IU Prof

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.

This 4 game winning streak to end the regular season was killer for those hoping to see Woodson replaced...regardless of whether that ought to be the case.

Is it possible to build a willing team entirely through the portal? Yes, anything is possible. Is it likely? No. For every team you can point to that was highly reliant on the portal and won, you can point to a number that failed. Can Woodson do it? Let's set aside the fact he's failed to land more than one or two decent pieces out of the portal his first 3 tries, and assume that somehow he finds a way to sign 4-5 high level portal transfers. The problem is still that Woodson has shown no ability to build a roster of complementary pieces. His strategy has always seemingly been to just grab talent and worry about the fit later. So there is no reason to think that he is capable of orchestrating a recruiting campaign that will land 4-5 quality players, while also ensuring that the pieces fit together into a high level club. At best, he'll put together a mishmash of pieces that can beat the bad to average teams, but gets exploited by quality teams -- like this year -- and they finish 22-10 or so with an early NCAA exit. Worst case is Michigan 2023-24.

I do think it's fair to say that patience runs thinner the longer the mediocrity continues. But it's also fair to point out that the coaching this year has been especially bad and the trajectory especially worrisome (recruiting, Woodson's comments on scheme, etc.). So while it may be true that fans have less patience, it is also true that it is abundantly clear that Woodson isn't going to meet the standards he himself set (B1G and national championships). At which point, calls for a coaching change are completely understandable and reasonable.

I was responding to the post immediately above mine. Should have quoted it.

Multiple outlets (IDS, etc.) confirmed the report with an unnamed athletic department spokesperson. So the idea that the announcement is all just one unconfirmed leak isn't right. That having been said, the entire matter couldn't have been handled more strangely, so that does naturally invite skepticism about whether that announcement is the final word, especially as circumstances continue to unfold. But the report was confirmed.

To keep certain donors happy. The thought being that one more year of Woody would do less damage to the department as a whole than burning that bridge. Not saying I agree, just giving a reason...

Great line by Sam Vecenie in the story on the Athletic about McNeeley decommiting: "It was confirmed yesterday that Woodson would return for the 2024-25 season, a choice that seems to have frustrated an Indiana fanbase that has been forced to watch an offense that resembles someone attempting to flush a clogged toilet repeatedly all season." https://theathletic.com/5325254/2024/03/07/indiana-liam-mcneeley-decommit/

Anything is possible, but he's two years in and still not particularly serviceable defensively. He's not quick enough to defend 4s well, and too foul prone to play the 5. So barring a huge leap in athleticism or on-court awareness, I'm not sure what you do with him defensively.

Reneau seems like a great kid, so I hate to say this, but I wouldn't bring him back. He's not a well-rounded enough player, so you have to recruit a defensive 5 to pair with him, which messes up the offensive flow. I just don't see Reneau playing a big role on a championship team, sadly.

So the best case scenario is: Portal PG Portal SG McNeeley Mbgako Reneau Galloway (6th man) The problem with that scenario is that the front court defense will be...not good...barring huge leaps from Mbgako and Reneau. Those Portal guards not only need to bring about 25-30 PPG, but they'll also need to be world class on-ball defenders. Otherwise, with Reneau as the rim protector, he's likely to foul out after 15-20 MPG.

It does appear the deepest pocketed boosters are content with the status quo, which makes it hard to affect real change. Maybe coordinate a campaign to get everyone dissatisfied to wear a paper bag over their head to the game on Sunday?

I think that's the best case realistic scenario...

So. Many. Questions. What happened to the big meeting Tuesday? Why announce this now? Why do it through media sources instead of Dolson issuing a statement reaffirming his support of Woodson? None of this makes any sense. Talk about dysfunctional.

For those more clued in than I....if Dusty is the guy, are there any elite defensive scheme assistants out there with excellent Indiana recruiting connections? Guessing no, but pairing him with a guy like that would increase the odds of success.

Sorry, didn't intend that as a rebuttal to you, just kind of adding to the conversation.

Because McNeeley was coming here for NBA level training and a shot at winning big. Why would he place his career in the hands of an unproven entity (from his vantage point) like May when he could instead just go to Kansas to play for Bill Self?

I don't see how or why McNeeley would decide to come here to play for May. The guy is a projected lottery pick, it'd be way too risky for him. Pearl maybe, but even then I think it's a long shot. Liam suiting up in candy stripes may even be a long shot if we keep Woodson at this point, given everything he's said about wanting to win, potential departures, etc. And just to be clear I wouldn't base any decision on a single recruit, or even a single recruiting class ('25, for instance).

Not really. The Board would have to sign off on the hiring of a new coach. Even if spreading the buyout of Woodson avoided BoT approval for that step (which I doubt), they need Board approval ultimately. So any move will be made with BoT support, not by circumventing the Board.

There is no way that IU is going to hire a new basketball coach without BoT approval. The overall dollar values are too large, and the role is too central to the university. Dolson has to work through the BoT, not around it.

I was just thinking something similar. Given the time value of money, logic would dictate that it should be possible to reach an agreement with Woodson where he will amicably walk away in exchange for getting a larger chunk of the buyout upfront.

Fair, but in this case it would be specific...X number of days on the road recruiting or you don't get year 5. At which point, Woodson has to weigh how much he wants the job (for at least one more year).

I wonder if Dolson could put expectations in place for a year 4 for Woodson from a recruiting perspective that would effectively force him to walk away. X number of days on the road, etc.

I know LeBron is a big OSU fan...just not clear why he's pushing May.