Katz article on Freshmen impact

[Big Papi]

A little while back we were debating if Lazar's impact was effected by his ineligibility.  Katz has an interesting article on freshmen impact and in it ND head coach Brey made some interesting comments.  I have added his comments down below but the entire article is a very good read.

http://sports.espn.go.com/ncb/columns/story?columnist=katz_andy&id=2706124

"Brey said the summer programs allowing the freshmen to go to school and work out on campus have made a huge difference in the development. So, too, have the individual instruction coaches can give their players a few hours a week as soon as school starts.


"We've got a four-to-six week start of lifting, playing pickup and individual work that gets them ready for Oct. 15," Brey said. "The freshmen now are more ready by Nov. 1 than Jan. 1, which was when they were in the past [before the recent rule of allowing players to go to summer school and giving coaches individual instruction time in the early fall]. They used to wet their beds on Oct. 14, not sure what the head coach would do and scared to make their first layup. Now they're ready to roll when practice starts. Eventually the NCAA will probably let us work with them in the summer, too."


Considering the open looks that Hayward missed badly against UW, that outcome MIGHT have been a bit different if he was able to practice from the onset.  I still expect big things from him this year.