Do I need to issue a disclaimer before hand about how I think moving on from Woodson would be the best move?...
But, there are very tiny slivers of light...
1. Watching the team play right now, they look like they genuinely like each other. Examples...when Walker got hurt, and it was time for him to be carried off the court, half the team was stumbling over themselves to come help him. Also...later in the second half, Trey was pushing a secondary break, and he stopped and turned and flipped it back to Mgbako for a three. After the play, you could see how excited Trey was for Mgbako. Obviously playing well, and winning, improves everyone's mood. But it just looks like this team is much more bought in than most are giving them credit for. That's a big factor for the health and direction of the program.
2. Until we know who is leaving...the possibility of a solid, core group of players returning, could explain both Woodson being retained, AND McNeeley backing out. There was a lot of smoke in recent weeks about Woody, the players all leaving, etc... Maybe Dolson got assurances from a handful of the key/core players, that they'll return if Woody returns? And maybe McNeeley had been banking on a couple of them being gone when he committed? McNeeley is going to get close to 7 figures wherever he goes...if a place like Kansas has less returning starters on the wing, better chances he'll be featured more...and they are in the process of sending Furphy to the NBA.
3. Galloway, Leal, Mack, Malik, Cupps, Newton, Sparks... And then with the Brinks truck it sounds like he might have...go get 3 impact, starter level perimeter players. And use the leverage, he has earned, from TJD and Ware...to go get an elite big, all from the portal.
Obviously, if the rumors of mass player exodus are true, and we don't get very many core guys back. Then next year could end up being worse. I just think a lot of the doomsday talk about "0-32", "worse than Crean's first year", etc... are just incredibly unlikely.
And I'm still giving Dolson enough credit that he's got a good handle on the program. He's proven that in all our other sports programs. I'm not sure why men's bball would be any different.
I don't know what it ends up looking like, but I bet next year will be a lot better than most are predicting it will be right now. But I'm not certain him coming back automatically means we're going to be worse next year.
I still wish we'd move on...I think its obvious Woodson won't ever win big things at IU...so why not move on and find a guy that will/could?
But, there are very tiny slivers of light...
1. Watching the team play right now, they look like they genuinely like each other. Examples...when Walker got hurt, and it was time for him to be carried off the court, half the team was stumbling over themselves to come help him. Also...later in the second half, Trey was pushing a secondary break, and he stopped and turned and flipped it back to Mgbako for a three. After the play, you could see how excited Trey was for Mgbako. Obviously playing well, and winning, improves everyone's mood. But it just looks like this team is much more bought in than most are giving them credit for. That's a big factor for the health and direction of the program.
2. Until we know who is leaving...the possibility of a solid, core group of players returning, could explain both Woodson being retained, AND McNeeley backing out. There was a lot of smoke in recent weeks about Woody, the players all leaving, etc... Maybe Dolson got assurances from a handful of the key/core players, that they'll return if Woody returns? And maybe McNeeley had been banking on a couple of them being gone when he committed? McNeeley is going to get close to 7 figures wherever he goes...if a place like Kansas has less returning starters on the wing, better chances he'll be featured more...and they are in the process of sending Furphy to the NBA.
3. Galloway, Leal, Mack, Malik, Cupps, Newton, Sparks... And then with the Brinks truck it sounds like he might have...go get 3 impact, starter level perimeter players. And use the leverage, he has earned, from TJD and Ware...to go get an elite big, all from the portal.
Obviously, if the rumors of mass player exodus are true, and we don't get very many core guys back. Then next year could end up being worse. I just think a lot of the doomsday talk about "0-32", "worse than Crean's first year", etc... are just incredibly unlikely.
And I'm still giving Dolson enough credit that he's got a good handle on the program. He's proven that in all our other sports programs. I'm not sure why men's bball would be any different.
I don't know what it ends up looking like, but I bet next year will be a lot better than most are predicting it will be right now. But I'm not certain him coming back automatically means we're going to be worse next year.
I still wish we'd move on...I think its obvious Woodson won't ever win big things at IU...so why not move on and find a guy that will/could?