What will our rotation look like next year?

[busticket]

Good to know coach is just as confused as we are about what the rotation ultimately will be.  Seems to be a close race among a lot of the players.  I am beyond curious how this thing will shake out.

 

I say good to know because our perception (us internet guys) of having quite a bit of talent that is capable of playing is in line with what Fred is seeing.  

Edited October 20, 2021 by busticket

[AuroranHusker]

35 minutes ago, busticket said:

Good to know coach is just as confused as we are about what the rotation ultimately will be.  Seems to be a close race among a lot of the players.  I am beyond curious how this thing will shake out.

 

I say good to know because our perception (us internet guys) of having quite a bit of talent that is capable of playing is in line with what Fred is seeing.  

 

It is nice to know that Coach has been listening to us. 

 

 

[Norm Peterson]

3 hours ago, busticket said:

Good to know coach is just as confused as we are about what the rotation ultimately will be.  Seems to be a close race among a lot of the players.  I am beyond curious how this thing will shake out.

 

I say good to know because our perception (us internet guys) of having quite a bit of talent that is capable of playing is in line with what Fred is seeing.  

 

The starting lineup might only be a little better than a year ago. What's really REALLY different about this team is the next group of guys that go in. There might not be much of a step down from the top 5 to the second five. In fact, this year's second five might beat last year's starters head-to-head (if there's any way to test that hypothesis, I'd like to know what it is.)

[AuroranHusker]

12 minutes ago, Norm Peterson said:

 

The starting lineup might only be a little better than a year ago. What's really REALLY different about this team is the next group of guys that go in. There might not be much of a step down from the top 5 to the second five. In fact, this year's second five might beat last year's starters head-to-head (if there's any way to test that hypothesis, I'd like to know what it is.)

 

Bingo.

 

 

[OurDecay]

Interesting point Norm.  Our starting 5 in our final game last year:

 

Walker (returning starter in 21-22)

Mayen (returning starter in 21-22)

Thor

Webster

T. McGowens (returning starter in 21-22)

 

backups that played:

Andre

Banton

Lakes

 

Thor graduated, Banton got drafted by the NBA, and Andre/Webster/Lakes return.  Webster is relegated to a backup, Andre & Lakes might not even make our rotation.

 

with 3 returning starters…it means we are comparing Thor/Webster last year to B.McGowens/Verge this year - plus you have to assume the 3 returning guys get better or at least stay the same.  I would say this years starting lineup looks much better with a 5-star wing and a PG that has scored over 40 in a Pac12 game and turned down an NBA contract to transfer here.

 

[hhcmatt]

9 hours ago, OurDecay said:

Interesting point Norm.  Our starting 5 in our final game last year:

 

Walker (returning starter in 21-22)

Mayen (returning starter in 21-22)

Thor

Webster

T. McGowens (returning starter in 21-22)

 

backups that played:

Andre

Banton

Lakes

 

Thor graduated, Banton got drafted by the NBA, and Andre/Webster/Lakes return.  Webster is relegated to a backup, Andre & Lakes might not even make our rotation.

 

with 3 returning starters…it means we are comparing Thor/Webster last year to B.McGowens/Verge this year - plus you have to assume the 3 returning guys get better or at least stay the same.  I would say this years starting lineup looks much better with a 5-star wing and a PG that has scored over 40 in a Pac12 game and turned down an NBA contract to transfer here.

 

 

Probably makes more sense at this point to compare our depth vs the depth to begin the season last year though it's not like it was much better with Walker suspended, Lakes not eligible. Coming in it was

 

Teddy

T McGowens

Banton

Mayan

Yvan

 

Backups

Thor (ultimately got the nod over Yvan)

Sham

Andre (ended up getting knocked out by Covid in the opener)

 

This year's team easily has more depth and hopefully we have minimal injuries/adversity so we don't have to test its limits.

[aphilso1]

2 hours ago, hhcmatt said:

 

Probably makes more sense at this point to compare our depth vs the depth to begin the season last year though it's not like it was much better with Walker suspended, Lakes not eligible. Coming in it was

 

Teddy

T McGowens

Banton

Mayan

Yvan

 

Backups

Thor (ultimately got the nod over Yvan)

Sham

Andre (ended up getting knocked out by Covid in the opener)

 

This year's team easily has more depth and hopefully we have minimal injuries/adversity so we don't have to test its limits.

 

Yvan is the perfect example when looking at our roster transformation.  Two seasons ago he was a starter with no one else really challenging for minutes at the 5.  Last year we assumed he'd be the starter again (at least until DW finished his suspension), but Hoiberg felt more comfortable playing small with Lat at the 5 and Andre ate into Yvan's minutes too.  Then when DW was eligible, Yvan fell out of the rotation.  Now the guy who beat out Yvan for backup minutes last year, Andre, may not make the rotation because we again have upgraded talent. 

 

If that doesn't tell us a little something about the depth on this team versus the previous two years, then I don't know what will.

[throwback]

Most talented NU team since 95-96? Can this NU team manage egos and playing time, unlike 95-96? Great look back and ahead from World-Herald.

 

https://omaha.com/sports/huskers/mens-basketball/nebraska-basketballs-most-talented-team-fell-apart-how-do-these-huskers-avoid-that-fate/article_69b67a7c-334a-11ec-9ed0-8bdf478528ab.html

 

 

[millerhusker]

46 minutes ago, throwback said:

Most talented NU team since 95-96? Can this NU team manage egos and playing time, unlike 95-96? Great look back and ahead from World-Herald.

 

https://omaha.com/sports/huskers/mens-basketball/nebraska-basketballs-most-talented-team-fell-apart-how-do-these-huskers-avoid-that-fate/article_69b67a7c-334a-11ec-9ed0-8bdf478528ab.html

 

 

I'm grateful we have one of the best radio broadcasters in the business still doing Husker games. Kent is a treasure. 

 

I'm also grateful the OWH traded Heady for this Watkins kid. He's doing a good job. 

 

Why take the team photo when one of your scholarship players isn't there? Just have the photographer come back next week, yeah? 

[jimmykc]

Pretty good OWH article, but as a close observer of the Nee-era teams, I would use the same headline but substitute the 92-93 team which I witnessed losing to a much inferior K State team in the Big Eight tourney first round and then being blown out by New Mexico State in the first round of the NCAA. That team was equally talented but did not win the NIT. The main cause of team conflict that year was the talented Andre Woolridge.

[Fastbreaker]

18 minutes ago, millerhusker said:

I'm grateful we have one of the best radio broadcasters in the business still doing Husker games. Kent is a treasure. 

 

I'm also grateful the OWH traded Heady for this Watkins kid. He's doing a good job. 

 

Why take the team photo when one of your scholarship players isn't there? Just have the photographer come back next week, yeah? 

Athletic director Steve Byrne.   Watkins needs to fact check a little better.

Edited October 23, 2021 by Fastbreaker

[jimmykc]

Yes, he should. But I do like his first name. And I would dispute the talent of 95-96 being better than 92-93.

[millerhusker]

The 2017-18 roster had five 4-stars (Watson, Gill, Roby, Palmer, Allen), one 5-star (Copeland) and two other guys who were in the Rivals top 150 at one point (Jordy, Nana). Along with McVeigh and Taylor who were both rotation guys the year prior. 

Thomas Allen showed up in Lincoln after being offered a scholarship by Bill Self. Copeland's back was finally healthy and he was poised to return to his freshman form when he was on first round draft boards. Gill was apparently fully healthy now, too. We heard reports that Palmer dominated practices his redshirt year the way Petteway did. Watson was coming off an awesome sophomore year where he was one of the better point guards in the conference. Jordy was coming off a solid freshman year for a young big man. We all knew Roby's potential. 

On paper BEFORE the season, the 17-18 roster was comparable to this year's, talent-wise. Some of the guys on this year's roster won't be what we think they'll be. Some will get frustrated with a lack of playing time and transfer. Hopefully at the end of the year we will still be thinking it's the most talented roster since the 90's. 

Edited October 23, 2021 by millerhusker

[Norm Peterson]

3 hours ago, millerhusker said:

I'm grateful we have one of the best radio broadcasters in the business still doing Husker games. Kent is a treasure. 

 

I'm also grateful the OWH traded Heady for this Watkins kid. He's doing a good job. 

 

Why take the team photo when one of your scholarship players isn't there? Just have the photographer come back next week, yeah? 

 

And @millerhusker with his first 3-pointer of the season, GOT IT!

[jimmykc]

They can always photoshop someone in as long as they make sure the knees bend in the right direction.

[LNKtrnsplnt]

13 hours ago, millerhusker said:

I'm grateful we have one of the best radio broadcasters in the business still doing Husker games. Kent is a treasure. 

 

I'm also grateful the OWH traded Heady for this Watkins kid. He's doing a good job. 

 

Why take the team photo when one of your scholarship players isn't there? Just have the photographer come back next week, yeah? 

so far Watkins seems alright. I need a larger sample size before I can judge. But Heady, I thought, was great. Insightful and passionate. He knew his stuff and was dedicated. Really liked his podcast with nyatawa as well. He was very invested and his writing was not boring. 
 

 

[millerhusker]

11 hours ago, LNKtrnsplnt said:

so far Watkins seems alright. I need a larger sample size before I can judge. But Heady, I thought, was great. Insightful and passionate. He knew his stuff and was dedicated. Really liked his podcast with nyatawa as well. He was very invested and his writing was not boring. 
 

 

Heady could definitely write a good story. But his basketball knowledge was lacking and he has a big ego. Someone on the Red Sea Scrolls put together a compilation of blatantly false things Heady wrote in the paper and on Twitter. 

 

I listened to a podcast a couple years ago where Heady was a guest. During the conversation, he argued adamantly that Doc never beat Creighton. Doc went 3-3 against Creighton. It was cringey. He grew up a KU fan in suburban KC, so I understand if you don't know certain things about Nebraska's history. But don't keep doubling down on it when you're the only guy in the room who doesn't know (and you're the Nebrasketball beat writer at the biggest newspaper in the state). Couldn't take him seriously after that. 

[Chuck Taylor]

I think it's a problem that everyone who covers the Huskers locally is an NU grad. Not a lot of objectivity, and they all think they know how to "fix" things. I'd be more interested in a view from someone who wasn't from this area, but it seems like the reporters are supposed to be cheerleaders ... until they're not.

 

 

[Huskerpapa]

5 minutes ago, Chuck Taylor said:

I think it's a problem that everyone who covers the Huskers locally is an NU grad. Not a lot of objectivity, and they all think they know how to "fix" things. I'd be more interested in a view from someone who wasn't from this area, but it seems like the reporters are supposed to be cheerleaders ... until they're not.

 

 

I have always thought our local writers were fair and unbiased in general.  Of course they will be a bit more biased as they are the ones in the trenches with the program, day in and day out.   What is interesting is when they are critical; then their readers split into love/hate factions. 

As to receiving observations from regional or national media, we will see more of that once we become relevant.  Here-to-fore our irrelevance has been deafening.

[millerhusker]

29 minutes ago, Chuck Taylor said:

I think it's a problem that everyone who covers the Huskers locally is an NU grad. Not a lot of objectivity, and they all think they know how to "fix" things. I'd be more interested in a view from someone who wasn't from this area, but it seems like the reporters are supposed to be cheerleaders ... until they're not.

 

 

I agree. I enjoy listening to Nyatawa talk about the Huskers. He's an Indiana kid, Purdue alumn and covers Creighton. He has a good basketball IQ and is always unbiased. 

[Norm Peterson]

4 hours ago, millerhusker said:

Heady could definitely write a good story. But his basketball knowledge was lacking and he has a big ego. Someone on the Red Sea Scrolls put together a compilation of blatantly false things Heady wrote in the paper and on Twitter. 

 

I listened to a podcast a couple years ago where Heady was a guest. During the conversation, he argued adamantly that Doc never beat Creighton. Doc went 3-3 against Creighton. It was cringey. He grew up a KU fan in suburban KC, so I understand if you don't know certain things about Nebraska's history. But don't keep doubling down on it when you're the only guy in the room who doesn't know (and you're the Nebrasketball beat writer at the biggest newspaper in the state). Couldn't take him seriously after that. 

 

In addition to a big ego, Heady also has thin skin.

 

I took a humorous dig at him on Twitter one day and he blocked me.

 

And, I mean, it was just a harmless little poke. Not bombastic or repeated or anything. Just ... blocked.

 

Michael Severe blocked me too, so I've got that going for me.

[millerhusker]

1 hour ago, Norm Peterson said:

 

In addition to a big ego, Heady also has thin skin.

 

I took a humorous dig at him on Twitter one day and he blocked me.

 

And, I mean, it was just a harmless little poke. Not bombastic or repeated or anything. Just ... blocked.

 

Michael Severe blocked me too, so I've got that going for me.

Other folks on the RSS said they were blocked by him for pointing out misinformation in his tweets

[1HuskerDad]

One thing about many (but not all) media reporters and writers is that they have big egos.  Because they have that “degree” they feel they are more knowledgeable then the average Joe.  Not just about sports but about other topics like politics, etc too.  They especially take it personal when a message board poster or social media poster corrects them.  Insecurity is a big thing too when they are wrong in the era of media cutbacks too.

Edited October 24, 2021 by 1HuskerDad

[AuroranHusker]

On 10/23/2021 at 9:09 AM, jimmykc said:

Yes, he should. But I do like his first name. And I would dispute the talent of 95-96 being better than 92-93.

 

Steve...... or Jimmy?! 

 

 

[AuroranHusker]

34 minutes ago, millerhusker said:

Other folks on the RSS said they were blocked by him for pointing out misinformation in his tweets

 

A few times I've tried to be helpful and corrected some published wrong info put out by media members, and I did it just to get the information right and often it was statistical corrections. Unfortunately it felt like a few of 'em seem to take it too personal. It's a weird phenomena. 

 

 

Edited October 24, 2021 by AuroranHusker