Not time to panic…but time to worry.

[iamthepreacher]

Last night was the first time all year that I’ve been legitimately worried about the direction of our program due to the man at the top. All year I’ve dismissed the struggles of the team to being young and going through growth pains. That is, untill I watched us get dismanted at home by a Mountain West team that is even younger and more inexperienced than we are. Hell, I may have even understood this loss a little better in November, but certainly not in mid March.

All I wanted coach K to do after the game is to acknowledge his disappointment in being a one-and-done in the PAC12 tourney AND the NIT. I wanted to hear him acknowledge that he is not happy with the obvious regression of the team. I wanted to hear him acknowlege how much work he has to do in the offseason to get this team where it needs to be.

Instead, we heard how we were good for 32 minutes of the game (seriously?!?!…what game was he watching?!?! The game I watched we didn’t suck for about half of the game, then we flat out sucked for the other half. We played “good” for about 4 minutes. Gotta keep in mind the level of competition we were going against). We also heard how finishing fourth in the conference made the season a success and that it “didn’t end with a thud.” Umm…I’m pretty sure how we’ve played the last few games is the textbook definition of ending with a thud.

Coach K needs to take a page from Whitt’s coaching philosophy, which would lead to the following conclusions:

– If there are chemistry issues on the team, it falls on the head coach to fix it

– If there are leadership issues on the team, if falls on the head coach to fix it

– If the team can’t figure out how to inbounds the basketball, it falls on the head coach to fix it

– If the team hasn’t recruited enough talent, it falls on the head coach to fix it

– If the team shoots below 60% from the free throw line, it falls on the head coach to fix it

– If the team peaks in January and then sharply regresses from there to the end of the season, it falls on the head coach to fix it

– If the team is disinterested, disorganized, or lacks effort, it falls on the head coach to fix it

– If the team experiences a massive number of transfers every offseason, it falls on the head coach to fix it

Etc. Etc. Etc.

Yes, a lot falls on the head coach. But that is why he gets paid some seriously big bucks. Whitt understands this concept very well. He always acknowledges the deficiencies that exist on the team and shoulders the blame for poor results. For me personally, I find it far easier to cope with a negative outcome when the coach is willing to acknowledge problem areas. As a fan, it gives me confidence that the coach has diagnosed the problems and is at least willing to try to fix them. I didn’t feel any such assurances from Coach K after last night’s game.

I’m not panicking, but I am worried. It will be a telling sign to see if another exodus of transfers occurs within the next two months.

I will say this…if we’re not back in the NCAA tournament after next season then there is probably a good case that a change at the top is needed for our program.

[Utah]

I’ll say this: we are at a crossroads. If we bring everyone back, Kuzma included, add Hillman and a good JC PG, then the future looks great. I’d say don’t take too much from an NIT game that no one wanted to be at. I’d say we overachieved and the future looks bright. 

I’d also say that if Kuzma, Daniels and other players leave…then the heat should be turned up on Coach K. I’d say that there is a problem in the program that we keep losing so many kids every year, we keep going after one and done kids and missing out, etc. 

Why does K always talk about going after kids that want to be here for four years, etc then put all his recruiting chops into one and done kids? That is what I don’t get. 

[iamthepreacher]

I agree, bringing everyone back would give us a nice foundation heading into next season.

I don’t agree that “no one wanted to be at that NIT game.” Clearly Boise St. wanted to be there. They came back from 11 points down in the second half, scrapped, played hard, and came away with a road win (albeit, we didn’t provide them with much resistance). Why did their team want to keep their season going more than our team? I wouldn’t gloss this point over too easily as it could be a red flag.

Not to keep venting…but I’m also concerned that the same problems have surfaced just about every season with Coach K, especially the constant turnovers and issues inbounding the basketball. Why can we not figure that out after 6 years?!

[Utah]

Yeah, Boise did want to be there. I don’t think Utah cared at all. I think Utah was up with 8 mins to go, realized that if they won they’d have to keep playing and threw in the towel. 

[iamthepreacher]

If our guys don’t want to keep playing basketball, then we definintely have issues. You work all offseason for the chance to play in games. Now you have the chance to play in more games, and you’d rather throw in the towel? SAD!

[Minnesota Ute]

Why did their team want to keep their season going more than our team? I wouldn’t gloss this point over too easily as it could be a red flag.

This, big time. YOUHGG RED FLAG

[Stone]

It is disappointing that both trips to the NIT under LK have been one and done. I realize there is disappointment of not getting to the dance, but a good coach (and a good team) will recognize the opportunity to improve and build momentum for the following year. I remember being so proud of that 91-92 team that made a strong run in the NIT. Doing well in the NIT has a great deal of upside for the team, fans and program. It is a shame the opportunity was not taken more seriously.

[Utah]

My worry is that Larry doesn’t like this team and we will be starting over again this fall. 

[HoosierinUt]

yep…..I agree with his statement. Hell, we don’t like this team either.

There is something fundamentally wrong going on behind the scenes. Something has been off since the beginning, but all we heard was “wait for Barefield and Collette”. I think Collette was practicing his flops all summer long. As for Barefield, his outburst of 35 points (I think it was against San Fran?) and then he never once came close to scoring like that again? Something is off.

Preseason schedule was against a bunch of scrubs sans Butler and Xavier. Remember that when people talk about “exceeding expectations” and they mention how many wins the team got….many against scrubs.

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