Woodard Cousins battle

[nikebasketball]

Cousins has great talent and I think he will be the starter. His D is great and he will have a improved O game.His playing time last year will help him a lot this year.

Woodard is the more natural PG but will be a frosh and may not be healthy.If he is healthy he can push Cousins and maybe be the starter he has a great basketball mind and can score the ball better then i have seen cousins do.

It will change throughout the year more then likely but who do yall think the starter will be??

 

[sportsfan]

Re: Woodward Cousins battle

nikebasketball please try and remember that his name is Woodard just use one "W".

 

[CoachTalk]

Re: Woodward Cousins battle

Im on record saying Cousins will start from Day 1.

 

[coachd4]

Re: Woodward Cousins battle

I would think Cousins starts the beginning of the year. I thought he played well vs SDSU in the tourney. I love his build for a guard he is long an lanky guy which I feel benefit him in basketball. He plays good defense which we know coach Kruger wants. I think he will be the type of player who will continue to improve yearly. I know very little about Woodard except what I've seen in highlight videos. It looks like he has a advantage in being a floor general which is what you want in your point. Sounds like if hes healthy he will at the very least push Cousins for minutes because Cousins looks to me like he is more of a combo guard.

 

[nikebasketball]

Re: Woodward Cousins battle

nikebasketball please try and remember that his name is Woodard just use one "W".

Sorry i dont pay attention to my spelling i get on here with my phone mainly and it is harder to see for an older guy.Thanks though..

 

[WTSooner]

Re: Woodward Cousins battle

Woodard will beat out Cousins at some point. The question is just "when". That will depend on several factors, including Woodard's health. But there is no way Cousins starts over Woodard for the next 3 years. That isn't happening.

I also don't think I'd call Cousins' defense "great". He was good at one thing last year defensively, and that was getting all over a guy with the ball. He got burned a lot by doing that last year, as he had a terrible feel of when to pressure, and when to make sure his man didn't blow by him. His team/help/off-the-ball defense was weak too, but that is usually to be expected out of true freshman.

I'm not nearly as high on Cousins as some of you. I think he will slowly fall back in the rotation some over the next 3 years. He still has value. He'll still get minutes. But he is going to get them off the bench, and probably not as the first guard off the bench by the time his is a senior. JMO.

 

[nikebasketball]

Re: Woodward Cousins battle

Cousins is very raw and coach4d your right he most likely will improve year to year. His talent is great but woodard sure knows the game and has played PG his whole life unlike Cousins.It will be a nice battle and will make each player beter.

 

[coachd4]

Re: Woodward Cousins battle

I believe Cousins D will improve as his overall game does through the years. He was learning how to play D 1 basketball as a freshman and of course he made poor choices in games but i think it will improve as he matures and continues to get better coaching. He also has quick hands which will benefit him greatly.

 

[nikebasketball]

Re: Woodward Cousins battle

Woodard will beat out Cousins at some point. The question is just "when". That will depend on several factors, including Woodard's health. But there is no way Cousins starts over Woodard for the next 3 years. That isn't happening.

I also don't think I'd call Cousins' defense "great". He was good at one thing last year defensively, and that was getting all over a guy with the ball. He got burned a lot by doing that last year, as he had a terrible feel of when to pressure, and when to make sure his man didn't blow by him. His team/help/off-the-ball defense was weak too, but that is usually to be expected out of true freshman.

I'm not nearly as high on Cousins as some of you. I think he will slowly fall back in the rotation some over the next 3 years. He still has value. He'll still get minutes. But he is going to get them off the bench, and probably not as the first guard off the bench by the time his is a senior. JMO.

Woodard will be the starter at some point like you said.I think this year it goes back and fourth.After this year it will be handed down to Woodard for his last 3 years but maybe he gets all 4 years..Who knows

 

[DenverSooner]

Re: Woodward Cousins battle

I don't know who will start but OU needs better point production from its PG. Cousins shot .250 from 3 point range. That is simply not good enough.

My hope is that Woodard is a 35% 3 point shooter with a high assist to turn over ratio and good defender. If I recall correctly, Playmaker described him as a kid ready to defend at a high d-1 level. I actually hope Woodard is a better player than Cousins and starts. I would like to see Cousins get minutes as a backup pg and energy guy at the other backcourt spots. I also hope Booker shoots well and demands PT. OU has to have 3 point shooting next season. The loss of Romero and M'Baye is going to drastically reduce the front court scoring. The backcourt has to pick it up and I don't see a .250 3 point shooter doing that.

 

[sharp1]

Re: Woodward Cousins battle

I would think Cousins starts the beginning of the year. I thought he played well vs SDSU in the tourney. I love his build for a guard he is long an lanky guy which I feel benefit him in basketball. He plays good defense which we know coach Kruger wants. I think he will be the type of player who will continue to improve yearly. I know very little about Woodard except what I've seen in highlight videos. It looks like he has a advantage in being a floor general which is what you want in your point. Sounds like if hes healthy he will at the very least push Cousins for minutes because Cousins looks to me like he is more of a combo guard.

Wow...I bet Texas Tech wants him too start too...

 

[AdaSooner]

Re: Woodward Cousins battle

I think Cousins will start the season but may not be in that position when conference play gets underway.

Woodard is a true point guard with great handles. Ball control, which was not one of Cousins' strengths last year, has to be a high priority to a head coach and his top assistant who played the point in college. If Isaiah improves his handles and his decision-making in the off season, all bets are off as to who will start by the beginning of conference play.

I give the edge to Jordan, just not to begin the season. Will I be surprised if he starts from the get-go? Definitely not. Kruger proved last year that he will not hesitate to start a freshman at the point if he feels that is the best option.

 

[coachd4]

Re: Woodward Cousins battle

Im sure we can take every player on the roster except Ro from last year, and during some point of the year when they had a bad game and another school would hope they would start for OU . Since we're gonna nitpick an all. I don't believe he played to bad in his first NCAA tourney game and i see potential in him if you don't thats your opinion. He's the only freshman basketball player to ever have a bad game.......

I don't know the kid personally but I do feel he will contribute to the program as long as he stays all four years. Im not on his bandwagon or anything i can see potential in him if he works hard which by all accounts he does an is. If you read my earlier posts i believe he is more of a combo guard but again im not a division 1 coach just a fan

 

[uberjamb]

Re: Woodward Cousins battle

I would love for Woodard to start at the point, with Cousins on the wing attacking the basket. The possibilities give me chills.

 

[SoonerTraveler]

Does anybody else think that Cousins, by the time he is a junior, has the potential to be as good as Terrell Everett?

Obviously, Cousins did not step on campus as a finished product. If he really is dedicated and working hard to improve his game, then the coaches have a lot to work with. The young man is a good athlete.

The good news is that a freshman like Woodard cannot walk onto campus as the starting PG. He will have to earn it.

 

[garyeb2]

Does anybody else think that Cousins, by the time he is a junior, has the potential to be as good as Terrell Everett?

Obviously, Cousins did not step on campus as a finished product. If he really is dedicated and working hard to improve his game, then the coaches have a lot to work with. The young man is a good athlete.

The good news is that a freshman like Woodard cannot walk onto campus as the starting PG. He will have to earn it.

This is what I know about Cousins. He is a good defender. Not as good as Buddy. But, around the league going forward, you won't find many that are. He is about on par with Hornbeak. That is pretty good. On our team the 3 freshman guards were the best perimeter defenders. They won't do anything but get better.

Contrary to popular perception. Cousins is a good ball handler. The best on the team. He is Harlem Globetrotter good. Everyday in practice last season he would do something that was absolutely stunning with the basketball in his hands. Last year he beat out a returning senior starter and there wasn't anything flukey about it. He was the dominant player in practice.

He did it in practice but couldn't do it in games is a fair criticism. He was sped up all year long and during a stretch was way out of control, careless with the ball, and making poor decisions. The question on Cousins is the same question that still lingers about Cam. Can Kruger get them into the right gear to utilise their talent within the team objective. I'm inclined to bet on Kruger. But, I wouldn't bet too much.

I fully expect Woodard to be the quality recruit that he is advertised to be. I hope that he is better as a freshman than Cousins is capable of being. Because if he is, we will have a pretty good point guard. I don't have the answer to the Woodard vs Cousins question. But, my message to the Cousins critics is to not sell him short. You haven't seen half of what he is capable of.

 

[CoachTalk]

Re: Woodward Cousins battle

I would love for Woodard to start at the point, with Cousins on the wing attacking the basket. The possibilities give me chills.

To start at the wing, he will have to shoot it a whole lot better. Folks have to at least respect the 3 ball.

 

[sharp1]

This is what I know about Cousins. He is a good defender. Not as good as Buddy. But, around the league going forward, you won't find many that are. He is about on par with Hornbeak. That is pretty good. On our team the 3 freshman guards were the best perimeter defenders. They won't do anything but get better.

Contrary to popular perception. Cousins is a good ball handler. The best on the team. He is Harlem Globetrotter good. Everyday in practice last season he would do something that was absolutely stunning with the basketball in his hands. Last year he beat out a returning senior starter and there wasn't anything flukey about it. He was the dominant player in practice.

He did it in practice but couldn't do it in games is a fair criticism. He was sped up all year long and during a stretch was way out of control, careless with the ball, and making poor decisions. The question on Cousins is the same question that still lingers about Cam. Can Kruger get them into the right gear to utilise their talent within the team objective. I'm inclined to bet on Kruger. But, I wouldn't bet too much.

I fully expect Woodard to be the quality recruit that he is advertised to be. I hope that he is better as a freshman than Cousins is capable of being. Because if he is, we will have a pretty good point guard. I don't have the answer to the Woodard vs Cousins question. But, my message to the Cousins critics is to not sell him short. You haven't seen half of what he is capable of.

I don't believe he beat him out...and if he did it was a mistake...half way through the season he lost it to the same guy he beat out? That didn't strike you as curious? He turned his back to the offence when he was pressured making our timing on most of our sets off...He also does not have a pg's mentality...he thinks "shot" 1st...He was listed as a three star Sg coming out of highschool

 

[garyeb2]

I don't believe he beat him out...and if he did it was a mistake...half way through the season he lost it to the same guy he beat out? That didn't strike you as curious? He turned his back to the offence when he was pressured making our timing on most of our sets off...He also does not have a pg's mentality...he thinks "shot" 1st...He was listed as a three star Sg coming out of highschool

Are you just wanting to argue? Cousins was the starting point guard on his high school state championship team. He led his team in scoring, assist, and steals.

What is Kruger suppose to do? They practice 6 days a week for 3+ hours per. Kruger told his players for months that no starting job was guaranteed. He told them that everyone was starting out even and the starters would have to earn their spots.

Cousins was clearly the best player early on. It wasn't close. Cousins was bigger, stronger, faster. He was the better ball handler and the better shooter and the better defender. Cousins has a talent and ceiling that far exceeds Grooms. A coach can't say one thing then do another and have credibility with his team.

As the season wore along Gooms replaced Cousins after Hornbeak briefly replaced Cousins. Buddy replaced Honrbeak as a starter. There is nothing curious about that at all. Players evolve, devolve, plateau, peak, and stagnate continually through a long season. When Kruger made the call at the beginning of the season, it was the right call and there wasn't anything fishy about it.

 

[WTSooner]

I don't believe he beat him out...and if he did it was a mistake...half way through the season he lost it to the same guy he beat out? That didn't strike you as curious? He turned his back to the offence when he was pressured making our timing on most of our sets off...He also does not have a pg's mentality...he thinks "shot" 1st...He was listed as a three star Sg coming out of highschool

Agreed.

Knowing what I know now, I believe Cousins over Grooms at pg early in the season was just a part of Kruger's "two unit" approach. Grooms was the better pg last year, there is little question about that.