Cousins vs. Grooms

[Seymore Cox]

Grooms is better right now and should get the minutes. Honestly I don't see what Cousins does better.

 

[SoonerBounce13]

Grooms is better right now and should get the minutes. Honestly I don't see what Cousins does better.

Umm it's obvious cousins shoots better

 

[T_Neal's Twitter]

Cousins is still raw, I will give you that. But you know what, he may be running the point for us for the next four years so why not start now. Plus he poses more of a shooting threat than Grooms. I like having Grooms as a security blanket off the bench.

 

[MNsooner]

Cousins is still raw, I will give you that. But you know what, he may be running the point for us for the next four years so why not start now. Plus he poses more of a shooting threat than Grooms. I like having Grooms as a security blanket off the bench.

I am not ready to give up on this season (and why would anyone be ready to?). We should be worried about winning the next game not games a year from now.

 

[TheGimper]

Grooms is better right now and should get the minutes. Honestly I don't see what Cousins does better.

Not only does Cousins shoot better, as someone else mentioned, but his length gives him an advantage when it comes to defending the passing lanes. However, I believe Grooms is currently the better on the ball defender.

 

[MNsooner]

He has the tools to be a better defender down the line, but at the moment I don't think anyone would take Cousin's over Grooms on the defensive end. That will come pretty quickly with experience though. As it stands, I think Cousins is having trouble running the offense and we look better with Grooms out there. I am hoping that Cousins will get used to things a bit before conference play. Though once conference play comes it is like having to readjust to the speed all over again for some freshman. I really like his potential and think he is close to getting it together.

 

[Soonerlover12]

I think cousins is a ton better defender. I can remember twice today grooms guarding someone with know hand up and them busting a three in his face.

 

[tycat947]

Cousins is still raw, I will give you that. But you know what, he may be running the point for us for the next four years so why not start now. Plus he poses more of a shooting threat than Grooms. I like having Grooms as a security blanket off the bench.

This ^^^^^! Grooms is a senior and Cousins is a freshman that has played, what? 4 or 5 games?

 

[Boomer-D]

I love what we're are doing with the two PG's! It's obvious if simply getting the ball up the court under pressure is what you need...Grooms has the experience and is generally in the game. Cousins gives you length, energy and offense! I've notice his patience getting better by the game. Glad Kruger is playing it out like this...hasn't cost us a game.

 

[Seymore Cox]

We got guys that can shoot, Grooms creates and we don't have that. I'd sacrifice one or two threes a game for Grooms and his 5 or 6 assist.

 

[DenverSooner]

How about Sam's pass late in the second half (approximately 5 minutes left) for the back door jam by Clark?

I thought he screwed up and threw the ball away at first and then it was a perfect play.

 

[Seymore Cox]

How about Sam's pass late in the second half (approximately 5 minutes left) for the back door jam by Clark?

I thought he screwed up and threw the ball away at first and then it was a perfect play.

I know. And I'm the anti Juco guy.

I know what they're trying to do, get Cousins ready. I'm not against that approach totally. However, I think it became obvious to them that Grooms was the better player yesterday.

 

[AdaSooner]

Grooms was huge yesterday. I'm not sure OU would have won the game if he had not come in to stop the bleeding.

That said, I wouldn't replace Cousins in the starting lineup with him right now. Isiah didn't have a great tournament. But his size and in-your-face defense adds a different dimension to the team than Grooms is capable of doing. He is also at least a threat to score, whereas Sam has yet to prove that he can make shots from the perimeter. I did like his driving layup at a critical time late in the game. He needs to do more of that.

 

[WTSooner]

I know. And I'm the anti Juco guy.

I know what they're trying to do, get Cousins ready. I'm not against that approach totally. However, I think it became obvious to them that Grooms was the better player yesterday.

And Grooms played 8 more minutes than Cousins. So what exactly is the problem? Does it really matter how starts, if LK is going to play the best options more minutes? Not like we've gotten off to bad starts.

It's clear to me that LK wants to start a fairly defensive lineup. I think that is why you haven't seen Grooms or Fitz put back in there yet.

JMO, of course.

 

[SoonerinNC]

I think Kruger knows that M'Baye, Cousins and Hornbeak are better than Grooms and Clark or Fitz and he is doing everything that he can to get them ready for conference play.

The big difference now is experience and that is very important when things get a little out of control. When the three freshmen stop having a good game and then a bad game and we can expect a consistent solid performance from them they will get more minutes. Hopefully, that will be by January.

 

[boutaroust]

Grooms is more experienced, confident and dependable in performing the PG's primary responsibility in most games... getting the ball down the court and initiating and running the desired offense. Scoring and defense are important as well, moreso in some as opposed to others.

CLK, I believe, recruited Cousins to be his future PG, thus must believe that Cousins has the physical/mental talent to do so, and has him headed in that direction.

The competition between the two will serve both players well, as the season progresses. There will be future game- situations that will require the unique contributions of each player, and hopefully each can produce.

We almost lost the UTA game, when they were pressing us, because the frosh couldn't handle it, and came close to imploding. Grooms saved the night for the Sooners. He did the same against UWV, although it wasn't as dramatic.

Early-on, we're in a situation where the Coaching Staff is trying to balance the results of winning/losing...big/little...against player/team development, with the latter seemingly more...not necessarily most...important in these initial games. However, I'm reasonably certain that CLK did not in any way want to chance losing to WVU/Huggins, thus the early and dominant presence of Grooms.

I'm glad we have both, and if healthy, expect them to share the PG duties.

 

[cowboysooner]

I think you guys are just over thinking it.

Lon let the guys compete and is starting the 5 he thinks earned starting positions. As the games play out and everyone gets in the game, he tends to stick with the kids that are playing better. Late in games when we are ahead and need ball handling more than another scorer, grooms is a really good option to have. He is playing terrific from what I can see.

I think Lon is going to play 10 guys unless one or more really fall off. This is exactly what he said in an interview and I assume he means it, as he is a guy that has played a lot of players in years past. He did pare it down last year in conference.

Next year, I fully expect Woodard to start and this years freshman to rotate at the wing positions, with cousins and hornbeak backing up at the point. JMO.

 

[WTSooner]

Lon let the guys compete and is starting the 5 he thinks earned starting positions.

I'm not so sure. It appears to me that he has broken the team down into two teams, that are somewhat balanced. And it appears that outside of Pledger, he's started the guys that are the best defenders. At this point, it's really hard for me to say that LK took the best 5 overall players, and stuck them in the starting lineup. That doesn't appear to be the case.

Next year, I fully expect Woodard to start and this years freshman to rotate at the wing positions, with cousins and hornbeak backing up at the point. JMO.

The only way that happens is if LK doesn't think Cousins can stick at pg. If Cousins starts this entire season, I think it's unlikely a true freshmen will unseat him next year. Not impossible, just improbable.

 

[brumFTW]

After these last few games, I think Grooms has earned the right to start. I'd like to see Cousins continue to get quality minutes, but I think Grooms has a better handle on the offense. Cousins certainly poses more of a threat as a shooter, but not to such an extent that it covers his inexperience.

 

[Krugerfan52]

Grooms lack of shooting hurts us. We were playing 4 on 5 last year in any game where the opposing coach had a brain.

Grooms was fine the first few games last year before everybody realized he couldnt shoot and started playing Gottlieb defense against him. After that everybody else was constantly being double teamed by the other teams pg sagging off of grooms. It made Pledgers life miserable the 2nd half of the season once pgs stopped guarding grooms and helped on him.