Jake Hammond Key Player?

[Brandon4Real_X]

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2167461-the-biggest-x-factor-for-top-college-basketball-teams-in-2014-15-season

And if you're to lazy to click the link

NEBRASKA 17

"Is it concerning that Nebraska's most important variable is a 247Sports three-star prospect whose only other scholarship offer came from Texas Tech? It might be, depending on how you rate Jake Hammond's game.

The 6'10", 230-pound Oklahoma native is a classic post player who enjoys battling on the glass and diving for the ones that get away, traits that will almost certainly and immediately endear him to the Nebrasketball faithful.

Hammond was a redshirt candidate earlier in the summer, planning on a season spent living in the weight room to bulk up for Big Ten trench warfare. Then, senior Leslee Smith tore his ACL in July, costing the Huskers a valuable reserve who averaged 12.2 points, 11.5 rebounds and 2.2 steals per 40 minutes last season.

Now, Hammond is the third post option behind junior Walter Pitchford and graduate transfer Moses Ayegba, who played a mere 10.7 minutes per game—and averaged 8.2 fouls per 40 minutes—over three seasons at Georgetown. Redshirting Hammond now would be sheer lunacy.

“We’ll still take it day by day. I have to work as hard as I can,” Hammond told Brian Rosenthal of the Lincoln Journal Star. “It’s kind of put a little bit more pressure on me, which is good. I feel like if I play this year, I’ll step up to the challenge, and we’ll be fine.”

He may just have to."

[hhcmatt]

"Is it concerning that Nebraska's most important variable is a 247Sports three-star prospect whose only other scholarship offer came from Texas Tech?

 

I can tell you he was also offered by Oklahoma.

[GATA]

"Is it concerning that Nebraska's most important variable is a 247Sports three-star prospect whose only other scholarship offer came from Texas Tech?

 

I can tell you he was also offered by Oklahoma.

Yeah, that statement didn't seem accurate to me either...

[bobcat402]

i disagree with their x-factor...the x-factor to me is either WP and whether or not he has developed a post game more, and is willing to dribble drive off his pump fake or whether or not Nick Fuller can step into the rotation and contribute, im not concerned with Hammond's development im sure he'll step in when needed and give 5-8 solid mins. 

[TheKamdyMan]

my X-Factor is Tai.  If he has truly started to climb over the mountain and can produce points he will be a huge asset to the team.  When you look at minutes/production from last year he clearly was the weak link on the team.  If that ratio can be changed this year in a positive way there's no way this team doesnt improve greatly.

[Norm Peterson]

my X-Factor is Tai.  If he has truly started to climb over the mountain and can produce points he will be a huge asset to the team.  When you look at minutes/production from last year he clearly was the weak link on the team.  If that ratio can be changed this year in a positive way there's no way this team doesnt improve greatly.

Walter's development is important but he had a year here before games went live for him last year.  The degree of change in his game is probably going to be less significant than the degree of change in Tai's game could be.  And, hey, we were already good last year.  But a whole season to gel as a team is behind them now.  And if you bring in a Tai Webster with confidence who can add a little scoring to his game, we're going to be a very tough team.

 

I'm optimistic about Tai, especially with news of his off-season workouts with Petteway and the numbers he's put up for New Zealand.  I agree he's our X factor.

[bball23]

I've said it before, and I'll say it again.....I still think Tai is going to be damn good for us.  He even showed flashes last year of getting all the way to the rim, but just couldn't finish at all.  I think a lot was a mental block and his confidence went down.  I think even this year we see a different Tai Webster and I can't wait.

[colhusker]

"Leslee Smith tore his ACL in July, costing the Huskers a valuable reserve who averaged 12.2 points, 11.5 rebounds and 2.2 steals per 40 minutes last season."

 

He may have average this if you adjust it to 40 minutes of playing time but we never came close to getting 40 minutes out of the guy.
 

[NeHoops]

Plus I think Fuller will help not only with his greater accuracy and consistency than Gallegos but he will help open up driving lanes for the other guys.

[jimmykc]

I'm not trying to turn into some sort of undercover troll here, but have a hypothetical question. As things have worked out, does anyone else think that Vuch might have filled this limited third center role and kept Hammond from burning a red shirt year which could be very important for his development here? File this in the "water under the bridge" category.

[TheKamdyMan]

I'm not trying to turn into some sort of undercover troll here, but have a hypothetical question. As things have worked out, does anyone else think that Vuch might have filled this limited third center role and kept Hammond from burning a red shirt year which could be very important for his development here? File this in the "water under the bridge" category.

Vucetic wanted to play and that would never happen at Nebraska. Moving on was the best decision for all involved.

[Handy Johnson]

Yes, Hammond needs to step up, but I think Smith starting AND scoring from the point is far more significant.

[Huskerbb73]

 

I'm not trying to turn into some sort of undercover troll here, but have a hypothetical question. As things have worked out, does anyone else think that Vuch might have filled this limited third center role and kept Hammond from burning a red shirt year which could be very important for his development here? File this in the "water under the bridge" category.

Vucetic wanted to play and that would never happen at Nebraska. Moving on was the best decision for all involved.

 

 

Vucetic would have been able to score a little(maybe), but would get destroyed on the defensive end and with rebounding.  He didn't have the strength or footwork to get it done down low.