OU Basketball Roster (April 27, 2011)

[SoonerTraveler]

Goff not coming. Thompson and Hardrick will not return next season. If I were a betting man, I would bet that 2011 recruiting is done, with three (3) scholarships available for 2012.


2011-12 Roster (as of April 24, 2011)
Eleven (11) Scholarship Players

Senior
C.J. Washington ... 6-7, 209 Forward ... Stringtown, OK / Connors State JC

Juniors
Romero Osby ... 6-8, 225 Forward ... Meridian, MS / Mississippi State
Andrew Fitzgerald ... 6-8, 226 Forward ... Baltimore, MD (Brewster Academy NH)
Casey Arent, C, 6’10, 240, Sierra CC, Rocklin, CA
Steven Pledger ... 6-4, 212 Guard ... Chesapeake, VA (Atlantic Shores Christian School)
Carl Blair Jr. ... 6-2, 209 Guard ... Houston, TX / University of New Orleans
Sam Grooms ... 6-1, 200 Guard ... Greensboro, NC / Chipola College (Marianna, FL)

Junior/Redshirt/Transfer
Amath M’Baye ... 6-8, 210 Forward ... Paris France / Semi Valley, CA / Wyoming

Sophomores
Cameron Clark ... 6-6, 189 Guard/Forward ... Sherman, TX (Sherman HS)
Tyler Neal ... 6-7, 215 Forward ... Oklahoma City (Putnam City West HS)
Calvin Newell Jr. ... 6-1, 193 Guard ... Philadelphia, PA (Strath Haven HS)

Freshmen
(None)

Walk-on Players
Barry Honoré ... Senior, 6-7, 258 Forward ... Garland, TX / Southern Univ.
T.J. Franklin ... Senior, 5-11, 177 Guard ... Fort Worth, TX North Crowley HS
James Fraschilla ... Freshman, 5-10 Guard ... Dallas Highland Park

:OUbball-logo:

 

[SoonerTraveler]

Also, it may be possible that Barry Honoré and/or T.J. Franklin will be honored with a scholarship in 2011-12.

Pure speculation here.

:OUbball-logo:

 

[scrybe]

Lots of talented players in that junior class. Those guys and the three sophomores give me a very optimistic outlook about the upcoming season. It's really too early to know what to expect, but I do believe there's sufficient talent on this OU team right now for the Sooners to make a run at the postseason (NCAA).

 

[SoonerTraveler]

Lots of talented players in that junior class. Those guys and the three sophomores give me a very optimistic outlook about the upcoming season. It's really too early to know what to expect, but I do believe there's sufficient talent on this OU team right now for the Sooners to make a run at the postseason (NCAA).

Let's wait and see. We really don't know what we have with three of the juniors ... Osby, Grooms and Arent.

I expect an improved team, but I will NOT get my expectations up too high for 2011-12 just yet. My expectations are:

> better defense
> better rebounding
> better team work and team chemistry
> better record

I do have high hopes that OU will have very good 2012 and 2013 recruiting classes. I also expect the 2012-13 OU team to be MUCH MUCH better than what we have experienced the past two seasons.

:OUbball-logo:

 

[WTSooner]

> better defense
> better rebounding
> better team work and team chemistry
> better record

I would add "better offensive identity" to your list as well.

 

[SoonerTraveler]

I would add "better offensive identity" to your list as well.

Yes. And I bet we do indeed see that!

:OUbball-logo:

 

[scrybe]

Let's wait and see. We really don't know what we have with three of the juniors ... Osby, Grooms and Arent.

I expect an improved team, but I will NOT get my expectations up too high for 2011-12 just yet. My expectations are:

> better defense
> better rebounding
> better team work and team chemistry
> better record

I do have high hopes that OU will have very good 2012 and 2013 recruiting classes. I also expect the 2012-13 OU team to be MUCH MUCH better than what we have experienced the past two seasons.

:OUbball-logo:

I agree, traveler, and yes, I know we shouldn't allow our expectations to get too high at this point. What I'm trying to say is that I believe there's sufficient talent on this team to possibly make a run at the postseason. Whether the Sooners will actually make that happen is still anybody's guess.

 

[garyeb2]

I agree, traveler, and yes, I know we shouldn't allow our expectations to get too high at this point. What I'm trying to say is that I believe there's sufficient talent on this team to possibly make a run at the postseason. Whether the Sooners will actually make that happen is still anybody's guess.

"IF" grooms,osby,and arent. end up as starters, that would be ample evidence the talent level of the team has improved. "IF" clark, newell, and neal make a significant progression, which is typical between the freshman as soph. seasons. "IF" bench coaching and game preparation picks up significantly, which it should with the $2,000,000 man. Then, this team would have a pretty high ceiling. Mayby a 20+ win season. At that level other loftier ambitions start to become possible. But, if the newcomers end up as backups or insignificant role players, the the talent level is basically the same as last years and all the hopes are pinned to marginal improvements of the current roster and better coaching. Niether or both is enough to overcome the talent deficict that last years team suffered thru. They will be better next year. that's for sure. The "IF's" will be the determing factor as to how much better.

 

[CoachTalk]

"IF" grooms,osby,and arent. end up as starters, that would be ample evidence the talent level of the team has improved. "IF" clark, newell, and neal make a significant progression, which is typical between the freshman as soph. seasons. "IF" bench coaching and game preparation picks up significantly, which it should with the $2,000,000 man. Then, this team would have a pretty high ceiling. Mayby a 20+ win season. At that level other loftier ambitions start to become possible. But, if the newcomers end up as backups or insignificant role players, the the talent level is basically the same as last years and all the hopes are pinned to marginal improvements of the current roster and better coaching. Niether or both is enough to overcome the talent deficict that last years team suffered thru. They will be better next year. that's for sure. The "IF's" will be the determing factor as to how much better.

Arent wont start... He isnt that good...

 

[garyeb2]

Arent wont start... He isnt that good...

What is your point? I didn't say he was. I'll try again. If we look up next season and see fitz starting at post and arent on the bench, That will mean that we only have a chance to be marginaly better at the post than last year. If arent is starting and fitz is somewhere else, that will mean that kruger thinks arent would be more effective in that spot than fitz was last year. that would help make us a better team. the same with blair and grooms. if blair is the starter, then we will only have a chance to be marginally better at point than last year. if grooms turns out to be the starter, that will mean he is better than blair and the tean will be better next year. osby has been touted as the best player on campus for a year. i hope he is. but, if we looks up and see him sharing minutes with washington or somebody. that will be bad news. all i am saying is if the newcomers turn out to be better than the players on the floor last year in the positions that they occupied. then the team will be much much better and the fans have good reason to be optimistic. if the new players aren't good enough to beat out the current roster, then the fans would probably be wise to be content with a marginal improvement.

 

[AdaSooner]

Thanks, Trav! I've missed your easy-to-interpret roster updates you're famous for.

:OUbball-logo:

 

[WTSooner]

If we look up next season and see fitz starting at post and arent on the bench, That will mean that we only have a chance to be marginaly better at the post than last year.

I simply disagree with this. We're replacing Cam as the "other" starting post, and replacing him with Osby. Cam is a true college 3 IMO. Osby is a small, but true power forward IMO. Osby is 2 inches taller, and 35 pounds heavier then last year's starting PF (Cam). Cam will move to the 3, where he is longer (though maybe not by much) then last year's starting 3 (Davis). Getting "bigger" at the 3 and 4 spots should help mask Fitz at the 5. That, and simply being taught how to defend, which I think LK will do.

 

[CMSOONER]

I simply disagree with this. We're replacing Cam as the "other" starting post, and replacing him with Osby. Cam is a true college 3 IMO. Osby is a small, but true power forward IMO. Osby is 2 inches taller, and 35 pounds heavier then last year's starting PF (Cam). Cam will move to the 3, where he is longer (though maybe not by much) then last year's starting 3 (Davis). Getting "bigger" at the 3 and 4 spots should help mask Fitz at the 5. That, and simply being taught how to defend, which I think LK will do.

I'm 6'2" and I've stood next to Cade and I'll just say he's not 6'5". Cam is much longer than Cade. We will be a noticeably bigger team next year even with Fitz starting at the 5.

 

[garyeb2]

I simply disagree with this. We're replacing Cam as the "other" starting post, and replacing him with Osby. Cam is a true college 3 IMO. Osby is a small, but true power forward IMO. Osby is 2 inches taller, and 35 pounds heavier then last year's starting PF (Cam). Cam will move to the 3, where he is longer (though maybe not by much) then last year's starting 3 (Davis). Getting "bigger" at the 3 and 4 spots should help mask Fitz at the 5. That, and simply being taught how to defend, which I think LK will do.

OK, that's fine. But, withouth new faces, you are just "re-arranging the deck chairs on the titantic" the addition of only osby can be no more impactfull on the team than the degree his impact is greater than cade's.(differnt position-but the face he will be replacing) you can argue who has more talent or potential or this and that. but, cade was probably the most productive player on last years team. i hate to think what the result would have been last year without him. i have just taken the position that with players like fitz,blair, and pledger. what you see is what you get. any improvement there would be marginal at best. it is the freshmen turning soph. that have a better chance to really pop and surprise.

 

[Mr.B!!!]

We lost our best player, and we replace him with a guy that is supposedly better. All of our other guys are a year older and more experienced with what will almost undoubtedly be better coaching both in practice and during games. All of those things combined can flip six or seven losses into six or seven wins pretty quickly. That at least gets us to the post-season, which is what I am hoping for. Still think the B12 is going to be tough for us to get above .500 in though because I don't see any teams that we can sweep on paper.

 

[WTSooner]

the addition of only osby can be no more impactfull on the team than the degree his impact is greater than cade's

Not true. He is allowing Cam to play a position that he will be more sucessful at. So even if Osby and Davis are a wash, you are improving what you get out of Cam, simply by playing him at his natural position. That isn't even taking into consideration that most players improve the most between years 1 and 2. I expect Cam to be MUCH improved next year. As I said above, simply by plugging Osby in to the 4 spot, and moving Cam to the 3, I think you improve 2 out of the 5 starting positions, just by playing guys in their correct positions.

 

[CoachTalk]

What is your point? I didn't say he was. I'll try again. If we look up next season and see fitz starting at post and arent on the bench, That will mean that we only have a chance to be marginaly better at the post than last year. If arent is starting and fitz is somewhere else, that will mean that kruger thinks arent would be more effective in that spot than fitz was last year. that would help make us a better team. the same with blair and grooms. if blair is the starter, then we will only have a chance to be marginally better at point than last year. if grooms turns out to be the starter, that will mean he is better than blair and the tean will be better next year. osby has been touted as the best player on campus for a year. i hope he is. but, if we looks up and see him sharing minutes with washington or somebody. that will be bad news. all i am saying is if the newcomers turn out to be better than the players on the floor last year in the positions that they occupied. then the team will be much much better and the fans have good reason to be optimistic. if the new players aren't good enough to beat out the current roster, then the fans would probably be wise to be content with a marginal improvement.

These points bother me... I think we can start pledge, fitz and blair and still be pretty good. Because they will get better over the next 8 months. Its not like they are sitting around doing nothing. If newell or cam hits the 3 a little better, than that opens things for Fitz, osby etc...

 

[WTSooner]

Still think the B12 is going to be tough for us to get above .500 in though because I don't see any teams that we can sweep on paper.

Depending on how a few things play out, I think this might be as weak as the Big 12(-2) is for some time. KU isn't normally in quite this big of a rebuild. UT will be VERY young, losing so many underclassmen late in the process to the draft. aTm is solid, but when you play that style, you are always beatable. I don't think Mizzou/KSU/OSU are going to be special. Not sure about TT just yet. But BG will have them winning before too long.

This conference certainly isn't getting any easier.

 

[garyeb2]

These points bother me... I think we can start pledge, fitz and blair and still be pretty good. Because they will get better over the next 8 months. Its not like they are sitting around doing nothing. If newell or cam hits the 3 a little better, than that opens things for Fitz, osby etc...

i certainly didn't mean to be a bother to anyone. the only response that i have is so what if some of these players get alittle better in the vacum of ou's practice gym. according to many posters on this site, this recuting class is just backups and benchwarmers and not very good. the other teams in the conference, (with the only posible exception of TT) have recruited players that there coach believes, since that is their intention and what they are being paid to do, that will make their teams better. the other teams in the conference also have players coming back from last years teams that are working just as hard as ours to get better and improve. some of the other teams in the conference have good coachs too. getting better isn't good enough. it has to be much better. it seems that i have found myself in the minority because i believe krueger knows what to do and how to do it. he said on TV that he needed a point guard and a post player and then he went and got them. i think that the team will be much betterext year. it won't be just the little chess moves. it will be the chess moves and a couple of new faces.

 

[BoulderSooner]

Not true. He is allowing Cam to play a position that he will be more sucessful at. So even if Osby and Davis are a wash, you are improving what you get out of Cam, simply by playing him at his natural position. That isn't even taking into consideration that most players improve the most between years 1 and 2. I expect Cam to be MUCH improved next year. As I said above, simply by plugging Osby in to the 4 spot, and moving Cam to the 3, I think you improve 2 out of the 5 starting positions, just by playing guys in their correct positions.

Cam played the 3 all year last season .. and osby is going to play a ton on the wing .. even as the 2 ..