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Topic: Project Next Year's Starters

Topic: Project Next Year's Starters

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Wilson Hall Record Holder
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Project Next Year's Starters

Posted: 3/22/2011 1:33:19 AM

I found this to be fun though the roster is not yet complete

I think we definitely sign a JC post player unless Alex Kellogg returns or something.

I also think we are going with a truly 3 guard starting grouping in Offutt, Cooper and Kellogg ---Mitchell and Taylor would provide the makings of a fun bench duo if Mitchell has a knack for scoring as I have read about..

The wildcard is Johnson. He was among the best in Kentucky his senior year if not the best so he has to be considered a relatively strong possibility to have the cats provide a traditional starting 5 if he can assume the small forward position as a starter.

In the front court it simply has to be Baltic and Keeley at this point pending the assumed arrival of a post player
.
Smith is very athletic but is even skinnier than he is athletic --- the kid does have talent however though how it plays out against physical opponents like Kent State remain to be seen.

The wild card here has to be Jacobs merely because there isn't anyone else (Hall isn't a PF in my opinion though perhaps he would play at that spot in a small lineup) How Jacobs progresses has to be the most important question out off all the known Bobcats to be.

Two things have me about as excited as I have been in a long time regarding sports.

Notre Dame football (regardless of Michael AKA "Otis the town drunk" Floyd)

The arrival and performance of Stevie Taylor --- I just have to see what he can do against college competition both offensively and defensively.

I'm almost counting down the days but not quite.

Wilson Hall Record Holder
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RE: Project Next Year's Starters

Posted: 3/22/2011 1:36:08 AM

I forgot to include that above was merely for fun and just guess work on my part ... no real insight or anything...but don't think I won't be 1st in line to pat myself on the back if I'm right

oubobcatjohn
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RE: Project Next Year's Starters

Posted: 3/22/2011 2:37:35 AM

We got guards !!!!!
Cooper and Taylor at the point
Kellogg and Mitchell at the 2

We got wings !!!!!
Offutt, Johnson and Goard at the 3

We got bigs !!!!
Hall and Smith at the 4
Baltic, Keely and Jacobs at the 5

I see us going small and running up and down the floor a lot. I see a 10 rotation with Goard and Jacobs being used in the right matchup or foul trouble. I see Groce subs 5 at a time and rotates the lineup every 4-5 minutes and we wear down teams with our quickness. Think VCU with us going full throttle for 40 minutes. With fresh ballhanders and bigs that can run the floor we tire out teams. With second unit we become more of a slashing team with Mitchell that looks to Keely inside for the finish around the rim.

Wilson Hall Record Holder
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RE: Project Next Year's Starters

Posted: 3/22/2011 3:39:49 AM

Here's an interesting tidbit about VCU that you bring up as an example of how the Cats will play next year (which I agree with you by the way)

One of VCU's guards is a freshman named Rob Brandenburg who hails from Ohio....a suburb of Columbus that is known to all in the area as Gahanna where he played his high school ball alongside a certain player named Stevie Taylor. Coincidence??? I think not

According to this fine site, he was offered a scholarship here and visited here before deciding he would prefer a trip to the sweet 16 in his freshman year. Somehow he just knew.

One thing though, I thought Offut was more of point/off guard rather than a small forward but I'm not very sure.

cc-cat
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RE: Project Next Year's Starters

Posted: 3/22/2011 9:11:40 AM

oubobcatjohn wrote:

I see us going small and running up and down the floor a lot. I see a 10 rotation ...

From a distance, one of Groce's liabilities is his management of subs. Seems every time a player gets hot, he subs out -- trying to get playing time, spread minutes, whatever - but it appears predetermined. I too feel we should play up tempo, but would like to get and keep a 7 - 8 man rotation that plays to the feel of the game.

UpSan Bobcat
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RE: Project Next Year's Starters

Posted: 3/22/2011 10:29:03 AM

From everything I've heard, you can expect Smith to step in and fill Washington's void. He's probably not the scorer Washington is, but he is better rebounder and shot blocker.

That basically leaves Freeman's spot, and I'm not sure who will be taking that spot. Hall and Johnson are candidates, if they improve. Goard is a possibility.

I think we're bound to play small a lot in the 1-3 spots, but I'm not sure we'd go with three guards at 6-3 and smaller as a starting lineup. Who knows, though. But to get playing time for Cooper (5-11), Kellogg (6-3), Mitchell (6-2), Ouffit (6-3) and Taylor (5-10), we'll definitely have to go with three of them at times.

BobcatGman
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RE: Project Next Year's Starters

Posted: 3/22/2011 10:45:28 AM

Next year's starters, Flip a coin, Groce will have Multiple startng line ups next year and will go deep into his bench, Teams we play better be in shape, cuz it's gonna be a track meet every game. I look for alot of pressing and traps from next years team, plus, with alot of pushing the ball up the floor. Gonna be fun to watch !

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bn9
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RE: Project Next Year's Starters

Posted: 3/22/2011 10:59:58 AM

Why does this all sound familiar to me? Haven't we had this discussion for the last ten or twelve years? Next year we are going to press, we are going to run, we are going trap, we are going to sub a ton. Well, I am eagerly anticipating seeing it. But, at this time, I will believe it when I see it.

Hocking
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RE: Project Next Year's Starters

Posted: 3/22/2011 11:12:55 AM

PG-Cooper
SG-Kellogg
SF-Offutt
PF-Baltic
C-Smith

Offutt will be our leading scorer and will be the go to scorer that we have been missing. Cooper will lead the MAC, if not nation in assists and steals. Kellogg will be draining the threes, while Baltic continues to improve down low. Jon Smith will be a Washington clone. I see us just running everyone out of the gym with a very fast starting five.

Last Edited: 3/22/2011 11:16:31 AM by Hocking

bobcatsquared
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RE: Project Next Year's Starters

Posted: 3/22/2011 12:58:06 PM

bn9 wrote:

Exactly. We hear this every autumn, dating back to TOS, only to see something else.

Having seen Stevie Taylor play several times in high school, I believe he will best be utilized in a running/pressing team and I believe the rest of the roster is shaping up to fit that style. However, teams appeared to have little trouble breaking Ohio's press when it ran it this year. Improvement will be needed here.

OUVan
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RE: Project Next Year's Starters

Posted: 3/22/2011 1:02:35 PM

Hocking wrote:

Offutt will be our leading scorer and will be the go to scorer that we have been missing.

After some of the issues we've had with transfers I'm a little leary counting on them. Remember when Johnnie Jackson was the best player on the court in practice during his transfer year? The nice thing is even if he is a complete bust we have a number of guys who are going to be vying for playing time at the 2 and 3. I fully expect one if not both of T.J. Hall or Ricardo Johnson to step their game up next year. Both have shown flashes and I think more playing time they see the more we get from them.

BobcatSports
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RE: Project Next Year's Starters

Posted: 3/22/2011 1:34:59 PM

You better be writing next years starters in with erasable ink given this programs propensity to attrition, even when it seems all hands are going to be counted for and are on deck, ie, Coleman/A.Kellogg. Hell even if they actually are on deck, ie, Horne/Kinney.

PG73
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RE: Project Next Year's Starters

Posted: 3/22/2011 6:19:00 PM

I expect Goard to be starting by mid season. Just a hunch.

lovebobcat
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RE: Project Next Year's Starters

Posted: 3/22/2011 9:32:02 PM

One of my biggest hopes for next year is for Coach Groce to get DJ to quit jacking up 3-pointers five seconds into the shot clock. DJ shot only 30 percent on 3s this year, and too many of those shots were without a single pass being made during a possession. With all the wings on the team next year, let's have DJ penetrate/kick more and do less low-percentage bombing from the outside.

Please, DJ, play to your strengths!

Monroe Slavin
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RE: Project Next Year's Starters

Posted: 3/22/2011 11:38:23 PM

Who's gonna be tough for us? Who's gonna bring the physical? Seems like we have a lot of guys who are good athletes but who are not much for bulk. Athletic skill is not enough.

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Chicken George
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RE: Project Next Year's Starters

Posted: 3/22/2011 11:42:36 PM

This post is fun and we have nothing better to do for the next few months than project what next year will look like. One thing I've learned though the past few years is nothing matters until you see the guys/team the first 10 games of next season. Ratings, high school stats, what they look like in practice---none of that really matters or has really been a true indicator of what OHIO sees as fans when the season begins.

I remember asking people close to the program who were the impact Freshman this past offseason and the consensus was Ricardo would make an immediate impact, followed by TJ, then Ethan and Nick as a solid backup if he could handle the point. Well, that was all wrong as Nick proved to the gem of the class this year. TJ showed glimses, Ethan didn't get a chance to show anything and while Ricardo could be next years Ivo--he was bad in my estimation all season long.

Then throw in the excitement for Johnnie Jackson, the excitement in getting two instant JUCO scores in Bert & Ernie---you can guess all you want but it won't matter until we see the team in November. Still, it's fun and I like to guess too.

Casper71
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RE: Project Next Year's Starters

Posted: 3/22/2011 11:44:23 PM

Jut looking at the ETSU stats and the years stats on the web.

Two things are for sure. if OHIO is going to be successful, DJ must shoot better than 38% and 29% on threes and TJ needs to shoot it better than 35% and 27%. Not sure if it is shot selection or what but those per centages won't get it done!

Actually, I thought DJ was shooting much better until about midway thru the season but he seems to have hit the wall toward the end. May need to get bigger and stronger to make it thru the long season...just a thought.

Steve
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RE: Project Next Year's Starters

Posted: 3/23/2011 1:11:19 AM

What kind of inside presence we will have? And will we play enough defense?

UpSan Bobcat
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RE: Project Next Year's Starters

Posted: 3/23/2011 1:11:31 PM

Steve wrote:

What kind of inside presence we will have? And will we play enough defense?

I think Smith will be key. I think he can be a physical presence we didn't have, but as has been noted, it's hard to say just from what people see in practices. Goard will be nice as a backup 4. Then hopefully Baltic and Keely keep developing. Obviously Baltic was a nice offensive precense at the end of the year and Keely seemed to show some promise in the last few games. I hope Jacobs can contribute some next year as well. We'll still be thin in the middle, but I think we'll be better off. I still think that one scholarship we have left has to go to a big guy, and I still am not sure it will be given out this year.

colobobcat66
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RE: Project Next Year's Starters

Posted: 3/23/2011 1:41:23 PM

It really doesn't make a lot of sense to me to not use a schollie. With all the change always going on, there's always going to be one or more available. Does anybody really think that we will not have at least 1 schollie available next year? As I remember,I read some MAC football coach didn't use all his available scholarships this year, but you're talking about a lot more available each year and as I recall he got his job late so maybe he just didn't have a handle on what he needed so he deferred a year. Groce has to have a pretty good hanlde on what he needs so it shouldn't be that hard to fill 1 place.

giacomo
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RE: Project Next Year's Starters

Posted: 3/23/2011 2:40:33 PM

I think the reason you don't see teams pressing and playing that attack style is that coaches don't want to lose control of the players. When you play that style your offense is almost free lance 100% of the time. Then, when you get into tight games, especially in March, you need to run sets at the end of games. In the days before the shot clock you could ease up your press and stall the ball whenever you wanted.

PutnamField
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RE: Project Next Year's Starters

Posted: 3/23/2011 6:08:20 PM

giacomo wrote:

We run sets at the end of games?

Chicken George
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RE: Project Next Year's Starters

Posted: 3/23/2011 10:24:59 PM

Remind me again about Nick Goff. When we list the guys we add to the squad next year, we never mention him.
Couple questions:

1. Is he still going to be on the team next year?
2. Is he a scholarship player, or a transfer walk-on?
3. Will he play, or is he projected as end of the bench guy? I assume this is the case as I never hear a word about him being on the team.

UpSan Bobcat
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RE: Project Next Year's Starters

Posted: 3/24/2011 7:48:50 AM

Chicken George wrote:

He is a transfer walk-on, and he definitely will be on the team next year. Groce mentioned him at the end of the ETSU game the other night. Maybe he will get some playing time, but I think based on the fact that he is a walk-on, most assume he won't play much. He only played 12 minutes his freshman season for North Texas.

JSF
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RE: Project Next Year's Starters

Posted: 3/24/2011 11:17:25 AM

Count me among those that don't expect him to play. He is virtually invisible in practice.

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