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Post by hc17 on Dec 1, 2019 8:16:49 GMT -5
Given that he is mentioned so much on the board, I was hoping one of my fellow posters could help me understand RW’s teams a little better. Unfortunately, I didn’t follow HC hoops until the MB era, but can see the admiration for RW on this board. It’s clear to see why — he won. What were his teams like? How did they play? Did RW step into a similar situation like BN?
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Post by trimster on Dec 1, 2019 8:31:33 GMT -5
Given that he is mentioned so much on the board, I was hoping one of my fellow posters could help me understand RW’s teams a little better. Unfortunately, I didn’t follow HC hoops until the MB era, but can see the admiration for RW on this board. It’s clear to see why — he won. What were his teams like? How did they play? Did RW step into a similar situation like BN? His teams were tough and physical and imposed their will on other teams. Not the greatest collection of athletes but as RW used to say, the whole will be greater than the sum of the parts. |
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Post by sader81 on Dec 1, 2019 10:33:45 GMT -5
Stressed defense over offense. His philosophy was to keep the scores low, and with generally inferior athletes compared to power five teams, if they were hanging around near the end of games, you could pickoff a few Ws against them.
Weren’t always fun games to watch, but they were tough kids and winners.
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Post by lou on Dec 1, 2019 10:44:01 GMT -5
Since I loved the strategy I thought they were lots of fun to watch. One of biggest and best of his players lived in fear for 4 years of over-sleeping a Willard practice, which meant 8:50 for a 9am practice
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Post by HC16 on Dec 1, 2019 10:51:26 GMT -5
Given that he is mentioned so much on the board, I was hoping one of my fellow posters could help me understand RW’s teams a little better. Unfortunately, I didn’t follow HC hoops until the MB era, but can see the admiration for RW on this board. It’s clear to see why — he won. What were his teams like? How did they play? Did RW step into a similar situation like BN? His teams were tough and physical and imposed their will on other teams. Not the greatest collection of athletes but as RW used to say, the whole will be greater than the sum of the parts. I would add on top of that that RW's teams played very smart, fundamentally sound basketball with players usually improving substantially over their 4 years. If you're interested in seeing his teams for yourself, a few games exist on Youtube. Here are a few selected ones I recall vividly. 2005 NIT vs Notre Dame: 2007 vs Lehigh (1st game back from winter break, rocking Hart Center): 2007 Bracket Buster vs Hofstra (2 top 75 teams): |
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Post by hchoops on Dec 1, 2019 10:56:18 GMT -5
The key to his D was a match up, combination man and zone, that shut down the opponents’ top scorers.
It was very complex. Jim Calhoun refused to play us since he could not prepare for it.
Even our most intelligent players struggled to grasp it.
His son Kevin, frequently plays a simplified version at Seton Hall.
His offense was underrated, esp when compared to his D. The offense consistently created desirable shots for the players who should take them. They did not always make a high percentage, but the offense was effective.
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Post by WorcesterGray on Dec 1, 2019 11:01:40 GMT -5
Willard's teams were also consistently ranked among the best rebounding teams in the country. As one of his former players noted . . .
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Post by WorcesterGray on Dec 1, 2019 11:08:54 GMT -5
One of biggest and best of his players lived in fear for 4 years of over-sleeping a Willard practice, which meant 8:50 for a 9am practice Aka, "Crusader Time" - arriving 15 minutes early was expected, arriving "on time" was arriving late.
Don't recall any freshmen having a problem understanding Willard's rules. . . .
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Post by Non Alum Dave on Dec 1, 2019 11:12:34 GMT -5
Deflections created on defense were a high priority metric......
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Post by HC16 on Dec 1, 2019 11:15:57 GMT -5
The key to his D was a match up, combination man and zone, that shut down the opponents’ top scorers. It was very complex. Jim Calhoun refused to play us since he could not prepare for it. Even our most intelligent players struggled to grasp it. His son Kevin, frequently plays a simplified version at Seton Hall. His offense was underrated, esp when compared to his D. The offense consistently created desirable shots for the players who should take them. They did not always make a high percentage, but the offense was effective. In a way, on a macro level, it's not too different than how Virginia currently plays, the main difference being specific schemes. Slow the game down, work the clock, run an efficient offence, win the rebounding battle, play tough defense with quirks (pack-line vs match-up), force turnovers and look to use them to score on the break. Maybe that's why I enjoy watching Virginia so much  . |
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Post by WorcesterGray on Dec 1, 2019 11:35:03 GMT -5
His offense was underrated, esp when compared to his D. The offense consistently created desirable shots for the players who should take them. They did not always make a high percentage, but the offense was effective.Even when his clubs didn't shoot well, they got to the line frequently. The 2000-01 team led the country in FTR, and by a huge margin, getting two FTAs for every three FGAs - highest rate of the century in D1, in fact. Overall averaged well over 40% FTR, usually ranking in the top 50-100 in that "four factor" stat |
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Post by Sons of Vaval on Dec 1, 2019 11:51:59 GMT -5
One of biggest and best of his players lived in fear for 4 years of over-sleeping a Willard practice, which meant 8:50 for a 9am practice Aka, "Crusader Time" - arriving 15 minutes early was expected, arriving "on time" was arriving late.
Don't recall any freshmen having a problem understanding Willard's rules. . . .
Probably a big reason for that is the upperclassmen would quickly get the underclassmen in line. |
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Post by hc17 on Dec 1, 2019 11:59:33 GMT -5
Did he recruit at a higher level or just maximize the talent better?
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Post by lou on Dec 1, 2019 12:05:52 GMT -5
Different "era". Not making excuses, but I think our upper classmen this year are trying to deal with huge adjustments themselves. New coach, teammates gone... becoming a leader this year may take some time, as well as everything else that is expected of them
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Post by Sons of Vaval on Dec 1, 2019 12:08:56 GMT -5
Did he recruit at a higher level or just maximize the talent better? Both. With Willard, the sum was always greater than the parts. |
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Post by rgs318 on Dec 1, 2019 12:19:41 GMT -5
Did he recruit at a higher level or just maximize the talent better? A little bit of the first and a lot of the second. |
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Post by longsuffering on Dec 1, 2019 12:36:48 GMT -5
I remember some themes. It was said Ralph's teams played better than the sum of their individual talents due to their disciplined play. Ralph's teams, like the NE Patriots I used to think, were better at the end of the year than the beginning, relative to all teams naturally improving as the season wears on. He said the PL is a senior driven league so he coached and developed his players to get better throughout their four years and an HC senior might outplay an opposing underclassmen with more native talent due to his four years of improvement in Ralph's system.
Ralph and his staff put together an individual game plan for each team they played. I thought that he and his staff was skilled at breaking down film and game planning. Ralph's system was intricate and he charted little things like deflections (Kevin Hamilton was the deflection King). I thought myself that he figured he had smarter players than those at some higher profile basketball schools so why not give them an advantage and harness that intelligence with a tight, intricate system that other players might not be able to master. That was my own projection, I never heard him say it.
I remember power conference BC coach Al Skinner being upset at the hard physical play of little academic conference HC. It was great to have a Holy Cross alum at the helm of a quality team going against arch rival BC at the Centrum and playing hard. Safe to say the game meant more to Ralph than to Al and that is a compliment in my book.
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Post by KY Crusader 75 on Dec 1, 2019 12:51:15 GMT -5
Ralph had some very good big men (Sankes, Lufkin, Whearty, Clifford, Keister) and we might say that he had a particular talent for developing them. AK34 is a good example---did not play a lot but took a lot of wild shots as a freshman and I believe Ralph said something about "playing within himself" which, when Andrew started doing that, turned him into a very high percentage shooter (close to the basket) and tenacious rebounder.
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Post by rgs318 on Dec 1, 2019 12:52:56 GMT -5
AK34 is an excellent example of. what RW could do in developing a player!
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Post by sader1970 on Dec 1, 2019 13:28:16 GMT -5
Yeah, in a word: "synergy." It is beautiful when you see it. 17, did you get your answer?  The only chink in RW's armor . . . . . his friendship with Rick Pitino. |
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Post by timholycross on Dec 1, 2019 14:00:24 GMT -5
go back to the women's hoop brown thread! |
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Post by rgs318 on Dec 1, 2019 14:05:06 GMT -5
Thanks
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Post by cfrivals on Dec 1, 2019 18:01:22 GMT -5
I posted this after the FAU game and had some disagreement, I stand on this. Letting this group of guys out there with no real plan and giving up 87 points a game doesn't work on weaknesses and put them in place with any chance to win.
My point is RW adapted to what he had, so far BN hasn't. I am sure he will be a decent coach, but he needs to make some adjustment to his personnel's strength and weaknesses. RW had two years of non-scholarship players, he would have never try to Run and Gun with Juan Pegues, Jared Curry and Josh Sankes. He knew their weaknesses and had them play tough and slow the game down.(Jared Curry agrees!)
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Post by hchoops on Dec 1, 2019 18:34:11 GMT -5
To expect BN to be RW is totally unfair.
RW came to HC as an experienced, highly knowledgeable head coach at both Western Kentucky and Pitt.
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Post by efg72 on Dec 1, 2019 18:43:42 GMT -5
To expect BN to be RW is totally unfair. RW came to HC as an experienced, highly knowledgeable head coach at both Western Kentucky and Pitt. To be anything close to RW is unfair, but as a coach we should expect him to make adjustments to help the team develop, grow, and eventually win. as the advisor to many Fortune 500 CEOs I reminded them all, especially the young and inexperienced, forget your title and manage the company based on all you have accomplished and learned. The same goes for coaches. It is not about you and what you want to accomplish, but instead it is about the players and how you help them win i believe this staff will do that and is using, perhaps the entire year, to watch and develop players and the character of the team patience |
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