Miles Wilson

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A lot of teams have open ships on a yearly basis

We all know players transfer, get kicked out and/or leave early. We all know players get injured.

So why not fill the class? Why not use all your ships? I am not talking about filling the class and then before the season something happens (e.g. Miles Wilson being booted). I understand that occasionally you might not fill the class but it is three years straight.

Why not get a grad transfer for depth?

Why not take on a local kid who might be lower rated?

Why not redshirt a transfer?

Isn’t something better than nothing?

For three straight years we didn’t fill our class or use all our ships. We’re going into this season using 11 scholarships after Miles was booted.
 
Teams constantly dont have 13 scholarship guys. They do it to maintain roster flexibility.

If you are always at 13. You can only bring in a big class if you are senior heavy
 
I read the post and understood it. We were going to go with 12 guys. Obviously didnt plan on kicking someone off the team

Why do you need 13 instead of 12

GT at 12
Syracuse at 11
Virginia at 12
Duke at 12
VT at 10
Louisville at 10

In all those situations you suggested you can be left stuck with a player. I know scholarships are year to year but my guess is L doesnt boot people that way.

The only exception is a grad transfer and while you suggest why not take one. Grad transfer usually dont head to places without a clear idea of PT
 
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I read the post and understood it. We were going to go with 12 guys. Obviously didnt plan on kicking someone off the team

1. So we planned to use ONLY 12 guys? That is illogical.

2. Even if you ONLY wanted to use 12 ships, there are things like injuries, transfers and players get booted. 12 can become 11 before the season even starts. Since Coach L has been here, the following players have transferred out/left or been booted:

- Gilmore
- Palmer
- Lecomte
- Sherman
- Daniels
- Burnett
- J. Kelly
- Muhammad
- Wilson

That is more than ~1.3 ships gone per season. It should be expected, not just at Miami, that kids are going to leave before/during the season. So if you want to run with 12, you better take 13. Please note the number is actually more when you take into account things like significant injuries, redshirts and suspensions.

3. So this plan to go with 12 guys included the following:

- Mack (needing a waiver)
- McGusty (must sit out)
- Zero guys transferring, being injured or booted

That seems like a very risky plan to ensure 12 guys can play.

4. Last year we had 12 players to start the season and two of them weren't going to play anytime (Wilson and Gak were sitting out, one redshirt one b/c of the transfer rule). Then Brown was injured and we went down to 9. So perhaps 12 isn't a smart plan?

Why do you need 13 instead of 12

1. Because of injuries, transfers and kids getting booted. So 12 becomes 11 before the season starts. 11 then becomes 10 after an injury.
2. Not every kid, even if they stay, will provide quality depth.
3. Not every kid is even eligible to play.

GT at 12
Syracuse at 11
Virginia at 12
Duke at 12
VT at 10
Louisville at 10

A few things, since I am not going to audit your numbers:

1. How many of those were the plan at the beginning of the season? Did UL want to only go with 10 kids? VT? Or did some fluke thing happen like suspensions or ineligibility at UL?
2. How many of those were what happened at the end of the season?
3. Did any of those teams wish they had more players eligible or on ship?


In all those situations you suggested you can be left stuck with a player. I know scholarships are year to year but my guess is L doesnt boot people that way.

The only exception is a grad transfer and while you suggest why not take one. Grad transfer usually dont head to places without a clear idea of PT

That is tremendous exception which I clearly stated. Not only does a Grad Transfer have zero impact on future numbers because they're gone after the season. They provide you with potential depth should you need it. Now obviously not every transfer is the same but I'd rather have Joe Thomas or Donovan Kirk then no one. Even if they can only play a few minutes per game, I'd rather have the option to play them.
 
Quality is more important the quantity. Duke may have had 12 guys on scholly but they played 6 guys most of last year.
 
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I'm sure we'll never know, but there does seem to be a pattern of transfers getting the heave-ho.
That was the reason behind my question. Not only leaving but ... the strange timing (after they had completed sitting out the full year required). You'd think a major problem would have surfaced much earlier.
 
@Consigliere

We will just agree to disagree. Its not the issue you make it out to be. Even in the scenarios you are pointing out that lead us to play with 9 last year. That is not a huge issue to me.

Its about the quality of the 9,10,11,12,13 etc. Not the specific amount. If you have 11 guys that can legitimately play you have an excess of depth imo.

You missed my point on the grad transfer thing. My point is a lot of guys would not come if they didnt have a defined role.
 
@Consigliere

We will just agree to disagree. Its not the issue you make it out to be. Even in the scenarios you are pointing out that lead us to play with 9 last year. That is not a huge issue to me.

Its about the quality of the 9,10,11,12,13 etc. Not the specific amount. If you have 11 guys that can legitimately play you have an excess of depth imo.

You missed my point on the grad transfer thing. My point is a lot of guys would not come if they didnt have a defined role.

I am assuming you won’t answer my questions above BTW.

1. It is not the issue I make it out to be...which is what? Essentially your point is “don’t use the ships, who cares. Whatever.” I never commented on how “huge” of an issue it is. I just think it is stupid to constantly do it.

2. Thanks for the point about the quality. What about redshirting players (for the future) for future quality? What about taking some grad transfers so the depth is quality or better than having no one?

3. I get your point about “defined role.” Not every grad transfer is the same as in Joe Thomas or D. Kirk. Perhaps it is enough to have the opportunity to compete and earn a masters/additional degree. Again, give me someone who can play over not using the ship at all. Especially when there is almost no risk in doing so.

4. Agree to disagree, that is fine.
 
What questions?

The issue is you seem pretty critical about it. It is common practice. That was a quick search on verbal commits. If you go team by team you will see a lot of teams that do not get to 13. Obviously there are a lot of teams that do.

Personally I do not see a need for 13 guys. Especially if I am signing someone who I think can never play here. I do not think the staff is passing up qualified guys to stay at 11 or 12.

Grad transfers leave for basketball reasons. They can get their masters somewhere that they will get minutes. You are not going to get grad transfers to sit the bench.

As far as red shirting. We have red shirted some players. A lot of kids are reluctant to go somewhere they will immediately shirt because then if you have to transfer you lose a year
 
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What questions?

The issue is you seem pretty critical about it. It is common practice. That was a quick search on verbal commits. If you go team by team you will see a lot of teams that do not get to 13. Obviously there are a lot of teams that do.

So you have no evidence that those teams (you listed above) wanted to go into the season with those numbers. In fact, since verbal commits reports the numbers after an event (see Wilson leaving recently), that perhaps those numbers reflect transfers or players leaving that were there before the season. So a team with X (to start the season) may have Y after the season.

Are they (verbal commits) accurate in that they reflect the numbers before the season? So the numbers you listed were the ones they had before the season.

And were those the numbers the team wanted to go in with during the season?

Personally I do not see a need for 13 guys. Especially if I am signing someone who I think can never play here. I do not think the staff is passing up qualified guys to stay at 11 or 12.

We haven't had 13 guys in some time. We don't have 12 either (now). We have 11. We have 11 and that is before anything else that could happen. We have 11 and only 10 (McGusty) can actually play. Let's be accurate. Do you need 10?


As for all of these guys who are eligible to play, how many are "qualified" guys. Is Miller "qualified"? How about Mack, who had a health issue (concussions)? How about Gak? Too many variables.

This is the bigger point. It really isn't 11 or 10 known "qualified" players. When you break it down, it is more like 8-9. Now do you think it is risky, to have only 8-9 qualified players to start a season? Remember, this is before an injury or any other bullchit.

Grad transfers leave for basketball reasons. They can get their masters somewhere that they will get minutes. You are not going to get grad transfers to sit the bench.

Joe Thomas says otherwise. He wasn't given any guarantees (in terms of burn). How about Kirk? Was he guaranteed playing time?

As far as red shirting. We have red shirted some players. A lot of kids are reluctant to go somewhere they will immediately shirt because then if you have to transfer you lose a year

They might not have to immediately shirt. If they can provide quality burn, it is likely they will be given said burn. That is one of the reasons why you should fill the class. It is better to have someone (even if Joe Thomas or quality low star local kid), then no one.

And some kids are not reluctant to go somewhere if they might have to shirt. Some kids are willing to prove themselves on a yearly basis. Maybe try to get one of these kids.
 
The team is still 10 deep. Granted unproven but potentially 10 deep. My projected starters are Chris Lyes and DJ Vasiljevic in the backcourt with Anthony Lawrence, Dewan Huell and Ebuka Izundu in the front court. The reserves are Zach Johnson and Anthony Mack in the backcourt with Sam Wardenburg, Deng Gak and Rodney Miller in the frontcourt.

Yes sir

PG Lykes / Johnson
SG Vasiljevic / Mack
SF Lawrence / Waardenburger
PF Huell / Gak
C Izundu / Miller
 
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No chance Johnson is coming off the bench. And Waardenburg is definitely not a 3.

Why is Johnson a lock to start? JL might prefer him in a bench role as someone capable of changing the pace.
 
Guessing we might see more Huell and Izundu together, especially in ACC play.

Obviously we will need to see how much Izundu has developed and whether he can control the fouling but I would like to see more of the following:

PG: Lykes
SG: Johnson
SF: Amp
PF: Huell
C: Izundu
 
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