Matt McMahon at the mic now at SEC media day

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The good news with basketball is we'll know pretty quick if they're any good this year.

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Maybe early in January. This non-conference schedule won't tell us a damn thing.

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Maybe early in January. This non-conference schedule won't tell us a damn thing.

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We play Drake, Boston College, #10 Texas Tech, and SMU between Nov. 28 to Dec. 13. We'll have a pretty good idea from non-con.

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We play Drake, Boston College, #10 Texas Tech, and SMU between Nov. 28 to Dec. 13. We'll have a pretty good idea from non-con

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Multiple losses in those games (aside from Texas Tech) will likely portend bad things to come in SEC play.

On the flip side, if LSU can win 3-4 of those non conf games (particularly if they are able to beat Texas Tech) it may be a sign of being able to compete in SEC play.

Drake is an unknown because their great HC and their best players from last year all left.

BC is projected to be a bottom of the ACC team (which is why they are matched with LSU in the challenge). However, it's a road game for LSU and a win would still be good.

Depaul/Georgia Tech are middle of the road to bad teams in their conference. It will be nice to win, but such a win probably won't be all that meaningful.

SMU MIGHT be ok in the ACC. We just don't know. The game in a neutral site game in Nola. It should provide some insight into where things stand because MM has never been good against power conf. teams late in the OOC schedule.

Texas Tech should provide a lot of info. If LSU looks like they don't even belong on the same floor with TTU, then it is hard to imagine that will bode well vs. SEC opponents. If LSU competes, it could be a good sign.

this post confused me so much

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McMahon’s entire offense revolves around a high end PG.

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What exactly IS McMahon's offense?

This will be the 4th year with a new PG. Cook was rated as high, if not higher, than Thomas in very similar league. He had some good performances early on at LSU (once he became eligible) but eventually fizzed out and the offense was, again, woefully inefficient.

The key for MM is not simply just having a good PG. Everyone wants that. It's figuring out this roster's strengths...early on...and crafting the style of play to fit. It this is a great 3 point shooting team, excellent! Bomb away. But if not, stop being among the SEC leaders in 3 point attempts when you can't hit water if you fell out of a boat. If this team is a good FT shooting team with solid offensive rebounders, then attack the glass and make it a point to get to the FT line as much as possible. If this team is best in the 1/2 court, slow down the tempo. If they are better with a faster pace, do things to create a more uptempo game. Sometimes that means extending your defense to speed the opponent up.

The single biggest problem with McMahon's in game coaching is that he doesn't adjust situationally. It's the same approach all game, every game. If the opponent is dominating him in a 1/2 court slugfest, he does nothing to try to change the tempo. If his team can't hit from three, he doesn't change course and try to get to the rim/line, he just hopes 75% of shots that haven't fallen will somehow magically start falling. If a guy off the bench is providing a spark that doesn't really matter. He still sticks with basically the same rotation pattern.

EVERY major conf. HC knows "plays". It's the great coaches that can quickly hone in on their team's strengths and adjust the approach to fit it, even within the flow of the game itself. Basketball is not like football or baseball. It's a more free flowing game with a 100+ possessions. The on-the-fly adjustments from possession to possession make the difference.

I think McMahon finally gets there with this roster. Might do a roster preview like years prior for people here who haven’t kept up with all the changes.