Gophers' top-seven next season, but they have PLENTY of options - Tony Liebert

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No games played by the roster yet, of course, but have to give credit where credit is due. Ben has had a much better off season than I anticipated. Dang, I’m almost to the point of, ‘Don’t sleep on Minnesota’.
A far cry from that team in the last game of his first season, where 4 of the starters played 40 minutes and the 5th one played 39 minutes.
 

fan of Ray Williams said:
No games played by the roster yet, of course, but have to give credit where credit is due. Ben has had a much better off season than I anticipated. Dang, I’m almost to the point of, ‘Don’t sleep on Minnesota’.
A far cry from that team in the last game of his first season, where 4 of the starters played 40 minutes and the 5th one played 39 minutes.
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Ben has done a good job of assembling this roster. Now he has forced his own hand to become a different kind of coach or at least have a different identity than the team has had under him. The strength of this team is 12 guys that you could argue need decent playing time- assuming Grove is a year away. It also appears that he brought in a bunch of solid defensive players- Rigsby, Odukale and Cochran all carrying that reputation. Can Ben coach a team that will play 10 deep and bust their tails on defense to become a top 50 defensive team? That's what needs to happen, because the talent is fairly level outside of Garcia.
 

Seems like we’re assuming Fox won’t start.

If he’s healthy, he’s easily one of the Gophers’ top 3-4 players. Small ball can include 2 guys who play the same position (also Garcia). They’re both essentially 4s.
 

SelectionSunday said:
Seems like we’re assuming Fox won’t start.

If he’s healthy, he’s easily one of the Gophers’ top 3-4 players. Small ball can include 2 guys who play the same position (also Garcia). They’re both essentially 4s.
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Maybe both 4's, but their shot selection is very different.
 


I agree with Beeg. (something that would never be said on the political board....)

Johnson has acquired what - on the surface - appears to be a fairly deep and balanced roster.

but it all comes down to this: how does he use that roster?

for me, if you have players who are capable of helping the team win, then USE THEM. that means potentially a 10- or 11-player rotation. apply defensive pressure, but use the depth to get guys in and out of the game. then, at the end of the game, instead of guys who are gassed from playing 35+ minutes, you can have relatively fresh bodies on the court to keep up the pressure.

so the rundown:
PG: Patterson, Asuma

SG: M. Mitchell jr, Cochran, Rigsby,

SF: Odukale, Betts

PF: F. Mitchell, Fox

C: Garcia, Edmonds

I want to see all of those players get minutes in every game. depending on the opponent/style/scouting report, playing time will vary for some, but they should all be playing at least some minutes every game. If Johnson is going with a 7- or 8-man rotation and people aren't getting off the bench, then I will be very disappointed.
 

short ornery norwegian said:
I agree with Beeg. (something that would never be said on the political board....)
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:ROFLMAO:
short ornery norwegian said:
Johnson has acquired what - on the surface - appears to be a fairly deep and balanced roster.
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Acquired is the correct terminology!
short ornery norwegian said:
but it all comes down to this: how does he use that roster?

for me, if you have players who are capable of helping the team win, then USE THEM. that means potentially a 10- or 11-player rotation. apply defensive pressure, but use the depth to get guys in and out of the game. then, at the end of the game, instead of guys who are gassed from playing 35+ minutes, you can have relatively fresh bodies on the court to keep up the pressure.

so the rundown:
PG: Patterson, Asuma

SG: M. Mitchell jr, Cochran, Rigsby,

SF: Odukale, Betts

PF: F. Mitchell, Fox

C: Garcia, Edmonds

I want to see all of those players get minutes in every game. depending on the opponent/style/scouting report, playing time will vary for some, but they should all be playing at least some minutes every game. If Johnson is going with a 7- or 8-man rotation and people aren't getting off the bench, then I will be very disappointed.
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Good post. The odd man out of your depth chart might have the highest "bucket maker" ability to anyone on the roster not name Garcia....so even Williams could be a surprise situational player or better. Practices will be interesting for sure! There are 6 guys on the roster who are used to playing 30 minutes a game and three more in the 20 minute range at a major college level + Williams at a level down.
 

short ornery norwegian said:
I agree with Beeg. (something that would never be said on the political board....)

Johnson has acquired what - on the surface - appears to be a fairly deep and balanced roster.

but it all comes down to this: how does he use that roster?

for me, if you have players who are capable of helping the team win, then USE THEM. that means potentially a 10- or 11-player rotation. apply defensive pressure, but use the depth to get guys in and out of the game. then, at the end of the game, instead of guys who are gassed from playing 35+ minutes, you can have relatively fresh bodies on the court to keep up the pressure.

so the rundown:
PG: Patterson, Asuma

SG: M. Mitchell jr, Cochran, Rigsby,

SF: Odukale, Betts

PF: F. Mitchell, Fox

C: Garcia, Edmonds

I want to see all of those players get minutes in every game. depending on the opponent/style/scouting report, playing time will vary for some, but they should all be playing at least some minutes every game. If Johnson is going with a 7- or 8-man rotation and people aren't getting off the bench, then I will be very disappointed.
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I agree completely with that rotation. There's no way Asuma ISNT in the rotation. I also feel like Caleb Williams will get some run here and there as a three point marksman.
 










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