It's Official -- Eric Mika = Gone

[nuk13]

I agree. We need to fire the all time winningest coach at BYU because he hasn't been able to win a NC at BYU with sub par talent and the honor code. Great plan.

Forget the NC, I'd be happy with a few regular season WCC titles at this point. BYU hasn't even been close to competing for the season title for 6 years now.

Me too. I don't think 3 point sharp shooters are going to get us there. I believe we had a chance with Mika and team ball.

[frdbtr]

We don't have any 3 point sharp shooters right now. Last years team sucked from behind the 3 point line. The biggest problem with BYU basketball right now is it's complete abandonment of even trying to play defense. That has to be corrected immediately if we want to see a WCC championship. The dirty little secret about the 2010 team is that it was a very good defensive team. Last years team, even with Mika had little interest in playing defense. Teams would just drive on us and make layup after layup. The only game where I saw them play acceptable defense was when we beat Gonzaga, that was the only game.

[hawkwing]

If defense is the dirty little secret it's the worst kept secret in history. Everyone I know recognizes the fact that the last time BYU had an exceptional season was the last year they played defense.

Why Rose continues to abandon defense in search of terrible offensive choices is the real question.

[frdbtr]

If defense is the dirty little secret it's the worst kept secret in history. Everyone I know recognizes the fact that the last time BYU had an exceptional season was the last year they played defense.

Why Rose continues to abandon defense in search of terrible offensive choices is the real question.

I don't think Rose is abandoning defense. I think he isn't as much of a disciplinarian as he used to be and the team isn't putting forth the effort they used to. We will see if the coaching change changes that.

[hawkwing]

If defense is the dirty little secret it's the worst kept secret in history. Everyone I know recognizes the fact that the last time BYU had an exceptional season was the last year they played defense.

Why Rose continues to abandon defense in search of terrible offensive choices is the real question.

I don't think Rose is abandoning defense. I think he isn't as much of a disciplinarian as he used to be and the team isn't putting forth the effort they used to. We will see if the coaching change changes that.

I don't think he's abandoning defense either, I think he's never understood or had defense. But I do agree with you that he has clearly lost his desire to be a disciplinarian and who can blame him, trying to get 18-25 year old kids to work hard all the time would be mentally taxing.

[1967cougar]

IIRC, Coach Shroyer is something of a defensive genius. I do remember many posts discussing how our defense would be much worse when he left the first time. That prophesy seemed to have played out. Maybe it will get better with him back.

[frdbtr]

If defense is the dirty little secret it's the worst kept secret in history. Everyone I know recognizes the fact that the last time BYU had an exceptional season was the last year they played defense.

Why Rose continues to abandon defense in search of terrible offensive choices is the real question.

I don't think Rose is abandoning defense. I think he isn't as much of a disciplinarian as he used to be and the team isn't putting forth the effort they used to. We will see if the coaching change changes that.

I don't think he's abandoning defense either, I think he's never understood or had defense. But I do agree with you that he has clearly lost his desire to be a disciplinarian and who can blame him, trying to get 18-25 year old kids to work hard all the time would be mentally taxing.

Then how did the 2010 team and before all have good defenses. the 2010 team and earlier always seemed to have a knack for taking away an opposing teams strength. You mentioned early that defense was not a "dirty little secret" and now you say that he has never had or understood defense. Sounds kind of contradictory to me.

[hawkwing]

If defense is the dirty little secret it's the worst kept secret in history. Everyone I know recognizes the fact that the last time BYU had an exceptional season was the last year they played defense.

Why Rose continues to abandon defense in search of terrible offensive choices is the real question.

I don't think Rose is abandoning defense. I think he isn't as much of a disciplinarian as he used to be and the team isn't putting forth the effort they used to. We will see if the coaching change changes that.

I don't think he's abandoning defense either, I think he's never understood or had defense. But I do agree with you that he has clearly lost his desire to be a disciplinarian and who can blame him, trying to get 18-25 year old kids to work hard all the time would be mentally taxing.

Then how did the 2010 team and before all have good defenses. the 2010 team and earlier always seemed to have a knack for taking away an opposing teams strength. You mentioned early that defense was not a "dirty little secret" and now you say that he has never had or understood defense. Sounds kind of contradictory to me.

Not contradictory at all. Prior to 2010 Rose had an assistant coach that he allowed to handle the defense and allowed that coach to use the players in playing defense. That coach moved on and with it the team's only advocate for defense. Rose has never replaced that valuing offense more than defense.

[Mars]

IIRC, Coach Shroyer is something of a defensive genius. I do remember many posts discussing how our defense would be much worse when he left the first time. That prophesy seemed to have played out. Maybe it will get better with him back.

My only concern with Schroyer is how often his coaches get fired.

[frdbtr]

If defense is the dirty little secret it's the worst kept secret in history. Everyone I know recognizes the fact that the last time BYU had an exceptional season was the last year they played defense.

Why Rose continues to abandon defense in search of terrible offensive choices is the real question.

I don't think Rose is abandoning defense. I think he isn't as much of a disciplinarian as he used to be and the team isn't putting forth the effort they used to. We will see if the coaching change changes that.

I don't think he's abandoning defense either, I think he's never understood or had defense. But I do agree with you that he has clearly lost his desire to be a disciplinarian and who can blame him, trying to get 18-25 year old kids to work hard all the time would be mentally taxing.

Then how did the 2010 team and before all have good defenses. the 2010 team and earlier always seemed to have a knack for taking away an opposing teams strength. You mentioned early that defense was not a "dirty little secret" and now you say that he has never had or understood defense. Sounds kind of contradictory to me.

Not contradictory at all. Prior to 2010 Rose had an assistant coach that he allowed to handle the defense and allowed that coach to use the players in playing defense. That coach moved on and with it the team's only advocate for defense. Rose has never replaced that valuing offense more than defense.

And I disagree that a guy who has played and coached College basketball at the highest level, doesn't understand defense. You can't play in the NC game as a starter on the "phi slamma jamma" and coach a JC team to the JC college national championship, and a DIV 1 team to the sweet 16 without knowing how to coach defense. There is something else going on that is not as simplistic as Rose hates defense and doesn't know how to coach it.