Who will start at the point in 2013?

[AdaSooner]

Looking ahead on a slow, rainy day, here's a question that has worried me some lately. Who will start at the point in 2013?

Grooms and Blair are seniors next year, and OU didn't sign a true PG in the 2012 class. Is the heir apparent to the job Hield, Hornbeak or someone from the 2013 recruiting class? If the plan is to sign a player in the 2013 class to fill that role, that means a true freshman or a JUCO transfer will be called on to lead our offense.

Coach Kruger doesn't impress me as a coach who would go into a season ill-prepared, especially at a position as crucial to a team's success as the starting point guard. On the other hand, the void could be attractive to a high-profile PG who would almost be assured of starting his first season.

Thoughts?

 

[MNsooner]

I've been wondering the same thing. The best solution I have come up with is taking a transfers PG with the last scholarship.

 

[OUhoops11]

James Fraschilla.

 

[WTSooner]

I'm not going to worry about it. I trust LK to bring in somebody that will produce. The logical answer is to bring in a HS and JUCO pg in the 2013 class. And being that we won't have a single pg on the roster, it shouldn't be difficult to sell playing time to some high quality players.

Woodard and a JUCO, that is my hope.

 

[boksooner]

If they can find a transfer PG, I think that will be the priority. I would guess the plan is to balance the roster with a high school PG and a JUCO pg in 2013.

 

[DenverSooner]

Looking ahead on a slow, rainy day, here's a question that has worried me some lately. Who will start at the point in 2013?

Grooms and Blair are seniors next year, and OU didn't sign a true PG in the 2012 class. Is the heir apparent to the job Hield, Hornbeak or someone from the 2013 recruiting class? If the plan is to sign a player in the 2013 class to fill that role, that means a true freshman or a JUCO transfer will be called on to lead our offense.

Coach Kruger doesn't impress me as a coach who would go into a season ill-prepared, especially at a position as crucial to a team's success as the starting point guard. On the other hand, the void could be attractive to a high-profile PG who would almost be assured of starting his first season.

Thoughts?

Isn't it going to be Woodard? I would think OU has an excellent chance to sign him given that he is local and would have a great opportunity to be a four year starter. I hope Kruger lands Woodard or another top 100 pg prospect as well as a juco pg for some experience.


I should have read what WT said before responding. I guess great minds think alike.

 

[BoulderSooner]

OU still doesn't know if it can take a transfer ... Henry has a good chance to be here in the spring .. we just don't know yet

hornbeak .. is a legit "combo" guard and could give us some help at the point

 

[BigTime]

It doesn't help that the 2012 class is weak at the PG position.

I agree that if there is a transfer available that it would be worth taking him to make sure that we aren't inexperienced at position in 2013.

 

[WillJennings]

Jelon.

 

[Boomer-D]

You take the best available transfer or juco PG, then sign a HS PG. This leaves you with three options at the most important position on the floor. Those two along with a combo guard in Hornbeak and you're in a good spot. Especially running an up tempo offense, better to have more ball handlers.

 

[WillJennings]

You take the best available transfer or juco PG, then sign a HS PG. This leaves you with three options at the most important position on the floor. Those two along with a combo guard in Hornbeak and you're in a good spot. Especially running an up tempo offense, better to have more ball handlers.

No, right now it is going to be Hornbeak with the hopes of the two 2013 targets, Jordan Woodard or Kendal Harris as the initial backup.

 

[WTSooner]

No, right now it is going to be Hornbeak with the hopes of the two 2013 targets, Jordan Woodard or Kendal Harris as the initial backup.

No offense, but I don't think I believe that is the plan at this time. It might be a backup plan, but Hornbeak a) isn't a natural pg, and b) isn't likely to get any minutes at pg next year, to either prepare him to start at pg, or to give him a leg up on an incoming frosh in 2013.

Time will tell.

 

[AdaSooner]

No, right now it is going to be Hornbeak with the hopes of the two 2013 targets, Jordan Woodard or Kendal Harris as the initial backup.

You may be right, Will. I liked what I saw of Jelon in the game I watched. He is very controlled and he sees the floor well, plus he's by all accounts a smart kid with a high basketball IQ. I also noticed that he moved to the point in the Prestonwood game when Mudiay was on the bench.

My only concern would be experience. Do you think Kruger could bring in a JUCO PG in 2013, just as he did with Grooms this year, or will he go with youth over experience?

 

[WTSooner]

I know we'd all rather have an experienced pg starting, but is Woodard not good enough to come in and distribute the ball, and play some D? He won't have to score much, with the talent around him. Just seems like a kid rated where he is should be able to do a decent job starting as a frosh, with a coach like LK coaching him up.

 

[AdaSooner]

I know we'd all rather have an experienced pg starting, but is Woodard not good enough to come in and distribute the ball, and play some D? He won't have to score much, with the talent around him. Just seems like a kid rated where he is should be able to do a decent job starting as a frosh, with a coach like LK coaching him up.

WT, I actually thought Jordan was the plan all along until Will chimed in with his thoughts about Hornbeak. I don't rule out the possibility that Jelon could play the point in 2013. He's an impressive young man from what I could see.

But with two experienced point guards on our roster next season, can he get enough quality minutes to prepare him for the following year? I don't know the answer to that question, unless he steals some of Blair's minutes. Oh, I still think Jelon and Hield will play next season. It's just that the minutes available will likely be limited on a roster dominated by seniors.

 

[WTSooner]

WT, I actually thought Jordan was the plan all along until Will chimed in with his thoughts about Hornbeak. I don't rule out the possibility that Jelon could play the point in 2013. He's an impressive young man from what I could see.

But with two experienced point guards on our roster next season, can he get enough quality minutes to prepare him for the following year? I don't know the answer to that question, unless he steals some of Blair's minutes. Oh, I still think Jelon and Hield will play next season. It's just that the minutes available will likely be limited on a roster dominated by seniors.

Agreed. The good thing for Hield and Hornbeak is that I think there will be minutes available at the 2/3 positions off the bench. Move Neal back to the 4 for most of his minutes, leave Blair to backup Grooms, and there really isn't anybody else to play behind Pledger/Cam. So I think the potential is there for some minutes (though not many, as you pointed out), assuming they are ready to play. If not, you will see Blair getting minutes at the 2, Neal getting minutes at the 3, and possibly even Osby/M'Baye getting minutes at the 3 (unlikely, though possible).

Nice to be having such discussions though.

 

[AdaSooner]

Like you said earlier, I trust Coach Kruger to work out a plan that will give us the best opportunity for success. That's why he gets paid the big bucks, and people like me are limited to talking about basketball on a fan board. lol

I'm just glad we have so many positives to look forward to next season. Sure is nice to see the excitement on OUHoops again! :woot

 

[WillJennings]

This staff really wants to get to a point where they can have innerchangeable positions. Doug Gottlieb referenced it in the broadcast and that's how they approaching recruiting. They love Kendall Harris because he's a 6'4 pg.

Jordan Woodard is only 6' at best, but his athleticism enables him to defend bigger guards. Marcus Smart was being recruited to OU as a pg and Hornbeak was recruited as a guard that can play both positions. That is why they took both him and Hield to go along with a combo forward like Jarion Henry.

Fans are really going to have to not think of players in conventional positions. This staff doesn't recruit like that.

 

[DenverSooner]

I will bet $50 bucks they sign two points next year. OU will have 6 or 7 available scholarships with Hornbeak, Hield, Henry, M'Baye, Clark and Neal all returning (I am not clear on CJ Cole's status as a scholarship player). That is 6 guys with 4 wings and 2 forwards. They are adding two points. The most logical approach is one juco and one freshman but if they can't find a juco they think can truly compete for the starting spot from day one then a second freshman makes more sense.

Additionally, I am sure the coaches see 6 or 7 spots opening up and would prefer to bring in some juniors to have more balance on the roster; provided of course, that they are Big XII caliber players. They probably don't want to graduate zero players and have no recruiting class in three years. Obviously they could have some transfers or save some scholarships but neither of those are particularly good alternatives.

In my opinion it would be silly not to find a Juco pg and Juco big.

 

[WTSooner]

This staff really wants to get to a point where they can have innerchangeable positions. Doug Gottlieb referenced it in the broadcast and that's how they approaching recruiting. They love Kendall Harris because he's a 6'4 pg.

Jordan Woodard is only 6' at best, but his athleticism enables him to defend bigger guards. Marcus Smart was being recruited to OU as a pg and Hornbeak was recruited as a guard that can play both positions. That is why they took both him and Hield to go along with a combo forward like Jarion Henry.

Fans are really going to have to not think of players in conventional positions. This staff doesn't recruit like that.

Don't you think there is a difference in recruiting guys that have the athletic ability to defend multiple positions, and saying the staff doesn't recruit to conventional positions? I still think LK wants a true pg, two guards that are quick/big enough to guard 1-3 on the other team, a 4 in the mold of Osby/Neal/M'Baye, and a truer post to play the 5 (think Fitz, Bookout, Taj Gray, Brown, etc).

I don't think having guys that can play multiple positions is anything new at OU. Even Kelvin, who was a stickler for consistency, moved guys around a bit. Hollis was a SG, but he played some PG. Detrick was a big guard (3), but played some SG too. Ere was pretty much stuck at the 3. Selvy played mostly the 4, but a little 3. A lot of the inside guys played both the 4 and 5 spots.