Woodard vs White

[WTSooner]

I've made the comparison of Jordan Woodard to Quannas White a couple of times. Can anybody that has seen Woodard more than I confirm that it is a valid comparison?

Both are listed as 6'1. Quannas was listed as a JR/SR at OU at 190, while the latest weight I saw for Woodard was 170, so Q was a little bigger. And that kind of matches what I've heard, that Woodard is a little quicker than Q, but maybe not quite as strong.

I see both kind of in the mold of pg's that can handle the ball, get teammates involved, and while they aren't really explosive scorers, they aren't guys you can just leave open either. Q could knock down the open 3 at a pretty high rate actually, so long as he did it as part of his game, and not b/c he was being forced to aggressively look to score.

I know it might take Woodard a year or two to get there, but I'm hoping he turns into what Quannas was for OU. That, coupled with the other guards we already have on campus, and are recruiting, would make for a pretty dynamic backcourt.

 

[AdaSooner]

I only saw video highlights of Woodard before the playoffs. I watched him play in three complete games during Edmond's run to the state championship. I learned later he was playing with a hamstring injury that plagued him the entire time. I noticed he was favoring his right leg, but didn't know why. In short, the player I saw is not the one we hope to see this fall.

Having said that, I think the comparison is valid in a lot of ways. Their size is similar. Jordan already has a strong, ready-made college body that will only get stronger when he's able to participate in OU's strength and conditioning program. Judging by what I saw of Jordan on video, and by the reports I've read, he's a fast-first point guard who can score when need be, just like Q. His greatest strength on offense appears to be taking an opponent off of the dribble and driving the lane. If the videos I've seen are any indication, his handles and strength gives him the ability to finish at the rim or dish off to his teammates with a high degree of success.

Beyond those comparisons, I'm not sure what we can expect next year or beyond? Wish I had seen a healthy Jordan Woodard so I could add more to what you have already said.

 

[SoonerTraveler]

I saw a healthy Jordan Woodard a couple of times last year when he was a junior. He really impressed me when his team played against the pressing, helter-skelter defense played by Putnam City. Jordan was cool as a cucumber and never seemed bothered in the least as he controlled the ball and the offense under severe defensive pressure.

In that particular game, I don't think he scored a point in the 1st half. But when his team needed to score in the 2nd half, Jordan took over by driving to the basket and getting baskets, either for himself or a teammate. He also shot the long-ball nicely in that 2nd half.

I think the comparison to Quannas White may be a good one. I saw Woodard play good defense in high school and he seems to have a knack of getting steals or forcing turnovers. Like Quannas, he looks like a savvy player that is focused on winning. He will not have to be taught how to be competitive.

We shall see. I look forward to see how he fits in as a freshman at OU.

 

[brettromar]

WT.

As you probably know I have seen him live and in person the past three seasons.

Jordan had the same mind set as Q but is quicker as you said but isn't as thick right now. When scouting him you could tell his explosion was gone this year which is due to his hammy.

At the same time if he is listed at 6'1 that is an exaggeration. I am 5'11 and he isn't as talk as I am.

 

[Krugerfan52]

I dont think they are much alike. Woodard is small and quick. White was big, strong and slow. He bodied people.

One thing people better beware of is that we only saw Quannis White as a Junior/Senior. We will be seeing Woodard is a true freshman. If we had seen Quannis as a true freshman and not surrounded by Hollis, Ace, Ebe and Detrick, I'm not sure people on this board would think of him so highly.

People on this board rip TMG and Drew Lavendar, but we never saw them as upper classmen. Lavender ended up being a good PG and good player. Both TMG and Lavendar both did things as freshman that White likely couldnt have done and probably didnt do at junior college like put up 30 point games.

I've seen Woodard play and I was not impressed with his attitude or his lack of size. I hope he has a good career at OU, but people better give him some time to develop. I dont see him playing over any of our bigger guards as a freshman, even though I'm sure many will think he'll step right in and be better than them. This cycle repeats itself over and over. Hopefully he wont be as overhyped as many of the players that have come in the past few years and then been blasted by this board for being "busts."

A few examples - Cameron Clark, Tyler Neal, Kyle Cannon, Romero Osby, Casey Arent and Nick Thompson (who had nearly the exact same career, yet people dont rip Arent/Kruger nearly like they did Thompson/Capel), Carl Blair, CJ Washington, Amath MBaye, Orlando Allen, Ryan Wright and on and on. So many predicted by guys on this board to be starters over returning players simply because the players we currently had didnt meet our standards.

Hope it doesnt repeat, but we'll see.

 

[AdaSooner]

I don't recall anyone "blasting" TMG for his ability as a basketball player. Most of the criticism he received centered around his attitude and the fact that he did more to hurt team chemistry than he did to develop it. As for Lavender, I, for one, wanted him to finish his career at OU. It just didn't work out that way.

I can't say for sure if Woodard will start from the get go next year? If I had to make a prediction, I think it may take him a while to learn the offense and adjust to the speed and physicality of the college game. But if he comes in healthy and works hard, as I believe he will, I look for him to start by the beginning of conference play. Why? His ability to control the ball without turning it over. Turnovers killed us at times this year. That's why Grooms got the nod after the halfway point. The only way Jordan doesn't start at some point is if Cousins or Hornbeak improve their handles enough to keep him out of the lineup.

 

[JBaker]

A few examples - Cameron Clark, Tyler Neal, Kyle Cannon, Romero Osby, Casey Arent and Nick Thompson (who had nearly the exact same career, yet people dont rip Arent/Kruger nearly like they did Thompson/Capel), Carl Blair, CJ Washington, Amath MBaye, Orlando Allen, Ryan Wright and on and on. So many predicted by guys on this board to be starters over returning players simply because the players we currently had didnt meet our standards.

Hope it doesnt repeat, but we'll see.

I'm really not sure what you're talking about here...
Nobody with a brain that's an OU fan ever considered Osby or M'Baye busts... And they DID come in and start over returning guys.

Cam Clark was a top 30 national recruit, and I think a lot of people would agree hasn't quite contributed at the level you'd expect from a recruit of that caliber. But again, he came in and started right away over returning players also.

Comparing Nick Thompson to Casey Arent is absolute Capel-apologist folly! Casey Arent was a last minute signee in the late signing period when Kruger was just hired and needed enough people to field a team. The most minutes he has EVER played in a game was 15 in a blowout.
Nick Thompson came in as a team captain and starter. He played 42 minutes in an OT game against North Carolina Central. Yes, Capel had so much faith in him and so few other options, that Nick Thompson managed to only sit for THREE MINUTES in an OT game against a terrible team.

 

[garyeb2]

I don't know if Woodard will start or not. It is certainly OK with me if he is good enough to come in and take over right away.

But, unless Woodard is better as a freshman than Grooms was early in his senior year, Cousins will swallow him up everyday in the practice gym. Cousins problem was that he couldn't get himself at the right speed as game competition got tougher. Day in and day out early on Cousins was bringing more than Grooms. That is the reason he was starting.