In light of recent events ... a poll.

[Norm Peterson]

Just want to see what everyone thinks.

[MichHusker]

Too many unknowns to say that we are going to be a better team. A ton of underclassmen to rely on. This team will be enjoyable to watch but likely will have a similar record as last years squad. With AWIII I thought we could finish with 20 wins

[nustudent]

I thought we'd be better than last year.   Considerably so...even with a slightly tougher schedule.  I was thinking an 18-19 win team that was truly on the bubble.

 

Without White....I just don't see it.   I think we'll end up being better than last year because we have more talent and more experience at every position.....but I see us struggling at times without having a go to guy...especially early on.   I do think this might be a good thing long term (as in two years from now) because it accelerates the learning curve for Roby and forces McVeigh into a bigger role this year too.....but I just don't see us having the upside without White.   Too many things would have to go right for us.

[Huskerpapa]

In theory, the age or year of our players shouldn't be the determining factor if we are good enough.  Historically we recruited lower level players and they needed experience and maturity to compete.  But we now are recruiting higher level players, and in turn, should expect quicker results. 

 

Even with the loss of White, we should be an improved team.  Our younger talent simply have to take over, and leverage their talent.  I know that is easier said then done.  But the expectations should not be lowered just because one individual left.  Besides, if the stories about White's attitude towards "the team" are true, then perhaps we may even be better without him.  His ego no longer has to be stroked.  We no longer "have to" run our offense through him. 

 

So after a few days of stewing, I am finding that I still have a positive outlook on this upcoming season.  Good things are going to happen.

[MitchMcGaryMunchies]

Obviously we take a hit by losing AWIII, but I think we can still be a bubble team if we see improvements from last year's freshman class, solid performances from the incoming freshmen, and if Anton Gill can somehow channel his inner Chris Kyle.  I hope that Jeriah Horne is running wind sprints as I type this.  He's going to need to play a lot around the perimeter next season.  The lack of depth at the guard positions is concerning to say the least.  One injury there and we run the risk of derailing the entire season.

 

I think what we lose most with White is leadership.  I hope Tai continues to step-up and really owns the squad next season.  While White proved to be an excellent spot-up shooter and wasn't afraid to get his nose dirty fighting for rebounds, the rest of his game certainly left something to be desired.  He was often a liability on the defensive end, and any time he drove the ball to the rim, defenders were setting-up to draw the charge.  He certainly was a bit lacking in awareness and court vision.

 

I think we see a marginal improvement from last year.  At best, I feel like we're a bubble team.  That would definitely take some over-achieving.  But if we get a couple long-lasting injuries, this could get ugly very fast.

[khoock]

I haven't lost hope for next season like some have. Two things remain the same: we will still have one of the best trios of gaurds in the Big Ten and we will have the most talented front court in the Miles era. With White we lose 3pt shooting and rebounding but McVeigh will be better and I think we will all find ourselves being extremely satisfied with what Isaiah Roby is bringing to the table. I'm ready for the season to start all ready!!!

[hal9000]

I don't think White ever fit the role of go-to guy in our offense, and I don't think he would have been that this year either.  Too many times last year defenses keyed on him and he rarely was able to get a good shot off.  And because his game is shooter not creator, he was a non factor in many games against better competition, Maryland being an exception.  

 

I look to Watson and Gill, and hopefully Roby, to filling in that role this year.  

[huskerbaseball13]

I don't think White ever fit the role of go-to guy in our offense, and I don't think he would have been that this year either.  Too many times last year defenses keyed on him and he rarely was able to get a good shot off.  And because his game is shooter not creator, he was a non factor in many games against better competition, Maryland being an exception.  

 

I look to Watson and Gill, and hopefully Roby, to filling in that role this year.  

 

He was very rarely...if ever a non-factor.  He scored double digits in 17 of our 21 Big Ten games...and even when he was "off" the defense had to be aware of him so he stretched the defense out.  Not to mention, his ability to rebound.  Until proven otherwise we don't really have that guy on the current roster IMO. 

[Norm Peterson]

Thanks to all who voted in my poll (75 as of this moment.)

 

As things stand with 75 votes recorded, nearly half (47%) think we'd have been an NCAA tourney team had White stayed.  (FWIW, I would be in that 47%.)

 

Only 17% have us making the dance without him.  (FWIW, I am NOT in that 17%.)

 

There's no question that he had skills that would have made this team a better and stronger team and as Huskerbaseball said in the post immediately above, there's no one currently on our roster who has PROVEN that they can fill White's void.  Which is not to say that we don't have anyone who can step up; it's just that no one that we now have has done it before, so we can't really predict if anyone will or won't step in and step up.

 

HOWEVER ... with White now gone, there is certainly a huge opportunity there for someone to prove he's a player.

 

On the other question, the first one, the scales tip strongly in favor of us being a better team this year even without White than we were last year (41% voted better; 9% voted worse).  We finished a game under .500 last year and didn't go to a post-season tournament.  Had the team not voted against accepting an invitation, I'm not sure one would have been extended (was one?)

 

I think what that means is that, even without White, we still should be an over .500 team and be in some kind of post-season, which is substantially consistent with the way people voted on question #3.

 

So ... I think there's a lot of collective wisdom on the board and I think our collective expectations are probably about right.  I think we did have a very good chance of dancing this year with White and I think we still should be a better than .500 team even without him.

 

Again, thanks to all who voted and satisfied my curiosity.