Michigan Basketball: Beilein Gets Why Fans Want To See More Brandon Johns

Getting ready for a 2:00 Saturday game during exam week is never easy, Michigan head coach John Beilein said Friday, but his team has had a good week of practice.

This week has included more emphasis on developing depth. Both redshirt sophomore Austin Davis and freshman Brandon Johns have moved up from the scout team, with frosh Colin Castleton and transfer Jaron Faulds the two guys having taken their place.

“We’re trying to develop a lot of things, get better at what we have done, identify what we’re doing well and keep doing it and shore up some areas we still think are weak,” Beilein said. “And there’s quite a few of them.

“[The thought process] changes a little when we get into December. In November the primary objective was to get our starters starter minutes so everybody was ready for it. We don’t want to lose those games because we’re experimenting.”

It’s a fine line. But now the Wolverines have three opponents coming up they should handle in Western Michigan, Air Force and Binghamton before the Big Ten season picks back up, and there will be opportunities for Davis and Johns to show their stuff … if they take care of business in practice.

Johns, a four-star out of East Lansing, was expected by many to contribute early. He’s been slow to adapt to some things, however, and Beilein won’t play anyone who doesn’t show it in practice.

At the same time, Beilein does understand why fans want to see more of his frosh.

“Like my teams, the St. Louis Cardinals — I want to see the AAA guy play, say, ‘he’s got to get a chance,’” Beilein said. “I’m very hopeful that we can do that. But also, it’s who’s expense do we take that? Isaiah Livers doesn't get enough minutes, Jon Teske? Austin Davis? We’ve got to figure it out, but I feel much more comfortable now than I did in November.

“There are so many things [with Johns] … I don’t want to give out the scouting report on him again for our opponents to see when he does get in there. It’s typical things freshmen have trouble with: communication areas, playing with confidence, making the next right play. But he’s growing in it.”

There are many basics, too. He needs to be stronger at the basket, Beilein said, and finish more against a body. He needs to defend better and run the floor harder, get 50-50 rebounds out of his area … things he always been able to do without trying as hard, Beilein noted, but at this level takes more effort to accomplish.

“He had a couple of really good defensive stops today,” Beilein said. “He’s taking that stuff really seriously. It’s little things, or you’re not going to be back there long. We can’t have you make a mistake on defense. You have to get some basic fundamentals down, like if you’ve got leverage, finish it.”

Johns and everyone else has been given every opportunity over the last several weeks to prove themselves, and that was taken up another notch this week.

“This is a great time for us to teach our culture, getting reps in with our guys feeling comfortable with what do … a great time to go maize against blue, Michigan against Michigan,” Beilein said. “For example Brandon Johns, you’ve got an hour to go against Livers or Teske — what have you got? Show us what you’ve got.

“Getting this hour to play in front of us, that’s what we’re trying to judge … what’s the best lineup on the floor and how much people are growing.”

As their knowledge continues to grown, so does what they need to know, he added.

“You never stop learning basketball,” Beilein said.

Some just learn it more quickly than others, but it doesn’t mean they can’t or won’t get there. Sometimes it just takes a bit of patience.

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