BLUE BLOODIED — The Weekly Opine

The pomp long associated with Indiana men’s basketball could give way to apathy if things don’t turn around next season. (Photos credit The Weekly Opine)

IU men’s hoops needs RX ASAP (a.k.a. tough love)

Today is my annual assessment of the Indiana University men’s basketball program. (The IU women’s team has its act together, a perennial Top-20 squad that for the first time in years will need to re-load this summer. Under the ever-competent guidance of Coach Teri Moren, fans are confident the Lady Hoosiers won’t miss a beat.)

Unlike the smooth operating women’s program, Indiana men’s basketball has descended into chaos. There are several reasons contributing to the downfall of the once proud and mighty Hoosiers. Probably at the top of the list is an epidemic of delusion. Delusion overwhelms the program at all levels including IU Board of Trustees Chairman Quinn Buckner, Athletic Director Scott Dolson, Coach Mike Woodson and his assistants, players, and many diehard fans.

Standing with Indiana’s undefeated 1976 national champions (I was a freshman at IU back then). This team was voted the greatest college team of all time by national sportswriters. (Photo credit The Weekly Opine)

Delusion reigns

Unless a large dose of reality is swallowed, order will not be restored to the formerly blue blood, but still historic and iconic, Indiana men’s basketball program. A diet of delusion is not the pathway to resurrect a flailing basketball program.

Trustee Chairman Buckner deluded himself into thinking his friend Mike Woodson (owner of a .463 winning percentage as an NBA coach) was the right hire in spring 2021. A.D. Dolson either initiated the hiring of Woodson or went along with it. For Dolson it was a “safe” hire. Woodson was a star at IU playing for Bob Knight. Hiring Woodson checked the box that was most important to a multitude of IU fans; get a “Knight guy.” Even though Woodson was not on any “hot coaches” lists IU hired him. (I was very surprised at the decision.)

Although throngs of IU fans now justifiably want him fired, IU recently announced Woodson will return next season. So, it’s up to Woodson to shake the delusion that permeates his program.

For example, last summer, Woodson ratcheted up expectations with talk of winning the Big Ten championship and hanging another national title banner. Sixth-year point guard Xavier Johnson joined the chorus, musing about hanging another banner. Piling on, assistant coach Calbert Cheaney confoundingly (and erroneously) said the team had more talent than last year’s team. Impressionable fans were sucked in, seduced into believing Indiana had an elite, high-caliber team.

Unbridled delusion in Bloomington set the stage for major disappointment, punctuated by widespread criticism, followed by ear-splitting calls for Woodson’s head.

In a telltale sign the team would not meet expectations, Indiana proved incapable of blowing out Quad 3 opponents, a.k.a., cupcakes, during the pre-Big Ten schedule. Conversely, legit elite teams make mincemeat of some Quad 3 teams, winning by margins of 25-30 points (or more).

On Senior Night, Woodson’s comments were soaked in delusion when he claimed, “I’ve done my job.” Fan favorite Anthony Leal, for some reason allowed to address the crowd even though he’s returning next year, foolishly told fans to “chill” because the team will “run it back again next year.” No thanks, Anthony. Fans do not want a replay of this season’s 19-14 record, sans NCAA tournament bid.

Truthfully, Woodson and his team are becoming insufferable. (At midseason, radio play-by-play announcer Don Fischer said something he’d never said before, that he was “embarrassed” for IU. Fischer has called IU games for 51 years.)

Could Indiana become a football school? (Photo credit The Weekly Opine)

Culture club

It only took Indiana’s new football coach, Curt Cignetti, about 15 minutes – during his introductory press conference – to change the football culture at Indiana. In three years, Woodson hasn’t demonstrably changed the hoops culture. It is virtually the same as it was at the end of the woeful Archie Miller regime. Surprisingly, for being a Knight guy, Woodson sure doesn’t coach like it. The lack of discipline within the program is appalling.

Three years ago, Johnson was charged with two felonies related to 90mph reckless driving (reduced to misdemeanors because of his celebrity status). Johnson should’ve been kicked off the team, with the possibility of reinstatement. According to reports, all Woodson did was take away Johnson’s keys.

Just prior to this season, 5-star freshman Mackenzie Mgbako was arrested around 1 a.m. for refusing to vacate a Taco Bell drive-thru after the restaurant closed. Police, summoned by employees, instructed Mgbako to leave but he refused. So, the cops arrested him. Woodson did nothing of consequence to discipline Mgbako. A true “Knight guy” would’ve suspended Mgbako for a few games.

During a four-game stretch in January the erratic Johnson received a flagrant 2 (kicked out of the game) and a flagrant 1, and backup C.J. Gunn received a flagrant 1. Undisciplined, thuggish behavior usually beneath Indiana basketball.

A basic tenet of sports is playing time is earned via performance, not given because there are five stars next to your name. But Woodson, displaying fealty to the NBA, refuses to change his starting lineup, no matter how poorly a starter plays. He doesn’t understand that accountability is a pillar of winning culture.

Once, during his weekly Zoom Q & A with the media, Woodson’s phone rang. Instead of letting the call go to voicemail, Woodson answered the call and said to his wife (paraphrasing) “Hi, I’m in the middle of something, I’ll call you back.” Who does that? We’ve all received a call from our significant other that went unanswered because of work. Woodson answering the phone is unacceptable and indicates a lack of priorities and situational awareness.

Fellas, better to save posing for after a victory. (Photo credit X/Twitter)

More bad culture occurred prior to the Auburn game when several IU players took photos “posing.” Pre-game clowning on-court reveals poor culture. It shouldn’t happen. What happened next was Auburn, all business led by Coach Bruce Pearl, thrashed Indiana 106-74.

It was another example of a troubling trend for IU under Woodson. When IU plays elite teams, the result is often an ass-kicking. Lost to Arizona last year by 14; lost to Kansas last year by 22; lost to Auburn this year by 28; lost to UConn this year by 20; lost to Purdue this year by 20 and by 21. Nebraska, good but not elite, pounded IU three times, by 16, 15 and then 27 in the Big Ten tournament.

Even Indiana’s ballyhooed recent trips to the Big Dance ended with a thud. In 2022, after winning a play-in game, IU lost by 29 in the first round to Saint Mary’s. Last year the Hoosiers were manhandled by Miami, losing by 16 in a second-round game. In both losses, Woodson’s team quit midway through the second half.

During the waning moments of last week’s Big Ten tournament beatdown by Nebraska, we witnessed the coach quit, bailing out by getting himself needlessly tossed from the game. IU now sits bloodied and singing the blues.

Earlier this season, team co-captain Johnson said the team doesn’t practice hard. Starting forward Malik Reneau acknowledged as much, saying the team doesn’t give 100% effort in practice. A clear indictment of Woodson’s laissez faire culture. Three years into his tenure, Woodson somehow has not established a winning culture.

To rebuild IU’s winning culture, the right coach must be hired and the right high school players must be recruited. That might mean missing the Big Dance again next year. But frankly, squeezing into the tournament, then getting run out in the first or second round does not interest fans who’ve experienced IU winning national championships.

Indiana should be able to field teams that make deep tournament runs every few years and compete for national championships. That requires a winning culture led by a core of veteran players who’ve been with the team for three or four years.

Indiana should stop chasing 5-star “one-and-done” players. Instead, get 3-star and 4-star guys who will stick around awhile. (Photo credit Brian Spurlock)

Recruiting

Unfortunately, a couple of weeks ago, Woodson lost his lone committed high school recruit, Liam McNeeley, a 5-star McDonald’s All-American. Prior to that, Woodson swung and missed recruiting 5-star McDonald’s All-American guard Boogie Fland and 5-star McDonald’s All-American center Derek Queen. Have you ever heard of a major program having literally zero high school committed recruits in March? A damning indictment of Woodson and his staff.

Sophomore Kel’el Ware, after a strong year at IU, is likely a first-round NBA draft pick and is expected to leave. Mgbako could go, too, projected as a second-round pick based on potential rather than track record. Reneau, initially non-committal when asked about his plans, just announced he’s coming back. He joins Trey Galloway and Anthony Leal, both returning for their covid year.

Still, Indiana is in dire straits. This week, three of Woodson’s second unit players, C.J. Gunn, Kaleb Banks and Payton Sparks, announced they are leaving. So, Woodson has way more questions than answers. Convincing Mgbako to stay is paramount.

The transfer portal, which should be used to plug a couple of holes, not re-build the roster, is now IU’s lifeline. Indiana does have the advantage of being a Top 15 school in terms of money stashed in their NIL bank account. Hopefully, portal transfers will look beyond the current disarray and take a chance on IU. However, the uncertainty surrounding Woodson’s future beyond next season might scare away transfers.

To stabilize the program, IU should recruit more 3-star players, especially from the state of Indiana. Annually, Indiana high schools produce quality 3-star guys who’ve been well-coached, are tough-minded and can shoot from deep. Guys that will stick around, develop for four years, and form the nucleus of a winning culture (like at Purdue).

Sure, 5-star players are nice, but many use college as a one-, maybe two-year stopover to prep for the NBA. Nowadays, elite players’ priority is getting to the NBA, not winning NCAA titles.

Recruit players who fit today’s game and can reliably make 3s. Find playmaking shot-makers who create open looks from 3 and get into the lane and finish at the rim. Eliminate standing and watching, e.g., dumping the ball into the post and teammates idle while the post-player bumps and grinds his way closer to the basket. That is boring and not modern basketball.

In short, stop chasing 5-stars and start landing 3-stars, with a few 4-stars mixed in, to build a sustainable culture founded on discipline and accountability. But hurry. As of today, Woodson’s program teeters near insolvency.

(L) Malik Reneau’s hands gesture says it all as his coach bails on the team. (R) Many IU fans wish this was the last they’d see of the Mike Woodson era. (Photos credit Big Ten Network screenshots)

The coach’s future

Woodson received a gift getting the IU job. Evidently, he’s ill-prepared based on how he runs his program and interacts with media and fans. (For a guy who dealt with New York’s media when he coached the Knicks, the media in Bloomington, Indiana, easily gets under Woodson’s skin.)

Woodson talks a lot about the NBA but needs to remember he’s a college coach. There are distinct differences, starting with the number of games played, which affects how you manage games. The NBA has an 82-game regular season so second units play a lot of minutes.

In college, with a 30-game regular season, IU’s starters should play 32 minutes/game. Otherwise, Woodson’s second unit plays against the opponent’s starters. (That’s how 10-point leads evaporate quickly.) Taking guys out when they pick up their 2nd foul in the first half is nonsense. Especially, if the player is carrying the team. Woodson clinging to his NBA principles costs IU time and again.

The jury is out on Woodson’s ability to develop players. He got nothing out of the uber-athletic Jordan Geronimo. Sophomore Gunn displayed only modest improvement while classmate Banks regressed. Ware was very good this year compared to his freshman year at Oregon so credit Woodson for lighting fire in the talented 7-footer. Reneau’s numbers were up considerably, primarily due to his minutes being up considerably. However, Woodson’s teams do not play smart, savvy ball. That’s on the coach.

Last year, Woodson received a second gift when, inexplicably, A.D. Dolson handed him a $1 million raise. The coach is now paid $4.2 million annually. A third gift came when it was announced Woodson would return next season. Considering the decaying condition of Indiana men’s basketball, it is somewhat miraculous Woodson wasn’t fired.

Woodson’s tiresome pet phrase is “I gotta get [the team] over the hump.” Now, it’s more like getting over Mount Everest. No more excuses, coach. If you “run it back again” next year, then someone should hook you up with United Van Lines.