Basketball Mavens: Exactly What Do You Think EJ Does Wrong?

[RutgersMO]

Is he too nice? He was following in the wake of Rice's national embarrassment of our program.

Does he lack recruiting skills? How did we get Sanders (a pretty sure NBA 'er if he continues to develop)/ Laruent?

Is he too laid back? See my first comments above.

Not and "x's" / "o's" man? We need more than 6 scholarship players.

I'm defending EJ because having called him in Vegas ....and meeting him in person, I met a gentleman and someone who represents Rutgers well. He was with several pro teams...including the Lakers - when they were good.

Who do you think we're going to bring in here that's going to really make a difference? And how will they do that without Corey/ Laurent?

MO

 

[bac2therac]

Nba coach..doesnt have energy and passion and acumen needed to recruit and manage college players

 

[ruman]

He is not a college coach - hadn't recruited a kid in 20 years
He has no connections and seemingly little interest to build them from a recruiting standpoint
He does not value defense - it is not in his makeup
He is the complete wrong fit to rebuild a very troubled basketball program.

 

[goru7]

Is he too nice? He was following in the wake of Rice's national embarrassment of our program.

Does he lack recruiting skills? How did we get Sanders (a pretty sure NBA 'er if he continues to develop)/ Laruent?

Is he too laid back? See my first comments above.

Not and "x's" / "o's" man? We need more than 6 scholarship players.

I'm defending EJ because having called him in Vegas ....and meeting him in person, I met a gentleman and someone who represents Rutgers well. He was with several pro teams...including the Lakers - when they were good.

Who do you think we're going to bring in here that's going to really make a difference? And how will they do that without Corey/ Laurent?
MO

Was going to start a similar thread , and after looking at the following stats, it comes down to 3 areas::
1) 3 point defense;
2) 3 point offense;
3) Rebounding
As just the Big 10 statistics show, until and except in the Minnesota win and during the first 17 games we were out scored from the 3 point line every single game. By as much as 39 and as little as 3. Some of our 3 point shooting was truly horrendous and in at least 5 games if we just made 1-2 more and gave up 1-2 less , those games could have been won . We were also out rebounded in all games by an average of 13 , except for the Illinois home game(+11), Michigan road game(+1), and the Illinois away game ( even). The rebounding issue can mostly be explained by our losing our frontline for most of those games or playing our guards against 6'9 players with obvious height advantage but some of it is that our guards and forwards did not do a good job on the glass.

Team/Score/ 3 point Diff/ 3 point total/ Opp.Made/Att./ Ru Made/ATT/ Rebounds/ Differential
Mich.St/97-66/ 39/ 48-9/ 16-31/ 3-12/ 50-24/-26
Northwestern/ 98-59/ 33/51-18/ 17-28/ 6-17/ 45-25/ -20
Minnesota/ 83-61/ 12/ 27-15/9-22/ 5-7/ 45-35/-10
Penn State/ 70-58/ 12/ 27-6/ 9-22/ 2-11/ 46-34/-12
Illinois/ 82-66/12 /27-15/ 9-22/ 5-17/ 33-33/0
Ohio State/ 79-69/ 18/ 27-9/ 9-24/ 3-20/ 46-33/-13
Nebraska/87-63/9/ 24-15/ 8-22/5-12/ 39-32/-7
Illinois/ 110-101(3OT)/6/ 30-24/10-29/ 8-25/43-54/+11
Mich.State/ 96-62/ 30/ 51-21/ 17-32/ 7-19/ 56-27/-29
Michigan/ 68-57/ 24/ 33-9/ 11-28/3-18/29-30/+1
Iowa/90-76/21/ 33-12/11-29/4-17/ 38-33/-5
Purdue/ 107-57/27/33-6/ 11-29/ 2-16/ 63-27/-36
Ohio State/ 94-68/3/ 21-18/7-21/6-20/ 45-36/-9
Nebraska/ 90-56/ 15/ 21-6/7-18/2-17/ 43-25/-18
Maryland/ 88-63/3/ 24-21/ 8-25/ 7-18/ 49-27/-22
Wisconsin / 79-57/9/ 24-15/8-18/ 5-12/ 37-25/-12
Indiana/ 79-72/ 12/ 30-18/ 10-24/6-15/ 43-29/-14


To me, Penn State, Ohio State, Illinois, Michigan, Iowa, and Indiana were games that 1-2 more made 3's and 1-2 less 3's allowed, probably changes the outcomes. Why didn't we guard better? Went under screens, guards could not recover in time helping the undersized post, bad transition identification of the shooters, not enough pressure on the opposing point guard allowing the opponent to get into their sets and direct passing lanes to their 3 point shooters, terrible pick and roll defense allowing pick and pop. Those are the reasons in my opinion. The question is did Eddie identify those problems and did he do anything to correct it or try? That is subject to debate as to whether these things are correctable, but I do not want to debate it, just want to answer the OP's point as to why.

We need desperately more and better 3 point shooters. Mike Williams game against Minnesota for the win had to happen more often, but the 2-11,3-20, 3-18, 4-17, 2-16, 2-17 performances just doomed us when the defense also let us down. That problem has to be solved either by Eddie or by any college coach that comes here .. The guards and forwards did not shoot well enough which doomed a lot of games. Our opponents hit 17 two times, 16 once and had no game with less than 7 three's made. We only made 8 one game and 7 two times. Corey has the opportunity to set up shooters and the players we have , must shoot it better , and those coming next year or returning guys, must step up to get over the top.

The rebounding problem was clearly a function of the undersized lineups we trotted out there, which led to 2nd and Third shot attempts , made some of the scores get out of hand. The return of a healthy and bigger frontline should improve the disparity next year but Ru guards have to rebound better to truly make a difference .. With a full roster , Eddie or any coach has a good chance to improve the rebounding especially on the offensive end if Freeman, Laurent and DJ are all back next year.

 

[bac2therac]

you are going to deep with your analysis

Eddie knows more than the board combined about coaching and the game...the NBA game..its all you need to know

 

[Greene Rice FIG]

you are going to deep with your analysis

Eddie knows more than the board combined about coaching and the game...the NBA game..its all you need to know

you give him too much credit.

 

[RutgersDon]

Weak staff

 

[RUsojo]

Defending screens. That's pretty much it. But he has no length to defend them.

 

[RU_DIO]

Is he too nice? He was following in the wake of Rice's national embarrassment of our program.

Does he lack recruiting skills? How did we get Sanders (a pretty sure NBA 'er if he continues to develop)/ Laruent?

Is he too laid back? See my first comments above.

Not and "x's" / "o's" man? We need more than 6 scholarship players.

I'm defending EJ because having called him in Vegas ....and meeting him in person, I met a gentleman and someone who represents Rutgers well. He was with several pro teams...including the Lakers - when they were good.

Who do you think we're going to bring in here that's going to really make a difference? And how will they do that without Corey/ Laurent?

MO

Eddie can't recruit. If he walks in a room, he blends in.(this coming from someone who should know) I'm sure he can coach, not sure he's coaching at a College level or taking an NBA approach. We had more than 6 scholarship players for most of the year. Being a gentleman doesn't make you a good coach. Calhoun from UCONN was a dick. Schiano pissed many off. I've heard from people who played for Danny Hurley who say hes an ass.

I keep reading posts about Laurent and people acting like he was a tremendous pick up. Don't get me wrong, I like him, but he has a LOT of developing to do before I'd consider him a good player. He has no jump shot and needs better hands. Too small for the 4 and needs a big jump in his O to be a good wing. I've seen tons of players start off like him at RU who we all project to develop and they never do. I really hope he improves a great deal next year.

 

[B1GNJHoops]

I don't think he understands the magnitude of the rebuild. Sure, he can address it in press conferences, but does he follow it up with a strategy and go all out? He doesn't, and I don't know if that's because we don't have private planes to fly to recruits on a minutes notice or he's just not interested in what it takes to get players and develop relationships with decision makers who influence players.

I know it's a difficult job but you need to be a really good gameday coach if you're not a big recruiter type, and he's not that. He's too NBA.

 

[RUinFla]

EJ was not a great NBA coach, but a decent one--several good years with Washington. Would guess that college coaches need to teach skills more than NBA coaches do, since NBA players are already skilled, but need to develop into more complete players. Like getting offense out of Michael Kidd Gilchrist, or defense from soulless gunners. EJ, as with most NBA coaches, has little experience in teaching basic skills, like positioning, blocking out and the like. He didn't have to in the NBA. Just like Pitino and Calipari had trouble coaching in the NBA, EJ has not been successful in college hoops.
TL

 

[B1GNJHoops]

EJ was not a great NBA coach, but a decent one--several good years with Washington. Would guess that college coaches need to teach skills more than NBA coaches do, since NBA players are already skilled, but need to develop into more complete players. Like getting offense out of Michael Kidd Gilchrist, or defense from soulless gunners. EJ, as with most NBA coaches, has little experience in teaching basic skills, like positioning, blocking out and the like. He didn't have to in the NBA. Just like Pitino and Calipari had trouble coaching in the NBA, EJ has not been successful in college hoops.
TL

Jordan's on-record saying that before this season he never taught boxing out drills. Guess it took two years to pick up NCAA tendencies.

 

[RutgersMO]

EJ played with Kareem, Magic / Worthy. He coached Sacremento, Washington / was Asst. Coach with KOBE at the top of his game.

Why do you think Corey WANTS to play for EJ? It only takes another 2-3 players who share Corey's vision ....

Wish it didn't have to end this way- and can't help thinking that we're in a never-ending rebuild (25 years since the dance...and COUNTING).

MO

 

[WGLTAUD]

Is he too nice? He was following in the wake of Rice's national embarrassment of our program.

Does he lack recruiting skills? How did we get Sanders (a pretty sure NBA 'er if he continues to develop)/ Laruent?

Is he too laid back? See my first comments above.

Not and "x's" / "o's" man? We need more than 6 scholarship players.

I'm defending EJ because having called him in Vegas ....and meeting him in person, I met a gentleman and someone who represents Rutgers well. He was with several pro teams...including the Lakers - when they were good.

Who do you think we're going to bring in here that's going to really make a difference? And how will they do that without Corey/ Laurent?

MO

He was coaching a basketball team with no size. He's not doing anything wrong, you are all just looking at the game like you're still coaching your kids Boys Club teams.

 

[ruman]

He was coaching a basketball team with no size. He's not doing anything wrong, you are all just looking at the game like you're still coaching your kids Boys Club teams.

He lost 15 straight last year

 

[WGLTAUD]

Yeah, with what team. He started with 5 scholarship players. You are all literally idiots. Attention span of goldfish.

Our program and facilities were a big pile of dog shit before Mike Rice got fired. What makes you all think that all the sudden top recruits are going to come to Rutgers. You all think its this magical awesome place to play basketball. If that was the case, we wouldn't have sucked for the last 30 years. But then again, the attitude of the worst fan base in college sports builds into that.

Congratulations on that. At least you can be the best at something.

 

[ruman]

Yeah, with what team. He started with 5 scholarship players. You are all literally idiots. Attention span of goldfish.

Our program and facilities were a big pile of dog shit before Mike Rice got fired. What makes you all think that all the sudden top recruits are going to come to Rutgers. You all think its this magical awesome place to play basketball. If that was the case, we wouldn't have sucked for the last 30 years. But then again, the attitude of the worst fan base in college sports builds into that.

Congratulations on that. At least you can be the best at something.

15 last year, 17 this year, I sense a pattern.

And 4700 showed up Saturday for a 6 win team. Our fan base is the worst because we are generally ok with such atrocious results.

 

[B1GNJHoops]

Yeah, with what team. He started with 5 scholarship players. You are all literally idiots. Attention span of goldfish.

Our program and facilities were a big pile of dog shit before Mike Rice got fired. What makes you all think that all the sudden top recruits are going to come to Rutgers. You all think its this magical awesome place to play basketball. If that was the case, we wouldn't have sucked for the last 30 years. But then again, the attitude of the worst fan base in college sports builds into that.

Congratulations on that. At least you can be the best at something.

Soooooo .... Why keep Jordan again? Besides blaming us.

 

[RUSONIC]

Yeah, with what team. He started with 5 scholarship players. You are all literally idiots. Attention span of goldfish.

Our program and facilities were a big pile of dog shit before Mike Rice got fired. What makes you all think that all the sudden top recruits are going to come to Rutgers. You all think its this magical awesome place to play basketball. If that was the case, we wouldn't have sucked for the last 30 years. But then again, the attitude of the worst fan base in college sports builds into that.

Congratulations on that. At least you can be the best at something.

He gives himself away "At least you can be the best at something". the poster has no interest on the best interest of RU sports. Probably a friend of Jordan or family.

 

[RUChoppin]

At the root, he's an NBA coach and not a college coach. These leads to several gaps that he needs to address.

1. The NBA doesn't play with the same defensive strategies as the college game. EJ may understand how NBA teams play defense, and how to best attack it... and he may understand how NBA teams play offense, and what works to limit elite scorers (though his results show he wasn't particularly good at this). But the college game is a very different beast. College zones are used to both exploit deficiencies in offensive players (which are far more prevalent and apparent than in the NBA) and hide deficiencies in defensive players (which are again more prevalent and apparent than in the NBA). When you are faced with a 2-3 or a 1-3-1 zone, it's easy to say things like "we have to be better at making our 3's"... but that's what those zones want to force you to do, settle for 3's.

2. College players are not NBA players. This largely goes to focus and player development. In the pros, players are paid to play, practice, and condition themselves - and they largely have their own regimens and trainers that they like to work with. They come in with a skill set, and it's just a matter of honing it and making it fit into a scheme. In college, a lot of these players come in with real deficits - both offensively and defensively. They need to be taught proper technique for things like rebounding, boxing out, passing, reading zones, etc... and that level of instruction to build the fundamentals isn't something that's called upon much in the NBA.

3. Talent acquisition and roster management is entirely different in the NBA. In the pros, you identify your deficits, then work to trade or draft players that address those deficits - and have to balance your overall available salary budget. In college, the players have 100% of the say in where they go to school... which just isn't the case in the NBA. You need to build relationships with players, parents, coaches, AAU coaches, handlers, etc... to try to woo a player, to get them to help woo other players, etc. It's sales much more than it is operations.

Now, he could have hired a staff with strong college basketball experience and success to help shore up some of his weak points - people who understand the way the college game is played, understand how to teach fundamentals and develop young players, and understand the recruiting scene and how to win commitments. But he didn't. He brought in a staff of guys with either NBA experience (which reinforces his deficits) or low level college experience (which puts them at a disadvantage compared to their counterparts on other teams). Instead of trying to fill in the gaps while he learned the ins and outs of the college game, he seemed to either ignore them (or be wholly ignorant of them). It almost reminds me of when Charlie Weis said that Notre Dame would have "a decided schematic advantage" over their opponents because he was bringing a superior NFL style... and it went over like a lead balloon.

At the end of the day, his failure comes down to staff and roster management as much as on-court futility.
1. When the injury bug hit this year, and knocked out four players... we were crushed. The decision to let Etou's scholarship go unfilled (which, by the way, it *still* isn't filled), while also taking a player who would need to redshirt and another who was expected to see limited minutes, led to our being totally undermanned this season. Had Etou been retained, or Ryan Johnson been retained, or the schollie been filled, and Johnson/Goode been an either/or proposition... we'd have been in better shape.
2. Going into year four, we'll have just 2 players who will have been on the court with the team for 2 full years. That's astounding.
3. After a decent recruiting class in 2014, and a strong recruiting class in 2015... we regressed to much less well regarded class for 2016... which still isn't complete, with just a month to go before signing day. 4 scholarships... roughly a third of the team... and it was a lost opportunity. The rolling of the dice with the empty scholarship last year to bring in bigger class this year turned up craps, as that schollie is still open.

I know EJ's heart is in the right place, and he has a passion for Rutgers and wants the program to thrive... but he underestimated how difficult the transition back to college would be after 20 years, how much the game had changed in that time, and how much help he'd need to find success.

I've seen enough to believe that he's not the long (or even intermediate or short) term answer.

 

[needmorecowbell]

Nba coach..doesnt have energy and passion and acumen needed to recruit and manage college players

I agree. From what I can see, the majority of college coaches have to get their team to play with energy and a shut down defensive style if you want to be successful. I read somewhere a while back that the many highly successful college coaches dedicate near 75% of practice to defense. I don't know if 75% is true or not but teams win when they get stops at the right time and have players who can get points at the right time. On top of preaching defense, recruiting the right players is key. I think Eddie's teams have suffered greatly on the defense side of the ball and they don't have that grittiness needed to win close games. Eddie is so laid back that his teams take on his persona. Its a shame because he is such a likable person.

 

[Greene Rice FIG]

I know EJ's heart is in the right place, and he has a passion for Rutgers and wants the program to thrive... but he underestimated how difficult the transition back to college would be after 20 years, how much the game had changed in that time, and how much help he'd need to find success.
.

I don't believe that for a second. He knew what is necessary to succeed and just wasn't willing to do it. the only part of the job he was really willing to do is coach (in practice and games only). Fred Hill Jr. failed. Eddie Jordan never gave it a chance. Great he took us to Final Four in 1976. It is 2016 and he took the University's $3,000,000+ and took us all for a ride.

 

[RutgHoops]

Sanders is the best player to arrive at RU since Douby. Freeman looked the part of a JuCo AA who had turned down five high major offers to attend Rutgers in his first four games. Laurent, Williams, Foreman, Doorson, and Diallo seem to be fine young pieces. AND THAT IS IN TWO CLASSES!! FOLLOWING MIKE RICE. Cant recruit? Are you serious?

Dont understand how he can be as bad as he is coaching defense. Can't he call Van Gundy? Paging anyone who can help EJ run a competent defense. Other than that (recruiting, offensive coaching, media relations) in my opinion he was pretty good. Actually thought/think he is a damn good recruiter.

 

[bac2therac]

you really are overrating our players IMO

 

[RutgersMO]

He gives himself away "At least you can be the best at something". the poster has no interest on the best interest of RU sports. Probably a friend of Jordan or family.

R U referring to me? I am a loyal son of Rutgers / have been since the mid 60's.

I met Eddie for the first / only time in Nov. 2015, because I found out that Rutgers was playing in a tournament in Vegas while I was there on business. I took the iniatitive, called the MGM and got through to him / made it down to the practice (where the picture of Corey/ me was taken). I have never spoken or communicated with EJ, Corey or anyone else from the program since.

If losing Jordan means losing Corey I say "NO". You can argure that one player doesn't make a team. But if this were football, 1/12 or 1/13 of the team = about 7 players (STUDS). Sorry, I haven't seen a long line outside our doors, and Sanders ALONE has the potential to excite fans, get announcers " laughing" when he burns the opposition, and put fannies in the seats (if we can attract a few more Sanders type players)...and start WINNING!

MO

 

[Greene Rice FIG]

Sanders and Freeman both had lengthy suspensions.

 

[Greene Rice FIG]

You know I like our offensive sets......when we use them.

We are currently ranked by kenpom 315th in adjusted offensive efficiency. It is more than defense and more than bigs hurt and more than experience.

grier moore daniels goode johnson johnson whittington parker. Etou leaves. Sanders suspended. Freeman suspended. Nigel Johnson sits out a year.

 

[RU-Choppin-Ohio]

He has failed to recruit more players with length and long arms. Every guard is 6'2" or under. The 6'4, 6'6 guards coming in are important, along with the 6'10 forward.

Many people underestimate the value of length and long arms. Guys can get their shots off easier, they can tip or prevent passes to the post or on to to the wing and when they close out of shooters it is much more impact.

 

[Manhattan]

1. Terrible recruiting. Other than Sanders, not a single HS recruit with top-20 offers. Look at this incoming class. Who in that group projects to have an impact in the B1G? And not a sniff from a decent NJ player, which is almost inconceivable. And Goode gets a scholarship? Really? he plays behind walk-ons on one of the worst D-1 teams ever in a P-5 conference. And everyone loves Laurent? What I see is a nice complimentary wing who can't shoot. Exactly which B1G team would he get serious minutes for?

2. Dispassionate coaching staff. Who on that staff ever looks animated on the bench? Which looks like the kind of coach who can convince a kid to eschew a traditional power to raise RU hoops from the dead? None of them.

3. Terrible coaching on the defensive side of the ball.

I think that about does it.

 

[JPhoboken]

Recruiting. FHJR was not a good head coach, AND failed here. But he was a pretty successful recruiter as as assistant. His dad, moose, the baseball coach was a good recruiter as well. THE reason: BB and baseball was their life, their passion, and their hobby. They were out watching games every night. They were passionate about it, and just watching HS games. Does EJ do this?

I love Ej. Great guy, loves Rutgers, great player here, great ambassador. I just don't think he really understood the passion and effort needed to build a college BB program.

 

[bac2therac]

Manhattan is spot on

 

[RUinFla]

At the root, he's an NBA coach and not a college coach. These leads to several gaps that he needs to address.

1. The NBA doesn't play with the same defensive strategies as the college game. EJ may understand how NBA teams play defense, and how to best attack it... and he may understand how NBA teams play offense, and what works to limit elite scorers (though his results show he wasn't particularly good at this). But the college game is a very different beast. College zones are used to both exploit deficiencies in offensive players (which are far more prevalent and apparent than in the NBA) and hide deficiencies in defensive players (which are again more prevalent and apparent than in the NBA). When you are faced with a 2-3 or a 1-3-1 zone, it's easy to say things like "we have to be better at making our 3's"... but that's what those zones want to force you to do, settle for 3's.

2. College players are not NBA players. This largely goes to focus and player development. In the pros, players are paid to play, practice, and condition themselves - and they largely have their own regimens and trainers that they like to work with. They come in with a skill set, and it's just a matter of honing it and making it fit into a scheme. In college, a lot of these players come in with real deficits - both offensively and defensively. They need to be taught proper technique for things like rebounding, boxing out, passing, reading zones, etc... and that level of instruction to build the fundamentals isn't something that's called upon much in the NBA.

3. Talent acquisition and roster management is entirely different in the NBA. In the pros, you identify your deficits, then work to trade or draft players that address those deficits - and have to balance your overall available salary budget. In college, the players have 100% of the say in where they go to school... which just isn't the case in the NBA. You need to build relationships with players, parents, coaches, AAU coaches, handlers, etc... to try to woo a player, to get them to help woo other players, etc. It's sales much more than it is operations.

Now, he could have hired a staff with strong college basketball experience and success to help shore up some of his weak points - people who understand the way the college game is played, understand how to teach fundamentals and develop young players, and understand the recruiting scene and how to win commitments. But he didn't. He brought in a staff of guys with either NBA experience (which reinforces his deficits) or low level college experience (which puts them at a disadvantage compared to their counterparts on other teams). Instead of trying to fill in the gaps while he learned the ins and outs of the college game, he seemed to either ignore them (or be wholly ignorant of them). It almost reminds me of when Charlie Weis said that Notre Dame would have "a decided schematic advantage" over their opponents because he was bringing a superior NFL style... and it went over like a lead balloon.

At the end of the day, his failure comes down to staff and roster management as much as on-court futility.
1. When the injury bug hit this year, and knocked out four players... we were crushed. The decision to let Etou's scholarship go unfilled (which, by the way, it *still* isn't filled), while also taking a player who would need to redshirt and another who was expected to see limited minutes, led to our being totally undermanned this season. Had Etou been retained, or Ryan Johnson been retained, or the schollie been filled, and Johnson/Goode been an either/or proposition... we'd have been in better shape.
2. Going into year four, we'll have just 2 players who will have been on the court with the team for 2 full years. That's astounding.
3. After a decent recruiting class in 2014, and a strong recruiting class in 2015... we regressed to much less well regarded class for 2016... which still isn't complete, with just a month to go before signing day. 4 scholarships... roughly a third of the team... and it was a lost opportunity. The rolling of the dice with the empty scholarship last year to bring in bigger class this year turned up craps, as that schollie is still open.

I know EJ's heart is in the right place, and he has a passion for Rutgers and wants the program to thrive... but he underestimated how difficult the transition back to college would be after 20 years, how much the game had changed in that time, and how much help he'd need to find success.

I've seen enough to believe that he's not the long (or even intermediate or short) term answer.

Wow, Chopping is dead on. Been watching alot of college hoops lately, and seeing how effective skilled if somewhat athletically limited big men can be--like the Hofstra kid. Or the devastating effects of a West Va press if you only have a little time to prepare for it. Or playing a zone like Syracuse runs. Much more versatility to the college game, and EJ and staff were not prepared to compete. Kudos to Chopping for a well thought out summary.
TL

 

[PatrickRU92]

we don't have enough good basketball players.

 

[SleepingGiantIsAwake]

Other than the obvious Swiss cheese defensive principles, my opinion is his total lack of effort to go above and beyond to recruit. Look, I was very optimistic when Jordan got hired....,an RU guy. But, honestly, how can an RU guy take the job, knowing he has to go above and beyond, and not bust his arse recruiting for a couple years to build this thing back up? You're getting paid over $ 1.2 million bucks a year!!!!!! Inexcusable.

 

[KnightsB10]

1. Terrible recruiting. Other than Sanders, not a single HS recruit with top-20 offers. Look at this incoming class. Who in that group projects to have an impact in the B1G? And not a sniff from a decent NJ player, which is almost inconceivable. And Goode gets a scholarship? Really? he plays behind walk-ons on one of the worst D-1 teams ever in a P-5 conference. And everyone loves Laurent? What I see is a nice complimentary wing who can't shoot. Exactly which B1G team would he get serious minutes for?

2. Dispassionate coaching staff. Who on that staff ever looks animated on the bench? Which looks like the kind of coach who can convince a kid to eschew a traditional power to raise RU hoops from the dead? None of them.

3. Terrible coaching on the defensive side of the ball.

I think that about does it.

Perfectly said.

 

[RutgHoops]

At the root, he's an NBA coach and not a college coach. These leads to several gaps that he needs to address.

1. The NBA doesn't play with the same defensive strategies as the college game. EJ may understand how NBA teams play defense, and how to best attack it... and he may understand how NBA teams play offense, and what works to limit elite scorers (though his results show he wasn't particularly good at this). But the college game is a very different beast. College zones are used to both exploit deficiencies in offensive players (which are far more prevalent and apparent than in the NBA) and hide deficiencies in defensive players (which are again more prevalent and apparent than in the NBA). When you are faced with a 2-3 or a 1-3-1 zone, it's easy to say things like "we have to be better at making our 3's"... but that's what those zones want to force you to do, settle for 3's.

2. College players are not NBA players. This largely goes to focus and player development. In the pros, players are paid to play, practice, and condition themselves - and they largely have their own regimens and trainers that they like to work with. They come in with a skill set, and it's just a matter of honing it and making it fit into a scheme. In college, a lot of these players come in with real deficits - both offensively and defensively. They need to be taught proper technique for things like rebounding, boxing out, passing, reading zones, etc... and that level of instruction to build the fundamentals isn't something that's called upon much in the NBA.

3. Talent acquisition and roster management is entirely different in the NBA. In the pros, you identify your deficits, then work to trade or draft players that address those deficits - and have to balance your overall available salary budget. In college, the players have 100% of the say in where they go to school... which just isn't the case in the NBA. You need to build relationships with players, parents, coaches, AAU coaches, handlers, etc... to try to woo a player, to get them to help woo other players, etc. It's sales much more than it is operations.

Now, he could have hired a staff with strong college basketball experience and success to help shore up some of his weak points - people who understand the way the college game is played, understand how to teach fundamentals and develop young players, and understand the recruiting scene and how to win commitments. But he didn't. He brought in a staff of guys with either NBA experience (which reinforces his deficits) or low level college experience (which puts them at a disadvantage compared to their counterparts on other teams). Instead of trying to fill in the gaps while he learned the ins and outs of the college game, he seemed to either ignore them (or be wholly ignorant of them). It almost reminds me of when Charlie Weis said that Notre Dame would have "a decided schematic advantage" over their opponents because he was bringing a superior NFL style... and it went over like a lead balloon.

At the end of the day, his failure comes down to staff and roster management as much as on-court futility.
1. When the injury bug hit this year, and knocked out four players... we were crushed. The decision to let Etou's scholarship go unfilled (which, by the way, it *still* isn't filled), while also taking a player who would need to redshirt and another who was expected to see limited minutes, led to our being totally undermanned this season. Had Etou been retained, or Ryan Johnson been retained, or the schollie been filled, and Johnson/Goode been an either/or proposition... we'd have been in better shape.
2. Going into year four, we'll have just 2 players who will have been on the court with the team for 2 full years. That's astounding.
3. After a decent recruiting class in 2014, and a strong recruiting class in 2015... we regressed to much less well regarded class for 2016... which still isn't complete, with just a month to go before signing day. 4 scholarships... roughly a third of the team... and it was a lost opportunity. The rolling of the dice with the empty scholarship last year to bring in bigger class this year turned up craps, as that schollie is still open.

I know EJ's heart is in the right place, and he has a passion for Rutgers and wants the program to thrive... but he underestimated how difficult the transition back to college would be after 20 years, how much the game had changed in that time, and how much help he'd need to find success.

I've seen enough to believe that he's not the long (or even intermediate or short) term answer.

This is a really good post.

I do believe it was a long road back after Rice and no matter the HC this year (3) would have been tough. And made tougher if ANY HC faced the injury bug the way EJ did. But it is tough for me to argue with anything above.

 

[RUJMM78]

Head coaches are hired to win.Jordan has only 2 B1G wins in the last two years.Case closed.

 

[willisneverrana43]

The team for three years has looked under-talented, under-coached, under-conditioned and under-disciplined. We can take our stabs at why. That's what message boards are for. But does it matter? It is what it is. If you step back from the trees and look at the forest, you see very clearly that it isn't good enough overall, not even close.

 

[ScarletRunner]

The team for three years has looked under-talented, under-coached, under-conditioned and under-disciplined. We can take our stabs at why. That's what message boards are for. But does it matter? It is what it is. If you step back from the trees and look at the forest, you see very clearly that it isn't good enough overall, not even close.

I generally agree. It's over-analysis at this point. It's clear there's not near enough talent, and nothing on the strategy or player-development fronts to offset the talent discrepancy.

But for those interested in taking a closer look at the underlying reasons, I don't think you can get much better than RUChoppin's post above. IMO, that absolutely nails it.

 

[Scarlet Shack]

It's all about the defense...

He coaches the team decently on offense, but the defensive coaching, is beyond atrocious