Is Erik Williams ready to take a jump from freshman to sophmore year? He is a top 100 recruit who may be able to put it all together. Any word on his progression? We have not heard much about him at all this offseason.
Other than a couple of reports from IWB's tourney that he was playing well in an up-and-down, less-structured venue, the silence about Ewill has been deafening. Hopefully, he has found the every-play intensity that Buzz is looking for.
Not really sure about him.
He must improve his defense before he gets meaningful minutes. he does have some good interior offensive moves.
If you look at minutes for interior players (120 minutes max for those 3 positions), it will be tough for him:
Otule 20 minutes per game
Butler 30-35 minutes per game
Fulce 15 minutes per game--some people think more for him
Bucyks will probably play some minutes at the 3
Gardner 5 minutes per game
Jones 5 minutes per game
Crowder 25 minutes per game--maybe more
And finally: there will likely be long stretches where we have 3 guards playing at one time from DJO, Caddy, Bucyks, Blue, Smith
Where would Williams garner minutes from? It will not be from Butler/Crowder/Fulce/Otule except for a few spot minutes.
It is tough playing essentially the same position as Butler and Crowder. EWill might be a good complement playing next to Crowder and Fulce in a three forward lineup with their strength.
Injuries happen...as we all know too well. So does foul trouble.
If he keeps improving he will find his way on to the court.
How much? Time will tell.
I've posted before that he really looked to be improving defensively late in the year last season in the very spotty minutes he was getting. Hopefully he's turned the corner. I think he'll contribute, but as posted earlier, minutes will be tough for him to earn this year.
I think the only hope for Williams is that he takes some of the minutes that would be going to Fulce. I mean, you know Butler and Crowder are going to be playing a lot. Otule is really your option when you want to go big. And then there are the times that they run a three guard offense...
So basically you have Williams, Jones and Gardner working for minimal minutes off the bench for the forward position.
Quote from: willie warrior on October 08, 2010, 10:55:08 AM
Not really sure about him.
He must improve his defense before he gets meaningful minutes. he does have some good interior offensive moves.
If you look at minutes for interior players (120 minutes max for those 3 positions), it will be tough for him:
Otule 20 minutes per game
Butler 30-35 minutes per game
Fulce 15 minutes per game--some people think more for him
Bucyks will probably play some minutes at the 3
Gardner 5 minutes per game
Jones 5 minutes per game
Crowder 25 minutes per game--maybe more
And finally: there will likely be long stretches where we have 3 guards playing at one time from DJO, Caddy, Bucyks, Blue, Smith
Where would Williams garner minutes from? It will not be from Butler/Crowder/Fulce/Otule except for a few spot minutes.
20 + 35 + 15 + 5 + 5 + 25 = 105.
Those numbers still leave 15 minutes per game. You double dipped your bucyks at the 3 comment.
Your inference that gardner or jones will be playing more than e. will is a bit confusing to me. As does your assumption there will be long stretches where blue or smith would be taking time from him. I really hope o'tule can put up 20 a game, we sure haven't seen that yet.
Every year people think the new guys are going to come in and out play the guy who looked mediocre last year as a freshmen. But we forget that most freshmen look mediocre. And that our new recruits will probably do so as well.
I'm looking for eric to get 12-18 and he better do some damage with it. If we are relying on new comers as much as you say I don't know if the team will hit my lofty expectations.
Quote from: willie warrior on October 08, 2010, 10:55:08 AM
If you look at minutes for interior players (120 minutes max for those 3 positions), it will be tough for him:
Otule 20 minutes per game
Butler 30-35 minutes per game
Fulce 15 minutes per game--some people think more for him
Bucyks will probably play some minutes at the 3
Gardner 5 minutes per game
Jones 5 minutes per game
Crowder 25 minutes per game--maybe more
And finally: there will likely be long stretches where we have 3 guards playing at one time from DJO, Caddy, Bucyks, Blue, Smith
Where would Williams garner minutes from? It will not be from Butler/Crowder/Fulce/Otule except for a few spot minutes.
The minutes I am expecting in non-blowout games looks more like this:
Butler - 35
Crowder - 25
Fulce - 20
Otule - 15
3 guard - 15
Williams - 10
Jones and Gardner spelling folks for injury/foul trouble.
I think EWill is going to average 10-15 minutes per game. It's likely going to be similar to Fulce's minutes last season. He might play 20 minutes one game and 2 the next. The kid can play so Buzz is going to find a way to get him on the floor.
E Williams didn't show me too much at the Pro-Am this summer. It should be fun to see how he fits in this season.
While I am a big fan of Chris Otule and am expecting him to be a contributor in the big east this year (contributor does not equal stud), twenty minutes per game for him is wishful thinking. 15 min of effective play seems like an attainable goal.
With that in mind, could E Will pick up minutes as the "5". Maymon (or his dad) was frustrated to be getting his minutes on the blocks, but maybe E Will would just be happy to see the floor. Gardner gets some small minutes there, but with EWs length could he be the 5 at times? How tall is he? With some added weight and strength from a year in the program, and if he shows some understanding of defense and rebounding, we might see him pick up some minutes "down low".
My prediction for the starting "big" is Fulce with Otule, Williams and Gardner getting minutes there. If that were true than JFB and Crowder could log the majority of time at their forward positions instead of being moved one slot over and playing undersized.
I think E Williams will do well this year, and everything he does will be a bonus to this young team and point to good things for his junior and senior year.
Quote from: copious1218 on October 08, 2010, 12:50:03 PM
The minutes I am expecting in non-blowout games looks more like this:
Butler - 35
Crowder - 25
Fulce - 20
Otule - 15
3 guard - 15
Williams - 10
Jones and Gardner spelling folks for injury/foul trouble.
As likely as it will be that Butler will be the team's go to guy, I hope that Buzz can limit him to around 32 minutes a game to keep him from wearing down.
Quote from: HoopsMalone on October 08, 2010, 10:23:43 AM
Is Erik Williams ready to take a jump from freshman to sophmore year? He is a top 100 recruit who may be able to put it all together. Any word on his progression? We have not heard much about him at all this offseason.
As boring as things get post April signing period, I think that this time of year might be the most interesting between recruiting and speculating how the minutes will be allocated for the upcoming year.
I was kind of surprised by your question since there is so little that any player can do in the off season to demonstrate improvement, unless they become part of some USA basketball program team. When preseason workouts begin, I expect that word will start filtering out about where all the guys stand in this year's pecking order.
Quote from: RawdogDX on October 08, 2010, 12:14:38 PM
Every year people think the new guys are going to come in and out play the guy who looked mediocre last year as a freshmen. But we forget that most freshmen look mediocre. And that our new recruits will probably do so as well.
Astute observation. Buzz has not been one to throw new guys into the fire a whole lot as well.
he'll be the next to transfer...doesn't look like he has the goods to play in the BE.
Quote from: Big Daddy Z on October 08, 2010, 07:06:06 PM
he'll be the next to transfer...doesn't look like he has the goods to play in the BE.
as if you would know ::)
Quote from: LittleMurs on October 08, 2010, 04:24:53 PM
As boring as things get post April signing period, I think that this time of year might be the most interesting between recruiting and speculating how the minutes will be allocated for the upcoming year.
I was kind of surprised by your question since there is so little that any player can do in the off season to demonstrate improvement, unless they become part of some USA basketball program team. When preseason workouts begin, I expect that word will start filtering out about where all the guys stand in this year's pecking order.
You are right that there is little the players can do to show the public their improvement. It just seems like Crowder and Cadougan get talked about more as stepping up big next year and EWill gets left out. He gets no press. No one ever asks Buzz about EWill either, so it is hard to gauge.
Quote from: Big Daddy Z on October 08, 2010, 07:06:06 PM
he'll be the next to transfer...doesn't look like he has the goods to play in the BE.
I don't think E-Will will transfer, but I also don't see him playing much, if any role this year. Think he will contribute in a Fulce like fashion his junior year, just as Fulce did his junior year. An energy guy, that can provide a spark.
Quote from: ATL MU Warrior on October 08, 2010, 07:49:38 PM
as if you would know ::)
So much for people being entitled to their opinion.
Big year for Williams. Typically, this is the biggest jump in production for a college player.
Quote from: Ners on October 08, 2010, 08:29:22 PM
I don't think E-Will will transfer, but I also don't see him playing much, if any role this year. Think he will contribute in a Fulce like fashion his junior year, just as Fulce did his junior year. An energy guy, that can provide a spark.
I can foresee him transferring also. Some of the talent behind him will likely catch up and surpass him. This will be a telling year for him. If he's not playing 12 minutes/game by the end of the year, he's gone. Mind you, hope it's not true.
Quote from: KC2016 on October 08, 2010, 09:34:41 PM
I can foresee him transferring also. Some of the talent behind him will likely catch up and surpass him. This will be a telling year for him. If he's not playing 12 minutes/game by the end of the year, he's gone. Mind you, hope it's not true.
Williams wasn't a top 10-15 recruit
At a quality major basketball program, it's far from uncommon for players to not play much their first two years and then as a junior/senior, they finally become part of the regular rotation even if it's not as a starter.
That said, with as much as Buzz seems to love recruiting athletic guys in that 6'5-6'7 range, it is quite possible that if Williams can't get on the floor most games this year for even just 5-10 minutes, he could get passed over in his junior/senior years by the kids coming in behind him.
My hope is that if EW doesn't play much this year, he and Buzz sit down and have a very honest talk about where Williams likely stands in the pecking order compared to others in the program. If Buzz feels that EW faces tough odds to get regular minutes as a junior/senior, then i'd hope Buzz leaves it completely up to Eric as to whether he'd still want to stay without Buzz trying to push him to transfer because he sure seems like a great kid, but maybe lacking in some natural basketball instincts.
Quote from: El Duderino on October 08, 2010, 11:00:54 PM
My hope is that if EW doesn't play much this year, he and Buzz sit down and have a very honest talk about where Williams likely stands in the pecking order compared to others in the program. If Buzz feels that EW faces tough odds to get regular minutes as a junior/senior, then i'd hope Buzz leaves it completely up to Eric as to whether he'd still want to stay without Buzz trying to push him to transfer because he sure seems like a great kid, but maybe lacking in some natural basketball instincts.
Yeah, that sounds way better than him being a contributor. Why would you hope that? He wasn't ranked 10-15 but was ranked as high as plenty of our new players are. It's not like he didn't see the court as a freshman.
Quote from: mupanther on October 08, 2010, 02:16:47 PM
E Williams didn't show me too much at the Pro-Am this summer. It should be fun to see how he fits in this season.
I disagree. I watched him closely at the Pro-Am. He was active on the boards, more assertive with the ball, and he was hitting a decent percentage of his jumpers.
With a lot of freshmen, the game seems to be moving too fast. That was definitely the case with Erik last year, he was rushing things. This summer, I could see the game slowing down for him a bit. With Fulce presumably getting more minutes, I can see him getting the type of minutes Joe did last year.
Quote from: The Golden Avalanche on October 08, 2010, 09:00:23 PM
So much for people being entitled to their opinion.
Aren't I entitled to my opinion as well? Or is it only those that have negative opinions of our players and coaches that are allowed to post them here?
In case you couldn't figure it out, my opinion is that a guy posting anonymously on a fan message board is in no position to call a kid on our team out for not being good enough to play in the Big East.
I am pulling for EWill. When TC bolted and Buzz arrived, he was the first to speak out that he wanted to stay at Marquette. He chose the school not the coach. Who knows what kind of impact he had on the follow on decisions of others.
That's a good point. Forgot about that. Things like that count for me.
Quote from: ATL MU Warrior on October 09, 2010, 06:29:42 AM
Aren't I entitled to my opinion as well? Or is it only those that have negative opinions of our players and coaches that are allowed to post them here?
In case you couldn't figure it out, my opinion is that a guy posting anonymously on a fan message board is in no position to call a kid on our team out for not being good enough to play in the Big East.
Sure. I got it. And, of course, your opinion counts just as much as mine, his, or Elmo.
Next time, just try to let it out without so much condescension because it's not that far fetched of a thought. Seems like everything here has to be done in extremes. Moderate thought is out. Much like society.
Quote from: The Golden Avalanche on October 09, 2010, 11:10:03 AM
Sure. I got it. And, of course, your opinion counts just as much as mine, his, or Elmo.
Next time, just try to let it out without so much condescension because it's not that far fetched of a thought. Seems like everything here has to be done in extremes. Moderate thought is out. Much like society.
I guess this -- ::) -- was supposed to take the edge off my comment. Must not have worked.
I don't think EWill will transfer. I remember a lot of talk about him transferring last year and if he was going to transfer he would have done it by now. I also liked his effort at the pro-am. I root for him as if he were a walk on. He seems like a nice kid who from everything i heard has a great relationship with buzz.
At the same time in his career, I did not think Dwight Burke would ever play much. That shows you what hard work can do. Williams is more talented than Burke, but as of now he cannot play defense like Burke did. As far as transferring, I think all the transfer talk was from fans like me, who thought he would be frustrated with so little playing time. I do not think Eric ever gave an indication that he was even thinking of transferring. I do not see him transferring at this point.
People need to remember Burke's development. Burke was completely lost as a freshman. E Will has already looked 100 times better on offense than Burke looked in his first 2 years. As for Defense I think the 5 spot is one of the toughest to play because in addition to guarding your man you are supposed to watch everyone else to see if some beats their man and is on the way to the basket. It takes time to get the feel for this. Plus due to the fact that big men developer later you will normally be facing upper classmen at the 5. I really hope that Buzz stays with E Will and that E Will stays with it. I think that if he does next year at this time we will be talking about E Will as an intregal part of the front line as a junior. It just takes time. And when he gets there he will be the best offensive 5 we've had in a while (not counting the out of position 5s like Lazer).
Quote from: NotAnAlum on October 10, 2010, 09:35:39 PM
People need to remember Burke's development. Burke was completely lost as a freshman. E Will has already looked 100 times better on offense than Burke looked in his first 2 years. As for Defense I think the 5 spot is one of the toughest to play because in addition to guarding your man you are supposed to watch everyone else to see if some beats their man and is on the way to the basket. It takes time to get the feel for this. Plus due to the fact that big men developer later you will normally be facing upper classmen at the 5. I really hope that Buzz stays with E Will and that E Will stays with it. I think that if he does next year at this time we will be talking about E Will as an intregal part of the front line as a junior. It just takes time. And when he gets there he will be the best offensive 5 we've had in a while (not counting the out of position 5s like Lazer).
Eric Williams will be just as out of position at the 5 as Lazar was.
Quote from: MarkCharles on October 10, 2010, 11:02:06 PM
Eric Williams will be just as out of position at the 5 as Lazar was.
+1