Just a few thoughts about ISU from a Braves fan

Just a look at ISU and what they have from a Bradley fan's perspective...and I know the Redbird folks will disagree with most of my thoughts - but I have pretty good sources and references for what's here...

-THE SCHEDULE -- By virtue of having one BCS opponent, even though it is Rutgers (who are picked to finish near the bottom of the Big East), and the possibility that ISU might face Illinois in Cancun, then this is marginally the toughest schedule in five years for Jankovich.
The rest of the non-conference opponents are really awful so overall the schedule is still pretty bad -- SIUE, Fresno, Lipscomb, Bethune-Cookman, Chicago State, UNCW, Norfolk State, UALR, Morehead....wow -- most of then are also at home for ISU so they ought to actually breeze to wins in all of those games.


-Their roster this year is almost all guards - Allen, Blue, Brown, Clark, Cousin, Hill, Moore, Upshaw, Zeisloft, and even John Wilkins is listed as a guard (likely at his request).
http://www.goredbirds.com/sports/m-baskbl/mtt/ilsu-m-baskbl-mtt.html

They have 3 forwards listed (Carmichael, Ekey, and Jones - although we are hearing that Jones is not going to gain eligibility) and one center (Threloft).

They have no seniors so on paper they have NO open scholarships until 2013 when Wilkins, Blue, Brown, Carmichael, Clark, and Cousin all finish up -- which means they will lose SIX players - all of whom will likely be key players by then who were getting decent playing time. So Jank has his recruiting classes really screwed up and unbalanced. You just can't lose 6 players at once - all of whom will be either starters or key rotation players and then expect in 2013 to be any good.

But that also means despite being picked LAST in the MVC this year by some preseason preview publications, then just maybe Coach Jankovich is looking forward to next year, 2012-2013 when he'll have all those guys as seniors, thinking that might then be the year with high expectations...if he is still around given brewing discontent with many issues.

BUT THEN...we know someone will be leaving (probably already Jones is gone) before then since ISU just got a verbal from Anthony Beane for 2012...

http://bradleyfans.com/vb/showthread.php?p=236107#post236107

BUT at least one ISU fans dares touch on the sensitive subject...what if ISU finishes poorly this year and Tim Jankovich and staff are fired?
Then that means that Anthony Beane's dad who is Jank's assistant will be gone, and of course so would the little A-Beane.

http://redbirdfan.net/forum/viewtopic.php?f=12&t=78&start=75

As noted above - they should be able to sleep walk thru their non-conference season and start their conference season (incl. BracketBuster) at around 10-1 or 9-2...then let's say they go 6-12 and lose the first game Thursday nite in St. Louis - then ...if that happens - a 17-14 season - Jank might just be been canned with a 100-64 career record at ISU.
That would still place Jank among the all time best coaches ISU has had record-wise.

As far as recruiting - where Bradley has been getting top kids onto campus - Larry Austin, Peyton Allen, Nate Taphorn, and many more -- news of ISU's recruiting has been scarce - save for the announcement that one of the assistant coach's son is gonna verbal there -- something everyone and their mother already knew.
What I have heard behind the scenes about Jank & ISU's recruiting is that Jank relegates most of it to his assistants. And where Geno has been getting major inroads into the Chicago recruiting scene and other in-state kids, Jank and his assistants are struggling...and of course the lack of open scholarships for the near future hurts too. But since they'll have gobs of rides open for 2013 then why are they not at least lining up a few bigger names??


-OK let's have a little fun -- try to guess ISU's starting lineup. This is not easy as even Jackie Carmichael - who absolutely kills BU - was NOT a full time starter last year. Nobody started more than 25 of their 31 games...
And the tendency for Tim Jankovich to juggle the starting lineup just about every other game tends to show even HE has no clue who his best players are as subs led them in scoring almost all the time -- and this schizoid lineup changing surely must be hard for the players to settle in and feel comfortable. One bad game often meant some poor guy got dropped 5-6 places on the depth chart!! (Although JW sure seemed to always get a lot of playing time - maybe fulfilling a promise made)
Obviously this makes players pretty danged hesitant to take a shot or take any chance anywhere on the court for fear of paying big time in playing time loss.
They also experimented with different lineups and rotations on their Canadian tour.

But I will project Carmichael (PF), Ekey (F), Wilkins (SG/SF), Brown (SG), and Cousin (PG), as starters.


-And how will they do this year?? Unlike the preseason mags that have come out - I DON'T think they will finish 9th or 10th...I think they'll do a little better than that. Their shooting was atrocious last year - 42.5% overall and just 31.0% from 3-pt range.
They are solid in the frontcourt with returnees Carmichael (although Jackie averaged only 6 points per game in the final 9 games) & Ekey,
but lacking a bit in the backcourt despite the numerous rostered guards...and of course they lost their TOP SCORER and only reliable scorer and only guy who could create shots - Austin Hill.
Only one player (Cousin) has had any experience playing PG at the college level - and he got just 2 assists per game last year, and that means they might again be at the bottom of the Valley in assist statistics...unless freshman Nic Moore can surprise everyone - and he sure didn't on their Canadian trip where he was effectively a turnover-waiting-to happen.
There was lots of speculation that Jankovich would land a juco point guard but he did NOT and instead loaded up even more on juco shooting guards who can't hit three's...
Also - I just can't see anyone on their roster suddenly lifting their shooting statistics very much.
Why Zeke Upshaw is still on the team is a stumper - since now three years into his college career he still looks to be deep in the rotation...not scoring ONE single point last year over the final TWO MONTHS of the season!!!


Lastly -- I will carefully address something that's been hanging around as rumors for quite some time.....and that is that ISU has some serious "chemistry issues" and issues among their personnel that affect their play on the court.
This isn't rare - as it has happened at times to many schools - even BU.
This blends right in with the constant lineup changing as guys were janked from the lineup for issues that were not openly discussed in press conferences.

Note this one quote by Tim Jankovich when they got thumped on Thursday night in St. Louis by a woeful SIU team...
"We were not good enough offensively. We will have to get back to more like the teams of the past. That doesn't happen playing video games and lying around on the couch."

Apparently he is referring to some lazy work ethics that have been rumored to exist, players who dodge their assigned times in the weight room and play video games instead, and some players who simply don't want to do what the coaches ask of them - including players who refuse to play the position on the court they are assigned.
If this recurs again this season then ISU will finish last -- it just hurts a team way too much.