There were plenty of games where the effort was there, and during the stretch where both Clayton and Hadaway were out, the effort levels were great. Boals' issue as a coach has nothing to do with culture and motivation. He's great in those areas.
"Plenty of games" and "during a stretch" - I agree with you. There were also plenty of games and tons of stretches where our defense was absolutely indefensible. Guys lunging at shot fakes and taking themselves out of the play. Guys not hedging hard on ball screens. Guys standing straight up with hands at their sides. Guys turning their heads from the ball and then getting magically beat back door or over the top (cough EJ4 constantly cough). Guys giving half-hearted efforts on switches or scramble rotations.
Then there was some of the just not athletic/big enough issues you mentioned as well. Where guys just didn't have the lateral quickness to stay in front of their man (Pavs, Clayton, EJ4) or guys who got bullied down low and backed down for easy buckets (Pavs, Clayton, Sheldon, Brown).
I agree Boals is a great motivator. Wish he'd recruit some more defensive-minded players like Reef and Miles Brown, Jaylin Hunter, Sears, BVP, Jason Carter, Lunden McDay. This years roster just didn't have those guys outside Reef and Hadaway IMO.
But the roster was poorly constructed and we weren't big enough or strong enough.
Given the constant amount of injuries to key starters such that we never played with our expected healthy rotations all year, the roster wasn't big enough or strong enough. That's true.
Nowhere to look but at Boals, and without a pretty substantial overhaul this off-season next year's roster will be more of the same.
I agree, but go look at the # of freshmen and new faces listed in my hypothetical rotation post above. I think pretty substantial overhaul is exactly what is happening to the roster.
Barring one of the freshman coming in and being instantly a top 20 or so player in the league, or Elliott taking an unusually large leap, we don't have the high end talent to be anything other than what we've been the last few years. Suspect we're at least 2 seasons away from winning anything meaningful.
Certainly no incoming freshman at a mid-major is a guarantee to do anything year one. That being said, you can't look at JJ Kelly specifically - but the entire trio of Kelly/Fisher/Mosley and not see at least 2 guys ready to contribute immediately in some fashion. I really think Kelly is going to push to be a day one starter. I could be wrong.
Then throw in the fact we're getting Burris and Kuany off redshirts after another year older and in the program. I think Kuany could have helped this years team - so no reason to think he won't help next year.
Add a year of Evans development. I know many aren't high on him. I still am.
Throw in a big from the portal that you, me and everyone else is hoping for.
Also look at the heights I listed. I see a much BIGGER, more athletic, better rebounding team. The question I have is the defensive side. Don't know until they get in the gym and work next year to determine that.
Regardless I see an overhauled roster that addresses a lot of what illed us this year. Doesn't mean it WILL come together and work, but I see the plan. I expect to be playing on Saturday next year with that roster. If not, Boals job gets warm.
Last Edited: 3/15/2025 5:28:38 PM by GraffZ06