Next Year

[dgies9156]

Given that this year is all-but-over, a lot has been made of expectations for next year. Here's three scenarios based on what I read in Scoop and elsewhere that could frame the discussion. Just some beginning thoughts...

MEDIOCRITY -- We retain the five underclassmen on this year's team. We have three of our four recruits active and defer NN's situation for a year. Between Jucos and our recruits, we're better than this year and we fill in some significant holes, particularly at point guard and general scoring. Henry shows the results of playing too many games in Northwestern Wisconsin. He's good but he goes through an adjustment period. Our other freshmen contribute.

We win 15 to 18 games (on a 30 game schedule). We make the NIT (barely), Wojo has another good recruiting year and 2016-2017 looks like "the" year. Just in time for the 40th anniversary of our 1977 team. I'll leave Bama to do the precise statistics, but this looks like a 60% shot for 2015-2016.

NOTABLE IMPROVEMENT -- Jujuan and Steve go on an off-season condition and training program designed to correct weaknesses in their games. Jujuan fixes the hitch in his shot and STjr is physically better. Henry and the newbies hit and although they have some freshman weaknesses, they are everything that's advertised. Duane looks remarkable and Luke gets some much needed help underneath from STjr and Henry. Wally turns out to be the real thing too and we begin to look like something really special. We add some depth from the Juco world which gets us past those "close" games we lost this year.

We dominate the lower half of the conference, split with Georgetown and Villanova and win all but one of our pre-conference games. We go back to winning virtually all of our home games. We win 18 to 21 games and become a 7th seed in the NCAA tournament. Wojo has a remarkable recruiting year and the talk at the end of the year, after we lose in the second round of the NCAA, is about Marquette's reawakening and becoming the "Duke of the Cheeselands." Probability of happening -- about 35%.

WEEDLAND -- This year's returning team members become battle-hardened, take no prisoners and play the game to dominate. Henry and the recruits are the real thing. Wojo fills the remaining roster with high-quality Jucos and Diamond Stone wakes up one morning and decides he's nuts to go anywhere except Marquette. We have the Number 2 recruiting class in the nation (after Kentucky selects who it wants for 2015-2016) and they step up immediately and contribute. Our returning team sets the example and Jujuan is named Most Improved Player in the Big East; Luke is named Player of the Year; and, Henry is named Freshman of the Year. Oh, and Wojo is named Coach of the Year Nationally.

We win 25 games, become a 3 seed in the NCAA. We mow through the first round and get to the Elite 8, where we lose to Kentucky after we defeat Duke and Indiana. Talk around campus and in the bars of Milwaukee is that Marquette has a legitimate shot at celebrating its 40th Anniversary of the National Championship with another National Championship. Wojo has a late signing bonanza and competes with Kentucky, Duke and Villanova for the best recruiting classes in the Nation.

Probability of Happening -- Let's just say I called this Weedland for a reason. Recreational marijuana use will be legalized on the Marquette Campus before this happens. Seriously, this has a 5% or less chance, but we go to games in hope that it does!

[GoldenWarrior11]

Forget next year.  I'm looking forward to the Wojo to ____ topics that will start once the season ends.  Georgia Tech could have an opening once the season ends.  I can already see the "Steve wants to go back home to the ACC lines". 

[dgies9156]

Forget next year.  I'm looking forward to the Wojo to ____ topics that will start once the season ends. 

That won't happen until 2015-2016 at the earliest.

[frozena pizza]

If you are going to include the nearly impossible best case scenario, you should also include the equally likely worst possible scenario.  Henry suddenly decommits and goes to Bucky, or tears his ACL or decides to play in Europe.  Wally focuses on track and Duane and/or Cohen transfer while others show no significant improvement.  More injuries, shorter rotations.  Wojo resigns in January amid an academic scandal.  Lower level tickets are being given away for free at McCormick.  Georgetown and Villanova start D-1 football programs and move to the ACC.  Buzz writes a tell all exposing corruption within the Board of Trustees.  McAdams continues to blog.  We change our name from Golden Eagles to Goldilocks, to "make a splash."  Aaron Rodgers demands a trade to the Bears.  Floods, hail, locusts, famine, rivers of blood...

[Lennys Tap]

Great read, DG - made my day.

[dgies9156]

Aaron Rodgers demands a trade to the Bears.

Probability of happening is about the same as Illinois having a balanced budget in 2016; someone beating Rahm Emmanual; or, Barack Obama being a keynote speaker at the Republican National Convention.

I think there's a better chance that a Martian Invasion Force will walk up Michigan Avenue in Chicago!

[ecompt]

Forget next year.  I'm looking forward to the Wojo to ____ topics that will start once the season ends.  Georgia Tech could have an opening once the season ends.  I can already see the "Steve wants to go back home to the ACC lines". 

I could see the Wojo to Virginia Tech rumors after Bumstead falls flat on his butt in two years.

[tower912]

If Diamond Stone comes to MU, Luke is not going to be player of the year in the Big East.    Other than that, good read. 

[frozena pizza]

Probability of happening is about the same as Illinois having a balanced budget in 2016; someone beating Rahm Emmanual; or, Barack Obama being a keynote speaker at the Republican National Convention.

I think there's a better chance that a Martian Invasion Force will walk up Michigan Avenue in Chicago!

Funny that it was that part that was too much for you.  I don't know, I've been hearing these Jay Cutler trade rumors...

[Spotcheck Billy]

I could see the Wojo to Virginia Tech rumors after Bumstead falls flat on his butt in two years.

don't think that is going to happen, he's already got the rest of the ACC talking about his success there, even ACC COY mentions

[LAZER]

Forget next year.  I'm looking forward to the Wojo to ____ topics that will start once the season ends.  Georgia Tech could have an opening once the season ends.  I can already see the "Steve wants to go back home to the ACC lines". 

If there's one thing you won't have to worry about, it's Wojo coaching rumors this spring.

[dgies9156]

Funny that it was that part that was too much for you.  I don't know, I've been hearing these Jay Cutler trade rumors...

I'm a Bears season ticket holder but have come to expect mediocrity from them. Kinda like expecting the sun to come up.

I think Martians will kidnap my wife before the Bears win another Super Bowl.

[ecompt]

don't think that is going to happen, he's already got the rest of the ACC talking about his success there, even ACC COY mentions

Coach of the Year? They are 2-9 in conference. Shouldn't the 3-8 coach get more votes?

[PGsHeroes32]

lol we would be a 1 or 2 seed at worst if Diamond came along too.

0% chance it happens but that is a fact.

[Spotcheck Billy]

Coach of the Year? They are 2-9 in conference. Shouldn't the 3-8 coach get more votes?

I hear ya, but that's what I've read a few times lately:

This season, though, there are two ACC teams which have particularly impressed us: Virginia Tech and Clemson.
Both teams are struggling to get wins, but Virginia Tech is having an amazing season.

This is a team which earlier, remember, lost to Appalachian State, to Penn State, and which nearly lost to Radford.

This is a team which has just two inconsequential seniors, one reasonable returning junior, one JUCO transfer...and everyone else is a sophomore (one) or a freshman (five). The rest are at best spot players.

There is only one big man, Satchel Pierce, who is 7-0 and 255, but who plays 14 mpg with minimal impact (for instance, despite being an inside player, he's hitting just .433 from the floor).

Otherwise, Shane Henry gets some minutes but we bet you've never heard much from Christian Beyer, Zach LeDay or Greg Donlon.

 Buzz Williams has cajoled this group to play incredibly hard and with amazing passion.

Not that many people care.

Tonight we saw the clip of Muller hitting his big three and almost no one was there.

And that's a shame, not just because fans should support their team, blah, blah, blah, but for a very different reason.

Virginia Tech fans have a chance to witness something pretty rare. We can almost promise you this: Williams is going to turn that program around in a damn big hurry.

Next year, he'll be able to count on Muller, Adam Smith, Justin Bibb, Jalen Hudson and Maryland transfer Seth Allen, who you may recall was pretty good in College Park.

Next year he'll also have freshmen Chris Clarke, a highly regarded small forward, point guard Justin Robinson and power forward Kerry Blackshear, who should be able to provide a reasonable fascimile of a center.

In other words, about eight pretty solid players and some others who will have different roles but still be useful.

What's happening in Blacksburg, faster than in Wake Forest or Boston College, where the ACC also has new coaches, is the birth of a program. This year it'll be nip and tuck, but by this time next year - we'll eat our keyboard if this isn't true - Virginia Tech is going to be a major pain in the ass for everyone in the ACC.

You might say that team is not that great right now, just 10-14 and 2-9 in the ACC. Fine. But that team fights.

It's still early for Coach Of The Year talk, but some guys you can rule out - Jim Boeheim, Jamie Dixon, Mark Gottfried, Leonard Hamilton, Jim Christian Gregory - but on the maybe-so list you have Tony Bennett, Mike Brey,  Mike Krzyzewski, Brad Brownell and for our money Williams.

You can point to his own diagnosis of OCD, you can notice, as we have, that he is a dead ringer for a grown-up Bobby Hill, or make fun of his kinetic sideline performances. But there is no doubt the man can coach.

Virginia Tech fans, if we were you, we'd go to every possible game and watch this program grow. So what if they lose? Something big is happening and your team is about to take off in a major way. Get on for the ride.

[MerrittsMustache]

I hear ya, but that's what I've read a few times lately:

This season, though, there are two ACC teams which have particularly impressed us: Virginia Tech and Clemson.
Both teams are struggling to get wins, but Virginia Tech is having an amazing season.

This is a team which earlier, remember, lost to Appalachian State, to Penn State, and which nearly lost to Radford.

This is a team which has just two inconsequential seniors, one reasonable returning junior, one JUCO transfer...and everyone else is a sophomore (one) or a freshman (five). The rest are at best spot players.

There is only one big man, Satchel Pierce, who is 7-0 and 255, but who plays 14 mpg with minimal impact (for instance, despite being an inside player, he's hitting just .433 from the floor).

Otherwise, Shane Henry gets some minutes but we bet you've never heard much from Christian Beyer, Zach LeDay or Greg Donlon.

 Buzz Williams has cajoled this group to play incredibly hard and with amazing passion.

Not that many people care.

Tonight we saw the clip of Muller hitting his big three and almost no one was there.

And that's a shame, not just because fans should support their team, blah, blah, blah, but for a very different reason.

Virginia Tech fans have a chance to witness something pretty rare. We can almost promise you this: Williams is going to turn that program around in a damn big hurry.

Next year, he'll be able to count on Muller, Adam Smith, Justin Bibb, Jalen Hudson and Maryland transfer Seth Allen, who you may recall was pretty good in College Park.

Next year he'll also have freshmen Chris Clarke, a highly regarded small forward, point guard Justin Robinson and power forward Kerry Blackshear, who should be able to provide a reasonable fascimile of a center.

In other words, about eight pretty solid players and some others who will have different roles but still be useful.

What's happening in Blacksburg, faster than in Wake Forest or Boston College, where the ACC also has new coaches, is the birth of a program. This year it'll be nip and tuck, but by this time next year - we'll eat our keyboard if this isn't true - Virginia Tech is going to be a major pain in the ass for everyone in the ACC.

You might say that team is not that great right now, just 10-14 and 2-9 in the ACC. Fine. But that team fights.

It's still early for Coach Of The Year talk, but some guys you can rule out - Jim Boeheim, Jamie Dixon, Mark Gottfried, Leonard Hamilton, Jim Christian Gregory - but on the maybe-so list you have Tony Bennett, Mike Brey,  Mike Krzyzewski, Brad Brownell and for our money Williams.

You can point to his own diagnosis of OCD, you can notice, as we have, that he is a dead ringer for a grown-up Bobby Hill, or make fun of his kinetic sideline performances. But there is no doubt the man can coach.

Virginia Tech fans, if we were you, we'd go to every possible game and watch this program grow. So what if they lose? Something big is happening and your team is about to take off in a major way. Get on for the ride.

That was written by a Duke blogger.