Who will start (primarily) at the 5 this year?

[Norm Peterson]

Pick our starter at Center.  Majority of the year.

[Huskerpapa]

Smith will bang people around...we will need that big body setting picks for all our perimeter players.

[Norm Peterson]

I think this comes down to putting the best 5 players on the floor. 

 

You could certainly envision a scenario where both Pitchford and Smith could start on the front line.  But then what do you do with Shields and Petteway?

 

Assuming Shields and Petteway add more than Pitchford and Smith, then I think you see Petteway at the 3 and Shields at the 4.  And then the better of Smith and Pitchford starts at the 5.  If Pitchford and Smith bring more to the table than Petteway, for example, you might see Shields slide to the 3 and Pitchford and Smith both start down low.

 

I went with Pitchford at the 5 because of a combination of factors:  1) he's been in the system a year already; 2) he's a terrific athlete by reports; and 3) he's maybe more versatile than Smith, by reports.

[atskooc]

I think this comes down to putting the best 5 players on the floor. 

 

You could certainly envision a scenario where both Pitchford and Smith could start on the front line.  But then what do you do with Shields and Petteway?

 

Assuming Shields and Petteway add more than Pitchford and Smith, then I think you see Petteway at the 3 and Shields at the 4.  And then the better of Smith and Pitchford starts at the 5.  If Pitchford and Smith bring more to the table than Petteway, for example, you might see Shields slide to the 3 and Pitchford and Smith both start down low.

 

I went with Pitchford at the 5 because of a combination of factors:  1) he's been in the system a year already; 2) he's a terrific athlete by reports; and 3) he's maybe more versatile than Smith, by reports.

I went with Pitchford here as well.  Shields at the four and Petteway at the three.

 

Either way, it's amazing how many "new" guys will see the floor this year!  This season will have a completely different feel, and that's not all bad!

[Norm Peterson]

You know, atskooc, that's a great point.  We have more guys who you think CAN start than we have starting spots.  That was certainly not the case last year when there was a clear separation between the top 5 and everyone else.  Guys who started last year have no guarantee of a starting job this year.  The only one who seems to be a lock is Shields, followed by Gallegos.  But they better bring it because there are guys behind each of them who could potentially steal some minutes.

[Bugeaters1]

I went with Pitchford for the fact that he has played DI ball before and knows the the speed of the game.

[Badgett Fan]

I went with Pitchford for the fact that he has played DI ball before and knows the the speed of the game.

Smith has played quite a bit more DI ball than Pitchford.  This one's a real toss up, IMO.  I went with Pitchford.