Projected starting line up

[kldm64]

Now that our squad if pretty set, fun to think about the different options for a starting lineup.  Here is my guess and who else will be in the rotation

 

Starters

Ahron Ulis

Brice Williams

Juwan Gary

Gavin Griffiths

Braxton Meah

 

In the rotation

Sam Hoiberg

Andrew Morgan

Conner Essegian

Rollie Worster

 

Could be sleeper

Nick Janowski

[Milk]

I think Worster and Morgan start. 

[Vinny]

In terms of how many minutes I expect players to get at each spot, this is what I see right now.

 

1 - Worster, Ulis, Sam

2 - Brice, Essegian, Griffiths, Janowski

3 - Griffiths, Gary, Brice, Frager

4 - Gary, Morgan, Brice, Bolis

5 - Morgan, Meah, Gary, Bolis

 

Now if Bolis is capable of more minutes at the 4 and can be second in that pecking order, or we get someone else, Gary moves to the top of the rotation at the 3 with Griffiths behind him.

[HuscurAdam]

I'm giving a two-deep, with each guy only listed once in the position where I think they will log the majority of their minutes:

 

1 - Worster / Ulis

2 - Williams / Janowski

3 - Griffiths / Essegian

4 - Gary / Frager? 

5 - Meah / Morgan 

 

* The lack of depth up-front is glaring; we need another guy there. I assume in reality it would currently be a 3-man rotation (Gary/Morgan/Meah) for those 2 spots, much like last year with Mast, Allick, and Gary. If we sign a starting-quality stretch 4, this will need major revisions. 

[Cazzie22]

I still think Janowski is going to be a big factor.

[thrasher31]

1 minute ago, Cazzie22 said:

I still think Janowski is going to be a big factor.

He will be. Maybe not initially, but as the season goes on, he's going to have a say in the rotation. I think he'll take ulis's spot personally, but could be Connors also. 

[Navin R. Johnson]

39 minutes ago, Cazzie22 said:

I still think Janowski is going to be a big factor.

 

Sad thing is you can't really bring a freshman along slowly with a lot of kids now like you could in the past. You almost have to give them playing time if you want to keep them out of the portal. Jano might be different, but you never know. 

[Huskerpapa]

43 minutes ago, Navin R. Johnson said:

 

Sad thing is you can't really bring a freshman along slowly with a lot of kids now like you could in the past. You almost have to give them playing time if you want to keep them out of the portal. Jano might be different, but you never know. 

The problem is not necessarily just playing time.  Each player has handlers and total free agency.  Everything could be absolutely fine, and then another team steps in with the "right offer" and he's gone.  

 

 

[Navin R. Johnson]

3 minutes ago, Huskerpapa said:

The problem is not necessarily just playing time.  Each player has handlers and total free agency.  Everything could be absolutely fine, and then another team steps in with the "right offer" and he's gone.  

 

 

 

Yup. It's a crazy world now in college hoops. 

[k3s3i]

This is one of the harder starting lineups to predict 

[Cookie Miller Wasn't Dirty]

More guys will get minutes early on, but I believe this will be the rotation that develops.

 

Starters:

Worster

Williams

Griffiths

Gary

Meah

 

Bench:

Janowski

Essegian

Morgan

Mystery Portal Big Man

 

If Janowski isn’t ready to roll, it opens the door for Hoiberg or Ulis to get some minutes.

[B-town hoopsfan]

Man I feel like essegian is the best player we have gotten in the portal so far and you guys don’t even think he’s gonna start. 
 

1. worster 

2. essigian

3. Williams 

4. Gary 

5. Morgan 

 

is my starting 5 for the time being. Not sure what happens if we add a starting caliber 4 through the portal yet.  Hopefully Gary really works on that 3 pointer if we find a starting 4 still 

[Handy Johnson]

I’ve got a Hunch Fred’s got an Ace or Two up his sleeve to fill those last spots. But you have to be happy with where we’re at right now. 

[Chuck Taylor]

9 hours ago, B-town hoopsfan said:

Man I feel like essegian is the best player we have gotten in the portal so far and you guys don’t even think he’s gonna start. 
 

1. worster 

2. essigian

3. Williams 

4. Gary 

5. Morgan 

 

is my starting 5 for the time being. Not sure what happens if we add a starting caliber 4 through the portal yet.  Hopefully Gary really works on that 3 pointer if we find a starting 4 still 

I agree with you, he was terrific as a freshman before the injury. He moves to get open and uses screens well. He may not be KT, but he can provide similar movement in the offense. 

[HuscurAdam]

12 hours ago, Cookie Miller Wasn't Dirty said:

More guys will get minutes early on, but I believe this will be the rotation that develops.

 

Starters:

Worster

Williams

Griffiths

Gary

Meah

 

Bench:

Janowski

Essegian

Morgan

Mystery Portal Big Man

 

If Janowski isn’t ready to roll, it opens the door for Hoiberg or Ulis to get some minutes.

 

17 hours ago, HuscurAdam said:

I'm giving a two-deep, with each guy only listed once in the position where I think they will log the majority of their minutes:

 

1 - Worster / Ulis

2 - Williams / Janowski

3 - Griffiths / Essegian

4 - Gary / Frager? 

5 - Meah / Morgan 

 

* The lack of depth up-front is glaring; we need another guy there. I assume in reality it would currently be a 3-man rotation (Gary/Morgan/Meah) for those 2 spots, much like last year with Mast, Allick, and Gary. If we sign a starting-quality stretch 4, this will need major revisions. 

 

 

[HuscurAdam]

12 hours ago, B-town hoopsfan said:

Man I feel like essegian is the best player we have gotten in the portal so far and you guys don’t even think he’s gonna start. 

 

It's not that I lack confidence in Essegian, but I recognize he plays the same position as Williams, and he's not beating B-Will out. I think he'll get a ton of minutes at the 2 & 3, but Griffiths will start to give us more positional size on defense.  

[Vinny]

1 hour ago, HuscurAdam said:

 

It's not that I lack confidence in Essegian, but I recognize he plays the same position as Williams, and he's not beating B-Will out. I think he'll get a ton of minutes at the 2 & 3, but Griffiths will start to give us more positional size on defense.  

If we don’t get another rotationPF/4 I could see Brice sliding to the three and Essegian at the 2.

[AuroranHusker]

On 5/3/2024 at 5:21 PM, HuscurAdam said:

I'm giving a two-deep, with each guy only listed once in the position where I think they will log the majority of their minutes:

 

1 - Worster / Ulis

2 - Williams / Janowski

3 - Griffiths / Essegian

4 - Gary / Frager? 

5 - Meah / Morgan 

 

* The lack of depth up-front is glaring; we need another guy there. I assume in reality it would currently be a 3-man rotation (Gary/Morgan/Meah) for those 2 spots, much like last year with Mast, Allick, and Gary. If we sign a starting-quality stretch 4, this will need major revisions. 

 

Yes, NU needs another big now that Mast's sail is torn. Maybe a true 5-out lineup is in order for the majority of minutes, with Morgan filling the stretch big guy. 

 

I'd have it, as of now:

 

1.  Rollie - Ahron (Sam)

2. Brice - Nick 

3. Gavin - Conner (Braden?)

4. Gary / Meah -- need another versatile, bouncy big guy !

5. Morgan / Meah

 

[cornfed24-7]

I see a lot of 2 deep predictions. Thinking back to last year at this time and how I felt about the portal class I would say I feel better about the portal class this year. I state that to state this. Color me skeptical if we go 8-9 deep Sam Hoiberg isn't in that 8-9. And I reject any notion that means something bad. I said what I said!

[Handy Johnson]

17 minutes ago, cornfed24-7 said:

I see a lot of 2 deep predictions. Thinking back to last year at this time and how I felt about the portal class I would say I feel better about the portal class this year. I state that to state this. Color me skeptical if we go 8-9 deep Sam Hoiberg isn't in that 8-9. And I reject any notion that means something bad. I said what I said!

Chuck Barkley called him the BEST “On-Ball” Defender in the B1G. 

[Huskerpapa]

Agree.  And if he improves his perimeter shot, like I believe he will, he may very well play as many minutes as anybody not named Brice or Juwan.

[hhcmatt]

2 hours ago, Huskerpapa said:

Agree.  And if he improves his perimeter shot, like I believe he will, he may very well play as many minutes as anybody not named Brice or Juwan.

 

Sam as a viable offensive threat from the outside makes him playable with our PGs and enables us to play Brice at the 4 as needed

[big red22]

I see a lot of people with Essegian as the 3...  I do not see him playing the 3 spot at all.  He is definitely a 2 through and through IMO

 

Starters Listed First

() - minutes at that position 

 

1 - Rollie(25)/Ulis(15)/Williams(Only gets minutes if there is foul trouble)

2 - Essegian(25)/Hoiberg(15)/Janowski(Redshirt or gets Hoibergs minutes)

3 - Williams(30)/Griffith(5)/Gary(5)

4 - Gary(30)/Griffith(10)/Morgan(Only gets minutes if there is foul trouble)

5 - Meah(20)/Morgan(20)

[basketballjones]

I think you just have to look at this through the lense of "why did they come here?" and go from there. For instance, I promise you, Worster did not come here, from Utah, to ride the bench or play 2nd fiddle to Ulis. If anything Ulis is coming off the bench or we have some two PG line-ups depending on defensive match-ups and whatnot. 

 

Essegian and Griffiths are similar. Both are coming from somewhere that they absolutely showed "something," but ultimately it did not work out and they know they need a fresh start. That's why I have no problem putting them into a position where they know they'll have to be competing for time. 

 

Morgan and Meah, had Mast been returning, I am on the fence with. But as of now you almost have to pencil Morgan into the starting line-up. I do not think Meah is a starter or fits what we want to be doing most of the time. His time will be determined by match-up and game-to-game needs, imo. 

 

1. Worster

2. Williams

3. Gary/No idea

4. No idea/Gary

5. Morgan

 

That's all I can confidently say right now. 

[millerhusker]

34 minutes ago, big red22 said:

I see a lot of people with Essegian as the 3...  I do not see him playing the 3 spot at all.  He is definitely a 2 through and through IMO

 

Starters Listed First

() - minutes at that position 

 

1 - Rollie(25)/Ulis(15)/Williams(Only gets minutes if there is foul trouble)

2 - Essegian(25)/Hoiberg(15)/Janowski(Redshirt or gets Hoibergs minutes)

3 - Williams(30)/Griffith(5)/Gary(5)

4 - Gary(30)/Griffith(10)/Morgan(Only gets minutes if there is foul trouble)

5 - Meah(20)/Morgan(20)

Yeah, I agree. Although I don't think the numbers or labels matter whatsoever. But roles obviously do matter. A lot of people saying we didn't need to find a Keisei replacement this offseason because Brice is his replacement. Brice might be his replacement in terms of production, volume of shots and being the focal point of the offense. But Brice will absolutely not fill Keisei's role in the offense. That wouldn't suit his game and he doesn't move off the ball like that. If Brice is the "2", or plays the position Keisei did, we just won't run the same exact stuff we did last year. Hoiberg is good at adapting the system to the personnel. If we do want someone to fill Keisei's specific role in the offense, that guy is Essegian. And there might not have been a better player in the portal we could've realistically gotten to fit into that role than Essegian.