Kentucky's plan: Two five-man units

[Carolinawildcats]

http://espn.go.com/mens-college-basketball/story/_/id/11634438/kentucky-wildcats-deep-enough-use-two-starting-units-john-calipari-says


I am still not feeling it, but that's why I'm not getting paid the big bucks ;)

Peace

Richard (CW)

[Terry Blue]

I'll be very surprised if by the beginning of the SEC schedule this plan stays intact. It goes against everything Cal has done in the past

[Carolinawildcats]

I'll be very surprised if by the beginning of the SEC schedule this plan stays intact. It goes against everything Cal has done in the past

Agree Terry.....Let's get a big FOOTBALL win tomorrow!!! I have a good feeling despite the suspensions!!!

Peace

Richard (CW)

[Genuine Realist]

I hope he stays with it. It solves a lot of problems, makes some sense, and will result in awfully interesting season.

[Darrell KSR]

I hope he stays with it. It solves a lot of problems, makes some sense, and will result in awfully interesting season.

I do, too. I'd rather this be the staple, with minor variations, than the other way around. But I understand the trepidation as well.

[ukblue]

He may play a platoon system early on but as the season goes on the 2nd teams minutes will probably go down considerably.

[ukpumacat]

Last quote of the article: "If we can finish the season doing this, then we will."

Big If.

[KMSBball]

I think the platoon system works. Lot's of weapons with each unit. It will cause a lot of sleepless nights for opposing coaches. Nobody in the SEC will be able to match up with us if he uses it.

[Terry Blue]

Let's see what happens. I hope it plays out well myself. But I would bet against it happening right now

[uk-4-the-win]

if it does turn to 5 players playing 30+ mpg then I feel bad for Andrew Harrison , WCS and even Johnson then because Ulis is a more complete player, offense and defense, Towns is so much more offensively gifted than Johnson that he just adds a whole other level and Lyles , if he can learn to play good defense, then its going to be hard to keep him off the floor

[dan_bgblue]

if it does turn to 5 players playing 30+ mpg then I feel bad for Andrew Harrison , WCS and even Johnson then because Ulis is a more complete player, offense and defense, Towns is so much more offensively gifted than Johnson that he just adds a whole other level and Lyles , if he can learn to play good defense, then its going to be hard to keep him off the floor

That is what this is all about. He would rather stay in his comfort zone, but he was dealt this hand and he can not discard any of the players. The only possible way to display their talents for the next level is the platoon system, and he will not do a disservice to the players by staying with his system of a 6,7,8 player rotation and he is determined to make the platoon work.

[CitizenBBN]

That is what this is all about. He would rather stay in his comfort zone, but he was dealt this hand and he can not discard any of the players. The only possible way to display their talents for the next level is the platoon system, and he will not do a disservice to the players by staying with his system of a 6,7,8 player rotation and he is determined to make the platoon work.

This.

This is a hybrid for him. he likes playing 5-6 guys a lot together so they get really comfortable with each other, start operating on instinct together. Due to guys coming back he has 2 complete groups of that 5-6 man rotation, so do you just play one and give the other water cooler duty?

No, you play them both, split the minutes, and keep your 5-6 guy rotation, just do it with two teams.

Cal will adjust situationally, and not be completely dogmatic about the separation of units or the 4 minute switches, but if he rotates these guys like that as much as possible in the end it won't matter in 90% of games who he may change up here or there b/c the other team will be sucking so much wind by the 5 minute mark we'll run away with the game.

it will exhaust teams, just exhaust them. We'll see runs at the end of each half b/c no team has the depth to keep up with a fresh rotation of these 10-12 guys. Even the matchups become less important as they will be playing with more fatigue.

That ties directly into his pushing the ball so hard this year. Don't play half court with 12 guys, run run run and watch the other team double over.

Seriously, what team has a center rotation that can stay up with WCS and Lee running each for 20 minutes up and down the court? You're 4-5 minutes into the game and in comes a spring fresh Lee, then when he goes out here comes a still fresh and ready WCS, now you're 15 minutes in and here comes Lee all fresh and ready with only 5 minutes of time. Physically it's going to exhaust teams, esp. their big men.

[Padukacat]

Gotta give cal a ton of credit for trying this, he's the only coach in the world that would give this a go. Well he's also the only one with 10 starters.

[ShoesSwayedBlue]

Some great insight Dan. Also this keeps every player involved because the 9 through 13 guys on the roster don't have to fight through four guys to get meaningful time. They just have to beat out one or two.

Don't know if any of you have read it, but the practice report mentions that Cal has had Rock working specifically on speed with this bunch. As Chuck says, we're gonna fly. Cal has said one inviolable rule, even in pickups, is to get the ball across the midline in three seconds or less and you be there too.

Run everyone we play into the dirt.

[KMSBball]

This.

This is a hybrid for him. he likes playing 5-6 guys a lot together so they get really comfortable with each other, start operating on instinct together. Due to guys coming back he has 2 complete groups of that 5-6 man rotation, so do you just play one and give the other water cooler duty?

No, you play them both, split the minutes, and keep your 5-6 guy rotation, just do it with two teams.

Cal will adjust situationally, and not be completely dogmatic about the separation of units or the 4 minute switches, but if he rotates these guys like that as much as possible in the end it won't matter in 90% of games who he may change up here or there b/c the other team will be sucking so much wind by the 5 minute mark we'll run away with the game.

it will exhaust teams, just exhaust them. We'll see runs at the end of each half b/c no team has the depth to keep up with a fresh rotation of these 10-12 guys. Even the matchups become less important as they will be playing with more fatigue.

That ties directly into his pushing the ball so hard this year. Don't play half court with 12 guys, run run run and watch the other team double over.

Seriously, what team has a center rotation that can stay up with WCS and Lee running each for 20 minutes up and down the court? You're 4-5 minutes into the game and in comes a spring fresh Lee, then when he goes out here comes a still fresh and ready WCS, now you're 15 minutes in and here comes Lee all fresh and ready with only 5 minutes of time. Physically it's going to exhaust teams, esp. their big men.

Agree completely. Not only does the two platoons wear opponents out physically but mentally as well. What I saw in the opponents faces in the Bahamas was total dread and frustration. A seven or eight man rotation simply cannot keep up with ten or twelve fresh players.

[bigsky]

I like Dan's observations.

I also wonder, with all this pub, why the tables aren't turned on K. He's got 9 mcDonnies. How is it that playing time for all doesn't worry K? Because, he isn't a player's coach, that's why. and bless the sportswriter with gumption enough to say it, and not just some politician in Montana.