While it's fun and games to spend time worrying about whether IU will make the NCAA Tournament, quite frankly, it's a waste of time. IU is currently a program in what's fair to say is a bit of a retooling phase. given that, I didn't expect much from Woodson this season, particularly with his adjustment from the NBA to running a college program and all the things that come with it. What's out of his control is what he inherited, and that was a mess from Archie Miller. No matter how '21-22 panned out, it was always going to be a wash for me.
Those of us on this board can argue/debate/fight about all the reasons IU has been a lackluster program for more than 20 years, but the solution to IU reclaiming its place as a college basketball "blue blood" is fairly simple -- create a specifically-defined culture and consistently recruit players year after year who fit that culture. Use the Gonzaga model as an example. These are the members of Gonzaga's current roster that Mark Few has recruited the last four seasons (player ratings courtesy of 247Sports):
SENIORS
Andrew Nembhard - #23 (transfer)
Rasir Bolton - #206 (transfer)
JUNIORS
Drew Timme - #43
Anton Watson - #48
Martynas Arlauskas - #135
SOPHOMORES
Julian Strawther - #72
Dominick Harris - #74
Ben Gregg - #86
FRESHMEN
Chet Holmgren - #1
Hunter Sallis - #21
Nolan Hickman - #33
Kaden Perry - #57
What IU needs is to define its culture (I believe Woodson has established this) and consistently recruit players who fit that culture year after year (he is on his way with Tamar Bates, Jalen Hood-Schifino, Kaleb Banks, etc.). I'm willing to give Woodson 2 to 3 more seasons before I would be willing to make any true judgments on his ability to run the program.
Those of us on this board can argue/debate/fight about all the reasons IU has been a lackluster program for more than 20 years, but the solution to IU reclaiming its place as a college basketball "blue blood" is fairly simple -- create a specifically-defined culture and consistently recruit players year after year who fit that culture. Use the Gonzaga model as an example. These are the members of Gonzaga's current roster that Mark Few has recruited the last four seasons (player ratings courtesy of 247Sports):
SENIORS
Andrew Nembhard - #23 (transfer)
Rasir Bolton - #206 (transfer)
JUNIORS
Drew Timme - #43
Anton Watson - #48
Martynas Arlauskas - #135
SOPHOMORES
Julian Strawther - #72
Dominick Harris - #74
Ben Gregg - #86
FRESHMEN
Chet Holmgren - #1
Hunter Sallis - #21
Nolan Hickman - #33
Kaden Perry - #57
What IU needs is to define its culture (I believe Woodson has established this) and consistently recruit players who fit that culture year after year (he is on his way with Tamar Bates, Jalen Hood-Schifino, Kaleb Banks, etc.). I'm willing to give Woodson 2 to 3 more seasons before I would be willing to make any true judgments on his ability to run the program.