@tammany As members of the Hoosier faithful we need more patience (and that includes me.) Going back two years ago the experts missed big time by ranking Walter Clayton Jr. as #69 in the portal. Clayton ended up being a first team All-American at Florida and ended up getting NBA drafted in the first round. Those in the know didn't realize what a large impact Clayton would have for his team. He might be the top mis-ranked portal player over the last few years.
@bigmike Got to hope CDD picked out the right guys and we get some players who outperform their ranking… it’s been awhile since we had a coach who can do that.
@iunorth I think it might be the case that DeVries', or any coach, comes up with a system that masks a guy who's a bad defender (I thought Alford was like that, where he wasn't a great 1 on 1 defender but he was at least adequate because of the system and how RMK used him), but I think it would be pretty unusual for a guy to be a bad defender and then become a really good one. I feel like D is just largely something innate that guys either "get" or they don't. Who are some guys that you think were bad defensively that became really good defenders? I guess I could see it if someone just was never well-coached, but at this point guys are going to get decent coaching somewhere along the way.
Christian Watford was a bad defender as a freshman/sophomore and got a lot better. He was lost in how to sag on the weak side defensively. He got more aware and his footwork got better.
Thomas Bryant was always keen on defensive above 8 feet, but his footwork when he got to Bton was terrible. So he got a lot better as a sophomore.
Zach McRoberts is another kid who got a lot better defensively. Among guards, I'd say Sherron Wilkerson and Greg Graham, who both went from good to great.
@evanalvarez8 Put me down as one who really wanted us to get a rim/paint protector type, but across the roster, we do have good height, just not in the post. I keep thinking of PU and how we'll matchup there. DeVries is a versatile guy and seemed to often take one of SuperBet's post guys, so if I had to guess when we see that team from up north, DeVries will be on TKR and Bailey and Alexsis on whoever their 5 is. I was pretty pleased with how Ristic played when he got some extended minutes and I'm hoping the other Euro can also help in the post. I can see us needing depth behind Bailey and Alexis.
@evanalvarez8 Put me down as one who really wanted us to get a rim/paint protector type, but across the roster, we do have good height, just not in the post. I keep thinking of PU and how we'll matchup there. DeVries is a versatile guy and seemed to often take one of SuperBet's post guys, so if I had to guess when we see that team from up north, DeVries will be on TKR and Bailey and Alexsis on whoever their 5 is. I was pretty pleased with how Ristic played when he got some extended minutes and I'm hoping the other Euro can also help in the post. I can see us needing depth behind Bailey and Alexis.
Agreed - depth could be an issue especially if an injury arises. I'm down for playing small ball but feel like that works better in the NBA vs. in college. We need our big guys healthy and playing well. If we have that, I think we finally have the guard play to complement and win big games, so we'd be a very complete team
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@tr32 Graham is the only guy out of that group I'd class as a very good defender though. Watford and McRoberts, I'd say were passable, as in they didn't hurt or help us a ton. Bryant was good but I thought it was 1) his physical gifts and desire versus being a really good defender. To me you're citing guys who just learned how to play defense, versus someone who "learned" how to become a great defender. Like I said, for the most part, I think that mindset is innate and not learned. Fife was someone who just liked shutting people down and getting under their skin a little. I don't think we've had many guys like that, especially in recent years. I thought Oladipo was the best example, because he did become an elite defender. But, I think he always had that competititve desire and just hadn't been well-coached on defensive concepts.
@iureactionary How about a roster that includes the walk-ons since it appears that we are going to be seeing a lot of them in early season. 
@iureactionary How about a roster that includes the walk-ons since it appears that we are going to be seeing a lot of them in early season.
updated with walk ons
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1QSbdwAvpnWn3RxYcJjDWh9w2u49GM1bLtqrJCrYPCYo/edit?usp=sharing
@hoosiers94 I agree. Now Senior Night won't mean much. If my father was alive today it would be hard watching a game with him because he would keep asking, "who is that?" The fact is I might do the same thing for a while.
@vanpastorman I'm that guy now.
i've updated this to how i think the rotation shakes out...it's a bit choppy once you get past the first 7 or 8 but since they're is a game tonight and iu has an entirely new roster, i figured i'd link it again.
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1QSbdwAvpnWn3RxYcJjDWh9w2u49GM1bLtqrJCrYPCYo/edit?usp=sharing
This team is unlikable. I thought those days were over.
this is a terribly put together roster. Really makes me question dd.This team is unlikable. I thought those days were over.
@recker We need an upgrade in talent. I am old school and tend to look at high school especially in Indiana
Pike has Isaiah Bill a center who looks promising
Also a soph named Lampley looks good too.
While I regarded God as a tyrant I thought my sin a trifle; But when I knew Him to be my Father, then I mourned that I could ever have kicked against Him. When I thought God was hard, I found it easy to sin; but when I found God so kind, so good, so overflowing with compassion, I smote upon my breast to think that I could ever have rebelled against One who loved me so, and sought my good.” C. H. Spurgeon
Any Josh Harris updates TJ or Sammy…or anyone? For a team like IU, getting 10 minutes or so of effective, high energy, interior play could make a big difference.