Feathery

Yeah, and what I’m saying is we need a base of players who will be there for 3-4 years. Then sprinkle in the 1-2 year guys (including portal). So if we aren’t recruiting kids who will be here for 3-4 years then we aren’t recruiting the right kids. im all for getting a. 5 star kid a class. But need to add several kids ranked in the top 100, ideally around 30-75 range who are high upside and talented players who go to high major programs for several years.

Right! So what are we doing then? I can’t see any nonpolitical reason to keep Woodson. He was suppose to right the ship and bridge to the next HC. But he hasn’t recruited high school talent to build a base off of for the next coach. Making the job even more difficult and giving the fanbase little to no hope with this staff.

I think that’s the problem with IU. Look at Purdue. They have been a power and are taking kids who are staying 3-4 years. They aren’t going 1 and done. And they have been a power for a few years running now. You can’t win consistently by relying on taking a ton of portal guys yearly.

So if Woodson is retained does he then get an extension? Only 3 years left on his deal and how does the program recruit high school kids if the HC doesn’t have a contract that will cover their time in Bloomington? To me if you keep him you have to extend him. Which is a terrible idea. Which is one reason, of many, I think Dolson is likely politicking behind the scenes to get support to move on after the season.

As someone who hasn’t taken a personal shot at Woodson I will add that when I read your posts in this thread it comes across as arrogant and condescending. It’s why people are having a go at you. Maybe everyone needs to take a breath and relax. It’s Saturday night, go have dinner out or a drink with family and friends. As for the overarching sentiment of the fanbase, it’s because the fanbase doesn’t trust the administration. The administration for decades has kept coaches too long. Not wanting to hurt feelings and doing what is right. That’s not what the successful people I know have done. They recognize the issue and fix it. So the fanbase has had 20pmus years of frustrations and it’s going to keep getting worse if they don’t finally make the changes needed.

Honestly surprised that students haven't had a protest before a game. Like not go into the arena until after the game starts or something along those lines. Has much vitriol there seems to be, it could definitely get worse. I hope it doesn’t. Hopefully a resolution happens swiftly after the season.

I feel sorry for you if that’s how you view people. People change, learn, and grow over time. Things don’t stay linear.

The GM shouldn’t come and go with the HC. He should solely focused on basketball and cover multiple coaches if necessary. Just like the NBA. With NIL this is now professional basketball as well.

Actually I agree with the need for a GM. Regardless of who the HC is, the GM should be a position within the program. Michigan just hired one for football. That role can use analytics to really focus in recruiting and roster building. This should free up the coach to do more of the heavy lifting with donors for NIL. It’s why Ryan Day has taken a more vocal role with NIL for OSU football. He has transitioned to a more CEO role, bc the NIL era has changed the game. IU is such a program for basketball that this structure is needed.

Honestly, I thought Matta was just here to help Woodson get acclimated to the college game and show him the ropes. Might be hard to pair a GM who is using analytics to a HC that doesn’t seem to be invested in them

Read on another board then. Definitely didn’t make it up. lol if he wants to go then bye. Can’t keep players just to keep them. Have to have the right culture in place.

I think the booster/NIL variable needs to be considered. If I choose to move on from Woody, will they support the new coach substantially to fixed a flawed roster. Adding both high school talent in the 25 class and portal players to keep the roster experienced. If they will then move on to May or Collins. Probably May but he must hire one defensive specialist as an assistant. Im also hiring a GM. One who overseeing roster construction with the HC and helps coordinate with NIL. You are starting to see this in football at the football powers. Michigan just got a guy from the Bears to do this for them. The players are now getting paid it’s a professional endeavor. Time to have the structure in place to treat your main program as such.

Well didn’t Mgbako just talk to the staff like 2 weeks ago about returning next year? I just think the front court has talent and our guards are lacking and have been for a long time. Any coach we hire is going to struggle until the guard talent is upgraded. It’s a guards game and we are currently playing the inverse and have since Archie. edit: I also think Malik is a undersized 5 for the modern game. I want to get away from the 2 big lineup badly. So if Reneau wants to leave, bye. Need to get high quality guards and build around that. Not what we’ve been doing since Crean was fired.

I think the roster has good individual talent but when put together as a team the pieces don’t fit. And that roster construction is the reason the team struggles. Woodson is a NBA guy and will play his individual talent. Notice when Reneau was on the bench the floor spacing was better and Ware was stellar. Guys made 3’s as well but our starting SG went 0-4. The game is a blowout with a SG that can shoot better and a PG upgrade. With or without Woody next year the roster construction needs fixed. Even if it means playing small ball for 1 season. Not ideal to play small but it would work well on offense and be a tourney team. PG - Portal (athletic/be able to shoot) SG - Portal (athletic/be able to shoot) Wing/SF - McNeeley Wing/PF - Mgbako C - Reneau (or get a Portal shot blocker)

Who is C?

It is true they have the money. Now will they reallocate the funds is a different question. But the money is definitely there. It’s why we all had to get Peacock and the rest of the streaming options to watch big ten games. IU got a massive pay raise.

The athletic department got about a $30 million raise with the new TV deal that started this year. They got a donor to pay for the football buyout. So Dolson has the money, regardless of any donors, without taking away from any funds he had at his disposal in any previous year. Money for buyouts is not an issue. Money for NIL could be a factor but not for buyouts. It’s going to be about politicking to fire a guy and then still get them to donate to NIL. But I believe Dolson has the capability to bridge that political gap and win over a donor or 2.

IU gets about $100 mil for just their new tv deal. That’s a massive increase that can cover any buyout for Woodson if the school chooses. Dolson doesn’t need booster money for a buyout. He does need it for NIL though.

Archie’s defense gives up 3’s. We saw it for years. At the midmajor level you can dominate in that way. Get to the power 5 level and that defense becomes flawed badly bc the shooting and overall talent is greater. Not saying the pack line is a gimmick but I do believe the game has passed it by.

So he hasn’t actually ever won anything in the court. Sorry had to be snarky. Thanks for the history lesson and background. You and @Chris007 are starting to persuade me a bit. As of today I still can’t see Domson pulling the plug in Woodson. But if we are going to suck and lose I’d rather it be with offensive basketball over what we’ve watched since Crean was fired.

Outside of 1 NCAA run, what has May accomplished? He feels like Archie but good offense and bad defense.

You can say that about anyone. What’s Dusty May without his current team. Everyone is a gamble outside of Pearl and Drew imo. I think we can get Pearl. He wasn’t 100% committed to staying at Auburn in a recent article for the remainder if his career. I just can’t imagine IU actually going for him. So I’m setting my sights a bit lower.

Someone may have mentioned this guy already but I’m going to bring him up. I was thinking what coaches have elevated programs and at the power 5 level. Maybe even taking them to levels they haven’t seen before. I don’t want a coach from the mid major level. It’s too risky. We need to get this right and someone with experience and success at the power 5 level is a mandatory imo. There are a few names that fit in this category and have been covered already like Pearl (63 years old), Drew (Indiana high school coaches don’t like so some say), Beard (wife beater). One I haven’t seen and I just checked is only 49 years old, 50 this spring. Came up off a branch of the RMK tree under coach K is Chris Collin’s at Northwestern. He has taken NW from to the NCAA tournament multiple times now. Something they never did before him. He has to recruit with academic restrictions that he won’t have at IU. Weak NIL compared to IU for basketball. He is from Chicago so maybe more difficult to pull him away from home. But a name that should be considered when a change is eventually made.

Next year will all come down with how they do in the portal. Hopefully the Cooks are ready to splash some cash this offseason. Because the overhaul this team needs will be expensive.

I think one factor that changes how long coaches get will be NIL. When boosters spend big money to support the program getting players, then they will have an increased say in how long the head coach will get. So unless the big donors start pulling funds, then I think Woodson gets another year.