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Do We Have Our Dre "Replacement" Already?

Goose

Hoops Moderator
Club Member
Junta Member
First off, I want to clarify the title of this post -- in no way am I suggesting that someone who led the PAC-12 in rebounding as a sophomore and was named PAC-12 DPOY (I'm just pretending that the voters weren't stupid) is going to be replaced easily. When Dre leaves -- whether it's after next season because he's going pro early or after we've celebrated him on Senior Day -- it's going to leave a big hole in our lineup. Someone with that rebounding ability will be missed, period.

But the question is, who is going to fill his role on the team? Here's the roster we're looking at after next season ends if Dre leaves early (simplified it to Guards, Swingmen & Bigs and did not take into account potential transfers):

Position

Class of 2013

Class of 2014

Class of 2015
Guards
Shannon Sharpe*
Askia Booker
Spencer Dinwiddie
Eli Stalzer
Xavier Talton
Swingmen
Jeremy Adams*
Xavier Johnson
Chris Jenkins
Bigs
Shane Harris-Tunks*
Ben Mills
Wesley Gordon
Josh Scott

One of the bigger concerns that I have with the team is the lack of size we have up front. Some have pointed out that Tad prefers to run a 3 guard offense, so it's not as big of a deal, but I honestly wonder if he prefers that or just runs it out of necessity. If we lose Dre, we only have three "rotation" guys up front (no offense to Mills, but until he bulks up I just don't see him contributing much in PAC-12 play. PROVE ME WRONG BEN!). While I like all three of those guys, that's not nearly enough depth to go against the teams that are pulling in big men recruits at the rate that Arizona and UCLA (provided they land Parker) are. So we're going to have to replace Dre.

I think we might have already. I've been wondering this for about a week now, but thought it was just another one of my crazy theories. However today, when I read the interview that the Ralphie Report re-tweeted, Xavier Johnson was quoted saying the following:

Are you looking forward to playing against anyone in particular?
Oh, definitely, [class of 2012 small forward] Shabazz Muhammad (Arizona), that’s my focus, I want to beat him. He doesn’t really play my position so it will be hard for me to actually guard him but I look forward to going up against him.

First off, I think they meant UCLA, not Arizona there, but X says that he doesn't play the same position as Bazz. Bazz is a SF. He's the prototypical SF in fact, which is what we were assuming that XJ would play for CU. Now I'm wondering if he might be eventually filling the role of Dre as a 3/4 player. But does he have the size?

Roberson is listed at 6'7", 210 lbs. by CU. If you look on the recruiting sites, XJ is either 6'6" or 6'7" so he has the height. The question is the weight. Some sites have him as low as 185 lbs., some have him at 205. So he might actually have the bulk necessary to at least play a little 4 -- especially when you consider that as a recruit, Dre was listed as 6'7", 190 lbs.

Normally, I prefer my fours to be a little bigger than both Dre & XJ, but with the knack that they have for rebounding the ball (XJ grabbed 9.2 rebounds a game. Dre grabbed 7.7 rebounds a game as a HS senior), then Tad may be planning on playing XJ more in the Dre role than as the prototypical SF we all expected. The Ralphie Report will be interviewing XJ later today, so I asked them if they could check with XJ on it, but this may be something to keep an eye on.

All I know is that I'm really looking forward to seeing Dre & Xavier go after the ball at the same time.
 
BTW, hat tip to Rumblin and the Ralphie Report for inspipring me to write this post this morning from our twitter conversation.
 
The most important part about securing X is that he fits what Boyle is trying to do. Coaches all have their styles and need to recruit to such. Just look at UCLA's decline and you can see that when you don't have the right players you won't succeed. Howland clearly needs a specific type of player and he's missed on that type for awhile now. Shabazz is a can't miss. Dammit. Digression.

So seeing that Dre and the program can be quite successful in Boyle's system, it's a huge continuity/moment get to have X Johnson who - at least on paper and per Goose's solid writeup - appears to parallel Dre. It's particularly helpful that Dre can shoulder the load of being Dre while X absorbs all things garbage man heading into a successful career.

Quick question: is it November yet?
 
Good stuff!

I'm hoping that we sign Torren Jones for the 2013 class. That would go a long way to solving our frontcourt depth issues while providing some physicality.
 
Good stuff!

I'm hoping that we sign Torren Jones for the 2013 class. That would go a long way to solving our frontcourt depth issues while providing some physicality.

And if he wants to bring Jarron Hopkins along with him, I'd be fine with that. :thumbsup:
 
I think we are going to end up seeing a lot of Gordon at the 5 and Scott at the 4 together at the same time. With that combination along with Johnson we should be very solid on the boards, and defensively in the paint.

Another huge advantage advantage with Johnson is that he has the size to deal with 3's and even less bulky 4's and looks to be quick enough to still defend smaller guys when we play teams that play 3 guard line-ups.
 
We won't have the size of UCLA or Arizona but we'll be bigger in 2013 than we've been in the past. I'm guessing the minutes will break down something like this: Scott 25-30, Gordon 20-25, and SHT 15-20. That should only leave 10-15 minutes for Mills, a recruit or XJ at the 4. I wouldn't be surprised to see a small lineup with Xavier at the 4 for 10 minutes or so a game, but I'd be surprised if he saw as much time there as Dre is.
 
I think X will end up being more of a '3', but his nose for the ball will remind people of #21.

How 'bout this for a line up: 1,2,3,3,5; Spencer, Ski, X, some future SF (Jenkins? '13 freshman?), and J-Scott. Athletic, attacking, fast. You can win games (titles?) with that lineup in a post-'Dre world. That's a lineup that Paul Westhead would approve of.
 
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