, then they ride the bench.....no ifs, ands or buts. If CB is not doing his job in the game, bench him. You don't think that would send a message? If someone is screwing around in practice, send them back to their apartment, or dorm room. Exercise some discipline because it is pretty clear from how they play that this team has none. It also shows when they are warming up before the game, having dunk contests and one-on-one games. WTF?
12) You have the most talent by far that you have had since you have been here. If you can't win this year and get to the NCAA in your 4th year, then be a man and realize you are not capable of coaching in the Big 12, step down and go back to coaching a mid-major somewhere. ISU fans have been patient long enough with this nonsense. Most D-1 coaches will make at least the NIT, if not the NCAA in their first 4 years. Most definitely would make it if they had the talent you have on this team. CB was a 1st team all-Big 12 pick by the coaches in the pre-season. MG was new-comer of the year. Yet, ISU was picked 8th. What does that tell that your peers think of your coaching abilities?
There.......I've vented.