Two Bradley Freshmen to redshirt

[jasonpeoria911]

I wonder if 2 players redshirting is the result of no early signings, kind of like a backup plan. This puts even more pressure on Warren and Egolf to stay healthy.

Jason

[BradleyBrave]

That headline is awful. I wouldn't expect anyone to be excited about it, but JP sounds like he has the right attitude - Which SHOULD be what's reflected in the headline. If you just read the headline you'd think he was p-ssed off and blindsided. Of course no one knew how far along WE would be. If he wasn't ready, JP would be in the rotation. We have the luxury of getting a 5th year out of JP right now. That should be exciting to everyone.

I found a Coach Les quote curious at the end of the article -

"It shows the program is stabilizing"

In year 8 the program is now stabilizing? What does that mean exactly? Is this an indirect admission that JUCO's and transfers aren't the way to build a program? I agree with him wholeheartedly about programs winning with 5th year guys, and that it's a great thing that we're at the point where we can do this, but I just find the first part of the quote interesting.

[BradleyBrave]

And no sooner than I am finished writing my last post, the headline now reads 'Bradley pins a pair of redshirts'. Classic.

[ghunt]

Maybe someone else caught this inconsistency in the article, so forgive me if missed it with some tired eyes, but contrast these quotes:

From Reynolds
"Prosser, a 6-foot-8 forward-center from Eureka and Eastman, a 6-4 guard from Richmond, Va., are just the second and third first-year freshmen to redshirt under Les."

"Anthony Thompson sat out his first season two years ago"

...versus from Prosser:

???Coach thinks an extra year will make me stronger and quicker and that I??™ll be able to help out a lot more down the road. A lot of really good players redshirt as freshmen like (ex-Braves) Daniel Ruffin and Marcellus Sommerville. It can only help.???

How can AT be first and Prosser and Eastman 2nd and third, if Daniel and Marcellus also redshirted? I did not think Marcellus redshirted, he had to sit out due transferring, etc., and had only 3 years of eligibility. I did not think Daniel redshirted.

[BradleyBrave]

Maybe someone else caught this inconsistency in the article, so forgive me if missed it with some tired eyes, but contrast these quotes:

From Reynolds
"Prosser, a 6-foot-8 forward-center from Eureka and Eastman, a 6-4 guard from Richmond, Va., are just the second and third first-year freshmen to redshirt under Les."

"Anthony Thompson sat out his first season two years ago"

...versus from Prosser:

“Coach thinks an extra year will make me stronger and quicker and that I’ll be able to help out a lot more down the road. A lot of really good players redshirt as freshmen like (ex-Braves) Daniel Ruffin and Marcellus Sommerville. It can only help.”

How can AT be first and Prosser and Eastman 2nd and third, if Daniel and Marcellus also redshirted? I did not think Marcellus redshirted, he had to sit out due transferring, etc., and had only 3 years of eligibility. I did not think Daniel redshirted.

I think it was probably a mistake on JP's part. Ruffin sat out a year because of academics and 'Cellus redshirted at Iowa his freshman year, played his 2nd year at SWIC, played his final 3 years at BU. Both players were forces their last seasons, and both sat their 1st year, so his statement is accurate.

[squirrelgotdead]

BradleyBrave is right. . .

Sommerville was a redshirt frosh at Iowa and not under JL.

Ruffin was a Prop 48, which is not considered a redshirt. It is a counter against eligibility, unless the student athlete graduates on time is lost. If the student athlete does graduate on time, they earn that previously lost year back.

[ser_solace]

In year 8 the program is now stabilizing? What does that mean exactly? Is this an indirect admission that JUCO's and transfers aren't the way to build a program? I agree with him wholeheartedly about programs winning with 5th year guys, and that it's a great thing that we're at the point where we can do this, but I just find the first part of the quote interesting.

Only guessing, but it could be a reference to POB leaving early, recruits not showing up because of various reasons, and some players leaving early.

Daniel West, Dwight Buycks, and Dearron Williams didn't make it here due to academic reasons.

Jeremy Fears and Ray Brown didn't last on the team for their personal problems.

[thefish7]

Just in regards to ghunt's post above about WE at the 4...

As I recall there was a great deal of gnashing of teeth about WE playing at the 4 because he looked tentative and roamed the perimeter jacking up 3s. That contrasted with the beginning of his sophomore season when he played at the 5 and suddenly looked aggressive and confident. I think Egolf is a center and plays like one... and I'm doubting we'll see him spend much time at all at the 4. Also, the last real power forward we had was not Cellus... If that's a prototypical "4" you are a big fan of a 4-guard lineup. Cellus was 6'5 on a good day, and not a "big guy" in build. He was undersized, but more than good enough to make up for his size disadvantage. Zach Andrews or Matt Salley were our last good 4s. I think TB is going to be very good there, but he's undersized... MK could be a really nice development if he shows up as advertised.

[tornado]

WTH? sophomore slump? He was easily the second best player on the team, behind an ALL-MVC player. I am biased toward SamM as I see him as a hard working, team leader, but please explain how SamM, while playing out of position and being the 2nd leading scorer and leading the team in A/TO ratio, had a sophomore slump?

bingo--
Sam M's scoring average went from 7.6 ppg to 12. 6 ppg
his FT shooting went from 73% to 84%,
his rebounds, assists, steals...all went up and none of his stats went down
....between his freshman and sophomore years...and he even became more of a LEADER and true team captain...
Sam Maniscalco is one kid who definitely did NOT have a sophomore slump.

[tornado]

I found a Coach Les quote curious at the end of the article -

"It shows the program is stabilizing"

In year 8 the program is now stabilizing? What does that mean exactly? ...

I take it to mean just what's explained many times elsewhere...
that for the first time in many years we haven't have unexpected player losses, transfers, injuries, and issues that shorten the bench.
Just think about how many of Jim Les' years started with injuries, player losses, and season ending surprises to Andrew Warren, Will Egolf, Patrick O'Bryant, Ruff, DeAaron, and even going back to Brown, Fears, Suggs, etc...
That's how I take it and I think that's exactly what he meant...

[BradleyBrave]

I take it to mean just what's explained many times elsewhere...
that for the first time in many years we haven't have unexpected player losses, transfers, injuries, and issues that shorten the bench.
Just think about how many of Jim Les' years started with injuries, player losses, and season ending surprises to Andrew Warren, Will Egolf, Patrick O'Bryant, Ruff, DeAaron, and even going back to Brown, Fears, Suggs, etc...
That's how I take it and I think that's exactly what he meant...

From that perspective, I would agree. It just took a little longer than it probably should have, but no use crying over spilled milk. I like where we're at. A lot.

[SaintLouBrave22]

Butler went to the sweet 16 essentially playing 4 guards. Size is extremely overrated.

Yeah, (2) 200+ lb 6'3" guards and a 6'9" guard don't necessarily support your position there...


That would be like Bradley playing Milos at the 3 while having Andrew and DSE in running the point...

I don't if ever expect to see Jim have that lineup out...


Although I believe I did mention yesterday that it would be nice to have Anthony and Will on the floor at the same time with Will at the 4.


This whole 3 or 4 guard offense is just plain dumb. Why adhere to what everyone else is doing when you can make them matchup to you?

In reality, there should be times where AT/Will/Taylor make up the front line as both Will and Taylor can step out and knock down 16' jumpers.

Not only that, we don't exactly have more than 1 outstanding 3-pt shooter, so why play small?

You give up way too much of strength and rebounding.

[Beninator]

While JP's redshirt surprised me, I think this is great for BU and JP.
IMO, JP could put on another 20 pounds on his frame and be an absolute terror in the Valley. A lot of people on here (not me) thought that Will Egolf should have redshirted. Looking back, it would have been a good idea for Will to redshirt, but the program is much stronger now.

[SaintLouBrave22]

Zach Andrews or Matt Salley were our last good 4s.

Yes, but if I do recall, weren't they both asked to play the 5 their Senior years?

Out of position just as Theron played out of position last year...


Taylor is much closer to a 4 than what we've had in quite awhile, but on a team with two good big men, he'd be a 3.


As much as I am griping here though, I do feel as though Egolf/Brown/Roberts is the best front line we've had in quite awhile.

No Egolf and Brown may not be as good as O'Bryant/Sommerville, but Roberts is every bit as good as any 3 we would've had...remember, we were playing Tauai/Franklin/Ruffin and Roberts will have JJ's role of being the #1 scorer stopper this year, more than likely matching up against Ahelegebe, Eldridge, Stinnett, Murry, and JYoung among others..


The sooner everyone understands and adapts to their role on this team, the better this team will be.


Oh, and I should also mention that as good as Ruffin and Franklin were, neither one of them ever had as sweet of a jumper as Andrew Warren

[houstontxbrave]

This is excellent news and will be incredibly benificial for both JE and JP in the long run. No matter the amount of success an athlete has in High School it is extremely difficult to go up against in some cases 21/22 year old Men with an 18 year olds frame.

JP I bet by the time he is in his Junior year will look back at sitting this season as the best thing to have happened to him.

This also I think evens out each class quite abit. A big and guard in both this and next years classes. This years sophomore class is 2 bigs and a guard. This is great and will continue depth for several seasons.