[Rosiak's Blog] Erik Williams will transfer

[jsglow]

I don't think you have to redshirt before your frosh year.

[ZiggysFryBoy]

You get 5 years to play 4.

[bamamarquettefan]

Here we go again with the excuse makers.

Willie – I don't get the excuse making comment.  I actually was happy to jump at the chance to agree with your last post on Kojis, but I'm back to being puzzled by this one.

If I can refer you back to my March 29 post, Erik Williams was the only player or recruit projected not to create any wins for Marquette the next two years.

http://www.crackedsidewalks.com/2011/03/win-credits-predicts-26-wins-for-mu.html

Anticipated wins created in 2011:  Crowder 6, DJO 5.7, Blue 3.6, Otule 2.5, Cadougan 2.3, Anderson 1.9, J. Wilson 1.9, Singleton 1.2, Gardner 0.9, D. Wilson 0.3, Mayo 0.3, Jones 0, Erik Williams 0

Anticipated wins created in 2011:  Blue 5.2, Otule 3.6, Cadougan 3.5, Anderson 3.3, J. Wilson 3.1, Ferguson 1.9, Gardner 1.8, D. Wilson 1.2, Mayo 1.2, Jones 1.2, Erik Williams 0.

I admit there are some things we don't like about basketball being a business, but from Erik's perspective wouldn't it be better for him if he went somewhere else to make his mark?

Scott Christopherson was a good shooter and ballhandler for a Iowa State team that went 3-13 in the Big 12 - he wasn't going to contribute at MU so he is much better off there

Patrick Hazel went to Boston University where he could be the starting center and turn into one of the best shot blockers and rebounders in the American East - things he wasn't going to do playing center at 6-foot-6 for MU in the Big East.

Liam McMorrow gives Tennessee Tech a great 10 minutes a game off the bench, and the OVC guys only option is to play "Hack a Shack" on the 7-footer because he grabs the rebounds and will hit the follow-up.  He simply wouldn't be getting those 10 minutes a game with Gardner and Otule's improvement this year.

So my question is, isn't Marquette better off than if we had had to give up three of our current players to give these guys scholarships to sit on the bench, but also, aren't all three of these guys better off having now gotten a total of 5 years of college paid for with the addition of a red shirt year and being able to contribute to a team winning instead of sitting at the end of our bench?

This is why you never stop recruiting.  One thing I believe Jack Welch had one thing right - if someone is in a position where they aren't ever likely to contribute, you owe it to them to get them out of that spot.  Everyone has talents they can utilize, and they can only find the right spot where they will be happy if they are forced out of a spot where they won't.

[TJ]

However, he did not play alot for two reasons. One was defense and the other was he did not know the offense well. Buzz mentioned several times in post game shows that Eric and Joe Fulce never fully grasp the offense and had to be directed by Butler where they should be.

I remember clearly Buzz saying this about Erik, but I don't remember anything about Fulce having this issue.  Fulce could only stand so many minutes because his knees are nearly completely shot, but I don't remember hearing anything about him not grasping O or D.

[bilsu]

I remember clearly Buzz saying this about Erik, but I don't remember anything about Fulce having this issue.  Fulce could only stand so many minutes because his knees are nearly completely shot, but I don't remember hearing anything about him not grasping O or D.

He also said it about Fulce. Fulce was an energy guy that had a good nose for rebounding.

[Norm]

If Erik wants to play more, its probably a good thing that he is transferring. Of the RSCI Top 100 for his class (he was #67), only 14 players saw less playing time than Erik (4 of whom never played a D-1 game). In two years at Marquette, Williams only saw 274 minutes in playing time - and the majority of those were in non-league play. (Ironically, in 2 seasons at Mu and Tennessee, Jeronne Maymon also has 274 minutes in playing time). Good luck Erik.

[JamilJaeJamailJrJuan]

Too bad, but probably best for Erik. I was kind of excited to see what he could do this year. I thought he was a pretty tenacious rebounder. Best of luck to you in the future, Erik.

[mileskishnish72]

Erik was a top 100 recruit who stayed with MU when many might not have. The development and progression just didn't happen, probably leading to some disappointment on both sides. It's not going all kumbaya to wish him well elsewhere.

[Coleman]

Obviously not surprising, but .. odd for Erik.

Erik never struck me as a guy with fire in his belly to gain maximum playing time.  He was a minor bench player and on an upward trend, heading for 10-12 mpg and maybe 20 his senior year, if he showed progress.   Is 20 mpg on a BE contender, better than 33 mpg on a mid-major scrapping for an NIT bid?

For some people, yes. For others, no. Some players simply want to play basketball, and would gladly play 30+ minutes on a mid major instead of 10 on a major. And I'm not going to tell them they're wrong.

[Ari Gold]

tip of the hat to bama for such a quality argument in a post

[Jacks DC]

tip of the hat to bama for such a quality argument in a post

Good breakdown but I'm not sure I completely agree.  So because E-Will does not project to have any win credits for next year we are better off not having him on the roster and instead having yet another open roster spot to fill?  Who are we bringing in to replace him that is going to have more of an impact next year?  I think E-Will was getting close to making a contribution.  Plus we should all know by now that there are always injuries and other issues that can quickly expose a lack of depth.  Nonetheless I understand his reasons, especially with the injury, and wish him the best.

[GGGG]

"Close to making a contribution."

Was that supposed to be a complement?  Honestly, if that is the best thing we can say about a guy who has been given every opportunity to make a contribution at a position where we are thin, then well, we probably won't miss him too much.

As for depth, that is why they need to bring in a guy next year.  Chris Bryant would be fine with me. 

[Jacks DC]

Chris Bryant is a lower rated recruit than Williams was out of high school, is not at all ready to contribute at a Big East level, and by the way, hasn't signed with Marquette.  But sorry to sweat the details.

[GGGG]

Chris Bryant is a lower rated recruit than Williams was out of high school,

So was Devante....and DJO...and Jae...and JFB...  Should I go on?

is not at all ready to contribute at a Big East level

Oh...and you know this how???

hasn't signed with Marquette.  But sorry to sweat the details.

Look, I don't want EWill to leave.  But I just don't understand where people saw that he was "close to making a contribution."  Frankly, I saw very little improvement when he was here.

[Jacks DC]

Look, I don't want EWill to leave. 

Glad we agree.  I just think it's unlikely we will replace him with someone who will have more of an impact this year.  Maybe E-Will wouldn't have had an impact either, but if someone gets hurt, I'd rather have Williams available than an unknown.

[Coleman]

but if someone gets hurt, I'd rather have Williams available than an unknown.

This.

Unfortunately, from his perspective, that isn't reason enough to stay at MU. And I can hardly blame him.

Kinda sucks, but totally understandable. Wish he was staying, but since he's not, good luck to him.

[hdog1017]

Does he have any restrictions as to where he can transfer?  The article doesn't mention any.  I'm assuming no Big East schools or Wisconsin. 

[Nukem2]

Does he have any restrictions as to where he can transfer?  The article doesn't mention any.  I'm assuming no Big East schools or Wisconsin. 

No BE schools as per BE rules.  Doubt that WI would be an exclusion as he is from TX and is likely to go back to TX (and Bucky is out of scholies anyway unless someone got Markolf-ed... ).  In short, I doubt that there would be any special exclusions or restrctions.

[Norm]

Lots of people on here claim that Buzz gave Williams every opportunity to succeed and he just didn't take advantage of it. I'm not at practice, so I have no idea how he performed in practices, but I'm not sure Buzz gave him all that much opportunities during games to let him "grab his spot." It seemed that every time he made a mistake defensively Buzz yanked him. The problem, in my eyes, was not that he'd get yanked when he made a mistake defensively, but that Buzz would let others continue to stay in the game after they also made mistakes on the D end. The hook just seemed much quicker for Williams, especially on a team that was not known for its defensive prowess this past season. In his career at MU, Williams didn't even play in half of the games he suited up for - he collected 28 DNP's in 51 contests, with the majority of those DNP's coming in Big East games. He played 274 minutes in his two years at MU (out of 2,040 minutes in 51 games). Buzz may have been able to give him more time in the next couple years, but I guess I can't blame him for wanting to leave. Hopefully it works out for him wherever he lands at the next stop.

[GGGG]

Does he have any restrictions as to where he can transfer?  The article doesn't mention any.  I'm assuming no Big East schools or Wisconsin. 

He can transfer anywhere outside the BE that he wants.  He could go to Wisconsin and wouldn't need permission.  If it weren't for the BE rule, he could go to a BE school. 

The cases in the past where we have restricted players movement is because we let them out of their NLI.  But once they are for a year, they can go wherever they want.

[Coleman]

He can transfer anywhere outside the BE that he wants.  He could go to Wisconsin and wouldn't need permission.  If it weren't for the BE rule, he could go to a BE school. 

The cases in the past where we have restricted players movement is because we let them out of their NLI.  But once they are for a year, they can go wherever they want.

You sure? I thought that applied for Maymon...

[GGGG]

Maymon didn't stay here a year.  Neither did Smith.  Recruits are bound to the campus for a year once they sign their NLI.  After a year, they can go anywhere.

[bilsu]

You sure? I thought that applied for Maymon...

When you need a release, a team can put restrictions on it. I doubt that Bo would of taken Maymon, so it is not likely that restriction would of even been put on him.

[Litehouse]

(and Bucky is out of scholies anyway unless someone got Markolf-ed... ).

I always thought the correct terminology was getting "Bo-ned".

[mu03eng]

Glad we agree.  I just think it's unlikely we will replace him with someone who will have more of an impact this year.  Maybe E-Will wouldn't have had an impact either, but if someone gets hurt, I'd rather have Williams available than an unknown.

Keep in mind with Williams shoulder injury he won't be able to do much in the way of basketball until September/October so he is going to miss a lot of time.  Based on what he has showed so far, we can get a player who in year one might not be as high of value, but we also get him three years after that instead of just one.