Hey all, after watching a lot of SEC and ACC games the past month (along with MU games of course), I got to wondering how many of these schools relied on 5th and 6th year players (the SEC has a ton of these players spread throughout the conference). With so many SEC schools in the AP Top 25, l went ahead and looked at the rosters of the Top 25. Of note, the only two AP Top 25 teams that have no 5th or 5th year players are Purdue and Marquette. Everyone else has at least one 5th/6th year player.
AP Top 25 teams with most 5th/6th year players
17 Kentucky - 6 (3 starters/3 bench)
4 Alabama - 4 (4 starters)
7 Texas A&M - 4 (1 starter/3 bench)
11 Wisconsin - 4 (3 starters/1 bench)
24 Mississippi - 4 (2 starters/2 bench)
5 Houston - 3 (2 starters/1 bench)
12 Michigan - 3 (2 starters/1 bench)
15 Missouri - 3 (1 starters/2 bench)
22 Memphis - 3 (2 starters/1 bench)
1 Auburn - 2 (2 starters)
3 Duke - 2 (1 starter/1 bench)
6 Tennessee - 2 (1 starter/1 bench)
8 Iowa State - 2 (1 starter/1 bench)
9 Texas Tech - 2 (2 starters)
10 St. John's - 2 (2 starters)
18 Clemson - 2 (1 starter/1 bench)
19 Arizona - 2 (1 starter/1 bench)
20 Maryland - 2 (1 starter/1 bench)
23 Kansas - 2 (2 starters)
25 Louisville - 2 (1 starter/1 bench)
2 Florida - 1 (1 bench)
14 Michigan State - 1 (1 starter)
21 Mississippi State - 1 (1 starter)
13 Purdue - 0
16 Marquette - 0
** EDIT: New AP Top 25 teams #23 St. Mary's has 2 (2 starters) and #25 BYU has 3 (2 starters/1 bench) **
As for the Big East, Marquette is the only school with no 5th or 6th year players.
Big East
Xavier - 8 (3 starters/5 bench)
Butler - 3 (2 starters/1 bench)
DePaul - 3 (2 starters/1 bench)
St. John's - 2 (2 starters)
Creighton - 2 (2 starters)
Villanova - 2 (2 starters)
Seton Hall - 2 (2 starters)
UConn - 1 (1 starter)
Georgetown - 1 (1 starter)
Providence - 1 (1 bench)
Marquette - 0
Obviously, not every 5th/6th year player is great or a difference maker, but lots of teams rely on them. It will be interesting to see how many players will be eligible as a 5th year player next year because there are no more COVID years available.
So, Shaka's build and develop from within philosophy may be more beneficial in the next several years as there may be fewer 5th years for other teams to poach.
This is really interesting information. Thank you for doing this.
Quote from: Norm on February 24, 2025, 12:10:48 PMHey all, after watching a lot of SEC and ACC games the past month (along with MU games of course), I got to wondering how many of these schools relied on 5th and 6th year players (the SEC has a ton of these players spread throughout the conference). With so many SEC schools in the AP Top 25, l went ahead and looked at the rosters of the Top 25. Of note, the only two AP Top 25 teams that have no 5th or 5th year players are Purdue and Marquette. Everyone else has at least one 5th/6th year player.
AP Top 25 teams with most 5th/6th year players
17 Kentucky - 6 (3 starters/3 bench)
4 Alabama - 4 (4 starters)
7 Texas A&M - 4 (1 starter/3 bench)
11 Wisconsin - 4 (3 starters/1 bench)
24 Mississippi - 4 (2 starters/2 bench)
5 Houston - 3 (2 starters/1 bench)
12 Michigan - 3 (2 starters/1 bench)
15 Missouri - 3 (1 starters/2 bench)
22 Memphis - 3 (2 starters/1 bench)
1 Auburn - 2 (2 starters)
3 Duke - 2 (1 starter/1 bench)
6 Tennessee - 2 (1 starter/1 bench)
8 Iowa State - 2 (1 starter/1 bench)
9 Texas Tech - 2 (2 starters)
10 St. John's - 2 (2 starters)
18 Clemson - 2 (1 starter/1 bench)
19 Arizona - 2 (1 starter/1 bench)
20 Maryland - 2 (1 starter/1 bench)
23 Kansas - 2 (2 starters)
25 Louisville - 2 (1 starter/1 bench)
2 Florida - 1 (1 bench)
14 Michigan State - 1 (1 starter)
21 Mississippi State - 1 (1 starter)
13 Purdue - 0
16 Marquette - 0
As for the Big East, Marquette is the only school with no 5th or 6th year players.
Big East
Xavier - 8 (3 starters/5 bench)
Butler - 3 (2 starters/1 bench)
DePaul - 3 (2 starters/1 bench)
St. John's - 2 (2 starters)
Creighton - 2 (2 starters)
Villanova - 2 (2 starters)
Seton Hall - 2 (2 starters)
UConn - 1 (1 starter)
Georgetown - 1 (1 starter)
Providence - 1 (1 bench)
Marquette - 0
Obviously, not every 5th/6th year player is great or a difference maker, but lots of teams rely on them. It will be interesting to see how many players will be eligible as a 5th year player next year because there are no more COVID years available.
So, Shaka's build and develop from within philosophy may be more beneficial in the next several years as there may be fewer 5th years for other teams to poach.
Can you redo this with the updated Top 25 rankings? 😂
This is an AWESOME chart. Thanks for sharing.
Quote from: The Sultan on February 24, 2025, 12:11:52 PMThis is really interesting information. Thank you for doing this.
Agreed
Wow ... some of these teams are old as F!
With "only" 3 seniors and 2 juniors in the starting lineup, MU is practically the Kiddie Korps!!
Quote from: Norm on February 24, 2025, 12:10:48 PMHey all, after watching a lot of SEC and ACC games the past month (along with MU games of course), I got to wondering how many of these schools relied on 5th and 6th year players (the SEC has a ton of these players spread throughout the conference). With so many SEC schools in the AP Top 25, l went ahead and looked at the rosters of the Top 25. Of note, the only two AP Top 25 teams that have no 5th or 5th year players are Purdue and Marquette. Everyone else has at least one 5th/6th year player.
AP Top 25 teams with most 5th/6th year players
17 Kentucky - 6 (3 starters/3 bench)
4 Alabama - 4 (4 starters)
7 Texas A&M - 4 (1 starter/3 bench)
11 Wisconsin - 4 (3 starters/1 bench)
24 Mississippi - 4 (2 starters/2 bench)
5 Houston - 3 (2 starters/1 bench)
12 Michigan - 3 (2 starters/1 bench)
15 Missouri - 3 (1 starters/2 bench)
22 Memphis - 3 (2 starters/1 bench)
1 Auburn - 2 (2 starters)
3 Duke - 2 (1 starter/1 bench)
6 Tennessee - 2 (1 starter/1 bench)
8 Iowa State - 2 (1 starter/1 bench)
9 Texas Tech - 2 (2 starters)
10 St. John's - 2 (2 starters)
18 Clemson - 2 (1 starter/1 bench)
19 Arizona - 2 (1 starter/1 bench)
20 Maryland - 2 (1 starter/1 bench)
23 Kansas - 2 (2 starters)
25 Louisville - 2 (1 starter/1 bench)
2 Florida - 1 (1 bench)
14 Michigan State - 1 (1 starter)
21 Mississippi State - 1 (1 starter)
13 Purdue - 0
16 Marquette - 0
As for the Big East, Marquette is the only school with no 5th or 6th year players.
Big East
Xavier - 8 (3 starters/5 bench)
Butler - 3 (2 starters/1 bench)
DePaul - 3 (2 starters/1 bench)
St. John's - 2 (2 starters)
Creighton - 2 (2 starters)
Villanova - 2 (2 starters)
Seton Hall - 2 (2 starters)
UConn - 1 (1 starter)
Georgetown - 1 (1 starter)
Providence - 1 (1 bench)
Marquette - 0
Obviously, not every 5th/6th year player is great or a difference maker, but lots of teams rely on them. It will be interesting to see how many players will be eligible as a 5th year player next year because there are no more COVID years available.
So, Shaka's build and develop from within philosophy may be more beneficial in the next several years as there may be fewer 5th years for other teams to poach.
Hmmmmm....
I can't wait for all the covid eligibility to run out. And while I know it's going to happen, I also hate the idea of 5 years of eligibility.