18-19 depth

[B-town hoopsfan]

With the news in the last week our depth looks to be fantastic going into this season. IMO w the likes of Watson Allen palmer Copeland and roby starting. Then jordy coming off the bench w 2 years of previous experience we have a very solid 6 deep.

 

The key will be to get two of nana,Thor,Davis,Harris,maybe Costello? To give solid minutes so we can go 8 deep. I’d like to see Thor or nana push for starting 2 gaurd minutes as I’m not crazy about Watson n Allen playing defense together. 

 

Also will be interesting to see where they go with that last scholarship as it makes no sense to keep it for next year to me. 

 

Cheers though guys, good news like this previous month doesn’t  happen to us very often 

[PointGuard]

Keeping an open scholarship was the reason we got Copeland.  That seemed to work out pretty good.  Only reason to use the last scholarship would be if a QUALITY recruit will accept it.  Don't use it to pick up a project.

[jayschool]

47 minutes ago, PointGuard said:

Keeping an open scholarship was the reason we got Copeland.  That seemed to work out pretty good.  Only reason to use the last scholarship would be if a QUALITY recruit will accept it.  Don't use it to pick up a project.

Christian Mekowulu, please.

[Norm Peterson]

Just now, jayschool said:

Christian Mekowulu, please.

 

Would we be better off getting a 6'9", 245# athletic center who can score a bit and rebound?

 

Or a replacement for Taylor/Gill who can drop daggers from deep?

[PointGuard]

Christian is 6-8", 230 lbs.  A quality recruit,  However, I don't see it happening.  When he would play, Roby, Copeland,or Palmer would be setting.  Not sure there are enough minutes availaible for him to want to come here and then would not add much additional value to us at that position.  We need the quality recruit to be available in 2019.

[Norm Peterson]

Think I agree with @jayschool.  Get the Mekowulu kid and hope one or more of our freshmen/sophomore guards winds up being a "real deal."

 

 

[Norm Peterson]

2 minutes ago, PointGuard said:

Christian is 6-8", 230 lbs.  A quality recruit,  However, I don't see it happening.  When he would play, Roby, Copeland,or Palmer would be setting.  Not sure there are enough minutes availaible for him to want to come here and then would not add much additional value to us at that position.  We need the quality recruit to be available in 2019.

 

According to ESPN, he's 6'9", 245#.  Not sure what his actual measurables are.

 

Miles has said he's looking for either a big OR the otherwise best available player for that last spot.

 

If you look at the video I posted, this guy plays center, not PF.  I think Palmer could slide to the 2 and Roby or Copeland could play the 3.  (Both Roby and Copeland should be spending copious amounts of time this summer working on their ball-handling and jump shooting, which would allow either to play either forward spot interchangeably.)

 

That might just solve our "how do we replace Gill/Taylor" issue.

[hskr4life]

5 minutes ago, PointGuard said:

Christian is 6-8", 230 lbs.  A quality recruit,  However, I don't see it happening.  When he would play, Roby, Copeland,or Palmer would be setting.  Not sure there are enough minutes availaible for him to want to come here and then would not add much additional value to us at that position.  We need the quality recruit to be available in 2019.

 

I think he could be a valuable player in the post.  That is something we don't have a ton of right now.

 

An 8 man rotation of the players below is a dang good, but also dang balanced team.

 

Watson

Palmer

Copeland

Roby

Jordy

Mekowulu

Allen

Nana/Thor/Harris mix

[Norm Peterson]

22 minutes ago, jayschool said:

Christian Mekowulu, please.

 

I think I got sold on this idea when I saw him in the highlights posted above scoring over Isaac Haas.

[atskooc]

2 minutes ago, Norm Peterson said:

 

I think I got sold on this idea when I saw him in the highlights posted above scoring over Isaac Haas.

I didn't even have to get that far in.

 

He's a better post player than anyone we've got, that's for sure.  Dude is athletic and has post moves.

[Norm Peterson]

1 minute ago, atskooc said:

I didn't even have to get that far in.

 

He's a better post player than anyone we've got, that's for sure.  Dude is athletic and has post moves.

 

Yeah.  He POSTS.  That really stands out.  

[atskooc]

If we were to get this dude, I'm not sure Jordy would see the floor more than 5 minutes per game next year.

[TourneyBound]

are we even trying to get this guy??  Just wondering

[Art Vandalay]

I think Allen will step into the 2 spot if he can hold up defensively. I would bet he does a lot better off the ball and focusing on knocking down shots like AG did for us last year. 

[Huskerpapa]

The fact is that each player on our roster has potential.   The off-season will tell us who develops and earns time.  I expect each player will be better, and I am quite sure the players and coaches want the same.  Last off-season I can argue that Jack did not work on his game appropriately and was somewhat left in the dust by those that did improve.

 

Our rotation is nothing more than fun speculation at this point, and I will be very interested in who puts in yeoman work over the next four months.

[Huskerpapa]

1 hour ago, Norm Peterson said:

Think I agree with @jayschool.  Get the Mekowulu kid and hope one or more of our freshmen/sophomore guards winds up being a "real deal."

 

 

Me likey!!!

[atskooc]

48 minutes ago, ConkintheCorner said:

are we even trying to get this guy??  Just wondering

No idea.

 

But I hope we put forth some effort.

[uneblinstu]

2 hours ago, PointGuard said:

Keeping an open scholarship was the reason we got Copeland.  That seemed to work out pretty good.  Only reason to use the last scholarship would be if a QUALITY recruit will accept it.  Don't use it to pick up a project.

Why not a project? I'd have no problem, if when we get close to the start of classes and the 'ship is still open offering it to someone like Shereef Mitchell or someone like that.

[hhcmatt]

We have one of the best starting lineups in the conference. How much depth do we have after that?

 

Returning big 6

Copeland

Watson

Palmer

Roby

Jordy

Allen

 

That leaves

 

Nana

Thorir

Harris

 

Borchardt - Will he get minutes?

Davis - Injured?

Heiman - Redshirt?

 

Redshirt

Burke

 

One open scholarship

 

Last year we had enough depth to bury McVeigh on the bench. This year maybe that isn't the case.

 

 

[jayschool]

First, I have no idea whether Miles is pursuing the best graduate transfer in the market at a position of need for Nebraska. But I imagine that since Mekowulu's announcement on Saturday, he's at least asked around.

 

Second, Christian has improved his FT% from 59 percent to 64 to 75 percent in his three years at TSU. That allows you to potentially tell Christian and Jordy: "There's 40 minutes out there at the 5 spot for you. Let's see who gets 25 and who gets 15, or if you'll split those minutes more evenly." There's no need to sub out at the end of the game unless you simply want a shorter lineup.

 

As already noted, Mekowulu (or a player like him) allows Roby (4), Copeland (3) and Palmer (2) to move down a slot in the starting lineup and then to mix and match the 3 and 4 spots among those three players after you start substituting. We aren't especially deep in the front court right now, and with Isaiah not having to match up with bigs on a regular basis, he might not foul as much and be available to play up to 30 minutes per game in tight games.

 

It also allow you to have more length and athleticism in the backcourt when it's needed. If Thomas Allen emerges as a legitimate Big Ten player this year, then you can sub him in at both the 1 and 2, even if Amir Harris doesn't emerge as a legitimate point, even if Nana or Thor don't emerge as rotation players.

 

Bottom line — we really have only six rotation players we can be confident in at this point, and that's not a recipe for success in the Big Ten. A player like Mekowulu puts us at 7, and really requires only one of Harris, Davis, Nana and Thor to develop into a top-flight player for this year to get us to an 8-player rotation. We're not looking to just be better than Nebraska has been. We're looking to be a legit top 25 team and a contender for a Big Ten title this year. A player like Mekolulu gives us real chance to do that.

Edited May 29, 2018 by jayschool

[PointGuard]

  2 hours ago, PointGuard said:

Keeping an open scholarship was the reason we got Copeland.  That seemed to work out pretty good.  Only reason to use the last scholarship would be if a QUALITY recruit will accept it.  Don't use it to pick up a project.

Why not a project? I'd have no problem, if when we get close to the start of classes and the 'ship is still open offering it to someone like Shereef Mitchell or someone like that.

If a scholarship is available:

Just thinking about 2019.  With all the seniors on this years team leaving, we will need quality players in 2019.  Not sure we will want to rely on projects that might be able to compete after a redshirt year.  Why take a person who will only offer a body for practice?  We have seen a number of recruits come here who are not quick enough to play defense or can't shoot.  They sit on the bench and usually leave. Take a look at other big 10 recruits.  They are 3, 4 and 5 stars.  Its a big uphill battle for a project to develop and offer competition to those teams.  Thats why I say hold out for a quality recruit, not just take a body to use up a scholarship.

[jayschool]

Here's the rotation I'd love to see, if we could get a quality post:

 

Something like this:

1 — Watson (30 minutes), Allen/Harris (10)

2 — Palmer (25 minutes), Allen (10), Nana/Thor (5)

3 — Copeland (20 minutes), Palmer (10 minutes), Nana/Thor (5)

4 — Roby (30 minutes), Copeland (10 minutes)

5 — Mekowulu (20), Jordy (20)

 

TOTAL:

1. Palmer 35
2. Watson 30
3. Copeland 30
4. Roby 30
5. Mekowulu 20
6. Jordy 20
7. Allen 15-20
8. Nana/Thor 10 (Only one needs to emerge; if both do, super)
9. Harris 0-5 (No pressure to perform, but the opportunity is there to play some point against bigger teams)

 

 

[hskr4life]

31 minutes ago, jayschool said:

Here's the rotation I'd love to see, if we could get a quality post:

 

Something like this:

1 — Watson (30 minutes), Allen/Harris (10)

2 — Palmer (25 minutes), Allen (10), Nana/Thor (5)

3 — Copeland (20 minutes), Palmer (10 minutes), Nana/Thor (5)

4 — Roby (30 minutes), Copeland (10 minutes)

5 — Mekowulu (20), Jordy (20)

 

TOTAL:

1. Palmer 35
2. Watson 30
3. Copeland 30
4. Roby 30
5. Mekowulu 20
6. Jordy 20
7. Allen 15-20
8. Nana/Thor 10 (Only one needs to emerge; if both do, super)
9. Harris 0-5 (No pressure to perform, but the opportunity is there to play some point against bigger teams)

  

 

 

Couple of my initial thoughts.  I don't think Mekowulu and Jordy would combine for 20 minutes   40 minutes.  I think that Allen would actually see more minutes as will Harris.  I think Nana takes most all of those 10 minutes from Thor.  Thor will play more of a Jack type role this year.  There is a need to keep Allen, Nana, Thor, and Harris all for next year however.  We should be very strong this year with or without Mekowulu.  However, he adds something we desperately need in another post player who can play right away.

Edited May 29, 2018 by hskr4life

[B-town hoopsfan]

IMO playing Copeland roby and jordy all at the same time would lead to a huge amount of gray hair from games where all our bigs are in foul trouble 

[uneblinstu]

26 minutes ago, PointGuard said:

  2 hours ago, PointGuard said:

Keeping an open scholarship was the reason we got Copeland.  That seemed to work out pretty good.  Only reason to use the last scholarship would be if a QUALITY recruit will accept it.  Don't use it to pick up a project.

Why not a project? I'd have no problem, if when we get close to the start of classes and the 'ship is still open offering it to someone like Shereef Mitchell or someone like that.

If a scholarship is available:

Just thinking about 2019.  With all the seniors on this years team leaving, we will need quality players in 2019.  Not sure we will want to rely on projects that might be able to compete after a redshirt year.  Why take a person who will only offer a body for practice?  We have seen a number of recruits come here who are not quick enough to play defense or can't shoot.  They sit on the bench and usually leave. Take a look at other big 10 recruits.  They are 3, 4 and 5 stars.  Its a big uphill battle for a project to develop and offer competition to those teams.  Thats why I say hold out for a quality recruit, not just take a body to use up a scholarship.

I think you're describing a sleeper, not a project. A guy like Mitchell is a really talented player that needs to get bigger and needs a little more development, but nobody's really questioned his talent. I'd like to get guys like that in the program. I'm not suggesting build your program around them, but I think this is a season you could bring in a guy like that. If you can get a solid contributor for this season, go for it. Of not, get guys that have skill but need a little more development and maturation before they'll be ready into the program. Getting guys like Copeland midseason doesn't happen very often. I'd rather not rely on that route to fill out the roster.