RE: TRANSFER PORTAL
ETSUs former AD and many of its fans have sit back and done nothing to improve its major sports. They settled for nothing more than mid to lower FCS competition. They saw most of their good, former conference members make plans and move to FBS. Those schools have left ETSU in the dust. Their growth, support and national image cannot be denied, while ETSU is now floundering. The glory days are not coming back by hiring an AD or a coach. Kids today are looking for the bright lights and a possible payday. ETSU and the SoCon offers neither.
You can complain about the coaches, the players, the home schedule, the AD, etc., it won't make any difference.
You either go forward or backward, you cannot stand still.
As for the MBB, you have a group of players that only have 3 players with any D1 experience. Your pguard is a RF who is learning on the go. Same as Jaynes, Smith, Taylor. All are showing signs of getting better. King, who has been a terrific 3 pt shooter, has had to change postions and assume the teams leader. He's never been in that role before. IMO, to much pressure for him to handle with such a young team. As the team gains experience and learns what it takes to win at the D1 level, his play will probably improve.
Every team puts their best D player on him. Every team packs the lane to take away the inside game. Bucs have had major injuries. The loss of Jancek has been huge, along with Tipler and Seymore.
The Bucs have to play to gain experience. Practice will never replicate game conditions. Bucs must become more physical, they have to scrap for everyball.
If Bucs can get healthy, understand to
win in D1 you must play tough D every possession, fight for every rebound and loose ball, wins will come. It has to be a 40 min effort by everyone. Rebounding and D is more about effort and desire. I want that rebound, I'm going to contest every shot, I'm not going to get beat down the floor, etc.
With all the youth, inexperience and injuries, the Bucs have been within a hair of winning. One more 3, 2 more rebounds, couple of loose balls, floor awareness ( standing out bounds, lazy pass, forcing shots, all things that improve with experience.
I think the Bucs, if the players become more physical and learn from these early games as to what it takes to win at D1 level, they have a good chance to be a serious darkhorse. They aren't an easy out now. It's up to the players as to what they will be, contenders or pretenders.
GO BUCS
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