Terrible Coach, Terrible Team, or both Topic

I have the worst squad in Rupp.  There was only two upperclassmen when I took over.  

I grabbed mostly offensive players in the vision, as the fighting over players with decent ATH/DEF was too much my no budget to handle.

Am I doomed to three more seasons of losing 20+?  Or is there some possible game plan that may help me win a few?
2/4/2014 7:31 PM
http://www.whatifsports.com/hd/TeamProfile/Roster.aspx?tid=4211
2/4/2014 7:31 PM
It's a pretty bad squad. Don't be too harsh on yourself as far as game planning goes. I didn't take a look to see who you're starting, don't really need to. That team is not going to win many games. I'd find a mentor that can help you with recruiting and considering moving schools unless where you are at is important to you. 
2/4/2014 7:38 PM
The defense ratings are going to harm you significantly, especially running a zone. There just aren't enough "good" defensive numbers to hide the "bad" ones (especially since they're REALLY bad...). Add on to that the lower IQ's that come from younger players and this was a team that's going to struggle. I'm actually surprised you're not getting lit up more from 3-point territory.

The team will get better as the 10 freshmen and sophomores improve in offensive and defensive IQ, and obviously I can't access player potentials. But those single-digit defenses are going to be killer without an uber-elite defense in the same layer of the zone for it to be averaged with.

2/4/2014 10:46 PM
Kind of what I figured. Thanks guys.
2/5/2014 12:36 AM
5 kids with ATH under 20 and 6 with DEF under 20. The total of each needs to be zero as a bare, screening, minimum.
2/5/2014 6:07 PM
I was almost going to ask if i could coach that squad to see if i could win some games with them. Not sure what my lineup would be.
2/6/2014 12:48 AM
i like challenges.
2/6/2014 12:48 AM
Don't get too discouraged. You're learning the "ATH is the most important attribute" lesson early. It takes some of us several seasons to learn that lesson.

If coaching at Scranton is important to you, I'd bite the bullet and cut several players next season, and several more the season after. If not, I'd do like someone said above, and just switch jobs after the season is over.
2/6/2014 1:09 AM
That's my old team (as you can see in the history) and I'll tell you that it will be a rewarding slog if you'd like to do it...but you should probably do a full on overhaul of everything, including changing the defense!

I will echo wildcat98 here, though, in saying that you're learning the most important lesson early. If you're having trouble getting players you want in recruiting, try a different recruiting strategy. Sitemail me (or probably anyone on this chain) if you have any questions.
2/6/2014 3:53 PM
I'll see what I can do.  I do like a challenge and it looks like I've set myself up for some serious difficulties.  
2/7/2014 1:22 PM
Have you read aejones "how to win at d2 and d3?

http://www.whatifsports.com/forums/Posts.aspx?TopicID=453763

It's a nice primer on the process
2/7/2014 2:40 PM
suggestion for starting lineup- howard pg, waggoner sg, rueda sf, bobby fields pf, roy williams C (your strongest defensive lineup) , a lot of slowdown. Next opponent you should be playing a -4 maybe a -5 they are 49 LP.
2/8/2014 8:19 AM
Rueda/Howard/Bowes/Woods/Claypool.

Or alternately, switch to starting all your freshmen now that you are one and eighteen, see if you can get some work ethic raises and see what extra development you can get.
2/8/2014 8:39 AM
Top two on my cut list would be Mark WIlliams and Stitt. Now, since you only have one scholly coming next season, I might - if you can wait - make the strategic cuts, eat the scholarship, suffer through one short handed year, and start recruiting with something like four scholarships. (The one you gain this year, woods graduating the year after, plus the two cuts or so. Spend the intervening year studying the sorts of players that the successful teams around you are recruiting. Get a really good class after the additional 'lost year'. Of course, I would also this year in recruiting be watching right after signings start and see if there is some really good bargain hunting you can do at close range - someone with high potentials, decent work ethic but perhaps lowish starting ratings might be ideal. Doesn't hurt for you to take a project player, aren't going to repair things immediately, so you would be able to start that project player. Which brings me to another point; with the roster in the state its in, you have a secret weapon, you can absolutely promise players starts and minutes - use that leverage! You might even be able to get multiple players right after signing starts for just a scholarship, and a starting promise and possibly a minutes promise despite the limited funds to fill multiple positions. What to you have to lose? Potentially much to gain.


2/8/2014 8:50 AM
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