Will Ray Willis start

[Seymore Cox]

Who thinks Ray will start by the end of the Year

 

[T_Neal's Twitter]

Where exactly do you see him fitting into the lineup? Just can't see it happening

 

[MNsooner]

Who is he going to beat out Croc? TMG?

I think he could be a 6th man by the end of the season.

 

[Seymore Cox]

Who is he going to beat out Croc? TMG?

I think he could be a 6th man by the end of the season.

He has the potential to beat out TMG, Croc, or Ryan Wright.

 

[j2d2]

In a four out - one in , he starts well before the end of the season.

 

[DenverSooner]

He has the potential to beat out TMG, Croc, or Ryan Wright.

He does not even play the same position as Wright. Fitzgerald, Gallon, Allen and the other new kid from Oklahoma all have a chance to beat out Wright, but I think it is a bit of stretch to suggest that Ray Willis is going to start at either PF or C. I also think it is a stretch to suggest OU is not going to play two big guys with the talent the Sooners have up front.

 

[luckyc1423]

I think it depends on whether by the end of the year we have TMG starting as our point guard....if capel is wanting to have willie start at the point the whole year then yes by years end willis will be starting at the three...being...

1)WW
2) crocker
3) willis

 

[Krugerfan52]

Not unless Tony Crocker gets injured and he jumps Cade Davis.

 

[Seymore Cox]

He does not even play the same position as Wright. Fitzgerald, Gallon, Allen and the other new kid from Oklahoma all have a chance to beat out Wright, but I think it is a bit of stretch to suggest that Ray Willis is going to start at either PF or C. I also think it is a stretch to suggest OU is not going to play two big guys with the talent the Sooners have up front.

Capel has talked about a 4 guard lineup. If that is the case, he would be the fourth guard in my opinion. I don't think any of OU guards are big enough to do grunt work, but I suspect Jeff feels that he has to get a scorer like Willis on the court.

 

[MNsooner]

Capel has talked about a 4 guard lineup. If that is the case, he would be the fourth guard in my opinion. I don't think any of OU guards are big enough to do grunt work, but I suspect Jeff feels that he has to get a scorer like Willis on the court.

I assume the 4 guard line-up would be a situational set not a starting line-up.

 

[SoonerfanTU]

I assume the 4 guard line-up would be a situational set not a starting line-up.

Yep

 

[CrimsonOberon]

I'm not confident he will be starting, but that doesn't mean he won't get starter minutes. I agree that the 4 guard lineup seems more situational.

His defense will need to tighten up to really leapfrog anyone as a starter.

 

[elmocarp]

I don't know what the sample of minutes is that you guys are basing these things on. I watched every minute of every game last year and I didn't see anything significant enough to tell me what kind of player Ray is. I think he maybe played one game with rotation players, and that was maybe for about 5 minutes and against a terrible team. Other than that, he only played in mop up scenarios. People talk about how he needs to work on his defense, but from what I've seen of him, he really needs to work on his offense too.

I'm not saying this because I don't think he can be a great player, its just that right now we haven't seen anything to suggest he is ready to contribute meaningfully. We have practice reports and stuff like that, and that stuff is great to have, but I don't know how we can make any kind of informed decision based on the sample size. At this point, I think we have to be thankful if he is able to crack the rotation and contribute next year.

I think as fans (especially fans that are big into recruiting) we fall into a habit of slotting these guys based on how they were ranked as recruits and sort of don't pay enough attention to what else is going on. I like Ray's chances for this season, don't get me wrong, but there is no reason to think he will move ahead of Cade in the rotation. There is no reason to think that Pledger can't leapfrog him either.

I think this is a make or break season for Willis at OU. Either he cracks the lineup and starts to show what he can do, or he doesn't, in which case I would guess he winds up transferring. My guess is the former, but it is just that, a guess.

 

[Krugerfan52]

Exactly. All we've seen of Ray Willis is chucking up bad shots and turning the ball over during the last 5 minutes of blowout games.

 

[luckyc1423]

I think Willis Can easily get these stats by years end:

10 ppg, 4 rpg, with a 2 to 1 assist to turnover ratio...shooting 400 from the floor and 380 from deep

I think that will be hugely productive for OU...he may not start but if Willie is the point and TMG doesnt start, willis will be the other starter

 

[MsProudSooner]

I think that will be hugely productive for OU...he may not start but if Willie is the point and TMG doesnt start, willis will be the other starter

So you think Tony Crocker is behind TMG & Willis?

 

[luckyc1423]

So you think Tony Crocker is behind TMG & Willis?

No, I think Crocker is only infront of those guys because of his experience. Tony will start and will start all year I am sure....I dont think Willis starts over tony....I was just saying if capel wants warren to play the point and doesnt start tmg willis will be the other starter with willie at the point, crocker at the shooting guard, and willis at the small forward

The only way I can see willis starting is if TMG doesnt start.

Regardless if Willis starts or not he should still get alot of minutes. And if productive should have a good chance of having a starting roll next year.

 

[MNsooner]

Luckyc you think Willis is ahed of Cade on the depth chart? I would assume as it stands now if Capel doesn't start TMG the back court is WW, TC, CD.

 

[luckyc1423]

As of today I am sure Cade is ahead on the depth chart....as of the end of the season there should be no reason why willis cant be ahead of cade...so the middle of the season yes I think willis is ahead of cade...assuming he gets some playing time to prove himself

 

[Seymore Cox]

Willis has the second best offensive skills of all our perimeter players. Last year he just didn't know how to play in a game situation or when to take his shots.