NUdiehard

Has Cale Jacobson played this year or is he redshirting?

Obviously having better shooters helps. But it also isn't that simple. Trevor Lakes absolutely torched the nets for 3 years of college ball at a lower level school. But in the B1G, he was helpless, both on offense and defense. I imagine Sam Hoiberg could rock in a game of horse shooting 3s, but it's a different animal in games at the B1G level. Keisei is an elite shooter, he shot over 49% on 3s in two years of junior college ball--but now is shooting 37% in the B1G. The defenders in this league are taller, quicker, stronger and faster and the coaching is elite. Nebraska is currently ranked #234 in number of 3 point attempts per game, so it's not like he is telling his players to fire away at will. I agree Fred dealt his own hand with recruiting, but he has to play that hand in the most strategic way possible. If only 2 players ever are allowed to shoot 3s, highly unlikely it would improve the overall scoring because the paint would become a perpetual traffic jam. No doubt we are all frustrated with the players lack of making 3s, but Griesel and even Wilhelm are decent shooters, and they should have the ability to make 30-35% from 3, which is just enough to keep teams off-balance. And player confidence is important, if a player thinks a coach is going to yank him the first time he misses a shot, that player will never thrive.

I would agree there have been instances in past years of players not being held accountable, but I don't think that is what is happening now in regards to Sam and Wilhelm. Fred just has a fundamentally different philosophy than you. He wants players like Sam and Wilhelm to shoot 3s when they are open. In fact, he has stated publicly that he is instructing them to shoot more 3s. Obviously, we can all disagree with that philosophy when the shots don't fall, but this is judging the philosophy on the results rather than the process, which is not the best way to judge something. For instance, Wilhelm is currently shooting just 23% from 3, but that is the exact same percentage that Bando is shooting. If Bando had not got injured, I doubt anyone would be wanting Bando to be told he must make his first 3 or stop shooting. Dawson is currently shooting 36% from 3, but if I had to choose between Dawson or Wilhelm or Sam, I would take Wilhelm or Sam all day every day. Frankly, I am shocked whenever Dawson makes a 3, his free throw form speaks volumes as to his shooting acumen. There were times in that game that I also wished we would have gone inside to Walker more. But we can't do it every play. PSU started doubling him and Walker has been turning the ball over quite a bit lately. Walker currently has 6 more turnovers than anyone else on the team (Bando has 43), and Walker didn't even play in the first 5 games. He needs some space to operate. If Fred restricted everyone on the team except Keisei and CJ from shooting 3s, then opposing teams would quickly catch on to this and put even more defenders in the paint. You can't assume that if we shot less 3s that Walker (or anyone else for that matte) would continue to be just as efficient as before, because by not allowing them to shoot 3s the defense is allowed to adjust and play more in the paint. This is B1G basketball, opposing coaches aren't stupid. With that said, I do agree that CJ should not force things so much. He is more a catch and shoot player. His attempts at playmaking have led to way too many turnovers this season.

We keep doubling when PSU has no inside game whatsoever

worst part is Sam completely telegraphed the pass by staring at Walker for about 10 seconds before lazily passing the ball all of about 3 feet. So unnecessary

I like Lawrence, still think he has a lot of potential. He is gaining confidence every game and once he feels confident in his 3 point shot, things could take off. He is already a solid defender and a fairly steady player. He is a bit small for a 2 guard, but he has a good base, strong legs, will not be easily pushed around. The hope for Dawson is that he can develop into what Gary currently is. They are very similar in athleticism, grit, hustle and limited offensive skills. Oleg could be a decent center someday, but he must get bigger and stronger. His biggest issue is that he can easily be pushed off the block when he is trying to rebound. Even much smaller players can push him out, making him almost completely ineffective as a rebounder. But he already is a more skilled offensive player than Keita. Interesting thing is Ramel Lloyd was the most highly ranked freshman recruit. Really hope he sticks around and continues to develop. He is listed at 6'6" and 204lbs while Griesel is listed at 6'7" and 216 lbs. Griesel is currently much bigger and stronger, but I would hope Ramel is more skilled and a better shooter. If Ramel can get bigger and stronger, and continue to develop his skills, he could be a nice replacement to Griesel with a similar advantage of being a tall PG. Having his height would also better facilitate Lawrence as a smaller 2 guard.

First half was brutal by both teams--set basketball back about 50 years. But, as mentioned by many, NU players never hung their heads or let up on the defensive end, they kept battling and grinding to keep it close at half. The second half, NU scored 42 points on 54/57/77. That might be the most efficient half of basketball we will play the rest of the year. And had some really nice possessions while Walker was on the bench with foul trouble. Freshmen (Dawson, Lawrence, Wilhelm and Oleg) combined for 70 of the 200 minutes. (I count Wilhelm as a freshen because I believe he will get a medical RS) Add in Wilcher's (soph) 20 minutes, and that makes almost half the minutes by freshmen and sophomores. That is a positive. Walker had a poor offensive game with only 8 points and 4 turnovers, yet they still managed to win. Keisei had some good looks from 3, just couldn't knock them down today. But I will take him shooting those shots all day. He is fun to watch. Very crafty, he is running and cutting and coming off screens, being creative. He is the most all-around skilled offensive player on the team, his only limitation being his small size and lack of athleticism. Bando forgetting how to shoot and Wilcher forgetting how to play basketball makes me sad. Hopefully they can both come out of their slumps soon. Wilcher really turned it on in the 2nd half of the B1G last season, can he do it again this year? Hard to imagine now, but all it takes is a few shots to fall to get the confidence back. Dawson was a really valuable role player this game. I don't think we can count on him making those circus shots every game, but it is a nice bonus when they go in, and he is always willing to do the dirty work on rebounds and defense. Not at Gary's level, but as a freshman, he will have to be our poor-mans Gary for the rest of this year. Griesel had a real nice game and hit two 3s which were huge. Wish he could hit free throws more consistently, but he two huge ones down the stretch. It wasn't always pretty, and OSU didn't look great, but they are #24 in the NET, and are supposedly one of the most efficient offensive team in the country, so they can't be too terrible. A win is a win, and any win in the B1G is a good win. As for the refs, man, I really, really, really . . .

The main difference between KSU and NU this year is Keyontae Johnson, not the coach. And Fred had Keyontae on campus ready to commit to NU, but the AD wouldn't let him. Fred had for all purposes "out-recruited" the KSU coach for Keyontae, but Fred was sabotaged by his own athletic dept. Is it unfortunate that it took 3 years to get to a point where Fred would have had a legitimate tourney team (with Keyontae)? sure. But still, in year four, Fred had Keyontae and enough pieces around him to have a legit tourney type team, and his own administration pulled out the rug and now is judging him and possibly firing him, and all of us fans have to watch the success of KSU and only wonder "what if".

One other note. Massive, massive, MASSIVE pet peeve: Coaches that refuse to play players after they have 2 fouls in the first half. This is one of those "conventional" coaching strategies that is conventionally stupid. What is the point of saving a player for the 2nd half if the game is pretty much over by the end of the first half? And what is the only way to absolutely maximize the amount of minutes a player plays in a game? HINT: It's not by benching them with 2 fouls. The only way to maximize a players minutes is to keep playing them, because who knows, maybe they will not foul out. And maybe, just maybe, they won't even commit any more fouls the entire rest of the game. Last night, Walker only played about 7 minutes in the first half and Bando also sat the rest of the half after picking up his 2nd foul. And NU was down 11 at half, which is almost insurmountable for a team so offensively challenged. Some might say you absolutely must have your best players on the court for the last few minutes of the game and that is why you save them. Hmm. Well, last night, the only players on the court at the end of the game were the backups because it was a blowout and all the starters were taken out with 3 minutes to go. And how many fouls did both Walker and Bando have at the END of the game? TWO--neither of them committed a single foul in the 2nd half. Sure is a good thing we saved those 3 fouls in the first half so they could take them to the locker room with them when the game was over!

No. Bryce was a potential future stud, but he was not a STUD last year. Not even close really. Bryce was a super skinny freshman who was inefficient on offense and a complete liability on defense. Bryce shot 27% from 3 and 40% overall, and did not have the grit or physicality to bang and grind in the B1G. This is WAY different than guys like Shannon and Keyonte who are grown MEN who are built like Juwan Gary, but also have elite offensive skills. Keyonte is currently averaging 18.4 pts, 7 rebounds and almost 3 assists on 57.4% overall FG% and over 40% from 3. Bryce was not in the same stratosphere as a skinny freshman last year. He may eventually get there if he develops his body, but last year he was almost as much as a liability as a weapon in most games.

The scouting report is out on this team. In the B1G, if you have weaknesses, they will be exploited. This is why it is soooo difficult to win with guys who are role player talent, even if they play tough and gritty on defense, rebounding, etc. I love Walker and his heart and what he has giving this team this year. But the scouting report on him is not complicated. He NEVER shoots a jumper. Ever. So Illinois simply put their very large defender right under the hoop and told him to never extend out to defend Walker. This prevents Walker from being able to using his dribbling skills to maneuver past his defender on his way to a layup. It also doesn't help that the other Illinois defenders were playing off their man and helping in the paint because we have so many guys who can't/won't shoot the 3 (more on this below). Gary gives so much heart and grit to this team, hope he isn't seriously injured. Need him back. With that said, the book is out on him. Opponents simply do not guard him away from the hoop. #33 for Illinois was playing very soft on Gary in the first half which allowed him to help in the paint against Walker and when Griesel tried to penetrate. This is why having "complete" basketball players is so important. It is why shooting is so important. Gravity is so important. Without those offensive skills, teams can sag off their man and clog the paint. Keisei and Wilcher - The scouting report is out. Teams guard both Keisei and Wilcher EXTREMELY tight on the perimeter. These are pretty much the only two players on the entire Nebraska roster that the opponent must guard tight, so they do it with a vengeance. This makes it extremely tough for either of these 2 to get off a 3 point shot. With that said, they both still occasionally pass up on 3s that they could get off (especially Wilcher) and they need to take them when available. Last night they combined for just two 3 pointers (0-2). This is not going to work, they need to combine for about 6-10 3s per game. Bando has lost all his confidence. He is now shooting 22% on 3s and just 36% overall. Bando has never been an efficient scorer. Last year at SMU his overall shooting percentage was just 36%, but he did at least shoot 35% on 3s with good volume. We need a 35% from 3 Bando to have any chance at success, and we have not got it this year. I do wonder if all the effort he exerts on the defensive end affects his shot. Nonetheless, on a team devoid of shooters, losing his 3 point production is a killer. Griesel had a rough night. Played sooo hard (dove on the floor about 20 times), but turned the ball over and wasn't efficient on his shooting (including FTs). Griesel is another player that can't/won't shoot the 3, he has only made nine 3s all season, that is about .5 per game and at only a 32% clip. Again, not going to get it done in this league. Keita has been a shell of himself since returning from injury and is unplayable. Wilhelm still has way too many dumb fouls, and he really struggled closing out on shooters when on defense. But, he did have a nice 3 minute stretch where he flashed what we hope he can be. He scored 8 straight points in the second half by making a 3, then on the next possession he pump-faked at the top of key and when the defender bit, he drove by and scored, and then he hit another contested 3 from deep after that. This is what Wilhelm must continue to develop. He MUST continue to take and make that 3 point shot. Without the 3 point shot, he simply does not have the athleticism to be an efficient player, but with the 3 point shot, he can be a solid player as he develops. His 3 point shooting last night illustrated exactly why 3 point shooting is so important. After he made his first 3, the defense had to extend out and defend him. This opened up the lane for him and other players--Gravity. Gravity is so important. Fred started Dawson in replacement of Gary in the 2nd half. I don't think he is the replacement solution if Gary is out for a while. Dawson is athetic and plays hard, but his offensive game right now is offensive. The problem is who to play in Gary's place. Wilhelm could play the 4, but he is foul prone and also is the backup 5, so playing at the same time as Walker doesn't really work. This means Fred will probably have to go small and play either Keisei or Lawrence and have Griesel guard the opposing 4. Not ideal, and NU will lose defense, length and rebounding, but at least it will have more shooting and gravity on the floor. Nebraska's defensive philosophy can be frustrating to watch at times. We over-help sooo much, and seemingly give up wide open 3s all game when the opponent simply swings the ball to the weak side corner. Illinois only shot 28% on 3s last night, so I guess the 3 point defense wasn't the problem, but man it seems like we are constantly scrambling and failing to close out on wide open shooters. That #24 for Illinois is a 3 point specialist in the corner and we let him hit two in a row in the 2nd half that were daggers. Shannon on Illinois is a STUD. That is the type of guy NU needs to make a leap. In the first half, Illinois was cold from 3, but he took over. TALENT changes everything. Unfortunately, Keyonte Johnson would have been our stud this year, but the athletic dept crapped the bed again and ruined it for this team and the fans. Some things never change.

Keyontae was 9-13, the rest of his team was 15-47. In college basketball, one elite difference maker is the difference. We may never know with 100% certainly if Keyontae would have committed here (although we know he was here with his family at the absolute deadline AFTER visiting KSU), but we do know with 100% certainty Fred and this staff were denied the chance to lock him up by his very own athletic/compliance dept. which is the type of crap that fans of this moribund program have been putting up with for far too long.

Although we can’t say with 100% certainty Keyontae would have have signed here (but seems close to a lock since he was here with his family right at the deadline AFTER being offered by K State) we do know with 100% certainty the athletic department/compliance totally undermined the coach, team and program by denying him the chance to commit here. Danny Nee took us to our most success getting prop 48 guys and other “risky” type players the other teams wouldn’t take. He was able to do this because he had the full support of the AD and athletic department to run his own ship. Imagine Keyontae on this team this year. Keyontae was 9-13 on FG, the rest of the team Combined was 15-47.

This is an interesting perspective. But should a decision on the future of this program be determined by the past if the current situation is more aligned with what you would want to see going forward? The first three years are in the past, and cannot be changed. But by all appearances, the current state of the team and coaching staff are different than the past 3 years (even though Fred is still the HC). The types of players on this year's team are different than the past 3 years. By most accounts, this year's team has more grit, effort, teamwork, discipline, etc, that we all wanted to see more of the past 3 years. Even if this team loses more than it wins this season, most recognized this was not going to be an NCAA tourney type year, but most wanted to see players that played hard, that played together and seemed to really care about playing basketball at Nebraska and being the best "team" possible. Whether the team finishes 5-15 or 8-12 in league, if all those things continue to be true this entire season, what is it that you believe a new coach could bring to this program that the current coach cannot. Do you believe a new coach could bring even "more" grit, teamwork and discipline? If so, on what basis? Or is it just a hope? And if it is just a hope, is hope a strategy or a sound basis for a decision? Now, if you want to say that Fred's team this year shows he can "coach" to a sufficient level, but he just doesn't have the players to get it done, then that is a completely different argument and one worth discussion. But this was not the issue everyone talked about Fred's team and coaching coming into this season. During this entire off-season, all the talk was about how undisciplined and selfish his players and teams were. That is a different issue than talent level of players (although it must be acknowledged that the recruiting the right "type" of player is very integral in having a team that exudes the characteristics we want to see on the court). If the issues is the lack of "talent" in the players (as opposed to the "coaching" of the players), then the question is whether you strongly believe the "new" coach will most likely be able to better recruit more talented players (who also play with grit, effort, teamwork, etc) than Fred AND coach them up just as good or better than Fred. If you strongly believe that is true, then a new coach may be warranted. But, considering we have no idea who the knew coach would be, and considering in the entire history of NU hoops, no coach has been able to get players sufficiently talented and team-oriented enough to win just ONE NCAA tourney game, it seems the odds are not in our favor of that happening. In contrast, Fred has proven from his time at Iowa State he can not only get the talent necessary to win in the NCAA tourney, but also coach them up to the level to win, then why not give him a couple more years to try and find that talent here at NU? If the concern is that the fans just cannot bear to watch another unsuccessful season next year (as you indicate the current roster is not overwhelming for next year), the question must be asked: Do you believe a new coach will be able to recruit and coach up a quality roster next year (considering most likely it will mean most current players transferring and turning over the entire roster)? In fact, if the entire roster is turned over for the new coach, is there any basis to believe the new coach will be successful in either year 1 or year 2? If not, then what is the difference between this hypothetical new coach vs. Fred who has essentially become a "new" style of coach this year (which could theoretically be considered his transitional year 1)? One possible difference (in Fred's favor) is that Fred and his staff have been actively recruiting throughout the past off-season and during this season (for example the big man coming in for an official this weekend). There may even be relationships and recruits that have been in development for a couple years now. Aren't the odds better that Fred and his staff can harness those relationships which have been years in development into landing recruits than a new coach who will not even be hired until April and then have to assemble an entire roster in a few months (just as Fred had to do his first year here)? Unless the new coach is one of the nations best recruiters, it seems the odds are better with the current staff.

Although Lawrence has done absolutely nothing of note this year except come in and try to play some scrappy defense, I am encouraged by what I have seen from him. Lawrence has not shot well at all, but he hasn't really tried to shoot much (his shots in the Indiana game were after it was over and meaningless shots when the subs were in), but I believe the shot is there and will come. Based on his HS film and stats, he looked like a very good shooter, and eventually that will translate IMO. He also appears quicker than I thought he would be, and Fred must believe he is a decent defender because he is getting some important minutes and it clearly is for his defense not offense because he never tries to shoot. His ball-handling also is a bit better than I expected (although I don't think he is PG material). His biggest weakness is that he is a small 2 guard. This can work when you have a tall PG like Griesel, but it is difficult to play a small 2 guard if you have a small PG. If Lloyd were to stick around, this might be a good combo since Ramel has more height to guard opposing SG and Lawrence could guard opposing PG, but obviously Lloyd's status is up in the air right now.

Huskers look like they all have dead legs, especially on defense. Also appears the PG responsibility on offense is wearing down Brando and effecting him on defensive end. And Gary must be restricted to just one 3 per game.

It is the first time in school history Nebraska has won three straight road games vs ranked opponents The win was the fifth time in school history Nebraska has knocked off a top-10 team on the road. Two of those 5 are under Fred Hoiberg.

Not sure how you come up with the B1G being a top heavy league when 11 of the 14 teams are in the top 50 Kenpom and Rutgers just beat Indiana by 15 and Northwestern (#74) just beat MSU at MSU. Every team in the league except Minnesota can win on any given night against any team. This is a very deep and tough league. Going to be a battle to crack the shell this year but no doubt this team will fight every night

Walker had 6 turnovers in first 5 minutes of second half. Had to be an all time NCAA record.

We got rid of Doc yet still over help and give up wide open 3s. Maddening All the missed free throws are exhausting. OU only has 2 turnovers. Came into game averaging 15. It sure Howard’s scheme is accomplishing anything today.

Going into that game, the one thing I did not expect was us getting absolutely dominated by their big man. Just did not see that coming as his stats were far from dominant coming into the game. But he looked like he was on a whole different level than our bigs. Sam held up pretty well in the first half, but got physically, mentally and emotionally overwhelmed in the second half. Ended the game with 8 turnovers and just 6 points. The SJU pressure just wore him down to a pulp by the second half. In fact, the entire team played their butt off in the first half, but they clearly dropped a notch in the second half, and once SJU got it rolling, it was impossible to stop. That is the problem with a team that can't dribble or shoot and relies solely on hustle and grit and energy. One slip up and it is very hard to make up the lost ground. Keita once again looked completely lost and overmatched. And Wilhelm, . . . Probably don't win that game with Walker, but Walker would have made a huge difference. Walker needs to get back soon or we will see a lot more games like that. It seems like Fred is trying to run the offense through the high post the same as he had planned all pre-season, but he intended for Walker to be at the high post. Well, let's just say it is not working with Keita and Wilhelm in that role. Running the offense through those 2 is a disaster and Fred it going to have to scrap it until Walker come back. And the very first play of the game was a Keita post up against the SJU center that was bigger and stronger than him. That had zero chance of success, how was that the first play? Why did anyone think that was going to work? And Keita is now 1-5 on free throws, so even if he gets fouled its a turnover. The players on this team need to figure out what their strengths and weaknesses are and play in a way to maximize their strengths and minimize their weaknesses. For instance, Gary shot five 3s last night (0-5) and is now 1-9 on the season. Him shooting a 3 is a wasted possession. Nobody shot well from 3 yesterday except Keisei, but we still need our best shooters shooting and our grit/energy players gritting and energizing. Even though CJ is only shooting 33% on 3s so far this year, I still want him shooting when he is in there. And if Keisei is going to play, then he needs to shoot. The real struggle for Fred is finding a way to get his very limited number of shooters open. This team has so many non-shooters that the defense can sag off them when they are on the perimeter and focus on our shooters. Right now, the only players who have shown to be decent shooters are CJ, Keisei and maybe Bando. Griesel has only made one 3 all year (1-5). This is part of the reason that guys like Gary are shooting so many 3s. Griesel isn't a great shooter, but he is better than most the other options. He has to find a way to get up some 3s. The team is now shooting 41% on FG, 28% on 3s and 61% on FTs. Some things never change.

Can this team, which is relatively devoid of solid ballhandlers, handle the press and pressure defense of SJU? Griesel may have to play 40 minutes tonight because Bando may really struggle bringing the ball up against their pressure defense. Of course, playing that many minutes is not realistic against a team that plays a frenetic uptempo style. Can the Huskers effectively pass the ball to break the press? It will help that we are taller than SJU because we can at least pass over the press. How will our larger guards be able to guard their smaller and quicker guards? This game will test our ability to cut off penetration, and if we give up penetration and have to help, will the other defenders effectively rotate? It will be interesting to see who guards who. David Jones is their most dynamic player/scorer and as a 6'6" PF he seems to be a perfect match up for Gary. But this means either or both of Griesel and Wilcher are going to have to guard one of their smaller guard. Can they keep up? This will be a good test. Can our guards use their height advantage? If Griesel is guarded by one of their smaller guards, can he back them down or post them up? Or will SJU's center be a rim protector that will prevent him from being to get to the rim? How will NU handle the tempo. I agree NU doesn't want to get too sped up. By I also hate when teams allow the opponent to press and never attack the press. The reason most teams don't press it because it is risky. If your press isn't successful, the offensive team can "break the press" and get a quick open shot often at the rim. If you don't ever attack the press, you effectively allow your opponent (SJU) to press and create an added difficultly for you without any ramifications or risks. When looking just at SJU's roster they look very talented: -- Posh (6' 0" Guard) was 2022 All-Big East honorable mention and 2021 Big East Freshman of the Year and Defensive Player of the Year. -- Curbelo (6'1" Guard) was 2021 All Big 10 Freshman team and Big 10 Sixth Man of the Year (and #44 rated recruit in class of 2020). -- Mathis (6'4" Guard) has started 98 games in his career. -- Soriano (6'`11" Center) has started 55 games; shot 57% from the field last year and is shooting 70% this year -- Jones (6'6" Forward) Averaging 21 points and 7.5 rebounds this season and has scored in double figures in 11 of his past 12 games Hopefully the collective is not as good as the sum of the parts.

First, this team is so much more likable and enjoyable to watch IMO (at least so far ). The good news is Nebraska missed 13 free throws and still won comfortably by 15. The bad news is Nebraska missed 13 free throws. Are free throws going to be the achilles heel for this team all year? It is possible. We have multiple players that have really struggled at the line so far--Gary, Dawson, Keita, Wilhelm. Defense-- We are not the longest or the quickest or the most athletic defense, but it just seems like every single player on the floor gets down in his stance, bends his knees and moves his feet. I thought Griesel did an excellent job moving his feet and cutting off penetration by their PG. Griesel isn't the fleetest of foot, and he will get beat on occasion in league play, but it won't be because of lack of effort. Same can be said for most all of the players based on what they have shown so far. As others have noted, there was a rough stretch in the first half where for some reason players seem to take turns wildly driving the lane into a mass of bodies and throwing up a desperation shot at the rim. This is something that can be corrected and I think this team has the disposition to learn from their mistakes. Plus, it seems that whenever the opponent goes on a run, ultimately it is Griesel that slows things down and makes a play. He is the steady leader we have lacked the last 3 years. Keita-- I have to eat my words on him. Before the game I said he probably shouldn't play in this one. I was wrong. He was very, very solid. He did have 4 turnovers, but other than that he did everything we could hope from him at this point. The best part-- he boxes out! There was one rebound where he had good position, and the ball bounced farther off the rim than usual, and he just backed up the defender all the way until he could secure the rebound. This is so basic and fundamental, but something so few players today actually do. CJ - was great to see Wilcher get it going. He was hot and the team found him. We are going to need him to continue to play with confidence and shoot when open because he is our best shooter by far. Wilhelm looked good against Maine, but has struggled in every other game he has played (this year and last). He reverted back to getting stupid over-aggressive fouls and just never got in a flow. His solid performance against Maine showed his potential, but he has to get more consistent. Bando was fun to watch last night. Dawson is very athletic and plays hard. He is offense is not pretty, but he did have a 3 and a dunk last night, so those are just bonus points. Concerns: Are the nagging injuries already piling up? Walker is out with some mysterious healthcare issue. Gary apparently has been dealing with a shoulder issue for a while, who knows how serious or how much it effects his play. And it seemed like Wilcher was half limping during the parts of the game and Fred seemed to allude to him having soreness or an injury as well. This team simply does not have the luxury or the depth to have injuries, especially so early in the season.