Grandstaff highlights

[AdaSooner]

No chance it's James?
Seems like he's been running alongside Woodard a little bit recently.

I really doubt Strong is going to come in and start, so I'd imagine it's somebody we have on campus.

Yes, it could be James, or any of the candidates I listed earlier. McGusty and Strong will have four to five months to make their case before the season starts. Grandfield will have even longer.

What I'm saying is that one of the aforementioned players will play the point, and that Jordan's role in our offense will not change all that much from the one he's playing now.

This time last year, no one thought Cousins would be our PG right now. But, with Jordan increasing his output in almost every statistical category this season, Coach Kruger is not going to put a saddle on his back again by giving him the responsibility of running the offense. Nothing about that makes sense to me.

 

[CoachTalk]

No way that happens. Jordan had a banner year after Lon gave him the freedom to move freely on the perimeter without the pressures of running our offense.

He will continue to have the ball in his hands, just as he did this season. But he will not be saddled with the duties of a point guard the way you seem to think. That responsibility will fall on McGusty, Strong or Odomes, likely in that order.

Mcgusty is a 2 guard. Just like James and isiah. Before you say anything it took isiah3 years to be ready to slide over to pg.

I think your being unreasonable to assume it's going to be a recruited shooting guard sliding over.

 

[AdaSooner]

Mcgusty is a 2 guard. Just like James and isiah. Before you say anything it took isiah3 years to be ready to slide over to pg.

I think your being unreasonable to assume it's going to be a recruited shooting guard sliding over.

If you'll read my posts again, you'll see that I have a list of five possible candidates to step into Isaiah's shoes. My main point is that Jordan will not go back to being totally responsible for running our offense.

Do you really think Lon is going to put a bridle on the second leading scorer who is shooting better than 53% from three point range by putting him in charge of running the offense? I simply cannot see that happen, unless Jordan proves to be the only option. Is that a possibility? I'm not ruling that out entirely.

I know McGusty is a shooting guard. So is James, Odomes and Grandfield. I mentioned McGusty first because I think he has the handles and the passing skills to run the point if need be. Strong should and likely will be the leading candidate this fall. He's a true PG who was recruited to play that position at OU. If the reports are accurate that he has been playing hurt, I'm just not sure he will be ready in time?

All I'm saying is that it will not be Jordan Woodard. Will he move to the one on some possessions? Sure. He's doing that this season, and I don't see expect that to change, just as I don't believe his role on this year's team will change.

 

[garyeb2]

It is my opinion that when Young gets here, Kruger will hand him the ball, and it will be his job to lose. Woodard could end up back at the point if either Young doesn't work out or one of the younger guards beats Woodard out for the #2 spot.

Kruger's best team at UNLV had 6' 4" point guard and a 5' 10" shooting guard. He has routinely made lineup shifts every season. I wouldn't put Coach in a box when it comes to how he might use next season's personal.

 

[152219]

It is my opinion that when Young gets here, Kruger will hand him the ball, and it will be his job to lose. Woodard could end up back at the point if either Young doesn't work out or one of the younger guards beats Woodard out for the #2 spot.

Kruger's best team at UNLV had 6' 4" point guard and a 5' 10" shooting guard. He has routinely made lineup shifts every season. I wouldn't put Coach in a box when it comes to how he might use next season's personal.

Woodard will have graduated by the time Young makes it to campus.

 

[garyeb2]

Woodard will have graduated by the time Young makes it to campus.

Do I have my names mixed up? Happens to me all the time now. I am referring to the Juco point guard coming in.

 

[WTSooner]

I don't think Woodard's success this year is coming from a move to SG. He still handles the ball a lot, and last year as the pg he had a ton of open shots that he just missed.

As for next year, Woodard is starting for sure, and I imagine James will start. The question is, is Strong the other starter at pg moving Woodard to sg, or does somebody like Grandstaff, Odomes or McGusty win the third guard spot, thus moving Woodard back to pg.

 

[152219]

Do I have my names mixed up? Happens to me all the time now. I am referring to the Juco point guard coming in.

That is Strong.

Young is the kid from Norman North that is a 2017 PG recruit.

 

[CoachTalk]

If you'll read my posts again, you'll see that I have a list of five possible candidates to step into Isaiah's shoes. My main point is that Jordan will not go back to being totally responsible for running our offense.

Do you really think Lon is going to put a bridle on the second leading scorer who is shooting better than 53% from three point range by putting him in charge of running the offense? I simply cannot see that happen, unless Jordan proves to be the only option. Is that a possibility? I'm not ruling that out entirely.

I know McGusty is a shooting guard. So is James, Odomes and Grandfield. I mentioned McGusty first because I think he has the handles and the passing skills to run the point if need be. Strong should and likely will be the leading candidate this fall. He's a true PG who was recruited to play that position at OU. If the reports are accurate that he has been playing hurt, I'm just not sure he will be ready in time?

All I'm saying is that it will not be Jordan Woodard. Will he move to the one on some possessions? Sure. He's doing that this season, and I don't see expect that to change, just as I don't believe his role on this year's team will change.

I understand what you're saying. I just think if strong cant do it, it will be Woodard.

Now if one the new guys or pups gets in the gym and becomes a PG, then woodard will stay at the 2, but right now I think its woodard or strong.

 

[usedtobe1]

If Woodard doesn't move back to PG, Darrion Strong will be our likely PG. At 6'6" I don't think Odomes is in the PG mix even as a backup, but he could be in the wing rotation.

If Woodard stays at the wing and Strong mans the PG, it will be a heck of a battle for the other wing position: James, Odomes, Grandstaff, and McGusty. Maybe even Doolittle.

I don't think it's a forgone conclusion that Woodard stays on the wing. It depends how all the new wings develop and how quickly Strong can step in effectively at PG. JMHO.

I wonder what Woodard's preference is?

 

[AdaSooner]

I don't think Woodard's success this year is coming from a move to SG. He still handles the ball a lot, and last year as the pg he had a ton of open shots that he just missed.

As for next year, Woodard is starting for sure, and I imagine James will start. The question is, is Strong the other starter at pg moving Woodard to sg, or does somebody like Grandstaff, Odomes or McGusty win the third guard spot, thus moving Woodard back to pg.

I don't disagree entirely with anything you said. It's true that Jordan's success this year is due in part to his work in the off season to improve his shooting from the perimeter. I also agree that he has the ball in his hands a lot this season. I said as much on two occasions in this thread. I also added that I don't expect to see that change next year.

My predictions are based on the assumption that Coach Kruger will do everything possible to duplicate the successes of the current season, including a "don't fix it if it's not broke" approach to Woodard's role. If Strong or one of our shooting guards fails to take over where Isaiah leaves off, he may not have any choice but to put the ball in Jordan's hands again. I simply see that as a last resort.

 

[WTSooner]

My predictions are based on the assumption that Coach Kruger will do everything possible to duplicate the successes of the current season, including a "don't fix it if it's not broke" approach to Woodard's role. If Strong or one of our shooting guards fails to take over where Isaiah leaves off, he may not have any choice but to put the ball in Jordan's hands again. I simply see that as a last resort.

There was talk that part of the reason LK moved Cousins to pg was to get him NBA exposure at the only position he could play in the NBA. Not sure how much I believe that, or if Cousins has NBA handles to play pg at that level, but he might do the same for Woodard. Woodard is probably a pg at the next level (Europe?), so it might do him good to get another year of pg exposure. Just a thought.

I personally don't care how it all works out. I trust LK to get the best guards on the floor, and we'll go from there.

 

[BoulderSooner]

It is my opinion that when Young gets here, Kruger will hand him the ball, and it will be his job to lose. Woodard could end up back at the point if either Young doesn't work out or one of the younger guards beats Woodard out for the #2 spot.

Kruger's best team at UNLV had 6' 4" point guard and a 5' 10" shooting guard. He has routinely made lineup shifts every season. I wouldn't put Coach in a box when it comes to how he might use next season's personal.

young will never play with Woodard ..

 

[bgrch1350]

There was talk that part of the reason LK moved Cousins to pg was to get him NBA exposure at the only position he could play in the NBA. Not sure how much I believe that, or if Cousins has NBA handles to play pg at that level, but he might do the same for Woodard. Woodard is probably a pg at the next level (Europe?), so it might do him good to get another year of pg exposure. Just a thought.

I personally don't care how it all works out. I trust LK to get the best guards on the floor, and we'll go from there.

I believe with such a young team next year, you're going to want a veteran point guard in the lineup to lead this team.

And as for Strong...again...Juco players have yet to come here and been the player we all expect them to be. We've gotten more out of their senior year then their junior year. Everyone talked about AK coming here and beating out Lattin and that didn't happen. Walker has been decent coming off the bench. So I don't expect Strong to come in and start at PG. I expect McGusty to start. So with Woodard and McGusty starting, you're looking at another shooting guard or small forward starting.

 

[AdaSooner]

There was talk that part of the reason LK moved Cousins to pg was to get him NBA exposure at the only position he could play in the NBA. Not sure how much I believe that, or if Cousins has NBA handles to play pg at that level, but he might do the same for Woodard. Woodard is probably a pg at the next level (Europe?), so it might do him good to get another year of pg exposure. Just a thought.

I personally don't care how it all works out. I trust LK to get the best guards on the floor, and we'll go from there.

Good point about preparing Cousins and Woodard for a pro career somewhere. I never considered that as a possibility.

Like you, it doesn't really matter to me who starts or plays the point. The moves LK made this season by giving the reigns to Cousins and putting last year's starting PG at the two, proves something I already knew. He knows a lot more about coaching than anyone on this board will ever know.

 

[campbest]

IMO, hard to see anyone starting at PG other than Woodard.

Cousins moving to PG may have been able to help his draft stock a bit, but it was primarily schematic, at least in my point of view. No inside scoring presence, shorter shot clock...try to put the defense on their heels sooner instead of letting them set in. Also, just going off the top of my head, he may be a better shooter on the move than catch-and-shoot, no point of playing him on the wing if that is truly the case.

 

[CoachTalk]

young will never play with Woodard ..

He meant Strong

 

[CoachTalk]

Lon Kruger isn't worried about their draft stock or NBA carrer. He, of course will help them acquire the nba skills, but he is hired to win games at OU. Not the knicks.

 

[BoulderSooner]

hopefully strong ajusts to d1 well ... the 2 point guard look we have this year is great for our team .. and a scoring attacking point with Jordan the second point would be great next season ..

either way we are going to need all of the guards next season ..

we return only 3 guards from this year .. and have 80.1 min to fill (buddy, Isaiah, Walker)

Jordan who will get his 30-35 next season as a senior he averages 30 this year ..

after that it is fully up in the air .. I doubt any one other than Jordan will approach 35 min a game .. so we will likely play all 6 guards next season over 10 min per game

and we will only have 5 guards the first 6 or 7 games .. before adding grandstaff ..

so 85 plus min to divide plus whatever min odomes or james might play at small ball 4 ..

(Doubt Doolittle plays any 3 next season )

 

[bgrch1350]

Lon Kruger isn't worried about their draft stock or NBA carrer. He, of course will help them acquire the nba skills, but he is hired to win games at OU. Not the knicks.

He moved Cousins to the Point b/c a PG with Cousins height and ability to get to the rim is the type of PG that wins National Championships. Also, moving Woodard to the 2, you basically have 2 pg's on the floor. Woodard is still getting around 4 assist a game.

Woodard is going to have to work on taking guys off the dribble b/c he will be our best player next year and he's not going to get a lot of open shots like he gets this year b/c Buddy and Cousins won't be here to take the pressure and draw double teams.