How many points will Tyler Neal average

[DenverSooner]

Right now he is averaging 7 points a game and shooting 48% from 3 point range. I personally think his average will go up because I think he is going to play more now that Newell is gone.

I think he will average about 8 per game on the season. When you consider that Neal and probably Fitzgerald will come off the bench next season you have to be excited.

 

[AdaSooner]

If Tyler can end the season with a 7 to 9 points average, I'll be happy. He's capable of more. I just don't see him getting enough touches coming off the bench to average in double figures.

 

[Boomer-D]

I agree! It's obvious coach has enough confidence to give him the green light on shooting. With Newell gone he has to pick it up. What I really like is Tyler is comfy in his role to make this team better unlike Newell.

:neal

 

[DenverSooner]

If Neal averages 7-9 points a game off the bench and Fitzgerald becomes a bench player due to M'Baye (and I think this is likely), then OU will be returning approxiamtely 20 ppg to come off the bench. That is huge bench production. Perhaps with the decreased minutes they won't average that much but it is still a very big advantage over most Big XII teams.

 

[sperry]

If Neal averages 7-9 points a game off the bench and Fitzgerald becomes a bench player due to M'Baye (and I think this is likely), then OU will be returning approxiamtely 20 ppg to come off the bench. That is huge bench production. Perhaps with the decreased minutes they won't average that much but it is still a very big advantage over most Big XII teams.

I don't see the coaches benching Fitzgerald. M'baye may get more minutes, but I think Fitz will be the starter.


I also don't think any of the freshmen will play much at all, and I would hope that we can redshirt probably all but one of them. Certainly not going to be minutes available in the frontcourt, and I think Neal and Blair will get most of the rest of the minutes off the bench.

 

[DenverSooner]

I don't see the coaches benching Fitzgerald. M'baye may get more minutes, but I think Fitz will be the starter.

If M'Baye is the best player on the team and that has been stated several times by multiple people, I don't see how he doesn't start. If he starts that means Fitz or Osby comes off the bench. Not many teams will bring that type of production off the bench.

If for some reason M'Baye doesn't start, then you have Neal and M'Baye coming off the bench. That is also a very good scenario.

I suspect M'Baye starts, regardless OU is going to bring some pretty talented guys off the bench next season. As it stands right now, the 8th man in the rotation is Carl Blair - a guy with two years of starting experience in the Big XII. If any of the freshman work their way into the top 8, OU is even deeper. I am really quite excited for next season.

 

[sperry]

If M'Baye is the best player on the team and that has been stated several times by multiple people, I don't see how he doesn't start. If he starts that means Fitz or Osby comes off the bench. Not many teams will bring that type of production off the bench.

If for some reason M'Baye doesn't start, then you have Neal and M'Baye coming off the bench. That is also a very good scenario.

I suspect M'Baye starts, regardless OU is going to bring some pretty talented guys off the bench next season. As it stands right now, the 8th man in the rotation is Carl Blair - a guy with two years of starting experience in the Big XII. If any of the freshman work their way into the top 8, OU is even deeper. I am really quite excited for next season.

I agree, I just hope we redshirt some of those guys. Seems like in basketball, though, no one ever redshirst, and guys often will lose an entire year doing nothing but playing in 4 minute stints at the end of blowouts.

 

[AdaSooner]

I agree, I just hope we redshirt some of those guys. Seems like in basketball, though, no one ever redshirst, and guys often will lose an entire year doing nothing but playing in 4 minute stints at the end of blowouts.

I see things a little differently, sperry. I hope none of our freshmen redshirt next season for two reasons: a) That could be a sign that they're all too good to sit the bench for an entire season, and; b) We lose so many upperclassmen after next year, the newbies need all of the in-game experience they can get.

I say play all three freshmen, and let them dictate their time on the floor by how well they respond to being put to the test.

 

[stoopified]

If M'Baye is the best player on the team and that has been stated several times by multiple people,

I have no idea if M'Baye pushes Fitz to the bench or not But I do know this is first time I have heard or read anyone refer to M'Baye as OUr best player.I have listenened to and read numerous comments by coaches,media,etc and have NEVER heard this.

 

[DenverSooner]

I see things a little differently, sperry. I hope none of our freshmen redshirt next season for two reasons: a) That could be a sign that they're all too good to sit the bench for an entire season, and; b) We lose so many upperclassmen after next year, the newbies need all of the in-game experience they can get.

I say play all three freshmen, and let them dictate their time on the floor by how well they respond to being put to the test.

I agree. Averaging just 4 or 6 minutes a game will help the guys realize how much faster the college game is and that defense is played on very possession. That should encourage them to work harder over the summer. In three or four years OU might have the luxury of redshirting some freshman but I don't think OU can afford to do that right now. Additionally, I think OU needs to look toward the future. If they bring in 3 juco guys and 3 freshman, the classes will be balanced. Obviously they shouldn't sign a juco player that can't contribute but as it stands, OU will have zero juniors in 2012/13.

 

[CoachTalk]

Its been stated to me personally by an Asst. Coach that M'Baye is our best player. And you can go watch practice and see that he is up there as well.

 

[DenverSooner]

I have no idea if M'Baye pushes Fitz to the bench or not But I do know this is first time I have heard or read anyone refer to M'Baye as OUr best player.I have listenened to and read numerous comments by coaches,media,etc and have NEVER heard this.

Do you read this board? It has been on here quite a bit that he is the best athlete on the team, can't be stopped in practice, etc. etc. My take from this board is he is a guaranteed starter if not the best player on the team. Maybe I have misinterpreted things but that is what I have inferred.

 

[sperry]

I agree. Averaging just 4 or 6 minutes a game will help the guys realize how much faster the college game is and that defense is played on very possession. That should encourage them to work harder over the summer. In three or four years OU might have the luxury of redshirting some freshman but I don't think OU can afford to do that right now. Additionally, I think OU needs to look toward the future. If they bring in 3 juco guys and 3 freshman, the classes will be balanced. Obviously they shouldn't sign a juco player that can't contribute but as it stands, OU will have zero juniors in 2012/13.

See, disagree about the players playing a few minutes. I've never got the rationale behind playing guys in blowouts. If you think a freshman is legitimately going to help you win, then by all means use him for a few minutes off the bench each game. That's valuable game time experience. That being said, I think there is almost no value in playing these guys at the end of blowouts.


Next season we are going to have 6 Srs. and 3 Jrs. Casey Arent is the only guy that I can see some freshmen legitimately beating out for PT.


I think C.J. Cole is a surefire candidate for redshirting. I'd liek to see one out of Hield and Hornbeak redshirt. Henry would just be taking minutes away from Neal, Fitz, Clark, and Osby, which is not something I think we want. Would like to see him redshirt too.

 

[AdaSooner]

See, disagree about the players playing a few minutes. I've never got the rationale behind playing guys in blowouts. If you think a freshman is legitimately going to help you win, then by all means use him for a few minutes off the bench each game. That's valuable game time experience. That being said, I think there is almost no value in playing these guys at the end of blowouts.


Next season we are going to have 6 Srs. and 3 Jrs. Casey Arent is the only guy that I can see some freshmen legitimately beating out for PT.


I think C.J. Cole is a surefire candidate for redshirting. I'd liek to see one out of Hield and Hornbeak redshirt. Henry would just be taking minutes away from Neal, Fitz, Clark, and Osby, which is not something I think we want. Would like to see him redshirt too.

I agree with you about redshirting Cole. He was not even on my mind when I said "play all three freshmen" in the post above. By all accounts C. J. would benefit from a redshirt season, not to mention the fact that his services won't be needed quite as much with a strong group of returning post players (Fitz, Neal, Osby and Arent) to team with M'Baye, and Henry if he doesn't redshirt. Redshirt Henry and we will not have much experience in our front court the following season.

Hield and Hornbeak would definitely benefit from a season of playing behind (or pushing) Grooms, Blair, Pledger and Clark, as three of those four will be seniors next year. I doubt seriously if Coach Kruger wants to go into the following season with only one experienced returning player in our backcourt.

 

[sperry]

I agree with you about redshirting Cole. He was not even on my mind when I said "play all three freshmen" in the post above. By all accounts C. J. would benefit from a redshirt season, not to mention the fact that his services won't be needed quite as much with a strong group of returning post players (Fitz, Neal, Osby and Arent) to team with M'Baye, and Henry if he doesn't redshirt. Redshirt Henry and we will not have much experience in our front court the following season.

Hield and Hornbeak would definitely benefit from a season of playing behind (or pushing) Grooms, Blair, Pledger and Clark, as three of those four will be seniors next year. I doubt seriously if Coach Kruger wants to go into the following season with only one experienced returning player in our backcourt.

Again, if they can legitimately crack the rotation, then by all means let them play. That being said, I don't see meaningful minutes for both of them. Also, I really don't see minutes for Henry either. We have I think that about 75 of them will be coming from Fitz, Osby, and M'Baye every game. Do we really want to burn Henry's shirt so that he can split 5 minutes a game with Arent?

I guess something worth considering would be redshirting Arent next season, and giving Henry the limited minutes he'd be getting. I actually kind of like this idea, as we'll have a lot more need of Arent in '13-'14 then in '12-'13.

 

[BoulderSooner]

remeber that Neal is playing more at the 3 then he is at the 4 ..

Henry has a legit shot at being the 4th post next season ..

as for the rest if we don't sign anyone in the late period .. then we return

grooms with blair as his backup and clark and bird on the wing with neal off the bench

there is a spot for another wing to get min

 

[AdaSooner]

If one game can be used as a barometer for Jelon Hornbeak, I don't believe he'll redshirt next season. I was very impressed with his game overall, especially his defense and his ultra-quick hands. He's also a smart kid with a high GPA who should adjust quickly to what he needs to do to earn playing time at the D-1 level.

 

[cowboysooner]

We lose Honore and CJ, and get MBaye. So, we have a net loss of one big. So, if Henry is our only big recruit, then I see him getting those minutes and not redshirting. You really need 20 fouls in the paint.

We will have our top 5 perimeter players, but Neal, Bird and Clark are really wings and can't match up against really quick guards. This is why Newell was playing so much. With the loss of Newell, I think coach plays one of his freshman guards and maybe redshirts the other.

I sure was impressed with both of those high school teams last night and really impressed with Hornbeak. I think he could certainly be ready to play reserve minutes by next year. I haven't seen Heild play, so I don't know about him.

So, my prediction is that Henry and Hornbeak play, and any other freshman are redshirted. By the way, I haven't seen him play, but I like the sound of the Cole kid. With a redshirt year, he would first compete for playing time 2 years from now. There is no telling what he would look like at that time. Tall, athletic, smart and skilled is a good starting or base point to start from in my book. If you are going to take a flyer, why not on a kid like this.

 

[campbest]

I sure was impressed with both of those high school teams last night and really impressed with Hornbeak. I think he could certainly be ready to play reserve minutes by next year. I haven't seen Heild play, so I don't know about him.

Those were college teams on display last night.

 

[cowboysooner]

Camp, that is basically what it looked like to me. That much talent and height on high school teams is unreal.