rotations.

first season, rotation of basically 7.
second season, rotation of basically 7. would have been 8 if Nani had stuck around.
third season, a little bigger rotation of 8 or 9, but it was down to 7 by the end of the year due to injuries.

So I don't get the short rope angle, because the players were mostly either in her rotation or out of her rotation. Maybe Amari could have gotten fewer minutes. Sure, that might have seemed fair with her offensive struggles but she still was one of the better players on the team when overall contribution is evaluated.

These short rotations seem to be evidence of a coach who felt like she was coaching for her life each season, but yet the teams were never that good. they were never NCAA bubble teams.

Maybe Amber could have relaxed a little more and played a bigger rotation each year.