So Hawk what is your opinion on the actual substituting and more importantly to me why is Jaden not playing and does that concern you going forward(next year possible transfer)??
I have had many people text me about Jones and or Hyatt....I don't know what RU is supposed to do....
A) The defense is already compromised because Mulcahy is ultimately being scored on, off the dribble.....and Mulcahy is not scoring enough in his 30 minutes a game. Fans would be wise enough to understand that Geo and RHJ have had off-shooting games in the last 2 years....but you had either Yeboah, Mathis or Young picking up the slack on both offense and defense and rebounding and steals.....the downside to Mathis and Young on offense (if it's a downside) was the ability or goal to just score, instead of sticking to the offense.
So now, RU either has to play Jones to add offense BUT, you're already weaker because Mulcahy is a liability on defense.... if you add Jones and he doesn't appear like he has been asked to rebound in his past in HS or AAU, he needs to learn how to play tough in traffic on defense AND he doesn't appear to be completely engaged on defense......so you would have TWO liabilities on defense, unless you take Mulcahy out and add Jones in.
The requirement to take Mulcahy off the ball and not playing him as point guard on offense and moving him to a wing position, ultimately, reduces the minutes for Hyatt and or Jones and Mag......this is because Mulcahy cannot defend other teams guards as well as he can a wing), and forces the staff to play Geo and Caleb as your primary guards....
The staff also subbed in Jalen Miller early, in hopes that maybe players like Jones, would look and see Miller playing hungry, determined defense.....maybe Jones isn't that type of player, which you ultimately need in the B1G or most Power 5 programs........you're going to have to stick your nose into the paint.....Jones has to dial in on defense, get some rebounds....get tougher.....get stronger.....be able to fight over screens....
Caleb McConnell (to me) has a HS tape when Pike was recruiting him, that showed highlights of him shooting 3s and making drives to the hoop.....he was obviously skinny as a rail...
What Caleb has done, is buy in.....he's not the most difficult player to guard, but he has excellent footwork and moves, without being a great athlete.
Caleb has bought into being a defense 1st, team focused player.....I know you asked about Jones, but at some point, defense travels and the fans crying for shooting (to me) is losing basketball....Jones needs to decide if he wants to be a more talented or determined version of Caleb McConnell or just be a kid who parks at the 3 point line.....
Jones need to play earn his minutes by playing tougher.....Jalen Miller has significantly less skills on offense, has ultimately no proven jump shot and needs to rebuild his shooting motion IF he is going to be a complete player. BUT Miller is 1000% dialed in and determined on defense. Miller playing over Jones, should be a signal for Jones to pick up the intensity......
When does that light switch go from OFF to ON, for Jaden Jones????.... where will it be clearly apparent to me watching, that he cares about defense....???....when is he going to run full speed around a screen to stay on his man....???? That he's going to aggressively crash the boards...?? The film doesn't lie, I don't watch the player with the ball during games, everything about a player shows up, when the player doesn't have the ball or is focused on defense.
Jones is either going to produce, when Jones ultimately decides he wants it bad enough.....does he have that "toughness or bulldog" in him??
If you can get Jones to play stronger, play tougher and dial in, RU has a bona-fide starter next year and he then becomes the player projected in the rankings.....that is up to Jones to put the work in on BOTH ends of the court........the staff can only send so many crystal clear messages that other players like Palmquist or Reiber or Miller are using whatever abilities they have. Is Jones going to allow a player like Mag or Palmquist or a kid from the portal after this season, to wrestle away minutes, that he could earn??
It is kinda tough because on the other hand, Mulcahy is also really not a good defensive player, he is consistently put into a dilemma by opposing coaches and rarely, does Mulcahy come up with the stops on defense, on a consistent basis.....
SO, if you are saying Mulcahy or Jones or Mulcahy or Hyatt, you're just not getting scoring (6.7PPG from Mulcahy as a junior, to me is disappointing quite frankly, for 30 MPG)
OR
Hyatt is at 6PPG in around 16 to 17 MPG....Hyatt rebounds at a higher clip than anyone not named Cliff......Hyatt, if you played him 30MPG, would be around 10 to 12PPG.....or you live with just 6 or 7PPG from Mulcahy......
If you play Hyatt, you'll get better defense than Mulcahy and more rebounding and toughness and scoring......BUT, you lose the passing aspect, which is the strength of Mulcahy and his game.
OR
Do you play Jones, when he is not engaged in defensive mindsets, but can get you some 3s or offense???.......or will the conversation about Mag beating out Jones for minutes??
Mag defends, plays tough, rebounds and is improving....he just seems to be colliding with someone all the time and getting hurt.....but Mag doesn't have the fluid offense of Jones. He does everything else as good or better (defense, hustle, rebounding, etc).
That's as detailed as I can put it, when it comes to "sub patterns"....
But I still would not ever, expect Palmquist to play 12 to 15 minutes a game if he isn't defending or rebounding and really isn't on Jones level as a player. My hopes are Jones sees this BUT he just may not be that type of player now or in the future......