Replacing Eugene

[HeavenUniv.]

AYN, thank you !!! I am a season ticket holder and there were games where I barely knew he was on the floor. People act like we lost Julius Erving, Larry Bird, Bill Russell, Bob Cousy, David Robinson, and Michael Jordan all rolled into one. If this guy who bailed on his teammates and Coach Pike, ever starts for an NBA team, I will be stunned and it will confirm that the NBA is more watered down than people think.

 

[hoquat63]

Certain things are best unsaid. The fact that this was even said has me very concerned. The fact that an individual or a group of individuals were not named to take on the "role" may tell you what you don't want to know.

Montez Mathis could be the antidote here. The fact that everyone seems to be mentioned as the most improved player at some point in the preseason and i haven't heard his name really scares me about this season.

I believe our success or lack thereof is almost all about what Montez Mathis is.

Hobbs indicated that Mathis would start.

 

[hoquat63]

Talent wise, you are correct, without a doubt. The risk is that we lost a tough inside player and we are thin upfront. Especially since our bigs our foul-prone. Yeboah is probably more talented than Eugene (especially when Eugene is not 100%), but it’s doubtful that he can be the inside presence, defender and vocal leader than Eugene was.

IMO, we need 3 things.

1.Doucoure to step up and replace some of the toughness we lost in Doorson and Eugene.

2. Someone to embrace the defensive-stopper role.

3. Someone to be a vocal leader on the court. It would nice if Geo stepped up here.

For #3 Hobbs said Geo is team leader

 

[cubuffsdoug]

Completely agree. Looked at another way, coming in to last season Rutgers lost 65% of our scoring (we lost our #1, #2 and #4 leading scorers) and 61% of our minutes played. Yet, as you posted, we improved our win total and overall "ranking" to the point where SI listed us as one of the most improved teams in the country.

That didn't happen because we lost Corey, Deshaun, Mike Williams, Sa, etc., but rather in spite of the fact we lost those kids. We lose Eugene and Doorson and add Young, Mulcahy, Yeboah and Doucoure. Plus six (6!) kids who first experienced high major basketball last season have a year of experience under their belts.

I believe, like last season, we will be better not because we lost Eugene and Shaq, but rather in spite of that fact.

You're making too much sense here. I'm with you on the fact Rutgers is better because of the upgrade in talent.
Each year since Coach Pike's arrival, the replacements for departing players have been upgrades.

 

[Greene Rice FIG]

Hobbs indicated that Mathis would start.

Thanks for the news....for me very encouraging.

 

[Greene Rice FIG]

You're making too much sense here. I'm with you on the fact Rutgers is better because of the upgrade in talent.
Each year since Coach Pike's arrival, the replacements for departing players have been upgrades.

I get and agree with your generic premise....but not having a capable backup point guard on the roster last year was a killer. Baker really broke down at the end of the year. That and Issa were the main reasons we laid eggs at the end of the season.

 

[Mr Magoo]

For #3 Hobbs said Geo is team leader

Geo still has to do it on the court. Hopefully, he steps up because he didn't appear to be that player last season.

 

[Mr Magoo]

AYN, thank you !!! I am a season ticket holder and there were games where I barely knew he was on the floor. People act like we lost Julius Erving, Larry Bird, Bill Russell, Bob Cousy, David Robinson, and Michael Jordan all rolled into one. If this guy who bailed on his teammates and Coach Pike, ever starts for an NBA team, I will be stunned and it will confirm that the NBA is more watered down than people think.

I don't think anyone is suggesting he's an elite player. IMO, it's about losing a player whose skill-set and intangibles are not easily replaceable by our current roster of players unless some players step-up.

 

[RUich]

Sometimes a loss of a player can be a net gain. Team chemistry is always a critical aspect of what happens. Maybe a player who spent a lot of time either on the bench or in another's shadow emerges and becomes a leader.
What ever Eugene's motivation to leave, it's meaningless to the new formula we will see. I trust Pike to just make the necessary adjustments.

 

[Greene Rice FIG]

Geo still has to do it on the court. Hopefully, he steps up because he didn't appear to be that player last season.

He had a lot on his plate...Eugene was our best player, but geo was our MVP.

Without him we would have been completely lost.

 

[bethlehemfan]

Eugene toughness carried the team at critical moments when the rest looked like deer in headlights. The question is who steps up to be that guy when you need the stops and the rebounds and the grind out buckets to turn a game around when things look bleak. I think with maturity there’ll be answers but it’s not a given until they do it.

 

[BillyC80]

Eugene toughness carried the team at critical moments when the rest looked like deer in headlights. The question is who steps up to be that guy when you need the stops and the rebounds and the grind out buckets to turn a game around when things look bleak. I think with maturity there’ll be answers but it’s not a given until they do it.

Wondering if Yeboah or Young could be that guy, since they’re both veterans. Also I believe Pike mentioned that Shaq is bringing more vocal leadership to practices.

 

[RU-ROCS]

Gene will be missed for sure because he would be a senior and he improved greatly each year. But, given this team's makeup, Dorson may be the bigger loss. His defense against the best big men in the Big 10 was underrated. And, RU is very thin up front this year.

 

[Greene Rice FIG]

If you are thin upfront than you have to go thin. Thick needs to guard thin on the other side of the court.

 

[Scarlet83]

Figured I'd join in a little bit.

Yeboah is a completely different player than Omoruyi. He's a perimeter player.

It'll be interesting to see how it all unfolds.

Do you mean
Kwasi is a perimeter player on offense only? I thought he can and is willing to play down low on D. Is that correct?

 

[Scarlet83]

Iowa was soft...

116th adjusted defensive efficiency
last place in B1G games defensively
in B1G play opponents shot 54.7% from 2

Let’s play fill in the blank...Iowa is as soft as ______.

Who can fill in the blank with the correct answer?

 

[Scarlet83]

I get and agree with your generic premise....but not having a capable backup point guard on the roster last year was a killer. Baker really broke down at the end of the year. That and Issa were the main reasons we laid eggs at the end of the season.

And most of us think that has been much improved for this year. I know...I know you are going to say that you need to see it, but it is OK to project based on some valid but not yet 100% complete information.

 

[Greene Rice FIG]

I am VERY confident that the backup point guard has been addressed. No worries at all there.

 

[Greene Rice FIG]

Let’s play fill in the blank...Iowa is as soft as ______.

Who can fill in the blank with the correct answer?

Peter Jok’s Pillow

 

[Scarlet83]

Peter Jok’s Pillow

Funny! Or Peter Jok’s jock!

 

[Greene Rice FIG]

Funny! Or Peter Jok’s jock!

:Surprised:

 

[willisneverrana43]

A lot has been discussed about how this year’s team will perform without Eugene.

I look at it this way, as a team we’ll likely have a similar number of offensive and defensive possessions. So someone else will take Gene’s shots and someone else will get Gene’s defensive rebounds.

For example one guy that will get some of Gene’s minutes will be Shaq. Last year Carter played in the same number of games as Gene, but got exactly half of Gene’s minutes.

Carter had the same number of rebounds per minute, more steals per minute, more blocks per minute, shot a higher percentage from the floor, shot the same percentage from the foul line, and had fewer turnovers per minute than Gene.

Shaq won’t get as many shots per minute, charges per minute or assists per minute, and I’m not saying Shaq replaces Gene. I’m only saying that when Gene’s minutes, shots and rebound opportunities are redistributed, we should come out equally as good, if not better, especially if Kwasi takes the 45 threes that Gene took last year.

And presto, you’ve used a lot of words to completely eliminate any potential drop off that could happen when a team loses its best player. Well done.

 

[cubuffsdoug]

And presto, you’ve used a lot of words to completely eliminate any potential drop off that could happen when a team loses its best player. Well dine.

It's not impossible to replace Eugene. Two years ago Rutgers had to replace Freeman and Getty who were by far the best players on the team, and the team actually improved. Last year people wondered how Rutgers would survive without Sanders? Not only did Rutgers survive, they thrived because the talent upgrade was better each year. Eugene was an important member of the team, but Pike has done a great job in identifying talent to replace departing players. The replacements usually have been better.

Keep in mind Eugene wasn't some all-American that Rutgers has to replace. He's a good player but not a difference maker. Rutgers hasn't had one of those types since Douby.

 

[willisneverrana43]

It's not impossible to replace Eugene. Two years ago Rutgers had to replace Freeman and Getty who were by far the best players on the team, and the team actually improved. . . . .

Uh . . .

 

[cubuffsdoug]

Uh . . .

You are talking about replacing Eugene? Bottom line, he can be replaced.

 

[BillyC80]

Uh . . .

Whatchyou talkin bout Willis? You saying RU will have fewer wins this year without Eugene? What’s your prediction for the season?

 

[RUChoppin]

It's not impossible to replace Eugene. Two years ago Rutgers had to replace Freeman and Getty who were by far the best players on the team, and the team actually improved. Last year people wondered how Rutgers would survive without Sanders?

We didn't have to replace Freeman and Gettys two years ago. We had to replace Gettys and Johnson, and neither were "by far the best players on the team".

Then the following year we had to replace Freeman and Sanders, about whom the "best players" argument could be made.

 

[KnightsofChrome]

You are talking about replacing Eugene? Bottom line, he can be replaced.

Has been replaced, for the better.

 

[KnightsofChrome]

We didn't have to replace Freeman and Gettys two years ago. We had to replace Gettys and Johnson, and neither were "by far the best players on the team".

Then the following year we had to replace Freeman and Sanders, about whom the "best players" argument could be made.

I'm always amazed, how easily RU fans get used to mediocrity, and then call it outstanding, or some other adjective to validate their feelings. Freeman, Getty, Eugene, all mediocrity in motion. None would have started on other BIG 10 lineups, at least most. But, whatever....

 

[willisneverrana43]

Has been replaced, for the better.

Everyone gets replaced. Someone always steps in. But for the better? That usually doesn't happen when its your best player, not unless you replace him with a better player, and I don't see that happening this year. Now, maybe improvements happen elsewhere and those improvements, plus whatever you can do to minimize the dropoff between your departed best player and his replacement, can leave you with a better team. But it won't be better than if your best player had simply stayed with you.

So, will that happen this year, will advancements elsewhere be so significant as to improve the team? Maybe. But claims of "off season" improvements by [insert player name], better play because of better conditioning of [insert player name], and upgrades from the soon-to-be eligible [insert sit-out transfer or freshman] is yearly fare around here. The power of off season improvements on this board is so great that it bulldozes through anything, even the transfer of your best, most experienced player, and grows in strength through words on messages boards until it becomes a well-polished, undeniable truth that can't be countered.

Then the games start. Maybe we'll be better this year. But it won't be easy, and it is far from certain or even the most likely outcome.

 

[KnightsofChrome]

Everyone gets replaced. Someone always steps in. But for the better? That usually doesn't happen when its your best player, not unless you replace him with a better player, and I don't see that happening this year. Now, maybe improvements happen elsewhere and those improvements, plus whatever you can do to minimize the dropoff between your departed best player and his replacement, can leave you with a better team. But it won't be better than if your best player had simply stayed with you.

So, will that happen this year, will advancements elsewhere be so significant as to improve the team? Maybe. But claims of "off season" improvements by [insert player name], better play because of better conditioning of [insert player name], and upgrades from the soon-to-be eligible [insert sit-out transfer or freshman] is yearly fare around here. The power of off season improvements on this board is so great that it bulldozes through anything, even the transfer of your best, most experienced player, and grows in strength through words on messages boards until it becomes a well-polished, undeniable truth that can't be countered.

Then the games start. Maybe we'll be better this year. But it won't be easy, and it is far from certain or even the most likely outcome.

That's your opinion, and of course I respect it. But, nothing you said changes my opinion. If he was our "best" player, there is plenty of room for optimism, with last years freshmen now a year older and more experienced. Eugene loved to put the ball up, with little skill set to back it up, I believe that current players who will play in place of Eugene have a higher ceiling. Last nights game is more of a testament to their immaturity, and reflection of the success they had in Europe. This team hasn't learned how to play together, yet. It's very hard to form bonds, and executed consistently, when the lineups are constantly being changed. You have to play together to form continuity in a team. Yes, bring the bench as support, but the top 7 players must get more time together....IMHO

 

[bac2therac]

Willis....Good post. I think eventually the team moves on from Eugene but clearly as shown by last night in the early going of the season this team will struggle to fill the role

Leadership
Toughness
Calming Influence
Go to Guy

In the last 5 minutes we desperately needed all of the above and didnt have it. This was the typical game that Eugene would step up late. As the season progresses we can hope another player can grow into that role but its a tough thing to replace

 

[KnightsofChrome]

Willis....Good post. I think eventually the team moves on from Eugene but clearly as shown by last night in the early going of the season this team will struggle to fill the role

Leadership
Toughness
Calming Influence
Go to Guy

In the last 5 minutes we desperately needed all of the above and didnt have it. This was the typical game that Eugene would step up late. As the season progresses we can hope another player can grow into that role but its a tough thing to replace

I'll agree on the 'toughness' they were soft last night. The other 3, not so much. This is a good team that doesn't know how to play as a team, yet. It will come. And, they were tight, as hell. Haven't seen that many bricks thrown in one game since CYO.....lol