I’d agree that his recruiting has been underwhelming with a poor 2020 class (and transfers out of the 2019 class) and a possibly mediocre 2021 class. But, if Reid picks OSU (and they should absolutely win that battle vs Pitt) that 2021 class is top 15. And 2022 is off to a solid start. I would guess that they will tend to recruit in the 25-15 range, get above average coaching and have teams in the 10-25 range with maybe the occasional super elite team. I don’t really see a problem with that.
Holttman definitely has to do a better job with roster management/retention so far. Don’t know if that’s a him problem or luck.
They’re 42 because one of their recruits decided to graduate early and enroll for the second semester this year. They have two top 60sh guys already committed for 2022.
That Matta team was a .500 team the year before. Don’t really see how that’s a negative against him.
I think there have been issues with roster management. I don’t particularly enjoy his offenses. But somehow, he’s created at least decent teams from complete messes of a roster. They’re 7-2 and lost to two seemingly decent teams with two wins against decent to good teams sandwiched in the middle of the two losses.
I like Holtmann as a coach, respect the way he carries himself and always seems to put together a pretty decent defensive team (not looking at KP/BT data, just based on eye test). Once he lands the big recruits, he needs to find a way to develop the culture that keeps them in CBus. Maybe the high recruits have left for other reasons, but seems like alot have walked out the door after 1 year. That’s probably the biggest knock on him getting the recruiting machine rolling at OSU, which has undoubtedly one of the top 3 - 6 recruiting bases in the B1G (Chicago/DC/Ohio/Michigan/Minnesota/Indiana).
I admit I’m a fan of Holtmann but this is a very good point. That team he inherited had basically no expectations and he made them a respectable team…a 4 seed in the NCAA if I remember correct. But KBD being healthy and playing out of his mind absolutely could change some of the narrative there. Like you mentioned, without KBD and Wesson who he inherited his tenure could look drastically different.
Here’s to Gabe Kalscheur breaking out of his shooting slump this evening. Have a game like Brandon Johnson had the other night young man.
I would very much be satisfied with an MSU loss.
Watts vs Carr is an interesting matchup. Maybe 2 of the 3 most talented guards in the league??
I don’t”t think Holtmann is “bad” and I agree he is a guy that will get them in the tournament. But we’ve seen first hand the OSU has the resources to be a national contender with the right coach (they were with Matta, and I will acknowledge Thad seemingly just checked out late in his tenure, sounds like health was an issue, and they were under Jim O’Brien). Holtmann grinding out 11-9’s in the Big Ten isn’t, in my mind, what OSU should be aspiring to - and right now he sure doesn’t look like a top 5 coach in conference, which is what he was billed as.
To my eye, this roster is bad, and it’s his fourth year. I understand he had some defections but at this stage the roster is his responsibility. He clearly provided an in-game boost to what Thad’s guys were getting before his arrival, but I think his ability to assemble a roster that - regardless of his X & O chops - can win the conference is highly in doubt.
Cuts both ways - one top 100 player and he’s got no bad losses and two quality wins so far this year. But recruiting be looks like it’s getting better. Roster management is an issue, I don’t quite get it. But you can’t credit Wesson to Matta. Holtmann is the only college coach he played for. Amaker doesn’t get the credit for Manny Harris, Matta doesn’t get it for Wesson IMO. Most teams would be suffering greatly had they lost their two best recruits.
You said he was mediocre. I don’t think he’s close to mediocre. The conference is as good as it’s been in decades. The only schools that have mediocre to bad coaches IMO are Minnesota, N’W and PSU (who has an interim HC). 11-9 in our conference is nothing to sneeze at. That’d be like going 13-5 in 2008 IMO. Conference is way better this decade.
I’m fine with Holtmann at OSU. It seems like he is solid but not a difference-maker. Matta for awhile had a scary program. Holtmann seems more like a guy that will lose in the round of 32 most of the time.
They play an ugly brand of basketball, they are one of my least favorite teams to watch. He’ll probably have a team that perpetually overperforms relative their perceived talent level. A consistent top 25 team, but won’t reach that peak where they were a pretty regular top 5 team like they were under Matta.
Didn’t realize Illinois is shooting 42% from 3 as a team.
Also, they are 311th at forcing turnovers and 278th at blocking shots but 133rd in free throw rate. Not getting steals or blocks but still hacking a lot doesn’t seem like an ideal defensive strategy.
His raw stats are boosted by 8 extra possessions a game. But that is surprising to me as well. Although I shouldn’t be cause he never misses a 3 when I’m watching.
He doesn’t take nearly as many off the dribble shots as compared to Trey, so that’s the efficiency difference. Though I imagine you aren’t making a case for his superiority over Trey
Also Trey did it for a full season. If Ayo can keep that up the entire season this is a different conversation, but he’s only played 10 games. Still super impressive, but one or two bad games and those numbers can look wildly different.
Not to mention how the numbers look similar but the assist to turnover ratios are quite different between those two stat lines, Trey was great in that department.
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