ESPN Insider: Why Michigan won't drop off in '14-15

[Harry0569]

Since we are playing them, I figured I'd post this.

http://insider.espn.go.com/blog/ncbexpe ... cb_xxx_xxx

Michigan’s John Beilein has never been an assistant coach. He has coached at four different levels (junior college, NAIA, NCAA Division II and NCAA Division I) and has won 701 games along the way. He has gone from driving the van at Erie Community College to the national championship game as head coach of the Wolverines.

What makes the upstate New York native so successful? It’s more than the two-guard, four-out offense. He’s an innovator, communicator, mentor and teacher. There’s nothing flashy about Beilein, but make no mistake: There is a quiet toughness about him.

Despite losing two crucial players last year in Trey Burke and Tim Hardaway Jr. to the NBA draft, Michigan won the Big Ten regular-season title and reached the Elite Eight. Beilein’s task will be similar in 2014-15 as Nik Stauskas (NBA), Mitch McGary (NBA), Jordan Morgan (graduation), Glenn Robinson III (NBA) and Jon Horford (transfer to Florida) will not return.

Let’s take a look at why Beilein is one of the nation’s top coaches and provide an outlook for his team this upcoming season.

A program, not a team

Beilein has built a basketball program, not a basketball team, at each of his stops. He has an old-school approach that puts a premium on high-character, coachable players who are committed to working on their games and being good teammates.

He has benefited by having continuity in his coaching staff. His three assistants -- Jeff Meyer, Bacari Alexander and LaVall Jordan -- are experienced and involved. Each has a Midwest background and brings a unique perspective having worked or played for tremendous coaches.

Michigan's administration has made a significant commitment to its basketball program as well. It has renovated the Crisler Center and built the William Davidson Player Development Center. Michigan now has facilities reflective of a program committed to competing for a national title.

Recruiting to the system

Beilein has built a versatile system that puts a premium on spacing, cutting and skill. He recruits multipositional players and emphasizes player development. The system has concepts that remain consistent, but it also has nuances that constantly change and evolve as players’ skill levels improve.

Michigan's staff uses the new NCAA rules that allow coaches to practice in the summer to evaluate their players’ strengths and weaknesses. Doing so allows them to not only be in a position to play to the players' strengths but also create a program to improve their weaknesses. An example of this was seen with 2014 Big Ten Player of the Year Stauskas. As a freshman in 2012-13, he was a spot-up jump-shooter who played off Burke. Last season, however, he was a guard who came off ball screens and led the Wolverines in assists (3.3 per game) and scoring (17.5 points).

The Michigan staff recruits to its system and does an excellent job of seeing where a player is going as opposed to where he is. Beilein's experience coaching at every level has taught him to see more than a player’s statistics and where he is rated; more important is his potential. The coaches take into consideration a player’s age rather than his class when evaluating a prospect’s long-term future. This helps them speculate future possibilities.

As Beilein would tell you, they have also been fortunate. The Wolverines signed two impact players who originally committed to other schools before coaching changes. One was Burke (originally a Penn State commit), who eventually became the national player of the year and led them to the championship game in 2013. The other was Caris LeVert, who committed to Ohio University before John Groce was named head coach at Illinois. He’ll be a major contributor this season for Michigan.

Scouting the 2014-15 Wolverines

The 2014-15 Wolverines should benefit from a trip to Italy in August. They took the same trip four years ago, and it paid major dividends. Along with the summer workouts, it gives Beilein an additional 10 days to evaluate his young team and see it in competition. The NCAA has changed the rules that now allow incoming freshmen enrolled in summer school to not only participate in summer workouts but also travel before the start of their first year. This will be even more valuable this season, as the Wolverines will feature seven freshmen.

The Michigan backcourt will be very talented. Derrick Walton Jr. played valuable minutes last season, starting 36 games for the Big Ten champions. Walton, at 6-foot-1, is a good on-the-ball defender and can get in the lane and finish. He had a 2-to-1 assist-to-turnover ratio and shot 41 percent from 3-point range and just under 79.3 percent from the free throw line. He was at his best in late-game situations. If he makes a similar jump as Burke and Stauskas made from their freshman seasons, he will be one of the conference’s best point guards. He’ll be backed up by Spike Albrecht, a solid play-starter who understands the Michigan system and accepts his role. He has the ability to stretch the defense, as half of his shot attempts and makes are from the perimeter.

LeVert and Zak Irvin give Michigan two versatile, big and long wings who fit Beilein’s system. Both run the floor at all times, rebound their position and can shoot the ball to 3-point range (40.8 percent and 42.5 percent, respectively). Kameron Chatman, ESPN’s No. 38 overall recruit, gives the coaching staff another versatile combination forward.

LeVert is an excellent cutter and an aggressive driver with a strong middle game. He’s tough to keep off the offensive glass. If he develops into a ball-screen player, he will be one of the toughest matchups in the Big Ten.

Irvin has a scorer’s mentality and looks to shoot the 3-pointer off penetration and in transition. Over half of his attempts and makes come from long range. An excellent shooter off one and two dribbles, he must use his shot fake to set up his drive. Irvin needs to get to the line more, as he got to the stripe only 21 times last season.

Chatman, at 6-7, can play four positions and is the type of skilled hybrid forward who has excelled for Beilein in the past. He has long arms, is an excellent passer and can shoot to the 3-point line, but he needs to add strength. A left-hander, he is a potential matchup nightmare. The challenge for him is how he will handle the physicality of college basketball.

The biggest question for Michigan will be up front. Will it be able to post-defend and rebound? Last season, although the Wolverines lost McGary to a back injury, Morgan and Horford gave them an experienced interior. Although limited offensively, both were capable low-post defenders and defensive rebounders. Michigan was No. 2 in the Big Ten in defensive rebounding (just 31.2 offensive boards allowed per contest).

The Wolverines, however, were 12th in the Big Ten in blocked shots (2.4 per game) and 12th in offensive rebounding (31.4 percent grabbed shots after a miss). The problem remains, as they’ll once again lack a rim protector and dominant rebounder. Michigan will again have to rely on its wings to come back and hit the glass.

Beilein will rely on redshirt freshman Mark Donnal (6-9) and freshman Ricky Doyle (6-9). Both fit the Michigan system; they are excellent high-post passers and can shoot the ball to 17 feet. The concern will be whether they can finish on the block, rebound and post-defend. Donnal has a big body but could struggle at keeping bigger posts from establishing position. Doyle lacks the strength at this time.

I expect Michigan to play multiple defenses next season, mixing in 2-3 zone and Beilein’s 1-3-1 lane zone to offset the lack of a legitimate post defender.

The Wolverines will again be excellent on offense. Their perimeter game is skilled and creates matchup problems. The questions will be how long it takes for them to figure out how to defend and rebound and whether a roster with seven freshmen can handle the grind of a Big Ten season. But given the consistent success Beilein has had everywhere he's been, it's hard to bet against him as he reloads this Michigan team for another run at the top of the Big Ten standings.

[OhioBrownFan]

I have a real good buddy that sat on their staff the last couple years, had the opportunity to meet him a few times both thru him and my sister being recruited for women's bball, great guy, great coach. I hate scUM but got a lot of respect for him. His practices are really fun to watch as are Gottfried's down at NC State. Can take a lot of good habits and drills away from watching a practice of theirs for a couple hours.