So this thought and some of the other surrounding comments highlights a Mooney "problem" I have that I hope won't be repeated. Mooney likes guys who don't mess up in "complimentary" roles. Its far more for him about what you DON"T do (mess up - - especially on offense) than what you DO do (make plays!!). And he is clear on this in both how he actually coaches and how he doles out playing time.
I don't want Weir competing with Grace for 8 minutes a night where the winner is based solely on who messes up the least. I want Weir training to make plays and is essence to be Grant, not Grant's back-up. This is my single biggest thing I hate about Mooney is so much emphasis on not to mess up (and in fact punishing messing up in all but a few players) and not how to go make plays. Learning to be a play maker and actual impact player will mean making mistakes - - - its as simple as that. They need to make 'em and learn from 'em. Most 18-19 year olds will really struggle when their whole first year or two is spent teaching them to never mess up, no matter what and then the next year asking them to be a playmaker. Some can do it. Many can not. Its certainly easier to go the other way - - - learn to make plays etc. and them get rid of the mistakes (i.e. learn from your mistakes - - not learn than mistakes get you a seat on the bench). Deon Taylor was the poster child for this. Earned playing time early by not messing up and then spent all 4 years doing exactly that while never advancing to making plays. And why would he - - he was continually rewarded (to the bewilderment of many) for simply knowing where to go and where to be all the time.
Don't want this to be Weir. Train him to be Grant - - a focal point and aggressive player. If the key to being Grants backup right now is not messing up, so be it and let Grace have it. But don't start weir thinking about avoiding messing up as his biggest objective. As time goes on, Weir will learn to make plays and mess up less. Andre gets to play when he makes enough plays that it offsets his mistakes - - - not when he simply learns not to mess up.
Nooooooooo!!!!!Grace and Sal may have to do.
Moot point if Grant comes back.....That's a shame and leaves us very thin @ center next year. Zero A10 level centers on the roster without Grant. Desperately need a transfer who can really contribute.
Sal is making progress and Grace is a capable back up
Grace is passable for 10-15 minutes a game. If he's starting at center and playing 30 minutes where we're expecting major points from him, that's a problem.
No tweets past December 16th at this point (Dec. 21st).Weir’s mother was a big part of him coming to UR. Has anyone checked her tweets?
She did LIKE a tweet complaining about ESPN not having Richmond on, on Dec 18. I am wondering too . ..No tweets past December 16th at this point (Dec. 21st).
Wilk, yes, this is a problem. Last 8 years we were always a player, or two , or three away, and Mooney always had an excuse built in - injuries, transfer, whatever. This does seem to be history playing out again, with pandemic already nuking one of two possible NCAA years. I do like our prospects and depth at PG, SG, Wing - think we have done well there. But with Weir leaving, bigger hole than I expected next year. I'm hoping that Mooney and co. have some options to fill in this need, but am afraid we could get in that cycle again.Hmm, this sounds way too familiar. Failing to recruit well to replace players that are leaving, recruits leaving the program leaving us really thin at certain positions, and then we try to fill a gap with an immediately eligible big man that has no business playing in the A10. Sounds like same old Mooney is coming back....
Difference here is that we do not have Kenny Wood, Terry Connolly, Jim Shields, and Jim Springer all back next year. All good interior rebounders/defenders among multiple other skills. Joe Jon probably had most raw talent of that bunch, but could be and was replaced adequately due to DEPTH inside. And yes Connolly and Wood were not 6'8, but could rebound and battle like they were 6'8.You know I go back to Joe John during the Tarrant era who was a good player, very athletic, free spirit but
had a hard time with strict discipline
Call me crazy, but watching Sal take it hard to the rim versus WVA got me thinking he was ready to be a starting 5 in the A10. Give him 25 mins a game next year and I think he goes 12 mph and 8 rpg...
Assuming no seniors from this year stay, next year we have:Very strange - but sounds like kid was not a good fit. I wonder if with his mother involved so much, did he think he should be playing more or was he not getting the "star" treatment he expected. Either way - end result is he no longer a Spider and we now have a hole to fill in that spot.
Considering next year is likely to be a rebuilding year - I would like to look for a good HS recruit if possible. Maybe someone who can play behind Sal and Grace as they are seniors next year - get some minutes and experience and be ready to take over as a starter their Sophmore year.
Assuming no one comes back to roll it back next season - we are rebuilding next year. I am okay with that as long as the rebuild is short. We can't be rebuilding for 8 years. Its okay to take a step back when a lot of key players graduate, but the pipeline behind should be ready to step in - get experience that first year and then 2nd year we should be competing again at the top of the league.
Very good points, after our last back to back NCAA years, I was actually OK with the rebuilding years too, until it became apparent we were in a perpetual rebuild/one or two guys away mode. I do think we have some very good pieces, but agree with 97 - this is the one guy we couldn't lose.Assuming no one comes back to roll it back next season - we are rebuilding next year. I am okay with that as long as the rebuild is short. We can't be rebuilding for 8 years. Its okay to take a step back when a lot of key players graduate,