Next years lineup

[Thompsonclone]

= 69.5

Almost the perfect score.

Last year was 76.9 scored and 68.1 given up.

We better we way better on defense or that number better be for the Big 12 alone.

I think we’ll be a little better on defense. Even if we’re not though, I think we’ll still give up less points. I could see Prohm having us playing slower on offense which will obviously lead to less overall positions which should = less points given up. We have to be better on defense because we are going to be lacking some talent on offense compared to last year.

 

[IASTATE07]

I think a lot of it has to do with sheer athleticism. Speed, 3-cone etc. You put Jacobson through a combine with Zion, and I am guessing Zion comes away a winner in pretty much every category.

I'm not so sure about that.

 

[IASTATE07]

https://www.omaha.com/sports/colleg...cle_192e12e2-f834-11e5-88a2-db734f336763.html

Jacobson is a better athlete than people want to give him credit for.

 

[Sigmapolis]

I think we’ll be a little better on defense. Even if we’re not though, I think we’ll still give up less points. I could see Prohm having us playing slower on offense which will obviously lead to less overall positions which should = less points given up. We have to be better on defense because we are going to be lacking some talent on offense compared to last year.

Actually, I kind of wonder if we need to speed up on offense. We did not run much last year... for various reasons (e.g., taking the ball out under the basket often, having such a good half-court offense that you did not need to look to run, depth concerns in not wanting to wear out Nick, Tyrese, and Marial when you wanted/needed to play them 35+ minutes per night, etc.), but I do not know if I see many great half-court scorers on this team. Tyrese, Nixon, and Bolton might thrive if they can get out and run in the chaos of transition more.

https://www.omaha.com/sports/colleg...cle_192e12e2-f834-11e5-88a2-db734f336763.html

Jacobson is a better athlete than people want to give him credit for.

Jacobson always came off as the sneaky-athletic, scrappy, gym rat type to me.

Not sure why, to be honest.

 

[Thompsonclone]

https://www.omaha.com/sports/colleg...cle_192e12e2-f834-11e5-88a2-db734f336763.html

Jacobson is a better athlete than people want to give him credit for.

Jacobson is not a bad athlete by any means but he’s not very close to Zion in pure athleticism.

 

[IASTATE07]

Jacobson is not a bad athlete by any means but he’s not very close to Zion in pure athleticism.

Ok? Doesn't mean he would test out better than Jacobson. Cool dunk.

 

[Doc]

Ok? Doesn't mean he would test out better than Jacobson. Cool dunk.

Big one is the lateral quickness and Jacobsen didn’t show up on that list for NU. Jacobsen and Griffin’s ability to defend on the perimeter is going to be more important than guarding in the post.

 

[Thompsonclone]

Ok? Doesn't mean he would test out better than Jacobson. Cool dunk.

I’d be surprised if Jacobson tested out with a better vertical. Especially this Jacobson. You posted an article from 2016. He’s gotten pretty big and you’re crazy if you don’t think that would effect those numbers a bit from the article.

 

[IASTATE07]

I’d be surprised if Jacobson tested out with a better vertical. Especially this Jacobson. You posted an article from 2016. He’s gotten pretty big and you’re crazy if you don’t think that would effect those numbers a bit from the article.

All I was saying is that it wasn't cut and dry that Zion would test better than Mike in a combine setting. Jacobson is a good athlete. So of course you posted a video of Zion dunking in open gym as some sort of evidence..

 

[Gunnerclone]

Tyrese will be next year's fall guy. His style of play isn't what most people think of from a star player. People will be expecting him to replace all the scoring from last year, simply because he's our best player. That isn't realistic based on the type of player he is, he's going to take good shots, mostly when he's open. He's not going to create much for himself off the dribble or be successful in ISO plays. It'll be a bit like Monte's SO and JR year or NWB last year, when people wanted them to be a player they weren't ready to/capable of being yet but Tyrese doesn't have guys like Georges, Ejim, Shayok, LW, etc... to take the focus off of him. I don't agree with it but I think he'll be the one the pitchforks come after....

Every article and tweet I’ve seen hyping TH starts with some form of “he’s not your typical star guy and he’s not going to be a big game in game out scorer...but”

 

[Thompsonclone]

All I was saying is that it wasn't cut and dry that Zion would test better than Mike in a combine setting. Jacobson is a good athlete. So of course you posted a video of Zion dunking in open gym as some sort of evidence..

I think it is cut and dry though. Griffin is a freak athlete. Jacobson is a good athlete. Open gym, real game, dunking for fun, that’s irrelevant. If it’s less impressive because it was the CCL than find me an explosive play like that from Jacobson.

 

[IASTATE07]

I think it is cut and dry though. Griffin is a freak athlete. Jacobson is a good athlete. Open gym, real game, dunking for fun, that’s irrelevant. If it’s less impressive because it was the CCL than find me an explosive play like that from Jacobson.

We both know you're not going to see a clip like that from Jacobson. It doesn't mean Mike can't test better at a standing vertical, shuttle run, etc.

 

[madguy30]

This season needs to get here so we can see what ISU really has.

Expectations feel lower than 2017.

 

[Thompsonclone]

We both know you're not going to see a clip like that from Jacobson. It doesn't mean Mike can't test better at a standing vertical, shuttle run, etc.

That’s fair. I guess I just don’t see the value of testing better if it doesn’t translate to the court. (His athleticism, not his contribution to the team. That’s very valuable.)

 

[Psiclone]

We both know you're not going to see a clip like that from Jacobson. It doesn't mean Mike can't test better at a standing vertical, shuttle run, etc.

"Pure athleticism is way overrated." G. Niang

 

[Sigmapolis]

This season needs to get here so we can see what ISU really has.

Expectations feel lower than 2017.

I had no expectations that year.

This year, I have something between that and what I had for last year.

 

[pulse]

"Pure athleticism is way overrated." G. Niang

“When you have skills like me”

 

[madguy30]

I had no expectations that year.

This year, I have something between that and what I had for last year.

Yeah I'm probably there as well...just seems many are really down on them before they've even played.

 

[Sigmapolis]

Yeah I'm probably there as well...just seems many are really down on them before they've even played.

Look on the sunny side --

It is hard to be bad when you have a guard as good at Tyrese. If you ask me which position that we want to be all-conference at, then point guard is definitely the one. I think he is significantly better now than even March after his experience this summer, too.

Bolton has probably never had a PG of Tyrese's quality to help him out. His efficiency will hopefully rise with him being able to play SG full-time and not PG, too.

Nixon will hopefully be better after a year to better himself and not have to concentrate on scoring like he did at Colorado State -- he can mostly just focus on being a pest on defense. We are basically converting two former PGs to their more natural SG positions.

Jacobson at his best last year was very good. I hope he can be more consistent.

Solomon Young is hopefully 100% healthy, still one of the biggest and strongest guys in the conference, and hopefully has the skill development of a senior now.

Jackson/Grill might surprise, though they will understandably have growing pains, both or at least one of them will hopefully have things "click" late in the season.

The reports about Griffin are very encouraging. He was the second-highest recruit in his class after Horton-Tucker, he has a Big 12 body and athleticism as a sophomore, and he was stuck behind the Eight Ball with his injury last year and the team having so many good wings in front of him. If he can be a viable stretch PF and be able to credibly defend hybrid guys on the wing and on the block with his bulk and length at the level that THT was able to last year (which was not great but at least it was credible), he will be a very useful piece on the roster.

Conditt is another guy with a high ceiling like that, too. He might still be a season away, but we are going to need him early and often this year. I hope he is up for it.

Not giving up on the other guys, but sounds like that is our top nine. I am sure it is going to shorten itself to the top eight or top seven come Big 12 season, however.

If these pieces come together like they can... we might be pretty good. "Pretty good" might mean 18 wins and a #10 seed, but I would take that right now.