Colton Crowdis committed.

[Jay Bee]

People on here really believe that 18 was a shining star in practice but just couldn't do it in real games. Come the eff on. Get a grip. There's something weird going on and it's been that way for a long time. He'll likely be a regular off the bench in the first half of games.

Some of us were saying it was insane and criminal -- the choices made by the staff -- in freaking November of last year. It was clear as day from day 1. And we're still dealing with it heading into next season. Disappointing and that's why #LastYear is a real possibility.

I think some folks are just very gullible and take what coaches say as Gospel.

[Pakuni]

OK, for a number similar to what Sheek was slated to be making at MU prior to his departure. 

Taking into account the reported $ being tossed around to any big man with a pulse.  Including Sheek.

Your argument is that Marquette couldn't hope to find a quality backup for the amount of money they were paying their (maybe) quality backup?
OK.

[Uncle Rico]

Does John Dawson have any eligibility left?

[Vander Blue Man Group]

It's not a matter of finding someone better than Sheek, especially since none of us know how good he is. It's a matter of finding someone better than Caedin and Josh, which doesn't seem the portal equivalent of climbing Everest.

Again, that goes back to the question regarding compensation - do you overpay a mediocre back-u big, which might then cause additional issues with current players?

[Jay Bee]

Again, that goes back to the question regarding compensation - do you overpay a mediocre back-u big, which might then cause additional issues with current players?

No. You effin counsel-out players not fit for this level and keep the guys who are. Instead, SS chose a different path.

[wadesworld]

Even if Sheek had stayed, why carry an RS soph C AND an RS junior C if they don't deserve playing time? He's gone and people still are saying these guys shouldn't play.

UCONN's season was ruined because they brought in two seniors who were bad low major players and they didn't expect them to play.  Oh wait, they made a national title.

Their season was ruined in 2022-2023 when they kept a 4th year junior in Richie Springs who had redshirted and then never played more than 3.5 mpg the next 3 seasons.  Oh wait, they won the national title.

There are 15 scholarship spots.  You are not going to have 15 contributors on your roster.

[wadesworld]

If the staff believed Royce could serve as the primary backup in the post, limiting CH/JC to mop-up duty, why didn't that happen last year?

Despite losing his starting gig, Caedin still played more than 10 minutes in five of the team's last 10 games, and averaged 9.5 mpg over that stretch. (Ben missed significant time in only one of those games, btw, and averaged 28 mpg ... so "Ben was hurt" is not the answer).

Beyond that, we all know Shaka puts a premium on defense. And whether we agree or not, he thinks Hamilton can defend. Given what we've seen from Royce's post defense, do you really believe Shaka is going to go with an inferior defender over a guy he thinks plays good defense?
Maybe he will, but history suggests otherwise.

Well, Royce missed one of those games with injury and had 4 fouls in two of the other games, and one was a 22 point win for Marquette when we were up 30-13 fourteen minutes in and it never got within 11 and the biggest lead was 27.

So, of the 5 games he played double digit minutes, one of Ben or Royce was injured or in foul trouble for...four of the games.  The fifth was a game Marquette had an 82% or greater win probability from 32 seconds left in the first half on, and 99.9% win probability from 14:32 left in the game on.

So yeah, he basically only played significant minutes when one of our two capable bigs were in foul trouble or out with injury.

[Jay Bee]

So yeah, he basically only played significant minutes when one of our two capable bigs were in foul trouble or out with injury.

He was in the regular rotation in the first half of games throughout the year.

That was wrong.

[Vander Blue Man Group]

No. You effin counsel-out players not fit for this level and keep the guys who are. Instead, SS chose a different path.

[Small Orange Soda]

UCONN's season was ruined because they brought in two seniors who were bad low major players and they didn't expect them to play.  Oh wait, they made a national title.

Their season was ruined in 2022-2023 when they kept a 4th year junior in Richie Springs who had redshirted and then never played more than 3.5 mpg the next 3 seasons.  Oh wait, they won the national title.

There are 15 scholarship spots.  You are not going to have 15 contributors on your roster.

Yes, there are 15 roster spots. One is empty, one is for what Ben Steele has said is a 'practice player', two are redshirt freshmen, and two are incoming freshmen. All of a sudden that number doesn't seem nearly as big when talking about two more guys that people don't think should play, especially since none of those five guys play center and only one of the other seven does.

[Vander Blue Man Group]

Yes, there are 15 roster spots. One is empty, one is for what Ben Steele has said is a 'practice player', two are redshirt freshmen, and two are incoming freshmen. All of a sudden that number doesn't seem nearly as big when talking about two more guys that people don't think should play, especially since none of those five guys play center and only one of the other seven does.

So 2 of Egbuonu, Johnston, Miletic, Walker, Clark, and Hamilton will need to provide some decent minutes if you want to have 9 guys in the rotation. 

That doesn't seem like an unrealistic expectation to me. 

[Pakuni]

Again, that goes back to the question regarding compensation - do you overpay a mediocre back-u big, which might then cause additional issues with current players?

If the going rate for a backup big for a P5 program is $X, then $X is by definition not an overpay. You pay what the market requires, not what you feel is fair.
I'm sure there are plenty of P4 football programs that would love not to pay $2+ million for a decent starting QB, but the reasonable solution to that is not "Let's not have a decent starting QB."
The solution to the pricey backup big market should not be "Let's not have a decent backup big."

What additional issues? Are we supposed to be afraid that Player A is going to not only care, but actually get upset, about how much a teammate earns? So much so that Player A will tank or quit? And you have to dole out compensation in such a way that it pleases the other players?
Sounds like a terrible way to manage a roster.

If there are issues, it's the coach's job to manage egos. If he can't, he probably won't be around for long (see: Wojciechowski, Steve).

[Pakuni]

So yeah, he basically only played significant minutes when one of our two capable bigs were in foul trouble or out with injury.

Well then, it's a good thing the two capable bigs this year will never have foul trouble or get hurt.

[Uncle Rico]

Well then, it's a good thing the two capable bigs this year will never have foul trouble or get hurt.

If the two capable bigs are out for an extended period, it won't matter regardless of the backups because no team has four bigs of similar skill levels

[Small Orange Soda]

So 2 of Egbuonu, Johnston, Miletic, Walker, Clark, and Hamilton will need to provide some decent minutes if you want to have 9 guys in the rotation. 

That doesn't seem like an unrealistic expectation to me. 

I don't think it's unrealistic outside of the center position. When 2 of the 3 players on your roster at one position don't appear up to snuff, it's a problem. And before anyone says 'well, what was he supposed to do?', let's not act like this wasn't an ongoing issue the past two years. That's like ignoring a leaky pipe and then when you're standing in a foot of water saying it's not your fault.

And anyone saying 'Shaka couldn't have seen Sheek leaving' while also claiming 'what do you expect? This is what happens when you play the portal game' is talking out of both sides of their mouth.

[hawk]

I thought this thread was about Colton, who by the way I think was a very nice addition to the program.  He seems to have a Kolek like chip on his shoulder, seems to be very talented and very coachable.  Nice aquisitiion. 

As for the constant crying over Hamilton and to a lesser extent Clark I would suggest getting over it.  Hamilton and Clark were not respnsible for last seasnon's record.  The reason for last season's woes, in no particular order were, under performance by Gold and Ross, injury to Sean Jones, the Lowery isue and the lack of development of Norman.  This team is better than that team at the 5 spot and the 3 spot.  Fru is better than Gold was and any combination of Owens,Philips or Egbouno will be better than Ros was, who had the misfortune of playing his entire career out of position. 

Smart lke to play his starters 25 to 35 minutes a game, That will not change.  I expect the substituton pattern in the first half of games will remain the same and that Hamilton is going to get some minutes in the first half of every game because he will be an upper classman and is capable of 5 minutes a game.  If he is better than that it is a plus for MU.  As for Clark if he has some staminina he has shown the ability to dunk and block shots.  MU has a tree headed center position and I have every confidence that this team in and imagined configuration, will win 20 plus games and go dancing.

[Pakuni]

If the two capable bigs are out for an extended period, it won't matter regardless of the backups because no team has four bigs of similar skill levels

There's a pretty wide gulf between "one guy is limited to 22 minutes due to foul trouble a few times" or "one guy misses a couple games with a sprained ankle" and "both guys are out for weeks."
The first two can be managed/ameliorated through depth, and good teams do that routinely. Marquette did it when TK went down at the end of the 23-24 season. Illinois did it last year when Boswell and Stojakovic missed games.
That's what we're talking about here, not doomsday scenarios. Or at least I thought so.

[Uncle Rico]

There's a pretty wide gulf between "one guy is limited to 22 minutes due to foul trouble a few times" or "one guy misses a couple games with a sprained ankle" and "both guys are out for weeks."
The first two can be managed/ameliorated through depth, and good teams do that routinely. Marquette did it when TK went down at the end of the 23-24 season. Illinois did it last year when Boswell and Stojakovic missed games.
That's what we're talking about here, not doomsday scenarios. Or at least I thought so.

There are different ways to manage those situations with lineup manipulations besides big for big.

I'd like to see the guys who haven't played play and then freak out appropriately.

I do believe we are at the point of the discussion where some are hoping for doomsday just to say, "told you so".  Even if it's just a handful of games.