Coach needs to send a message: a little shake up is needed

[CDC84]

First of all, the Zags still have a good chance of landing an at large bid, and the season last night didn't go down the tank. It was a bad loss and a horrible team performance, but the team hasn't dug themselves into a grave they can't get out of. Yet. Their destiny is still in their own hands.

So what I am about to say IS NOT coming from a sense of panic.

Nonetheless, I think the time is right for Coach Few to send a message.

Unlike some people, I'm not a believer that Stockton is the cure all for this team. I don't feel he is the future solution either. He has limitations.

But I think the time has come for Few to send a message, and that message is starting David at starting PG against USF on Saturday and moving Meech to the bench.

Not permanently, although I suppose David's performance could change that. But mainly to send a message that coach expects more from his starting point guard. Especially when that PG is an upperclassman.

The one thing I will say about Meech is that he is a fighter. He is not a pouter. He is a team guy and a great kid. I feel he would respond well to such a move, and it would energize his play.

Something needs to be done to shake things up. I don't think the move I am suggesting would cause great chaos on the team. The Zags keep alternating guys in and out of the starting small forward position. The only difference with the PG situation is that Meech is a junior, while the small forwards are underclassmen.

A little change is in order.

[gozagswoohoo]

I think you're right CDC. I would also like Stockton to start a game, just to give him a shot. I think he has earned that. Is that a long term option? I'm not sure....but I would like to see how it works out.

[ZagHouse]

No more chartered plane until the boys realize that every game needs to be their best effort. I bet flying coach might bring some of these boys back to earth.

[bballbeachbum]

perhaps a good idea; Meech was improving game by game, but that has not been the case for 3 games. and I'm a big fan of his because of that toughness, warts and all...still am. I just like him, but he needs to shake out of this, whatever it takes, and play with more confidence

however, unlike the majority here on this board, I think THE killer issues rest on defense (agree w/ Hoopaholic), and in particular defensive rebounding; limit those O boards last night in the second half, it's a different outcome, and dominating the glass MUST happen for this team to succeed...and you can bet USF will ATTACK the O glass and the post/paint, just like they did last year

[MickMick]

The following players need a "message".

Carter, Goodson, Harris, and Gray.

Each "message" should be unique and on a "case by case" basis.

Gray: Take care of the ball. Priority one. Sorry that you are forced into being the primary ball handler, but since you are, take care of the ball. Zags have to live and die with Steven. All you can do is coach him up.

Harris: Use your head with the ball in your hands. Make wise shots, don't charge, and pass it once in awhile. A few more rebounds would be nice as well.

Carter: You have had enough time to "adjust". The waiting is over.

Goodson? I dunno. PMac would be a Godsend about now and look how things ended up for him. Rollercoaster ride for sure. Forrest Gump's proverbial "box of chocolates". "You never know what flavor you are going to get".


Answer me this? What players have reached their "ceiling" and will likely not get much better?

I'll start with Carter.

[NovaZag]

And what would this teach Meech exactly? Learn how to see the floor? Learn how to shoot a jumpshot? He could've played better, but nearly everyone (except Sacre) could've played better. I'm not saying that Stockton shouldn't get more minutes, but if you're going to start Stockton, it's because he's simply more effective, not because Meech gave such a poor performance yesterday.... because it wasn't that poor, for Meech.

[ZagsObserver]

The offense simply does not work when Goodson is out there. He'll get a few driving layups, but it's not even his offensive output that's at issue. He has an inability to actually "run" an offense. At this point, I don't think that's something you can teach. Meech would be good off the bench in certain defensive situations or when the team is getting the full-court press. He is not a good first option at pg, and probably not even a second, unfortunately. When you have a pg that facilitates an offense well, everyone around him plays better. I think that's partially the issue with some of the others on the team (ie. Gray, who feels that he needs to try and create on every possession).

[VinnyZag]

The following players need a "message".

Carter, Goodson, Harris, and Gray.

Each "message" should be unique and on a "case by case" basis.

Harris: ... pass it once in awhile. ..

I agree with much of what you're saying, but I actually think one of the problems with this team is that Harris is playing too passively, not that he's refusing to pass the ball.

I was stuck at the office during last night's game and didn't have the stomach to watch the recording when I got home. But Harris took just 7 shots, and only four two-point shots. Meech had as many field goal attempts as Harris.

I wish Harris would pass less, not more.

[gamagin]

I think everyone's

p.t. needs review. Except Rs's. It used to be that RS & SG, EH & Meech could be counted on for starters. Last night it went back to just RS.

Actually, I thought before last night the matter of p.t. was pretty much settled. Those who weren't playing well or having a bad game or were making bad decisions, would be seated and replaced by an eager, ready and mostly capable sub who would jump in an attempt to settle things down, or shoot, or contribute to fill the void as best he could.

It has worked better and better until last night.

That didn't happen v SCU. Except one time when we pulled ahead and a timeout was called. Then, when play resumed, Few had changed the lineup and we slipped back into our dysfunctional game.

But the point is simple: as long as we put in those most capable at the time, remove those who are having whatever kinds of problems at the time those problems crop up, we have enough horses to potentially stay with our game.

That wasn't done. The substitutions were not made the way they had been before. The good combinations, the ones that had SCU confounded, and which put us into the lead, were removed.

Meantime, they had a plan and stuck to it. When they found their hot hand, they kept feeding him. He kept shooting and his confidence built up with each succeeding shot. We don't do that with systems, or groups of players often enough. We need to figure out what works and then do it till it stops working. Had Foster been missing or been discouraged by better D, SCU would have to change its plans. We need to change the opponents plans. beginnng to end. We don't seem to do that.

I don't know what our plan was. I still don't. It wasn't apparent.

We had as many opportunities to take over as anyone could wish for. We didn't capitalize on them.

We beat ourselves and then they beat us.

So, by all means, p.t. should be reassessed. I don't care who starts or who doesn't. It doesn't matter.

It matters who has come to play and then plays. And it matters, too, that we leave those five in the game if they clearly are making a difference in our favor. And if they keep beating the other guys for the rest of the game, or until it is out of reach, they stay in.

[hooter73]

OK I think Meech is a near total bust but another thread beating that horse?

A message does need to be sent about motivation to most the team and to the coaches too maybe but at this point in a year the skills you see are the skills you get. Coaches need to work with what they've got and the fans need to quit wanting something that's not there this year frustrating as it is.

Letting Stockton play more and Gray handle less is doable but I'll be really surprised to see it. Harris... nevermind but KO is not the answer for Harris not being the same player he was last year. Keita has the energy to play more minutes and we can afford to sub the wings (as we have no shooting guards imo beside Gray) for whoever is having the 'on' night. Its not a deep NCAA team and only with sound coaching differences like set plays from out of bounds like we used to be so good at will we be a conference champ team.

Funny how much i used to yell at Sacre and now he's the foundation we are happy with.

[CDC84]

Big E

The major issue with Harris right now is that he has hit a wall offensively. Everything comes off his left shoulder. He's being scouted that way. It's causing turnovers and too many player control fouls on his part. He has no counter. He has a decent outside shot from deep, but it's strictly a set shot. He can't do it on the break, etc. He lacks any sort of mid range touch, so he is very reluctant to pull up from 12 feet, and when he does, it's a rare make. Any scoring is coming from pure athleticism. That wasn't the case last year when opposing coaches were still figuring him out.

I am as big of a fan of players participating in international ball as anyone, but EH could really use a whole summer at Gonzaga working with the GU coaches on his offensive skill set. He's not getting the work in that he needs on the German national team. The role that he plays on the German national team couldn't be anymore different than his role at GU.

He needs to develop more offensive countermoves. I knew that after his freshman year, and nothing happened over the offseason to make it happen. And then the injuries came, which exacerbated his offensive shortcomings and hampered his ability to work with the staff to make things better in what little time he spent on campus prior to the season starting.

Regarding the original topic = Few can't send a message to the whole team, even though the whole team was responsible for the loss last night. So someone has to take one for the team. For me, Meech is the obvious choice. I would explain to him that it's not necessarily permanent. The team just needs a little shake up.

[gamagin]

CDC, I was with you until

your last graph

<< Regarding the original topic = Few can't send a message to the whole team, even though the whole team was responsible for the loss last night. So someone has to take one for the team. For me, Meech is the obvious choice. I would explain to him that it's not necessarily permanent. The team just needs a little shake up.>>

are you serious ? the coach can't send a message to the whole team ? You can't ? Coach K has benched an entire starting five to send a message. The message was received, too, if memory serves.

[BroncoZAG615]

In all honestly, Coach Few needs to do a little self-assessment as much as he needs to send an outward message to the team.

[CDC84]

are you serious ? the coach can't send a message to the whole team ? You can't ? Coach K has benched an entire starting five to send a message. The message was received, too, if memory serves.

__________________

But Coach K has a roster full of McDonald's All Americans on the bench. Also, while I've seen Coach K do something like this during a game, I have never seen him do it to start a game. Starting a game is different.

The intent of not starting Meech is to send a message without disrupting the team in a major way. I don't feel starting David would cause great disruption against USF on Saturday, but it would still convey a message.

The Zags have 11 guys averaging double figures, and all played a part in last night's loss. Someone has to take one for the team.

[thespywhozaggedme]

And what would this teach Meech exactly? Learn how to see the floor? Learn how to shoot a jumpshot? He could've played better, but nearly everyone (except Sacre) could've played better. I'm not saying that Stockton shouldn't get more minutes, but if you're going to start Stockton, it's because he's simply more effective, not because Meech gave such a poor performance yesterday.... because it wasn't that poor, for Meech.

Good post. I use to get mad at Meech because he's so bad at basic point guard things, i.e making an entry pass into the post, seeing the open man on the break and basic court vision, but then I finally realized that it's not for lack of trying; I distinctly remember seeing Meech try his hardest to get a pass to Rob last night, but it was so poor, it was picked off. Meech just can't do the things we expect of him, and it's really not fair to get mad at him for it, he tries, he just can't do it. He is what he is, a good defender, change of pace guard who can take the ball to the rim. As I stated in my now infamous Wake Forest game recap, Stockton is far and away the best point guard on the team, emphasis on the words point guard, but due to his limited stature, he too will always be a bit of a liability. Last night stunk, but it's not the end of the world.