Been retro-viewing a few podcasts, including the Roll Jays Podcast folks. The episode below (from 10 days ago) addresses several questions that will have to be answered: Roster rotations? Who’s the 5? Starters? Giving adequate PT to a potent roster? Who steps up into player leadership roles? Developing the depth charts?
This Jays roster is potentially a ceiling-breaker and Mac/staff’s handling of this group will determine the floor/ceiling of this dynamic team assemblage. If handled correctly, this team develops into a 2nd weekend NCAA squad – perhaps more.
I would only say… With so many new faces/talents on this roster., it is paramount to establish and build harmony, cohesion, and a team 1st chemistry. In part, a segmented installatiion of play, of style, of schemes is in order – not to overwhelm the new guys with too much, too soon. Master the basics, then incrementally installing more pieces, new packages, as the fall & winter moves on. Allowing the team to gel, grow, and develop over the next 3 – 4 months (Oct-Jan).
Kerem Konen as a backup 5 is acceptable. Developing Aleksa is acceptable until injuries press him into service, although IMHO you are undervaluing Aleksa’s 4 yrs of national team play and his short pro career. Yes, he’s young, but uber talented. The Traudt/Green as a 5 scenarios were apropo prior to Kerem & Aleksa showing up, but now are rendered moot points. No need to force round pegs into a square hole.
Your point about Owen never playing more than 28 minutes is astute. Owen’s injury history is another appropriate point. WE now have two capable backups in the Euro players, who can be servicable 5’s – who won’t need to be focal points as we have ample scorers in the other 4 positions. No need to ride Freeman hard, as he likely will not be able to go 38 minutes a game/ or suffer a setback in the attempt.
Positionless hoops: Remember DA’s hockey line changes? Agree these guys need reps on the floor. There is no Golden Rules that ‘starters’ MUST play 30+ minutes. With this depth, plus the fact that so many new faces, Mac should use the non-con to platoon the team. They need court time and the staff needs additional evaluation time (under game conditions). Eight to ten players get 15 to 25 minutes those first 8-11 games. Time to adjust to game conditions, learning while playing, developing the requisite depth needed for conference and postseason play, etc. Can reel in PT once the BE conference season begins…
Yes, defined team leadership is vital, as your point is valid – there will be adversity, issues, injuries. Player leadership is a key piece of the puzzle.
WBR Mailbag article – Covering Freeman, Rotations, etc.
Excellent coverage by the WBR, as per normal. Great article from Matt DeMarinis…Covers many questions.
“Who’s starting game 1, and who do you think will start come Big East play?” -OTtrips (@12otrips)
MD: vs. South Dakota: Freeman, Traudt, McAndrew, Dix, Graves.
Big East play could honestly depend more on the matchups, because I think Jasen Green will need to guard Bryce Hopkins and guys like him.
But…there’s more: the Tom Nemitz (P’Fro) articles below are an added treat! The most recent articles in the Greatest Jays series… Sep19th – Rodzilla (Rodney Buford) and Sep 18th Kyle Korver. These are “must reads” by Jays fans. He presents the argument…which I 100% concur with, the Buford is the greatest Modern Bluejay. He couches the assertion with ‘ in the opinion of some’..of which I am one.
@gtmoBlue:
Buford was the lynchpin around which Coach Altman rebuilt the program. Without the recruitment and play of Rodney Buford, the Creighton Program would never have recovered (from the Johnson Era) to respectability, let alone prominence. Without Rodzilla, Coach would not have been able to recruit Le Fleur, Sears & Walker, others who would became the rebuilding foundation. As such, Altman would have followed Rick Johnson out the door of the Old Gym, after failing a 4-5 year struggle to resurrect Bluejay Basketball. Without Rodney Buford, the ongoing Modern Bluejay Dynasty would not have materialized (under Altman’s watch). Given the political climate on the Hilltop at that time, had DA failed, there was a strong likelihood that the university would have voted to drop to Div II or drop basketball altogether.
He presents the argument…which I 100% concur with, the Buford is the greatest Modern Bluejay. He couches the assertion with ‘ in the opinion of some’..of which I am one. @gtmoBlue: Buford was the lynchpin around which Coach Altman rebuilt the program. Without the recruitment and play of Rodney Buford, the Creighton Program would never have recovered to respectability, let alone prominence. Without Rodzilla, Coach would not have been able to recruit Le Fleur, Sears & Walker, others would became the rebuilding foundation. As such, Altman would have followed Rick Johnson out the door of the Old Gym, after failing a 4-5 year struggle to resurrect Bluejay Basketball. Without Rodney Buford, the ongoing Modern Bluejay Dynasty would not have materialized (under Altman’s watch). Given the political climate on the Hilltop at that time, had DA failed, there was a strong likelihood that the university would have voted to drop to Div II or drop basketball altogether.
Bluenotes 