vivid_dude wrote:As the roster takes shape, I have a thought.
The freshmen are being overlooked. In mock starting lineups shared by fans, I'm not sure I've seen one of our incoming freshmen included. Maybe I missed one. And I get it to some degree. Mac has a history of starting more experienced guys he trusts, but who on the current roster would fall into that camp? Right now, it's nobody - since nothing is official with Ashworth and Kalkbrenner. Assuming those fellas come back, I'd say they are the only two - and even Ash had moments of mistrust throughout the season.
This incoming class is strong. I'd love to see one (or more) of them force Mac's hand through practice performance by cracking the starting five.
Viewing this from a different perspective, with the current free-for-all landscape in college hoops, the best way to get talented incoming freshmen to NOT TRANSFER after year 1 is to give them minutes. Developing Top 75 guys over multiple seasons doesn't seem as likely these days. Coaches are smart enough to recognize that, so I wonder if Mac will adapt accordingly.
Why not a starting lineup of Pop, LJ, Neal, McAndrews, Kalkbrenner? Ashworth plays a minute-heavier version of Farabello. Green is backup PF/C. Miller, Traudt, Knox, Ty Davis fill out the rotation, with a bruiser added to provide depth to Kalkbrenner.
Ramble over.
I don't know that people have been forgetting the Freshman so much as there are veterans on the roster, and if Kalkbrenner does come back (finger's crossed) it doesn't make any sense to not make sure we have a worthy roster around him and not tossing a lot of true freshman out into the fire while rebuilding
I've seen various people talk about Ashworth coming off the bench, but I don't see that happening. Nobody is handed a spot, but given how well he played down the stretch last year (defensively and with the ball), if the intent were to make him a bench player, he'd be in the portal, and I doubt Mac would blindside a guy like that
Of the Freshman, the most likely to be ready to play a lot early is Johnson, IMO. Davis and McAndrew have great potential, but I don't see them being as physically ready to play in BE slug fests