(02-04-2019 10:38 AM)82hawk Wrote:  

(02-04-2019 10:17 AM)Seahawk Nation 08 Wrote:  The only thing I can think of that's going on is McGrath wants these guys playing good man to man defense through hell or high water, and things were always going to get worse before they'd get better as a result.

But of course we need to have been seeing incremental improvement game to game in that area.

Man, you are reaching here. Get worse before it gets better? Well, if that was his goal i'd say he's been successful!!!! We are just about the worst in the country.

Imagine if he devised a plan that hell or highwater we were going to WIN? That's my kind of coach.

Coach K wasn't too good for zone:

https://www.si.com/college-basketball/20...ch-madness

"A trip to New York provided the impetus for change. On Feb. 3 Duke played at Madison Square Garden against a St. John’s team that had lost 11 in a row and came away with an 81-77 defeat in which it allowed a dismal 1.19 points per possession—roughly equivalent to what the country’s 300th-ranked defense averaged this season. Krzyzewski called the performance “disgusting,” and the Blue Devils’ next defensive showing was even worse: 1.26 points per possession in an 82-78 loss at North Carolina. Soon Blue Devils practices had a singular focus: “For a week straight,” said sophomore forward Javin DeLaurier, “all we did was defense.”


Afterwards, the defense they played was different. Over those two losses, Duke had played 81.0% of its possessions in man-to-man; its next time out, at Georgia Tech on Feb. 11, it played zone 81.82% of the time, allowing a more respectable 0.99 points per possession. Three days later, at home against Virginia Tech, the commitment and results were both more extreme: zone on 52 of 53 halfcourt defensive possessions, and 0.89 PPP. “It just gradually happened,” said assistant coach Jon Scheyer, who played for Krzyzewski from 2006-10 and has been on his staff since 2013. “It wasn’t a thing where we just talked about it and”—here Scheyer snapped his fingers. “To commit totally to it, it’s a little surprising,” he added. “But it’s been smart and it’s been good for us.

Good might be an understatement. After defensive lapses dogged them for the season’s first three months, the Blue Devils defended so well down the stretch—at one point holding Louisville and Syracuse to season-worst performances in consecutive games—that they ended up with the ACC’s No. 2 defense during league play, behind only No. 1 overall defense Virginia. The same Blue Devils who in early February ranked well outside the country’s top 50 per-possession defenses entered the NCAA tournament ranked in the top 10.

That quote in bold in the 1st paragraph sounds a lot like the post game press conference Mike V had with Coach McGrath. It's nearly word for word what McGrath said the plan would be. We shall see... I'm not expecting much at this point, so there's that.

At this point I just want a competitive product on the floor and don't give up. I don't want to see the coach give it up on the season and I certainly don't want to see that from players. What happens in the offseason isn't up to me, but I hope our coach makes some changes and I hope our players make some changes. Both need to improve. It's not 100% on one or the other. I do want to see something improving by next year... big time. And before any of you jump on me, yes... I know the time is now. I'm sorry for Devontae that his senior season looks like this but we need to be realistic about where we are, where we could be, and how to get back to where we want to be. Everyone needs to put in the work. Coaches need to focus and figure out what the issues are. Players need to get locked in and focus. We aren't what are record says we are. I refuse to believe that. I refuse to believe these are the worst defenders in basketball. I have confidence in them and the coaching staff, despite what our eye tests and stats say. Play for that school on your chest, play for the fans that support you through the ups and these downs. Regardless of how much we bicker with each other here, we all love the Seahawks and want the best for these guys on and off the court.

Let's go.

Get some wins!!!