nustudent

Washut put out his predictions on who stays/goes this morning. Bryce: Gone Lakes: Could apply for a medical redshirt but gone regardless Edwards: Gone Tominaga: Gone Lat & Trey: Both likely gone, but wouldn't rule either 100% out Andre, Wilcher, Walker, McPherson, Oleg, Dawson: Back

That should be enough to get Indiana in.

And you saw some of the Walker/Andre combo we discussed. Great wrinkle at the right time.

To me, this is the type of player we've had and can manufacture between Dawson, Lloyd, McPherson. I wouldn't say a hard no....but I'm not sure another volume player is the type we need.

Guessing 9-21 isn't helping either.

Getting Sanogo instead of Andre I think would've changed the narrative a bit the last two years.

Generally...I'd be okay with Tominaga staying for some of the reasons you mentioned. But we're kind of in do or die time and he's just not shown anything to indicate that he'd be a consistent Big Ten player. I'm probably putting the cart before the horse too when I mention guys like Griesell and Schiereman but both have shown the ability to make open shots and contribute in multiple ways on teams that would likely beat us and ideally one or both would have a more than casual interest in seeing us succeed due to being local. Even if McPherson can slide into that Webster role as back-up guard who can play both on and off the ball while adding a defensive presence...that'd go a long way. It's probably a stretch to assume that we will get big roles from each of Lawrence, Dawson and Lloyd...but we need one to essentially play starter's minutes unless we do a very good job in the portal. Another will likely need to be in the top 8. PG: Transfer PG/McPherson SG: Wilcher/Lloyd SF: Griesell or Schiereman/Dawson PF: Wilhelm/Transfer PF C- Walker/Keita Leaving Lawrence, Oleg (assuming Andre goes) and Edwards off the bench. That's not an Elite 8 team. But I bet it wins more than 10 games.

I think/hope one of Tominaga/Edwards leave as well. I wouldn't mind keeping Edwards. The length and athletism is worth investing in. Tominaga...not so much. He's small, below average athletically, doesn't take good shots and while he's shown he can get hot...isn't the shooter he was billed as to offset everything else. Assuming one of Walker/Andre/Oleg goes as well...that gives us 3 spots. In a perfect world...I'd love to see us add a pure PG...not a pure scorer, a guy like Griesell or Schiereman (if we can back channel our way in to get them to transfer home) and another 4 to fill out the roster. Of course...a guy like McPherson is a huge variable in all of this. If he can play point at a high level, we can get by without one.

I don't think Fred and Co have managed Kobe well. Especially when Trey went down...we needed an experienced guy on the floor. I get trying to have a guy in a backup role but Webster should've been playing more early and with the starters. He and Verge can/could've played more together. Especially when the offense was struggling to move the ball. Not blaming Lat, again, but I think we expected Lat to be that stretch 4 (Niang, White) that Fred had at Iowa St. He's obviously been a huge let down and I think that plays a major part in our struggles. Having Wilhelm, who was starting to slowly come on, get hurt only compounded that. Fred needs Wilhelm to be that guy we thought he was. And/or he needs to turn Edwards into it or find another guy in the portal.

I have zero issues with Matt A coming back. But if he does, Fred can't let him run hog wild. There needs to be more oversight and dictation as to who we are recruiting moreso than just letting him do his thing.

There's definitely more to it than this...but IMO.. arguably our two best games of the year were vs. Ohio St and Penn St. I don't think it's a coincidence that those games might also be the two best games Lat has played this year. (ironically his missed free throws cost us vs OSU). Penn St was his season high in points and he helped do a very good job defensively on Liddell while adding 8 & 7 as well vs OSU. It's not his fault he plays. That's on Fred. But it also shows how much easier life can be when you have a competent 4 man in this league. We haven't had that.

I’ll say 5th year of the two. I think reality falls more in the middle. We win more than 10 and he gets fired.

Pretty much any system is going to struggle in the Big Ten without that.

Of course if those things are evident....there are probably quite a few wins that come as well.

I agree with this. I think the problem is as much about personnel as it is anything. Ultimately if rolls up to Fred...but if you have a good point guard and leader who can keep the offense moving rather than simple freelancing when things get tough...things would look a lot different.

I think it is everything. Keeping Fred is as much about what benefits Nebraska the most as it is Fred. As I've been saying...worst case scenario...he fails and we fire him next year. Well...Trev just saved us over $8M if that's what we have to do by lowering the buyout and waiting until next year. He's also adding players, that at least on paper, are very talented. If we fire Fred next year...we have more money to spend, will hopefully not have the pending angst of the football situation hanging over our head and the new coach will have 8-9 guys he can try to retain as opposed to 4-5 if he was doing it now. The best thing for Nebraska is for Fred to get it and have it work. The next best thing for Nebraska is to make the move next year as opposed to this year.

I would agree with this. It's hard to fault him for year 1 because he was dealt a horrible hand there. But the groundwork for 2022 should have been getting laid in 2020 and 2021. If we're this bad again....it's absolutely on him and he will have had time to correct initial mistakes.

It's possible. But he could also go out and make some good assistant coach hires this offseason as well.

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.

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.

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.

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.

They are set to be here. And will have to transfer when they enroll. If there is a charge, they’d get out of their LOI and still preserve their free transfer. One is better than the other.

I agree tge transfer rule hurts. But I think it’s easier to try to get one to stay (especially if they are already contributing) then to try to find someone new on short notice.

He probably won’t be walking into a good situation. But I’d rather be inheriting guys like Wilcher, Keita, Briedenbach and the 3 guys we have coming in over guys like Amir Harris, Brady Heimann, Karrington Davis and Thor.