Topic: New role, and unusual challenge for Jon Elmore?

[whf]

Jon has a new role this year for sure, being expected to be the super star of a team that lost so many contributors last year.  IMHO, he is pressing big time and trying to carry too much of the load.  DD alluded to this last night in his interview with the DAWG right after the game. 

Additionally, our opponents (the last two for sure) have decided to over-pressure him and shut down his three point goals.  Hence, it appears, he's decided to take it inside way too much; it's not a surprise to anyone. He's getting shut down inside now too because of this.

What do your folks think can be a way to reach him and have him stop pressing himself so much; it certainly is creating too many turnovers.

[CoachSkip]

It was expected this was going to happen, all coaches had to do was watch film on him, doesnt take a rocket scientist to know everything goes thru Elmore . He is trying to do to much right now , Im sure its been brought to his attention.

[Big City]

I haven’t been able to physically see a game on television this season and have only been able to stream the audio. I didn’t get to listen yesterday because I was watching the race and the Denver Donkeys. I followed the game tracker loosely for a bit but then the game got out of hand.

Are there any players that have the ability to step up as the season evolves? I am hoping we will see something similar to last and this team really improves by the time conference play rolls around.

[MUonium]

i suppose an option could be an increased role to the 2 position if the capabilities of West/others become consistent in their respective role.

like last yr or previous yrs if i recall correctly, it took a while to get players 5 (or 6 or 7) figured out.  he played those 5 - 7 the majority of minutes throughout the conference schedule and tourney.  considering DD's propensity to not be too concerned with win/loss OOC, the importance placed on conference play, i see no reason he won't once again narrow playing time down to a select few if/as necessary.  the good news in the meat of the schedule and down the stretch, he has more bodies that could possibly develop quickly enough to contribute quality minutes.

i think DD will be loyal to his loyal upperclassmen.  he's giving Mijovic a chance and Ot Elmore for that matter....and i don't doubt that he'll be considerate of hard-working, senior players in the future.

no idea how this team will end up, but i see potentially more positives than negatives in what i consider a transitional yr (far too many yrs seem that way, though!).

[GreenWhite]

i suppose an option could be an increased role to the 2 position if the capabilities of West/others become consistent in their respective role.

like last yr or previous yrs if i recall correctly, it took a while to get players 5 (or 6 or 7) figured out.  he played those 5 - 7 the majority of minutes throughout the conference schedule and tourney.  considering DD's propensity to not be too concerned with win/loss OOC, the importance placed on conference play, i see no reason he won't once again narrow playing time down to a select few if/as necessary.  the good news in the meat of the schedule and down the stretch, he has more bodies that could possibly develop quickly enough to contribute quality minutes.

i think DD will be loyal to his loyal upperclassmen.  he's giving Mijovic a chance and Ot Elmore for that matter....and i don't doubt that he'll be considerate of hard-working, senior players in the future.

no idea how this team will end up, but i see potentially more positives than negatives in what i consider a transitional yr (far too many yrs seem that way, though!).

Could not have been said better.

[Herdmeister]

I haven’t been able to physically see a game on television this season and have only been able to stream the audio. I didn’t get to listen yesterday because I was watching the race and the Denver Donkeys. I followed the game tracker loosely for a bit but then the game got out of hand.

Are there any players that have the ability to step up as the season evolves? I am hoping we will see something similar to last and this team really improves by the time conference play rolls around.

Not so much pressure as is Jon is slumping. At practice on Friday he and Mark spent nearly the entire practice at one end working on mechanics.

Burks, Watson and West will be there. Danny is looking forward to have those 4 guards to play 3 spots. Of course we're getting scoring from Penava as well. He is shooting very well from outside the arc.

[parshall2marshall]

Not so much pressure as is Jon is slumping. At practice on Friday he and Mark spent nearly the entire practice at one end working on mechanics.

Burks, Watson and West will be there. Danny is looking forward to have those 4 guards to play 3 spots. Of course we're getting scoring from Penava as well. He is shooting very well from outside the arc.

I think we'll be OK when that happens ( 3 out of 4 guards on the floor ). Maybe .500 or a little better, depending on front line development.

But there's a couple of guys who have no business being out on the floor in conference play - I have played against a lot better in intramural, corporate league, and pickup games.

p2m

[MicDrass1]

Darius George needs to start scoring.  We need more guys scoring.  Some of guys just don't act like scorers.  Bledsoe shoots too when he's in there.  He's not gun shy.  We need more guys scoring and who can get to the rim strong and shoot the 3 ball.  Bledsoe is not scared out there.  Get George going bc we need more athleticism out there on the floor.  The Illini had 1 turnover for most of the game.

[coalherd]

Personally, think Jon takes on perhaps too much when others are having trouble scoring.  I believe yesterday, Burks got into early foul trouble and had to sit early.  West had a terrific game, offensively, and Peneva also was in double figures.  But when the final tally sheet shows Jon with about 14 and Burks with 12 or so, we are going to be in deep Doo Doo, no matter who we play, IMO.

Then, too, we the opponent is able to score at will with ridiculous ease, that puts even more pressure on our scorers, like Jon.  This was evident the way the Illini scored yesterday.  If we play better D, force more turnovers, etc., that should certainly lessen the pressure on Jon, and other scorers, from having to think they need to make a play in every Herd possession.  Hopefully, we'll see the offensive games of guys like Bledsoe, George, Williams, Koljanin, etc., come around and improve as season progresses.

[whf]

Maybe, too, he (Jon) needs to learn to trust the others more; regardless of how they play in spurts.  I sense he's trying to play his role last year, and Loops too.  And HerdMeister, I do think he had great trouble the last two games getting his "3" off of his own dribble.  It's pretty hard to pass the ball to yourself.  Maybe when the rotation gets more settled we'll see him trusting West a bit more than it appears he is now.  Hopefully (not purposing he is) he is not competiting with West, who has certainly shown some gitty-up.

[GreenWhite]

I do think Jon maybe tries too hard when the rest of the team is struggling. But, I also saw earlier this year, Jon put this team on his back and the players responded. It wasn't so much points as just pure leadership. When he did that, the rest of the team responded and we won. I think that was the UT Martin game. Jon got his points, but others started contributing and things just clicked.

[herdorbust]

Im not worried about jon at all. Like herdmeister said, he is going thru a little slump. And watson will help us tremendously. Not only will it shore up the guard rotation, be he is a tremendous defender and rebounder from the guard position.