ND <t>So Elko is interviewing for the job. Great! Best and most encouraging news I've heard in a long while. Kelly needs to get this deal done and get this guy working on and off the field in a hurry. Maybe there is a light at the end of this tunnel after all.</t>
If it's like any of our other hires, it won't be quick. ND since the O'Leary fiasco has been doing more extensive background checks on these new coaches. One thing I do hope is that Elko is a dynamic recruiter and hard working. I kept hearing that BVG was a reluctant recruiter and there were some other dead weights in recruiting on the staff as well. Saban wouldn't put up with that, nor would Urban Meyer. Kelly himself needs to work as hard at recruiting as Urban and Nick as well.
Mailik Zaire has narrowed it down to Wisconsin or UNC and will announce early next week. Big game coming this weekend with Purdue for the Irish Mens Basketball. It's the Crossroads Classic. Purdue has a lot of size inside, something the Irish have very little of at this time. Although Martin Gebben looked decent vs Villanova. In some games he's fouled out in less than 15 minutes though. Bonzie Colson gives up a lot of height to the Purdue front line that's for sure. From a Purdue site.
Apparently, the Elko hire is close to reality. http://www.cbssports.com/college-fo...defensive-coordinator-who-helmed-top-20-unit/
Terry said he's a 3-4 guy at Wake Forest, but here's an excerpt from an article by Eric Hansen of the SBT:
ND <r>Hearing Bill Polian may be coming back too. <E></E> ST coach. He was a pretty good recruiter.</r>
Hearing the same thing Tim. He's been some good places since he left hear. He should be especially helpful with West Coast recruiting
I sure hope VJ Beachem shows up today vs Purdue, can't have another 0 fer type of performance from VJ if we are to beat Purdue.
Well Irish go down to the Boilermakers. Irish had a great first half but Purdue outplayed us in the 2nd half. Tough loss.
I don't understand that game. We were terrible in the 1st half. And maybe we outplayed you in the 2nd half but it didn't seem like by very much except for the first few minutes. It's been a long time since we beat the Irish and the first win ever for us in that 6 year old Indy tournament. Purdue guys were saying "Why do we even play in this thing every year...all we do is suck." I almost didn't watch the second half. Farrell was amazing...is he always that good?
Matt Farrell has been having a great year Stu. He hardly played at all his first 2 years, and a lot of fans dreaded having him as our starting PG this season, thought that by conference season that the freshman Gibbs would take the job. Shows you how much fans know. I'll have to go along with what the announcers said, Purdue left Haas on the bench and gave Swanagin the room to operate inside and also they became more aggressive. And as so often happens in Basketball, when you are red hot it comes to an end and you can't make a shot. That's what happened to us in the start of the 2nd half, plus of course you guys really came out and played with some fire. We are definitely more of a 3 pt shooting team than a team that penetrates and when our shooters go cold it's tough on us to score. That lack of agressiveness on our part is part of the reason why we didn't get to the foul line all that much. Congrats on the win. Purdue has a nice team and while I don't know enough about the B1G, I'd say you'll be one of the better B1G teams this year.
I watched Purdue vs. Nova and ND vs. Nova, and I knew we would have problems with Purdue, who played Nova tough right down to the end. I was shocked when we jumped out to the huge lead in the 1st half, just like we had done vs. Nova. IMO the difference in the game was Purdue's bench strength and 2nd half defense. Purdue has 9-10 players rotating in and out with no loss in ability at either end of the court. We've seen in the last week that we tire in the second half vs. very good teams. Swanigan is a man. I agree with Stu that without Haas in the game, he owned the lane. Witness the late drive to the hoop by Vasturia, who normally makes that shot and/or gets fouled. Swanigan adjusted and swatted it away, a very athletic move.
I forgot how tough Purdue played Villanova. Sid's analysis is spot on. This team is a good team, but we've got probably a 10 or 12 loss season ahead of us at best given how tough the ACC is going to be this year.
I think this was two good teams looking for their first "good" win. Not sure how we came out with it because most of the game I'm thinking "Same ol' Same 'ol"... But I think you guys will be fine.
Stu, I've been watching Purdue basketball for a long time on TV here in Indiana. I would describe their style under Painter as blue collar. No flash and dash. Just solid defense and capable offense. This season he has more depth of talent than I recall plus he has Swanigan. I expect Purdue to make a run at the Big 10 championship. They will be competing with IU who has a style virtually opposite Purdue's and who lost tonight to a very good Butler team whose defense stifled IU's 3-point shooting in the 1st half and who refused to lose when IU came storming back at the end. I expect the 4 Indiana teams to remain in the top 25 after this weekend.