At this point Kruger gets a D at best.

[MsProudSooner]

I disagree. OU has some talent, they just don't have enough. There is nothing wrong with Osby, Fitzgerald, Pledger, Clark and Grooms. The problem is they don't have enough help and perhaps lack a star player that can be the leader of the team. I truly believe the addition of M'Baye, Hield and Hornbeak will make a big difference for this team. I also think every returning player will improve to some degree with noticeable improvement from Grooms and Osby. When I say this about Grooms and Osby it is not that I think they are playing poorly, I just think having a full year of D-1 experience will make a big difference for these two guys.[/QUOTE]

This is almost always the case with JC players and/or transfers.

 

[Sawyer]

on our roster, how many guys do you think could start for the top 3 teams in the league, ku,mizzou and baylor?.....none, talent level is BAD

Osby would probably start at Mizzou (pushing Matt Pressey to the bench and English back to the 3).

 

[TheGimper]

Osby would probably start at Mizzou (pushing Matt Pressey to the bench and English back to the 3).

Pledger would also start over Heslip at Baylor.

 

[stoops4pres]

Ya know, this team kind of reminds me of those ****ty K-State, Tech, Nebraska, etc teams from the late 90's and early 2000's.

They have a couple of guys (Osby, Fitz, Pledger) that are pretty good but not a full roster, and the good guys they have all have serious flaws in their game.

Fitz can score, but cant defend or rebound.

Osby is pretty good at scoring and rebounding, but has mid-major size for a post player.

Pledger is a good shooter, but can get cold and isnt a very good athlete.

Grooms is a good assist guy, but he cant shoot to save his life.

Cameron Clark is an athlete, but isnt very good at shooting or dribbling.

This team doesnt have any all-around good players. They all have some serious flaw in their game, and when all those are combined they arent good enough to beat good teams or win consistently. They will win a few games here and there, but cant put anything serious together.

If you think back to some good OU teams, they had guys who were all-around good players.

Taj Gray: Great athlete, good size, good scorer, good rebounder, good defender.
Kevin Bookout: Good athlete, great size, good scorer, good rebounder, good defender.
Terrell Everett: Good size, good athlete, pretty decent shooter, great slasher, great passer, good defender.
Mike Neal: Great shooter, good defender, good size.
Austin Johnson: Great athlete, great defender, good passer, etc.

I mean, all those guys played on the same team. The team wasnt even that good, they finished 20-9 and 3rd in the Big 12, which sounds fantastic right now but was a pretty average Sampson team.

This OU team doesnt have one guy who would start over the above listed players, and that was on an average team during Sampsons 12 years here.

I think this year's Pledger would start over Neal.

But other than that, can't really disagree with anything else.

 

[DenverSooner]

I think this year's Pledger would start over Neal.

But other than that, can't really disagree with anything else.

I think the better defender starts if Sampson is the coach. I am not sure who that is but I would put money on Sampson valuing defense over offense. The problem with OU is that Capel did not teach/insist on guys playing good defense. Therefore, OU is still bad at defense. Some of it may be athletic ability but I am positive if Sampson or Kruger had coached these guys from day one they would be better defensive players. I think we will see the defensive intensity change over the next few years. Honestly, you can already see it but they make mistakes. Hopefully next year they will limit the mistakes and have some better players.

 

[bocabull]

So I didn't read any of the replies but assume everybody agrees Kruger gets a D for his job this season.

Can't imagine anybody getting less from this team but he gets a D instead of an F because he's a nice guy. The nice guy extra grade goes away next year.

 

[garyeb2]

So I didn't read any of the replies but assume everybody agrees Kruger gets a D for his job this season.

Can't imagine anybody getting less from this team but he gets a D instead of an F because he's a nice guy. The nice guy extra grade goes away next year.

If Kruger can navigate thru the rest of the year to a .500 season, he should be a shoo-in for national coach of the year for winning that many games with this bunch.

 

[seniorsooner]

If Kruger can navigate thru the rest of the year to a .500 season, he should be a shoo-in for national coach of the year for winning that many games with this bunch.

This statement is just as ridiculous as Boca's last post, which was an obvious troll attempt. For your sake hopefully yours was too.

 

[garyeb2]

This statement is just as ridiculous as Boca's last post, which was an obvious troll attempt. For your sake hopefully yours was too.

Thanks for your insightfull evaluation of my post. However, my definition of ridiculous is knocking Kruger in any manner,shape, or form for anything to do with the poor results this team has achieved.

I know alot of posters have diluted themselves into believing that some of the current players are interchangeable with players on good OU teams of the past or that they could fan out accross the country and land in starting or contibuting roles wherever they landed. I guess if someone takes that position, knocking the coach is the only place to go. I'm on the ankle deep talent pool side of the arguement.

The coaches, you know, the insiders. The people that know our players best, picked us to finish tied for last in the conference. But, we won't be tied for last, we will be a notch or two better. That, along with the nice non conference run, deserves a "good job Lon"

 

[Sawyer]

The coaches, you know, the insiders. The people that know our players best, picked us to finish tied for last in the conference. But, we won't be tied for last, we will be a notch or two better. That, along with the nice non conference run, deserves a "good job Lon"

To clarify, do you or do you not believe a 5-13 conference finish and non-conference run including exactly one win over a top 100 team in the kenpom ratings deserves not just consideration, but "shoo-in" status for national coach of the year? Finishing 8th instead of 10th would be that impressive to you? Pretty huge difference between "good job Lon" and national coach of the year.

Kruger isn't even in the picture for Big 12 coy (Haith, Self, Hoiberg and Barnes all deserve far more consideration), let alone the national award.

 

[MsProudSooner]

This team has only average talent, but talent isn't their biggest problem. They have 2 main problems. I'll use this years women's team as examples of what this years men's team is missing.

1) They don't have one leader that takes charge when the game is on the line. Whitney Hand is not the most athletic player the women's team, but she puts out that extra effort that all great leaders exhibit. The men don't seem to have someone like that they can depend on.

2) When adversity strikes, the men don't seem to have that inner resilience that is required to overcome the adversity. There have been 3 or 4 games that the men could have won but the opponent simply had more resilience and pulled out the win. The women have won several games this year where they were behind for a good portion of the second half but found a way to get the lead and win the game in the last 2 or 3 minutes. You are left wondering how in they heck they pulled it off, but thrilled that they did.

The men's team doesn't have any seniors and is adding at least 2 new players next year, plus a transfer who will be eligible next year. That will help because they have a depth problem. Hopefully, some of the players who will be seniors will have that sense of urgency that Seniors often have and next year will be more successful.

 

[SoonerBounce13]

If Kruger can navigate thru the rest of the year to a .500 season, he should be a shoo-in for national coach of the year for winning that many games with this bunch.

sarcasm, right?

 

[garyeb2]

sarcasm, right?

Well yes. But a .500 hundred finish or above would be a good job and no reason to knock the coach.

 

[Tundrasooner]

This team is so void of talent it is unreal. I'm surprised we have the record that we have. Also OU has came very close to beating Mizzou, at Cincinnati, at A&M and so on.
We have one guard that can shoot ( and he is streaky as heck) with the other guards who can't hit water if they fell out of a boat. You can't win without guards. We are small inside and Cam Clark is an enigma.

 

[jerry]

Blair and Neal are mid-major college players. That leaves five legit D1 players trying to win in the Big 12. Ain't gonna happen.

Absolutely agree. We need more players. No depth now.

 

[OUBig12Champs]

Whatever.............This team lacks talent - D1 or otherwise. Call it what you want. I respect your point of view.

 

[thebigabd]

So I didn't read any of the replies but assume everybody agrees Kruger gets a D for his job this season.

Can't imagine anybody getting less from this team but he gets a D instead of an F because he's a nice guy. The nice guy extra grade goes away next year.

A.) You didnt read any of the replies.
B.) However, you assume everyone agrees with you.

Hmmmm.

Well, if you read the replies, looks like most people do not agree with you.

 

[Mr.B!!!]

We've played well in spurts, and I was pretty impressed early in the season [no losses to Chaminade]. However, I think that these guys are out of gas and, I hate to say it, lack the "heart" to overcome circumstances.

 

[Max Power]

A.) You didnt read any of the replies.
B.) However, you assume everyone agrees with you.

Hmmmm.

Well, if you read the replies, looks like most people do not agree with you.

I dont think he knows how to read

 

[vbdad]

Blair and Neal are mid-major college players. That leaves five legit D1 players trying to win in the Big 12. Ain't gonna happen.

They certainly aren't starters on a midmajor team. Neither one is athletic at all. Blair is terrible handling the ball. Neal has no desire to compete on the floor. They would be backups at best.

We have a few guys with decent talent but nobody is outstanding. Everyone of them has at least one serious flaw in their game.