IU Prof

I saw a recruiting star based analysis that said we were the most talented team in the B1G last year, and we all saw how that ended.

Except UConn didn't play 2 bigs. Karaban was the 4. Completely different player and skill set than Reneau.

This is all correct. Unfortunately, the bolded part is the key. And that's something that Woodson has never shown any ability or interest in implementing. Instead, he sticks shooters in the corner and has them stand there for the entire possession. UConn ran an extremely complex and dynamic modern offensive system. IU plays through the post in a 1990s sense. Two completely different animals, to the point that analogizing them is offensive to what Hurley has implemented.

Why'd it take him 3 years to figure that out?

Root for the Celtics to win the championship, then? Does that check a box for him?

I don't see a top 25 offense with that collection of talent. Rice, Carlyle, and Galloway are going to find driving lanes to the rim few and far between with Reneau and Ballo clogging the paint. And Mbgako is the only (semi) reliable 3 point shooter out of that bunch. Maybe top 40?

There are reasonable arguments as to why Tucker would be expected to start (pedigree, desire to get to league sooner). But there are also reasonable arguments as to why that may be unlikely (age, roster construction). Unless you are connected to the staff or player, all we can really do is guess at this point.

But then why would you want him?

Would Purdue winning the title light a fire under IU the way Michigan winning it all in football did for Ohio State?

Yes, but not if you are a true fan.

Things are going to play out however they play out, so what I think doesn't matter at all in the grand scheme of things. But we have 120 minutes to split at the 1-2-3 positions. If Perkins and Tucker sign, they, along with Galloway, will almost certainly consume at least 75-80 of those minutes (and probably more). That makes it really hard to add the multiple shooters IU consistently needs to have on the court, regardless of who else they sign. Roster construction has probably been the biggest shortcoming of the current staff, so it's not unreasonable for people to anticipate those issues arising again as the recruiting focuses become clearer.

I think the problem, though, is that Tucker and Perkins are likely to, collectively, take up 55-60 minutes/game, which limits the time available for those other additions. Yes IU can still recruit other shooters, but their impact will be limited by the presence of these other additions. In other words, Perkins is undoubtedly an upgrade to the current roster, but he may not be a great fit for a roster that has Galloway, Tucker (assuming he signs), and Reneau penciled in for serious minutes. Similarly, Tucker is a great talent, but if he doesn't complement the rest of the roster, and is going to take up a bunch of PT, then the fit may not be great for 24-25, even if under other circumstances he'd be a no brainer to take.

Not saying Schertz won't pan out, but his record at ISU is no where near what Oats did at Buffalo. Oats had that team in the Top 25, made three straight NCAAs (I believe), etc.

Tony Petitti?

But their season last year was the equivalent to IU's this year, albeit probably a bit better. Many UM fans think they gave Howard one season too many. And, in hindsight, they were clearly right.

I think it's still around $15 million, if I recall correctly, unless ISU's athletic director leaves. But Otzelberger is also married to a legendary Iowa State women's player, so he may not be getable.

Realizing it's a long shot, wondering when we might hear something about any traction with Pearl now that Auburn has been eliminated (and with IU off to a slow start in the portal)? @JerryYeagley23

Yes, I was on him early...but I didn't realize his buyout is huge.

I agree that maintaining a historically successful program like Dayton is different than building a winning program from scratch at a place like FAU. But winning big at a place like IU is also very different than building a winning program at a place like FAU.

It strikes me that there are a lot of players who would be an upgrade over what IU has currently, but aren't good enough to get IU to where it wants to be. My sense is that Walker is one of those guys if depended on for more than ~15 minutes/game in a backup role. But I could be wrong.

The problem with Malik is that he simply isn't well rounded enough. He's a great scorer, but doesn't do much else well. He can't defend the 4 adequately, but won't be able to stay on the court if asked to be a rim protector 5 in Woodson's system. So I don't really see any way to make him fit defensively barring a huge leap forward. And without considerable defensive improvement, I don't see how this squad takes the giant step forward necessary to compete for conference or national titles. So given all that, plus the fact that Malik transferring would give Dolson a bit more ammo to move on from Woodson this off season, and I think that a Reneau transfer might be in the program's best interest. Which I hate to say, because he seems like a great kid.

Thanks for all the info! Any thoughts you can share on the unusual announcement Woodson was returning last week shortly before tipoff, especially if there's still a slight chance he isnt?

One thought...one reason it might make sense to give Woodson another year or two is if Dolson thinks Shrewsberry is a better long-term prospect than May. In that case, giving Woody a chance to go out with a bang in the portal next year, while giving Shews a chance to prove himself at ND, isn't totally crazy.

I think those that are holding out hope that because Dolson hasn't gone on record, Woodson may still not be back, are setting themselves up for disappointment (understandably....denial is the first stage of grief...). Woodson is under contract 3 more years, so there's no reason that Dolson would need to say anything, especially after the report a weeks ago. That having been said, here's a 5% possibility that wouldn't entirely shock me: IU sees more substantial transfers out than the staff is expecting, and then struggles to get the type of talent Woodson is hoping to land in the portal. Thus, by mid May, Woodson can see the writing on the wall that next year is going to be ugly, so he decides to retire at that point, citing health concerns. That leaves IU scrambling after the coaches carousel has already run its course, and the transfer portal is all but squeezed dry.

Woodson makes it really hard to root for him. Shockingly bad ability to read the room.