Mika is Elite

[SpiffCoug]

In 2008, BYU lost to UNLV 70-41 at the Thomas & Mack. A month later in the Marriott Center, BYU won 74-48.

Of course UNLV is a much better program than Santa Clara. And it's still unacceptable to lose to Santa Clara. But these kinds of things do happen.

[frdbtr]

Mika is playing well but no one else is. Our shooters couldn't hit the ocean from the dock, and our defense sucks. BYU will never be the team it was in the MWC until this current group of coaches can figure out how to coach defense.

[Gunk]

I think we're nearing a coaching change. Either all new assistants or an entirely new staff.

We have no business losing to these teams. None. Even a "bad" MWC team under Rose would roll through these teams.

[frdbtr]

I think we're nearing a coaching change. Either all new assistants or an entirely new staff.

We have no business losing to these teams. None. Even a "bad" MWC team under Rose would roll through these teams.

I don't know why but BYU hasn't played defense since Jimmer left. The BYU teams who were winning the MWC were good defensive teams who had a knack for taking teams strengths away from them. We haven't seen that in the WCC and it needs to change. If that means getting new coaches, so be it.

[Mars]

Once Mika declares for the NBA, Rose should be retired.

[snoscythe]

I heard interesting analysis from a high-level Bball donor about what the problem with the program is. He had three reasons:

1) For whatever reason, suddenly the last few years BYU has had a TON of turnover. Yeah, some of it is mission-related, but most of it is inexplicable. Jacob Hartsock just walked into the facility one day and said he was out--he's still on campus taking classes on his own dime now. He was just done with basketball. Jordan Chatman and Frank Bartley are two others that should not have just walked out on the program. He said he doesn't know exactly why that is happening, but it should not be happening this often if a coach has a program where players feel a part of a team working as a unit. No one quits on a team where there is a band of brothers....they quit on coaches and other players when they don't feel respected.

2) When BYU was in the MWC, we were a disciplined ball movement team that won based on smart execution. We were playing long, athletic teams that could leap over us, but we won by being tough and taking advantage of those mistakes, and we recruited to that model. When we joined the WCC, we suddenly were playing 8 other teams with the same model of mistake-free, high-execution basketball. BYU was suddenly the longer, more athletic team nearly every game, but does not execute at the same level the WCC teams do. Think of the fits AFA gave us during their 4-year run of Princeton offense and smothering defense. We play teams like that every week, but Rose has not been able to find the recipe for consistent success against that style of team to the same extent he found it against UNM, SDSU, UNLV, and Wyoming.

3) Before Jimmer, we had point guards named Ben Murdock, Sam Burgess, Austin Ainge, Shaun Broadus, and Brock Reichner--guys who took care of the ball, played tough on-ball defense, and weren't looking to score. Jimmer was a generational talent that was an aberration, but he combined smart ball distribution with his scoring, and we could hide him defensively a bit because we had Jackson Emery, probably our best guardline defender in 20 years on the court at the same time. Since joining the WCC and after Jimmer, we've had point guards like Matty Carlino, Chase Fischer, and now TJ "Watched-a-Jason-Williams-Kings-Highlight-Reel-Too-Many-Times" Haws. Suddenly we've got point guards who want to score, want to play hero ball, want to make a flashy pass instead of a smart pass, and who don't put as much effort into the defensive side of things. Is it any wonder our three-point defense is atrocious and costs us 2 or more games each season?

Question is--Rose now has the recruits playing that we've waited years for, so if he can't get over the hump with his dream guys, when can he? Do we take a risk and try to get someone in there that can take us higher, or do we settle for 3rd-best in the conference and a trip to the Dance every 3 years or so?

[Gunk]

Bottom line, we aren't playing team ball. Whether that's because of cockiness, bad scheming or poor defense, the solution starts with coaching.

[BroncoBot]

Bottom line, we aren't playing team ball. Whether that's because of cockiness, bad scheming or poor defense, the solution starts with coaching.

I really think the LP3 thing has created a bit of a schism.
BYU just doesn't look comfortable with themselves.

[SpiffCoug]

Bottom line, we aren't playing team ball. Whether that's because of cockiness, bad scheming or poor defense, the solution starts with coaching.

I really think the LP3 thing has created a bit of a schism.
BYU just doesn't look comfortable with themselves.

Hawk, please confirm that this was a fear I expressed back in October on one of our long Saturday runs.

[hawkwing]

Bottom line, we aren't playing team ball. Whether that's because of cockiness, bad scheming or poor defense, the solution starts with coaching.

I really think the LP3 thing has created a bit of a schism.
BYU just doesn't look comfortable with themselves.

Hawk, please confirm that this was a fear I expressed back in October on one of our long Saturday runs.

Excellent point then, and one that unfortunately has come to fruition.

Honestly I think the rest of the Lone Peak 3 were never really as good as they were thought to be (with the exception of Mika) but were all made to look much better than they were by Frank Jackson.