A Case of the Yips

Ever hear of "the yips?" No, not the obscure golf term. The even more obscure term used this past Monday on the CBS sitcom "How I Met Your Mother." Never have I learned something from TV at a more appropriate time. You see, one of Northwestern's players has a serious case of the yips.

It's not the first time in NU history. Chuck Knoblauch is the classic example. If there was an NU Yips Hall of Fame, Evan Seacat would be a charter member. Craig Moore at certain times last season. Corey Wootton, Marquice Cole, and various other under-performing defensive players over the years. Now, Sara Stutz.

HIMYM defines "the yips" as "over-thinking something simple to the point where you can't do it at all."

That's Sara Stutz's season in a nutshell. Everyone expected her to be the senior go-to player this year. She was already the team's leading three-point shooter (top 10 in school history) but now with AJ Glasauer gone, there was even more pressure for her to be a perimeter threat. Pressure she apparently can't handle anymore. Her field goal percentage on the season is 21.7%, she's 2 of 15 behind the arc, and even 5 of 12 from the free throw line.

It's hard to pinpoint a cause of "the yips." But I blame it on the "sense of urgency," a phrase Coach Combs threw around constantly before the season. "Sara Stutz has come in with a real sense of urgency her senior season." That's the problem. Stutz feels like everything is on her shoulders right now if this team is going to finally perform well. After suffering through three terrible seasons, she urgently wants to go out on top.

Imagine how much more pressure she felt when Marshall went down. And then Jaeschke. She must feel like she's the team's only option right now. That's not good for the team and it's not good for her. The pressure has ruined her shot and taken away a primary scoring threat for the 'Cats.

So how do you lose "the yips"? On HIMYM, the character had to revisit what caused his yips and conquer it. So should Stutz just keep shooting until they fall? Should her teammates be taking all the shots? Does she need to hit a game-winner before it all falls into place?

I'm not sure. Neither is Combs. This is something Stutz needs to just work through. Hopefully, a relaxed December can take the pressure off. Hopeffuly Jaeschke's return alleviates it.

Until then, Stutz needs to stay in the starting lineup. Last year seemed like a breakout season for Stutz. She shot over 40% from the field for the first time, averaged 11 points per game, and led the team in free throw percentage. She has it in her. It's just going to take time. And contrary to popular belief, she has time. If she keeps pushing herself because of this "urgency" it's never going to improve.

But it could be worse. Like Knoblauch, she could be tossing the ball into the stands every time.