Two freshman could start?

Riseandfire10

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"Oklahoma could very well start 2 freshman guards in Isaiah Cousins + Buddy Hield. Both talented + under the radar. Sooners a Big 12 sleeper."

Jon Rothstein
 
"Oklahoma could very well start 2 freshman guards in Isaiah Cousins + Buddy Hield. Both talented + under the radar. Sooners a Big 12 sleeper."

Jon Rothstein

:facepalm

I don't buy it. I don't think any freshmen start when the season begins. After that, too many factors (how the vets play, OU's record, how the frosh develop, injuries, etc).
 
If it happens, it means two things to me. Cousins and Hield are better than I think and OU, as a team, will be better than I think. If those two are good enough to push Pledger and Grooms to the bench, OU will be very good.
 
Just my two cents.

All that I've heard about Cousins is that he's the goods and could push for a starting spot. Its all talk and I've never seen him play, so who really knows.

On Hield, I was very impress in the one pick up setting I saw. He looked like much more than just "a shooter" when it comes to scorer, was a good athlete and has very good size to play either the two or three. Again, that was pick up, but he looked better than I imagined he would.
 
"Oklahoma could very well start 2 freshman guards in Isaiah Cousins + Buddy Hield. Both talented + under the radar. Sooners a Big 12 sleeper."

Jon Rothstein

Good to see a national guy call us a sleeper (kinda). Let's hope the new guys push the returning guards and make them better. That's a great thing and hasnt happened in several years IMO.
 
I won't be surprised if these two start at some point during the season. I imagine it would be because of injuries and the like. I doubt they are everyday starters, but I could easily see them starting some games.
 
If Steven Pledger comes off the bench, we will be a very good team.
 
I doubt if any of our freshmen will be prepared to start when the season begins. I think that's a definite possibility later on, though.

I have said for sometime that Cousins could push Grooms for a starting spot, unless Sam improves his outside shot this summer. Cousins will have to be able to run the offense, of course. But if he can score, especially from the perimeter, he'll have a leg up on his competition. I'm not giving up on Sam just yet. But I can't see Kruger going through another season with our opponents guarding four players on the team and letting the fifth (Grooms) shoot at will.

Hornbeak pushing for starter minutes wouldn't surprise me either. I was very impressed with what I saw of him in the game I watched last year. He is as fundamentally sound in every phase of the game as any recruit we've had in sometime.

I haven't seen enough of Hield to say one way or the other how well he'll do.
 
While we were recruiting Heild, I had a coach acquaintence in Wichita that told me Heild was big time and would start at any school in the Big 12. He thought Kansas was going to get Heild and didn't think we were. So, I have high hopes for him.

However, I had a coaching friend in Texas tell me about the same thing about cam when we were recruiting him, and he hasn't become anything special to this point.

Other than a little video, I haven't seen any of the new kids play so I'll reserve judgment until I do. I did see Amath play a couple times on TV at Wyoming, and I think he will be one of the 2 or 3 bests centers in the Big 12. I know there has been a lot of discussion about where he will play (inside or out), and he might very well have the talent to play outside, but Wyoming played him inside and I think we will as well, at least on defense. I haven't seen Bennett play, but Amath may be the only kid on the team that is tall enough and athletic enough to play above and protect the rim. We haven't had anyone like that in a couple years and I don't think Lon will let that ability go to waste. As for offense, I never saw the mid range or outside shooting game that some are talking about. I hope he has that ability. The games I watched he scored mostly in transition (he will absolutely run the court), put backs and just junk shots around the goal. In my book, if he can shoot the ball from the outside, that is just a bonus.

For me, I don't care where Lon plays him on offense, but I would be shocked if he doesn't play inside on defense -- shocked.

Lke many on here, I think bird and Cam are solid, albeit flawed in some areas, wings. We played .500 ball with them for the last couple years. But certainly, if one or more of the freshman break into the starting lineup, that means they are pretty good and that should mean good things for us. In any event, we will have more competition and that should make everyone better.
 
I'm certainly rooting for Heild and Cousins to be better than Pledger and Grooms. They have both proven that they can do some things really well. But, in other ways, they are a liability to a winning team effort.

This fresmen can not play deal is just not as valid as it used to be. The really good ones don't play other sports and it is all basketball all the time. Plus, AAU ball, with all of it's ills, really does allow these kids to be exposed to better competition earlier and more often than ever before.

I certainly think that OU will be better this season. M'Baye and a better bench will take care of that. But, for a top 4 conference finish, and a 4/5 tourney seed to happen, it will be because Heild, Hornbeak, and Cousins came in with good skills and ready to play.
 
I don't see Pledger coming off the bench, but if he does that means Hield is really really good
 
I don't see Pledger coming off the bench, but if he does that means Hield is really really good

If Hield is THAT good, he'll likely start over Cam, not Pledger. Unless Pledger has some kind of season long slump/injury.

I know people don't like to hear this, but there is a respect issue between players and coaches. From all accounts, guys like Pledger and Fitz have done everything both of their coaches have asked them to do. Unless there is a SIGNIFICANTLY (key word) better starting option, those guys will start. I'm on record as saying M'Baye may start over Fitz, but that might actually benefit Fitz, in that he can shoot without hesitation on the 2nd team. But Pledger's 3 point shooting is probably the best offensive weapon our team will have next year, and it plays well with the other likely starters. These frosh can contribute a BUNCH next year, but they can do that coming off the bench as easily as they can starting.
 
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No matter who starts, you have to say our depth is better than it's been in years.
 
No matter who starts, you have to say our depth is better than it's been in years.

Let's all hope DJ Bennett can contribute right away. He is as big of a key as Heild and Hornbeak IMO. Got to have another rebounder and post defender in case Osby or Mbaye gets in foul trouble.
 
I don't know how good Cousins is or Hield...but I know how good Grooms is...and his starting job is not set in stone. IMO, he's one of the worse PG's in the big 12, if not the worse. Their are teams in the big 12 who's back ups would start over him. Just b/c he was better than Blair doesn't give him a free pass this year.

I will actually have higher hopes for this years team if someone does beat out Grooms for the starting spot. I'm looking at all of the PG's in the big 12 next year...And the fact that I see who they have and that Grooms is our PG...it gives me great concern.
 
I don't know how good Cousins is or Hield...but I know how good Grooms is...and his starting job is not set in stone. IMO, he's one of the worse PG's in the big 12, if not the worse. Their are teams in the big 12 who's back ups would start over him. Just b/c he was better than Blair doesn't give him a free pass this year.

I will actually have higher hopes for this years team if someone does beat out Grooms for the starting spot. I'm looking at all of the PG's in the big 12 next year...And the fact that I see who they have and that Grooms is our PG...it gives me great concern.


I think you are being way too hard on Grooms. He would start for alot of midling to better teams. But, you are right that the good ones, the top 20/25 types, would likely have a better one.
 
Grooms' only failing was his shooting. And I'm not saying shooting ability doesn't matter, but for a PG there are many other factors to consider.

I compared Grooms' stats to Quannas White's some months back, and they are remarkably similar. White led in some categories; Grooms led in others. And White's beloved by Sooner fans, while Grooms consistently comes in for criticism from certain corners.
 
Grooms will benefit from having better offensive players around him this year. A good college team can't get by with having poor offense at 2-3 spots on the floor, but I think you can get by with just one. If Grooms plays exactly how he did last year, with the addition of M'Baye, and either Cam playing better, or being replaced by a freshman, I think Grooms is better by default.
 
Other than a little video, I haven't seen any of the new kids play so I'll reserve judgment until I do. I did see Amath play a couple times on TV at Wyoming, and I think he will be one of the 2 or 3 bests centers in the Big 12. I know there has been a lot of discussion about where he will play (inside or out), and

Amath is not never has been and never will be a "center" on the college level




grooms was much better last season than many on this board give him credit for
 
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