In Reply to: Responses to Comments posted by UCLA78 on December 23, 2025 at 21:31:22
you were clear, '78. Posters will have their own views that your post makes them think of.
I share your aesthetics on this.
But, moreover, I think those of us who worry about this team aren't reacting to this single game or these two games but rather we're looking ahead and trying to figure out what chance this team has against top level opposition, especially those with imposing and skilled front lines.
These last two games were okay and I get that it's hard to get good teams to agree to play us in Pauley but I don't think they did much to help us prepare for the competitions that is about to start and they can make a team overconfident and lax in areas that matter a great deal.
One of the strengths of this team is that it has a number of players who can be really dangerous on offense and playing a game mostly just having Tyler go one-on-one against opponents who aren't capable o guarding him does very little to polish the full team offense we are gong to need when we get to some of the top Big Ten teams this season. I think that's behind my frustration with these past two games anyway.
As to Cronin coaching offense, he's had several offenses in the last five or six years that were very good. But they were good because they were efficient. Donovan Dent is at his best in a wide open, running game. Protecting the ball isn't his strength at this point. Freeing him to attack while also trying to protect possession and limit turnovers is a key challenge this season.
And in terms of developing a team that has two new key players this season in Dent and Brown and trying to develop our best offense while improving our defense - with several players who really aren't very good at that end of the court - is a real challenge and, if history is any guide, it is going to take time.
To my eye, we're still at the working on elements stage of development. Guys have to learn to be ready for the passes Dent makes - that just hasn't been the case as yet but it's something the players will learn to do. Knowing where each guy is going to be in any given situation - more time. It's a process and I really don't think it will be put together and smoothed out until some time in February.
But knowing that (or believing it) doesn't eliminate the frustrations when our offense reverts to each guy trying to do it by himself. And playing small ball doesn't ease our concerns over how this will prepare the team to face the sort of challenge that Michigan (especially) and others will bring.