Since Rak Christmas graduated

[Alsacs]

2020-2021 13 scholarships available
Bourama Sidibe
Frank Anselem
Jon Bol Ajak
Jeese Edwards

2019-2020 13 scholarships available
Bourama Sidibe
Jesse Edwards
Jon Bol Ajak- Redshirt

2018-2019 12 scholarships available
Pascal Chukwu
Bourama Sidibe

2017-2018 11 scholarships available
Pascal Chukwu
Bourama Sidibe

2016-2017 11 scholarships available
Tyler Lydon
Dejuan Coleman
Pascal Chukwu

2015-2016
Dejuan Coleman
Tyler Lydon
Chino Obokoh


We have wasted a lot of scholarships on little production.
It seems we don’t do a good job developing big guys. Since we use scholarships on them and it takes time to develop.

Why can’t we find a Rick Jackson type of recruit?

 

[Fly Rodder]

Rick Jackson wasn't really a C and couldn't cover the corner 3 and he was recruited 15 years ago.

Don't disagree that JAB has wasted a lot of scholarships on Cs without much to show for it. It's been on-going.

 

[syrBossHogg]

I think it's two things

1. Getting bad luck with injuries to guys (see: Sidibe, Coleman) but then not securing backup plans in case those guys can't recover
2. Failing to recruit higher rated center prospects (Stewart, Cockburn, Wahab, I. Jackson, Mitchell, etc.)

On that list other guys like Lydon/JBA can fill in at center but they're more PFs. Also while Rick Jackson became a good center it took him years to develop and he played a lot at PF since AO was on the team.

 

[Cusefan0307]

The best player and most production we have got out of the 5 have been from forwards.

 

[Scooch]

In recent years, JB recruits centers about as well as Bill Belichick drafts WRs.

 

[Melancer46]

Lydon was good, one of the better players we've had at any position during that timeframe.

Chukwu was good defensively but obviously almost entirely useless offensively. Sidibe seemed to be developing okay but just can't stay healthy to save his life. Coleman was never healthy and I don't think he would have been good even if he had been.

Pretty bad track record for sure there.

 

[sutomcat]

2020-2021 13 scholarships available
Bourama Sidibe
Frank Anselem
Jon Bol Ajak
Jeese Edwards

2019-2020 13 scholarships available
Bourama Sidibe
Jesse Edwards
Jon Bol Ajak- Redshirt

2018-2019 12 scholarships available
Pascal Chukwu
Bourama Sidibe

2017-2018 11 scholarships available
Pascal Chukwu
Bourama Sidibe

2016-2017 11 scholarships available
Tyler Lydon
Dejuan Coleman
Pascal Chukwu

2015-2016
Dejuan Coleman
Tyler Lydon
Chino Obokoh


We have wasted a lot of scholarships on little production.
It seems we don’t do a good job developing big guys. Since we use scholarships on them and it takes time to develop.

Why can’t we find a Rick Jackson type of recruit?

I think JB had a major change in philosophy with what type of player he was looking for at the center position. He saw what a really agile lean center like BMK could do for the zone, covering a massive amount of territory and has been trying to find players like him to play center since that point.

It might be time to abandon the experiment, or at least try to get a mix of long, lean, agile types and strong, physical power players to play center. Then he could substitute as needed.

Our strength and conditioning for centers has been really bad for a really long time too. It has actually been bad across the board, but really bad for our bigs.

 

[OrangeDW]

Rick Jackson wasn't really a C and couldn't cover the corner 3 and he was recruited 15 years ago.

Don't disagree that JAB has wasted a lot of scholarships on Cs without much to show for it. It's been on-going.

So basically we should stop exclusively playing zone the way we’ve been playing it because it handicaps us in center recruiting, because centers that can run really fast to the corner AND bang down low, AND actually play basketball pretty much don’t exist, other than Hakeem Olajuwon.

 

[OrangeDW]

Lydon was good, one of the better players we've had at any position during that timeframe.

Chukwu was good defensively but obviously almost entirely useless offensively. Sidibe seemed to be developing okay but just can't stay healthy to save his life. Coleman was never healthy and I don't think he would have been good even if he had been.

Pretty bad track record for sure there.

We thought Lydon was too small and not really a center and he got tossed around by UNC. Compared to Marek he looks like David Robinson.

 

[RF2044]

I count one that was wasted: Obokoh.

We had one -- Lydon -- who was a first round pick. We had another -- Coleman -- who was a McD's all american who had his career derailed by injuries. We've also had several who were productive starters [Chukwu and Sidibe]. Too early to tell on the young players, far too early to write them off.

 

[Fly Rodder]

So basically we should stop exclusively playing zone the way we’ve been playing it because it handicaps us in center recruiting, because centers that can run really fast to the corner AND bang down low, AND actually play basketball pretty much don’t exist, other than Hakeem Olajuwon.

more or less. JAB is a tinkerer with his defense. He knows what he wants out of the position and he really isn't concerned with the disadvantages since the guys without them don't really exist and when they do occasionally come along they usually play for UK for their year or two.

 

[Fly Rodder]

I count one that was wasted: Obokoh.

We had one -- Lydon -- who was a first round pick. We had another -- Coleman -- who was a McD's all american who had his career derailed by injuries. We've also had several who were productive starters [Chukwu and Sidibe]. Too early to tell on the young players, far too early to write them off.

When you're shorthanded scholarships it's tough to give them to a guy who didn't play much as his career was severely derailed by knee injuries and a traditional transfer who had to sit for a year.

I'm not saying that they had to run Coleman out of town to Iona, but it's hard to operate a program on 9 scholarships.

 

[Cusefan0307]

Chukwu would have looked better if we had more efficient players around him. If we had him on this team we probably are undefeated.

 

[RF2044]

When you're shorthanded scholarships it's tough to give them to a guy who didn't play much as his career was severely derailed by knee injuries and a traditional transfer who had to sit for a year.

I'm not saying that they had to run Coleman out of town to Iona, but it's hard to operate a program on 9 scholarships.

No doubt, it had an impact.

Although it is impossible to predict injuries in advance. Coleman was recruited in 2012, years ahead of when NCAA sanctions were handed down.

 

[Cusefan0307]

I think JB had a major change in philosophy with what type of player he was looking for at the center position. He saw what a really agile lean center like BMK could do for the zone, covering a massive amount of territory and has been trying to find players like him to play center since that point.

It might be time to abandon the experiment, or at least try to get a mix of long, lean, agile types and strong, physical power players to play center. Then he could substitute as needed.

Our strength and conditioning for centers has been really bad for a really long time too. It has actually been bad across the board, but really bad for our bigs.

I’ve been on the Ryan Cabiles needs to be replaced train for at least 5 years now. I’m not sure what his program adds. We haven’t seen guys improve their conditioning since Fab and Dion lost weight their sophomore year.

 

[sufandu]

I’ve been on the Ryan Cabiles needs to be replaced train for at least 5 years now. I’m not sure what his program adds. We haven’t seen guys improve their conditioning since Fab and Dion lost weight their sophomore year.

And have we ever seen guys gain quality weight? I can't remember any. Either the S&C program sucks or guys aren't held accountable to it or their diet.

 

[OttoinGrotto]

And have we ever seen guys gain quality weight? I can't remember any. Either the S&C program sucks or guys aren't held accountable to it or their diet.

FIRE WILL HICKS

 

[Finwad32]

This is the first time I’ve ever said this. I think we should get away from exclusively zone.

The game has extended, offense is played further from the basket. Range is increasing. And it’s not going back the other way.

What you can’t do to counter that on D is ask players to cover more ground. It’s more susceptible than it was in the past.

 

[sufandu]

This is the first time I’ve ever said this. I think we should get away from exclusively zone.

The game has extended, offense is played further from the basket. Range is increasing. And it’s not going back the other way.

What you can’t do to counter that on D is ask players to cover more ground. It’s more susceptible than it was in the past.

To me it just seems silly to tie yourself to one defense. Sure you can surprise teams in the tournament that aren't used to seeing it, but teams in the conference can get comfortable attacking and you're only a bad match up away from being beat in the tournament too. Having the ability to change it up to keep teams off balance or match up with different teams just makes sense.

 

[W'boro'Cuse315]

2020-2021 13 scholarships available
Bourama Sidibe
Frank Anselem
Jon Bol Ajak
Jeese Edwards

2019-2020 13 scholarships available
Bourama Sidibe
Jesse Edwards
Jon Bol Ajak- Redshirt

2018-2019 12 scholarships available
Pascal Chukwu
Bourama Sidibe

2017-2018 11 scholarships available
Pascal Chukwu
Bourama Sidibe

2016-2017 11 scholarships available
Tyler Lydon
Dejuan Coleman
Pascal Chukwu

2015-2016
Dejuan Coleman
Tyler Lydon
Chino Obokoh


We have wasted a lot of scholarships on little production.
It seems we don’t do a good job developing big guys. Since we use scholarships on them and it takes time to develop.

Why can’t we find a Rick Jackson type of recruit?

Rak graduated in 3 years so your data should technically start with his senior year in 2014-2015

 

[miamicuse]

Bernie Fine was good at developing bigs. Since then we had guards coaching bigs.

 

[SU94]

I think JB had a major change in philosophy with what type of player he was looking for at the center position. He saw what a really agile lean center like BMK could do for the zone, covering a massive amount of territory and has been trying to find players like him to play center since that point.

It might be time to abandon the experiment, or at least try to get a mix of long, lean, agile types and strong, physical power players to play center. Then he could substitute as needed.

Our strength and conditioning for centers has been really bad for a really long time too. It has actually been bad across the board, but really bad for our bigs.

Respectfully, I am not sure that BMK and his career averages of 2.6 ppg/3.4 rpg is the prototype in JAB’s mind right now. If so, why are we going after Clingan and Mulvey in the Class of ‘22. Neither fit that body type or quickness quotient.

 

[sufandu]

Bernie Fine was good at developing bigs. Since then we had guards coaching bigs.

Bernie Fine being good at it isn't all that great an argument for why a guard can't be good. It's not like Bernie learned the craft throwing elbows with Russell and Wilt.

 

[Wrinkle]

We harp on it endlessly but the recruiting at the 5 is indefensible. There are solid big men who can defend and finish at the rim on virtually every team. Mid majors get them. It is crazy

 

[ROCcuse]

To me it just seems silly to tie yourself to one defense. Sure you can surprise teams in the tournament that aren't used to seeing it, but teams in the conference can get comfortable attacking and you're only a bad match up away from being beat in the tournament too. Having the ability to change it up to keep teams off balance or match up with different teams just makes sense.

but bro, there's not enough time to practice two defenses!