Robin Washut - Derrick Walker

[Nebrasketballer]

According to Washut, it sounds like Derrick Walker might come back next season (also sounds like Trey and Lat won’t be).

 

If Walker does come back, I’d like to see him play the 4 spot with Blaise Keita at the 5 spot. I like a lot of what Walker provides, but he’s just undersized to play Center in the Big Ten. I think he could be really good at the 4 spot. And I also think that if Hoiberg were to restructure his system in such a away that Walker is at the 4 spot, rather than a jump shooter that plays on the perimeter at the 4, that could also be a system that is much better suited for the Big Ten conference.

Edited February 25, 2022 by Nebrasketballer

[FredsSlacks]

walker is so slow on defense. i'm not sure you could play him at the 4.

 

fred needs to find a 3/4 in the offseason. 

Edited February 25, 2022 by FredsSlacks

[hhcmatt]

9 minutes ago, Nebrasketballer said:

According to Washut, it sounds like Derrick Walker might come back next season (also sounds like Trey and Lat won’t be).

 

If Walker does come back, I’d like to see him play the 4 spot with Blaise Keita at the 5 spot. I like a lot of what Walker provides, but he’s just undersized to play Center in the Big Ten. I think he could be really good at the 4 spot. And I also think that if Hoiberg were to restructure his system in such a away that Walker is at the 4 spot, rather than a jump shooter that plays on the perimeter at the 4, that could also be a system that is much better suited for the Big Ten conference.

 

Fred isn't running some new fangled system here. There are 0 teams in the conference that run 2 post players on the court who don't shot 3s.

If Keita is as good as advertised, we're talking about Walker being his backup

[thrasher31]

51 minutes ago, Nebrasketballer said:

According to Washut, it sounds like Derrick Walker might come back next season (also sounds like Trey and Lat won’t be).

 

If Walker does come back, I’d like to see him play the 4 spot with Blaise Keita at the 5 spot. I like a lot of what Walker provides, but he’s just undersized to play Center in the Big Ten. I think he could be really good at the 4 spot. And I also think that if Hoiberg were to restructure his system in such a away that Walker is at the 4 spot, rather than a jump shooter that plays on the perimeter at the 4, that could also be a system that is much better suited for the Big Ten conference.

Look at Pete Nance vs Derrick Walker this past week. That would be a reoccurring theme of what would happen if Walker were to play the 4. 

 

Having 2 posts who can't shoot and clog the paint isn't optimizing any offense. I think Walker still starts, but they'll need to find a new 4 or trust Wilhelm

[Handy Johnson]

You could roll out a BIG front court of Walker, Wilhelm & Keita with Wilcher @ the 2 & a PG of your choosing. It would be nice to have someone react to OUR size for a change while still having legit long range shooters in the lineup…

[Milk]

Roster looks for next year.  Assuming B McGowans and Mayen don’t return.  

 

Walker- Robin says probably coming back

T McGowans- Robin says probably not coming back

Wilcher

Tominaga

Breidenbach

Edwards- ? 
McPherson

Kojenets

Andre-  Does he return if Walker comes back?  Post position gets crowded

Keita

Lloyd

Dawson

Lawrence

 

looks like maybe 1-2 spots for transfers? 

 

 

[HB]

28 minutes ago, Milk said:

Roster looks for next year.  Assuming B McGowans and Mayen don’t return.  

 

Walker- Robin says probably coming back

T McGowans- Robin says probably not coming back

Wilcher

Tominaga

Breidenbach

Edwards- ? 
McPherson

Kojenets

Andre-  Does he return if Walker comes back?  Post position gets crowded

Keita

Lloyd

Dawson

Lawrence

 

looks like maybe 1-2 spots for transfers? 

 

 

 

Yikes.   That is one bad roster.   Hope the portal is kind, but how's that been working so far?

[nustudent]

38 minutes ago, Milk said:

Roster looks for next year.  Assuming B McGowans and Mayen don’t return.  

 

Walker- Robin says probably coming back

T McGowans- Robin says probably not coming back

Wilcher

Tominaga

Breidenbach

Edwards- ? 
McPherson

Kojenets

Andre-  Does he return if Walker comes back?  Post position gets crowded

Keita

Lloyd

Dawson

Lawrence

 

looks like maybe 1-2 spots for transfers? 

 

 

I'd be a bit surprised if there aren't at least two departures from the Tominaga, Kojenets, Andre, Edwards group.   My guesses are Tominaga and Andre.

 

Which would leave us room for 3 additions assuming both McGowans and Lat are gone.

[uneblinstu]

I think Walker is a good basketball player. We need more good basketball players. I welcome any good players that want to stay in the program.

[nustudent]

4 minutes ago, uneblinstu said:

I think Walker is a good basketball player. We need more good basketball players. I welcome any good players that want to stay in the program.

More than being a good basketball player, I think he is a good person and good teammate as well.   Which is what this program needs more of right now.

[uneblinstu]

1 minute ago, nustudent said:

More than being a good basketball player, I think he is a good person and good teammate as well.   Which is what this program needs more of right now.

for sure

[aphilso1]

Walker is a perfect example of a guy that would be dominant in the post for a good mid-major program.  And someone that on an individual night can go toe-to-toe against bigger opposing post players.  The problem is that he can't consistently do that in our conference.  When you're that undersized as a 5, and that underskilled as a 4, you will eventually be exposed in a conference as good as the B1G.

 

I really like Walker.  I like his hustle, his effort, his desire to better himself and to do things the right way.  But being realistic, if he is our best choice at the 4 then we're staring down the barrel of another single-digit win season.  And if he is our best choice at the 5 then we better have some seriously improved team rebounding and team defense to help him out.  Other than our posts, we currently have two guys that box out on rebounds (CJ and Trey) and a handful of others that seem to find themselves in the right place/right time to snag a handful of uncontested rebounds (Lat, Bryce, Verge).  That has to improve if we roll out an undersized player at the 5 again.

[nustudent]

1 minute ago, aphilso1 said:

Walker is a perfect example of a guy that would be dominant in the post for a good mid-major program.  And someone that on an individual night can go toe-to-toe against bigger opposing post players.  The problem is that he can't consistently do that in our conference.  When you're that undersized as a 5, and that underskilled as a 4, you will eventually be exposed in a conference as good as the B1G.

 

I really like Walker.  I like his hustle, his effort, his desire to better himself and to do things the right way.  But being realistic, if he is our best choice at the 4 then we're staring down the barrel of another single-digit win season.  And if he is our best choice at the 5 then we better have some seriously improved team rebounding and team defense to help him out.  Other than our posts, we currently have two guys that box out on rebounds (CJ and Trey) and a handful of others that seem to find themselves in the right place/right time to snag a handful of uncontested rebounds (Lat, Bryce, Verge).  That has to improve if we roll out an undersized player at the 5 again.

IMO....the biggest thing we will have...or appear to have next year...will be options (assuming Walker returns).

 

You'll have flexibility to do something different with Walker depending on the opponent.  You'll have Keita.  Oleg won't be redshirting and even if it's spot time....it's still time.  Possibly Andre if he comes back and he'll be a year older and a tad stronger.   Wilhelm will be back at the 4.   Edwards could play a stretch 4 role.

 

There's no doubt we need to be a lot better.   Step 1 in that is getting bodies that are capable.   It remains to be seen if they actually are...but it at least appears as of now to be more of them.

[busticket]

I think step 1 is coaching has to improve.  Our guys have to be improve a lot in the technical aspects of the game and be assignment sound on defense.  Having a good point guard probably goes right after that.

[aphilso1]

6 minutes ago, nustudent said:

IMO....the biggest thing we will have...or appear to have next year...will be options (assuming Walker returns).

 

You'll have flexibility to do something different with Walker depending on the opponent.  You'll have Keita.  Oleg won't be redshirting and even if it's spot time....it's still time.  Possibly Andre if he comes back and he'll be a year older and a tad stronger.   Wilhelm will be back at the 4.   Edwards could play a stretch 4 role.

 

There's no doubt we need to be a lot better.   Step 1 in that is getting bodies that are capable.   It remains to be seen if they actually are...but it at least appears as of now to be more of them.

 

It sure would be nice if Keita turns out to be the real deal.  If he can guard the opposing post without help and snag 7-8 rebounds per game, our perimeter defense will magically improve too.  I guarantee even our current roster would look better defending the three point shot if they weren't having to close out late all the time.  But...I'm not holding my breath on that hope.

[busticket]

37 minutes ago, nustudent said:

I'd be a bit surprised if there aren't at least two departures from the Tominaga, Kojenets, Andre, Edwards group.   My guesses are Tominaga and Andre.

 

Which would leave us room for 3 additions assuming both McGowans and Lat are gone.

I tend to agree on the transfers.  Tominaga has to be horribly frustrated at this point.  He never gets the ball when he is open, then he will Jack a questionable three, then benched for the rest of the game.  

 

Andre is a project but has promise, but it is looking like a numbers game in the post.

[aphilso1]

2 minutes ago, busticket said:

I think step 1 is coaching has to improve.  Our guys have to be improve a lot in the technical aspects of the game and be assignment sound on defense.  Having a good point guard probably goes right after that.

 

Who on our roster can defend his position without regular help?  My list is only one player long: Trey.  And on some nights when his head is screwed on straight I would also include Verge.  Maybe that's a coaching deficiency, but a lot of it appears to be just a deficit on physical tools.  CJ and Keisei aren't going to add enough lateral foot speed to defend other guards.  Walker isn't going to grow 3" before next season.  Sure, we do have some guys with physical tools that need to have their defensive technique coached up (Bryce, Andre, Keon), but two of those three are likely gone after the season and the third has spent more time with his face on the back of a milk carton than he has on the floor.

[nustudent]

8 minutes ago, aphilso1 said:

 

It sure would be nice if Keita turns out to be the real deal.  If he can guard the opposing post without help and snag 7-8 rebounds per game, our perimeter defense will magically improve too.  I guarantee even our current roster would look better defending the three point shot if they weren't having to close out late all the time.  But...I'm not holding my breath on that hope.

100% agreed.   Maybe Keita busts.   It's possible.  Probably even likely based on our luck the last 3 years.   But the pedigree is that of someone that we simply just haven't had since Maric.

 

Being able to defend honestly without helping translates to the rest of the team as well.

[hhcmatt]

1 hour ago, HB said:

 

Yikes.   That is one bad roster.   Hope the portal is kind, but how's that been working so far?

 

Are we talking about makeup or talent or both?

[Huskerpapa]

I am getting a kick out of this discussion.  First, I do not believe any of the players are locks to come back.  If Fred does his job, the year end player interviews could be a metaphorical blood bath.  Each and every player, needs to build their individual and team first skillsets.  

Secondly, does anyone REALLY know whether a specific player is really a good person or a good teammate, or are they guessing and speculating?   I would love to know sources.  For example, I can guess Tominaga, Webster and McPherson are good teammates due to their reactions while on the bench and when a timeout is called, they run out and greet their teammates on the floor.  I can also guess that Trey is a good brother as he was ready to go to war for his brother when he was flagrantly fouled recently.

Lastly, can someone please define size for me in the context of what a PF or center should look like to qualify as "having size." I am convinced that the definition depends on the conference.   I am of the opinion that none of our "bigs" are Big 10 bigs.

[Art Vandalay]

1 hour ago, Milk said:

Roster looks for next year.  Assuming B McGowans and Mayen don’t return.  

 

Walker- Robin says probably coming back

T McGowans- Robin says probably not coming back

Wilcher

Tominaga

Breidenbach

Edwards- ? 
McPherson

Kojenets

Andre-  Does he return if Walker comes back?  Post position gets crowded

Keita

Lloyd

Dawson

Lawrence

 

looks like maybe 1-2 spots for transfers? 

 

 

We will need 2-4 transfers to have a shot at being competitive so I’m guessing some guys will be advised to look elsewhere.

[hskr4life]

24 minutes ago, Art Vandalay said:

We will need 2-4 transfers to have a shot at being competitive so I’m guessing some guys will be advised to look elsewhere.

 

Yep-- for Fred it's do or die.  So he'll, I hope, do everything it takes to win next year.

[Handy Johnson]

33 minutes ago, Huskerpapa said:

I am getting a kick out of this discussion.  First, I do not believe any of the players are locks to come back.  If Fred does his job, the year end player interviews could be a metaphorical blood bath.  Each and every player, needs to build their individual and team first skillsets.  

Secondly, does anyone REALLY know whether a specific player is really a good person or a good teammate, or are they guessing and speculating?   I would love to know sources.  For example, I can guess Tominaga, Webster and McPherson are good teammates due to their reactions while on the bench and when a timeout is called, they run out and greet their teammates on the floor.  I can also guess that Trey is a good brother as he was ready to go to war for his brother when he was flagrantly fouled recently.

Lastly, can someone please define size for me in the context of what a PF or center should look like to qualify as "having size." I am convinced that the definition depends on the conference.   I am of the opinion that none of our "bigs" are Big 10 bigs.

I’ll try to help. On a “Good” B1G team Walker would be your first or second serviceable Big Man off the bench. For us he’s Bob Boozer…

[HB]

33 minutes ago, hhcmatt said:

 

Are we talking about makeup or talent or both?

 

Both.  But mainly just looking at it--no way you're winning in the  Big 10 with that group.   Top to bottom just not very good.   Even if Walker comes back we're losing 2 out of our 3 best players.  On a terrible team.  Pretty comfortable that any new guys will not be as good as Bryce or Verge.  Maybe Fred will pull off a miracle from the portal, but this roster isn't gonna cut it absent Bryce returning.  I mean, they might win 10 vs. 7, but it's a bottom rung Big roster. 

[BirdsOnTheBat]

2 minutes ago, Handy Johnson said:

I’ll try to help. On a “Good” B1G team Walker would be your first or second serviceable Big Man off the bench. For us he’s Bob Boozer…

When Keita arrives do you think Walker will be off the bench?