Hield

[jmizzy4ou]

Couldn't Pledger be that?

You also have to factor in a player's psych. I'm not sure SP is the type of player who would flourish off the bench. He seems mentally fragile to me, and I believe starting him would keep him focused/functioning.

It is a pleasant problem to have!!! I believe keeping the kid on the bench, and unleashing him as one of the featured scorers off the bench would be a recipe for WINNING........

Sometimes the 5 best players don't start. Chemistry and other things dictate sometimes who starts, along with seniority many times. As long as the youngsters are getting their minutes, they will be fine/we will be fine. Doesn't mean it won't change, but just a thought moving forward.......

 

[AdaSooner]

He may be by the end of the season, but I am a bit worried that starting 3 freshman guards is a recipe for sloppy play no matter how much upside they have.

You're right, MN, freshmen are typically error prone until they adjust to the speed and physicality of the college game. But that's something you have to live with, especially when their production more than offsets the mistakes they make. Besides, I believe that will get better as they gain more experience.

Hield, with 3 TOs, is the only one who turned the ball over too much last night. On the other hand, he finished with 19 points on 7 of 13 shooting (3-4 from three), and he had 3 rebounds and 1 steal. Hornbeak only had 1 turnover and Cousins, the guys running our offense, had none.

I don't want to put anymore pressure on these kids than necessary. But this is the best trio of guards I have seen at OU in years. If our three frosh stay healthy and continue to work hard, they have a very bright future.

 

[MNsooner]

You're right, MN, freshmen are typically error prone until they adjust to the speed and physicality of the college game. But that's something you have to live with, especially when their production more than offsets the mistakes they make. Besides, I believe that will get better as they gain more experience.

Hield, with 3 TOs, is the only one who turned the ball over too much last night. On the other hand, he finished with 19 points on 7 of 13 shooting (3-4 from three), and he had 3 rebounds and 1 steal. Hornbeak only had 1 turnover and Cousins, the guys running our offense, had none.

I don't want to put anymore pressure on these kids than necessary. But this is the best trio of guards I have seen at OU in years. If our three frosh stay healthy and continue to work hard, they have a very bright future.

I think you are right about their future, but the best way to develop their talent is to put them in a position to succeed. Let them play together at times, but also let them play a bit with guys who know our offense and defense and are used to the college game more. I think judging them based off of exhibition games is unwise.

We are falling in love with what they will be not what they are right now. Right now we need a mix of experience on the court with their talent. That is what will accelerate their development and give us the best chance to win. I think they should all get 20+ minutes based on what I have seen, but I think not starting Pledger would be a mistake.

To be honest, I'll be fine with whatever Kruger does, though. I have yet to see anything that makes me think he would make the wrong decision. He and his staff seem to be able to identify talent and develop it. They'll make the choice that puts the team in the best position to win now and in the future. One of my favorite things about Lon is that I have yet to be given a reason to question him.

 

[KBaden145]

I compared to Hield to Hollis after the first exhibition. Not a stretch at all, I don't think.

I think Hield is the better athlete. The question is, does he have Hollis' head. Time will tell.

I compare Hields game more to Corey Brewer. Hornbeak does remind me of Hollis as a FR.

 

[playmakr]

You also have to factor in a player's psych. I'm not sure SP is the type of player who would flourish off the bench. He seems mentally fragile to me, and I believe starting him would keep him focused/functioning.

It is a pleasant problem to have!!! I believe keeping the kid on the bench, and unleashing him as one of the featured scorers off the bench would be a recipe for WINNING........

Sometimes the 5 best players don't start. Chemistry and other things dictate sometimes who starts, along with seniority many times. As long as the youngsters are getting their minutes, they will be fine/we will be fine. Doesn't mean it won't change, but just a thought moving forward.......

Yea I get what you're saying. Half the battle in dealing with 18-23 year olds is exactly what you're talking about. Lon's forgotten more about dealing with that and the game then I'll ever know, so I'm sure he has his reasons. My point would be I think Buddy is also a potential plus defender and seems to already be as natural a scorer, I always want to start with my best 5 on defense, within reason.

 

[StatGeek]

A Vinnie Johnson type player. I like Hield in that role.

The microwave .....

 

[25mob]

Yea I get what you're saying. Half the battle in dealing with 18-23 year olds is exactly what you're talking about. Lon's forgotten more about dealing with that and the game then I'll ever know, so I'm sure he has his reasons. My point would be I think Buddy is also a potential plus defender and seems to already be as natural a scorer, I always want to start with my best 5 on defense, within reason.

I too like starting out with the best defenders. Stopping people and rebounding can help with scoring points for your team as well.

 

[DenverSooner]

I don't want to put anymore pressure on these kids than necessary. But this is the best trio of guards I have seen at OU in years. If our three frosh stay healthy and continue to work hard, they have a very bright future.

I personally think the difference you are seeing is coaching and character rather than pure talent. I do not mean to take anything from these kids. They are extremely talented, as is every single person that gets an athletic scholarship at OU but they have character and receive good coaching to go along with that talent.

I also don't mean to disparage everyone associated with the Capel era. Most or at least several were outstanding young men but Capel consistently made bad recruiting decisions and always had cancers on his team. I also don't think he was nearly as good a coach as Kruger.

 

[garyeb2]

I personally think the difference you are seeing is coaching and character rather than pure talent. I do not mean to take anything from these kids. They are extremely talented, as is every single person that gets an athletic scholarship at OU but they have character and receive good coaching to go along with that talent.

I also don't mean to disparage everyone associated with the Capel era. Most or at least several were outstanding young men but Capel consistently made bad recruiting decisions and always had cancers on his team. I also don't think he was nearly as good a coach as Kruger.

I think it would be a mistake and to assume that these three guards are all elite level recruits that were somehow under the radar. They are however, solid upper D1 type recruits with a good work ethic and what seems to be solid character.

Even as freshmen, solid recruits like these can, should, and often do campare favorably talent wise with holdovers from a mediocre team.

And yes, Kruger is a really fine coach and he will figure out a way to blend these players together for a good outcome.

 

[AdaSooner]

I personally think the difference you are seeing is coaching and character rather than pure talent. I do not mean to take anything from these kids. They are extremely talented, as is every single person that gets an athletic scholarship at OU but they have character and receive good coaching to go along with that talent.

I also don't mean to disparage everyone associated with the Capel era. Most or at least several were outstanding young men but Capel consistently made bad recruiting decisions and always had cancers on his team. I also don't think he was nearly as good a coach as Kruger.

I don't disagree with what you've said. It's true that part of what I see in our three freshmen is coaching and character.

It goes beyond that, though. Coaches have to start with good kids who want to be coached, and who strive to excel when given the opportunity. That, more than anything, is what I'm seeing. It's also an uncommon work ethic that all kids aren't blessed with. Some here have said that Hield, Hornbeak and Cousins are gym rats, and it shows.

The number of stars beside a kid's name means very little, if he doesn't have the desire necessary to be successful. You don't have to look back too far to find higher ranked recruits who were the total opposite of the three we have now.

I pay attention to the rankings, but don't subscribe to the idea that where a recruit is ranked tells the whole story. Kids fly under the radar all of the time. Some end up at mid-major schools where we watch them play in the NCAA tourney and wonder, "Why didn't OU or another high major recruit a kid that good?"

I have no idea where Hornbeak, Hield and Cousins fit in that equation. All I know is that they're pretty darned good as freshmen, and they're going to get better. And, yes, in part that's due to their character, good coaching, and a burning desire to succeed.