2026-27 Roster/Portal/how to fix the roster?

[Asha’man]

10 hours ago, str8baller said:

Just fire the coach now if that’s what you need to make the tourney. 
 

Illinois has 1 first team guy and not much else. Wisconsin has a 2nd and 3rd team guy and that’s it. PU a first and third.  Michigan is the exception. Most teams are lucky to have two guys on one of the three teams. 

You missed the part where I said all 8 have to be big ten contributors. That’s where IU failed miserably. DeVries can definitely win here, we will see if adding Carr fixes roster issues. If it doesn’t then DeVries will be in the hot seat going into year 3. But the answer isn’t fire the guy after 1 year where he messed up on roster construction on an abbreviated timeline. We are going to a GM model, which is the correct model to fix roster construction issues. Something Duke, Michigan, Florida, and Arizona all have. A month or so ago I was listening to a podcast that said that all had GM’s but the vast majority if not all the rest of the top 25 didn’t have a true GM role. Some had honorary GM’s like Steph Curry at Davidson types. I’m taking this year as a proof of concept play style and fixing things structurally behind the scenes. Agents evidently told Rabby the had blackballed IU bc they didn’t think k they were serious about basketball bc they hired Woodson. The only agents that were sending us players were for a payday bc we would overpay. That’s the NIL situation inherited. That seems fixed now. So let them get to work, they may surprise you. 
 

To your point Illinois and Purdue aren’t making a final four this year. When I said make a run I was talking final four run. Sorry I wasn’t clear there. Michigan is the only Fibal Four caliber team. 
 

We spent good money last year and had to overpay to get a roster. My understanding from reading different boards is we were likely 4th at best in NIL last year in conference. Michigan, Illinois, Washington (yes Washington) were the top 3. 

[Asha’man]

8 hours ago, lillurk said:

He’s terrific; my only questions with May are

1. when does he get a title, and how many?, and

2. does he eventually leave for an NBA job?

Rumors are that NBA teams are already looking at him as soon as this offseason. I hope they win it all and then he goes to the NBA. I like Dusty and am pulling for him to win it all, but I’m tired of seeing the Michigan/Dusty comparisons to IU/DeVries, they aren’t the same situations. But I do believe we may finally see a Big Ten National Champion finally. 

[str8baller]

32 minutes ago, Asha’man said:

Agents evidently told Rabby the had blackballed IU bc they didn’t think k they were serious about basketball bc they hired Woodson. The only agents that were sending us players were for a payday bc we would overpay. That’s the NIL situation inherited. That seems fixed now. So let them get to work, they may surprise you. 

Sounds like more nonsense from Rabjohns.  
 

IU isn’t building a FF level team next year. Expectations are so low he merely needs to clear the ultra low bar of making the tournament to keep the wolves at bay. If he can put together an extra scrappy team like UVA or Vanderbilt to makes some noise in the conference or regular tournaments people will go nuts. I don’t think the fanbase is expecting much. At least not the people I talk to.

[Uspshoosier]

1 hour ago, str8baller said:

IU isn’t building a FF level team next year

No they are not but  they just need to   build a roster that can produce a winning conference record first and then go from there.  Maybe buyout the non con game against Kentucky and actually schedule teams closer to where IU is at right now.   Enter smaller MTE events that are not the marquee ones during feast week against teams that can actually help their resume for March instead of getting embarrassed in the non con by the brand names.   Produce a winning conference record and make the tourney and then IU fans can worry about getting  to the second weekend of the tourney for the first time in 10 years. 

[Uspshoosier]

In Byington first year at Vandy they were 

20-12(8-10)   3-7 on the road. 
5-9 in Q1 

4-3 in Q2

sos- 27

non con-330

scheduled non con games against non tourney teams that produced them Q2 wins 

Margin of error for teams that just make it compared to the ones that just miss is small.    Byington had done a fantastic job at Vandy and it looks like in year 2 he built on what he did in year 1 and has it rolling now.   

[Pagoda]

34 minutes ago, Uspshoosier said:

No they are not but  they just need to   build a roster that can produce a winning conference record first and then go from there.  Maybe buyout the non con game against Kentucky and actually schedule teams closer to where IU is at right now.   Enter smaller MTE events that are not the marquee ones during feast week against teams that can actually help their resume for March instead of getting embarrassed in the non con by the brand names.   Produce a winning conference record and make the tourney and then IU fans can worry about getting  to the second weekend of the tourney for the first time in 10 years. 

I generally agree with your walk before you run position, but for me it’s going a little too far to suggest ducking UK at Lucas Oil of all places.

If we want to do that, what’s the point of even having a team.  We’ve got to have some ambition and guts and pride when we spend $10-12.5M on players and spend a ton on coaches.

[Uspshoosier]

5 minutes ago, Pagoda said:

I generally agree with your walk before you run position, but for me it’s going a little too far to suggest ducking UK at Lucas Oil of all places.

Should have done it this year.   Giving them 2 home games to IUs 1 home game just to get it back on the schedule tells you all you need to know as to where both teams are at.   IU gains nothing with these games until they are actually in a better spot.   Did Cig duck Cincy or did Cig do what was best for his program at the current time?     IU schedules better in the non con this year and they are probably in the tourney.  

[Pagoda]

8 minutes ago, Uspshoosier said:

Should have done it this year.   Giving them 2 home games to IUs 1 home game just to get it back on the schedule tells you all you need to know as to where both teams are at.   IU gains nothing with these games until they are actually in a better spot.   Did Cig duck Cincy or did Cig do what was best for his program at the current time?     IU schedules better in the non con this year and they are probably in the tourney.  

Louisville was cancelled before he got here.  I guess you could cite cancelling the UVA home/home, but part of that is money related (home games are worth $4-5M) and CFB is just different from CBB — losses are far more damaging, more wear and tear in P4 games, etc.

IU does gain something by playing UK.  A program has to have some pride and try and beat their rival, who by the way isn’t exactly amazing right now.  We were beating them by 7 at half at their place this season.  They’re beatable under Pope.

[Demo]

19 hours ago, Home Jersey said:

Go sign 3 impact players (probably 2 star guys and a 3rd wheel getting paid a bit less IMO) 

Add the 3 freshmen 

Retain Sisley, Dorn, Miles 

Bounce Ristic, Andrej, Harris, Drake and try to use that money on 2 guys with multiple years of eligibility to contribute in a very clear role.

Maybe bounce some combination of Sisley, Dorn, and / or Miles too and add another role player or two. 

Basically agree with a couple exceptions:

1) Based on what I saw looking into him last year I’d like to keep Harris. He’s so young, will still have 3 years, and has the frame to get strong enough to play in the B1G and has bounce and some skill. Could be an Alexis sort of player eventually which I think is a useful piece on a good team. 
2) Would be fine keeping Drake. He worked so hard to get there and he’s played so much ball that as a combo 5th guard I’m confident you’d get his best and in that role I’m ok with that. 
3) You probably have to retain him, but I’d be absolutely fine if Dorn left. Single skill dudes who can’t defend you or me are too tough to win with. He’s the 7th guy on a good team and I imagine his expectations here are gonna be Wilkerson-level shots which he doesn’t rate. Gonna have to just trust  the staff on the kind of kid he is. 
4) What I care about more than anything else, by far, is finding a leader. This team, despite all those old kids, didn’t have that guy and I think it cost it cost them a tournament bid. Way too many games where they splintered and just couldn’t get it pulled together. They have that kid comin’ down the road. Moody’s one of those kids, 100% sure of it, but not next year. Man, they need to find a heartbeat on the floor and it had to drive DDV nuts. 

[str8baller]

1 hour ago, Uspshoosier said:

In Byington first year at Vandy they were 

20-12(8-10)   3-7 on the road. 
5-9 in Q1 

4-3 in Q2

sos- 27

non con-330

scheduled non con games against non tourney teams that produced them Q2 wins 

Margin of error for teams that just make it compared to the ones that just miss is small.    Byington had done a fantastic job at Vandy and it looks like in year 2 he built on what he did in year 1 and has it rolling now.   

Last year’s SEC was brutal and going 8-10 in that league was likely getting them in no matter what. Both 6-12 SEC teams got in the tourney. I’m with Pagoda in that IUs schedule is pretty appropriate. We actually gamed our metrics really well with the schedule and margin of victory early in the season. So much so that both major predictive rankings thought we were a lot better than we were.  
 

As far as building on this year…I suspect that’s the part IU will struggle with. 

[Class of '66 Old Fart]

37 minutes ago, Demo said:

Basically agree with a couple exceptions:

. 
4) What I care about more than anything else, by far, is finding a leader. This team, despite all those old kids, didn’t have that guy and I think it cost it cost them a tournament bid. Way too many games where they splintered and just couldn’t get it pulled together. They have that kid comin’ down the road. Moody’s one of those kids, 100% sure of it, but not next year. Man, they need to find a heartbeat on the floor and it had to drive DDV nuts. 

Definitely agree with you on Moody.  In some respects, Qayden Samuels' injury was a good thing for Moody personally because it made him assume the leadership role on the McNamara team.

[Demo]

1 minute ago, Class of '66 Old Fart said:

Definitely agree with you on Moody.  In some respects, Qayden Samuels' injury was a good thing for Moody personally because it made him assume the leadership role on the McNamara team.

Absolutely true, and he just does that stuff naturally. He’s got that wiring. Program hasn’t had that guy in a long time. Maybe since Yogi. 

[fwgreenway]

1 hour ago, Demo said:

I’d like to keep Harris

 

1 hour ago, Demo said:

Would be fine keeping Drake.

So you also like the retention of Sisley, Dorn and Miles plus the 3 freshmen coming. Really like your thoughts on just bringing 5 from the portal and if that's enough difference makers. I've envisioned more like 6-7 portal. But you have great insight when it comes to scout and would love to hear your thoughts on portal additions.

[Golfman25]

2 hours ago, Uspshoosier said:

Should have done it this year.   Giving them 2 home games to IUs 1 home game just to get it back on the schedule tells you all you need to know as to where both teams are at.   IU gains nothing with these games until they are actually in a better spot.   Did Cig duck Cincy or did Cig do what was best for his program at the current time?     IU schedules better in the non con this year and they are probably in the tourney.  

Or just beat NW at home, Minn away, and Iowa at home.  Just win baby.  :)

[Alford Bailey]

2 hours ago, Pagoda said:

I generally agree with your walk before you run position, but for me it’s going a little too far to suggest ducking UK at Lucas Oil of all places.

If we want to do that, what’s the point of even having a team.  We’ve got to have some ambition and guts and pride when we spend $10-12.5M on players and spend a ton on coaches.

A UK team that had to play on Wednesday of the SEC tournament for the first time in history.  How about beat the crappy teams on the road in our conference? UK isn’t the problem.

[Jeff Flabjohns]

I wish we could forfeit all Northwestern games for the next several years. 

[Uspshoosier]

32 minutes ago, Alford Bailey said:

How about beat the crappy teams on the road in our conference

They did beat the crappy teams in the conference on the road.  Unbalanced schedules made it to where they didn’t get to play the other B1G teams over 100 in the NET on the road.    Ius crappy teams they lost to happen to be borderline Q1  games and were high end Q2b games where better teams then IU lost.  Now if they would of lost at Oregon or at Penn St I would agree with you 

[Uspshoosier]

27 minutes ago, Jeff Flabjohns said:

I wish we could forfeit all Northwestern games for the next several years. 

Doubt I watch another IU/Northwestern game until they can show they can actually beat them.  Not worth it to watch them lose to northwestern again and again and again.    If I don’t watch then it doesn’t happen 

[JF87]

2 hours ago, Demo said:

Basically agree with a couple exceptions:

1) Based on what I saw looking into him last year I’d like to keep Harris. He’s so young, will still have 3 years, and has the frame to get strong enough to play in the B1G and has bounce and some skill. Could be an Alexis sort of player eventually which I think is a useful piece on a good team. 
2) Would be fine keeping Drake. He worked so hard to get there and he’s played so much ball that as a combo 5th guard I’m confident you’d get his best and in that role I’m ok with that. 
3) You probably have to retain him, but I’d be absolutely fine if Dorn left. Single skill dudes who can’t defend you or me are too tough to win with. He’s the 7th guy on a good team and I imagine his expectations here are gonna be Wilkerson-level shots which he doesn’t rate. Gonna have to just trust  the staff on the kind of kid he is. 
4) What I care about more than anything else, by far, is finding a leader. This team, despite all those old kids, didn’t have that guy and I think it cost it cost them a tournament bid. Way too many games where they splintered and just couldn’t get it pulled together. They have that kid comin’ down the road. Moody’s one of those kids, 100% sure of it, but not next year. Man, they need to find a heartbeat on the floor and it had to drive DDV nuts. 

I'd add 5)  A defensive stopper.  Enright hustled, but we didn't have anyone that you could call a defensive stopper. This would involve upgrading our athleticism. 

[Uspshoosier]

51 minutes ago, Golfman25 said:

Or just beat NW at home, Minn away, and Iowa at home.  Just win baby.  :)

100 but IU evidently can’t do that so they should schedule in the non con to give them the best chance  that gives them the most margin of error to make the tourney.   Even with  crappy roster all they had to do was sneak in to make most people go from gloom and doom to being happy them squeaked in and get drilled by a WCC team in the first round