Why is it so difficult for IU to recruit Big Men?
- Thread starter ufo33
- Start date
Seems to me we just added 2 on this year’s team
We have 3 now and one was a MCD AA and 5 star and two other 4 stars
So to you labeling TJD (6'9", 245 lb) and Brunk (6'11", 245 lb) as big men is "generous"? I'd call those big men, especially since they'll be playing the 4 and 5. What would your definition be, then?
You're 4 or 5 years late on this post. Tom Crean isn't the coach anymore. Archie signed Fitz, last year, and Brunk this year. He also added TJD who is 6"9.
What is magical about 6'10"?
We have Brunk, Davis, TJD, and Thompson. I don't care how tall they are. A person with strength and length can play inside.
I was wondering the same thing. Especially when you consider wingspan. TJD is "only" 6'9" but I've seen his wingspan listed as anywhere from 7' to 7'2". I'd rather have a 6'9" guy with a 7'+ wingspan than a 6'11" guy with a 6'11" wingspan. His head may not reach as high but with the longer arms he would make up for that.
I'm reminded of the Fletch dream where he is announced as 6'-9" with his afro.
Some don't understand that height isn't the only thing that makes a post player effective. The real measure is what they can do on the court.
I don’t disagree about what we currently have on the roster and potential rotation this upcoming season. We have just been terribly undersized or lack necessary talent on the front line the last two seasons. Morgan was very good but playing out of position the better part of the last two seasons. Fitz did not play big whatsoever. DD and Thompson were injured. Other guys (Moore and Forrester) weren’t ready. The year before we had to rely on McSwain and Hartman who were far to ineffective or small to play the 4 or 5.
I’m not placing blame on CAM as he seems to at least have 4 guys on this year’s roster who can legitimately play the 4 or 5.
I’m not placing blame on CAM as he seems to at least have 4 guys on this year’s roster who can legitimately play the 4 or 5.
We did.
Think last year when DeRon and Race were both injured. Moore and Forrester did not play. IU had Morgan at 6'7" in the post. Fitz played on the perimeter like a 6'2" guard. Crean had a difficult time recruiting big men and depth inside.
Fitz was the shortest 6'10" player I've ever watched. Morgan was forced to play out of his natural spot on defense much of his final 2 seasons. Seemed to wear him down towards the end of the season.
It was fun with newton, leach and jefferies. This year will be a vast improvement in size.
Agreed. They lose Davis after this season and need another big post to develop behind Brunk.
I figured watching McSwain and Morgan struggle to stop bigger guys in the paint for 2 years would have been enough to make this point obvious to all, but it has not been.
Maybe looking at the MSU recipe will help:
Xavier Tillman, Nick Ward, Matt Costello, Deyonta Davis, Gavin Schilling, Derrick Nix, Jaren Jackson, Adriean Payne, Draymond Green.... someone has to guard those guys.
You have to be able to go with a big line up if you want the versatility of a good team.
In theory I agree with you. Funny thing is we beat MSU twice with a 6'7" / 6'5" front line. Our best wins of the season for me.
Go Hoosiers!
And that group had Odle starting center beside Jeffries and Newton on the 2002 team with Leach coming off the bench and Moye playing way bigger than his height. Carlos Boozer can attest to that
A high vertical does not matter if you have no hands, can't shoot, or dribble.
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Fife, moye, and Coverdale were the “short” guys. All three were either mean or spirited or both. That attitude is also what’s been missing.And that group had Odle starting center beside Jeffries and Newton on the 2002 team with Leach coming off the bench and Moye playing way bigger than his height. Carlos Boozer can attest to that
Hmmm...Cody Zoeller, Noah Vonleh, and Thomas Bryant were each pretty decent big guys.
Throw in guys like Watford, OG, Juwan, Troy Williams...
Crean recruits did very well for themselves, and he helped prepare them for the NBA.
Recruiting doesnt seem to be either Crean’s or Archie’s problem...as different as each one is.
Maybe funny because IU's freshman point guard shut down an All American and 2019-20 preseason POY candidate. But I understand your point. Maybe I should have just said "Caleb Wesson", or "box out Purdue 7-footers"
Yes. There was sarcasm built in there. It seems every off season there is thread about a player's vertical. Thought maybe it might strike up some discussion about this year's player whose vertical can be discussed. Race made the all weight room team last year.
Speaking of all weight room honors, it's almost time for the body transformation pictures.
I want to see players knocking down free throws consistently in practice. Actual Basketball skills improvement.
Well, duh, isn't it true that there are very very very few basketball players "6'10" or taller", as you have framed the question?
There's your answer.
Not sure I agree with this being a problem. We have some pretty high ceiling big men right now. A little young, but I think we are better off now than most of the past 12 years. I consider 6’9” and above, but there are guys shorter than that that I would take any day as a big man. Length is what matters most.
Next year IU has Brunk and TJD 6'9" plus. That's not enough because if no freshman big is recruited, then the following year (2021-22) TJD is either gone or playing center, or a true freshman is playing the 5, which has worked only when IU has landed Bryant, Zeller and Vonleh, ie. bigtime recruits.
How about emailing your question to the IU Athletic Department and reporting back to us?
Fred said free throws are being made at a 70%+ rate...by 80% of the players...60% of the time. Fred also says Archie gets his message across to the team 100% of the time to 10% of the players, but only gets it to 60% of the players at a 70% comprehension clip...and the other is tough to tell...
Wtf are you talking about? The other poster stated he would like to see some things in practice happening...
You asked if practices were open to the public. That's a pretty simple matter. Your response doesn't have anything to do with your question. By the way, why the "wtf"?
I've always wondered if they run sprints as a part of free throw practice. If they don't that's a problem because they are not creating real game conditions in regard to fatigue, pulse rate, etc...
Static "after practice" free throw work is great for solving shooting mechanics but they need to get that heart rate up prior to stepping to the line to create anything close to game conditions...; all of which they may well be doing... but if they aren't, they should be.
IU can recruit big men. The problem is they have not stacked them for depth and it has handicapped the coach. The good news is this season they appear to have options to work with inside. The challenge is setting it up so they also have options in 2020 and beyond.
The reality is you need at least 3 guys 6'9 or better who can play. Not projects. Davis, Brunk, and TJD could be the answer. Then you have Race as a smaller option inside who can definitely help. Time will tell.
Morgan did a good job at 6'8 and the only healthy, reliable post player on the team. Unfortunately he battled foul trouble and mismatches trying to guard much bigger players and it cost IU. The Haarms tip in stands out. Morgan had him blocked out but at 7'3 he stopped playing with his hair long enough to reach over his back for the tip in. No foul called. Morgan and Smith were the two biggest IU players on the floor at the time.
As it stands today, IU can reasonably match up inside with virtually any team. They can manage foul trouble easier. They can rotate players to give them a rest. Smith will not be stuck guarding PF/C as a routine part of every game. I'm looking forward to seeing how the defense changes when they can match up.
The OTHER problem IU needs to solve is having more than one legit PG on the team at a time. You need at least 2 PGs to compete at the highest level today.
The reality is you need at least 3 guys 6'9 or better who can play. Not projects. Davis, Brunk, and TJD could be the answer. Then you have Race as a smaller option inside who can definitely help. Time will tell.
Morgan did a good job at 6'8 and the only healthy, reliable post player on the team. Unfortunately he battled foul trouble and mismatches trying to guard much bigger players and it cost IU. The Haarms tip in stands out. Morgan had him blocked out but at 7'3 he stopped playing with his hair long enough to reach over his back for the tip in. No foul called. Morgan and Smith were the two biggest IU players on the floor at the time.
As it stands today, IU can reasonably match up inside with virtually any team. They can manage foul trouble easier. They can rotate players to give them a rest. Smith will not be stuck guarding PF/C as a routine part of every game. I'm looking forward to seeing how the defense changes when they can match up.
The OTHER problem IU needs to solve is having more than one legit PG on the team at a time. You need at least 2 PGs to compete at the highest level today.
Good post.
You forgot possibly the biggest issue...and hopefully Mike Roberts is the solution to it.
It is always good to have subs and back ups, but I don't remember many IU teams with two true point guards on the team. A competent combo guard will do if you have a primary ball handler who can play a lot of minutes.
