The holes in this roster are baffling

[8bucks 6,476]

2 6'8" recruits have already signed Letters of Intent... at least he's working to fix the problem with guys that aren't projects. Plenty of recruiting left to be done, as well.

When was the last time a non five star big was a factor at Indiana.

Two 6'8" guys which when reading their bios suggest a small forward and a power forward. It would be good to have now but I do not see much from them that suggest immediate help.

I am all for developing players but Crean has no evidence he can develop a non five star center to be more than a role player. Since we have no 5 star prospects next year there is no evidence from Creans history here that we will be able to manage the middle.

[CampHoosier 3,697]

Our recruiting class would be great if we had a need for wings or guards

[MartintheMopMan 7,765]

Can't blame either kid. Lyles get a chance to play for a title in college then be a lottery pick even if he sits the bench. Luke didn't want to be a part of party central.

It's easy and common to see people going at Lyles around here, but I totally agree. The kid looks at a Kentucky team that has tons of great pieces coming together and we blame him for wanting to be a part of that? They have a great offense and an absolutely suffocating defense. (I hate Cal's style as much as anyone, but they would make us look like Lamar.) The title is theirs to lose as hard as it is for us to say here. 13 minutes a game and a serious tourney run/title beats out 35 minutes and no post-season. 

[CR3AMnCR1MS0N 1,867]

Can't blame either kid. Lyles get a chance to play for a title in college then be a lottery pick even if he sits the bench. Luke didn't want to be a part of party central.

Yeah. I guess my point is that Crean did recruit guys and thought he had bigs. They decided to go a different path, and we were left scrambling for whatever scraps we could find.

[Magnanimous 4,608]

Yeah. I guess my point is that Crean did recruit guys and thought he had bigs. They decided to go a different path, and we were left scrambling for whatever scraps we could find.

 

Lyles decommitted two years ago, so it's not like Crean didn't have time to fill that hole. Vonleh was a known OAD and Zeller was doubtful for four years. The only one who anyone could say screwed Crean over was Fischer, but even if he had stayed, we'd have one center on this team with none coming in next year. Once (probable) quality center who would be a four year player over 8 recruiting classes is pathetic. Meanwhile we have four year wing players in every class.

 

Again, who is going to play point once Yogi leaves?

[Walking Boot of Doom 18,170]

At this juncture RoJo would be PG if Yogi left!

RoJo looks to have potential as a PG as well. I'm surprised.

[bronkonagurski 894]

Yeah. I guess my point is that Crean did recruit guys and thought he had bigs. They decided to go a different path, and we were left scrambling for whatever scraps we could find.

 

Maybe I'm crazy (shut up Jayboob) but I think there is some kind of middle ground between Trey Lyles/Luke Fischer and Middle School Bob/Jeremiah April. 

[Magnanimous 4,608]

[DJ Candypants 137]

While we are on the subject of our lack of bigs. Does anyone know why April played for 30 seconds during the Louisville game, and nothing since? I mean it was a really odd time to insert him into the game while Louisville was pressing us and all. Then not to ever see him again. Maybe it has been discussed and I missed it but that all seems odd. Frustrated with the way that situation has played out.

[WayneFleekHoosier 48,474]

Crean's answer to recruiting big men:

"Dominant big men are hard all-around to get. We've gotten a couple of them, in the sense of Cody and Noah. Ours are getting better. I would think an inside player would know a couple of things:

That they have a chance to get better on the perimeter, which is where 99 percent of them would like to improve upon,

That they're going to get the ball,

When you have shooting like we have and we're going to continue to recruit, it makes it very, very hard for people to double-team you,

And that we'd really like to play through in the post and in the high post, not only go to.

It really depends. We're not going to take, now last year, we were short without question, so we had to scramble a little bit, but I like the two guys that we signed early, Juwan (Morgan) and OG (Anunoby). Those guys can do a lot of different things at 6-7, 6-8. We don't want anybody who doesn't come in with a real upside skill-wise, and toughness with an intelligence that you have to have. We've certainly got a couple people in our mind that we're recruiting accurately, I don't think that's any secret, and we're also doing the same thing in the junior and sophomore class, so it remains to be seen. We're open to a lot of different options."

[bnkepner 1,509]

Crean's answer to recruiting big men:

"Dominant big men are hard all-around to get. We've gotten a couple of them, in the sense of Cody and Noah. Ours are getting better. I would think an inside player would know a couple of things:

That they have a chance to get better on the perimeter, which is where 99 percent of them would like to improve upon,

That they're going to get the ball,

When you have shooting like we have and we're going to continue to recruit, it makes it very, very hard for people to double-team you,

And that we'd really like to play through in the post and in the high post, not only go to.

It really depends. We're not going to take, now last year, we were short without question, so we had to scramble a little bit, but I like the two guys that we signed early, Juwan (Morgan) and OG (Anunoby). Those guys can do a lot of different things at 6-7, 6-8. We don't want anybody who doesn't come in with a real upside skill-wise, and toughness with an intelligence that you have to have. We've certainly got a couple people in our mind that we're recruiting accurately, I don't think that's any secret, and we're also doing the same thing in the junior and sophomore class, so it remains to be seen. We're open to a lot of different options."

No matter what people say. He's right. Its hard to recruit dominant big men. There aren't a lot of them out there and a lot of them end up going to the same place (Kentucky, Lousiville, Duke). People on this site sometimes act like all you have to do is call a recruit at the last minute and he will magically sign with us.

[FKfootball 1,046]

Haas and Hammons would have came here over Purdue. But Crean doesnt like tall basketball players.

[coonhounds 9,056]

While we are on the subject of our lack of bigs. Does anyone know why April played for 30 seconds during the Louisville game, and nothing since? I mean it was a really odd time to insert him into the game while Louisville was pressing us and all. Then not to ever see him again. Maybe it has been discussed and I missed it but that all seems odd. Frustrated with the way that situation has played out.

I have brought it up but i got some b.s. reason lol. Why put april in against the best team you play all year? Then after that never again? It is baffling to say the least.

[coonhounds 9,056]

Haas and Hammons would have came here over Purdue. But Crean doesnt like tall basketball players.

I was watching the game last night thinking we need a big guy so bad this year and if memory is correct pu got Haas just before season started. What were we doing.

[DawgBawls 712]

Last year we had no shooters. This year no big men. It looks like in two seasons we won't have a true PG. Even with Fischer transferring, this is inexcusable for any team, especially for a program like ours. This is like Ohio State football not having any WRs one year, or Florida State with no RBs. In what world can a D1 coach compile a roster this incomplete for multiple years?

 

And projects! Don't forget them.

 

I wonder if Crean has some kind of savior complex?

I thought this....

[ccgeneral 38,084]

Buckle up! The holes will be bigger next year.

[GloryDays 5,920]

I was watching the game last night thinking we need a big guy so bad this year and if memory is correct pu got Haas just before season started. What were we doing.

I heard one of the commentators say that Painter told Haas when he was trying to decide that he guaranteed him  Purdue would play through the paint and he would get plenty of touches unlike some other schools recruiting him.Then he said I dont know who he was talking about and laughed.I kind of took it as a shot at us.

 Bully ball verses small ball.

[biteoftheapple 4,115]

Buckle up! The holes will be bigger next year.

I do not doubt this. He is losing in the recruiting market, which translates to game day.

[IU Bud 445]

Instead of signing one skinny wing, or post player in Crean's system, we sign two. We need a 6'-10" 250+ lb kid with good hands and the will to own the paint and not let the other team dominate inside. There has to be one player in the world that we could have signed to be that player.

 

That player could come in and start next year. Crean needs to go back and look at film of past IU teams that had both good shooters and 2 players that could defend post players and score inside.  This reliance on one small post player was exposed very well by a team we should have beat.

 

If you like the way we play this year, you will love next year and every year after that.

[CottageGrove 563]

Haas and Hammons would have came here over Purdue. But Crean doesnt like tall basketball players.

 

 

I was watching the game last night thinking we need a big guy so bad this year and if memory is correct pu got Haas just before season started. What were we doing.

 

Haas would not have come here, and I would go so far as to guarantee he never looked at IU. He chose Purdue specifically because of their engineering program. 

 

http://www.news-record.com/news/local_news/wake-forest-basketball-loses-commitment-by---center-isaac/article_ca0c6b0e-5066-11e3-be0d-0019bb30f31a.html