Orrr..... We're 105 games in to Woodson's career at IU. And the excitement that we all have for this new roster...which, by the way, does have quite a lot of returning experience and talent...but anyways, it is an upgraded roster, and Woodson did make mention in the offseason about needing to focus on more guard play...ALL of that increased the anticipation for this season to FINALLY be the one that Woodson shakes off his older, stubborn, plodding offensive principles, and steps in to the 2020s with a more open, movement based offense. And that this different roster would be better defensively, more athletic and better on the boards...
ALL of that created renewed excitement and buzz coming in to the season. Then came the exhibitions, saw some new wrinkles, but largely the same ISO centric stuff. The defense in those exhibitions did look better. But the offense...that damn stagnant offense... still there. Its o.k....just exhibitions...he wouldn't want to show any new stuff in the exhibitions anyway...I'm sure he'll open it up more when the games count.
What you're reading now, from me anyways, is frustration over the new realization that this is how Woodson's teams will always play. He's had since August to change things around to maximize guys like Rice, Carlyle, Tucker, etc... Heck, even maximize Ballo. But what he's doing, is merely plugging them in to largely the exact same principles and plays he's ran since day 1 in Bloomington.
Our buddy up in West Lafayette had to completely change his entire offense around because Edey left. They're running crazy new stuff like inverted ball screens...and they're a top 10 offense early in the year. We have thoroughbreds, standing flat footed around the perimeter, watching Ballo work in post ISOs, for more than a few possessions each game.
He's had lots of different kinds of talent. He's had dominant bigs. He's had NBA level guards. The constant in his time at IU, through his ONE HUNDRED AND FIVE games, is they're up and down effort and intensity wise, they don't consistently move much on offense, they're bad in defensive rotations, and they put themselves in bad positions within games, and within seasons, and need to "change", or "improve", or explode and have good halves or stretches of games.
But...you are right...it is early... and we did put our first 2 opponents away, which is different and better than what we did last year. South Carolina and UNC Greensboro will be obvious steps up in competition level. Excited to see how we respond, and what we do differently in those games.