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OswegoBruin
Joined: 11/11/10 Posts: 16,957
What I feel Cronin needs to do to save this program.
Posted Mon, Mar 24 10:41 am
I've made no secret about my feelings about CMC. I do not think he'll get us where we need to go. But in the spirit of looking to the future, here's what I think he needs to do:

-He needs to retain Aday Mara. Yes, I know, I'm a broken record. But in my droning nonsense, I hope I've at least made a convincing case of Mara's impact while he's on the floor this season, including against top competition. I think his impact was obvious in the tournament. He needs to be priority #1, and he needs to start next year and play a minimum of 25 mpg. I think the rest of the roster should be built around him doing so.

-We need to retain Skyy Clark. I think Skyy is an extremely underrated player, and I think he was left on an island by Andrews' terrible play. And in all, he did, in my opinion, a very good job. Can we appreciate that he ended the season with the highest Assist/turnover ratio on the team, and in case you think that's a "small sample size", he was second on the team in assist percentage. He needs to improve his defense, needs to attack the rim more, and needs to shoot more. But otherwise, I would not mind at all if he started at PG. (we're not getting Donovan Dent, just like we're not getting Brayden Burries).

-We need to retain Eric Dailey. I know this one will be controversial, as he had a poor finish to the season. It's obvious to everyone he needs to improve his defense, whether it's out to three or on the interior. We don't need him to be a huge rim protector, we just need him to do a better job defending while not fouling. We need him because he pairs extremely well with Mara, brings needed athleticism, and because he's a very good 3pt shooter for a big, who can also score inside at a high level. I think an entire offseason of chemistry development with him and Aday would do wonders, and he should start at PF alongside Mara. Tyler should come off the bench. Sorry not sorry.

-Andrews, Harris, and Mack need to be asked to transfer. Andrews is obvious, and the efforts gone to to obtain Harris seem absurd now. Who didn't we get because we focused so much on Harris? Mack got progressively worse as the season went on.

-Lastly, he needs to hire an offensive assistant to run our offense. The "hand the ball off above the break" ---t isn't going to cut it anymore. We are too easily scouted, and too easily stopped.

If we can do that, and fill the roster with guys who pair well with Mara, we will be in a better place.
"Every day at UCLA was a good day." -Coach John Wooden
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UCLAlaw94
Joined: 9/07/19 Posts: 694
It's a single issue: $
Posted Mon, Mar 24 10:52 am
In response to What I feel Cronin needs to do to save this program. (OswegoBruin)
Every requirement you listed is solved by one condition only -- the amount of $ offered to obtain the required service.

Give the Men of Westwood enough cash, and Mick can do all those things. Continue on an NIL budget of $1million per year, as I understand we have been (but will of course be corrected if wrong), and Mick can achieve one or two of your requests at most.

My advice is pick a team from the South to start rooting for or hope for very substantial rule changes.
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bruin85
Joined: 10/05/12 Posts: 2,282
Agree and would add
Posted Mon, Mar 24 11:09 am
In response to What I feel Cronin needs to do to save this program. (OswegoBruin)
That we need to retain Trent Perry. I know he looked tentative at times, but it has to be difficult playing always looking over your shoulder and/or afraid to make a mistake.

I would not mind if Kyle transferred. Seems like a great kid, good attitude, but maybe we could use a bigger guy to bang with the B10 centers.

I was going to say that maybe Devin Williams could provide what Kyle did, but I just saw that Devin Williams has entered NCAA transfer portal.
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B.O. Barnguy
Joined: 6/19/23 Posts: 89
Coach paints a bleak future.
Posted Mon, Mar 24 3:03 pm
In response to What I feel Cronin needs to do to save this program. (OswegoBruin)
Hard to find much inspiration from Coach’s last presser. Full court pressure for more resources?
It’s hard to not appreciate, the hard work and time of the players and the coaching staff.
Being a full time student and being fully invested in the team, requires great dedication and commitment.
Being a Bruin fan for over half a century, thank-you for the year! Looking forward to better times’

big game 2
Joined: 2/06/09 Posts: 3,296
I agree with every word...
Posted Mon, Mar 24 3:11 pm
In response to What I feel Cronin needs to do to save this program. (OswegoBruin)
I would say firstly(not lastly), he needs to hire an offensive assistant to run our offense.

Great spot on post Oswego!

lakershen
Joined: 1/08/25 Posts: 205
The key is Mara and everything else will follow
Posted Mon, Mar 24 3:15 pm
In response to What I feel Cronin needs to do to save this program. (OswegoBruin)
The key is not only to keep Mara but to build a team around him. It's the only way to save this program in the near future.

Unfortunately, it's unclear if Cronin will put his personal ego aside, step out of his comfort zone, and commit to doing so. If he continues to build teams around physical players and overemphasizes hard-nosed defense, Mara will never become "his guy." Simply put, it's just not the right fit. Mara and his family will have a tough decision to make this offseason.
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123456bt
Joined: 1/16/14 Posts: 14,662
curious. did you hear or read
Posted Mon, Mar 24 9:57 pm
In response to What I feel Cronin needs to do to save this program. (OswegoBruin)
about Harris's recruitment. The "effort" part.

123456bt
Joined: 1/16/14 Posts: 14,662
A or B?
Posted Mon, Mar 24 10:03 pm (Edited Mon, Mar 24 10:11 pm)
In response to What I feel Cronin needs to do to save this program. (OswegoBruin)
A...Mara back with a solid backcourt

B...An outstanding backcourt with a solid center

You can have anything but not have everything. Tradeoffs.

I am about guards unless the kid is Jabbar. Just me, though.
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Jeff
Joined: 8/21/24 Posts: 30
Cronin
Posted Tue, Mar 25 11:10 am
In response to What I feel Cronin needs to do to save this program. (OswegoBruin)
Basketball is different than football in that football has an offense and defense with different players so you need a different coach. If Cronin has an ordinary offensive mind and you believe as I do that offense is 75 % of the sport than perhaps it is time to look for a replacement.

BRUINS 1
Joined: 1/28/05 Posts: 19,758
I could see him leaving
Posted Tue, Mar 25 11:50 am
In response to What I feel Cronin needs to do to save this program. (OswegoBruin)
His blow up in a presser earlier, his presser now regarding resources. All of it, to me reflects pressure and a belief that factors other than his coaching are holding him back. Maybe I’m misreading it.
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