Awaka to the portal

[Stoerner Fumbles]

The greener grass is sometimes fertilized with manure.

Now we’re turning against manure? Communist.

 

[KTrain]

I like his game, but he likely would have average 7 minutes more a game if he didn't consistently pick up two quick fouls. Rick is very rigid on sitting you with foul trouble.

Every coach sits players with 2 fouls in the 1st half, if a few don't and they pick up their 3rd, they are lambasted. Awaka was good but his most consistent thing was picking up early fouls. This forces the coaches to change their game plan timeline. Vescovi had that problem too but not to the extent of TA, it puts coaches in a box. It's hard to game plan night in and night out with a player you depend on but cant depend on. I think Awaka saw the writing on the wall he had hit his role minutes wise and Rick probably said something like its up to you on the minutes but it was the same thing over and over.

 

[sami]

Every coach sits players with 2 fouls in the 1st half, if a few don't and they pick up their 3rd, they are lambasted.

Truth. It is constantly mentioned on any game broadcast, and if a player returns in the first half it is pointed out what a risk it is that he might pick up his third foul. This isn't a 'rigid Barnes' thing, it's common practice throughout CBB.

 

[walkenvol]

I'd like to think he can, too, but his career is half over and he hasn't learned, yet. And that won't change with a simple jersey swap to another school. So, whoever is paying him is likely not buying significantly more production than he's had at Tennessee if he doesnt rein it in. His ability didn't keep him off the floor. His lack of defensive discipline did.

Without doing a deep dive into the data, it seems like 30% of his fouls were on the offensive end? JMO

 

[CAVPUT]

I'd like to think he can, too, but his career is half over and he hasn't learned, yet. And that won't change with a simple jersey swap to another school. So, whoever is paying him is likely not buying significantly more production than he's had at Tennessee if he doesnt rein it in. His ability didn't keep him off the floor. His lack of defensive discipline did.

While you never say never, I suspect Awaka and Aidoo are who and what they are at this point in their careers.

 

[walkenvol]

While you never say never, I suspect Awaka and Aidoo are who and what they are at this point in their careers.

Wonder if Knecht reached his potential his second year of junior college?

 

[TrippieRedd]

While you never say never, I suspect Awaka and Aidoo are who and what they are at this point in their careers.

Yup. This is another reason why I want Ballo another big with some weight to him. Yes, it would be nice to keep Aidoo, AND again I’m not taking another big over Aidoo other than Ballo, but like everyone keeps saying, he is what he is at this point.

Yes he’s all SEC, but are we just going to be okay losing to teams with bigger guys? Prob not many but what happens we get to the tourney again and see someone bigger than him? We’re gonna look back and hear “should’ve gotten someone bigger” “Barnes should’ve hit the portal for a big” “Barnes better hit the portal this year for someone better/bigger than Aidoo”


Reoccurring theme every year for certain players. We’re happy we kept someone but at the end of the year we will here complaining about said player

 

[wtmvol]

The problem with Ballo is dude can't hit a FT. Under 50% this past season and one of the big reasons they lost to Clemson as he was 1-7.

 

[BernardKingGOAT]

While you never say never, I suspect Awaka and Aidoo are who and what they are at this point in their careers.

Awaka could certainly develop a solid 10 ft scorer

 

[CAVPUT]

Yup. This is another reason why I want Ballo another big with some weight to him. Yes, it would be nice to keep Aidoo, AND again I’m not taking another big over Aidoo other than Ballo, but like everyone keeps saying, he is what he is at this point.

Yes he’s all SEC, but are we just going to be okay losing to teams with bigger guys? Prob not many but what happens we get to the tourney again and see someone bigger than him? We’re gonna look back and hear “should’ve gotten someone bigger” “Barnes should’ve hit the portal for a big” “Barnes better hit the portal this year for someone better/bigger than Aidoo”


Reoccurring theme every year for certain players. We’re happy we kept someone but at the end of the year we will here complaining about said player

I agree. I'd also suggest we find a backup for ZZ. We put all our eggs in one basket when Chandler left. Do we really intend to roll the dice again? Grab a post and a PG then use the rest on scoring.

 

[cncchris33]

While you never say never, I suspect Awaka and Aidoo are who and what they are at this point in their careers.

I think Awaka has a lot of untapped potential that is capped by his inability to stay on the floor. Aidoo could develop a bit more if he expanded his range with legitimate consistency, which he's yet to do. Like a lot of bigs we've had, he could benefit from less finesse in the paint and more aggressiveness by dunking everything. I'd rather see him miss a dunk attempt than miss a floater or soft layup.

 

[cncchris33]

Without doing a deep dive into the data, it seems like 30% of his fouls were on the offensive end? JMO

30% feels strong unless you are considering going for an offensive rebound as an offensive foul. And that would be fair observation. But that still leaves 70% taking place on the other end of the floor, which is a clear majority.

I guess my overall point was his lack of discipline in the aggressiveness department, which manifests itself on both ends. I think if he could rein in the defensive fouls, you could tolerate the aggressiveness on the boards. It just comes with the territory of being a rebounding machine. But you can't be both overly aggressive on the boards AND undisciplined defensively.

 

[MCScots4]

I think Awaka has a lot of untapped potential that is capped by his inability to stay on the floor. Aidoo could develop a bit more if he expanded his range with legitimate consistency, which he's yet to do. Like a lot of bigs we've had, he could benefit from less finesse in the paint and more aggressiveness by dunking everything. I'd rather see him miss a dunk attempt than miss a floater or soft layup.

This is what I don't understand about Aidoo from game to game. One game he scores 20 and dunks everything and the next he is shooting 15 footers. Also it seemed like if he got a dunk early on he got some confidence and had a good game, but if he misses his first few shots you could tell he was going to let it get to him and struggle that day

 

[MCScots4]

30% feels strong unless you are considering going for an offensive rebound as an offensive foul. And that would be fair observation. But that still leaves 70% taking place on the other end of the floor, which is a clear majority.

I guess my overall point was his lack of discipline in the aggressiveness department, which manifests itself on both ends. I think if he could rein in the defensive fouls, you could tolerate the aggressiveness on the boards. It just comes with the territory of being a rebounding machine. But you can't be both overly aggressive on the boards AND undisciplined defensively.

I would not be surprised if 50% of his fouls were aggressiveness going for offensive rebounds

 

[Franklin_Vol09]

While you never say never, I suspect Awaka and Aidoo are who and what they are at this point in their careers.

Awaka was getting better every year. I was expecting a big 2024-25 season from him. Double double 10pts 10rbds a game.

 

[sami]

The bottom line is that whether we like it or not, this is how college sports will be unless and until something is done about it, which is doubtful given the way the courts have consistently shot down any restrictions on player freedom. We celebrated grabbing Knecht from the portal, and are now cursing the same thing when it works the other way.

As much as I hate to see Awaka go, putting aside the 'loyalty' issue, it's understandable. If he's likely to get more PT and be closer to home, it's hard to fault him at this point in his career. It sucks from a traditional program building standpoint and the idea of watching players develop and teams grow together over the course of 3-4 years, but it's pretty clear that those days are over, and either we accept the 'brave new world' or look for other pastimes.

 

[CAVPUT]

This is what I don't understand about Aidoo from game to game. One game he scores 20 and dunks everything and the next he is shooting 15 footers. Also it seemed like if he got a dunk early on he got some confidence and had a good game, but if he misses his first few shots you could tell he was going to let it get to him and struggle that day

Might have been trying to showcase his shooting for the next level?

 

[volsarelife1]

Now with Aidoo in the portal. Let's get Awaka back

 

[CornbreadVol]

Please Awaka.

 

[walkenvol]

30% feels strong unless you are considering going for an offensive rebound as an offensive foul. And that would be fair observation. But that still leaves 70% taking place on the other end of the floor, which is a clear majority.

I guess my overall point was his lack of discipline in the aggressiveness department, which manifests itself on both ends. I think if he could rein in the defensive fouls, you could tolerate the aggressiveness on the boards. It just comes with the territory of being a rebounding machine. But you can't be both overly aggressive on the boards AND undisciplined defensively.

Yes, I included offensive rebounding fouls in the 30% guesstimate.

 

[papatomany]

Every coach sits players with 2 fouls in the 1st half, if a few don't and they pick up their 3rd, they are lambasted. Awaka was good but his most consistent thing was picking up early fouls. This forces the coaches to change their game plan timeline. Vescovi had that problem too but not to the extent of TA, it puts coaches in a box. It's hard to game plan night in and night out with a player you depend on but cant depend on. I think Awaka saw the writing on the wall he had hit his role minutes wise and Rick probably said something like its up to you on the minutes but it was the same thing over and over.

Every coach doesn't, but a large majority do. Some coaches see a 10-0 run and get their most important guys back out there in spite of foul trouble. Rick never does that. Thus the "rigid" comment.

 

[Vol737]

Now with Aidoo in the portal. Let's get Awaka back

Could happen. Watching…

 

[papatomany]

This is what I don't understand about Aidoo from game to game. One game he scores 20 and dunks everything and the next he is shooting 15 footers. Also it seemed like if he got a dunk early on he got some confidence and had a good game, but if he misses his first few shots you could tell he was going to let it get to him and struggle that day

Because during the late middle part of year he was deadly in the mid-range. Went cold at the end. If he had hit those open mid-range shots against Purdue, as he had many many times during the year, we win going away.

 

[volbound1700]

Because during the late middle part of year he was deadly in the mid-range. Went cold at the end. If he had hit those open mid-range shots against Purdue, as he had many many times during the year, we win going away.

Edey got into his head. It didn't help that the refs were calling everything on him. That was where I got angry at the refs. They called every ticky-tacky play on Aidoo and it definitely impacted his play in that game.

 

[GBO18]

Welcome back Awaka.