Gary's regrets and James Padgett

As I walked out of Littlejohn Coliseum on Sunday, I acknowledged something to a couple other writers that went mostly unnoticed --- James Padgett received a DNP.

What's interesting about Padgett's minutes is that unlike other players in the past (think Tucker, Cliff around this time last year), you don't hear Gary Williams talking about how a guy needs to work hard in practice and offer vague explanations --- or just simply say it's the coach's decision on how many minutes a player logs.

With Padgett, there's an acknowledgment that the Terrapins (14-6, 4-2 ACC) need to get him some work. There could be a payoff later this season. There surely would be a payoff in future seasons.

"If I had a thing to do over again, I would have played James Padgett some against Clemson," Williams said. "I didn't get him in the game, but he played very well against Florida State. It's somebody that has to be a part of our rotation as we play our last 10 games now in the league. Looking forward to that. He had a good practice yesterday. I want him ready to go for tomorrow night."

It's fascinating watching Gary's obvious struggle here. It's natural for a coach --- a species that, generally speaking, likes to control as many variables as it can --- to want to have a good idea of precisely what he's getting.

Think of it as being addicted to the known. Dino Gregory, whatever his strengths and weaknesses, is a known.

Padgett, with a little more than 200 career minutes and just 32 in conference games, is an unknown.

This isn't so much of an issue to criticize Williams much about. It's his team, though it seems a little short-sighted not to get Padgett about five minutes a night.

But it is curious to see his self-reflection now on multiple occasions that he needs to find Padgett some time, even if it goes against his in-game inclinations.

"The game's a two-point game all the way in the second half," Williams said. "You like to go with Dino Gregory who's been there before and that type of thing. You have to get over that as a coach. You have to put guys in, and James will work hard when he gets in there. It's not going to perfect, but nobody else was either on Sunday."

Comments

[winterps]

so this is gary's way of admitting dino is struggling and padgett should have been getting his minutes

what's he going to say if we finish on the wrong side of the bubble and lost a couple of close ones?

$2 mil a yr and he couldn't see it in december?

[winterps]

so this is gary's way of admitting dino is struggling and padgett should have been getting his minutes

what's he going to say if we finish on the wrong side of the bubble and lost a couple of close ones?

$2 mil a yr and he couldn't see it in december?

[D1scourse]

Win ---

The interesting thing is not the acknowledgment Padgett needs to play more, its that this isnt the first time Garys expressed such sentiment in the last month. Clearly, theres a rational analysis after the fact that doesnt square with the in-game decisions. I think that is what makes this so fascinating.