Izzo and the portal

He's a stubborn little elf. I wonder if he's going to understand he needs to explore it. I know Houser and Walker are tranfers. Bryn was too I think. But I really think, if he stays around, it's going to take him losing people, many people, to the portal to open his eyes up. It's not the NCAA we all grew up with, but it seems, going forward, it's something he needs to explore. Now, if Carr, Book, Kohler, Fears, Richardson, Holloman, all stay and develop, maybe in two years, we have soething special and I'm dead wrong. However, lets look at this years big ten portal players.

PUR - Lance Jones - 14 ppg, 3 rpg
ILL - Marcus Domask - 16 ppg, 5 rpg
WIS - AJ Storr - 16 ppg, 4 rpg
NW - Ryan Langborg - 12 ppg, 3 rpg
NEB - Rienk Mast - 14 ppg, 8 rpg
IOWA - Ben Krikke - 14 ppg, 5 rpg
MINN- Elijah Hawkins - 9 ppg, 8 apg
RUT - Jeremiah Williams - 13 ppg, 5 rpg
IND - Kel'el Ware - 15 ppg, 9 rpg
PSU- Ace Baldwin - 14 ppg, 5 apg
MD - Jordan Geronimo - 6 ppg, 4 rpg
OSU - Jamison Battle - 14 ppg, 5 rpg
MICH - Olivier Nkamhoua - 15 ppg, 7 rpg

I think that is the wrong question to start with Dwags.

I think we need to start with 1) who do we lose? 2a) who are we bringing in? 2b) are they ready for meaningful minutes? 3) what realistic improvements are expected?

This may sound stoopid, but I don't think this team has glaring weakness. Maybe the 5, but that seems to be sorting itself out a bit. In the past we've lacked a true PG, or shooter or big over 6-8. I don't really see that with this team.

But I have no idea who is eligible to come back with all the Covid rules.

Nordic wrote:I think that is the wrong question to start with Dwags.

I think we need to start with 1) who do we lose? 2a) who are we bringing in? 2b) are they ready for meaningful minutes? 3) what realistic improvements are expected?

This may sound stoopid, but I don't think this team has glaring weakness. Maybe the 5, but that seems to be sorting itself out a bit. In the past we've lacked a true PG, or shooter or big over 6-8. I don't really see that with this team.

But I have no idea who is eligible to come back with all the Covid rules.

Agree, and you are, of course, right. My point is I've heard Izzo poo poo the portal. I don't know that what he says is what he feels. But my point is, it seems to me that you have to be open minded enough to look into it in order to survive modern college football and basketball. He very well might have thought Cooper and Maddy would take a step up and I know he wasn't counting on Kohler being hurt, but I hope what I hear about his feelings toward the portal are more myth than reality. I think he needs to have an open mind. Do some window shopping like me, not power shopping like my wife.

I feel like Izzo has had a pretty good track record with transfers over the years, going all the way back to Mike Chapell, through to Brandon Wood, Bryn, Hauser, and now Tyson. Probably a couple more I'm forgetting. We've also had plenty of guys transfer out, but I always got the sense that it was more of an honest conversation about their role going forward and then mutually agreeing to find a better fit, rather than Izzo pushing out guys who are willing to stick it out and put in the work to earn minutes, and I wouldn't want him to start just to free up some roster spots.

We don’t have a point guard guys. Find one. Holloman may end up being that guy, but right now, we don’t have one.

kingstonlake wrote:We don’t have a point guard guys. Find one. Holloman may end up being that guy, but right now, we don’t have one.

Fears?

DWags wrote:

kingstonlake wrote:We don’t have a point guard guys. Find one. Holloman may end up being that guy, but right now, we don’t have one.

Fears?

True dat. Almost forgot about him.

kingstonlake wrote:

DWags wrote:

Fears?

True dat. Almost forgot about him.

Fucking guns.

I don’t want to throw too much knowledge at you guys, but I did coach a couple of JV basketball games in my life. at practice we did box out drills . I remember them from my high school. Days. I also remembered Help side defense.

Look at our big man here. Step over and help stop the drive, we’re not doing that, stay with your man and box out. Seems to me our guy didn’t do either one of those. How long does it take to make a solid decision? It still looks like the game is happening too fast. It must really frustrate Izzo.


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kingstonlake wrote:

DWags wrote:

Fears?

True dat. Almost forgot about him.

you got cat scratch fever brah?

And the first week, "this team goes as Hoggard goes"... Even Izzo said that.

Hoggard has to break the funk, then graduate. Cause fears feels like the real deal.

Cliff Omoruyi (Rutgers) in the portal.

Live by the portal.  Die by the portal?

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Izzo has inquired


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DWags wrote:Izzo has inquired


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Played a year with Walker at Northeastern, and went to Holloman's high school.

Wonder if the 6' 6" wing means Akins is gone.

AvgMSUJoe wrote:Wonder if the 6' 6" wing means Akins is gone.

I'd consider him more of a replacement for Hall.

If we're looking in the portal, we need room.

I'd guess that means Hoggard won't be back. I'd rather lose him than Akins.

AvgMSUJoe wrote:Wonder if the 6' 6" wing means Akins is gone.

legitimate question

DWags wrote:Izzo has inquired


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Inquiries have been made.

Was the um center visiting legit?

I guess we should put this in here also. This sucks.

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Wonder if this is a NIL thing or just looking for a team with a better chance at going deeper into the Dance. Or maybe a chemistry thing with the new coach. Regardless, it’s too bad.

That's not good news for a Friday

“Addition by subtraction" is a phrase used mainly by sports coaches and it refers to the idea that a team's performance can often be improved, not through the addition of more talent but by shedding members or practices that are interfering with or inhibiting its success.

Look at Bloomington.

Woodson is on the last year of his contract.  A few weeks ago IU’s only recruit 5* Liam McNeeley 6’8” /210# forward decommited from his commitment he made in Oct ‘23.

A couple of days ago Bryson Tucker 5* 6’7”/180# small forward committed to IU.  MSU and Kansas were in his top 3.

IU has 6 players leaving Kel’el Ware for the NBA draft and 5 others .  It’s being reported that Woodson is going to be reloading using the portal to fill the 6 open scholarship slots.

I won’t complaint about Izzo’s use of the portal because we don’t know who’s staying or leaving except for Walker and Hall. Izzo and staff were recruiting Tucker and probably are monitoring interest of players already in or might be going into the portal.

Maddy to the portal

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Probably for the best for all involved. Good luck to him.

Short ride to UDM

Sorry to see such an outstanding person leave campus. Mady has the type of character I wish we all had. He is and will remain one of my favorite Spartans.

If Sissoko wants to stay in MI with coaches he’s familiar with I’m guessing WMU and UDM’s coaches might show some interest.

GRR Spartan wrote:If Sissoko wants to stay in MI with coaches he’s familiar with I’m guessing WMU and UDM’s coaches might show some interest.

Agree with you and Kingston. However, that is one outstanding young man.. I wonder what his major is? I get the feeling, he’s going to consider a masters degree from one of the schools in what his major is before anything else. The term student/athlete doesn’t really exist anymore.. in his case I really believe it does

Watch him average a double double next year.

Motown Spartan wrote:Watch him average a double double next year.

I could see it happening in the right situation.

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Name alone. Extend the offer.

kingstonlake wrote:Name alone. Extend the offer.

Best name since Johnny Fuckerfaster, a guy I heard about in fifth grade. Boy did he get into some crazy situations!

Pervis Muldoon wrote:

kingstonlake wrote:Name alone. Extend the offer.

Best name since Johnny Fuckerfaster, a guy I heard about in fifth grade. Boy did he get into some crazy situations!

Mid 80’s at Lansing Everette with the Thomas twins on the first HS team I asst coached out of college, we had a kid named Richard head. I know that’s hard to believe now. I thought what were his parents thinking? If he was 17 in 1984/85 he was born in 67/68. I was wondering if the term dick head was around back then. I have to believe it was.

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Seems strange that he is talking about a big wing that can shoot. Is he worried about Gehrig Normand not being ready next year? Isn't the incoming Teng kid also a knockdown shooter at 6'6"? In my mind, another PG is almost a necessity with Holloman and Fears, who will still be working his way back, and Jase who will have that freshman learning curve.

Ok I should note that my hope has been burned so often by incoming freshmen shooters. Is Chris Hill the last one that exceeded expectations? I won't name names, but yikes, I need to see it in games first. Maybe that is where Izzo is coming from.