I'm sure the staff has worked at developing them in practice all year that doesn't mean they are ready to play big minutes in a game.
Change my mind - our bench needs to play!
- Thread starter allfourcy
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I'm sure the staff has worked at developing them in practice all year that doesn't mean they are ready to play big minutes in a game.
But why would it be necessary to ask them to play big minutes? I don't' see anyone suggesting that.
It would seem that Monte and Georges need about 4-5 minutes more rest per game. It is harder to figure out Burton and Jameel, but it would seem a better rotation could be worked out there with Nader, Burton, Jameel, and Carter. Thomas' and Nader's minutes have nearly doubled this year. Ashton and Cooke need to spell Thomas. I'm not sure what you do with Nader, but he does not seem to have a problem with it, and he is only getting like 31 minutes per game.
Again, you don't put more than one sub (of Cooke, Ashton, Carter) in at a time. You try to do it when the other team also has reserves on the floor. You try and be smart about it, for example taking out players right before a scheduled tv timeout to give them an extra minute or two on the bench.
The goal is to have your starters out there as fresh as possible for the last 8-10 minutes of a game, when it is being decided. Games are not usually decided in the first half, or even early in the 2nd half.
You are not expecting them to "be ready" to fully replace a Niang or Morris. You are expecting them to do their best and give these starters just a few minutes rest. I think they argument that they are not ready is just pointless. How are they going to "get ready" if not by playing?
I tend to agree that it would make sense to strategically play Cooke and Carter 4-5 min's a game to spell our starters but I have to trust in CSP because he knows much more about coaching than I ever will. I have to wonder if Cooke's hips are still a little weak/tender slowing him down some in light of the Naz situation.
I don't think they'd be ready to play now just by getting spot minutes here and there in non conference. I mean Cooke played double digit minutes in every game before conference season started and hasn't scored in over two weeks. Carter just isn't ready, if he would help us out he'd be playing. Ashton and Cooke are a pretty big drop off from the top 6 but play out of necessity.
Does this change your mind?
Nurse, Horton, Fizer and Tinsley combined averaged more minutes per game than than Niang, Nader, Thomas and Morris combined.
Nurse, Horton, Fizer and Tinsley combined averaged more minutes per game than than Niang, Nader, Thomas and Morris combined.
It's a product of our environment, if we played a typical Big Ten schedule I'd bet guys like Carter and Cooke get more minutes because the opposition players aren't as good as what you get in the Big 12 every night. There are just no "rest nights" in this league.
I don't won't to bang on our current guys, and maybe it's a bit revisionist history, but Nurse, Horton, Tinsley, and Fizer were tough as nails. And their coach coached a different style.
Only would change my mind if the big12 was as tough that year top to bottom, (Baylor and WV now, compared to Nebraska and Baylor then) AND if we had so little depth when it came to foul trouble, AND a 6'4" guy was being asked to guard 6'9" dudes. So...not yet. lol Somehow, but I don't know how, the rotations have to work out better for us in BOTH halves. I just don't remember being in (or cautious of) so much foul trouble in years gone by. But maybe I've forgotten.
I was worried about it in '12-'13 as I recall, Anthony Booker's senior year and Percy Gibson's soph. Hoiberg gave up on both of them halfway thru the year and left our front court awfully thin, with basically just Ejim, Hogue, and Georges. If any 1 of those 3 were in foul trouble, I'd cringe having to watch Percy (as much as I was rooting for him) brick shots off the backboard and/or airball. As far as Booker goes...so much potential. The predecessor to BDJ and now Jameel.
Edit: I am mis-remembering. Would have been Clyburn in place of Hogue that year.
This is true. Also might be why the conference struggles in the tournament.
Look at Iowa's last 4 games: two bad teams, Minnesota and Penn St, neither of which is last in their conference, Indiana #20, and a 35-40 ranked team, Wisconsin.
Iowa St's last 4 games: #25, #16, #12, and a bad TCU team.
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One reason is that no matter how bad the opponent, we were never able to blow anybody out, or get a comfortable lead down the stretch, to allow more bench minutes. I believe that was/is due to our terrible defense and usually poor rebounding. We did not even blow out Chicago state, who I believe hit 18 threes against us.
Booker actually played pretty well down the stretch that season.
Alos, Percy shot 49% from the field that season. I don't remember him being bad at all his freshman season.
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You can't look guys like Georges and Nader in the eye and tell them you're trying to win those games vs. Baylor and vs. WVU if you have Carter and Cooke getting minutes. I don't know if anyone here has ever been good at a team sport and had a coach that played guys you rolled your eyes at when they got put in the game for whatever reason but it can really suck the life out of a team and actually make the good players press even harder and not the good kind of press.
Fr. Percy was fine, but it was his SO. that I was referring to. Also w/Booker, I'm fairly certain he played sparingly that year, at least toward the end. Maybe my recollection is hazy.
Their minutes went down after bubu came back. They came in maybe if one of the front court guys was in foul trouble.
No, because the difference is less than 2 minutes per game for those players you listed. That is insignificant at best, and most of it came from Horton and Nurse. Fizer and Niang were about the same, but Tinsley was 6 minutes under what Monte averages.
Also, it was a different time, different coach, and a much different style of play. Plus I think most would agree that that team was a much more physical, stronger and tougher team than the current team. Compare Fizer/Niang, Nader/Horton, Nurse/Thomas and Morris/Tinsley. Physically, athletically, who wins those matchups?
But again, the difference in minutes played on average is so minute it does not matter. These players have shown at the end of most close games they do not have enough left in the tank to get the win.
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The Seth Davis article today from coaches around the big 12 scouting ISU "confidentially" was dead on. "everyone knows that iowa state won't foul since they only play 6 maybe 7." this is a big deal regarding depth- fouls. not getting bliefeldt (sp) this off season hurt bad.
