Golfman25

It's over.  It's all over.  Good luck next year.

The reality is that a college coach is a coach and a GM.  Personnel decisions fall squarely on him.  You need to be able to reload talent as it leaves.  You need to be able to ensure you have some consistency and balance -- experience (frosh/soph and Jr./Sr.), and skills (shooters, slashers, defenders, & bigs).  You need to be able to adapt your playing philosophy to that talent.  Not many people are really good at it.  Most fail.         

Face it, Crean isn't going anywhere for a few years based on his contract.  So keep an eye on Chris Collins.  Dozens of years on the Duke bench.  Took a bunch of no-name players and right now has a better Big 10 record than IU.  Ultimately, it won't work out at Northwestern because they won't let him admit the players he needs to win.  

Unfortunately IMO the jury is still out on CTC.  I understood the first and second years.  I would have liked to see a little more progress in the third.  Obviously the fourth year was the breakout year.  But now where are we?    I like his PR.  He's doesn't seem like a tool.  So he represents the school well.   Is he a good recruiter?   Yes he can bring the players in.  But I don't see right now that he can build a team for the long term.  I'm not sure he brings in the right mix of players.  It's a work in progress.   I think a big problem is his lack of flexibility (or knowledge) and running offense based on what skills we have.  We have no half court offense that I can figure out.  It is all one on one type stuff.  For the first time last week, I saw Jeff Howard in there setting screen after screen after screen.  But he is the only one, so it doesn't appear that that is part of a consistent offensive system.  Their just doesn't seem to be a real high basketball IQ there.  His philosophy seems to be that great talent can make any offense look good -- great players make good coaches.      Watch Chris Collins at NU.  He may be the next "star" coach.  And he may leave if NU isn't giving him admissions flexibility.   

I think Howard is the type of player IU needs more of.  Role players who work hard, understand the game, and stick around.  Everyone can't have the ball at once.  Heck, he was setting multiple screens last game -- not even looking for the ball, but getting his teammates open.     If we want a competitive team year over year we need stability and contributions from Jrs./Srs. that have been around.  If we are going to recruit one (or two/three) and done types, or the multi star recruits are going to transfer, without more Howards, we'll see the up and down, roller coaster seasons, like now.  He's a great story and certainly is benefiting from Luke's transfer.