Jim Larrañaga | Media Availability | 7.31.19

[Da_Lucky_One]

Miami Media Availability featuring Jim Larranaga, Chris Lykes and DJ Vasiljevic. Enjoy.







The lead reporter is really not in touch with the team. DJ played FIBA in Italy last month and her first question is have you been to Italy? SMH.

 

[Da_Lucky_One]

My thoughts from the Media availability:

1. Coach L states several donors helped contribute to make this trip possible. Interesting.
2. First look at freshman under game conditions with the newly installed offenses.
3. 12 players (11 scholarships and 1 walk-on (Walk-on Willie) with Stone and Gak not cleared to practice or play. Brooks is being held out due to knee "condition that needs attention" but Coach L did not mention if he has applied for a transfer waiver. Wong and McGusty had mild sprains while Walker has a sprain knee but they will play in Italy.
4. With no setbacks, Gak could play against Louisville but his injury can have setbacks. Interesting.
5. 5 guys or veterans (Lykes, Vasiljevic, McGusty, Wardeenburg and Miller) are being counted on to lead. Probably his starting lineup.
6. 3 freshman should get a chance to be in the rotation. SMH.
7. Rodney Miller is down 30 lbs from 280 to 250. Coach L states his skillset has improved and he will start. Coach L expects Rodney to average a double-double. Rodney Miller is the best shape of his life per Coach L.
8. Coach L did not mention adding any grad transfers with the two available scholarships nor whether or not Brooks will apply for a waiver.

 

[hotshot]

Why so cagey on Brooks? The reporter asked the waiver question, L ignored it, and she let it go. Sounded like they maybe weren't even going to try for a waiver for 2019-20, and let him sit this season out as a transfer.

He says he needs Rodney Miller to be "a double figure scorer and rebounder." That's averaging a double-double. Good luck with that! Would rank right up there with the biggest surprises in UM hoops history.

 

[Consigliere]

Double-double for Rodney. By “double-double” does Coach mean 10 MPG and 10 full court runs?

Does anyone actually think Rodney will average anything close to that? Does anyone even think Rodney will be able to average 5 and 5?

Does anyone know the last time our 5 averaged a double-double?

Those would be better numbers than Izundu and Tonye.

I feel like there is a weird joke with Rodney and we’re all on the outside.

 

[Da_Lucky_One]

That is what Coach L said. I listened to it twice to be sure I was not hearing things incorrectly.

The Brooks situation is interesting. Could it be that he has a significant knee injury that will keep him out this season and Coach L does not want to apply for the waiver and waste his last year of eligibility? Just a guess.

 

[AustinCane6688]

I really get the sense that this is going to be Coach L's last season, if he doesn't resign sooner.

 

[Da_Lucky_One]

I really get the sense that this is going to be Coach L's last season, if he doesn't resign sooner.

This will be his 9th year at Miami and he has raised expectations for the basketball team. Unfortunately, Coach L will not change with the times of Division 1 basketball. I would not bury him just yet, he is still a good coach but he is terrible at roster management.

 

[Gables Canes]

Baffling to me. Absolutely baffling.

We're going into this season with EIGHT healthy (ish, not counting the sprains and dings against us) scholarship players.

We're counting on Rodney Miller averaging a double double. LMAO.

There are still HUNDREDS of players available in the portal. We have 2 scholarships still open that we're inexplicably sitting on.

Please someone explain any of these negligent decisions.

 

[Consigliere]

Just to review, since 2011-12, here are the best numbers for certain big men (with the prior season too):

1. Tonye (5)
2014-15: 8.6 PPG, 9.9 RPG, 1.4 BPG and 30.3 MPG
2013-14: 4.2 PPG, 5.5 RPG, .9 BPG and 21.4 MPG

2. Izundu (5)
2018-19: 10.9 PPG, 8.3 RPG, 1.2 BPG and 27.5 MPG
2017-18: 5.0 PPG, 3.8 RPG, .6 BPG and 14.6 MPG

3. Huell (4)

2017-18: 11.4 PPG, 6.7 RPG, 1.0 BPG and 25.8 MPG
2016-17: 5.8 PPG, 3.1 RPG, .8 BPG and 17.4 MPG

4. Kadji (4)

2012-13: 12.9 PPG, 6.8 RPG, 1.3 BPG and 29.1 MPG
2011-12: 11.7 PPG, 5.3 RPG, 1.6 BPG and 27.4 MPG

5. Johnson (5)

2011-12: 10 PPG, 7.2 RPG, 1.0 BPG and 26.2 RPG
2010-11: 11.9 PPG, 9.6 RPG, 1.3 BPG and 26.0 MPG [Before Coach L]

----------------------------------

Then there is Rodney...

2016-17: 1.0 PPG, .6 RPG, .1 BPG and 4.1 MPG
2017-18: 1.2 PPG, .5 RPG, .1 BPG and 3.5 RPG
2018-19: A completely healthy player redshirted during his third season when numbers were incredibly low.

 

[Da_Lucky_One]

Just to review, since 2011-12, here are the best numbers for certain big men (with the prior season too):

1. Tonye (5)
2014-15: 8.6 PPG, 9.9 RPG, 1.4 BPG and 30.3 MPG
2013-14: 4.2 PPG, 5.5 RPG, .9 BPG and 21.4 MPG

2. Izundu (5)
2018-19: 10.9 PPG, 8.3 RPG, 1.2 BPG and 27.5 MPG
2017-18: 5.0 PPG, 3.8 RPG, .6 BPG and 14.6 MPG

3. Huell (4)

2017-18: 11.4 PPG, 6.7 RPG, 1.0 BPG and 25.8 MPG
2016-17: 5.8 PPG, 3.1 RPG, .8 BPG and 17.4 MPG

4. Kadji (4)

2012-13: 12.9 PPG, 6.8 RPG, 1.3 BPG and 29.1 MPG
2011-12: 11.7 PPG, 5.3 RPG, 1.6 BPG and 27.4 MPG

5. Johnson (5)

2011-12: 10 PPG, 7.2 RPG, 1.0 BPG and 26.2 RPG
2010-11: 11.9 PPG, 9.6 RPG, 1.3 BPG and 26.0 MPG [Before Coach L]

----------------------------------

Then there is Rodney...

2016-17: 1.0 PPG, .6 RPG, .1 BPG and 4.1 MPG
2017-18: 1.2 PPG, .5 RPG, .1 BPG and 3.5 RPG
2018-19: A completely healthy player redshirted during his third season when numbers were incredibly low.

Thank you for posting the numbers. I can always count on you for that. Coach L talks about Tonye like he averaged 20 points and 10 rebounds. No disrespect to Tonye, his growth and development was nice but that should not be the expectation.

 

[Consigliere]

Baffling to me. Absolutely baffling.

We're going into this season with EIGHT healthy (ish, not counting the sprains and dings against us) scholarship players.

Yup and it isn't like the 8 healthy players are elite. We have Rodney. Sam isn't that good either.

We're counting on Rodney Miller averaging a double double. LMAO.

It would be the greatest improvement I have seen at UM. Even for him to go to Julian Gamble's production would be insane and that was nowhere close to a double-double.

There are still HUNDREDS of players available in the portal. We have 2 scholarships still open that we're inexplicably sitting on.

Please someone explain any of these negligent decisions.

There are no logical ways to explain these "decisions". We've struggled with roster management for some time now and they continue today. This has nothing to do with the FBI either as these issues were here before the FBI.

 

[Consigliere]

Thank you for posting the numbers. I can always count on you for that. Coach L talks about Tonye like he averaged 20 points and 10 rebounds. No disrespect to Tonye, his growth and development was nice but that should not be the expectation.

Tonye showed consistent growth from his first season to his third. Tonye could run too and his first season (when there was great depth in front of him) was better than ANYTHING we've seen from Rodney. Rodney has done NOTHING. Rodney hasn't improved at all during an actual game.

Tonye Jekiri College Stats | College Basketball at Sports-Reference.com

Tonye Jekiri - Stats, Game Logs, Splits, and much more

www.sports-reference.com

 

[Da_Lucky_One]

Tonye showed consistent growth from his first season to his third. Tonye could run too and his first season (when there was great depth in front of him) was better than ANYTHING we've seen from Rodney. Rodney has done NOTHING. Rodney hasn't improved at all during an actual game.

Tonye Jekiri College Stats | College Basketball at Sports-Reference.com

Tonye Jekiri - Stats, Game Logs, Splits, and much more

www.sports-reference.com

That is the proper perspective. Tonye is way ahead of Rodney Miller as far as skill development so if Coach L thinks Rodney is going to outperform Tonye this season say a lot. It probably creates some unrealistic expectations for Rodney. Coach L states Rodney is starting when he has barely played in his career in Miami. That is big. These exhibition games have gotten really interesting after this interview.

 

[Gables Canes]

Yup and it isn't like the 8 healthy players are elite. We have Rodney. Sam isn't that good either.

I really like our guards. We're a little thin on depth and don't have the biggest guys, but we have diverse weapons there. I like Gak's potential, but he's not healthy yet. I think Walker has potential too, but I have no idea how much he'll be able to contribute right away.



It would be the greatest improvement I have seen at UM. Even for him to go to Julian Gamble's production would be insane and that was nowhere close to a double-double.

Agreed


There are no logical ways to explain these "decisions". We've struggled with roster management for some time now and they continue today. This has nothing to do with the FBI either as these issues were here before the FBI.

 

[Consigliere]

That is the proper perspective. Tonye is way ahead of Rodney Miller as far as skill development so if Coach L thinks Rodney is going to outperform Tonye this season say a lot. It probably creates some unrealistic expectations for Rodney. Coach L states Rodney is starting when he has barely played in his career in Miami. That is big. These exhibition games have gotten really interesting after this interview.

Let me put it another way. We had no depth last year. The staff choose to redshirt a "healthy" Rodney before the season. If Rodney is capable of averaging a double-double this year, he certainly could've provided useful burn last season.

The fact that Rodney was so "useless" last year that the staff choose to redshirt him is telling. Rodney is now projected to be a double-double guy; yet he was unable to average 5 MPG during his first three years at Miami.

Will anyone go out and support this reasoning?

 

[Da_Lucky_One]

Let me put it another way. We had no depth last year. The staff choose to redshirt a "healthy" Rodney before the season. If Rodney is capable of averaging a double-double this year, he certainly could've provided useful burn last season.

The fact that Rodney was so "useless" last year that the staff choose to redshirt him is telling. Rodney is now projected to be a double-double guy; yet he was unable to average 5 MPG during his first three years at Miami.

Will anyone go out and support this reasoning?

It absolutely makes no sense to me. In fairness, the decision to redshirt him was made prior to Dewan becoming ineligible but it is a valid point. Truthfully, Rodney should have taken his redshirt year as a freshman but Miami only had 8 or 9 scholarship players. Interesting enough, he still did not play.

We will definitely need to see how this one plays out. A double-double is a huge and almost unreal expectation to put on Rodney given his lack of playing time.

I wonder has Coach L considered what he will do when Rodney gets into foul trouble if Gak and Brooks are not available.

 

[Consigliere]

It absolutely makes no sense to me. In fairness, the decision to redshirt him was made prior to Dewan becoming ineligible but it is a valid point. Truthfully, Rodney should have taken his redshirt year as a freshman but Miami only had 8 or 9 scholarship players. Interesting enough, he still did not play.

That is what makes the decision even dumber. If numbers were better, okay. When numbers are worse, alter your plans.

Rodney also didn't play his second season at UM. He isn't good. He didn't warrant burn.

 

[Da_Lucky_One]

That is what makes the decision even dumber. If numbers were better, okay. When numbers are worse, alter your plans.

Rodney also didn't play his second season at UM. He isn't good. He didn't warrant burn.

For the record, I agree with you. I am just confused on where Coach L is coming up with this stuff. That is a huge jump in production and huge does not properly define the jump.

 

[Gables Canes]

For the record, I agree with you. I am just confused on where Coach L is coming up with this stuff. That is a huge jump in production and huge does not properly define the jump.

L's preseason predictions/declarations are often overstated. I remember him saying Tonye Jekeri would be a first round pick. I remember him saying Jaquan Newton was gonna average double digit assists.

There's absolutely no way in **** Rodney Miller averages a double double this season. Heck, getting 6 ppg and 5 rpg out of him would be a miracle.

 

[tcgrad1014]

If Rodney Miller averages a double double next season, Jim Larranaga is the greatest coach in the history of any sport that has ever existed. Ever. In history.