Kruger on the sports animal at 6:30

[okcsooner83]

I'll post an update after he is interviewed.

 

[SoonerTraveler]

Thanks!

:OUbball-logo:

 

[OUhoops11]

He's on right now.

 

[okcsooner83]

Getting caught up: been busy, people been friendly, students/alums/former players have been great

On going out asking people what can be done: everyone associated with OU basketball knows more than I do, they know what needs to be done to change things

Finished with 2011 recruiting, 11 guys on scholarship

2012/2013 classes in Oklahoma are good along with talent in north texas, don’t want to just sign anyone, having a couple extra scholarships is good

Thoughts on Sam Grooms: Throw back point guard, pass first, good defender on ball, good leader, along with Blair will be solid

Thoughts on Casey Aren’t: 6’9, brings size, Fitz played a lot last year and allow Andrew to move out, hard worker

Thoughts on M’Baye: 6’8, good scorer, will be in Norman next month

On group inheriting: work hard, lack size

Al asked him about getting athletic players: objective is to recruit athletic players

About recruits knowing about OU: Oklahoma brand is powerful, players know about OU, in meeting with former players they are excited about getting more involved

How to get students in stands: need to ask them, every opportunity will speak to students, need to create environment student want to be part of

On importance of Fitz to play the four: Likes his versatility at 4 or 5, a natural scorer, need to move him around more

On Osby: skilled, strong body, great personality and good leader

On Cameron Clark: really athletic, does well getting out on the break, best when he is in transition

Thoughts on Tyler Neal: expected to give team a lot of minutes

Thoughts Calvin Newell: will play the 2, point guard is not his natural spot

 

[seniorsooner]

Thoughts Calvin Newell: will play the 2, point guard is not his natural spot

Great to hear. I think the guy can be a solid contributor in this conference at the 2.

 

[Sam]

Great job on the recap 83!

 

[SBP]

Great to hear on Newell.

 

[thebigabd]

Thoughts Calvin Newell: will play the 2, point guard is not his natural spot

I knew Kruger would read my posts... all the great ones do.

 

[campbest]

I knew Kruger would read my posts... all the great ones do.

I take notes daily.

 

[NickZepp]

It seemed like everytime we talked about Newell it was about playing his natural position, the 2. Maybe the last guy played Newell at the one out of necessity but we never really got to see what Newell could do at the 2.

 

[Mr.B!!!]

Thoughts on Casey Aren’t: 6’9, brings size, Fitz played a lot last year and allow Andrew to move out, hard worker

On importance of Fitz to play the four: Likes his versatility at 4 or 5, a natural scorer, need to move him around more

Thoughts on Tyler Neal: expected to give team a lot of minutes

These three statements caught my eye as I'm not sure how all three can happen if Arent is expected to contribute much. Still way to early to tell though, probably even for CLK....and I see him hedging already in his second statement BUT the more Arent is out there with Fitz at the 4, then Osby and Cam [who are going to log major minutes] are going to be your wings, which is great, but I don't see a bunch of minutes for Tyler Neal in that scenario:

PG: Grooms/Blair [I think that will be a battle]
SG: Pledger/Newell [I think this will be a battle too]
SF: Cam/Osby/Neal
PF: Osby/Fitzgerald/Neal
C: Fitzgerald/Arent

I guess we could see a nine man rotation, but I sort of doubt it. Still, like I said above it's May and I still think that there is a little hint in there that Fitz may be getting a bunch of minutes, but maybe coming off the bench if you flip the starter on the "C". Words like "versatility" seem to be used quite a bit for bench guys.

 

[garyeb2]

These three statements caught my eye as I'm not sure how all three can happen if Arent is expected to contribute much. Still way to early to tell though, probably even for CLK....and I see him hedging already in his second statement BUT the more Arent is out there with Fitz at the 4, then Osby and Cam [who are going to log major minutes] are going to be your wings, which is great, but I don't see a bunch of minutes for Tyler Neal in that scenario:

PG: Grooms/Blair [I think that will be a battle]
SG: Pledger/Newell [I think this will be a battle too]
SF: Cam/Osby/Neal
PF: Osby/Fitzgerald/Neal
C: Fitzgerald/Arent

I guess we could see a nine man rotation, but I sort of doubt it. Still, like I said above it's May and I still think that there is a little hint in there that Fitz may be getting a bunch of minutes, but maybe coming off the bench if you flip the starter on the "C". Words like "versatility" seem to be used quite a bit for bench guys.

I too think Kruger speaks in code. And one must draw inferences rather than take him literaly. I don't thnk that it is out of the question that Fitz gets his minutes backing up both Arent and Osby. Or that Clark spends some time at the #2 spot. Kruger says that is going to be defense first. Mayby that is the clue to figuring out starters.positions, and rotations.

 

[Dr Sleep]

I too think Kruger speaks in code. And one must draw inferences rather than take him literaly. I don't thnk that it is out of the question that Fitz gets his minutes backing up both Arent and Osby. Or that Clark spends some time at the #2 spot. Kruger says that is going to be defense first. Mayby that is the clue to figuring out starters.positions, and rotations.

Fitz is our best returning player, I think LK might be trying to motivate him on the defensive end. There is no reason he should be that bad on D.

 

[cowboysooner]

If lon values defense and rebounding more than offensive skill, like he seems to be saying, then I think CJ gets more (not less) minutes. Kid is tough and will battle. I'm guessing kids like that get more minutes from Lon.

I see us as having 3 posts, (fitz, arent and CJ), three wings (newell, Pledger and cam) and two points (grooms and blair). Then, we have two kids (osby and neal) that are sort of hybrid post/wing types. It will be interesting to see how he uses those 2. The consensus on this board seems to be that osby will be at the 4, and this might be right, I just haven't seen him play yet and don't have an opinion. He is awfully big to defend on the perimeter, but maybe he can do it.

Neal can help outside, but I think ultimately he plays inside. Hard to project Neal as he is a little bit of a tweener. I like his game though and think he has some upside.

Deeper, more experianced, new blood and another off season. I'm keeping my fingers crossed for 19-21 wins. I'm not sure how realistic this is, but just hoping.

 

[garyeb2]

Fitz is our best returning player, I think LK might be trying to motivate him on the defensive end. There is no reason he should be that bad on D.

Everyone might calculate it alittle differently. But, going over last years schedule it looks like that in games that were competitive on paper (tossing out coppin st.,maryland eastern shore, ect.) that OU went 7 and 17. and of those 17 losses only 4 were by 10 pts. or less. The kids played hard and they never quit. In those supposedly competitive games, most of the opposing teams just simply had better players than OU. As a group, Fitz,Blair,Pledger, Clark, and Cade were not as good as the 5 players the other teams were putting on the floor. And when someone came in off the bench, the talent gap just got wider. It is no more complicated than that. Everyone says that Osby was the best player on campus last season. I sure hope so. That will help. But, past that, it is imparative that Grooms work out to be better than Blair and that Arent can defend the post and rebound better than Fitz did last season. And it would certainly help if either Clark or Neal made one of those freshman to soph. big pops. If none of that comes to pass. Then it will be another long miserable season. Coaching just can not overcome the kind of talent gap OU had to contend with last season.

 

[Mr.B!!!]

I'm not knocking Fitz when I say that he may be coming off the bench, but I could see a scenario where if Arent is better on defense and rebounding that he might start, then you could use Fitz to spell both the 4 and the 5. Like I said, it is May, but to me versatility is "code" for Fitz potentially being the first guy off the bench when Arent, Osby or Cam are not out there [I say Cam because Osby might move over]. To be certain, I'm not conceding that a JUCO sophomore is going to be better than Fitz, just speculating.

 

[Sooner_In_MI]

1: Grooms/Blair
2: Pledger/Newell
3: Clark/Neal
4: Osby/Washington
5: Fitzgerald/Arent

???

 

[garyeb2]

I'm not knocking Fitz when I say that he may be coming off the bench, but I could see a scenario where if Arent is better on defense and rebounding that he might start, then you could use Fitz to spell both the 4 and the 5. Like I said, it is May, but to me versatility is "code" for Fitz potentially being the first guy off the bench when Arent, Osby or Cam are not out there [I say Cam because Osby might move over]. To be certain, I'm not conceding that a JUCO sophomore is going to be better than Fitz, just speculating.

i'm not knocking Fitz either. I like him. But, I think that the above would certainly be a reasonable way to utilize the available talent.

 

[Mr.B!!!]

1: Grooms/Blair
2: Pledger/Newell
3: Clark/Neal
4: Osby/Washington
5: Fitzgerald/Arent

???

I don't think we are talented enough to even sniff a ten player rotation and expect to win games. That is JMHO but if by conference play we don't have things tightened up into about a eight to nine player rotation, either some of these guys are better than we think, or we are in trouble. I think Cam and Osby are going to eat up most of the minutes that Neal would get, and it will be even worse if Fitz is indeed going to see time at PF.

Honestly, if there were ever a good time to potentially red-shirt a kid, I think that Neal would be a candidate. Dude is going to be an 18 year-old Sophomore, I'd like to see him as a 19 year-old Sophomore. I think he is talented and can help, but giving him a year to develop physically may be more valuable to the program long-term than the 8-10 minutes per game I can see him getting. Plus it staggers our classes up a little better.

 

[SoonerinNC]

Defense and rebounding are essentially effert issues. Fitz is pretty overmatched against the good teams on the basis of size alone. But he has to put in the effort or I think you will see him coming off the bench. He should do better if he can defend a 4 most of the time.

Most players are willing to put in the effort so I don't expect a problem. With our talent level I don't expect to see a capable player losing their job.