Position battles next year

[thebigabd]

Sam Grooms vs. Carl Blair
Calvin Newell vs. Steve Pledger
Cameron Clark vs. Tyler Neal
Romero Osby vs. Thin Air
Andrew Fitz vs. Robert Goff

Looks like pretty good competition for playing time and starting spots this year, outside of Osby.

 

[WTSooner]

Sam Grooms vs. Carl Blair
Calvin Newell vs. Steve Pledger
Cameron Clark vs. Tyler Neal
Romero Osby vs. Thin Air
Andrew Fitz vs. Robert Goff

Looks like pretty good competition for playing time and starting spots this year, outside of Osby.

I don't think Cam has anything to worry about.

And I'd think that Osby, Fitz, and Goff are all fighting each other. Sure are a lot of folks down on Fitz. I consider him to be just about a lock to start for 4 years.

 

[ArdmoreSooner]

I think Fitz is better than Goff. How many points did Goff avg in JUCO and how many did Fitz avg in Div. I. Plus it usually takes these JUCO's a little while to adjust. Rare when they just come in day one and really good. I hope Goff pans out and is a good third option in the paint. Wouldn't suprise me to see Washington get in the mix for 3rd post spot.

 

[SoonerWarVet]

If I were coach (I can dream, right?):

PG - Sam Grooms (just don't see how he doesn't beat out Blair for the spot)
SG - Newell
SF - Clark
PF - Osby
C/PF2 - Fitz

With Pledger, Goff, Neal, Blair, etc. coming off the bench. That lineup is a tremendous improvement over last year. Could even make the NCAA tourney!!

BOOMER SOONER!!!

 

[cowboysooner]

If grooms is D-1 quick and has D-1 handles, and Goff is actually 6'9, athletic and can jump, and he will defend and rebound some, then I like this lineup:

Grooms
Pledger
Clark
Osby
Goff.

If Grooms is another Blair (and I don't mean to be derogatory to Blair, but just mean he isn't any quicker and doesn't handle the ball any better), and Goff won't defend or rebound, then I think this lineup:

Blair
Pledger
Clark
Osby/ or Washington
Fitz

I think Lon will value defense and rebounding more than Capel did. In picking his personnel, Capel erred on the side of offensive skill unless you just refused to defend at all (see nick thompson). I bet CJ and Newell play more for Lon than Jeff, unless new players that are just better come into the program.

 

[NickZepp]

Goff won't start. If he can't start at JUCO how can he start over a guy that scored 13 a game last year at the div 1 level?

Blair
Pledger
Clark
Osby
Fitz

 

[WTSooner]

I love how quick people are to throw Fitz on the bench. I don't see it happening. And honestly, I'm not sure I see Grooms beating out Blair.

 

[CoachTalk]

Goff won't start. If he can't start at JUCO how can he start over a guy that scored 13 a game last year at the div 1 level?

Blair
Pledger
Clark
Osby
Fitz

Agree. Fitz will get back in shape and muscle up again and drop some of that weight again. He will start.

 

[Dr Sleep]

I love how quick people are to throw Fitz on the bench. I don't see it happening. And honestly, I'm not sure I see Grooms beating out Blair.

Fitz maybe our best player.

 

[WTSooner]

Fitz maybe our best player.

Exactly.

And by all accounts, he is the only guy we have that is a "post scorer." Osby's game, assuming he is as good as advertised, is a little more extended. Fitz starts for that reason alone.

 

[coolm]

I think we hafta keep in mind that LK is likely evaluating first based on defense.

 

[WTSooner]

I think we hafta keep in mind that LK is likely evaluating first based on defense.

There is no reason Fitz cannot be a decent defender/rebounder. I'm guessing LK will coach him up, as well as the other guys, and we'll be better on defense just from that, not necessarily from replacing all our poor defenders.

And if he is looking at D only, Newell might as well transfer. By far our worst defender.

 

[luckyc1423]

Exactly.

And by all accounts, he is the only guy we have that is a "post scorer." Osby's game, assuming he is as good as advertised, is a little more extended. Fitz starts for that reason alone.

Fitz is def our only post scorer...but he is also our worst defender and one of the worst rebounders....maybe he improves if there is someone else on the team that can rebound more....

But it was always a TERRIBLE idea playing fitz with 4 guards....fitz didnt rebound or block shots enough to have him being the only low post guy in the starting lineup

 

[luckyc1423]

There is no reason Fitz cannot be a decent defender/rebounder. I'm guessing LK will coach him up, as well as the other guys, and we'll be better on defense just from that, not necessarily from replacing all our poor defenders.

And if he is looking at D only, Newell might as well transfer. By far our worst defender.

oh I disagree on this....newell has the most capabilities to be a lock down defender...fitz and blair are our worst defenders

newell with alittle bit of coaching will easily be our best on the ball defender

 

[greenbug]

I think we hafta keep in mind that LK is likely evaluating first based on defense.

He's gonna put the best players on the floor-PERIOD. Goff doesn't start in juco and Grooms hasn't done anything on the D-1 level yet. If I was putting money on the opening day line-up, it would look like this:

PG-Blair
SG-Pledger
SF-Clark
PF-Osby
PF-Fitz

 

[luckyc1423]

He's gonna put the best players on the floor-PERIOD. Goff doesn't start in juco and Grooms hasn't done anything on the D-1 level yet. If I was putting money on the opening day line-up, it would look like this:

PG-Blair
SG-Pledger
SF-Clark
PF-Osby
PF-Fitz

your logic is silly....what exactly has osby done on the d1 level...he had two years at M-state and did NOTHING

 

[OKURanger]

The Bigs: I haven't seen him play but I'll take Capel's word that Osby is the real deal, so he's a starter. Fitz is our most productive returning player; he's had two years of experience and should be better than last year...he's a starter. Cam is the player with the most upside that I've seen (again, I haven't seen Osby), he's had a year of experience and typically the best thing for Freshmen is that they become Sophmores; he's a starter.

The 1 and 2 positions are harder for me.

Pledger has two years of experience; like Fitz, he was in better shape this year than last year and should show more improvement next year; he's getting a coach who really cares about defense (Pledger's problem) and he's a streaky shooter. Newell is faster and, like Clark, the jump from Freshman to Sophmore is often significant. I think Pledger's two years gives him the leg up on the "2" position.

The PG: I want either Blair or Grooms to be better than what OU had last year. I just hope that there's a battle royal between the two--iron sharpens iron. I'll go with Blair though; he's a known commodity.

Blair
Pledger
Clark
Osby
Fitz

 

[coolm]

He's gonna put the best players on the floor-PERIOD.

Do you guys chum around or something? If you have some special knowledge then please fess up - because he has neither said nor done anything to indicate that.

He HAS, however, said it will be defense first. Oh, and he's coached like that in the past.

 

[WTSooner]

He HAS, however, said it will be defense first.

That doesn't mean sticking the 5 best defenders on the court.

 

[WTSooner]

I think Pledger will benefit from a new coach that actually runs some semblance of an offensive system.