The Top 25 thread

[Fullbacksympathy]

I don't think #16 is too high.  I think it's probably our ceiling, but not too high.  We were mirrors of PSU from a talent standpoint last year.  If they would've returned all of their players, I guarantee they are a top 20 team and no one has qualms about it.  

 

I thought all season we were just about as good as Michigan, but a tad less talented and not quite as well coached, even after we initially kicked their ass.  What did they end up doing again?  

 

I also hate the comparisons to the post tourney meltdown year with TP, SS, and Walt.  These are completely different teams in terms of starting 5 talent and character across the board.  I love TP, but I wouldn't trade him for JPJ.  No other player on that roster could start for us this year.  That's wild.  They also lacked Gallegos, and we have TA to fill that role and do it well.  I don't see a single "longshot" game on our schedule, and I don't think we'll lose any at home.  

[khoock]

I think Shavon could start for us this year.

[hskr4life]

Just now, khoock said:

I think Shavon could start for us this year.

 

Interesting...  Shavon was a great player.  I could see him starting ahead of T-Allen, but don't think he would beat out Cope, Palmer, or Roby.  Do you?

 

He would certainly be in our "best 5" but not for sure it'd be in a "starting 5" role.

[HuskerFever]

8 minutes ago, hskr4life said:

12 minutes ago, khoock said:

I think Shavon could start for us this year.

 

Interesting...  Shavon was a great player.  I could see him starting ahead of T-Allen, but don't think he would beat out Cope, Palmer, or Roby.  Do you?

 

He would certainly be in our "best 5" but not for sure it'd be in a "starting 5" role.

 

I think the question is closer to "Would Miles start him because he's a leader? Or because he's more talented?"

 

And I might lean slightly toward the former.

[hskr4life]

Just now, HuskerFever said:

 

I think the question is closer to "Would Miles start him because he's a leader? Or because he's more talented?"

 

And I might lean slightly toward the former.

 

Really good point.  Especially with the fact that Miles himself has recently said we didn't have a "Leader."  Either way I would 100% want Shavon and TP on this team.  I'd take Ray G and Alecs Maric if it wasn't too much to ask for as well.

[49r]

2 minutes ago, HuskerFever said:

 

I think the question is closer to "Would Miles start him because he's a leader? Or because he's more talented?"

 

And I might lean slightly toward the former.

 

Agree completely.   Shavon is the exact type of leader this team is lacking.  Plus, talent-wise he's no slouch, really.

[khoock]

23 minutes ago, hskr4life said:

 

Interesting...  Shavon was a great player.  I could see him starting ahead of T-Allen, but don't think he would beat out Cope, Palmer, or Roby.  Do you?

 

He would certainly be in our "best 5" but not for sure it'd be in a "starting 5" role.

G: Glynn Watson

G: James Palmer

F: Shavon Shields

F: Isaac Copeland 

F: Isaiah Roby

 

He wouldnt start over Roby or Cope but you could play big and slide Palmer to the two gaurd and Shavon in on the wing/small forward position.

 

It would give you an NBA size lineup almost.

[49r]

47 minutes ago, khoock said:

G: Glynn Watson

G: James Palmer

F: Shavon Shields

F: Isaac Copeland 

F: Isaiah Roby

 

He wouldnt start over Roby or Cope but you could play big and slide Palmer to the two gaurd and Shavon in on the wing/small forward position.

 

It would give you an NBA size lineup almost.

 

Dang...yeah I like that lineup.  Lacks shooting a bit, but you could run some pretty devastating sets with those guys.

[Fullbacksympathy]

18 hours ago, khoock said:

G: Glynn Watson

G: James Palmer

F: Shavon Shields

F: Isaac Copeland 

F: Isaiah Roby

 

He wouldnt start over Roby or Cope but you could play big and slide Palmer to the two gaurd and Shavon in on the wing/small forward position.

 

It would give you an NBA size lineup almost.

 

That's a good point, and I certainly wouldn't be opposed to this, but if TA turns into what I think he will this season, he could really spread the floor for us.  Junior year Shavon shot 19% from three.  I think TM wants to field lineups where 1-5 can knock down an open perimeter jumper.  I forever love me some Shavon, but he wouldn't start on a lineup of:

 

GWIII

TP

JPJ

IC

IR

 

^^^ This is what I had in mind when I said he wouldn't start.  Only TP would crack that lineup.  No way would I take SS over the upperclassmen at 3-5.  My point is that we're really, really talented this year, and the comparisons to '15-16 are awful.  

 

Also, the character/leader thing... I'm not sure I've seen a team with better character than the one we're currently fielding.  With the current roster, we've had zero offcourt legal issues, zero internal conflicts between players, zero classroom issues, and fantastic on-court comradery.  Psychologically, it appears to be a team made up almost entirely of introverts, so the leadership is, let's say, calmer than in years prior.  Think about it--GW, JPJ (maybe), IC, and IR all seem like introverts to me, but that doesn't make them bad leaders in the least.  It might mean they lead by example and listen well, which I'll take any day of the week for leadership.  

[Dean Smith]

2 minutes ago, LK1 said:

 

That's a good point, and I certainly wouldn't be opposed to this, but if TA turns into what I think he will this season, he could really spread the floor for us.  Junior year Shavon shot 19% from three.  I think TM wants to field lineups where 1-5 can knock down an open perimeter jumper.  I forever love me some Shavon, but he wouldn't start on a lineup of:

 

GWIII

TP

JPJ

IC

IR

 

^^^ This is what I had in mind when I said he wouldn't start.  Only TP would crack that lineup.  No way would I take SS over the upperclassmen at 3-5.  My point is that we're really, really talented this year, and the comparisons to '15-16 are awful.  

 

Also, the character/leader thing... I'm not sure I've seen a team with better character than the one we're currently fielding.  With the current roster, we've had zero offcourt legal issues, zero internal conflicts between players, zero classroom issues, and fantastic on-court comradery.  Psychologically, it appears to be a team made up almost entirely of introverts, so the leadership is, let's say, calmer than in years prior.  Think about it--GW, JPJ (maybe), IC, and IR all seem like introverts to me, but that doesn't make them bad leaders in the least.  It might mean they lead by example and listen well, which I'll take any day of the week for leadership.  

This might not be popular but as great as he was for the Huskers I don't want TP on this team. There goes the balance. Maybe he would be able to adjust to a more team concept and not be the center of the offense but if not everything falls apart and I can see him and JPJ getting in a fight at practice as competitive as they both are. Shields would be a big addition to this years team and would make himself fit. I am really not sure TP would be willing to do that. The way the team played at the end of last season and the way we assume they will play this year does not play to TP's strengths as a volume shooter.  Bottom line is don't think there would be room for both him and James on the floor at the time. I think we could/can make one of them happy, but two would be too many.

[Fullbacksympathy]

3 minutes ago, Dean Smith said:

This might not be popular but as great as he was for the Huskers I don't want TP on this team. There goes the balance. Maybe he would be able to adjust to a more team concept and not be the center of the offense but if not everything falls apart and I can see him and JPJ getting in a fight at practice as competitive as they both are. Shields would be a big addition to this years team and would make himself fit. I am really not sure TP would be willing to do that. The way the team played at the end of last season and the way we assume they will play this year does not play to TP's strengths as a volume shooter.  Bottom line is don't think there would be room for both him and James on the floor at the time. I think we could/can make one of them happy, but two would be too many.

 

Interesting.  I don't disagree entirely with this angle, but TP could really guard and had fantastic lateral quickness at 6'7".  He was also such a great momentum player when others were contributing, but I agree it would be a risk at the least and Shavon was as cerebral as any player we've ever had, evidenced by his academic performance.  I certainly wouldn't turn either of them down, though.  

[Norm Peterson]

20 hours ago, khoock said:

G: Glynn Watson

G: James Palmer

F: Shavon Shields

F: Isaac Copeland 

F: Isaiah Roby

 

He wouldnt start over Roby or Cope but you could play big and slide Palmer to the two gaurd and Shavon in on the wing/small forward position.

 

It would give you an NBA size lineup almost.

 

You would start Shields in that lineup over Pettaway?

[khoock]

8 minutes ago, Norm Peterson said:

 

You would start Shields in that lineup over Pettaway?

No, i looked at the players individually.

 

Could Petteway start for this years team? Yes

 

Could Shavon Shields start for this years team? Yes

[Huskerpapa]

I would plug a much younger Pike into our line up.  That would be pretty potent line up.  Heck, especially since we fantasizing.

[Dean Smith]

For whatever it’s worth, Dick Vital has Nebraska at 33 with four B1G teams in front of us. 

[HuskerFever]

13 minutes ago, Dean Smith said:

For whatever it’s worth, Dick Vital has Nebraska at 33 with four B1G teams in front of us. 

 

[Norm Peterson]

15 hours ago, Dean Smith said:

For whatever it’s worth, Dick Vital has Nebraska at 33 with four B1G teams in front of us. 

 

Seems reasonable.  Maybe a bit high to start out, but I'm much more comfortable with something to work toward rather than starting out too high and falling backward.  I think Katz's #16 is too high with no history to back us up.

 

Edited to clarify:  When I say Vitale's ranking is "a bit high to start out" I'm saying #1 is the highest.  Too high means he's ranking us higher than I would right out of the gates.  I'd say 40-50, somewhere in there.  We might end up better than that, but I don't think there's enough history to justify starting us out higher than #40. 

Edited October 18, 2018 by Norm Peterson

[huskerbaseball13]

Anybody know when the AP and Coaches poll comes out?

[TourneyBound]

Sounds like Monday

[huskerbaseball13]

1 hour ago, ConkintheCorner said:

Sounds like Monday

I saw that in the OWH. Surprised to hear we are expected top 20. Didn’t think we would start out the year ranked. 

[uneblinstu]

Really? A 22 win team, with 13 conference wins, hailing from a Power 5 school and has it's 4 best players returning wouldn't be ranked?

[OmahaHusker]

2 minutes ago, uneblinstu said:

Really? A 22 win team, with 13 conference wins, hailing from a Power 5 school and has it's 4 best players returning wouldn't be ranked?

 

Considering our favorable conference schedule draw last year, as well as the fact we have no proven players except the Core 4, no. And I'm fine with that. 

[jimmykc]

I'll be curious to see if Sports Illustrated mentions us this year for the first time in decades. Their NBA issue came out this week and the college one usually follows. And how about those Red Sox. (Sorry, I just had to throw this in somewhere).

[uneblinstu]

21 minutes ago, OmahaHusker said:

 

Considering our favorable conference schedule draw last year, as well as the fact we have no proven players except the Core 4, no. And I'm fine with that. 

Interesting. I guess I wouldn't be stunned if we're left out, but I expected us to start in the top 25 somewhere.

[Norm Peterson]

3 hours ago, uneblinstu said:

Really? A 22 win team, with 13 conference wins, hailing from a Power 5 school and has it's 4 best players returning wouldn't be ranked?

 

That same 22 win team, with 13 conference wins, hailing from a Power 5 Conference apparently wasn't among the top 84 teams in the nation last season.

 

Ranking us would seem to be a pretty strong acknowledgement we should have made the dance.