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August 30, 2009
Don’t you find it strange that, on this Kansas team which is at least 14-deep, headed by two All-Americans, and ranked #1 in most preseason polls, there seems to be more questions than answers as we forge into the 2009-10 season.
That the Jayhawks will be led by junior center Cole Aldrich and senior guard Sherron Collins goes with out question. And one would expect that Tyshawn Taylor will be considerably improved and steady at the point. Beyond that, however, lies considerable uncertainty.
1) Will the Morris brothers come back stronger and more consistent for their sophomore year?
2) Can heralded freshman Xavier Henry really be good enough to take a starting role?
3) Will senior Mario Little be healthy and finally live up to the hype?
4) Will C. J. Henry be able to shake off the dust of three years away from basketball?
5) Will the three local boys, Brady Morningstar, Tyrel Reed and Travis Releford, be able to capture significant playing time?
6) Will freshman Jeff Withey, who won’t be eligible until 2nd semester, redshirt this season?
7) Will the other two freshmen, Elijah Johnson and Thomas Robinson, be good enough to see much floor time?
8) With so much talent on board, how will coach Self be able to keep everyone involved?
9) Will Carl Henry be able to let Self coach his sons without popping off in the media?
At this stage of the season, I think the answers to the first three questions appear to be: yes, yes, and yes. According to the Sunday report ‘Twin Transformation’ in KUSports.com, the brothers have been working very hard this summer. All the pundits say Xavier is ready for the pros now. I’ve heard Mario has healed and ready for action.
The remaining questions likely won’t be answered until the start of Big 12 play, but here’s my take:
4 – Carl believes so and Self hopes so.
5 – As a short, white, Kansas-bred kid myself, I certainly hope so. While not super stars, they are hard-working, serious, and have paid their dues.
6 – I hope so. Assuming that Markieff has beefed up enough to back up Aldrich, we won’t need Withey this year.
7 – Again, I don’t see that they are going to be needed much this year. I doubt that they will be redshirted, but overall it might be the best course of action.
8 – Redshirting three players would alleviate the problem somewhat, but it would mean that you still have 11 guys fighting for court time (even during mop up time). Maybe if KU fielded two teams…
9 – All Kansas fans are keeping their fingers crossed.
Comments
rockchalkin54 (anonymous) says...
I think Withey has already redshirted.
August 30, 2009 at 5:18 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
waywardJay (anonymous) says...
1. I counter with a question, could they really be worse ??? No. They will be improved.
2. Yes, He will be what he is, barring injury again.
3. If the answer to 1 and 2 is yes.... do we need X to start... Not really no.
4. He would be our third point guard on the Depth chart.... and him teaming with Tyshawn on teh b-sides would be intriguing, but not necessaary to our survival.
5. Tyrel and travis should red shirt if they have them, as for Brady..> i still think brady's starting.
6. We Absolutely need Withey this year. His ability to stretch the court will be intregal to keeping cole out of doubles in late game situations. ASsuming he can pass, which i believe he can....
7. Elijah might benefit from a red shirt, Trob... no i don't think so. I think he's probably the most dirven freshman coming into this... he's going to force minutes, that's why we are looking at marcus at the 3 some.... because we have cole, kieff, Jeff adn trob who will play minutes.
8. He won't, unfortunately. Someone will become Rodrick stewart, and Jeremy Case
If the idea is to play the bigs, thusly.....
5 Cole - Kieff
4 Marcus, T rob, Withey
3 xavier, marcus Mario
The one who benefits the most from redshirting is Mario.... even though it means he's another year later....
as for the guards....
2. Brady - Tyshawn CJ
1. Sherron- Tyshawn EJ
I imagine that both travis and Tyrel and Travis are redshirting ......That's not including COnnor teahan who deserves a chance to show he can hit threes when it matters...
Either way.... someone will not get what they want, and will have to work even harder for it....
9. A thousand men could not keep Carl Henry's mouth closed, i counter with a question.... as long as we are winning... does anything carl henry says matter ?
August 30, 2009 at 11:58 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
suttonku (anonymous) says...
Withey is a 5 and kieff is a 4...Releford and/or mario should redshirt...Tyrel will not redshirt this season...Self is loyal to a fault and he loves Tyrel...and if Tyrel was going to redshirt do you think he would be working out hardcore this summer? not to sit out a year...Nothing Carl says matters at this point.
I dont know if you meant this or not but I dont see Brady starting again, at least not for most of the season...I really hope we only see Brady for 12 minutes a game at the most...Same for Tyrel...although if Tyrel isnt hitting 3s then hes kinda worthless...And if Brady isnt guarding well then he might be kinda worthless this year too even though he did have a great 3 point % last year, his defense is what we like the most...Tyshawn is the man...you dont put a potential first round pick on the bench...
Starting lineup should look like this next season:
1. Sherron
2. Tyshawn
3. X
4. Marcus
5. Cole
I dont think you can really go wrong with this team though, pretty good roster, you know?
August 31, 2009 at 12:12 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
waywardJay (anonymous) says...
Sutton, I concur... You don't put a first round draft pick on the bench.... but you certainly can run two solid point guards out there.... 30 minutes a game off each other.... but i absolutely mean it.... I want tyshawn running the offense when Sherron cannot..... ideally they play together 25-30 minutes of the game.... but ty HAS to be out there is sherron is not.
I stick by it until Coach tells me otherwise....
1. Sherron
2. Brady
3. X
4. marcus
5. Cole
ty- Sherron of '08
August 31, 2009 at 12:32 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
suttonku (anonymous) says...
I just dont see it...I love brady but Tyshawn is better, even at the two...Brady is a fine athlete but Tyshawn is more athletic...Tyshawn give you more on offense because Brady is not assertive enough...Tyshawn has been working on his shooting and defense this summer and if he improves enough on defense then he should be the starter...I think if you have to play Brady more than 15 minutes a game then you're in trouble...hes a bench guy that can be productive...Sherron is a solid true point guard that can score when he is needed to...Tyshawn is a combo guard that can do all things well...Brady plays defense pretty well (although he has been lit up before, willie warren) and hes not a great offensive player...I would just put the best most athletic team out there and I think Tyshawn is the answer with CJ and Brady off the bench.
By the way, CJ can play the 1, 2, or the 3 and he will be fighting Brady for playing time among others...Dont sleep on CJ the guy can play! Saw him this summer and hes very very good...good shooter that can get to the rim...very tough to stop his drive.
August 31, 2009 at 1:10 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
jross1972 (Joe Ross) says...
1. Yes
2. Yes
3. Maybe
4. Yes
5. No
6. Substitution
7. No
8. Yes
9. Yes
August 31, 2009 at 7:14 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
waywardJay (anonymous) says...
Sutton.... by no means am i suggesting that Brady is BETTER than Tyshawn.... In fact, it's quite the opposite..... I think Tyshawn Taylor's our third best person on this year's team.
What he is - starting Point guard.
What we have 2 of - Starting Point guards
What we don't have- A legit shooting threat that will stretch the floor for our bigs and or slashers. We also need a defensive pacemaker and a general glue guy.
I think Tyshawn could fit that role, maybe he's covered that ground already. I also know he's played ALOT of Basketball these last few months, and might need the rest. I have a theory about Bill Self's Quirky starting lineups. I call it the Russell Robinson factor. When you have two nearly equal fits into the same offensive spot ( Both provide Unique skill sets, and both have equal flaws ), you go with the senior.
Russell Robinson was not better than Sherron in 2008. Russell wasn't better than Sherron in 2007. Yet, Bill Self KNEW what Russell Robinson meant to BOTH Of those teams, was more than the sum of those parts. BIll knew that Russell's presence maintained the ship. I think he thinks Brady is that kind of player, and I think he's right to think so. BIll also knew that you need two great point guards, that Russell couldn';t play 40 minutes game in and game out....You needed that second guy who can up the tempo when Russell wasn't in the game. Tyshawn won't up the tempo from Sherron. If it were pitching, Sherron's a fast ball thrower, and Tyshawn's corner nibbler, But you won't see any drop off at all between them this year I believe.. Both are incredibly effective point guards.
If Tyshawn has a weakness it's his shooting, and I think he will mature as a defender this year. Right now, I think Brady's the better fit from Bill's perspective. Show the kid ( X ) that there are other things than just Scoring alone that Bill expects, and have a very VERY Sturdy offense for 40 minutes without a defensive drop off.
This is why i STILL feel Brady's a starter this year. ( concidentally i was convinced he shouldn't play significant minutes last year.... he showed me I was wrong to doubt him last year.... so did self ) Until I see self drop him on the depth charts, Im sticking with my guns.
August 31, 2009 at 8:08 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
mjlindsm (anonymous) says...
I agree wholeheartedly WaywardJay.
August 31, 2009 at 8:28 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
suttonku (anonymous) says...
Xavier isnt a legit shooting threat? or what about sherron? It doesnt really matter who starts I guess...Its gonna be tough to get minutes for everyone...not everyone will be happy on this team and thats the toughest thing Self will have to deal with...Tyshawn can do everything that Brady can do besides shoot the ball and since brady didnt do a whole lot of that when he was on the court last year I think it should be Tyshawn...I dont think this team is going anywhere fast with Brady starting...To me Brady would be better used coming in off the bench for around 12 minutes and playing balls to the wall tough defense...same thing with Tyrel, except for he should come in for 12 minutes and shoot the ball and spread the defense out...Of course once again both of us are forgetting about CJ Henry...He handles the ball nicely and he can shoot as well...dont know that he plays Brady defense but hes tougher than brady...Its gonna be interesting to see what happens though.
August 31, 2009 at 10:56 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
waywardJay (anonymous) says...
Sutton.... i hate to disagree with you.... that's exactly the same way i felt about brady last year.... i said alot of the same things.... Brady just gets stuff done. That's his MO. He does what the coach askes him to....
If coach says Brady we want you to start so you can set the tone.... you won't play more than 12 minutes often. but we need you in there because of that mojo you have.
CJ's the wild card in this.... from what i have heard... CJ's got more of a 2 game than Tyshawn also..... Tyshawn's a 1. He's very very talented player but he's distribute first.... there is no doubt who our starting point guard would be if sherron left for the nba ..... not even the slightest doubt.
if CJ were ready to start in bill's eye..... i think ti would not affect tyshawn's minutes, but would greatly effect brady's
August 31, 2009 at 12:41 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
waywardJay (anonymous) says...
as far as Xavier and SHerron... Of course they are.... and with a beeffier Marcus...i consider him a scoring threat also...
one thing i learned from watching ALOT of basketball..... and I mean ALOT of basketball.... is that it's very rare a team can function with 5 guys who all want shots in the starting lineups.....
take for instance .... the la-lakers..... coming into this year..... you are looking at 4 of their key players all want shots consistantly......
pg FIsher- free agant
SG Kobe Bryant
SF Ron Artest
PF Pau Gasol
C Andrew Bynum
the highlighted 4 are players who demand a certain amount of shots to their game, it's incumbant on Fisher to make sure that happens and generally keeps everyone else happy....
For US, However.... as one of our best threats is Sherron spinning, floating, bowling, shuttling, and generally putting his anchor on the free throw line and drifitng in and out for layups..... that means someone else has to settle for that " i will knock the shot if and when it comes to me... but i realize im scorer 10 on this team... " mentality which seems to be brady's game.
I could be totally wrong on this..... it's never my decision.... but going into Boot camp, that is what i see.... and until Bill says... Tyshawn's starting.... im going to believe it's brady
August 31, 2009 at 12:52 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
truehawk93 (anonymous) says...
1) Will the Morris brothers come back stronger and more consistent for their sophomore year?
Absolutely
2) Can heralded freshman Xavier Henry really be good enough to take a starting role?
Yes- look for Brady in the preseason and when conf starts, X marks the spot!!
3) Will senior Mario Little be healthy and finally live up to the hype?
Yes
4) Will C. J. Henry be able to shake off the dust of three years away from basketball?
Yes...did this Summer at the latest
5) Will the three local boys, Brady Morningstar, Tyrel Reed and Travis Releford, be able to capture significant playing time?
Pretty much, maybe not "significant" but will get some good opps
6) Will freshman Jeff Withey, who won’t be eligible until 2nd semester, redshirt this season?
NO- Absolutely not, the guy plays some huge mins for Aldrich (Cole, MK and Withey) he knows the system too well and may be a contender as B12 new comer of the year...will play in December by the eligibility guidelines
7) Will the other two freshmen, Elijah Johnson and Thomas Robinson, be good enough to see much floor time?
Yes...too much talent to sit the pine...Jeremy Case was a similiar talent! The kid came in and shot the lights out and never complained once.
8) With so much talent on board, how will coach Self be able to keep everyone involved?
He is the best coach in the nation and will teach these kids the meaning of the word "team"
9) Will Carl Henry be able to let Self coach his sons without popping off in the media?
Summer debacles are behind us and Carl meant well, let it go!
August 31, 2009 at 1:43 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
jayhawkerjoel (anonymous) says...
Just my 2 cents –
1. Yes – Read Sundays LJW article.
2. Yes – But will likely need a couple months to earn the starting job in December.
3. Yes – But he will be a super-sub, much like Archie Marshall in 1986.
4. Yes – He will also be a leader in practice. Professional experience gives him an edge in maturity and work ethic.
5. Yes, Yes, & No – Brady will start at the 3 thru mid-December and then be the first off the bench for either Sherron, Tyrel, or Xavier. Tyrel will get more specialized minutes this year and Travis will red shirt.
6. No. Jeff won’t red shirt and will only be used on a limited basis, showing a need for more strength to be an effective 4 or 5. Jeff sat all of last year and it would be borderline absurd for him to choose to miss out on 2009-10.
7. Yes & No – Robinson will get more playing time as the season progresses and Johnson will see limited play – much like Russell Robinson in 2005.
8. Effective substitution and players who understand what it takes to get off the bench (leave it all on the floor in practice and games.) Guys who sit will not whine, but will either wait for next season or leave.
9. Yes & No – Carl will still have some sound bytes, but he is smart enough to know that now is the time for him to shut up, especially after moving to Lawrence.
August 31, 2009 at 1:55 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )