Please explain to me....

[RU677381]

Why Caleb is continually allowed to stop our offense cold. There have been so many occasions where the ball just stops moving when it gets to him and he either misses
a three point shot or gets stripped. Why does he have a green light to shoot three point shots with a percentage in the low 20's.

 

[NickRU714]

Because of the ND game last year?
It seemed to raise expectations pretty high for his offensive production this year.

Maybe HC Pike is trying to see if he work his through it.

 

[Arizona Knight]

Why Caleb is continually allowed to stop our offense cold. There have been so many occasions where the ball just stops moving when it gets to him and he either misses
a three point shot or gets stripped. Why does he have a green light to shoot three point shots with a percentage in the low 20's.

If the price to pay to bring Caleb back this year was allowing him some offensive freedom then great. He is a very important piece to what is currently another NCAA team and likely single digit seed

 

[bitnez]

Weird how we never see these threads after beating Purdue, Oh St, Indiana, etc.

 

[RC80]

the criticism of just criticizing Caleb is that the overall O is (at times) stagnant; there is a lot of one on one; even the key 2nd half lay-up by Derek against OSU was because everybody else was standing around; So I get it - I've been watching it - I've been yelling to move more (they don't listen to me); And let's face it -- we have one true outside shooter - and hope that someone else is having a good day. But I'm not ready to stop Caleb from shooting the 3 (didn't think that late game shot against OSU with 18 sec on the shot clock was wise) - until someone besides CS can consistently make that shot.

 

[Shelby65]

Got that backwards. It’s stagnant because of him. He’s not chucking bricks because of stagnant offense.

 

[fluoxetine]

Got that backwards. It’s stagnant because of him. He’s not chucking bricks because of ‘stagnant offense’.

That’s a huge exaggeration. Caleb contributes to stagnant offense at times. He’s far from its sole cause.

As to why Pike tolerates it:
(1) defense
(2) you can’t have too many players out there who refuse to take open shots, so you have to live with it at times because of (1)

 

[PSAL_Hoops]

Got that backwards. It’s stagnant because of him. He’s not chucking bricks because of ‘stagnant offense’.

Who would you have played instead of him? A few games ago you were begging for Hyatt.

He was a dreadful 0-7 from 3. Caleb was 1-4 scored 11 points, grabbed 6 boards and had 4 assists.

 

[MoreCowbellRU]

Why Caleb is continually allowed to stop our offense cold. There have been so many occasions where the ball just stops moving when it gets to him and he either misses
a three point shot or gets stripped. Why does he have a green light to shoot three point shots with a percentage in the low 20's.

Lots of guys missing shots last night. Just one of those games. Don't read too much into it.
Happens now and again to even the best teams. Just don't want to make a habit of it.
Team played well other than FG pct. Just wasn't our night.

 

[Shelby65]

Good defense doesn’t justify bad shot. Seems like he sees himself as this team’s Geo, shot clock iso rescuer.

Except he holds the ball at 13-14 secs leading to the garbage shot.

Aside from our 5s, any other player is a better option. Problem is, ball movement ends much too early on the clock when it stops with him.

 

[Scangg]

Pike shouldn't be telling players not to shoot. Shooting is all about confidence and that is a confidence KILLER

What has to happen is as a player, when you know you are off shooting, TAKE THE BALL TO THE RIM!

When you are open for a 3, it means you have space. If you are having an off night, attack off the dribble. You don't have to shoot, but you can still be aggressive

 

[Pils86]

Somebody needs to shoot and Cam can't take them all, everyone else is offensively challenged. Mulcahy is a reluctant shooter even after four years, Omoruyi is a liability outside of dunking, Mag and Hyatt very inconsistent. I think our offense could improve if we learned to pick regularly, don't pass to Omoruyi unless he has at least one foot in the paint, stop dribbling and doing nothing at the top of the key for 5 - 10 seconds and Mulcahy and Caleb need to back down smaller defenders then shoot or dish.

 

[RUJMM78]

The over arching issue is the lack of offensive improvement for players that have been at Rutgers for multiple years.Its the reason Rutgers struggles to just score 65 points a game.The lack of 3 point shooters remains a problem that hopefully will be addressed in future recruiting classes.Defense keeps Rutgers in games but the margin for error is slim when the offense is mediocre.The lack of bench scoring against B1G Ten opponents only compounds the offensive woes.

 

[NickRU714]

Somebody needs to shoot and Cam can't take them all, everyone else is offensively challenged. Mulcahy is a reluctant shooter even after four years, Omoruyi is a liability outside of dunking, Mag and Hyatt very inconsistent. I think our offense could improve if we learned to pick regularly, don't pass to Omoruyi unless he has at least one foot in the paint, stop dribbling and doing nothing at the top of the key for 5 - 10 seconds and Mulcahy and Caleb need to back down smaller defenders then shoot or dish.

Just an idea for early OOC next year - Cam does take all the shots!
Just for one game.

Get him like 25 shots. Against Central Connecticut or one of those games.
Let him try to get 40 points.

 

[Ru0822]

Caleb looks off. It was looking like his mid-range game with the occasional 3 was the bread and butter. Hes capable enough offensively to get you 12-14 a night but his overall confidence looks shot right now

 

[richthedentist]

the criticism of just criticizing Caleb is that the overall O is (at times) stagnant; there is a lot of one on one; even the key 2nd half lay-up by Derek against OSU was because everybody else was standing around; So I get it - I've been watching it - I've been yelling to move more (they don't listen to me); And let's face it -- we have one true outside shooter - and hope that someone else is having a good day. But I'm not ready to stop Caleb from shooting the 3 (didn't think that late game shot against OSU with 18 sec on the shot clock was wise) - until someone besides CS can consistently make that shot.

agreed we still don't run enough sets or plays shall we say our offense is predicated on one on one and then a kick out or an assist down low and of course our problem is we just don't have the shooters to knock down those shots

 

[S.W.A.I.N]

Caleb looks off. It was looking like his mid-range game with the occasional 3 was the bread and butter. Hes capable enough offensively to get you 12-14 a night but his overall confidence looks shot right now

And yet Cam only averages 3 PPG more than him. Caleb finds other ways to score near the basket that are more efficient - he’s shooting almost 50% on his 2pt FGs. He’s never shot 30% from 3 in his career, it wasn’t suddenly going to happen in Year 5 just because we need him to.

 

[RU677381]

No matter how good Caleb’s defensive skills are, for him to go to the next level he has to show he is not a liability offensively. I would think he would be better off letting the game come to him, taking what is given, and not playing one on one. If he is stripped and blocked and shooting 20% from three in college with his current game, he will have no chance to succeed at the next level.

 

[bethlehemfan]

I would like to see him penetrate and pull up or dish more until he gets more comfortable with the 3 ball. Sometimes he settles too much. His mid range game is pretty good and he creates matchup issues at times. He’s had some costly turnovers but his assists are up as well.

 

[zappaa]

Caleb looks off. It was looking like his mid-range game with the occasional 3 was the bread and butter. Hes capable enough offensively to get you 12-14 a night but his overall confidence looks shot right now

In the world of high level sports, when you’re off offensively and lack confidence 90% of the time based on analytics and percentages….that’s who you are.
Outlier games and moments within games don’t change that.
How many points you save the team by playing great defense, your plus minus, your veteran leadership are all major contributors to your overall positive contributions.
Caleb is not off offensively anymore than he’s ever been since his freshman year, it’s who he is …that’s not changing

 

[Pdabs]

His defense makes up for his offense and then some. Rutgers does not have a player (except for Simpson) who can take someone off the dribble.
Many times Caleb is doing what he can with limited shot clock, after they ran their sets.
I wish he would drive and dish. Couple times cliff was wide open under the basket.
You have to take the good with the bad and there is more good than bad with Caleb.

 

[Luvscarletknights]

Why Caleb is continually allowed to stop our offense cold. There have been so many occasions where the ball just stops moving when it gets to him and he either misses
a three point shot or gets stripped. Why does he have a green light to shoot three point shots with a percentage in the low 20's.

Send an email to the complaint department at Pike's office.

His 10 to 12 foot fade away is deadly and doesn't happen enough. When he squares up he has a weird dip in his shot.

 

[Shelby65]

No matter how good Caleb’s defensive skills are, for him to go to the next level he has to show he is not a liability offensively. I would think he would be better off letting the game come to him, taking what is given, and not playing one on one. If he is stripped and blocked and shooting 20% from three in college with his current game, he will have no chance to succeed at the next level.

Hardly any college players get to ‘the next level’. He will not. At times, a good college player. There are hundreds of those. There was similar irrational ‘next level’ discussion about Myles Johnson when he was here, who was a major disappointment for UCLA by his last season’s end. Just a very weak player by UCLA standards. Most ‘best’ players on their teams will never make the NBA and McConnell isn’t even that.

Cliff is the only possible NBA prospect, and also a major project at this point.

 

[FAT MOON]

Pike shouldn't be telling players not to shoot. Shooting is all about confidence and that is a confidence KILLER

What has to happen is as a player, when you know you are off shooting, TAKE THE BALL TO THE RIM!

When you are open for a 3, it means you have space. If you are having an off night, attack off the dribble. You don't have to shoot, but you can still be aggressive

this...

his defense is elite...he's going to be on the floor for MAJOR minutes

people who ask questions like..."why is so and so allowed to do x"

did you play or coach ball at any level? i'm not trying to be a d*ck...

but an offense is way more about concepts than every time down running a set play...if you have good looks in the flow of an offense you take the shot....or go attack the rim.

now if we had 4 stud scorers and caleb do you try and reign him in and make him understand his role...of course

but you have

paul...who will always be looking to facilitate over score

mag...who is basically the same player as caleb...great D and streaky offensively

cliff...who we all know isn't ready to just dump it down to him in the post and let him go to work.

cam...who's great but was ice cold last game and is great when he lets the game come to him...he's not a kid who is going to out there and create shot after shot.

like it or not...caleb has to shoot the ball. he was also struggling in the first half of last year and really came on as the season went on. pike knows this...he's going to let him play his way through it...he's earned that right.

 

[RU677381]

In the world of high level sports, when you’re off offensively and lack confidence 90% of the time based on analytics and percentages….that’s who you are.
Outlier games and moments within games don’t change that.
How many points you save the team by playing great defense, your plus minus, your veteran leadership are all major contributors to your overall positive contributions.
Caleb is not off offensively anymore than he’s ever been since his freshman year, it’s who he is …that’s not changing

But at some point he has to take stock and determine if his way of playing might be detrimental to the team, or if he tweaked his game he might make even more of a contribution.

 

[Greene Rice FIG]

Just an idea for early OOC next year - Cam does take all the shots!
Just for one game.

Get him like 25 shots. Against Central Connecticut or one of those games.
Let him try to get 40 points.

Have him take 34 foot clown shots to get ready for the NBA.

 

[RUDiddy777]

After 5 years, I’m kind of tired of the Caleb criticism. He is what he is - the heart and soul of the team, as he has been for a while. I’m more than happy to take the occasional “wtf” play on offense for everything else he brings. He’s not an NBA prospect…. But Im sure he’ll be getting paid to play somewhere next year.

 

[zappaa]

But at some point he has to take stock and determine if his way of playing might be detrimental to the team, or if he tweaked his game he might make even more of a contribution.

Not gonna happen.

 

[trotter]

He has a very good mid-range jumper. He needs to stop shooting 3’s.

 

[Shelby65]

He’s selfish, runs the clock down and chucks too much. Seems like he feels entitled.

I don’t mind his shots within offense flow. He’s stops the flow. Wants his….as they say.

 

[fluoxetine]

He’s selfish, runs the clock down and chucks too much. Seems like he feels entitled.

I don’t mind his shots within offense flow. He’s stops the flow. Wants his….as they say.

No, this is a bad interpretation of what Caleb is doing.

 

[Shelby65]

that’s what it looks like to me. Feels like he deserves the high # of shots.

 

[fluoxetine]

His USG is 19.0 which is 7th on the team. Lower than Cliff, Chol (in super limited minutes obviously), Hyatt, Derek Simpson, Aiden Terry (again, minutes), Cam Spencer, and Woolfolk.

Some of the shots he jacks up are bad, no one can deny that, but he's not shooting at a high volume.

 

[Shelby65]

and that’s exactly the point. he feels like he’s not getting his, and your stat bears that out … so he chucks.

 

[pmvon]

Here’s what I can’t understand.

After 4 years, seeing success doing it and stating as such after a big win where he played to his potential, why doesn’t Paul drive and shoot more?

Why does Caleb insist on taking 3s when he shoots 20%? It’s almost like the other teams don’t even bother contesting.

PS I love them both.

 

[Shelby65]

I explained Caleb. Entitlement.

 

[Duff366]

Yes Caleb has taken some ill advised shots that stick out. The Ohio State last minute 3 early in the shot clock was horrible, as was the 3 he took against SHU that killed momentum.

But most of his misses are wide open 3's. Any self-respecting college basketball player would have confidence that he could make that shot.. hell I've seen him drain those in shootarounds before the game.

That being said he should adjust. As some as said before, drive it or take a few dribbles and take the midrange. I'd like to see him roaming around the paint or the baseline a bit more, but that might really mess up the spacing on offense for everybody.

Sounds like you're painting Caleb as a "me" player and that's kind of tough considering how he sacrifices his body flying around and has embodied the tenacious, glue guy that has helped RU be successful.

 

[Scarlet Shack]

Pike shouldn't be telling players not to shoot. Shooting is all about confidence and that is a confidence KILLER

What has to happen is as a player, when you know you are off shooting, TAKE THE BALL TO THE RIM!

When you are open for a 3, it means you have space. If you are having an off night, attack off the dribble. You don't have to shoot, but you can still be aggressive

Take the ball to the rim WITH AUTHORITY

We went soft to the paint too many times against a physical team

 

[Shelby65]

Yes he gives his all on D. Not denying that, but it’s what causes the entitlement on the other end of the court. Feels like he deserves it.

It’s selfish.

There’s definitely a sense of ‘deserving’ in college and even more in the NBA. There’s an unwritten rule that whoever gets an OReb earns putting up the next shot, for example. Coaches navigate player egos, and in Caleb’s case I think Pike let’s it go far.

Many other coaches take players out for less egregious poor decisions and play.

 

[ru66]

some of our fans suck--- the attacks on players are uninformed and dumb