Comments on: Game 23: Wisconsin at Michigan Post Game

By: JimC

JimC — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 18:14:15 +0000

I’m going to watch Izoo pop a vein in his voluminous neck tonite. That is, unless they don’t cancel due to snow.

By: Dylan

Dylan — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 18:07:07 +0000

Morgan is a five man. McLimans I think can play the four.

By: Matt

Matt — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 17:52:42 +0000

I was just referring to Frank Young being “Frank The Tank” and Morgan being a banger like that. I know Morgan won’t step out and hit 3 point shots cuz that is not his game. I coud really see Morgan and McLimans switching the 4 and 5 spot constantly. Depending on what defense the teams is running during the game, they could switch spots during a game. And I totally forgot about D’Or Fischer. I loved his game. It’s just crazy to think about all those players that Beilein had at WVU and see how they weren’t highly recruited and weren’t high on many recruiting boards.

I know I am way too optimistic but I look at Beilein’s career and that’s what makes me optimistic.

By: Dylan

Dylan — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 17:39:53 +0000

Beilein’s Elite 8 team (05) played D’Or Fischer a pretty good amount. He was a traditional big man.

Also, someone is comparing Jordan Morgan to Frank Young? Huh!?!

By: Jeff

Jeff — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 17:38:20 +0000

Fresh, you may be disappointed next season. While I agree with you that Novak and Douglass are best suited to be reserve role players, I still think, Novak especially, will get lots of time next year. I know a lot of us were hoping that this years freshman and Cronin would be taking some of their PT going into this year, but that hasn’t panned out at all. Freshman often don’t contribute much in Beilein’s system. As far as next year goes, I can see Douglass’ time getting cut. Morris looks like he’ll be ready to play 30 mpg at PG next year. So Douglass will probably split time at SG and backing up Morris. You have to remember that Douglass appears to be firmly ahead of LLP at this point, so the hope would be that Vogrich makes a big leap next year and takes more playing time. I’ll be surprised if Hardaway is ready to play heavy minutes right away. With Novak on the other hand, your choice is to play two freshman at the 4 and 5 or keep playing Novak at the 4. Also, other than Smotrycz you’re talking about freshman who were marginal recruits. I hope I’m wrong, but I still think we’ll see a lot of Novak at the 4 next year.

By: Matt

Matt — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 17:36:24 +0000

I don’t think 2 bigs is his offense. His most successful years at West Virginia really only consisted of one big man, Kevin Pittsnogle. His forwards, Mike Gansey and Frank Young, were only 6″4 and 6″5. I don’t think Beilein is restricted on height only, it’s how the players play the position. He wants a banger at the 4 (Jordan Morgan) position who rebounds, plays good d and can block shots and a player who can stretch the defense at the 5 spot and get valuable rebounds on the defensive end. Getting to the basket is huge in Beilein’s offense because it allows the defense to collapse and for the shooters to have wide open shots around the arc. I really do think Beilein’s one and two spot are essentially the same. They have to be able to shoot beyond the arc and have the ability to get the ball to teammates.

Darius Morris will be excellent for us in the long run if he can develop his shot from three. He can get to the basket, he plays good d, and he can pass the ball well.

I really do think Beilein recruited Blake McLimans to come in and play the 5 spot like Pittsnogle did. Smotrycz I think we’ll play the 3 spot eventually. I hope he can develop his game a lot like Joe Alexander did. If Morgan can be anything like Young was, I think Beilein will have a well developed team in the next 2 years.

The only question I have is the 2 spot. Who is going to play the position next year? It’s really between 5 guys in my opinion.

By: Junderground

Junderground — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 17:19:21 +0000

I would love to see Douglass’s minutes eliminated altogether, and I don’t think Novak should start at the 4, per se, but I bet he gets starts at some undefined Novak position early in the year, and averages 20 per game. Beilein loves him, so it’s going to be hard for the youngsters to supplant him. I agree that hustle isn’t enough, not enough to justify 30 min., particularly when theat hustle is accompanied by 31% shooting, or whatever he’s at exactly, but it does count as a positive contribution–he definetly contributes.

By: fresh

fresh — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 17:08:18 +0000

it needs to come to a point for beilein to say ok lets start over…….lets get back to how my offense is supposed to be run…….having 2 bigs on the court and going from there……..people want to see what his offense is suppose to look like, i for one am sick of waiting to see it

By: fresh

fresh — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 17:04:24 +0000

hustle and intensity can only take you so far, after awhile, size, skill, and being reasonable need to take over……..douglass and novak after this season need to see their mins start to decrease by a lot. the kids may have experience but they are not capable of carrying a team against division one athletes, and never will be able to…..put the kids that are going to be the real contributors in and let them work out the kinks…….which is exactly what beilein should be doing with vogrich at this point…..if that means starting multiple freshmen then so be it, but douglass and novak are not big ten starters and nor do i believe they give michigan the best chance at winning

By: fresh

fresh — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 16:56:34 +0000

ill maybe accept novak getting mins in the fir 5-8 games but if he is getting major playing time next year then something is wrong, unless of course we have injuries again………i dont care how much the kid hustles we will finally have multiple guys to play at the 4 if come midseason he is still starting at the 4 i might not watch michigan basketball any more