Landen's Big Secret Revealed...
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Okay… I think we can finally put to rest WHAT is the problem with Landen…
I’m sure his slow wheel isn’t helping him, but not the reason for his lackluster performances.
I’m sure the game is moving faster, and he has to catch up to it… still not the ultimate reason for his issues.
I’m sure he has to still get used to a different lineup, but so does everyone else.
What IS his biggest hurdle to get over:
“He traced that to, “High expectations for myself going into this season. I’ve got to make sure I manage that because as a senior on this team I can’t do that. I need to get better at that.””
He is over-thinking the game. He put his expectation level through the roof, and so he is playing through his mental filter. This slows players down more than anything else. Landen just needs to play, without complicating the game, without every move he makes first passing through his mental filter.
This is the reason for him playing slow… falling well behind the live action of the ball.
Once he gets this sorted out… look out! This is all just helping him build his own personal chip!
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@drgnslayr was somewhat apprehensive on the possibility of encountering the dreaded “P” word…Whew, that was close ! As always slayr- Swish !!
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I’ve also wondered how difficult it must be for him to assimilate his game with the addition of Josh & one other new starter to the adaptation of a 4 guard offense. For 4 prior years he’s not seen a Self team run like this group can, & his learning curve likely is just much bigger at this new element than any or all of the guards. No other big body in that lineup is garnering a lot of attention & no Perry in da paint may have him reaching where he’s not been before… I’ve also wondered about that boot issue limiting practice time & reps. After all, that’s the only way to play without the thought process getting in the road. Also should HCBS get Doke & or Coleby to contribute more with less fouling, some of that self imposed pressure should subside & allow him to “just play” instead of wondering about the technical issues in the learning process. Anyway, just my nickels worth & happily place any change in today’s offering.
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In my opinion, these are the reasons why Lucas has not performed to expectations:
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No Ellis - Perry frequently drew double teams and Lucas received considerably lower attention from opponents. With Bragg playing well below expectations, teams have sagged on Lucas and neutralized him which in turn has opened up the game for the other players. I have posted before pictures of Lande going for a rebound and having 3 and even 4 players all over him and nary a foul being called.
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Refereeing - perhaps the biggest issue. KU and its players have always been known to play tough but not dirty defense and now they appear to be heavily penalized by the refs. Bills commented on some of his fouls while playing Duke and in one instance he indicated that what was a clear charging fouls was called as a blocking foul on Lucas instead. When a Dukie makes these comments, you ha e to really wonder how fouls are being called. According to write ups from yesterday’s game, Travis drew 17 fouls on KU bigs while being whistled fir only 2…what’s wrong with that picture? I get Travis is a good player…he is not THAT good.
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Expectations and new lineup - as discussed above.
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Injuries - While I agree that injuries have limited some, I don’t believe it has been the primary cause for his decline in performance.
That’s it, that’s all I have.
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Except for poor defensive positioning that led to fouls, Landen played better than in previous games. Our bigs HAVE to adjust to the refs. Why they haven’t figured this out yet is perplexing.
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No Ellis = Tributary
@drgnslayr 's overthinking = tributary
But until I see that easy, fluid motion return…
Foot = main stream.
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I do think you are right and all of these factors are what is giving him his slow start.
I wasn’t aware of his high expectation level until recently. I definitely am aware of how players slow down considerably when they overthink the game. Players’ minds have to be in “pass through” mode… which basically means letting their bodies respond to stimulus instantly in an instinctual mode. Otherwise… all of their body movements must first pass through the brain’s decision making process. Way, way too slow of a process.
Coach Self is aware of all of this. I’m sure he is actually enjoying this moment in time where he can poke a hard challenge to his bigs to step up their performance, and he has their past game performances on his side to help get these guys motivated on a higher level. I know I’m psyched over this situation. It is a perfect situation for our bigs to really take a huge leap forward in development… including Landen.
If I could rewrite the start of this season to be the perfect scenario for us, I don’t think I would change anything that has happened. My biggest concern is Landen’s bad wheel, which may just need time to heel up.
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@drgnslayr @jaybate-1.0 After playing for a big time program, pardon me, THE Big time program, can you imagine how hard it must be to face your last year. Then on top you have not gotten Bill to another FF or NC yet. The 13 year streak is starring you in the face. Many are expecting you to preform like T-Rob, Withy, Markief, or Sasha. The legends’ ghosts are in the building, stalking you.
You’ve been treated like royalty, or is that deity?, you have the best of EVERYTHING, plus you are a thoughtful, good hearted dude…and in 5-6 months it will all come down to the rigged tourney. Talk about pressure. He is 21 or 22. Still a child. Big men have big loads to carry. That 17-21 year olds can preform at such a high level is truly remarkable with the crushing pressure we put on them.
Free your mind big fella, think on what is good and true, and noble. Enjoy the final leg of the journey, and wear the mantle of the Jayhawks legacy well. Give it your best, and forget the rest.
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Extremely insightful post. Well done!
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You know there was some something arousing about seeing Lucas and Duka in at the same time. Maybe the tried and true isn’t quite dead just yet.
