New assistant position

[JimmyJack]

Re: New assistant position

Don't bet all your donuts. I ve heard things differently. My contacts have told me that AJ and Megan had their differences. Of course my wife and I have had our differences and I still love her. I personally think Vogel would be and excellent addition. The applicant pool will decide and I expect there will be some real quality applicants with some Dl experience. She is a great Jackrabbit and would represent SDSU extremely well.

GBGBGJ

True. But I spoke to Megan not too long ago about this scenario. Sounded then like it was a good possibility.

[zooropa]

Re: New assistant position

Some things can be taught and learned, but you have to have the instinct when to go or not, are you fast enough to make it?, can you switch the ball to the other hand without sacrificing your shooting ability?Lot's of skill sets that have to be learned through many hrs of practice.Players evolve & learn & get better each yr.We have a lot of youngsters still learning, but we also have senior leadership, i like the way the team's composed, just enough senior leadership to keep the ship at an even keel , so to speak

All fine and well--you need 'instincts', but the thing about instincts is that they're not really instincts. Nobody is born with an instinct to use a crossover dribble and a shoulder fake at the top of the key.

What passes as 'instinct' is really muscle memory born from practice, practice, practice. If you're a touch-typist you already have a form of muscle-memory. You have no conscious effort involved in finding keys on the typewriter, even though typing is a most artificial process. Same thing with maneuvers on the basketball court. Most of AJ's players, I'd guess, would have a hard time describing exactly what they do--but rest assured that they were taught--they didn't fumble into their excellence.

It's a matter of natural talent, practice, and a willingness to learn.

In that area Megan Vogel had more talent than Ketty & Kristin--and IMO, that masked a weakness in the practice routine and development of swingmen at this level.

If you don't have as much talent you have to be willing to work harder, and IMO, Ketty & Kristen are willing to put in the hours--they wouldn't be on AJ's team if they weren't. I see them as no different than Wark or Boever--who can probably execute those post moves in their sleep.

Where I see a problem is that they aren't getting the training they need for certain situations--it's an area where an assistant with experience there can help.

In short, IMO, there's a small area where AJ's players have struggled on offense, and that not due to a lack of effort, lack of desire, lack of talent, but a lack of training.

[jackdaniel]

Re: New assistant position

Maybe I'm getting "instinct" confused with having "a high basketball IQ"?
All I really know is that we have very good & gifted basketball players, & a top notch coaching staff, & pretty soon ,we'll add two more top of the line coaches to it,which can only help our team become even better yet

[Cowbell]

Re: New assistant position

Vogel was a great player and does have public relations skills. That said, AJ has to find someone who is right for his staff, follows his directions and his philosophies. Having Vogel as a player and student coach for a brief period, he knows if she would be good for the chemistry of the coaching staff. And, he is smart enough and tough enough not to hire someone for the sake of the fans, but for the good of the team.

[darkerstill]

Re: New assistant position

I think the guard play is good at driving the lane early in the possession from the top of the key. Both Macie & Jill can do that pretty well.

However, late in the possession I think it would help to have some foot & shoulder moves that would let Ketty & Kristen freeze their defender long enough to get a step inside for a higher percentage shot.

What seems to happen, most notably in the game against Baylor, is that the perimeter defense will keep the ball on the outside and that the players will rarely be able to get dribble penetration through that perimeter D.

Mind, we're talking about a top-20 team. This is definitely what I'd call an 'edge condition'---does not happen all that often, certainly not against the bulk of the Summit teams.

But when it does happen you can almost pick up the frustration from the players on the court--they don't have a 'tool' in their toolbox that is suited for that situation.

----

And when you look at players that are noticed on this board for being inconsistent, it's most often Ketty & Kristen and I think that's in no small part due to them not having 'tools' for certain situations. Moves that they've practiced over and over so that they're almost second-nature/muscle memory.

All it takes is two moves that can't be defended from the same spot.

Wark & Boever have the spin move and the up and under, and in a one-on-one, the defender can't take both moves away (and, of course, if you're double-teamed there's someone open somewhere else). If you take away the spin move you're outside and the up and under works and the opposite is true with the up and under.

One of the things that makes SDSU's players good is that they have confidence in what they've been taught. They -know- that it works.

And, in that small area of dribble penetration from the corners, from swing players, I don't think that confidence is there.

When you speak of "tools," do you therefore mean dribble penetration? Or do you mean that we need a coach to come and teach the wing players "other "moves" from the perimeter? Those moves are are taught...over and over and over. The women's players just lack the ability to execute those moves against teams (and players) like Baylor. Were they a better "team" or did they have better "players?" No. But, they had an athleticism that we could not match. Especially on the perimeter. No Coach can help with that, other than Coach Moe trying to get them a half step quicker over the summer. Just my two cents, I'm sure everything I wrote has been said before.

[zooropa]

Re: New assistant position

Or do you mean that we need a coach to come and teach the wing players "other "moves" from the perimeter? Those moves are are taught...over and over and over. The women's players just lack the ability to execute those moves against teams (and players) like Baylor.

The quality of the move is at issue, I'm sure that these players are being taught moves, I just question their usefulness.

And this is not something that I first noticed in the game against Baylor. It was something I first noticed early last season up in Frost standing (when they didn't have the end seats pulled out) on the W. end mezzanine, practically on top of the Jacks' offense in the second half of the game. It may have been the game against Oral Roberts, it may have been the game against Utah.

I think the Jacks won every game at Frost by double digits last season, so I -first- saw this in games where the Jacks were not seriously challenged.

It was, IMO, painfully obvious in the game against Baylor, but that was by no means the only opportunity I had--nor even the best opportunity--to see what I've described here. Both Kristen and Ketty have a tendency to get hung up at the perimeter near the baseline, and I don't believe that's due to them being less talented than, say, Macie Michelson or Jill Young who are quite adept at penetrating from the top of the key.

[darkerstill]

Re: New assistant position

The quality of the move is at issue, I'm sure that these players are being taught moves, I just question their usefulness.

And this is not something that I first noticed in the game against Baylor. It was something I first noticed early last season up in Frost standing (when they didn't have the end seats pulled out) on the W. end mezzanine, practically on top of the Jacks' offense in the second half of the game. It may have been the game against Oral Roberts, it may have been the game against Utah.

I think the Jacks won every game at Frost by double digits last season, so I -first- saw this in games where the Jacks were not seriously challenged.

It was, IMO, painfully obvious in the game against Baylor, but that was by no means the only opportunity I had--nor even the best opportunity--to see what I've described here. Both Kristen and Ketty have a tendency to get hung up at the perimeter near the baseline, and I don't believe that's due to them being less talented than, say, Macie Michelson or Jill Young who are quite adept at penetrating from the top of the key.

I guess we will disagree on this. Kristen and Ketty are not "dribble drive" players. They maybe can against weaker opponents, but its not their game. Also, penetrating from the top of the key, where you have the whole floor open, is much easier than the baseline. AJ's offense is predicated on high/low post play, never dribble penetration, except when Megan Vogel was here. And she was MORE TALENTED than the players she went up against.

[zooropa]

Re: New assistant position

AJ's offense is predicated on high/low post play, never dribble penetration, except when Megan Vogel was here. And she was MORE TALENTED than the players she went up against.

see my earlier comment:

In that area Megan Vogel had more talent than Ketty & Kristin--and IMO, that masked a weakness in the practice routine and development of swingmen at this level.

It's an aspect of the scheme that needs to be worked on as it puts undue pressure on Ketty & Kristin to make perimeter shots late in the shot clock. If these players are going to get the ball late in the shot clock (and they will) they need more to fall back on than just their perimeter shooting skills.

[darkerstill]

Re: New assistant position

see my earlier comment:



It's an aspect of the scheme that needs to be worked on as it puts undue pressure on Ketty & Kristin to make perimeter shots late in the shot clock. If these players are going to get the ball late in the shot clock (and they will) they need more to fall back on than just their perimeter shooting skills.

So, is it the scheme or is it that we need a coach that can come in and work on perimeter play and more moves for the players? You hit it right on the head, MEGAN HAD MORE TALENT! Otherwise, who taught her all her perimeter driving skills and moves? It couldn't have been AJ or Laurie? To think though, that because of her talent, practices were changed and weaknesses were masked in perimeter play is wrong. I think its ludicrous to think that AJ and his staff do not know of a scheme to best utilize the players that he has on the team and on the floor. His scheme of hi/low, and lots of 3 point shots works. Just not when the other team has players that are bigger, faster, and more athletic. We make up for that with superior play calling; ie coaching, and players that just don't quit. If it ain't broke don't try to fix it. We need a coach who knows x's and o's, and who can recruit. To think we need someone who knows guard play better than the coach who was 3rd in the National Coach of the year is comical.

[SidelineObserver]

Re: New assistant position

He likes to argue for the sake of arguing doesn't he.

[zooropa]

Re: New assistant position

is it that we need a coach that can come in and work on perimeter play and more moves for the players

Ding.

my apologies if that's not been clear thus far.

[darkerstill]

Re: New assistant position

Ding.

my apologies if that's not been clear thus far.

It may be clear to you, just makes no sense. Turn the page.

[HoboD]

Re: New assistant position

Getting back on track, I wouldnt be surprised if Lisa Kanegater is in the mix for an assistant job. She has been sucessful both at Brookings and Pierre and has two former players joining the roster.

[boxerboy]

Re: New assistant position

Ding.

my apologies if that's not been clear thus far.

Gee I remember a discussion in April where you basically called AJ the greatest coach whoever lived and how USD could never compete with him. Of course you'll argue your way out of that too.

[Patkran]

Re: New assistant position

No coach at the DI level is going to hire an assistant coach and then have them "teach" the wing players new moves. At this level, it is refining what players are bringing to the table, not showing them the jab step for the first time. Recruiting ties and work ethic will be the two big parts of this position. Whoever it is, they will not be the lead assistant, they will be the 3rd asst coach. AJ knows what he needs for his program and he will make a good choice, based on his track record.

The lack of dribble penetration by guards is an issue for teams of both genders in the upper Midwest because it is not how most high school teams play. SD, Minnesota, IA, and ND tend to be places where players are "catch and shoot" offensive players, not "drive and create" players. Before anyone gets offended, remember that we are talking about players who can do this for profit on the highest level of DI, not against their local conference high school teams. SDSU has made a living on skilled "mid-size players" (5'11-6'1) at the 2,3,4 spots and tough, smart functional players at the 1 and 5 spots. Nothing wrong with that, but getting better and bigger at the both those spots will be the difference in going from a top 30 program to the next level of teams that are consistently in the top10-15.

Just like every aspiring consistent top program, the Jacks will try to get better at every position each year with their 15 scholarships. AJ has some core beliefs about the offensive skills he is looking for and how he wants them to develop, that will not change drastically with a new asst coach.