COACH POTATO: A critique from my seat

Football has its arm-chair quarterbacks, but I have always been a hoopster. And as such, the label just doesn’t fit. So, I have officially decreed myself the Couch-Potato Coach.

There are plenty out there like me. In fact, some are even more opinionated. And with early-season losses accumulating, so too are the gripes, suggestions, critiques and occasional absurd comments.

I will try to avoid the latter, but these are the thoughts of true Couch-Potato Coach:

1)   Take a T.O., Baby!  

Vitale drives me insane, and I often find myself muting his commentary. But I wish he would scream this mantra a bit louder, and in close proximity to Coach Donovan. Why, you ask? Well, in my not-so-expert opinion Donovan has been remiss in using his timeouts effectively. And I have evidence to prove it! But before I provide Exhibits A and B, I submit to you that it is patently obvious this Gator team is one that has shown a penchant for falling apart. Big leads have dissipated quickly and apparent wins have given way frustrating losses. And sometimes Donovan has watched it all happen.

Before I get too far, I must make this very clear: I think Billy Donovan is the best college coach in the country. And my opinions here are made from the advantaged position of hindsight. Still, I have noticed that any criticism of Donovan will infuriate one camp of fans, while defending him riles another group that bristles at the suggestion of being ‘untouchable’.  I am most often an ardent defender and have been labeled such. But I am capable of offering critique. And this is one of ‘em.

Versus Kansas, Florida held a 13-point lead with over 15 minutes remaining. And then the wheels fell off. The Gators quickly turned the ball over 5 times and missed 15 of its next 20 shots.  Over the next 14 minutes, the Gators watched a comfortable margin give way to a 6-point deficit, and eventual loss. Do you know who else watched? Billy. He finally used a timeout with 1:44 remaining and a loss virtually assured. Was he teaching his team? Letting ‘em figure it out? Maybe, but it didn’t work. Saturday I sat courtside and, along with Donovan, watched an 11-point lead dwindle to a mere single-basket margin. The eventual timeout seemed as hopeless as it was delayed.

For better, and ultimately worse, this is a squad that has the ability to build a sizeable cushion only to summarily collapse. The pattern has played out all too often for Donovan to not recognize. But he has sometimes been remiss, or maybe intentionally reluctant, to intervene. I think that is a mistake, and a costly one.

2) Down Goes Frazier

Down goes Frazier— and down go the Gators. This one may seem obvious, but the figures are somewhat astounding. When Florida’s best and only reliable shooter stops shooting, the Gators lose. And lose quickly.

In several key losses, MFIII has disappeared, or his shot has vanished. In either scenario, it is often because he is unable to get decent opportunities. Versus Kansas he helped stretch the lead to 16 points with an early second half lay-up. And then poof — he missed his next three attempts before finally sinking one with less than a minute remaining. And that Gator lead? Yup, it too had long disappeared by that time.

The Miami game? Similar story. Frazier tallied 13 points, but his last of those came with over 13 minutes remaining. During the final fateful stretch the Gators dumped another large lead as its sharp-shooter missed his last five shots.

Deja-vu this past Saturday when Frazier’s layup with over 17 minutes remaining gave Florida its largest lead — 13 points. Unfortunately, that was the end of his scoring, and the beginning of the end for his team.

So what is the solution, you ask? As your expert Couch-Potato Coach, I have what you seek: Frazier must find the ball, and the ball must find the hoop. 

Easier said than done? Perhaps, but we have seen other teams lean heavily on lone shooters— and find ways to produce shooting opportunities, points and wins. Coach K. rode Reddick like few players in Duke history— using double-stack screens. Henderson rode Andy Kennedy’s elevator screen to open looks and annoying land-shark taunts.

Donovan is a team/system coach, so Florida does not, has not and will not rely upon a lone scorer. And that’s a good thing — except for when you really only have one reliable scorer. So, maybe this year the pendulum should swing ever-so-slightly in the direction of MFIII.

Hey, Coach Donovan can kill two birds with one stone by calling a timeout and drawing up a play for Frazier to thwart an opposing run. Doing so may also kill the free-fall we have too often witnessed.

3) Build ‘em back up

In retrospect it is astounding this team was initially ranked #7 in the country , a position Coach Donovan scoffed at from the onset. Unfortunately, his players did not follow suit, but instead embraced the hype. They have since endured a most humbling free-fall to an RPI of 131, and are now looking up at teams like St. Francis, High Point and even Long Beach State (4-10).

Coach Donovan has reiterated that his team needed to be ‘scarred’— that its ‘callouses’ could help form an undeveloped toughness needed to win. But sometimes scars become too ugly, too painful and the source of embarrassment, shame and debilitating self-consciousness. Has that happened with this Gator team? I don’t think so, but it is a legitimate concern. Blown leads and squandered opportunities can creep into a psyche — and those scars can bleed. And the Gator season could hemorrhage before our eyes.

So, Donovan must walk a fine line here between brow-beating a battered squad and placating to one that certainly warrants critique and requires improvement. To date, I think he has handled the group well, but it may be time to shelve the ‘scar’ mantra. They have heard it, know it and undoubtedly feel it. Donovan’s team desperately needs a win, and the relief that will follow.

If Coach follows my advice, he may just get what he needs Wednesday night.

Or not.

 

1 COMMENT

  1. Excellent article Brunt. And your analysis is spot on. The team committed the cardinal sin: they believed the hype and media coverage which was telling them how good they were. But they forgot that they still have to go out on the court and be as good as everyone in the media thought they were (#7 preseason ranking). I just hope Donovan can turn this around, but he’s built up enough capital that it’s hard to really come down on him for a bad season considering his incredible track record. Great article. I enjoy reading your commentary and analysis.