YngC
Well-Known Member
Buffs obviously have Las Vegas ahead and, with the way they've shown they're capable of playing at times, it isn't *that* outrageous to see them beating ASU. But either way, the season looks likely to end at 16-15 or 17-15. I'm not here to talk about whether or not that's disappointing, but to look forward to the offseason and some storylines/development that I'm most looking forward to following.
1.) Last scholarship available: Obviously we've all heard conflicting reports, but Tory's decision is big for the program next year. It isn't that I don't want him back, more so that I simply think there are better options out there. The emergence of Dallas means you've got an effective starting center in your lineup, but adding a big man through the transfer market feels like the most necessary move for the program. There will be options, and at least one of whom already has high interest in CU, but let's wait until announcements are made before we talk names. Whether or not Strating returns will also be worth following, but Boyle has rarely punished players for his mistaking their ability to play at this level.
2.) McKinley's shot: Kin is the most "instant impact" guy Boyle has recruited, IMO. Spencer was really good, Josh was really good, but Kin had the biggest instant impact out of that group. His ability to get to the basket and find teammates is elite. He's going to be a P12 POY candidate in his career. But his inability to shoot from deep really hurt his productivity at times and led to too many unbalanced lineups. PJC at UA shot 41%, McLaughlin shot 41%, Holiday shot 44%, and Bibbins shot 45%. Having a PG who can hit from deep changes the entire make up of an offensive system. Kin shot 29%.
3.) Bey, Walton, Siewert: This is your frontline of the future, all of whom showed flashes of brilliance this year while also being maddening at other times. Bey's improvement must come in decision making. He gets sped up really easily and it often looked like he didn't have a move he trusted besides pump faking an elbow jumper (that defenses inconsistently went for). He won't be a back to the basket guy, which is fine, but adding 10lbs of muscle to his frame would be huge. Walton just feels like house money doesn't he? For him, rebounding is his biggest weakness that needs work and it will likely come from a stronger base and more understanding of defensive positioning. Siewert...what an interesting year for him. Initially, I thought it was about opportunity--when he played 20 minutes or more, he was great. But it's all about aggressiveness. He hit double figures in scoring 8 of the 10 times he took five or more shots. He's an absolute knockdown shooter when he looks for his own shot. He'll never be a plus defender, so CU really just needs him to play the role of offensive gunner.
4.) Emergence of a SG: By far the most maddening position at CU since Spencer left. Dom, Josh Fortune, Talton...none made enough impact at the spot. Next year, you've really got Namon Wright, D'Shawn schwartz, Lazar, and Del best suited for the role. Namon was great at times this year, but inconsistency and inexcusable mental lapses marred what would have been regarded as a really great debut in Boulder. D'Shawn had a huge learning curve but I think I've seen enough to think he can make a jump this offseason. Lazar has to become a shooter. If he doesn't, he's just not good enough to do anything else. Then, there's Del. I was really hard on Del this year because he was the exact same player as his freshman season (look at his stats, it's creepy). He can't shoot, doesn't handle the ball well, doesn't make plays for others, but he plays very respectable on-ball defense and his recovery on that end is incredible. Add in the freshmen, and I have a hard time seeing where Brown fits in the program moving forward. He's got to be considered as a transfer possibility.
5.) Boyle's adjustments: Tad coached his ass off for 95% of the season. He showed a willingness to be flexible on defense and he turned a freshman point guard loose. He showed more of a "players coach" mentality at times, trusting veterans in spots where they might not have earned it (Washington State). But his teams have won 7 road conference games in four years. My general belief is hat winning on the road is less about mental toughness or any sort of preparation and more about simply being good. When you're better than your opponents, usually you beat them. It's basically how this works. The Buffs have really only had two decent teams the last four years, so their inability to win in conference away from home isn't surprising...but their lack of competitiveness is. In that span, they've lost at Washington State twice, at Oregon State twice, and they've coughed up big leads at USC, Washington, and Utah. Boyle has to get it right this offseason.
Overall, my expectation is for next year (in relation to these storylines) to be a mixed bag. Get more of these developments right than wrong, and you're looking at a team that should be on the NCAAT bubble with a decent to good shot of getting in. Get more wrong than right? And Boyle will basically be looking at a do or die year in 2020, where a significant break through is necessary to keep changes away.
1.) Last scholarship available: Obviously we've all heard conflicting reports, but Tory's decision is big for the program next year. It isn't that I don't want him back, more so that I simply think there are better options out there. The emergence of Dallas means you've got an effective starting center in your lineup, but adding a big man through the transfer market feels like the most necessary move for the program. There will be options, and at least one of whom already has high interest in CU, but let's wait until announcements are made before we talk names. Whether or not Strating returns will also be worth following, but Boyle has rarely punished players for his mistaking their ability to play at this level.
2.) McKinley's shot: Kin is the most "instant impact" guy Boyle has recruited, IMO. Spencer was really good, Josh was really good, but Kin had the biggest instant impact out of that group. His ability to get to the basket and find teammates is elite. He's going to be a P12 POY candidate in his career. But his inability to shoot from deep really hurt his productivity at times and led to too many unbalanced lineups. PJC at UA shot 41%, McLaughlin shot 41%, Holiday shot 44%, and Bibbins shot 45%. Having a PG who can hit from deep changes the entire make up of an offensive system. Kin shot 29%.
3.) Bey, Walton, Siewert: This is your frontline of the future, all of whom showed flashes of brilliance this year while also being maddening at other times. Bey's improvement must come in decision making. He gets sped up really easily and it often looked like he didn't have a move he trusted besides pump faking an elbow jumper (that defenses inconsistently went for). He won't be a back to the basket guy, which is fine, but adding 10lbs of muscle to his frame would be huge. Walton just feels like house money doesn't he? For him, rebounding is his biggest weakness that needs work and it will likely come from a stronger base and more understanding of defensive positioning. Siewert...what an interesting year for him. Initially, I thought it was about opportunity--when he played 20 minutes or more, he was great. But it's all about aggressiveness. He hit double figures in scoring 8 of the 10 times he took five or more shots. He's an absolute knockdown shooter when he looks for his own shot. He'll never be a plus defender, so CU really just needs him to play the role of offensive gunner.
4.) Emergence of a SG: By far the most maddening position at CU since Spencer left. Dom, Josh Fortune, Talton...none made enough impact at the spot. Next year, you've really got Namon Wright, D'Shawn schwartz, Lazar, and Del best suited for the role. Namon was great at times this year, but inconsistency and inexcusable mental lapses marred what would have been regarded as a really great debut in Boulder. D'Shawn had a huge learning curve but I think I've seen enough to think he can make a jump this offseason. Lazar has to become a shooter. If he doesn't, he's just not good enough to do anything else. Then, there's Del. I was really hard on Del this year because he was the exact same player as his freshman season (look at his stats, it's creepy). He can't shoot, doesn't handle the ball well, doesn't make plays for others, but he plays very respectable on-ball defense and his recovery on that end is incredible. Add in the freshmen, and I have a hard time seeing where Brown fits in the program moving forward. He's got to be considered as a transfer possibility.
5.) Boyle's adjustments: Tad coached his ass off for 95% of the season. He showed a willingness to be flexible on defense and he turned a freshman point guard loose. He showed more of a "players coach" mentality at times, trusting veterans in spots where they might not have earned it (Washington State). But his teams have won 7 road conference games in four years. My general belief is hat winning on the road is less about mental toughness or any sort of preparation and more about simply being good. When you're better than your opponents, usually you beat them. It's basically how this works. The Buffs have really only had two decent teams the last four years, so their inability to win in conference away from home isn't surprising...but their lack of competitiveness is. In that span, they've lost at Washington State twice, at Oregon State twice, and they've coughed up big leads at USC, Washington, and Utah. Boyle has to get it right this offseason.
Overall, my expectation is for next year (in relation to these storylines) to be a mixed bag. Get more of these developments right than wrong, and you're looking at a team that should be on the NCAAT bubble with a decent to good shot of getting in. Get more wrong than right? And Boyle will basically be looking at a do or die year in 2020, where a significant break through is necessary to keep changes away.
