If you need any indication that coaches are looking for change in the college basketball game, look no further than John Beilein from earlier this week and Tom Izzo here.
On Tuesday, Izzo went on WWLS radio in Oklahoma City and reiterated his desire and college basketball's benefit to shortening the shot clock. The audio in that link is about four minutes in.
“One of the guys I have great respect for, Johnny Dawkins, who is at Stanford, and we were in our meetings the other day, and he said, ‘We have the slowest game in the world,’” Izzo said. “As you say, the international is less, the pro is less, the women’s is less. And here we are with 35."
Izzo was on the National Association of Basketball Coaches' Board of Directors this past season, and that group met during the Final Four. Izzo said the issue came up. This comes as no shock to me; we polled more than 100 coaches last summer, and the one suggested rule change that far outnumbered any other was snipping seconds off the shot clock. I've maintained for a while now that the shot clock getting dialed back in college hoops is an inevitability.
“You know the bureaucracy of committees and what it’s got to do, but I think there is getting to be a growing run at maybe doing that, and I think more coaches are in favor of it,” Izzo said.
If change is coming, when could we expect it? That I don't know, because college basketball isn't averse to adapting and changing, but sometimes it can take a while. I think this is on the mind of many within the game, though. If they want a 30-second shot clock instituted for next season, they could.
First, the basketball rules committee would need to propose it this spring. Then the Playing Rules Oversight Panel would essentially rubber-stamp it, and we could have a new clock by November. That won't happen, but it's on the table as an option.
What could also happen: Vote for a trial period -- like what we've seen with the charge circle, 3-point line, expanded lane -- and go with a delayed approach to deciding on the clock. I'm guessing that's less likely. I also think we're looking at another year, at least, before coaches and the Playing Rules Oversight Panel can make the move because it's a big move. And while it seems a long time coming, it's still new to the greater conversation for coaches.
(H/T, CBT)
