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Is it too soon for the 2025 coach thread?

Read the entire sentence...dumb ass. Should never post Ballo...AND have 4 All B10 level players standing around watching a guy that isn't comfortable posting up. I don't care if the guy guarding him is 5'3", you can still have movement off the post. If for no other reason than to have offensive rebounders moving around. Why do you think we're struggling to rebound ourselves as much as we are? The answer, because you might not actually notice it or know, is because other teams we've played are moving the ball and people around on us a lot, its causing us into defensive rotations, which is making it harder for us to find guys to box out. These really aren't difficult principles. And when we do these simple things, we're really good. And we don't ALWAYS...not do them. But we have enough possessions within games where we don't move, and don't put any pressure on the defense, that it messes with our rhythm, and makes us a much less efficient team.

So yes...NEVER post Ballo up and have the other 4 players standing around. NEVER.
Are you serious?...not comfortable posting up?...lmao..wow that's dumb. Maybe you should watch some tape
 
I fear this will be the year we look back on and say, " what a fn shame." We have a tremendous 1-8 on this team and we have a 12 loss coaching staff. So in Mid-March after a win in the tournament, finishing 5-6th in the conference, the Mullins family explaining to anyone that will listen why he wouldn't come to IU, we will be moving on.

Woody can't say he wasn't given the resources or talent to get the job done though. That's what this year is about. Boo hoo proofing Woodys departure and making the position known as a top 4 NIL school for the elite in stature coaches. My guess will be big game hunting with Oats and Pearl with May and Beard in the mix. Pearl is probably our next coach.
You don't know basketball. They will not hit double digit losses. Knee jerk
 
then you're a joke, refuse to read something that disagrees with your view. You think we have trash fans because an underperforming team didn't like the fans? "LifelongIU77, party of one; your table is ready!"
It's the same shit...the name doesn't matter. You want to fire Woodson 2 games into the season?..cool...do it...let's see how it works out. And when the new coach comes...everyone here will still bitch,before he has ever coached a game. IU "fans" are pathetic pos losers with no life,that's why the players hate you.
 
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Soooo delusional! Your pattrrn is apparent! He nailed it about you... Except for Ivy Tech you were down in the hills of Kentucky.
Know your geography…it isn’t in the Hills of Kentucky. Also what’s delusional? Woody is 65-40 overall and 31-29 in BIG play. Another bad showing this year and he is gone
 
I agree with you, and I honestly think this is the main point.

This team has immense talent, plenty enough to compete for a B1G title. The issue is the last 2 teams were also talented enough to do that and we know what those results were. Naturally we're going to question whether or not the staff can do something different than the past has shown and mold this team into a championship contender.

It's still early and anything can happen but it's not shocking that people are worried that we're down at half to an Eastern Illinois team that just lost by 50+pts to Illinois last week.
You think last year's team was talented enough to win the B1G? The backcourt was terrible, Trey was hurt and other guys under-performed. This year's team couldn't be more different and Mack and Malik look more mature and skilled. In time, Rice and Carlyle will become acclimated to their teammates and we'll really see what we have.
 
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Know your geography…it isn’t in the Hills of Kentucky. Also what’s delusional? Woody is 65-40 overall and 31-29 in BIG play. Another bad showing this year and he is gone
BStupid go back to Boiler land. You’ve been exposed here. How pathetic is it for a Boiler fan to pretend to be an IU fan? Sadder than sad. Your other little cronies appeared to have run along. Be a good little puppy and follow them.
 
It's the same shit...the name doesn't matter. You want to fire Woodson 2 games into the season?..cool...do it...let's see how it works out. And when the knew coach comes...everyone here will still bitch,before he has ever coached a game. IU "fans" are pathetic pos losers with no life,that's why the players hate you.
This is how bsmitty08 and the like define their existence... It is hilarious to watch them spew their narrative.
 
Know your geography…it isn’t in the Hills of Kentucky. Also what’s delusional? Woody is 65-40 overall and 31-29 in BIG play. Another bad showing this year and he is gone
So now you are changing where you claimed you went to college? Lol still winning and building! Oh I forgot.... You're Delusional!
 
Not sure how much college basketball you’ve watched this year outside IU, but a lot of teams have started “slow”. This is the by-product of turning over your roster with so many guys. IU has 3 new starters and 6 total guys who are new to the rotation. Alabama, who many consider to be the best team in the country, has looked less than stellar beating Arkansas St and McNeese St by single digits. Villanova has already lost to Columbia. Hell, even Purdue who didn’t exercise the portal at all is struggling and it’s because they’re playing a bunch of freshman/guys who weren’t really in the rotation last year.

It’s going to take a couple of games to get this stuff figured out. That’s why you open with SIUE and EIU.
Looking forward to watching Bama go to PU. Despite their struggles, I expect Sears to really bother Smith and Cliff O to have his way. Be fun to watch a Purdue big get in foul trouble or be bullied due to no calls. But, give the Boilers credit: they've flipped the script and I think Mackey is now the toughest place to play (and get calls) in the B10. Also looking forward to how we respond vs USC.
 
Ya people that think Pearl, Oats, Drew etc are leaving their cushy jobs to come coach IU have lost their freaking minds. There will be a day in time where Woodson is no longer the coach and a search will take place. And that search will ultimately net a hire that will be met with boos and animosity. And it'll be from the sect of the crowd that gives this great and passionate fan base a bad name. And that's unfortunate.
I'd guess the next hire will get good reception and a fair shot. This fanbase was patient with Crean's three very down years of rebuilding. Woody was an out of nowhere hire and he had high approval up until last year’s very bad season. Overall our fans don’t expect that much compared to other large fanbases like UK BB or the big CFB programs. And given the last quarter-century of struggles, it's amazing we still have the support we do. All fanbases have some mad and/or illogical people online, coaches/programs just have to be above it and avoid getting sensitive about what some of the anons are saying.
 
I'd guess the next hire will get good reception and a fair shot. This fanbase was patient with Crean's three very down years of rebuilding. Woody was an out of nowhere hire and he had high approval up until last year’s very bad season. Overall our fans don’t expect that much compared to other large fanbases like UK BB or the big CFB programs. And given the last quarter-century of struggles, it's amazing we still have the support we do. All fanbases have some mad and/or illogical people online, coaches/programs just have to be above it and avoid getting sensitive about what some of the anons are saying.
Agreed...but Crean only got a break because of what happened before him...otherwise they would have wanted him gone after year 1 also.
 
It's the same shit...the name doesn't matter. You want to fire Woodson 2 games into the season?..cool...do it...let's see how it works out. And when the new coach comes...everyone here will still bitch,before he has ever coached a game. IU "fans" are pathetic pos losers with no life,that's why the players hate you.
Who said anything about firing Woodson? See, if you'd read, you at least would have the opportunity to comprehend. I think I'm pretty fair and balanced, but all I've said is that I understand people getting frustrated with Woody, especially when you see the same flaws season after season. Again, if you'd read and answer questions, it would help the dialog. You've been fine with our performance and results under CMW? What grade would you give him as coach?

The coaching and fan climate is no different here, than anywhere that has expectations (expectations Woody has stated he shares and strives for, so I'd say he's been a failure so far even in his own view; hasn't gotten close to competing for titles): win to an acceptable level or fans will be frustrated. You keep up with FSU, or UF fans, heck even Bama? Are they POS too?
 
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I'd guess the next hire will get good reception and a fair shot. This fanbase was patient with Crean's three very down years of rebuilding. Woody was an out of nowhere hire and he had high approval up until last year’s very bad season. Overall our fans don’t expect that much compared to other large fanbases like UK BB or the big CFB programs. And given the last quarter-century of struggles, it's amazing we still have the support we do. All fanbases have some mad and/or illogical people online, coaches/programs just have to be above it and avoid getting sensitive about what some of the anons are saying.
There were several people that wanted Crean gone after year 2, right as Brad Stevens was making his way into the college basketball world. Many the same who think Brad Stevens will still somehow coach here one day. I love IU and their sports programs, but we have way too many fans that are out of touch with reality. You bring up UK and UK's toxicity is the reason why they end up with Mark Pope who was their 4th and 5th choice.
 
You think last year's team was talented enough to win the B1G? The backcourt was terrible, Trey was hurt and other guys under-performed. This year's team couldn't be more different and Mack and Malik look more mature and skilled. In time, Rice and Carlyle will become acclimated to their teammates and we'll really see what we have.
You're confusing end results with talent. The team has always had immense talent, they always fall short of expectations. Every season under CMW. Plus, even if you want to blame talent, that too falls on CMW.
 
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Agreed...but Crean only got a break because of what happened before him...otherwise they would have wanted him gone after year 1 also.
Also? Who wanted Woodson gone after year 1? He had almost everyone's support until last season.

Go find a post post where someone wanted him fired after the first season.
 
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Also? Who wanted Woodson gone after year 1? He had almost everyone's support until last season.

Go find a post post where someone wanted him fired after the first season.
That's the problem. One bad year and the fanbase turns on you creating such a toxic environment. Coaches aren't dumb. It's a huge reason why Scott Drew and Nate Oats said no to Kentucky. Why leave a cushy job where you're already competing at the highest level just to take a pressure cooker job to achieve similar results?
 
There were several people that wanted Crean gone after year 2, right as Brad Stevens was making his way into the college basketball world. Many the same who think Brad Stevens will still somehow coach here one day. I love IU and their sports programs, but we have way too many fans that are out of touch with reality. You bring up UK and UK's toxicity is the reason why they end up with Mark Pope who was their 4th and 5th choice.
A few people wanted to upgrade to Boy Wonder, including me (once in a lifetime shot!), but most of this group knew that’s tough to pull off after year 2 and were fine continuing with Tom. And overall the fans were good with the rebuild taking time.

UK is quite a bit more toxic that we are. Our fans are mostly nice midwestern people. It can get a little wild online, but I don’t find us to be too bad in the world of big fanbases.
 
You're confusing end results with talent. The team has always had immense talent, they always fall short of expectations. Every season under CMW. Plus, even if you want to blame talent, that too falls on CMW.
To refine this further, there was immense talent at 2 - 3 key positions. The program has now come to the point where there is much more talent in all positions wuth depth. This means better practices and we shall see better results. The program is moving forward. Some refuse to see it.
 
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That's the problem. One bad year and the fanbase turns on you creating such a toxic environment. Coaches aren't dumb. It's a huge reason why Scott Drew and Nate Oats said no to Kentucky. Why leave a cushy job where you're already competing at the highest level just to take a pressure cooker job to achieve similar results?
Or players... Its not the entire fan base it is vocal contingent doing the ranting...
 
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Who said anything about firing Woodson? See, if you'd read, you at least would have the opportunity to comprehend. I think I'm pretty fair and balanced, but all I've said is that I understand people getting frustrated with Woody, especially when you see the same flaws season after season. Again, if you'd read and answer questions, it would help the dialog. You've been fine with our performance and results under CMW? What grade would you give him as coach?

The coaching and fan climate is no different here, than anywhere that has expectations (expectations Woody has stated he shares and strives for, so I'd say he's been a failure so far even in his own view; hasn't gotten close to competing for titles): win to an acceptable level or fans will be frustrated. You keep up with FSU, or UF fans, heck even Bama? Are the POS too?
Well...if you would read the comments from the vast majority of these people that are bitching, you would see that they want him fired. I think the team met expectations in year 1 and 2. They hadn't been to the tournament in 6 years before him, and he went in his first 2 years. Last year was a disappointment, as I have said many times. If I was going to give him a grade,it would probably be in the C+ or B- area. So for anyone to say I'm a fan, or an apologist, is wrong. My logic is this....he's the current coach, and an IU legend. For anyone to say he had a good roster the first 2 years, is asinine. For anyone to think last years team didn't have major holes( due in part to injury to the PG) they are severely challenged when it comes to basketball IQ. Woodson has always liked to play with multiple ball handlers on the floor at the same time. At no point in his tenure, has he been afforded the ability to do that. So why would people call for his firing before he actually gets a chance to play the way he has wanted to since day 1? When you add that, to IU not garnering attention from established coaches, it makes 0 sense,until you see what happens this year. Bitching about 1 half,2 games into the season, is another indictment of this pathetic pos fan base who doesn't know basketball. My 10 year old is better at analysis than most of these pathetic pos losers. It's pathetically bad. As I said before...I have been told my entire life, that IU fans are great, and that they are knowledgeable. That is nowhere near the case. Most are nothing more than inbred moronic pos losers with no life. That's just fact. Still not sorry.
 
UK is quite a bit more toxic that we are. Our fans are mostly nice midwestern people. It can get a little wild online, but I don’t find us to be too bad in the world of big fanbases.
You're underestimating this fanbases' ability to melt down. The failed staged coup by Rabjohns and the Hysterics made national headlines. The February melt down on Trilly's discourse was an utter embarrassment.
 
So now you are changing where you claimed you went to college? Lol still winning and building! Oh I forgot.... You're Delusional!
Again know your geography…Kentucky hills are not in highland heights. Still building? Sure…rent a player recruiting isn’t going to build a program
 
BStupid go back to Boiler land. You’ve been exposed here. How pathetic is it for a Boiler fan to pretend to be an IU fan? Sadder than sad. Your other little cronies appeared to have run along. Be a good little puppy and follow them.
Dude I’m not a Purdue fan. I have been on here since Mike Davis days. Never posted on a Boiler forum.
 
That's the problem. One bad year and the fanbase turns on you creating such a toxic environment. Coaches aren't dumb. It's a huge reason why Scott Drew and Nate Oats said no to Kentucky. Why leave a cushy job where you're already competing at the highest level just to take a pressure cooker job to achieve similar results?
You keep using the term "cushy job". No coach at a HM who wins has a cushy job.
 
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You're confusing end results with talent. The team has always had immense talent, they always fall short of expectations. Every season under CMW. Plus, even if you want to blame talent, that too falls on CMW.
It has, but it hasn't always had a balanced roster. I pray that we have a better starting backcourt than Cupps / Galloway or X / Galloway.

They have what appears to be a much better backcourt than past Woody teams. That said, this is the no excuses season.
 
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They have moments of movement...zoom based movement, horns, pick and roll...Ironically, most of this picks up when Galloway comes in the game. All good stuff, they look great when they do it. Exciting. Just like they looked great TJD's senior year when they started pulling him away from the basket. Hell, he even had a triple double and we beat pesky Rutgers from that change up. Its there, there's evidence that it can be done. But Woodson IU teams ALWAYS revert back.

ISO ball for multiple possessions in a row. Ballo ISO posting, and everyone standing and watching him work for multiple possessions. Ballo probably never did that at Arizona, for what its worth...because he isn't very good at it. Hockey line substitutions that kill momentum, because the players coming in don't fit what they're trying to do on the floor at the time. Long stretches where our defense is on its heels, struggling to work through rotations, and then struggling to rebound despite having 3 "bigs" oriented players on the floor.

I just want Woodson to do the things HE and HIS TEAMS have done well, more consistently. At this point, I don't even care if he tries to introduce new things. Just draw from his own IU experiences, and focus on doing the things that have actually worked for him. We should LITERALLY, NEVER, EVER, have an offensive set where we have guys like Rice, Carlyle, Mgbako, and Reneau, all standing around on the perimeter watching Ballo work in post ISO. Its absolutely absurd. Yet we're doing it, multiple times a game.
I would disagree that we're running the same things as last year. We are playing with one big on the floor more, and I could be wrong, but I did not see much of the 4 out 1 in pinch post stuff that we've gone to quite a bit this year much at all last year. I could've just missed it but we ran in a bunch in the second half against SIUE and went to it quite a few times against EIU as well.

We are still running alot of the high low stuff with 2 bigs on the floor. I am not totally against the high low stuff, but we have to shoot it better for that offense to be effective.
 
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Also? Who wanted Woodson gone after year 1? He had almost everyone's support until last season.

Go find a post post where someone wanted him fired after the first season.
The "also" was a typo. But your comment..."he had almost everyone's support until last season"....that proves my point even further. 1 season...and in that season, your starting PG was hurt for part of, and then played like ass when he returned, that warrants firing? Your best pg last year, isn't even starting for the team this year....but we should fire the coach because of last year?....wow that makes 0 sense.
 
Again know your geography…Kentucky hills are not in highland heights. Still building? Sure…rent a player recruiting isn’t going to build a program
It is in today's NCAA... Ask Cignetti and the program is building much to your dismay...your rants have been reduced to one half of basketball on a 90-58 win. Highland Heights sounds like a raised elevation to me. So glad you are back to claiming NKU... You should be supporting them or did you have a bad experience there?
 
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You're underestimating this fanbases' ability to melt down. The failed staged coup by Rabjohns and the Hysterics made national headlines. The February melt down on Trilly's discourse was an utter embarrassment.
In fairness, the team melted down first. Fans reacted to that.

I just can’t name a big fanbase that behaves better than IU. The melt downs aren’t good, but the alternative is no one cares enough to melt down, and that would be worse.

The fans are pretty big net positive to IUBB. With a big fanbase comes some angry online anons, not sure what can be done about that, except to own the results, hunker down, and win.
 
Well...if you would read the comments from the vast majority of these people that are bitching, you would see that they want him fired. I think the team met expectations in year 1 and 2. They hadn't been to the tournament in 6 years before him, and he went in his first 2 years. Last year was a disappointment, as I have said many times. If I was going to give him a grade,it would probably be in the C+ or B- area. So for anyone to say I'm a fan, or an apologist, is wrong. My logic is this....he's the current coach, and an IU legend. For anyone to say he had a good roster the first 2 years, is asinine. For anyone to think last years team didn't have major holes( due in part to injury to the PG) they are severely challenged when it comes to basketball IQ. Woodson has always liked to play with multiple ball handlers on the floor at the same time. At no point in his tenure, has he been afforded the ability to do that. So why would people call for his firing before he actually gets a chance to play the way he has wanted to since day 1? When you add that, to IU not garnering attention from established coaches, it makes 0 sense,until you see what happens this year. Bitching about 1 half,2 games into the season, is another indictment of this pathetic pos fan base who doesn't know basketball. My 10 year old is better at analysis than most of these pathetic pos losers. It's pathetically bad. As I said before...I have been told my entire life, that IU fans are great, and that they are knowledgeable. That is nowhere near the case. Most are nothing more than inbred moronic pos losers with no life. That's just fact. Still not sorry.
And, who's responsible for getting the talent to play the way he wants; or for adjusting when he doesn't? If he wants multiple ball handlers, he hasn't recruited well at all. Year 2 was TJD, JHS, XJ, MK and RT... that was a pretty talented team with players he mostly brought in, one AA and 2 future pros. Was that the year we finished a distant 2nd tied with NW. You think NW had similar talent? Last year was certainly a talented enough roster to make the tourney, and again, who's to blame for the lack for backcourt players? That was too thin before XJ went down. I would probably give CMW a B or even B+ for recruiting with the talent level he's gotten, but a D or D- in roster construction. This year I think he has assembled a very talented roster. I also understand fan's concerns when the same issues crop up and why that indicts the coach instead of the players.
 
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And, who's responsible for getting the talent to play the way he wants; or for adjusting when he doesn't? If he wants multiple ball handlers, he hasn't recruited well at all. Year 2 was TJD, JHS, XJ, MK and RT... that was a pretty talented team with players he mostly brought in, one AA and 2 future pros. Was that the year we finished a distant 2nd tied with NW. You think NW had similar talent? Last year was certainly a talented enough roster to make the tourney, and again, who's to blame for the lack for backcourt players? That was too thin before XJ went down. I would probably give CMW a B or even B+ for recruiting with the talent level he's gotten, but a D or D- in roster construction. This year I think he has assembled a very talented roster. I also understand fan's concerns when the same issues crop up and why that indicts the coach instead of the players.
I agree with you and @PhyloeBedoe about this .. he's had talent, but on unbalanced teams with ill-fitting or missing pieces. Which is ultimately his fault..

We'll know more this year. If he can't be competitive with this squad he needs to go.
 
This is really a silly thread. Not b/c it’s about MW, but the idea that people are judging him on one half of basketball:

Final KP ratings the last 6 years
2024. 91 (MW)
2023. 30 (MW)
2022. 48 (MW)

2021. 50 (miller - fired)
2020. 34 (Miller)
2019. 52 (miller)

Now, KP ratings don’t tell the whole story, however anyone who defends coach MW and in the same breath says we were a dumpster fire under Miller isn’t looking closely enough.
 
I agree with you and @PhyloeBedoe about this .. he's had talent, but on unbalanced teams with ill-fitting or missing pieces. Which is ultimately his fault..

We'll know more this year. If he can't be competitive with this squad he needs to go.
I feel like we go in circles on this board, but I kind of see it like this:

As of right now, it appears that Mike Woodson is not a very good college basketball coach. Last year was a mess and the lack of talent is a huge part of that, but he needs to manage the roster better.

I have not been a huge fan of the things he has ran offensively, but last year that was partially due to the fact that the guard play on last years team limited what he could run offensively.

Some here have already decided this season is a dumpster fire which is just ridiculous. Just because you don’t like Woodson and are not impressed with what he’s done in the past does not mean this season is a dumpster fire. We are 2 - 0 with margins of 19 and 35. This is a team with many new pieces learning to play together.

The vast majority on here agree that this team should finish in the top 3 in the BIG (probably win it) and make it to the second weekend of the tournament. This team definitely has the talent. And if Woodson can’t win at a high level this season the vast majority would agree that he has to go.

But some of you need to chill out and let the season play out a bit… JFC it’s been two games and we’ve actually looked pretty damn good at times. The sky is not falling right now….
 
This is really a silly thread. Not b/c it’s about MW, but the idea that people are judging him on one half of basketball:

Final KP ratings the last 6 years
2024. 91 (MW)
2023. 30 (MW)
2022. 48 (MW)

2021. 50 (miller - fired)
2020. 34 (Miller)
2019. 52 (miller)

Now, KP ratings don’t tell the whole story, however anyone who defends coach MW and in the same breath says we were a dumpster fire under Miller isn’t looking closely enough.
Miller never made the tournament....
 
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