im starting to like

[WTSooner]

Re: Osby Skill Set?

What is Osby's skill set? Is it possible to go big? Maybe the starting lineup could look like this:

Posts – Cassey Arent and Andrew Fitzgerald
Wings – Romero Osby and Cam Clark
Point – Sam Grooms

Bench/Guards – Carl Blair, Stephen Pledger, Calvin Newell
Bench/Forwards – C.J. Washington, Tyler Neal
Redshirting - Amath M’Baye

***

During his sophomore year at Miss. State, Osby shot .410 (16-for-39) from 3-point range. Wonder if he has decent handles for a big man?

Just wondering.

:OUbball-logo:

A lot of folks on here will disagree, but I'd be shocked if Osby played major minutes at the SF/wing/3 spots. I just don't see it. You lose the advantage he gives you by playing him out there, IMO. And while it sucks to have him and Fitz inside (a bit undersized as a duo), I still think that is our best shot.

I will say that is Cam was more of a natural two, that MIGHT be an option. But Cam isn't a natural 2. He is actually the closes thing to a true SF that you can find in college basketball.

 

[SoonerTraveler]

Although I think Grooms should eventually start at PG, I don't think your lineup has enough ballhandlers. Would be easy to trap/press. Also, defensively that group would likely have to play a zone defense.

Good points. It will be very interesting to see what kind of players all the new guys turn out to be. It will also be interesting to see if LK comes from the coaching school that prefers to eschew playing zone defense.

A lot of folks on here will disagree, but I'd be shocked if Osby played major minutes at the SF/wing/3 spots. I just don't see it. You lose the advantage he gives you by playing him out there, IMO. And while it sucks to have him and Fitz inside (a bit undersized as a duo), I still think that is our best shot.

The Osby/Fitz duo should be stronger and bigger inside than what we have had. Hopefully, Arent will be a tough player that likes to battle inside.

:OUbball-logo:

 

[Dr Sleep]

Re: Osby Skill Set?

What is Osby's skill set? Is it possible to go big? Maybe the starting lineup could look like this:

Posts – Cassey Arent and Andrew Fitzgerald
Wings – Romero Osby and Cam Clark
Point – Sam Grooms

Bench/Guards – Carl Blair, Stephen Pledger, Calvin Newell
Bench/Forwards – C.J. Washington, Tyler Neal
Redshirting - Amath M’Baye

***

During his sophomore year at Miss. State, Osby shot .410 (16-for-39) from 3-point range. Wonder if he has decent handles for a big man?

Just wondering.

:OUbball-logo:

I was wondering that too. I figure Osby and Cam are both 3's, Fitz should be a 4 to be at his best. So either Cam goes to 2 or Fitz goes to 5 to get all three of those players on the court together. But i like the idea of having Arent at the 5. The good news is we will have real competition at positions 1-4.

 

[perryj74]

Re: Osby Skill Set?

The good news is we will have real competition at positions 1-4.

This is going to be the real key to success in 2011-2012. In the last two years there simply wasn't any competition and guys didn't have to work to earn their minutes.

 

[WTSooner]

Re: Osby Skill Set?

The good news is we will have real competition at positions 1-4.

Actually, there will be competition at the 1-5 spots. I don't think Arent is good enough to come in and put Osby or Fitz on the bench. I also don't think he is good enough to slide everybody down a spot, and put Pledger on the bench. Unless of course one of those guys simply don't react well to what LK is trying to do.

So while we may not have another true center to compete with Arent, he will be compteting against Fitz/Washington for post minutes.

 

[garyeb2]

Re: Osby Skill Set?

Actually, there will be competition at the 1-5 spots. I don't think Arent is good enough to come in and put Osby or Fitz on the bench. I also don't think he is good enough to slide everybody down a spot, and put Pledger on the bench. Unless of course one of those guys simply don't react well to what LK is trying to do.

So while we may not have another true center to compete with Arent, he will be compteting against Fitz/Washington for post minutes.

from what i've read and currently understand about how kruger uses his post players: he uses them to play "D", rebound, set picks, and score just enough to ensure that the oppents have to defend him. it's likely that he thinks arent can do that. he seems to like athletic forwards that can score and a point that can get the ball to them. and of course in todays game there has to be someone capable of making 3's. he'll probably sign another one or and it will be easier to see what kind of lineup he is trying to shape.

 

[WTSooner]

Re: Osby Skill Set?

from what i've read and currently understand about how kruger uses his post players: he uses them to play "D", rebound, set picks, and score just enough to ensure that the oppents have to defend him. it's likely that he thinks arent can do that. he seems to like athletic forwards that can score and a point that can get the ball to them. and of course in todays game there has to be someone capable of making 3's. he'll probably sign another one or and it will be easier to see what kind of lineup he is trying to shape.

It won't be obvious what LK is trying to do for a couple of years, IMO. I don't think looking back to UNLV is a great gauge, b/c he should be able to land better talent at OU then he could there. So if he "settled" for big men that did the little things at UNLV, he might be able to recruit more skilled big men at OU.

And while I'm sure LK would prefer a traditional center than can rebound and defend, if the amount of offense provided by something like Fitz is greater than the defensive advantage a guy like Arent MIGHT provide, Fitz will still start. You play the best overall players (most of the time). I'm fairly certain that Fitz is still better overall than Arent, mostly b/c of his offense, and experience.

 

[garyeb2]

Re: Osby Skill Set?

It won't be obvious what LK is trying to do for a couple of years, IMO. I don't think looking back to UNLV is a great gauge, b/c he should be able to land better talent at OU then he could there. So if he "settled" for big men that did the little things at UNLV, he might be able to recruit more skilled big men at OU.

And while I'm sure LK would prefer a traditional center than can rebound and defend, if the amount of offense provided by something like Fitz is greater than the defensive advantage a guy like Arent MIGHT provide, Fitz will still start. You play the best overall players (most of the time). I'm fairly certain that Fitz is still better overall than Arent, mostly b/c of his offense, and experience.

everyone is certainly entitled to their opinion. and yours is one that i could buy into to some degree. but, having fitz as the post has been tried hasn't it? how did that work out? just like the long running blair/grooms debate. i think that kruger knows what he is doing and is bringing people that can contribute to making the team better right now.

 

[WTSooner]

Re: Osby Skill Set?

everyone is certainly entitled to their opinion. and yours is one that i could buy into to some degree. but, having fitz as the post has been tried hasn't it? how did that work out? just like the long running blair/grooms debate. i think that kruger knows what he is doing and is bringing people that can contribute to making the team better right now.

Maybe they just need better coaching? Or better backups? Saying that we need to replace our entire starting lineup because of our record last year is a little short-sighted IMO. And even if that were true, even if a total overhaul were needed, LK was hired too late in the year for that to happen. I don't care how low you think our talent level was last year, we likely aren't going to find multiple JUCO's, this late in the game, that can come in and be better. I've seen it. I've seen the reports on guys like Chris Walker, Nick Thompson, Washington, Goff, Omar Leary, and so on and so forth. I've read how they will come in and start. I've read how they were the reason for their JUCO teams' sucess. I've read it all. And rarely has it panned out that way.

I'm still a big fan of using JUCO's to supplement our roster, but even I understand that the talent levels aren't the same as they were even 5 years ago. I've watched video, and I just don't see in Grooms what a lot of you seem to see. Is he a solid backup? Probably. Can he be a very, very average starter if Blair doesn't improve the turnovers? Probably. But expecting any more from him then that, TODAY, with what we know, I think is silly. Maybe he'll be better. Maybe OU will be the perfect spot, and LK the perfect coach, and he'll show a higher ceiling then what I believe he has. I'm just saying let's sit back and wait before making that claim.

I'm of the belief that guys like Pledger, Blair, and Fitz are going to improve A LOT simply by having a competent coach next season. Fitz should also look "better" inside having Osby next to him, as opposed to Clark. That difference should be night and day.

It'll be next year (2012) before LK can really start upgrading the talent, IMO. And maybe even 2013 with that big class we'll likely bring in.

 

[perryj74]

Re: Osby Skill Set?

This team is going to be better next year for the simple reason that there are more players who are capable of contributing on the roster. It's amazing what a little competition can do to advance a player's abilities. Throw in a coaching upgrade to go with the talent/depth upgrade and the last two years should be a distant memory by the start of league play.

 

[WTSooner]

Re: Osby Skill Set?

This team is going to be better next year for the simple reason that there are more players who are capable of contributing on the roster. It's amazing what a little competition can do to advance a player's abilities. Throw in a coaching upgrade to go with the talent/depth upgrade and the last two years should be a distant memory by the start of league play.

I agree completely.

 

[Max Power]

Re: Osby Skill Set?

This team is going to be better next year for the simple reason that there are more players who are capable of contributing on the roster. It's amazing what a little competition can do to advance a player's abilities. Throw in a coaching upgrade to go with the talent/depth upgrade and the last two years should be a distant memory by the start of league play.

:clap:clap:clap

 

[Big Old Booger]

Re: Osby Skill Set?

I'm of the belief that guys like Pledger, Blair, and Fitz are going to improve A LOT simply by having a competent coach next season.

Pledger and Blair were pretty lazy on defense and Fitz was lazy at rebounding. Fitz was not a great defender either but I think that's more because of the coaching he was getting as well as the fact he is not mobile.

I agree the better coaching should help all 3 improve. I also agree with the OP that Grooms should be starting before the end of the season, and Newell should either be starting or splitting time with Pledger based on what I saw last year. If both Blair and Pledger can improve on the defensive end (Pledger needs to realize we need more from him than just hanging behind the 3 point line) then maybe they can retain their starting jobs and the team will be even better.

I disagree with garyeb that Neal is mid-major talent. Based on what I saw, he has game and I think he will have a positive impact on OU basketball before the next 3 years is over.

 

[NorthCarolinaSooner]

Am I the only guy that noticed that half of the Final Four and half of the National Championship game was played with teams full of guys considered "mid-major" coming out.

A team in our conference here in NC had a kid being recruited by one of the Final Four teams. He ended up going to Tulane instead.....and he was a player that none of you would have been pumped about getting if he went to OU. I think too many people throw around the "mid-major" tag too much. A "mid-major" kid who plays with a chip on his shoulder is much better than a "high-major" player who plays soft and uninspired in my opinion.

 

[garyeb2]

Am I the only guy that noticed that half of the Final Four and half of the National Championship game was played with teams full of guys considered "mid-major" coming out.

A team in our conference here in NC had a kid being recruited by one of the Final Four teams. He ended up going to Tulane instead.....and he was a player that none of you would have been pumped about getting if he went to OU. I think too many people throw around the "mid-major" tag too much. A "mid-major" kid who plays with a chip on his shoulder is much better than a "high-major" player who plays soft and uninspired in my opinion.

finally, a post i can agree with. it is kruger's stock in trade. a supposed mid-major talent out of HS that has benifited from 3 or 4 years of good coaching and maturing often compete very well with the 19 yr old mcdonald's all american. and mayby i am just "shortsighted and silly" but, before i am convinced of that, one of the guru's please explain this dynamic. we had a basketball team that wasn't very good. and absolutely non-competitive with the top of the conference. but yet,somehow, individually, the members of that team were good players. to me, that seems shortsighted and silly. yes, they will benifit from superior coaching. and yes, alittle benifit should be derived from the experience. but last years guys and osby is the formula for a very long dreary season. arent will start at the post mainly because fitz wasn't very good in that spot. kruger will give him a role that he can handle and then coach him up and the team will be better for it. grooms will start, not because he is something special. but because blair is a turnover machine and can not guard anybody. newell will challenge pledger for minutes because pledger is no better than the richards kid that krueger passed on. it looks like all clark needed was coaching and osby was touted as the best player on campus all season. so, unless something magic happens with a last minute recruit, there are your starters. and i imagine the rotation will get pretty tight by congerence time. have a nice day.

 

[perryj74]

The 3 best players on the roster next year are going to be Fitz, Clark, and Osby. If they aren't we are in for a pleasant surprise because they would be a very solid nucleus to build a team around. You've got to find a way for the 3 of them to be on the floor as much as possible. That means you either have to start 2 guards with them or go big and start Arent and one of the PGs. So you have to ask who would you rather have on the floor more Pledger/Newell or Arent/Washington?