NEVER SURRENDER

With the injury to Chris Boucher, the Oregon men’s basketball team simply did not look like themselves for much of the game. And they weren’t.

Don’t give up on this team, though, because they still have the one thing going for them that can overcome adversity. No, not heart, grit, or any other term for playing hard. They have Dana Altman.

Watching a team mate go down during the conference tournament with an injury is difficult. During the tourney, when games are played on three consecutive nights, teams do not have a great amount of time to game plan. By the time Boucher’s injury became known, the game plan for Arizona was set and there were no ‘contingency’ game plans for an injury; there just was not enough time. Yet, despite the lack of a plan, the team showed glimpses of championship potential down the stretch.

It was documented multiple times during the broadcast that the team was extremely upset and emotional following the news. And they played like a team full of mixed emotions.

Dillon Brooks carried the team in the first half keeping Oregon close, but the second half looked bleak at the midway point. All appearances suggested that the team had played on emotion in the first half and was spent. Down by 14 points with thirteen minutes to play, they looked dead in the water. That is when Dana Altman took over.

Given time to get this team ready, even short-handed, they looked able to play with – and beat – anyone in the nation. Altman might be one of the absolute finest in-game coaches in the nation. He does not have the collection of five-star talent that Sean Miller, Steve Alford, John Calipari, or any of the ‘blue blood’ basketball programs. Yet he still wins as many games. That is the Dana Altman effect.

The game plan will have to change going forward; but when the staff has time to change the help defense, Jordan Bell will once again be a fearsome shot blocker. When Altman has time to re-work his substitution rotation, he will find the lost points and versatility of Boucher elsewhere.

Don’t sell this team short because as long as they have Dana Altman and Dillon Brooks, they are going to have a chance to win against anyone.

DREAMS AND REALITY

Quite the debate (in a positive manner) has raged on the boards this week. Dream school. Dream offer. It is a term thrown around some. It is even possibly misused by some of the athletes when referring to offers as a dream come true.

Keep in mind, though, dream school or dream offer does not mean that you commit on the spot. Talking to these recruits on a regular basis now, it becomes somewhat clear that the term and the feeling is not obsequious for the purpose of making an interviewer feel good – it is real.

So why not ‘jump’ into a dream come true? That is the other thing gained from talking to recruits, an understanding of the complicated nature of recruiting and the thought processes of recruits. Recruiting has evolved tenfold in the last ten years. With the now inherent knowledge of how the process works, upcoming prospects are much more aware of the pitfalls of recruiting. They now the ins and outs far better than their predecessors. The information age and all that.

So, while Oregon is a dream offer for many, it is not an ‘auto-commit’ for a reason. We spoke with a recruit this weekend who really loves the Oregon program; he called it an elite program, maybe the best program in the nation (his words). The vision is there. But he also told us that he needs to be sure that he makes the right decision without emotion taking over.

Of course, one other thing is going to have to happen for some recruits to completely buy in for the class of 2018 – they are going to have to see the product on the field. That chance will come with spring practices and the Spring Game. We know that Willie Taggart and his staff are working to build a huge Junior Day visit list for that game – and we expect a level of energy and excitement surrounding the game not seen at Oregon for the Spring Game since at least 2011.

We also believe that spring football will be when the fruits of the coaches labor begin to pay dividends. We said in Flock Talk this week that patience mattered. So too does determination. Willie Taggart is not operating under the misguided notion that every kid who loves the program; its uniforms, flashy offense, facilities, and ‘swag’; is going to commit on the spot.

Taggart and co. are working to build something more than commitments for the class of 2018; they are developing relationships. They are developing depth in their approach to building the future. They don’t give up, they never surrender.