Defense

[HOTROD21]

I know I'm beating a halfway dead horse here...but this teams efforts on defense is embarrassing. I've never seen a Kruger team play with such passiveness and lack of intensity on defense. OUs athletes are good enough to be average or above average on defense if they put forth more passion and intensity (like the 2nd half of WVU game). I don't get it. Game in and game out same story.

Why doesn't Kruger full court press anymore? Previous seasons he would deploy it 4 or 5 times a game and kick start the defensive hustle. Just frustrated because this team could be better.

 

[outest]

Our interior defense sucks. Opposing defense drove to the basket at will. You can't do that to WV, Konate will swat the ball out of there. When Lattin challenge the shot, there is nobody there to help. We need another big man in the post.

 

[hoopsaustin]

Lons fault.

Traditionally, Defense is demanded by a coach or you don't play or get ripped. Lon does neither..

 

[oudna]

Crazy to think about Kruger on hot seat. But you just look at his career history and wonder....

 

[hoopsaustin]

Crazy to think about Kruger on hot seat. But you just look at his career history and wonder....

I'm ready for a new coach. Lon kept us stable. Got us going again. Even pulled of an amazing final 4 season (although that team had the same flaws although they were not to this bad of a degree and further masked by the much better talent)

Lon has proven to be a vastly underrated recruiter. But he can't coach for crap imo. I hope he retires or waits till we sign Harmon

 

[WaymanFan]

I have been an OU hoops fan for more than 40 years. In my opinion, there have only been 5 bad coaching seasons based on the talent level of that team. Each of the 5 last OU coaches has one season on my list:

1980 - loaded with seniors who were part of a Sweet 16 the prior year, but barely posted a winning record.

1993 - another senior-laden team who couldn't even squeeze into the Dance.

2006 - this team (preseason #6) at least made the Dance, but the last three games of the season (counting the Dance) were excruciating to watch.

2010 - the worst coaching job in the history of the program. The 2011 team was bad, but they played to their talent level.

2017 - the most losses in school history despite at least NIT talent.


If I have to add 2018 to my list 5 weeks from now, I'm going to want to see some changes...namely an upgrade in assistant coaches. We look lost without Henson and Hill.

 

[AdaSooner]

If I have to add 2018 to my list 5 weeks from now, I'm going to want to see some changes...namely an upgrade in assistant coaches. We look lost without Henson and Hill.

Count me in, WF! I’m not sure the word “lost” is an accurate description of what we are seeing now? Something is seriously wrong, that’s for sure, and it’s not all on the players.

 

[MichaelM]

The first half was bad, giving up a bunch of easy transition points. The second half was the opposite. Iowa State had an 8 minute stretch in the second half where their only points were four sets of free throws. If that isn't good defense, I don't know what is.

 

[oudna]

The first half was bad, giving up a bunch of easy transition points. The second half was the opposite. Iowa State had an 8 minute stretch in the second half where their only points were four sets of free throws. If that isn't good defense, I don't know what is.

Same as previous games. I see a trend of not ready to play.

 

[Stikboy]

It's starting to feel like TY, even though it was a recruiting coup, has masked other recruiting deficiencies. And now those have become unmasked. Lon needs to get a big time big, for just ONCE. Texas gets them, Ohio State gets them, tons of other teams even lesser than them get them. Team needs a talent overhaul. OU has, besides Trae, alot of guys that do only certain things well, just sometimes. Need to get more than one baller at a time. And please, some mental and physical TOUGHNESS. This last couple years of soft basketball and OU football defense is killing me!

 

[Darwin]

Count me in, WF! I’m not sure the word “lost” is an accurate description of what we are seeing now? Something is seriously wrong, that’s for sure, and it’s not all on the players.

I know Lon can coach. So I don't think I can agree with you. I think there are team/player issues.

 

[AdaSooner]

I know Lon can coach. So I don't think I can agree with you. I think there are team/player issues.

For the record, I was responding to a post about Lon’s staff. I’m still onboard with our head coach.

I agree there are team/player issues. A PM I received last night confirmed that to be true. It’s all too obvious now. We can only hope they find a way to right the ship.

 

[WTSooner]

Some of us called this at the beginning of the season. You can't defend as poorly as OU does and be a good team. Even with Young.

I knew the 3 point shooting would eventually come back to earth, and when it did, this team has no other way to win games.

 

[22dupree]

It's starting to feel like TY, even though it was a recruiting coup, has masked other recruiting deficiencies. And now those have become unmasked. Lon needs to get a big time big, for just ONCE. Texas gets them, Ohio State gets them, tons of other teams even lesser than them get them. Team needs a talent overhaul. OU has, besides Trae, alot of guys that do only certain things well, just sometimes. Need to get more than one baller at a time. And please, some mental and physical TOUGHNESS. This last couple years of soft basketball and OU football defense is killing me!

Agree. Feels like we’re strategically poor as well. Winning basketball is built on ball movement and player movement. Our offensive seem void of those things.
Hard to win when you get no scoring in the paint. I’d like to see James post smaller guards or allow Doolittle to play with his back to the hoop in spurts. Gotta have some toughness and physicality from somewhere. Just too perimeter dominant.

 

[Stikboy]

For the record, I was responding to a post about Lon’s staff. I’m still onboard with our head coach.

I agree there are team/player issues. A PM I received last night confirmed that to be true. It’s all too obvious now. We can only hope they find a way to right the ship.

Ada I'm assuming you can't go into it since you haven't already. But, can you just say if the team is divided, or not getting along?

 

[WTSooner]

It's starting to feel like TY, even though it was a recruiting coup, has masked other recruiting deficiencies. And now those have become unmasked. Lon needs to get a big time big, for just ONCE. Texas gets them, Ohio State gets them, tons of other teams even lesser than them get them. Team needs a talent overhaul. OU has, besides Trae, alot of guys that do only certain things well, just sometimes. Need to get more than one baller at a time. And please, some mental and physical TOUGHNESS. This last couple years of soft basketball and OU football defense is killing me!

I don't think that getting a good big is the biggest issue, though it would help.

This teams problem is that we don't have anybody else playing good basketball. Not even one dimensionally, really. Nobody else scoring consistently. Nobody consistently playing great defense. No great rebounder. McGusty hasn't developed like he should. Doolittle's off the court stuff has set him back.

I said it a couple of weeks ago, but this roster sans Young won 11 games last year. I fear for next season.

 

[oketex]

Kind of our football team, no defense

 

[Stikboy]

I fear for next season.

Terrified