What improvements are you hoping out of Jordan Woodard this season?

[BigTime]

Jordan seemed to get off to a tough start last year - the proverbial sophomore slump - but I thought rebounded nicely during the back half of conference play. I thought he did improve his finishing ability from first to second year.

I would like to see him become more assertive and confident as a 3 point threat this year. Q White really changed his mentality from first to second year at OU and went from a hesitant, but good three point shooter to a confident and very good 3 point shooter. We need that from Jordan if this team is going to go as far as we are all hoping.

Would like to see him develop some better closing instincts at the end of games much like I am hoping for Cousins.

Thoughts?

 

[BCSooners]

Beating his man consistently and creating for others. He has shooters and athletes all around him to finish as long as he gets it started. Also a reliable floater or runner in the lane.

 

[TheMont]

There was a time his freshman year when he was leading the conference in FT attempts. I want him to own this superlative this entire upcoming season. His mentality should be to get to the rim all the time. He's probably our most reliable FT shooter. If he isn't fouled at the rim, he will still be able to a) kick it out to an open Buddy/Isaiah, b) dish it to an open Spangs/other big man, c) get it on the rim to create an opportunity for an easy putback.

 

[MNsooner]

I'd like him to get better at finishing near the basket. He does a decent job getting to the rim, but once he is there he sometimes struggles. If he finished at the rim a little better it'd open up everyone else.

 

[Larry72]

Make 80+% FTs
Shoot >35% on Threes
Develop a Mike Conley Memphis runner in the lane.

 

[SoonerinNC]

I thought he did a better job of penetrating and finishing his freshman year. He has not been great at dishing off either year. That would make a huge difference with all of the shooters around him.

The kid is a gamer though. I will never forget the last second steal and shot that won the state championship his senior year at Edmond.

He is probably the best possible guy to take over at the end if he can round out his game.

 

[usedtobe1]

There was a time his freshman year when he was leading the conference in FT attempts. I want him to own this superlative this entire upcoming season. His mentality should be to get to the rim all the time. He's probably our most reliable FT shooter. If he isn't fouled at the rim, he will still be able to a) kick it out to an open Buddy/Isaiah, b) dish it to an open Spangs/other big man, c) get it on the rim to create an opportunity for an easy putback.

There was a reason for it. Every year referees get "points of emphasis". At the start of the 2013-2014 there was an emphasis on hand checking in attempt to make the game less physical. The first month the referees over-reacted and were calling a lot of fouls driving to the basket and games were turning into free throw contests. After a month, there was some clarification and the fouls calls slowed down to a reasonable amount. Woodard got most of his foul calls in November and December, and he doesn't get those calls now..... The refs won't bail him out on a wild drive down the lane.

While not expressly changing the rule book, the NCAA has set the following defensive fouls as points of emphasis to be called this season (2013-2014):

• When a defensive player keeps a hand or forearm on an opponent
• When a defensive player puts two hands on an opponent
• When a defensive player continually jabs by extending his arm(s) and placing a hand or forearm on the opponent
• When a player uses an arm bar to impede the progress of an opponent

As most of you know, I was a referee (now retired).

 

[TheMont]

Ah yes, I do remember that. Isn't that a similar point of emphasis this year? Or is that only for the women's game?

 

[usedtobe1]

Ah yes, I do remember that. Isn't that a similar point of emphasis this year? Or is that only for the women's game?

Yes it is similar, although I think the emphasis will be more on illegal screens and picks. The offensive player is supposed to be set and not initiate contact, but it happens a lot. There are several rule changes this year. Probably the one that has gotten the most attention is the reduction of the shot clock from 35 seconds to 30 seconds but that's very astute of you to point out the initiative to make the game less physical.

This article shows the emphasis on that very point to reduce the physicality of the game: Emphasis on less physical play

I've said for years the most under-estimated skill for basketball is physical strength. Height, speed, vertical leap, etc are all important but there is a reason why many 6'5" wide-bodies do well on the boards. It's why little Johnnie who is a star in the church league can't bring the ball up court on his HS team. It's tough to bring the ball up with a defender who weighs 180 pounds and bench presses 350 is leaning on you the whole way up court with a hand on your hip. That hand feels like a sledge hammer.

 

[usedtobe1]

Back to answering the question asked by the OP.

What improvements are you hoping out of Jordan Woodard this season?

I want to see improvement from Jordan's perimeter offense to help keep the defense honest and not ignore him to help out on Buddy and Isaiah. His freshman year he only had an outside set shot and was too easy to defend. Last year he added a little floater and free throw line jumper, but his percentage wasn't very high on those shots. I would like to see those percentages increase. I don't think defenses respect his perimeter game enough.

I thought his defense was much better last year, and imagine it will be even better this year.

 

[garyeb2]

If there was a game tonight, Cousins would start at the point guard spot.

 

[BigTime]

If there was a game tonight, Cousins would start at the point guard spot.

Cousins
Buddy
Buford?
Spangs
Lattin

 

[geeoh]

If there was a game tonight, Cousins would start at the point guard spot.

!!!

 

[garyeb2]

Cousins
Buddy
Buford?
Spangs
Lattin

Woodard at the #2. He will need to play well to keep it.

 

[BigTime]

Woodard at the #2. He will need to play well to keep it.

Man Cousins must really be coming on! Happy that Jamuni is pushing Lattin too!

 

[Capel's Mustache]

Woodard at the #2. He will need to play well to keep it.

Woodard at the #2. What does that mean? The shooting guard spot? Or the second point guard.

My answer to the question about JW improvement: keep his man in front of him on D. He gets blown by way too often. It causes the whole defensive to break down to fix his mistake.

 

[Section31]

If there was a game tonight, Cousins would start at the point guard spot.

And there's a solid chance we'd lead the country in turnovers...UNLESS he somehow managed to learn to dribble over the summer.

 

[usedtobe1]

If there was a game tonight, Cousins would start at the point guard spot.

Woodard at the #2. He will need to play well to keep it.

I know you watch more practices than most of us do, so you have a lot of insight and I respect your opinion.

This seems like semantics. I think you're still saying both Cousins and Woodard are going to start as of now, but Isaiah will play PG and Woodard will play a wing. I like that Kruger is giving a hard working senior a chance to show the pros he can man the point ...... which gives him a better chance to make some money. Isaiah almost made the roster for the Pan Am games and has aways been a tireless worker. It sounds like he has worked on his ball handling over the off-season. I like it.

You're also saying Woodard better step up his game at the wing or someone like Buford/Odomes/James could beat him out. I just have some concern with a 5'10" wing....... He will get his minutes whether he starts or not.

I like that the coaches are willing to step out of the box.

 

[DenverSooner]

Woodard at the #2. What does that mean? The shooting guard spot? Or the second point guard.

My answer to the question about JW improvement: keep his man in front of him on D. He gets blown by way too often. It causes the whole defensive to break down to fix his mistake.

To me it means he thinks the first guard to lose minutes is Woodard, even if that means Cousins moves to pg

 

[BoulderSooner]

If there was a game tonight, Cousins would start at the point guard spot.

this is so laughable .... ..