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- Thread starter kougkurt
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If Cedric Coward joins WSU, that will be 4. This player is ok at 10 ppg, 3 rebounds, but on most teams, this player would probably be a bench role player. At least he has height.
I hope Riley isn't going to pull a Paul Wulf and just transfer most to almost all, whole EWU, players, coaches, team, and transform WSU into a FCS level, Big Sky level team that would get owned, dominated by better competition, like Gonzaga, St Mary, San Diego, San Fran, OSU, etc.
I share your concerns, Mik. We need to give Coach Riley a couple of seasons to establish his recruiting, but it sure feels like WSU is transforming from a Pac-12 (2) program into a Big Sky program.
Glad Cougar
Erikstrup was a bench role player at Eastern. He started 2 games the last two years. This is a big pickup for strengthening the bench.
Danny Sprinkle, The new uw coach, took several of his Big Sky team, along with a few other transfers from other schools and won the WAC this past season.
I'd be lying if I didn't feel this MBB hire felt Wuffian. Hope to eat crow, but I don't like what my gut is telling me.
Relax. Our best players this year were from Idaho and Sonoma State, programs that don't hold a candle to EWU. I'd be concerned if we were taking mid level players from them, but we're only picking off their top players.
Not to worried for this year. It’s actually a good thing for a transition year getting players who know the coach and his system. Any players he was recruiting to EWU are probably below the level he hopes to recruit to WSU.
Dane averaged 10.75 pts per game in EWU’s four games against PAC 12 opponents this year. Sorry missed the Stanford game which he didn’t score so 8.6 pts per game vs PAC 12
Dane averaged 10.75 pts per game in EWU’s four games against PAC 12 opponents this year. Sorry missed the Stanford game which he didn’t score so 8.6 pts per game vs PAC 12
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He is not going to be asked to be a top player. He is a perfectly fine role player for what he will be asked to do, even in the WCC.
My Top player comment was in response to the comment that said that WSU was only taking the TOP players from EWU.
If WSU, Riley were ONLY taking the TOP players from EWU, then WSU, Riley would not take Dane from EWU, as Dane is not a top player.
Taking a player who is not a top player is ok if they are at the same level your going to be competing at, as bench, depth, role players, etc, are needed.
If WSU took a bench player from another POWER conference, MWC, WCC(Gonzaga, ST Mary, etc), then that would be ok.
But if take a bench, depth, role player, etc, from FCS level, D2, D3, Big Sky, Whitworth college, etc, then while that player can be a semi ok, semi decent, bench, depth, role player, etc, AT THAT LEVEL, when he goes up a level in competition, then he will probably not be a semi ok, semi decent, bench, depth, role player at the new, higher level of competition.
That's why if your going to get players from lower levels, you get the Mike Flowers, Robert's, Wells, etc the TOP players from those lower levels. etc.
If they end up a bench player, roleplayer then the Robert's, Flowers, Wells type will be ok, decent, bench, depth, roleplayers.
And if they start, that's a bonus.
But USUALLY taking the non TOP players from the lower levels, like Dane, then they usually end up as not a semi ok, semi decent bench, depth, roleplayer, etc, at the higher levels, and usually end up the equivalent of a walk on at the higher levels.
If WSU is going to take a Dane type from lower level, then it's as a WALK ON. WSU, Riley can't afford to waste valuable higher level SCHOLLY roster spots on non top players from lower levels, and then get semi stuck with them if they dont transfer portal away..
Dane isn't a player Kyle Smith would have taken, and Kyle Smith would hold out for, try to get, get a better player then Dane, from the lower level.
The last coach at WSU that took non top lower level players that were lower level players at the lower level, like Dane, etc, into scholly roster spots at WSU, went about 9-40.
Another example.
Dylan Darling. Dylan Darling was a semi top player or should have been considered a semi top player, at a semi lower level(highschool, GSL). He scored 60+ points in some games. It's ok to recruit him, put him on scholly. If he ends up on bench, he will be ok. If he starts, that's a bonus.
Its not ok to get a non top player, bench player from GSL, and put then on scholly, as usually that player will usually be equivalent of walk on, and will probably not be a ok bench, depth, roleplayer, etc, and probably get stuck with him, and probably a waste of a scholly spot.
Getting Dane from EWU, is like getting a bench player from GSL, instead of getting Dylan Darling from GSL
Coach leaves, players transfer, and we're surprised we're not getting transfers from Kentucky?
As far as the Wolff era is concerned, basketball rosters are different than b-ball. We have a new coach that's had a lot of lower level success who is bringing his best players he's had much more of a relationship with than a football coach with 800+ players.
Just chill and roll with the punches, Purse clutches. Christ Almighty...
As far as the Wolff era is concerned, basketball rosters are different than b-ball. We have a new coach that's had a lot of lower level success who is bringing his best players he's had much more of a relationship with than a football coach with 800+ players.
Just chill and roll with the punches, Purse clutches. Christ Almighty...
Except Erikstrup has already proven he can contribute for a D1 program and Darling hasn't.
Mik, I think next season you will really like what you see of Erikstrup. If we had the same offense that we had this season, then sure he wouldn't be very good. But he is perfect for what he will be asked to do in Riley's offense. He can hit the 3. He can rotate down low and catch the entry pass. When he is fouled, he is a very good free throw shooter.
Riley's offense is about creating and recognizing mismatches. At 6'11", when used correctly, he can be a mismatch for small stretches against any team in the WCC.
Dane is the 4th leading scorer off EWU last year. You seemed really happy when coach got Watts and Watts was 6 in scoring off EWUs team.
Coach obviously doesn’t agree with you and neither does EWUs stat sheet.
And he will probably be posted up and scored on AD NASIUM, and probably will be outrebounded, and probably won't be able to score inside, unless get lucky, or unless he backdoor cuts, an or PG, SG DRIVER draws the defense and dishes a easy inside score. Jaki who filled the same role your describing rebounded, scored created his own inside shot occasionally, didn't, wouldn't get pushed around, posted up, scored on as much.
Also Ethan Price also fits the role your describing,
You take Dane as a preferred WALK ON, and tell him that he can earn, get a scholly, etc.
You don't use a scholly for a bench player from a lower level whether it's from the GSL,D2, D3, Whitworth, Big Sky, FCS level, etc, that recruit from.
If take Dane, a bench player from St Mary, WCC, MWC, PAC 12, benches, then that would be different, better, ok.
I am telling you Mik. He is a much better player than you think he is. Tell me the last time that WSU had a player come off the bench and average double figures?
Mik, for once can you just STFU? You expressed your uninformed opinion - unless that is you had season tickets for Eastern and watched every minute of Dane playing (18 min/game BTW).
Let's compare to Smith's recruits:
Cluff - from Cochise Community College (a member of the powerful Arizona Community College Athletic Conference). Post-WSU, he goes to South Dakota State. Cluff averaged 20
Jones - 3 years at Wenatchee Valley Community College, one year at Idaho.
We seemed to do pretty well with these guys last year.
Mullins went to Montana State. Darling went to Idaho State.
Your putdowns of Dane are stupid BS.
And the term is ad nauseum.
Cluff, Jones, were NOT bench players at those lower levels, they were either top players, or starters at those lower levels.
Getting players from lower levels and putting them on scholly is not bad IF IF IF they are either Top players, starters, etc.
Getting top players, starters from lower levels like Jones, Cluff, etc, is good, great, ok, etc.
Bench players from lower levels shouldn't be scholly players generally. There are exceptions, and maybe Dane is exception. But usually they are preferred WALK ON's like Oleson, Rohosy, 11th,12th,13th man off bench types at higher upgraded competition levels.
And saying these things is not putting down a player. I'm sure Dane is a good student athlete that was ok, good for EWU, off bench for, against lower level competition at the Big Sky lower level, and Dane is probably a great guy, and probably a good student athlete at WSU, and probably be a 10th, 11th, 12th, 13th man off bench, at WSU, at a higher level of competition. Saying that is not putting him down.
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There's more then scoring, and in Riley's offense a lot of that can come from PG, SG's drawing defense and dishing easy shot opportunities to anyone that comes off bench.
Also WSU plays at a higher level of competition, so that makes it harder for a bench player to score 10, etc, off bench. It's easier to do that against easier competition at lower levels. I have seen a lot of players score 10 off bench at lower levels, and then don't do much off bench at higher levels of competition.
Also I'm more concerned with his measly 3 rebounds. If your consistently getting 18 minutes per game, and if your 6' 11, you should be getting 4.5,5,5.5 rebounds instead of just 2,3,4.
Maybe your right, maybe he will be a exception to what I'm saying that usually true in general, but has exceptions.
If WSU, Riley makes it a practice to take, get bench players from lower levels, and gives them scholly's instead of preferred WALK on status, instead of starters, top players from lower levels, and bench players, 6th men, semi starters, starters from WCC, MWC, MAC, C-USA, AAC, PAC 12, etc, then WSU probably won't do as good.
I am curious to see how this new WSU roster will do in other important areas of the game. Everyone focuses on scoring averages and Riley appears to have a fairly unique & effective offense. I hope there is some attention paid to defense and rebounding. The last time WSU hired a Big Sky coach, he focused on offense to the detriment of defense....and a lot of us complained about the results. I'm not saying Riley will be another Ken Bone, but the best Cougar teams always have played excellent defense, including last year. It will be interesting to see how it all turns out.
Glad Cougar
Glad Cougar
Cluff averaged 20.2 minutes and 9.7 points a game. Oh and 4.4 rebounds. Then transferred to Div1-AA. Dane averaged 19.8 minutes and 10.2 points a game for the Big Sky reg. season champs. 19.8 and 10.2 is not a bench player, or the 13th man off the bench for the yet-again rebuilding Cougs.
And who the F would give up a full scholarship to become a walk-on? Go read the Brand X article on Dane. And then please stop.
Just want to point out there is no Division 1-AA in college basketball, unlike football. South Dakota State is a real good program that won it's regular season and conference tournament in the Summit League, earning a spot in the Big Dance. It's not like Cluff dropped down to D-2 and CWU basketball.
Glad Cougar
Cluff only averaged 7.0 points this past season. It was Jaki that averaged 9.7. So, I think that makes your point even stronger.
Oops - good catch, my bad.
And Glad - yeah I know there is no D1-AA in BB. Point being that the Summit League is more or less a Big Sky equivalent, usually 1 Big Dance invite (I think?).
