Does OU have any good-great defensive players?

[thebigabd]

I know OU has some very talented offensive players, but does anyone on roster fit the description of a really good defensive player? The only guy I can think of is Crocker, but I dont know that he is a really good defender.

 

[Krugerfan52]

Crocker shutting down Manny Harris in the Michigan game really impressed me. Cade played good defense all season, including when he guarded Stephon Curry and AJ Abrams, two guys that AJ and Crocker did not play well against. Wright is a solid defender. WW also has the ability. I was impressed the first game of the year against American when he guarded Garrison Carr.

 

[NickZepp]

We will miss the length we had last year with Blake, Taylor, AJ, and Pattillo. But we need some young guys to step up. Willie and Crocker have played good defense in their careers. They need to step up full time. And then we have a lot of young guys that need to defend. We really have no proven defenders at guard outside of Willie and Tony.

 

[elmocarp]

I think Crocker is a defensive player of the year candidate in the conference. He really is good...

 

[thebigabd]

I think Crocker is a defensive player of the year candidate in the conference. He really is good...

Big 12 defenders (guards)

1.) JT Tiller (Mizzou)
2.) Justin Mason (Texas)
3.) Zaire Taylor (Mizzou)
4.) Tyshawn Taylor (Kansas)
5.) Dominique Sutton (KSU)

I dont see Crocker being a better defender than these 5 guys, and dont even think he has a chance to be the defender of the year.

 

[Malcolm X]

Besides me, no.

 

[SoonerfanTU]

Crocker is probably the closest thing we have to it, but he is inconsistent.

Losing AJ will hurt more on D than alot of people realize.

One area we can definitely improve on defense, is in the post. I worry that we don't have the bodies to improve there, but that would be the easiest place, and that falls predominantly on Wright and Allen.

 

[DFWHoopster]

Big 12 defenders (guards)

1.) JT Tiller (Mizzou)
2.) Justin Mason (Texas)
3.) Zaire Taylor (Mizzou)
4.) Tyshawn Taylor (Kansas)
5.) Dominique Sutton (KSU)

I dont see Crocker being a better defender than these 5 guys, and dont even think he has a chance to be the defender of the year.

Those are all good defenders but Roland for A&M is the best defensive guard in the league in my opinion followed by Mason at UT.

 

[thebigabd]

Those are all good defenders but Roland for A&M is the best defensive guard in the league in my opinion followed by Mason at UT.

Tiller is the best defender in the league.... He had 68 steals and a billion deflections (which Mizzou tracks)... He is also stronger and a better athlete than Roland.

Roland only had 11 steals on the year and he played 25 minutes a game... Cade Davis had more steals than Roland....

 

[BigTime]

I think Crocker is our best one right now. I think Willie has a chance to be a really good on the ball defender next year.

 

[DFWHoopster]

Tiller is the best defender in the league.... He had 68 steals and a billion deflections (which Mizzou tracks)... He is also stronger and a better athlete than Roland.

Roland only had 11 steals on the year and he played 25 minutes a game... Cade Davis had more steals than Roland....

Maybe- but Missouri's style of play will always translate to more steals than a team that plays half-court defense like A&M. If I was picking a guy to guard Willie Warren, I would choose Roland or Mason. Roland is physical, fast, has a 38 inch vertical leap and moves his feet well.

I don't have stats to back it up, but from the games I watched Roland really stood out to me as a terrific defender.

 

[BigTime]

Maybe- but Missouri's style of play will always translate to more steals than a team that plays half-court defense like A&M. If I was picking a guy to guard Willie Warren, I would choose Roland or Mason. Roland is physical, fast, has a 38 inch vertical leap and moves his feet well.

I don't have stats to back it up, but from the games I watched Roland really stood out to me as a terrific defender.

I'm with ya. He is something to watch on defense. Imagine what he could do in Anderson's defensive scheme?!

 

[Gutter]

Crocker put forth the most effort on D last year but I’m not sure I’d call him a great defensive player. He grabs a lot when his man tries to dribble around him. But he plays hard and that is half the battle on defense

 

[BoulderSooner]

We will miss the length we had last year with Blake, Taylor, AJ, and Pattillo. But we need some young guys to step up. Willie and Crocker have played good defense in their careers. They need to step up full time. And then we have a lot of young guys that need to defend. We really have no proven defenders at guard outside of Willie and Tony.

neither blake or taylor were "long" ...

tiny is very long ..