Rick Barnes and Texas Hoops Reflections

by Barking Carnival Staff on Mar 29, 2011 9:42 PM CDT in Texas Longhorns and Other Basketball

Part of every misery is, so to speak, the misery's shadow or reflection: the fact that you don't merely suffer but have to keep on thinking about the fact that you suffer. I not only live each endless day in grief, but live each day thinking about living each day in grief.
— CS Lewis

Misery? Yes. The dude that wrote the Chronicles of Narnia must have been a Longhorn hoops fan. Lewis’ bailiwick is expectations, disappointment and rebirth -- all part and parcel to college basketball in general and Rick Barnes specifically. To further the comparison, Longhorn offensive sets and motion offense sap the spirit like the White Witch doling out empty possessions. On the other side of the coin, the Longhorns never quit and generally play with a ferocity worthy of Aslan the Lion regardless of opponent or score. The results vary from elation to misery depending on context or expectations from season to season but regardless, here we are again reflecting on Longhorn Hoops and what could have been. As Lewis declares, it’s not so much the misery itself, or in this case the early exit tournament that hurts, it’s the reflection of misery—in other words, how that exit went down is what is truly maddening.

Unlike other stories, I don’t want to make this about the Arizona game specifically, although it’s doubtful I’d be writing this had we knocked off the Wildcats and then lost a close one to the Devils. Instead let’s focus on where the staff may need to utilize some reflection and how they can continue to do what they do considering the incoming talent.

On the plus side of the ledger, you won’t find a more mentally tough team anywhere in the nation than the Rick Barnes coached Texas Longhorns. Kansas? Ha, talk about some front-runners. A Rick Barnes squad would have found a way back into the ball game after falling behind double digits to VCU. Don’t believe me? Ask, well, Kansas. Duke? Yes, Arizona took it to Texas for a half, but the Longhorns found a way to battle back with a great shot to close the deal before…well, you know what happened. The fact of the matter is that Barnes’ style of coaching galvanizes his squad to the point where they're fearless. It’s a lot like what Brad Stevens has done at Butler. Take on all comers. No excuses. Everyone else can go f themselves including Dean Smith.

Speaking of Arizona, you won’t find many coaches who can game plan a superstar out of a game more effectively than Barnes. Look at what Texas did to Derrick Williams. His decision to give perimeter wizard Gary Johnson the cover vs. Williams guaranteed the Arizona stud would have to play on the interior to get his cheese. If guards like UConn’s Shabazz Napier or Baylor’s LaceDarius Dunn couldn’t work Johnson from beyond the arc, how could Williams? It was genius. That one-way go simplified help assignments for Texas, ensuring the Horns always knew where help was coming from. Compare and contrast that with the abortion that was Duke and later UConn’s defensive game plan against Williams, and you have to give it to Rick Barnes. Don’t believe me? Ask Coach Miller who had the better game plan for handling the future lottery pick.

As an aside to my point about Barnes' defensive prowess, after the 2010 season, did anyone think Hamilton or Brown could learn to stay in front of ball handlers? Well they did, and pretty solidly for the most part.

But as good as Texas was mentally and on the defensive end in this season they were as equally anemic on the offensive end. From the four minute winning time drought that almost cost us the Oakland game to the clusterfuck of a first half against Arizona that illustrated zero preparedness for a defense predicated on Tristan Thompson double teams, Texas was terrible. High school hoops terrible. And it’s that range between good and bad that is most frustrating. I’m not interested in beating that dead horse so I’ll say the following.

Coach Barnes needs to do a few things to ensure that doesn’t happen again on the offensive end next season. First he needs to go out and take a Steve Lavinesque leap by hiring a veteran who can implement some coherent offensive game-planning. Coach Gene Keady gave the St. John’s Red Storm some structure on offense which had been a hole for Lavin’s UCLA clubs, and the Johnnies responded. Pat Knight would work wonders for Barnes’ blind spot here in my opinion.

Second, with Kabongo coming in, Barnes needs to embrace the advantages that increased pace afford when you have a more talented club. Texas’ game against Nebraska is the case in point here. You don’t play an inferior opponent’s slower pace because it happens to be the pace you think your team is best suited to play from a defensive standpoint. And there’s no way in hell you do it with Myck Kabongo as your point guard. 75 to 65 wins count every bit as much as 65 to 55 victories. If you need more proof, research the Big East tournament. UConn struggled against zones all season and risked missing a good seed without a couple wins there. To counter the zone, Coach Calhoun forced a faster tempo to run teams out of the zone and emphasize superior guard play. Did it grate on him that Big East foes were getting easier looks? Sure. But the results are undeniable--five straight wins.

Finally, Rick needs to realize that offensive basketball can win just as many games as defensive basketball. Roy Williams, Bill Self, Shaka Smart, and Coach K are just some examples supporting this paradigm. It doesn’t hurt either if Tristan Thompson, Jordan Hamilton, Myck Kabongo, Cory Joseph, and J’Covan Brown are in the lineup. Teach defense but don’t reflect too much if these horses give up 70 a night. It’s likely they’re getting 90.

Even if a prude like CS Lewis doesn’t approve, Texas fans will.

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Comments

Hey CS Lewis is awesome!!

by Monahorns on Mar 29, 2011 9:54 PM CDT reply actions

Awesome piece.

by Scipio Tex on Mar 29, 2011 10:28 PM CDT reply actions

I really don’t see why Barnes can’t put himself in the opposing coaches shoes and say “how would I defend the Longhorns” and then game plan appropriately. It seems to be that easy.

by Tdiddle on Mar 29, 2011 10:57 PM CDT reply actions

I suggested that Barnes make a “Lavinesque hire” in Hiphopapotamus’ thread about Barnes, but I wasn’t sure who the right candidate was.

Great call on Pat Knight.

by HoyaHorn on Mar 29, 2011 11:07 PM CDT reply actions

Nice, how many of the current assistants are former Barnes’ players? Adding a motion-offense consultant for game planning would be the Head Coach move for surrounding yourself with people who are strong where you are weak.

Mack has done a pretty good job there and from last offseason it sounds like Barnes has the same wisdom.

by Nickel Rover on Mar 29, 2011 11:53 PM CDT reply actions

Yes, yes and hell yes.

Barnse-bo #5
A little bit of Offense in his life
A little bit of Joseph by his side
A little bit of Myck is all he needs
A little bit of TT is what he sees
A little bit of Hamilton in the sun
A little bit of J’Covan all night long
A little bit of coaching help . . . where he am?
A little bit of this makes Rick the man.

by AKHorn on Mar 30, 2011 12:34 AM CDT reply actions

The Pat Knight hire doesn’t seem like a galactic stretch to me for several reasons. trips, what are the chances this (or a similar hire) will happen?

by hippie on Mar 30, 2011 8:36 AM CDT reply actions

hippie, the staff is full but there will be a few jobs out there that assistants could get. I read earlier in the week that Rodney Terry was in the mix when Missouri State hired Cuonzo Martin, and that he likely would be on the list again.

by Bob in Houston on Mar 30, 2011 9:11 AM CDT reply actions

Big tip of the hat to you, Trips Right. Thanks to the insights and passion for basketball you laid out here all season, I got into the game for the first time and followed it with pretty much the same zeal as for the two real sports (not holding the resulting disappointment against you at all).

One thing, if you’d write at a master’s level rather than doctoral, you might get me to the point of considering there are three main sports. Looking forward to 2011-2012. Don’t go away.

by OldTimeHorn on Mar 30, 2011 9:11 AM CDT reply actions

Great post, Trips. PB has a nice discussion going over at BON as well.

If Rodney Terry does indeed leave for the Lamar job, Pat Knight would be a home run hire in the assistant role. I think there’s a good chance he would take it if offered. Barnes and Bob Knight are good friends, and Pat isn’t getting another HC job this year.

Only downside to losing Terry is the risk our Canadian pipeline is ruptured. I’d also worry that Knight would generally eschew recruiting, but I think we position Chris Ogden to step up recruiting efforts and let Knight focus on the X’s & O’s.

Gerry Hamilton wouldn’t mind if we went back to Rob Lanier, the point man for the TJ Ford recruitment and current assistant under Donovan at Florida.

by jc25 on Mar 30, 2011 9:17 AM CDT reply actions

Great stuff, Trips. Thanks for putting it up.

by Jabroni on Mar 30, 2011 9:24 AM CDT reply actions

I would like to put my support in for Pat Knight. Maybe Barnes could teach him something about recruiting.

I would also have Eddie Reese come in and evaluate the training/practice regimen to make sure there is no overtraining occurring somewhere around mid-February.

by Monahorns on Mar 30, 2011 9:29 AM CDT reply actions

I think we should bring in Pat Knight and make him our HCIW.

by nordberg on Mar 30, 2011 9:54 AM CDT reply actions

Great stuff as usual.

Dont know anything about Knight but would figure he could recruit if he has something better to sell than going to Lubbock and being an afterthought in the Big XII.

Overtraining looks like an issue to me. This team really hit a wall again. In the middle part of the decade that didnt happen.

BTW did anyone else think maybe even Coach K got taken to school a bit in the Arizona-Duke game? Thought Duke came unraveled which surprised me given their tremendous guard play.

by bullzak on Mar 30, 2011 10:40 AM CDT reply actions

BTW did anyone else think maybe even Coach K got taken to school a bit in the Arizona-Duke game? Thought Duke came unraveled which surprised me given their tremendous guard play.

It happens from time to time. UNC did it earlier this season.

by Bob in Houston on Mar 30, 2011 11:22 AM CDT reply actions

… rather than making an NBA visit this off season, perhaps Barnes should invite Shaka Smart to Austin. It’s been a blast watching VCU get open shots from curls off of single, double, and staggered screens; drives and kickouts to the wings; and even adequate freethrow shooting by their bigs.

by VirginiaLonghorn on Mar 30, 2011 11:26 AM CDT reply actions

nordberg said: March 30th, 2011 at 7:54 am
I think we should bring in Pat Knight and make him our HCIW.

If you own a cat or dog I hope they get a horrible case of worms, then take a long nap on your bed, right next to your pillow.

by Texoz on Mar 30, 2011 11:30 AM CDT reply actions

“. . . you won’t find many coaches who can game plan a superstar out of a game more effectively than Barnes.”

Except in the case of one Carmelo Anthony, for whom Rick had no answer back in 2003.

by nietztsuki on Mar 30, 2011 11:46 AM CDT reply actions

The most salient point in this post is that all of Barnes’ assistants are former players. He needs to let either Oggie or Paulino go and go after someone who has coached in a great offensive system. Maybe Knight, maybe someone else. There have to be others out there as well.

Terry has proven himself to be a very good recruiter. I’ve met Oggie and he’s a nice guy, but he’s not all that bright. Also, he isn’t nearly the recruiter Terry is…Avery Bradley sought us out. As far as Paulino, I don’t know anything about him except that he is young, and he knows no other offenses than what Barnes has either coached or had suggested to him.

by Frank the Plank on Mar 30, 2011 11:48 AM CDT reply actions

“I would also have Eddie Reese come in and evaluate the training/practice regimen to make sure there is no overtraining occurring somewhere around mid-February.”

I thought this was something Barnes did a long time ago – talked to Reese about tapering.

by JUICE on Mar 30, 2011 1:58 PM CDT reply actions

Gabe Muoneke is available.

by Vasherized on Mar 30, 2011 2:00 PM CDT reply actions

Well done Trips. After a week plus to ease the pain of the Az loss, things seem a little brighter. I have always thought that Barnes’ teams play hard, don’t quit and will rarely get embarrassed. Given D Williams’ dominance of Duke and UConn, UT’s defense on him was a thing of beauty. Offensive game-planning and in-game adjustments are Barnes’ weakness and need to be addressed. Assuming everyone comes back, next years team could be an offensive power. In such case Barnes will need to push the pace and extend the game. Superior teams will generally win with more possessions.

by TypeO on Mar 30, 2011 4:07 PM CDT reply actions

No way I am going to hold the Carmelo Anthony deal against Barnes.

Guy was a beast from day one and combine that with a long athletic Syracuse team that had mastered that crazy match up zone defense and I think Texas played them about as tough as you could.

Sometimes the other guy is just a little better. The guy is killing it in the League.

by bullzak on Mar 30, 2011 4:27 PM CDT reply actions

I thought this was something Barnes did a long time ago – talked to Reese about tapering.

I think he’s fallen off the wagon.

by Bob in Houston on Mar 30, 2011 4:51 PM CDT reply actions

Except in the case of one Carmelo Anthony, for whom Rick had no answer back in 2003.

Rick actually ran everyone on the team at him, but nobody was up to it. There are probably only 4-5 guys on the planet that can bother Carmelo.

by The General on Mar 30, 2011 5:03 PM CDT reply actions

Looking ahead, I’m in more of the Cormac McCarthy mindset.

by Wyatt on Mar 30, 2011 5:06 PM CDT reply actions

I like bringing in Pat Knight for motion and spacing, but I doubt we go white out if Rodney Terry leaves.

by The General on Mar 30, 2011 5:06 PM CDT reply actions

Frank:

You are underestimating Chris as a recruiter and as a facilitator between Barnes and the players — big time.

by srr50 on Mar 30, 2011 6:34 PM CDT reply actions

This was all excellent—Pat Knight is an intriguing possibility—and I am in violent agreement. But I still want someone to acknowledge the fact that in the 2007 Big 12 Championship, up 3 at the end of regulation, we came out in a 2-3 zone. It will take years before I can fully forgive Barnes for that.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VEOav757r4k

He designed a defense for a last shot that a) picked up full-court, and then dropped at half-court?, and 2) left his perimeter player with the 7’1" wingspan 15 feet from the 3 pt line. So let’s all calm down a little with this “ZOMG Barnes is the greatest defensive coach EVARRRR” He had a good year.

by Barnestarded on Mar 31, 2011 4:43 PM CDT reply actions

Frank the Plank said:

March 30th, 2011 at 9:48 am

ITA.

by Joetx on Apr 4, 2011 11:44 AM CDT reply actions

Watching the tournament this year shows that the Texas talent is possibly the best in the country. yet this team didn’t even make the Sweet 16. Seeing Connecticutt in the finals, a team that beat the Horns by one in OT, you know that Texas was and is as good as any team in the country this year. So why have they been home hitting the books for 2 weeks while less talented teams keep playing in front of huge crowds. Is it the coaching? Is it lack of preparation? Is it lack of experience?

Frankly, I’m sick of seeing the Horns be the best team in the country in January and not even a top 20 team in March. I think Rick Barnes has taken this program as far as he is capable of taking it. Give him credit for building a program on the verge of being a consistent top 5. But it is time to bring in the guy that can get this team to the promised land. Just like Joshua replaced Moses and led the Israelites into the ‘promised land’ Rick Barnes needs his Joshua.

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by Brazilian JiuJitsu on Feb 2, 2012 4:57 PM CST reply actions