Next season?

[DSouthr]

Who starts brooks or Huff, one of the reasons (not the only) that I prefer Huff to start is I see Brooks as our best option, of our frosh big men, to play the 4 spot. I want Brooks to be our first big to come off the bench to be able to fill EITHER the 4 or 5 spot, depending on who needs the first blow between Huff or Luke. You have that versatility if Brooks comes off the bench to fill either the 4 or 5 but I don't think we want Huff coming in for Luke at the 4 very often. Just like we really don't want Luke playing at the 5 very often.

Next, frosh starting, guys Roy considers himself to be a defense first coach and tends tyo make decisions on who starts based more on the defensive end than the offensive end. It isn't so much that Roy is ore loyal to his upper classmen, Roy is loyal to all his players, he simply trusts his upper classmen more to run is schemes. The other aspect that Roy looks at making his decisions on who starts as well as how much PT he gives is how hard a kid goes in practice.

Frosh tend to struggle in practice and very few realize how hard they have to go in practice in order to please Roy enough to gain PT, they never had to go that hard in practice so that is a transition they have to acclimate to. They may think they are going hard enough but the upper classmen set the tone and going as hard as you think you can is not the same as going as hard as you can.

Luke for example was not highly touted but gained PT because he picked up in practice things most frosh take longer to understand, how to box out as one strong example. Marcus as a frosh played over PJ why, because PJ didn't love to defend and Marcus even slightly built would stick his nose in there, he gave all he had even if at times he was to slightly built to stop his guy, I see some of that in BRob, saw it in Theo as a frosh as well. BRob will be rewarded for that in PT, wait and see.

 

[What Would Jesus Do?]

Marcus as a frosh played over PJ why, because PJ didn't love to defend and Marcus even slightly built would stick his nose in there, he gave all he had even if at times he was to slightly built to stop his guy, I see some of that in BRob, saw it in Theo as a frosh as well. BRob will be rewarded for that in PT, wait and see.

Sadly, I see BRob as the most likely loser now that Cam is on board.

Before Cam, Theo would have played a lot at SF and some at PF. BRob was the most likely candidate to back up at SF. And that could have been as much as 20 mpg.

Now Cam is the likely backup at SF and could even start there (or play starter minutes there).

BRob may still play minutes at SF, but there will be fewer minutes available.

With Cam freeing minutes at SF, Theo could also play some at SG. Meaning that guys like Kenny, BRob, Jalek, Seventh and Andrew would have fewer SG minutes to carve up.

Whereas before Cam I saw Theo playing 20 at SF and 10 at PF, now those numbers could be reversed. We already know that Cam can play 30+ at SF, because that's what he did at Pitt. But while he's taller than Theo, he doesn't look as suited to moving to PF when we play small ball. Until I see different, I see him as 100% SF, whereas we know Theo is our jack of all trades.

So I now see Theo playing 10 at SF and 20 at PF (if needed). Or maybe 10 each at SG, SF and PF.

I mean clearly you want Theo on the floor for 30 minutes, right?

 

[What Would Jesus Do?]

Who starts brooks or Huff, one of the reasons (not the only) that I prefer Huff to start is I see Brooks as our best option, of our frosh big men, to play the 4 spot. I want Brooks to be our first big to come off the bench to be able to fill EITHER the 4 or 5 spot, depending on who needs the first blow between Huff or Luke.

Yep. I like that.

Ideally Huff and Manley can handle the post while Luke and Brooks handle PF. But until I see otherwise, I don't expect meaningful minutes from Manley any time soon. And I worry about Huff picking up fouls.

So my guess is we see more of Brooks at center, and that means more of Theo at PF.

ALL of our freshman big guys have to prove they are ready to play at this level. It's possible that none of them will be. But with 3 of them, the odds are better than with 2 of them - which is why I was such a vocal supporter of getting 3, when many others were calling for that scholarship to be saved for another year.

It may be that the best we can get is post by committee while Luke and Theo handle PF.

 

[HeelzLover]

The other aspect that Roy looks at making his decisions on who starts as well as how much PT he gives is how hard a kid goes in practice.

This I'm not sure of. I'm pretty sure Mr. Stilman White busted his hump in practice and he barely sniffed the floor in a game unless 1of the regulars were not busting theirs.

 

[Archer2]

ALL of our freshman big guys have to prove they are ready to play at this level. It's possible that none of them will be.

Possible, but not likely. I don't expect any of them to dominate as freshmen, but I'm confident Brooks and Huff can adequately man the 4/5 positions.

It may be that the best we can get is post by committee while Luke and Theo handle PF.

I think that is exactly what we will get, and I think that will be pretty darn good.

 

[DSouthr]

This I'm not sure of. I'm pretty sure Mr. Stilman White busted his hump in practice and he barely sniffed the floor in a game unless 1of the regulars were not busting theirs.

Stillman argument doesn't work, realize, Stillman came in and played well as a frosh, especially in the tourney when Kendal went down. BUT, Stillman went away for his Morman mission after that, rather than being able to build on that frosh season. Then when he did come back he gets hurt in practice and was not available to play for most of that season. So his development was stunted, yes he worked but guys like Marcus, Joel, and Nate were in place and had continuous development and court time. Then last season it was Joel and Roy feeling like he had to develop a PG in 7th if Joel were to leave, so the circumstances just limited Stillman.

Look at Luke, look at the kid before Luke that was lowly ranted 4 but worked hard and ended up with ore PT than many of our fans wanted. Heck, even Nate, IMO more PT than I preferred but experience and busting it in practice got repaid by PT even as a 2 when it was clear Nate really was not a PG.

My point is, BRob is not afraid to stick his nose in there even when he is out weighted by 50lbs or more. Roy will reward him with PT for that!