Coach Schertz on the Radio, 9/18, 9/29

[HoosierPal]

Coach was on 101 ESPN this morning on the Opening Drive.  https://www.101espn.com/episode/saint-louis-mens-basketball-hc-josh-schertz-2/

His family has settled into their new house, about a 15 minute drive from campus.  He hasn't had much time to play pickleball or tennis this summer.

Biggest challenge in college sports is now chemistry.  In this age you have too many teams with five independent contractors wearing the same jersey.  There is a big diference between wearing the same jersey and being a team.  He is working on having the team make connections inside the locker room. 

He was very high on Thames, saying he injects energy into the team.  He is working extremely hard in the gym on his game.  He is great going downhill and his shot has improved.  He can play with the ball in his hands.  He said that in the past 2 weeks Thames is as good as anyone in the program.  Anya brings great size and is the best rebounder, both offensive and defensive, on the team.   Says he can guard Avila and Swope.  Super smart coming from the Ivy League.

Swope and Avila have a great impact on the team.  They both have the vision of what Schertz wants to the court and locker room.  Swope can play lead guard position. 

Schertz "Gibson has blown me away'.  None of the three returnee's came to SLU to play for me.  But they have been great.  Gibson's volume and efficiency are amazing.  He isn't a vocal leader but sets the tone on how to play by example.

Loves the academics at SLU and Champions Center and Chaifetz.  Says they don't lose recruits due to facilities. 

 

[Wendelprof]

I was never "all in" on Coach Ford because I was never convinced he was much more than a great recruiter.  It is early on, but I'm quickly going all in on Coach Schertz.  He may not be able to achieve everything we'd like, but I think he truly understands what a coach should do: recruit the right kind of kids for SLU, coach them up to the best of the coaches' abilities, and make sure (to the best of one's abilities) they have the chemistry so that the whole is greater than the sum of its parts.  

I don't know how succesful he'll be on the court at SLU, but I back him, his approach, and his philosophy 100%.

[Dr Bird]

37 minutes ago, HoosierPal said:

Coach was on 101 ESPN this morning on the Opening Drive.  https://www.101espn.com/shows/the-opening-drive/  8:15 am.  (Look for the recorded podcast later.)

His family has settled into their new house, about a 15 minute drive from campus.  He hasn't had much time to play pickleball or tennis this summer.

Biggest challenge in college sports is now chemistry.  In this age you have too many teams with five independent contractors wearing the same jersey.  There is a big diference between wearing the same jersey and being a team.  He is working on having the team make connections inside the locker room. 

He was very high on Thames, saying he injects energy into the team.  He is working extremely hard in the gym on his game.  He is great going downhill and his shot has improved.  He can play with the ball in his hands.  He said that in the past 2 weeks Thames is as good as anyone in the program.  Anya brings great size and is the best rebounder, both offensive and defensive, on the team.   Says he can guard Avila and Swope.  Super smart coming from the Ivy League.

Swope and Avila have a great impact on the team.  They both have the vision of what Schertz wants to the court and locker room.  Swope can play lead guard position. 

Schertz "Gibson has blown me away'.  None of the three returnee's came to SLU to play for me.  But they have been great.  Gibson's volume and efficiency are amazing.  He isn't a vocal leader but sets the tone on how to play by example.

Loves the academics at SLU and Champions Center and Chaifetz.  Says they don't lose recruits due to facilities. 

 

Good summary, thanks! 

I listened as well.

Coach Schertz just gets it.  He comes across as sincere and someone guys will love to play for. 

Notable that the topic of NIL didn't come up once.

I think Billiken basketball is in a really good place now.

[HoosierPal]

2 hours ago, Dr Bird said:

Good summary, thanks! 

I listened as well.

Coach Schertz just gets it.  He comes across as sincere and someone guys will love to play for. 

Notable that the topic of NIL didn't come up once.

I think Billiken basketball is in a really good place now.

He didn't mention NIL directly, but his comment on "five independent contractors wearing the same jersey" was pretty indicative of his thoughts on NIL.  You add that to his comments on paying freshmen in the recent PD article and you can imagine where NIL is at SLU.

[Aquinas]

Big NIL  bucks guarantees nothing. I stated in the NIL  thread that the University of Florida is number 4 in NIL money at over 700 million, but the football team is a disaster. You have to have NIL bucks to get players, but turning players into a team may be even a bigger challenge than getting the NIL donations. Right now, I don't  think UF knows what to do. 

Coach Shertz is focused on turning these players into a team and outlined how hard that is in year one and how hard it is to recruit year one. 

Whether you refer to players as independent  contractors or guys that want to play hero ball, Schertz has identified the big problem in this new era of NIL college sports.  His style of game requires team play, his recruiting targets are team oriented players and its just the way he is wired. Now every coach wants team oriented players, but not many have the discipline to make it a top priority. I think Schertz does.

[slu72]

Good posts. The real test for any coach these days is getting 13 individuals to play as 1. NIL $’s will not only impact who you can afford but also keeping your players focused on team goals rather than focusing on how their individual numbers may impact their value in the portal. 

[Old guy]

2 hours ago, Aquinas said:

Big NIL  bucks guarantees nothing. I stated in the NIL  thread that the University of Florida is number 4 in NIL money at over 700 million, but the football team is a disaster. You have to have NIL bucks to get players, but turning players into a team may be even a bigger challenge than getting the NIL donations. Right now, I don't  think UF knows what to do. 

Coach Shertz is focused on turning these players into a team and outlined how hard that is in year one and how hard it is to recruit year one. 

Whether you refer to players as independent  contractors or guys that want to play hero ball, Schertz has identified the big problem in this new era of NIL college sports.  His style of game requires team play, his recruiting targets are team oriented players and its just the way he is wired. Now every coach wants team oriented players, but not many have the discipline to make it a top priority. I think Schertz does.

Some things cannot be valued in terms of money. This should be clear to everybody. Shertz's comment about the "5 independent contractors with the same jersey" could not be more true. A really good team should play well together and as a unit, not as a group of rich players each trying to increase their take the following year.

[TheChosenOne]

@Aquinaswhat are you saying the $700 million represents for Florida?

[Aquinas]

1 hour ago, TheChosenOne said:

@Aquinaswhat are you saying the $700 million represents for Florida?

247 lists UF at 763 million in NIL. One donor gave 22.5 million. These are total cumulative donations.

[Taj79]

Don't you think that if it were as simple as having the biggest payroll or the biggest pot of money, the Yankees, Mets, Dodgers, Cowboys and Redskins would have been invincible these last few decades?

[Old guy]

2 hours ago, Taj79 said:

Don't you think that if it were as simple as having the biggest payroll or the biggest pot of money, the Yankees, Mets, Dodgers, Cowboys and Redskins would have been invincible these last few decades?

Yes and no. A lot of money does help, but it is not all there is to it for winning a championship. Money will certainly not help if your team becomes a bunch of independent contractors wearing the same jersey, as Schertz described.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     

[Billiken Rich]

4 hours ago, Taj79 said:

Don't you think that if it were as simple as having the biggest payroll or the biggest pot of money, the Yankees, Mets, Dodgers, Cowboys and Redskins would have been invincible these last few decades?

If it weren't for the salary cap my Cowboys would.......would.....still probably suck with JJ at the helm.......but the preseason hype would be even more unbearable.....

[HoosierPal]

Sept 29 interview on KMOX  (look for the segment link later today on KMOX Sports on a Sunday Morning.)

As Stu reported, Avila looks like he has a Grade 2 lateral sprain.  Two to 4 weeks recovery time is normal.  Could be back in the last exhibition game, if it goes well. You can't bubble wrap these guys and keep them on the shelf.  If you are worried about injuries, you are more apt to get hurt.  You have to build body armor in preseason practices and exhibitions.  We have had concussions and rib injuries in practice.  Casey is out a week to 10 days with hamstring strain.  Best way to prepare is go full speed and hit bodies.  Robbie earlier missed 10 days with a back flare up.  Swope missed a couple weeks earlier with a swollen knee.  This gives Kalu and Kilian and AJ, when he is back, opportunity at the Trigger.  Only issue with Robbie will be any rust buildup.  Got to have people ready to step up.

Jimerson is a dream to coach.  'Couldn't find anyone who is more of a pleasure to coach that I didn't recruit.'  Same with Hughes and Thames.  Thinks Gibson is on top end of the shooters he has coached at any location.  He can shoot off the move, great range; he is perfect for the system.  Jimerson models what Coach wants to build.  When you come in and have guys you didn't recruit, it can go two ways.  It is going the right way.  Kellen is dealing with a little bit of an achilles issue.  He missed a few days.  He was limited in the scrimmage.  Thrilled Thames received his medical waiver.  Larry has bought into the system.  Competing well defensively.  High level shooter along with Robbie, Gibson and Isaiah.  Learning how to play without the ball.  Trying to do things to impact the game other than shooting.  Becoming more of a two way player.

Jimerson said Swope is the quickest player and most explosive player he has played with or against.

Max Pikaar's potential is through roof.  He can slide his feet.  He is just scratching the surface.  Coach doesn't know when it will come together for him.  He obviously needs to develop physically.  Has to figure out cutting. He is a 6'11" target. 

Got to continue discovering the team all season.  When the season starts, the rotation and starters are not set in stone.  At ISU he didn't make much change last season.  The year before he made several changes during the season.  Three or four of the starters changed out.

 

Late Sunday Edit.  Here is the link:

https://www.audacy.com/podcast/sports-on-a-sunday-morning-2f4a4/episodes/billikens-basketball-update-coach-josh-schertz-on-robbie-avilas-injury-and-team-progression-894c7