Next Year's Roster?

[DMVHusker]

Just wondering what you all think about the current roster and how many of those guys are back next season. The real question I have is do you think the walkons will still be on the team next season (Kye,Ritchie) and does Trevor still get a scholly or will that go to Peltz? Obviously we lack depth and depending on if we sign another recruit for 2013, but you have to think that there are better players out there. Just a thought. 

[cozrulz]

Hopefully Miles doesn't pull a Doc.  One of Doc's bigger mistakes was not having any roster consistency any year.  It didn't help the new guys never were any better.  Definitely have to be careful.  Based from his previous stops, I trust Miles with building a roster.

 

I don't see any necessary movement when it comes to walk-ons.  I'd only keep Menke on scholarship if we can't find anyone to bring in.  Need to be looking at JUCO big men, preferably a 6'8'' or 6'9'' athletic forward.  Also probably another point guard.

[TheGov21]

Like cozrulz said, the only way that Menke keeps his scholorship is if they don't fill it with a new recruit.  Chances are Menke will be back as a walk on.  Don't know why we are worried if walk ons are going to be a part of the team.  Kye and Ritche don't play and they more than likely won't.  I'm sure they are more than aware of that. 

 

I also agree that I hope Miles doesn't totally make over the roster.  Sure the easy thing is to say Vucetic doesn't deserve his scholorship and Miles should cut him loose.   But he's only a freshman, lets see if he can add weight and develop.  I also hope Parker stays.  He's struggled for most of the Big 10 season, but he has talent and some work in the off season he could be a lot better. 

 

Adding the transfers and new recruits the team will look a lot different anyways.

[Norm Peterson]

I'm not worried about keeping walk-ons.  They fulfill a need and serve an important purpose.  In PRACTICE.  Gotta have a scout team.  Gotta be able to fill three practice teams of 5 for scrimmaging purposes.  The better they are, the more they help the scholarship guys prepare for the teams we'll face.

 

As for scholarship guys:  1) I cannot fathom that Menke is supposed to be on scholarship for more than just one year; 2) I will take the coaches at their word that they think Sergej will develop and be a good player for us and they're not looking to scoot him out; and 3) Parker is sort of a wild card.  I don't think he'll be asked to leave.  But if I'm Benny, I gotta wonder whether my best chances for playing time might not be at a lower tier school.  Ray Gallegos is playing over 30 minutes and I'm playing 10?  And they're bringing all those taller guards in next year?  And continuing to recruit point guards?

 

I'm not saying anything bad about Benny.  Nor am I saying the coaches will push him out the door.  But, if I'm Benny, I'd have to think long and hard about my future and whether I'm ever going to be more than a practice player at this level.  Might be a good time to think about switching to a UMKC or something.

[Huskerpapa]

Everyone should be back next year.  I have heard nothing to refute that perception, unless of course you include comments from prisoners of the dungeon.

[kldm64]

I would not anticipate any players leaving and don't see any of the coaches asking any player to leave.  I would anticipate the coaches having an honest talk with each player about their role and expectations moving forward.  It's possible one or two players might exit but I just don't expect any will leave.

[FredsSlacks]

I'm not worried about keeping walk-ons.  They fulfill a need and serve an important purpose.  In PRACTICE.  Gotta have a scout team.  Gotta be able to fill three practice teams of 5 for scrimmaging purposes.  The better they are, the more they help the scholarship guys prepare for the teams we'll face.

 

As for scholarship guys:  1) I cannot fathom that Menke is supposed to be on scholarship for more than just one year; 2) I will take the coaches at their word that they think Sergej will develop and be a good player for us and they're not looking to scoot him out; and 3) Parker is sort of a wild card.  I don't think he'll be asked to leave.  But if I'm Benny, I gotta wonder whether my best chances for playing time might not be at a lower tier school.  Ray Gallegos is playing over 30 minutes and I'm playing 10?  And they're bringing all those taller guards in next year?  And continuing to recruit point guards?

 

I'm not saying anything bad about Benny.  Nor am I saying the coaches will push him out the door.  But, if I'm Benny, I'd have to think long and hard about my future and whether I'm ever going to be more than a practice player at this level.  Might be a good time to think about switching to a UMKC or something.

we were the only bcs school to offer Benny, so I think it's fair to say Doc was wrong on this one. I know he's just a freshman, but nothing about his game makes me think he will ever be more than a backup.

 

If you are 5'8 on a BCS D1 team, you should have great handles and be able to create shots OR be able to shoot. I don't feel like Parker excels in either of those areas.

 

Rivers struggled to play as a freshman, but that was also on a team with a bunch of juniors and seniors. Rivers put on 15 pounds in the offseason which helped him rebound better this year, and Parker will not be able to get better physically.

 

Some people had high hopes for Parker because he was a great scorer in high school. He did not play against the best competition in high school, and I do not think his game has translated against taller more athletic players.

 

The only reason I think Miles brought Parker in is because NU had no other options at that point, and Miles probably hoped his game would translate. Miles brought in Parker before he signed biggs, webster, and peltz.

[PimpMario]

We don't need Sergei or Parker to leave if he doesn't want to.  I kind of feel like they could either leave or redshirt.  They are either good enough to develop which means and extra year would help them or they are not good enough to develop and they should consider going somewhere where they would find playing time.

[Hooper]

We don't need Sergei or Parker to leave if he doesn't want to.  I kind of feel like they could either leave or redshirt.  They are either good enough to develop which means and extra year would help them or they are not good enough to develop and they should consider going somewhere where they would find playing time.

 

There's no way they'll redshirt either of those players, and especially Parker. If they really believed in Vooch, they would have redshirted him this year. That's my view at least, because it's logical. By not redshirting him, they give him that redshirt to use if he transfers somewhere, and if he stays, they've started his four-year clock running.

 

Nebraska absolutely cannot take just one recruit next year. I suspect we'll carry one scholarship into 2014, which would give us two, but this program really needs 3-4. 

[Norm Peterson]

Hoop, Coach Australian Guy stated at one of the meet and greets that the reason Sergej didn't redshirt was because he didn't want to.  That tells me that they offered him the opportunity.  And that doesn't rule out a future redshirt for him either, as he might see it's in his best interests to gain some strength, weight, and experience.  He was also very firm in saying that the coaching staff believes in Sergej and think he'll develop very well.  He basically said they think Sergej has a very high upside and they are looking forward to developing him.  That's what he said.  About Sergej.  Can't speak to Parker.  But don't judge what the coaches think by the fact that Sergej didn't redshirt this year.  I made that same mistake and was corrected.

[Norm Peterson]

From what BigTex said (over on the "Speaking of Graduate Transfers" thread), for next year's roster WE NEED A BIG!!!  We need a center.  A back-to-the-basket kind of guy.  And not necessarily one who can score but one who can play defense at that position.  And what that does -- go give BigTex a reputation bump for this analysis, by the way, because it's his, not mine -- is allows Pitchford to play his more natural or appropriate position of the 4.

 

So, if I had to break things down based on what BigTex said ...

 

5  As yet unsigned big man recruit/Vucetic

4  Pitchford/Shields/Rivers

3  Petteway/Rivers/etc.

2  Gallegos/Petteway/etc.

1  Biggs/Parker/etc.

 

Gotta getta big man.

[Hooper]

Hoop, Coach Australian Guy stated at one of the meet and greets that the reason Sergej didn't redshirt was because he didn't want to.  That tells me that they offered him the opportunity.  And that doesn't rule out a future redshirt for him either, as he might see it's in his best interests to gain some strength, weight, and experience.  He was also very firm in saying that the coaching staff believes in Sergej and think he'll develop very well.  He basically said they think Sergej has a very high upside and they are looking forward to developing him.  That's what he said.  About Sergej.  Can't speak to Parker.  But don't judge what the coaches think by the fact that Sergej didn't redshirt this year.  I made that same mistake and was corrected.

 

I hope Harriman is right about Vooch's potential. I really hope he can become a valuable member of the team. He seems to have some foundational skills, but I question his overall quickness and athleticism. When I look at a player like Matthew Atewe, I see a guy who just looks a lot more like what Tim Miles is looking for in his bigs -- quick, powerful, athletic guys who can play the type of defense he likes to play. Craig Smith talked about this on the radio the other night. 

 

I believe that for Vooch to play substantially more next year than he is this year, he has to make major strides in the off-season.

[NUdiehard]

Hoop, Coach Australian Guy stated at one of the meet and greets that the reason Sergej didn't redshirt was because he didn't want to.  That tells me that they offered him the opportunity.  And that doesn't rule out a future redshirt for him either, as he might see it's in his best interests to gain some strength, weight, and experience.  He was also very firm in saying that the coaching staff believes in Sergej and think he'll develop very well.  He basically said they think Sergej has a very high upside and they are looking forward to developing him.  That's what he said.  About Sergej.  Can't speak to Parker.  But don't judge what the coaches think by the fact that Sergej didn't redshirt this year.  I made that same mistake and was corrected.

I don't really understand this notion that Serg didn't want to RS.  Isn't that a decision for the coach?  Since when do players get to dictate such things.  Can anyone imagine a freshman FB player demanding to Bo that he get to play is freshman year even though Bo wants him to RS.  I can see the door hitting him on the a-- on the way out. 

 

Heck, Miles could have even told Serg at the begninning of the season that he would put him on the team roster, but then simply not play him in any games.  It would hardly be any difference at all to Serg.  What did he play, about 10 minutes all year, none of them of any meaning whatsoever.  What if Miles simply had never inserted hin into the game?  Boom!  Now you have a RS whether he wanted it or not. 

 

And if anyone is going to respond by saying that this would have just made Serg upset, I have to ask you in return, does anyone really think Serg is soooo much more happy now that he got to play 10 whole meaningless minutes and burned his RS in the process?  Serg either wants to play here or he doesn't.  Whether or not Miles played him for the mighty 10 minutes should not have any bearing on that at all. 

[Concrete]

i'm in the boat that doesn't really care what next year's roster looks like (as long as Atewe is a part of it ).  I think we already have a solid foundation to build upon.  I don't see Vucetic or Parker making it past next season barring major improvement, though.  Like Hooper said, we can't afford to just take 1 guy in next year's class.  For multiple reasons.

 

I'd like to get to the point where we consistently have 2-4 players per recruiting class.  I think that's important for Nebraska to build and maintain a steady program, and in order for that to happen we are going to have to make some cuts this season or next

[PimpMario]

From what BigTex said (over on the "Speaking of Graduate Transfers" thread), for next year's roster WE NEED A BIG!!!  We need a center.  A back-to-the-basket kind of guy.  And not necessarily one who can score but one who can play defense at that position.  And what that does -- go give BigTex a reputation bump for this analysis, by the way, because it's his, not mine -- is allows Pitchford to play his more natural or appropriate position of the 4.

 

So, if I had to break things down based on what BigTex said ...

 

5  As yet unsigned big man recruit/Vucetic

4  Pitchford/Shields/Rivers

3  Petteway/Rivers/etc.

2  Gallegos/Petteway/etc.

1  Biggs/Parker/etc.

 

Gotta getta big man.

 

Where is Webster in all of this?

[Norm Peterson]

From what BigTex said (over on the "Speaking of Graduate Transfers" thread), for next year's roster WE NEED A BIG!!!  We need a center.  A back-to-the-basket kind of guy.  And not necessarily one who can score but one who can play defense at that position.  And what that does -- go give BigTex a reputation bump for this analysis, by the way, because it's his, not mine -- is allows Pitchford to play his more natural or appropriate position of the 4.

 

So, if I had to break things down based on what BigTex said ...

 

5  As yet unsigned big man recruit/Vucetic

4  Pitchford/Shields/Rivers

3  Petteway/Rivers/etc.

2  Gallegos/Petteway/etc.

1  Biggs/Parker/etc.

 

Gotta getta big man.

 

Where is Webster in all of this?

He's one of the etc.

 

I only listed guys on the current roster.  I didn't list any recruits -- other than a potential big man whom we desparately need to come in and start -- just because it's too difficult yet to fit them into a spot per what Big Tex described.  Need to know more about whether they can defend a particular spot in order to have an idea where they'll be placed.  Is Fuller quick enough to defend the opposing 3?  Is Hawkins more of a 3 or a 2?  I dunno.  But going with what Tex was saying, we'll call Peteway a 2 or 3 and Pitchford ideally a 4. 

[Norm Peterson]

NUdiehard, are we going to go with what people say in public or not?  When it came to Gesell's recruitment, you relied HEAVILY on what the newspaper accounts of his interviews stated -- that he was choosing Iowa because of their style of play.  Now, we find out, from someone who talked to his parents during the Iowa game, that style of play really didn't have anything to do with it at all.  Which is kinda what I thought the whole time. 

 

We have public statements that Vooch didn't want a redshirt.  That's a public statement just like Gesell's newspaper interview where he layed it all at "style of play," which is certainly more diplomatic than saying "Doc could be a dead coach walking and I want to go somewhere with stability."  Are we no longer going with the public statements?  Just want to know the terms of the deal, so to speak.  If you're going to tout them for Gesell, you have to accept them for Vooch.  Just sayin.

[hhcmatt]

I don't really understand this notion that Serg didn't want to RS.  Isn't that a decision for the coach?  Since when do players get to dictate such things.  Can anyone imagine a freshman FB player demanding to Bo that he get to play is freshman year even though Bo wants him to RS.  I can see the door hitting him on the a-- on the way out.

Demanding to play and not redshirting are two very different things.

It probably was part of the decision to come here or not.

[Dean Smith]

 

From what BigTex said (over on the "Speaking of Graduate Transfers" thread), for next year's roster WE NEED A BIG!!!  We need a center.  A back-to-the-basket kind of guy.  And not necessarily one who can score but one who can play defense at that position.  And what that does -- go give BigTex a reputation bump for this analysis, by the way, because it's his, not mine -- is allows Pitchford to play his more natural or appropriate position of the 4.

 

So, if I had to break things down based on what BigTex said ...

 

5  As yet unsigned big man recruit/Vucetic

4  Pitchford/Shields/Rivers

3  Petteway/Rivers/etc.

2  Gallegos/Petteway/etc.

1  Biggs/Parker/etc.

 

Gotta getta big man.

 

Where is Webster in all of this?

He's one of the etc.

 

I only listed guys on the current roster.  I didn't list any recruits -- other than a potential big man whom we desparately need to come in and start -- just because it's too difficult yet to fit them into a spot per what Big Tex described.  Need to know more about whether they can defend a particular spot in order to have an idea where they'll be placed.  Is Fuller quick enough to defend the opposing 3?  Is Hawkins more of a 3 or a 2?  I dunno.  But going with what Tex was saying, we'll call Peteway a 2 or 3 and Pitchford ideally a 4. 

You play to your strengths. You would love to be able to have the match-ups go in your favor, but you can't carve that stuff in stone. On the old  Chicago Bulls teams, Steve Kerr wasn't there because he could guard the 2. You have to be able to guard but the ball has to go in the hole if you're going to win games. Wisconsin plays some defense but those guys were also dropping bombs. You need athletes of course, but its easier to teach a scorer how to play D than a defensive player to score. If you end up with a bad match up you have to count on good team defense to make up for it.

[BjoeHusker]

I bet we lose Parker and Vucetic. I think Ray's minutes go WAY down next season. In fact I don't think he will even be a starter one B1G season arrives.

[Fullbacksympathy]

 

 

From what BigTex said (over on the "Speaking of Graduate Transfers" thread), for next year's roster WE NEED A BIG!!!  We need a center.  A back-to-the-basket kind of guy.  And not necessarily one who can score but one who can play defense at that position.  And what that does -- go give BigTex a reputation bump for this analysis, by the way, because it's his, not mine -- is allows Pitchford to play his more natural or appropriate position of the 4.

 

So, if I had to break things down based on what BigTex said ...

 

5  As yet unsigned big man recruit/Vucetic

4  Pitchford/Shields/Rivers

3  Petteway/Rivers/etc.

2  Gallegos/Petteway/etc.

1  Biggs/Parker/etc.

 

Gotta getta big man.

 

Where is Webster in all of this?

He's one of the etc.

 

I only listed guys on the current roster.  I didn't list any recruits -- other than a potential big man whom we desparately need to come in and start -- just because it's too difficult yet to fit them into a spot per what Big Tex described.  Need to know more about whether they can defend a particular spot in order to have an idea where they'll be placed.  Is Fuller quick enough to defend the opposing 3?  Is Hawkins more of a 3 or a 2?  I dunno.  But going with what Tex was saying, we'll call Peteway a 2 or 3 and Pitchford ideally a 4. 

You play to your strengths. You would love to be able to have the match-ups go in your favor, but you can't carve that stuff in stone. On the old  Chicago Bulls teams, Steve Kerr wasn't there because he could guard the 2. You have to be able to guard but the ball has to go in the hole if you're going to win games. Wisconsin plays some defense but those guys were also dropping bombs. You need athletes of course, but its easier to teach a scorer how to play D than a defensive player to score. If you end up with a bad match up you have to count on good team defense to make up for it.

 

Great point here.  I'm excited about the fact we have some pure shooters coming in.  That was sorely lacking under Doc (Ryan Anderson aside).  Defense always improves when the threes start dropping.  It's tough to wager a defensive struggle night in and night out.

[bobcat402]

Hoop, Coach Australian Guy stated at one of the meet and greets that the reason Sergej didn't redshirt was because he didn't want to.  That tells me that they offered him the opportunity.  And that doesn't rule out a future redshirt for him either, as he might see it's in his best interests to gain some strength, weight, and experience.  He was also very firm in saying that the coaching staff believes in Sergej and think he'll develop very well.  He basically said they think Sergej has a very high upside and they are looking forward to developing him.  That's what he said.  About Sergej.  Can't speak to Parker.  But don't judge what the coaches think by the fact that Sergej didn't redshirt this year.  I made that same mistake and was corrected.

I don't really understand this notion that Serg didn't want to RS.  Isn't that a decision for the coach?  Since when do players get to dictate such things.  Can anyone imagine a freshman FB player demanding to Bo that he get to play is freshman year even though Bo wants him to RS.  I can see the door hitting him on the a-- on the way out. 

 

Heck, Miles could have even told Serg at the begninning of the season that he would put him on the team roster, but then simply not play him in any games.  It would hardly be any difference at all to Serg.  What did he play, about 10 minutes all year, none of them of any meaning whatsoever.  What if Miles simply had never inserted hin into the game?  Boom!  Now you have a RS whether he wanted it or not. 

 

And if anyone is going to respond by saying that this would have just made Serg upset, I have to ask you in return, does anyone really think Serg is soooo much more happy now that he got to play 10 whole meaningless minutes and burned his RS in the process?  Serg either wants to play here or he doesn't.  Whether or not Miles played him for the mighty 10 minutes should not have any bearing on that at all. 

i didnt play at Nebraska by any stretch but they ask you if you would like to red-shirt at most football programs. Its not their choice its a decision for your family and you as your the one spending possibly 4-5 to even six years at that institution

[unl]

I don't really understand this notion that Serg didn't want to RS.  Isn't that a decision for the coach?  Since when do players get to dictate such things.  Can anyone imagine a freshman FB player demanding to Bo that he get to play is freshman year even though Bo wants him to RS.  I can see the door hitting him on the a-- on the way out.

 

Considering he has asked many of them whether they want to redshirt or not, I'd say I can imagine it.

[nustudent]

Dont want to see a makeover.   1-2 leaving isnt a makeover though and may not be a bad thing.    Parker and Vucevic are the obvious two.   Id prefer keeping Vucevic over Parker.  Wouldnt bother me at all if Parker leaves...in fact...probably a good thing.

I guess I should also say...that I don't mind if Parker comes back for 2013-2014 and then leaves for the next year freeing up a spot

[CrazyforNUHOOPS]

I bet we lose Parker and Vucetic. I think Ray's minutes go WAY down next season. In fact I don't think he will even be a starter one B1G season arrives.

Wow! You're really counting on a freshman being ready to play the 2 at the start of B1G season? I think you're crazy.