The Jacobson Pattern

[Panthers#1]

Well, as I sit here watching the meltdown of the 2nd half of the UNI vs. ISU game, I started thinking of how we basically go from 1st/2nd (2014/2015 season) to almost guaranteed to be playing on Thursday at MVC tourney this year.

As I was pondering this thought, I realized that this has become a pattern of Ben Jacobson as a head coach.

When Jacobson took over, in 2006, his first two seasons (06-07, 07-08) UNI finished middle of the pack (06-07: 18-13, 9-9; 07-08: 18-14, 9-9) with no postseason tourney's.

Fans were used to McDermott's success and after those two season, fans were getting antsy/questioning if this was the right guy.

All of a sudden in the 08-09 season, life sprang back into the program and UNI came out of nowhere to win the regular season MVC title and 3 games in STL to receive a NCAA tourney bid where they lost to Purdue in the first round.

In the 09-10 season, we all know what happened. UNI wins the conference title, wins the MVC tourney title, MVC coach of the year, MVC player of the year, upsets #1 ranked Kansas and goes to the Sweet 16. Life was good, we have officially found our coach hopefully forever, and we can continue looking forward toward great times.

Then in the 10-11 season, UNI finishes 20-14, 10-8. A mediocre finish but that was to be expected with the loss of all of those seniors (A. Koch, Ali, Egelseder, and probably a few others). There was a CIT tourney bid but really who cares about that.

The next 3 yrs. (11-12, 12-13, 13-14) were basically all middle of the road finishes. 2011-2012: 20-14, 9-9; 2012-2013: 21-15, 11-7; 2013-2014: 16-15, 10-8. There were NIT and CIT tourney bids sprinkled in there but if you really think those are successful seasons, then you and I have a very different definition of success.

Then last year, 2014-2015, back to prominence. 31-4, 16-2, MVC tourney title, MVC player of the year, MVC coach of the year, and gave Louisville a run for their money in the Big Dance.

Now after the ISU game, here we are in 2015-2016 season: 10-11, 2-6. I think by now, you can all see the pattern. It will probably be 3-4 seasons (including this season) before Jacobson has a pretty good year and gets UNI back to the Big Dance. Until then, there will be seasons where we finish average or below average (this season).

Now, I AM NOT SAYING WE SHOULD FIRE JACOBSON. He has defiantly done great things for the program and taken UNI to national prominence. This is just the reality that we are in for. I'm still going to attend UNI basketball games and cheer on the Panthers. I'm still going to STL to watch UNI and cheer them on (although it looks to be a short trip based on how we are playing). I guess I know that in the back of my mind, I'm really looking forward towards the 2018-2019 season based on the Jacobson pattern. Sounds kind of pessimistic but that's just the way I'm feeling right now.

You can agree, disagree, or add some different view points that I haven't thought of.


DISCUSS!!!!

[run&blade]

Re: The Jacobson Pattern

The players that take them to their next NCAA currently don't play.

[Panther100]

Re: The Jacobson Pattern

Well, as I sit here watching the meltdown of the 2nd half of the UNI vs. ISU game, I started thinking of how we basically go from 1st/2nd (2014/2015 season) to almost guaranteed to be playing on Thursday at MVC tourney this year.

As I was pondering this thought, I realized that this has become a pattern of Ben Jacobson as a head coach.

When Jacobson took over, in 2006, his first two seasons (06-07, 07-08) UNI finished middle of the pack (06-07: 18-13, 9-9; 07-08: 18-14, 9-9) with no postseason tourney's.

Fans were used to McDermott's success and after those two season, fans were getting antsy/questioning if this was the right guy.

All of a sudden in the 08-09 season, life sprang back into the program and UNI came out of nowhere to win the regular season MVC title and 3 games in STL to receive a NCAA tourney bid where they lost to Purdue in the first round.

In the 09-10 season, we all know what happened. UNI wins the conference title, wins the MVC tourney title, MVC coach of the year, MVC player of the year, upsets #1 ranked Kansas and goes to the Sweet 16. Life was good, we have officially found our coach hopefully forever, and we can continue looking forward toward great times.

Then in the 10-11 season, UNI finishes 20-14, 10-8. A mediocre finish but that was to be expected with the loss of all of those seniors (A. Koch, Ali, Egelseder, and probably a few others). There was a CIT tourney bid but really who cares about that.

The next 3 yrs. (11-12, 12-13, 13-14) were basically all middle of the road finishes. 2011-2012: 20-14, 9-9; 2012-2013: 21-15, 11-7; 2013-2014: 16-15, 10-8. There were NIT and CIT tourney bids sprinkled in there but if you really think those are successful seasons, then you and I have a very different definition of success.

Then last year, 2014-2015, back to prominence. 31-4, 16-2, MVC tourney title, MVC player of the year, MVC coach of the year, and gave Louisville a run for their money in the Big Dance.

Now after the ISU game, here we are in 2015-2016 season: 10-11, 2-6. I think by now, you can all see the pattern. It will probably be 3-4 seasons (including this season) before Jacobson has a pretty good year and gets UNI back to the Big Dance. Until then, there will be seasons where we finish average or below average (this season).

Now, I AM NOT SAYING WE SHOULD FIRE JACOBSON. He has defiantly done great things for the program and taken UNI to national prominence. This is just the reality that we are in for. I'm still going to attend UNI basketball games and cheer on the Panthers. I'm still going to STL to watch UNI and cheer them on (although it looks to be a short trip based on how we are playing). I guess I know that in the back of my mind, I'm really looking forward towards the 2018-2019 season based on the Jacobson pattern. Sounds kind of pessimistic but that's just the way I'm feeling right now.

You can agree, disagree, or add some different view points that I haven't thought of.


DISCUSS!!!!

I have had my moments on the board blaming Coach. I think he knows the x's and o's. Although the past teaches lessons, the future looks bright. I see more quickness/depth/shooting next season. I think we will make the NIT. Who knows, maybe we snag the automatic Dance bid with a late season push.

[GonzoCat]

Re: The Jacobson Pattern

We are a guard oriented program. We start 4 guards, but only have one guard to come off the bench to spell the 4, or more typically we go to a 3 guard line up with an extra F/C. This, and a lack of conditioning, is why our team is worn out by the middle of the second half or sooner. It is going to be worse next year. We graduated 3 starting guards and only have two guards on the bench to replace them. To even start 4 next year we need a true freshman in the lineup. We are going to have to play a couple true freshman next year, ready or not, unless we want to throw away another year before it even starts.

So yes we are clearly 3-4 years away from the kind of season that makes us worry about keeping our coach, I've said this several times already. I don't know if it's a pattern. The game is so much mental I can hardly stand to watch. How do a group of highly talented guys who have been playing bb their whole lives go 12 minutes without making a basket? How does an opposing player who has shot 5-22 on 3 pointers the first 8 conference games go 5-6 against us? If you think that has anything to do with our defense you are crazy. The coach has to be more of a mental motivator than anything else. I have no idea how they do that, not sure Jake does either.

[SteinPizza]

Re: The Jacobson Pattern

We are a guard oriented program. We start 4 guards, but only have one guard to come off the bench to spell the 4, or more typically we go to a 3 guard line up with an extra F/C. This, and a lack of conditioning, is why our team is worn out by the middle of the second half or sooner. It is going to be worse next year. We graduated 3 starting guards and only have two guards on the bench to replace them. To even start 4 next year we need a true freshman in the lineup. We are going to have to play a couple true freshman next year, ready or not, unless we want to throw away another year before it even starts.

So yes we are clearly 3-4 years away from the kind of season that makes us worry about keeping our coach, I've said this several times already. I don't know if it's a pattern. The game is so much mental I can hardly stand to watch. How do a group of highly talented guys who have been playing bb their whole lives go 12 minutes without making a basket? How does an opposing player who has shot 5-22 on 3 pointers the first 8 conference games go 5-6 against us? If you think that has anything to do with our defense you are crazy. The coach has to be more of a mental motivator than anything else. I have no idea how they do that, not sure Jake does either.

Gonzo, I'll slightly disagree with a couple of points. At times, our 3 point defense is bad. We've allowed a few opponents, and individual players, to get a lot of open looks from beyond the arc. You saw it last night as well. Guys late in getting over to get a hand in a shooter's face. Not sure of the "why" behind that, but that's on the defense.

On offense, it's a little more obvious, IMO. We have one playmaker on the floor, which makes the other players too easy to guard. Sorry for the broken record.

[Panther100]

Re: The Jacobson Pattern

Gonzo, I'll slightly disagree with a couple of points. At times, our 3 point defense is bad. We've allowed a few opponents, and individual players, to get a lot of open looks from beyond the arc. You saw it last night as well. Guys late in getting over to get a hand in a shooter's face. Not sure of the "why" behind that, but that's on the defense.

On offense, it's a little more obvious, IMO. We have one playmaker on the floor, which makes the other players too easy to guard. Sorry for the broken record.

It's tougher to fight thru screens and or close out on the three line when five players have injuries i.e. back, knee, knee, wrist, and hip. I think Jake has made progress and learned from his mistakes.

[UNIChippewa]

Re: The Jacobson Pattern

I think when I look back on Ben Jacobson's career so far at UNI, I wouldn't write that's it been full of peaks and valleys, as much as I would write that it's been full of peaks and foothills; meaning that, even as bad as this season is at the moment, Ben Jacobson has still (to this point) never finished below .500 in the MVC, even during his worst seasons.

As poorly as we're playing right now, we still have a chance to at least finish .500 in the MVC, although it will take 7 wins in the next 10 games to do it, which could be far-fetched. I did some homework on a terrific website called sports-reference.com, which I will link to, and the last time we had a four game losing streak was all the way back in the 2007-08 season (we also had a five game losing streak back in Jacobson's first season, 2006-07).

As for our struggles this season I've seen a few posters reference our depth (or lack of it), and I really don't think it's so much a lack of depth in terms of numbers (plenty of college basketball teams employ an 8-man rotation) as much as it is a lack of skill set and production; last season, when we were one of the deepest teams in the nation, we could bring in guys like Buss and Wes (plus Paul and Wyatt) and not lose anything in terms of scoring threats or offensive production (and sometimes get a big boost in scoring); this season a guy like Ted Friedmann isn't going to give us the instant offense that Nate did, although he plays good defense and is good for a rebound or two. Klint has shown flashes of potential, but is inconsistent. Wyatt is playing out of position, and it shows. I don't think our guys get tired so much (IMO they shouldn't when you have an 8-man rotation), but I do think we have an extremely slim margin of error when it comes to our skill sets (or lack thereof).

Here's the link to that website I mentioned earlier...

http://www.sports-reference.com/cbb/schools/northern-iowa/

[Khan4Cats]

Re: The Jacobson Pattern

Sorry Chippewa, we lost four in a row in 2010-11: Last three regular season and first one in St. Louis.

[UNIChippewa]

Re: The Jacobson Pattern

Sorry Chippewa, we lost four in a row in 2010-11: Last three regular season and first one in St. Louis.

You're right, I obviously missed that the first time.

Either way, it's been a while since we've been mired in this kind of funk.

[Khan4Cats]

Re: The Jacobson Pattern

You're right, I obviously missed that the first time.

Either way, it's been a while since we've been mired in this kind of funk.

Indeed. Haven't had to deal with big injuries for several years and now we're all getting banged up at the same time. That fall Wes took in Hawaii started a whole snowball effect.

['70 Grad]

Re: The Jacobson Pattern

I see on that site that the two years with the highest defensive averages in the last 10 were '14 & this year. (The same for offense.) Not saying that that is the current problem, but it is interesting. The rules have changed, but faster paced games have not been our friend - even if generally more fun to watch.

[Panther100]

Re: The Jacobson Pattern

I think when I look back on Ben Jacobson's career so far at UNI, I wouldn't write that's it been full of peaks and valleys, as much as I would write that it's been full of peaks and foothills; meaning that, even as bad as this season is at the moment, Ben Jacobson has still (to this point) never finished below .500 in the MVC, even during his worst seasons.

As poorly as we're playing right now, we still have a chance to at least finish .500 in the MVC, although it will take 7 wins in the next 10 games to do it, which could be far-fetched. I did some homework on a terrific website called sports-reference.com, which I will link to, and the last time we had a four game losing streak was all the way back in the 2007-08 season (we also had a five game losing streak back in Jacobson's first season, 2006-07).

As for our struggles this season I've seen a few posters reference our depth (or lack of it), and I really don't think it's so much a lack of depth in terms of numbers (plenty of college basketball teams employ an 8-man rotation) as much as it is a lack of skill set and production; last season, when we were one of the deepest teams in the nation, we could bring in guys like Buss and Wes (plus Paul and Wyatt) and not lose anything in terms of scoring threats or offensive production (and sometimes get a big boost in scoring); this season a guy like Ted Friedmann isn't going to give us the instant offense that Nate did, although he plays good defense and is good for a rebound or two. Klint has shown flashes of potential, but is inconsistent. Wyatt is playing out of position, and it shows. I don't think our guys get tired so much (IMO they shouldn't when you have an 8-man rotation), but I do think we have an extremely slim margin of error when it comes to our skill sets (or lack thereof).

Here's the link to that website I mentioned earlier...

http://www.sports-reference.com/cbb/...northern-iowa/

I tend to not look at anything in those past seasons. The reason is rules and talent level changes. I think Coach and the team are learning from their mistakes. Yes, we lack depth, quickness, and athleticism. I think we win five more games this season. Next season although there will be 5 new players in the 10 man rotation, there will be better talent. I think we're in the NIT in 16-17/ The Dance 17-18 seasons.

[unipanthers8907]

Re: The Jacobson Pattern

Then in the 10-11 season, UNI finishes 20-14, 10-8. A mediocre finish but that was to be expected with the loss of all of those seniors (A. Koch, Ali, Egelseder, and probably a few others). There was a CIT tourney bid but really who cares about that.

I will say that I honestly think we make the NCAA Tournament in 2011 if O'Rear doesn't get injured. He got injured near the end of the Illinois State game, which we won to improve to 9-3 in MVC play. That was our 8th straight win and moved us into a tie for 2nd place with Missouri State who went on to win the regular season title that year. Indiana State won 3 games in 3 days to claim the autobid in STL. After O'Rear went down we were 1-6 to close out the regular season.

[Born-a-Panther]

Re: The Jacobson Pattern

I will say that I honestly think we make the NCAA Tournament in 2011 if O'Rear doesn't get injured. He got injured near the end of the Illinois State game, which we won to improve to 9-3 in MVC play. That was our 8th straight win and moved us into a tie for 2nd place with Missouri State who went on to win the regular season title that year. Indiana State won 3 games in 3 days to claim the autobid in STL. After O'Rear went down we were 1-6 to close out the regular season.

Yup. I've always believed we would have danced that year had Lucas not gone down.

[dan_beeding]

Re: The Jacobson Pattern

The other night, I was chatting with a former Drake coach who was on the bench for the Emmenecker season and he had some really funny stories. The O'Rear thing made me think of it.

-He (and the rest of the team) hated O'Rear. So much so, that at one point he yelled expletives at him from the bench as O'Rear stared them down after a dunk. It was hilarious to hear him talk about how much he hated that "big red head with the mutton chops."

-He said Adam was a scout team player and I can't remember the exact circumstances, but his Sr year, someone went down or couldn't make the trip to a tourney so Adam went. They put him in just to see if he was serviceable, and the rest was history.

-He remembered the Drake/UNI game at the McLeod specifically and what a fun environment that was. I haven't looked it up and I could be mistaken, but was that the one where Egelseder had a couple free throws to either tie or take the lead late in the game and clanked?

-He also said that Keno was in early one Saturday morning, and when he asked Keno what he was doing, Keno asked him how to book a flight. Turns out he was trying to book a flight to Providence for his interview, and the guy unwittingly helped him seal the deal with Providence.

I don't think anything that he said was confidential--he was, after all, telling me this the second time we've ever talked-- but I won't name a name just in case. It was really cool to hear about that stuff from a different perspective.