i'd ask them to score more points than the other team. that usually is the main stat correlated with wins.
I'd ask Bobby Knight to run my team. Demand 4 passes before a shot unless it's a layup. And not a Brown out of control runner. Players who don't pass, do not set picks, sit. I would not play Lucas unless were up or down by twenty. I'd shorten the bench to insure that Bradley, Hamilton and Brown play at least twenty five minutes. Mason would not be on the floor with Balby. I'd demand that Balby take at least 5 jump shots per game .... it's a confidence thing. He is the only point guard we have, build him up.
I agree with everything Like Mike said.....literally. I know it seems as if Balbay can't shoot, but im sorry. You can't make it to that level of basketball if you can't shoot AT ALL. Its clearly a confidence thing, and i would force him to take the open shot if the defense is gonna sag off of him that much, and if he doesnt take the shot i would sit him. Any division 1 guard should be able to hit a 15 foot jump shot.
I would settle on a line up of Brown, Bradley, James, Pittman, and Hamilton. I would play Big Dex down low, array the shooters all around him, and hope beyond hope that Big Dex can pass out of the double team. Truthfully, I'm not certain he can. But we need to try. I would use all of my time outs for offense/defense substitutions replacing Brown and Hamilton with Balbay and Mason on defense. I'd pressure on ball and over play passing lanes, I'd send everyone to the rack for rebounds. And Gary Johnson would play the Big Dex role when Dex needs a breath. There it is. As much offensive thought as Barnes puts into any gameplan and much, much cheaper!
I think you need to find some consistency with the groups of guys on the floor. There is so much substitution there very often there a different 5 guys every few minutes. One time I saw both Pittman, Chapman, and Balbay on the floor. How can that be. That basically gave us no chance of scoring. Find the 5 that work and keep them out there together. And when you sub, sub in 3 guys so that you get another lineup that seems to work together. Next. Anytime a team goes on another run have one of our guards drive to the hole and either get fouled or get a look at an easier bucket. These long scoring daughts are killing the team. You simply can't go down 20 every game and put that much pressure on your offense the rest of the game.
I would make sure that I have someone of the talent level of Ford, Augustine, or Durant on the team at all times because that is obviously the only way Barnes can coach offense.
I would try starting Gary Johnson over Pittman, and bring Pittman in after 3 or 4 minutes. But whenever Pittman comes in, I would bring in a shooting guard and take out Balbay, because teams know Balbay won't shoot, so they collapse in on Pittman rendering him ineffective. Whenever Pittman comes in, a guard comes with him, like J'Covan Brown. But I don't know anything about basketball, just shooting the breeze. Really, I'll leave it to Barnes, but this has gotten pretty much unwatchable.
Times are rough right now and I agree watching this team is very frustrating. If I were Barnes I would look into changing the offense much like Calipari did at Memphis 2 years ago. He completely changed his offensive gameplan in favor of the "dribble-drive" offense. the link oh yeah and they barely lost in the title game that year, went 30 something and one during the season, all while shooting terrible from the free throw line. Calipari is a scumbag and most of those memphis players probably shouldn't have even been allowed to play in the ncaa, however, at least he had the nerve to try out new things as far as x's and o's. Texas' offense has been dead in the water for years now, it's time to try a new approach.
I thought I'd run out of ideas, but came up with one last ditch effort on the way home from that miserable performance. So, here goes: I'd switch to a '40 minutes of hell' strategy. Seems like we do best when were pressing and playing transition offense rather than a half-court game. So, let's go with that. Pick 4 guys (any combination of Damion, Brown, Doge, Bradley, Hamilton, Johnson, Mason) and let them press, trap, and generally harrass the ball as it comes up the court. Stick Pittman in the lane and tell him to swat anything that comes in the paint. When he get in foul trouble. Sub in Wagmene to do the same. Then Chapman. Then Hill. They've each got 5 fouls to give - use them all up. That's it. That's what it has come down to. Abandon any hope of a set offense. Just use our depth and athleticism to make the opponents life miserable. Seriously, we can't do any worse than what we are doing right now.
re: '40 minutes of hell' strategy... Unfortunately, I think we already use this strategy. It was hell for me to watch for 40 minutes I actually think you make a good point. What do we have to lose? Plus this strategy just might rebuild the team's confidence. I would like to see us press man-to-man full court and let our athletes run opponents to the ground. I kind of like our chances if we run-n-gun. Its worth a shot.
Funny that you brought this up. I was going to start the exact same thread today. I hate arm chair quarterbacks or coaches or whatever the term is but I'll give it a shot anyway. #1 Gary Johnson doesn't come out. He plays his *** off and competes and I want him on the floor at all times. "you can't play someone the entire game, they'll be exhausted" There are a grand total of 18 timeouts per games ( which is just a ridiculous number). 5 per team plus 8 tv timeouts. plus half time. plus numerous officials conferences that last forever it seems. Fatigue should never be a factor. "What about him gettting into foul trouble?" True. That's the only reason I sit him. #2 Pittman has to sit. I like Dex, but he seems lost to me. A non factor with the exception of 3 blocks vs Kansas. #3 We can't score consistently in the half court offense. So were going to look for opportunities to push the ball. I don't remember a fast break point last night (granted I didn't pay much attention to the last 5 minutes. It's a miracle I lasted that long). #4 No free throw shooting before, during, or after practice.
I'd probably tell them what to do, like score, get the ball inside, make your free throws, and play full court D. I might yell if they didn't do it right, but couldn't offer how they should do it.
I'd try setting a screen on somebody other than the guy guarding the ball. How about some off the ball screens to create some backdoor layups!!! You never see thiswith the Barnes offense. Everything is 1 on 1 with lots of standing around.
WIth this team probably pull all my hair out. With a victory this Saturday Barnes will have led Texas to 11 straight years of 20 or more wins.
I would hire a top notch assistant coach who is an offensive specialist. I would use Balbay sparingly, as a defensive sub. He is no threat to shoot, thus teams sag off him and clog the inside passing lanes making it tough for him to get it to the big guys down low. Balbay is a drag on the offense. Yes he can get the pass to the wings or dish it off a drive, but that is it. And that is not enough against good, athletic teams. there must be at least a little fear of him scoring the 15 ft and beyond jumper or teams will double the big guys and clog the passing lanes around the basket. I would hire Barnes as my top recruiter and defensive specialist. Other than that, drink a lot.
I like the 40 minutes of hell strategy. I would leave PIttman in, regardless of how many fouls he has. He can patrol the lane, and block shots until he fouls out. Then put in Gary Johnson, and he can do the same, except he doesn't have to try to block shots.
Pittman has not shown me that he can be a big man to build your offense around. He has no jump shot, so if he gets cut off from his dunk/lay up, he's stuck. And then he has not shown the ability to quickly pass out of that to an open shooter on the perimeter, assuming we had one that could make the shot. I agree with the above posters who said we'd be better off with Gary Johnson at the post. Worth a try. And then you surround he and DJ with Bradley, Brown, and Hamilton... and hope that at least one of those three is hitting his shots. Bring Balbay and Mason off the bench (only 1 at a time) to give the others a breather and to play defense. Maybe leave Mason or Balbay in (again, one or the other) if one of the young guards is having an off shooting night or if the opposing team has a star guard that we need to put a better defender on.
I would peruse the Basketball board on Hornfans to learn everything I need to know about how to run this team. We would then be undefeated.
Tear up the hardwood floor at the drum, lay down an asphalt black top, take the nets off the rims and put up a chain link fence around the court.
