Updates

[AuroranHusker]

Sergej, right now, doesn't give us a better chance to win.  It's not about getting the kid experience if we can get the team a win.  And until it's time to throw in the towell and concede defeat (which we were close to doing, probably, and likely would have if the deficit had gotten much deeper) Sergej probably isn't going to see the floor.  I suspect that, for the rest of this season, Sergej will not play as long as the outcome remains in doubt.

 

Yes, this is the official explanation. It's just not taking with me. We stick in bodies that aren't "ready" and aren't going to help us win directly all the time. But it's entirely possible that I'm just hung up on the lack of big bodies and I hate to see one sitting right there doing nothing.

Maybe he is that bad.  That's what I assume.

Who really knows, unless someone is at practice every day would care to elaborate. Norm?

[nustudent]

Best case scenario for NU's future in my opinion:

 

-Sign Atewe and Kevin Thomas in the next month and a half.

 

-Sergej and Parker transfer at end of season.

 

-3 scholarships open for 2014.

 

Yep.

[kldm64]

Best case scenario for NU's future in my opinion:

 

-Sign Atewe and Kevin Thomas in the next month and a half.

 

-Sergej and Parker transfer at end of season.

 

-3 scholarships open for 2014.

 

Yep.

 

And I believe we can and will pull Mienke's scholarship as well to open up another one.  I

[hskr4life]

Best case scenario for NU's future in my opinion:

 

-Sign Atewe and Kevin Thomas in the next month and a half.

 

-Sergej and Parker transfer at end of season.

 

-3 scholarships open for 2014.

 

Yep.

Fixed it for you.  There is a place for a guy like Parker on this team.  WAYYYY to early to write off a true freshman

[colhusker]

-Sergej and Parker transfer at end of season.

 

If anyone is going to transfer it would make sense for Surge or Parker because of their current roles.

 

However, I hate it when fans here completely give up on a player after their first year like it's impossible for them to become better over time.  So when I see people dust off the Ray Gallegos torch and pitchforks from the last two years at Parker and Surge it simply baffles me.

There were many ready to run Rivers out of town after last year, count me as one that is glad he stayed.

[nustudent]

Best case scenario for NU's future in my opinion:

 

-Sign Atewe and Kevin Thomas in the next month and a half.

 

-Sergej and Parker transfer at end of season.

 

-3 scholarships open for 2014.

 

Yep.

Fixed it for you.  There is a place for a guy like Parker on this team.  WAYYYY to early to write off a true freshman

The bench?

[hskr4life]

Best case scenario for NU's future in my opinion:

 

-Sign Atewe and Kevin Thomas in the next month and a half.

 

-Sergej and Parker transfer at end of season.

 

-3 scholarships open for 2014.

 

Yep.

Fixed it for you.  There is a place for a guy like Parker on this team.  WAYYYY to early to write off a true freshman

The bench?

To start yes... for the game... no.  He may not be a star, but he has the chance to be a really good role playing guard off of the bench.  I am looking at it from a coaching perspective, not a fan perspective.

[Silverbacked1]

Why do we have these arguments?

We will know soon enough, and somebody will be either back or gone.

Enjoy what is going on now.

[Huskerpapa]

Just a couple of comments regarding Cookie Benny:

- He has generally played with some nicks this year.  He has had both a knee and ankle injury.  Those are tough injuries for someone who relies on quickness.

- Benny is a very good on-ball defender.  He may be short in stature, but he is a tough s.o.b.  I really saw this in the Penn State game.  I thought he played a destructive defensive role in that game.

- My perception is that if you surround Benny with the right type of players, he can play a pretty dynamic role...more of a running game that settles into the Miles motion offense.

- Benny needs to improve his shooting - no doubt about it. 

[HuskerBB]

Just a couple of comments regarding Cookie:

- He has generally played with some nicks this year.  He has had both a knee and ankle injury.  Those are tough injuries for someone who relies on quickness.

- Benny is a very good on-ball defender.  He may be short in stature, but he is a tough s.o.b.  I really saw this in the Penn State game.  I thought he played a destructive defensive role in that game.

- My perception is that if you surround Benny with the right type of players, he can play a pretty dynamic role...more of a running game that settles into the Miles motion offense.

- Benny needs to improve his shooting - no doubt about it. 

 

Interesting that you start your reference to Benny by calling him "Cookie".  Yesterday I was thinking about comparisions between Benny and prior guars we had of his stature - obviously including Cookie Miller.   The big difference I thought of between Cookie and Benny was the level of competition they played against prior to NU.  Cookie played at the highest levels of AAU ball with some of the top players in the country.  Not sure what Benny did at AAU but his high school experience was at a smaller lower level school.  I think it is simply taking Benny longer to adjust both mentally and physically to playing ball at a higher level than he has experienced before.  I don't know if he will develop to be a more significant contributor in the future - just saying there may be a reason for his learning curve to be longer than others.  I was encouraged that after having just an awful experience in the Purdue game that Benny came back and gave a very solid effort yesterday against Penn State. 

[NUdiehard]

TM Miles has made various statements about what he is looking for in his recruits.  It seem apparent to me that TM likes three primary things in his guards:

 

1.  The ability to shoot the ball so the the defense has to guard every man on the floor;

 

2.  Combo guards that can play either the PG or the SG; and

 

3.  Taller guards which have the length and athleticism to guard multiple players/position of the opposing team.

 

BP does not meet any of these criteria.  Go back and watch the end of the Wisconsin game.  Both of the winning shots at the end of the game by Wisconsin were a direct result of the Wisc guard taking advantage of BP's small stature.  The first basket, he simply backed him down all the way to the paint and shot over him.  The 2nd shot he shot right over him for an easy bucket.  

 

BP has shown he can be electric on the fast break, but I don't think he fits TM's system and no matter how much he works on his game, he is not going to get any taller.  If he does stay, his role will be minimal IMO.  Way too many other options that fit TM's mold coming in next year.

[Silverbacked1]

Then why did Miles go down and ask him to play for Nebraska?

 

He pulled a bunch of the other guys offers so why did he do this if he didn't think that Benny would help?

 

Just seems that if he made the effort to go to KC and keep Benny from going some place else, he wanted him here for 4 years.

 

Not just one and then cut ties.

 

Miles has shown he is willing to play with guys he has picked up at try outs so I don't think he "kept" Benny for any other reason than that he will be a contributor to the team, for more than just this year.

 

I could be wrong but it seems weird if he did.

[FredsSlacks]

Then why did Miles go down and ask him to play for Nebraska?

 

He pulled a bunch of the other guys offers so why did he do this if he didn't think that Benny would help?

 

Just seems that if he made the effort to go to KC and keep Benny from going some place else, he wanted him here for 4 years.

 

Not just one and then cut ties.

 

Miles has shown he is willing to play with guys he has picked up at try outs so I don't think he "kept" Benny for any other reason than that he will be a contributor to the team, for more than just this year.

 

I could be wrong but it seems weird if he did.

I would say Miles brought in Parker because we had no point guards on the roster, and Parker is who Miles could get under short notice.  He also brought in Parker before he knew he would be getting biggs, webster, and hawkins. I don't think Miles will force Parker out of here, but I think he will let Parker know that he will have a lot of competition next year and will have to work very hard to get minutes.

[uneblinstu]

Didn't Parker commit under Doc?

[FredsSlacks]

Didn't Parker commit under Doc?

yes.

[Silverbacked1]

Yes he did. 

 

But Miles went down like the day after he was introduced  and talked to both Benny and Shavon about still coming here.

[uneblinstu]

That's pretty typical of new coaches isn't it?

[Silverbacked1]

But didn't Miles pull like 3 other offers?

[uneblinstu]

nm

[uneblinstu]

But didn't Miles pull like 3 other offers?

 

Well, no, because they had all signed already.  He did release three guys, but I don't think he said, sorry, SOL.  I'd imagine it was more like here's what we're going to do, do you want to stick around or not.

 

Story was he couldn't get ahold of Fahro to talk to him.  I think he kicked Josiah Moore off the team after some legal problems, perhaps?

 

He did release Coleman and Young.  I don't know the story behind those guys or why.  If they were loyal to Doc or they didn't think they'd fit Miles system, that happens.  But it seems like typically coaches let signed commits remain committed if they want to.

[Silverbacked1]

I didn't real pull but they didn't seem to make it here.

 

Right now a bunch of University of Cincinnati signed freshman football players are mad because Tubberville isn't honoring the LOI that they signed.  Guess he didn't even call them they had to call the school to see what was happening.

[Norm Peterson]

uneblinstu, I think it was Corey Hilliard who was kicked off after some legal problems.   I think Josiah left of his own accord.  And I really do think it was Miles' decision that the juco kids not come here.  He released them.  One of them had nowhere to go at the time (in fact, I don't think any of them had anywhere to go and I think it took a bit for a couple of them to find places to land) and so I don't think it was those kids' choice.  My honest guess (it is just a guess) is that Miles called the juco kids and said, "Don't bother.  We're going a different direction."

[ajb5856]

Miles had recruited Parker to come play for him while he was at Colorado State. And yes Parker was a Doc recruit. There were numerous quotes by Miles around the time he was sorting out the roster for this season saying that he loved Parker's game and that he quit recruiting Parker to CSU once he realized he was too good and he would end up somewhere higher profile than CSU. While Parker may not end up with a starting spot given that caliber of player Miles can now go after, BP still has a role with this team, even if that means coming off the bench for spot minutes. I think people are being way too hard on an undersized, hurt, freshman point guard that has been thrown to the wolves on a thrown-together and depleted roster trying to compete in a throw away season. All the while he has not been a complete disaster by any means. Can he shoot? Maybe not or at least not right now. Can he defend? I think so but he's hurt and still might not be the best option in certain situations such as the end of the Wisconsin game. But we have few choices right now. But he takes care of the ball and distributes nicely. I say we cheer him on as he rides out this FRESHMAN campaign, let him heal up, work on his shot, and welcome him back next season. I don't know for certain, but I have a feeling that's what Miles will do. Talent coming in but it won't hurt to have an experienced PG whether he's starting, coming off the bench, or just a practice player which is least likely.

[uneblinstu]

Could be re: Moore and Hilliard, I don't recall.  But for the recruits, I don't think he can just say, "See ya" if they've already signed, can he?  I know there's wiggle room for changes to be made when a coaching change happens, but I don't think the coach can just tell a kid to get a move on if he's already signed.  Maybe he can, or at least make strong implications that he might not be a great fit for the direction of the program.

[hskr4life]

uneblinstu, I think it was Corey Hilliard who was kicked off after some legal problems.   I think Josiah left of his own accord.  And I really do think it was Miles' decision that the juco kids not come here.  He released them.  One of them had nowhere to go at the time (in fact, I don't think any of them had anywhere to go and I think it took a bit for a couple of them to find places to land) and so I don't think it was those kids' choice.  My honest guess (it is just a guess) is that Miles called the juco kids and said, "Don't bother.  We're going a different direction."

 You are correct here.