How many '13 Ships left?

[SoonerTraveler]

..... In case you guys haven't figured it out, bgrch1350 will never be happy with the direction Kruger is taking us. He's still living in the past hoping that Capel will come back. ..... Now, bgrch just looks for any opening he can find to criticize everything Kruger does, thinking that if LK looks bad, it will make his favorite coach look good. .....

Look. Capel has moved on, thank goodness. Good luck to him.

Please allow me one paragraph to rehash the recent past as I see it: For me personally, as long as Capel remained, I had no hope for a revival in the OU basketball program after the “Capel Collapse.” As hard as I (a notorious sunshine pumper) tried to gaze into the future, I could see no hope with Capel at the helm. I had great hopes for Jeff when he was hired, but once Blake left for the NBA, the OU basketball program collapsed. I lost confidence in Jeff’s abilities as OU fell down the well into the conference cellar. A program with long-term success fell off the stage. OU was going nowhere with Capel in charge. A change was necessary.

Now onward and upward. I have no idea how good the 2012-13 OU team will be, but I EXPECT the team to be improved. It sure looks like Kruger has the program headed in the right direction.

Coach Lon Kruger has been at OU for 18 months (since 4/1/2011).
The roster is becoming more stable.
The number of outbound transfers is declining.
Some good inbound transfers are coming into OU.
The roster is full with 13 scholarship players and 4 walk-on players.
A larger percentage of players that start at OU may finish with OU degrees.
Players that graduate from OU may become commonplace (i.e., no longer remarkable).
There is less fear of “Texting” or “Tiny Gallon” situations, or other scandals.
No off-season “drama” played out in the news media.
There does NOT seem to be a “prima donna” on the roster.
The entire coaching staff seems to be competent, professional, and friendly.
The basketball program appears to be well managed.
The basketball program appears to have a sense of direction.
The program has a “fan friendly” focus:
-- Open practices
-- Innovations like games at the Fieldhouse
-- Staff is friendly and open (with information) at donor club functions

Overall, I just get the sense that Coach Kruger and his staff know what they are doing. OU may, or may not, earn a berth into the NCAA Tournament in March of 2013. But my eyes and brain tell me that OU basketball is in the process of climbing back up the ladder towards becoming a TOP-25 PROGRAM. Just like the old days, I am once again looking forward to basketball season. It should be a lot of fun!

Good luck Team!!

Boomer Sooner!!!

 

[luckyc1423]

We are basing it off NBA Scouts mentioning he could be one and done at OU, as well as members of media outlets not associated with the university claiming the same thing. Not to mention he's shown up on a few draft board as a second round pick.

What scouts have said this (not saying noone has said that i just havent seen the articles)

What are the scouts and the media basing their opinions off of is what im asking? From practice? From what he did at wyoming? Because like I said unless im not aware he hasnt played im in a game since wyoming?

 

[BigTime]

What scouts have said this (not saying noone has said that i just havent seen the articles)

What are the scouts and the media basing their opinions off of is what im asking? From practice? From what he did at wyoming? Because like I said unless im not aware he hasnt played im in a game since wyoming?

Adidas Nations Camp...

 

[AdaSooner]

Look. Capel has moved on, thank goodness. Good luck to him.

Please allow me one paragraph to rehash the recent past as I see it: For me personally, as long as Capel remained, I had no hope for a revival in the OU basketball program after the “Capel Collapse.” As hard as I (a notorious sunshine pumper) tried to gaze into the future, I could see no hope with Capel at the helm. I had great hopes for Jeff when he was hired, but once Blake left for the NBA, the OU basketball program collapsed. I lost confidence in Jeff’s abilities as OU fell down the well into the conference cellar. A program with long-term success fell off the stage. OU was going nowhere with Capel in charge. A change was necessary.

Now onward and upward. I have no idea how good the 2012-13 OU team will be, but I EXPECT the team to be improved. It sure looks like Kruger has the program headed in the right direction.

Coach Lon Kruger has been at OU for 18 months (since 4/1/2011).
The roster is becoming more stable.
The number of outbound transfers is declining.
Some good inbound transfers are coming into OU.
The roster is full with 13 scholarship players and 4 walk-on players.
A larger percentage of players that start at OU may finish with OU degrees.
Players that graduate from OU may become commonplace (i.e., no longer remarkable).
There is less fear of “Texting” or “Tiny Gallon” situations, or other scandals.
No off-season “drama” played out in the news media.
There does NOT seem to be a “prima donna” on the roster.
The entire coaching staff seems to be competent, professional, and friendly.
The basketball program appears to be well managed.
The basketball program appears to have a sense of direction.
The program has a “fan friendly” focus:
-- Open practices
-- Innovations like games at the Fieldhouse
-- Staff is friendly and open (with information) at donor club functions

Overall, I just get the sense that Coach Kruger and his staff know what they are doing. OU may, or may not, earn a berth into the NCAA Tournament in March of 2013. But my eyes and brain tell me that OU basketball is in the process of climbing back up the ladder towards becoming a TOP-25 PROGRAM. Just like the old days, I am once again looking forward to basketball season. It should be a lot of fun!

Good luck Team!!

Boomer Sooner!!!

Outstanding post, Trav! Nothing new for you I might add.

It's sad that a couple of posters on this board can't seem to embrace a new beginning under Coach Kruger. I'm certainly not one of them. I moved on from the Capel era a long time ago. Too bad that things didn't work out for him at OU. But I'm not going to deny that I was happy to see him go.

 

[SoonerTraveler]

Outstanding post, Trav! Nothing new for you I might add.

It's sad that a couple of posters on this board can't seem to embrace a new beginning under Coach Kruger. I'm certainly not one of them. I moved on from the Capel era a long time ago. Too bad that things didn't work out for him at OU. But I'm not going to deny that I was happy to see him go.

Thanks.

It is truly sad if some blame Coach Kruger for the end of the Capel era. Lon Kruger had nothing to do with the departure of Coach Capel.

 

[bgrch1350]

In case you guys haven't figured it out, bgrch1350 will never be happy with the direction Kruger is taking us. He's still living in the past hoping that Capel will come back.

This is the same guy who didn't think a Wyoming transfer named M'Baye was deserving of a scholarship. He said for months that Amath would not start this year. Funny how that annoying theme disappeared when NBA scouts and people who have actually seen the kid play said he may be one and done.

Now, bgrch just looks for any opening he can find to criticize everything Kruger does, thinking that if LK looks bad, it will make his favorite coach look good. How's that for sound logic? [/QUOTE]

I love guys who make up crap.

The only thing I see you got right is that I'm not sold that M'Baye will start. He might, he might not. But either way...does it really matter if he does or not...Its about who will be in the game at the end...And I do believe he will be there.

I like Kruger as a coach...but I don't have to be satisfied with his recruiting..b/c I'm not. You guys think we can bring knives to a gun fight and win. Its great we have Woodard...but if he is the biggest recruit we bring in, its a failed recruiting class.

 

[DenverSooner]

Bottom line OU needs M'Baye and one of the freshman to make a significant contribution. If that happens, OU should be substantially improved.


The returning players will be better. That is just a fact. They all have a year of experience and hard work. Will they have improved more than their competition? I don't know but I believe they will because OU returned more than most teams. 6 of our top 7 players in minutes returned. The guy that didn't return was Carl Blair (Washington also played some but I believe M'Baye easily takes all of his minutes and is much more productive). Carl Blair is a very good athlete compared to the average person but he was not a great athlete compared to other Big XII players. In fact, he was probably below average. Therefore, I don't see him leaving as a big negative.

That is the positive. The negative is that if OU is not improved this year they will probably be worse next year. You can't not like Grooms, Pledger, and Fitzgerald all you want but those guys have a lot of experience. Plus OU will lose Osby and Arent. That is a big loss and some say M'Baye might be off to the NBA.

 

[boksooner]

What scouts have said this (not saying noone has said that i just havent seen the articles)

What are the scouts and the media basing their opinions off of is what im asking? From practice? From what he did at wyoming? Because like I said unless im not aware he hasnt played im in a game since wyoming?

A lot of it is based on his age. He is old for a junior and it seems like juniors are already considered old by NBA draft standards. I don't think he had to be top 10 to be a one and done. If he is a sold first round pick, he might go to maximize his time in the league. I don't know if he is a first round pick, before we have seen him play in a game at OU, but some scouts have said some really good things about him.

 

[SoonerTraveler]

Bottom line OU needs M'Baye and one of the freshman to make a significant contribution. If that happens, OU should be substantially improved.

Agreed.

... The negative is that if OU is not improved this year they will probably be worse next year. You can't not like Grooms, Pledger, and Fitzgerald all you want but those guys have a lot of experience. Plus OU will lose Osby and Arent. That is a big loss and some say M'Baye might be off to the NBA.

2013-14 Sophomore Class
> Ryan Spangler ... 6-8, 232 Forward ... Bridge Creek, OK / Gonzaga
> Buddy Hield ... 6-4, 190 Guard ... Wichita, KS (Sunrise Christian Academy) / Bahamas
> Jelon Hornbeak ... 6-4, 185 Guard ... Arlington, TX (Grace Preparatory Academy)
> Isaiah Cousins ... 6-4, 188 Guard ... Mount Vernon, NY
> C.J. Cole ... 6-7, 220 Forward ... Sperry, OK / Invited Walk-on; Future Scholarship

While not possessing the current experience of Grooms, Pledger, Fitzgerald and Osby, I am hopeful that this future group of sophomores will combine to form a core group that is competitive in the Big-12 going forward. Twelve months from now, these players will be sophomores with some experience. They will be returning Big-12 players, and will no longer be “babes in the woods.” While I like Grooms and Pledger just fine, I like the possibilities and potential of adding Jordan Woodard to Hield, Hornbeak and Cousins. Even with less experience, OU’s overall guard play has the potential to be improved in 2013-14. That is an athletic and skilled foursome of guards, with a much higher ceiling than Grooms and Pledger.

2013-14 Junior Class (so far)
> Dominique Elliott ... 6-8, 247, PF; Garden City, Georgis / JUCO-Trinity Valley CC (Athens, TX)
> Keshaun Hamilton ... 6-10, 270, Center; Palatka (Fla.) HS / JUCO-Labette CC (Parsons, Kansas)

2013-14 Senior Class
> Amath M’Baye ... 6-9, 214 Forward ... Paris France / Semi Valley, CA / Wyoming
> Cameron Clark ... 6-6, 198 Guard/Forward ... Sherman, TX (Sherman HS)
> Tyler Neal ... 6-7, 227 Forward ... Oklahoma City (Putnam City West HS)
> D.J. Bennett ... 6-8, 215 Forward ... Orland Park, Illinois / Indian Hills CC, Ottumwa, Iowa

I hope Amath M’Baye is a stud, but I find it hard to believe that he is “one and done” at OU. In any event, the post positions will have numbers, size and some experience in 2013-14. I have high hopes for Ryan Spangler, an Oklahoma Gatorade Player of the Year and fourth-team Parade All-American as a high school senior. I saw C.J. Cole play in the State Playoffs and he looked pretty good to me. He reminded me a bit of Kevin Bookout, with less bulk but more offensive skills (I also saw Bookout in high school). We shall see what C.J. Cole’s future holds.

Other post players (D.J. Bennett, Dominique Elliott, Keshaun Hamilton) will hopefully be solid rebounders and defenders.

We can also hope that Cam Clark and Tyler Neal will have their best seasons as seniors in 2013-14.

The point is that I do not concede that the OU basketball team will be worse in 2013-14. Guard play could be better with more talented sophomores taking the place of the departed experienced seniors. Post play may not fall off too much, especially if M’Baye returns and Spangler makes good use of his redshirt season. Anyway, speculating about the program’s future is somewhat like reading a good book. I am ready to turn the page and see what surprises the next chapter brings.

First things first. Looking forward to the start of the 2012-13 season!