Murphy on Board.....Let's Speculate

[Chescat]

Ok now that he's on board let's look at what might happen. First of all he
fits a missing piece.....replacing Frame and hopefully giving us the outside
shooting we need.
Does he start? If so, it will be along side of both Johnson and McGowens.
Then what? If we get a legitimate Big, he would probably start with Toney
inside. That would definitely make us better IMO. If we don't get that Big,
then Brown starts. We would then be somewhat better due to experience,
but not enough IMO to make a major difference.
So....bottom line, we still need that Big. I gotta believe Capel has a plan and
will get one in here.

 

[Sean Miller Fan]

PG - Johnson
SG - McGowens
SF - Drumgoole
PF - Toney
C - Brown/Chukwuka

Coulibaly may get 10 MPG at the 4
Champagnie will split time at the 3
Murphy should get 15-20 MPG at the 2 with Trey playing backup PG......unless Ndir comes back.

 

[DC_Area_Panther]

Ok now that he's on board let's look at what might happen. First of all he
fits a missing piece.....replacing Frame and hopefully giving us the outside
shooting we need.
Does he start? If so, it will be along side of both Johnson and McGowens.
Then what? If we get a legitimate Big, he would probably start with Toney
inside. That would definitely make us better IMO. If we don't get that Big,
then Brown starts. We would then be somewhat better due to experience,
but not enough IMO to make a major difference.
So....bottom line, we still need that Big. I gotta believe Capel has a plan and
will get one in here.

Well, at a minimum, we will have 5 more fouls to give on the inside even if we only have Coulibaly as a backup to Brown and Chukwuka. That should help.

Also, I expect Coulibaly could be an asset against zone defenses (thinking especially of Syracuse here) by playing the foul line and elbows on offense (he is supposed to be a good jump shooter from that distance) while Brown or Chukwuka occupies the other teams big down low.

Of course, as you suggest, Capel may have a viable plan here and it may still be possible to land another big (Sy, a big from overseas, or--a reclassify?) who might help. Hope springs eternal!

 

[bummer01]

PG - Johnson
SG - McGowens
SF - Drumgoole
PF - Toney
C - Brown/Chukwuka

Coulibaly may get 10 MPG at the 4
Champagnie will split time at the 3
Murphy should get 15-20 MPG at the 2 with Trey playing backup PG......unless Ndir comes back.

Capel dosen't want Toney playing the 4

 

[Sean Miller Fan]

Capel dosen't want Toney playing the 4

I know but there are no other options right now.

 

[Chescat]

Capel dosen't want Toney playing the 4

Neither do I... LOL. Toney is a wing, or if you prefer the term.... a small forward.
Either way his game was sacrificed last year fighting off ACC Bigs. To his credit,
he was our best rebounder, but that's a dubious distinction at best.

 

[bummer01]

Isn't Champagine 6'8"? I would think if we don't land Sy, he'd split time at the 3 with Toney and at the 4 with Coulibaly

 

[Pitt69]

Neither do I... LOL. Toney is a wing, or if you prefer the term.... a small forward.
Either way his game was sacrificed last year fighting off ACC Bigs. To his credit,
he was our best rebounder, but that's a dubious distinction at best.

From the Cheap Seats; if Toney can develop a jump shot, he will be a real asset.

 

[Chescat]

I know but there are no other options right now.

Well let's get creative here. There just might be some "other options." IF, and it's
a big if....if we get the Big we all want, some other player might get some
minutes at PF. I've mentioned it before (not sure anyone agrees)....I could
see Kene at PF. Why? He's not a center, but he wouldn't be undersized at PF.
He also IMO has somewhat of a floor game. He moves well, and supposedly
can shoot. We all know he can't hit threes (despite his practice reputation).
I do believe he'd be better shooting the 8-12 footer. He also can hit a few
putbacks (he did this last year). He's not the answer there, but Coulibaly
could maybe back him up. Toney could get some minutes there, but he's a
wing. I'd want Brown backing up the new Big.
The perfect solution?...We now get Sy AND another Big.

 

[Chescat]

From the Cheap Seats; if Toney can develop a jump shot, he will be a real asset.

Totally agree!...however I still would like him as a wing.

 

[FieldHouse12]

So where is Sy favored to go ? Thought I read somewhere on here last week.

 

[DC_Area_Panther]

So where is Sy favored to go ? Thought I read somewhere on here last week.

LSU or Mississipit State is what was speculated, as I recall.

 

[FieldHouse12]

LSU or Mississipit State is what was speculated, as I recall.

Thanks , just looked it up and saw that as well.
Hopefully Capel building relationships with these kids 3 years out will start paying off next off season.

 

[NTOP]

Capel dosen't want Toney playing the 4

Nor do I. And I suspect Au'Diese doesn't, either.

 

[Drew1208]

Pg-x/murph/trey
Sg-Trey/Murph/X/Drumgoole
SF-Toney/Drumgoole/Champagnie
PF-????/Toney/Coulibaly/Kene/Champagnie
C-Terrell B/Kene/Coulibaly

My depth chart by position.

 

[Pitt69]

Pg-x/murph/trey
Sg-Trey/Murph/X/Drumgoole
SF-Toney/Drumgoole/Champagnie
PF-????/Toney/Coulibaly/Kene/Champagnie
C-Terrell B/Kene/Coulibaly

My depth chart by position.

From the Cheap Seats; just MHO, but I see Coulibaly as only a PF.

 

[docpanther26]

I may be wrong, but I thought 247 had at least one crystal ball for Sy to either Ole Miss or LSU, I thought LSU. It is now undecided. Not sure how much to gather from that if it were the case.

 

[Drew1208]

From the Cheap Seats; just MHO, but I see Coulibaly as only a PF.

Me as well mostly but sometimes in games situations don't give the liberty to choose and sometimes compromising decisions may be forced upon you.

 

[Sean Miller Fan]

I may be wrong, but I thought 247 had at least one crystal ball for Sy to either Ole Miss or LSU, I thought LSU. It is now undecided. Not sure how much to gather from that if it were the case.

The LSU 247 guy CBd him to LSU in November then switched it Undecided a few weeks ago. He feels its LSU or Ole Miss but admitted Sy is a tough read and really wants to make sure he makes the right choice. This is why I said in the other post I think he is going to wait as late as possible to see if anything happens with Wade at LSU.

 

[Gunga_Galunga]

Pg-x/murph/trey
Sg-Trey/Murph/X/Drumgoole
SF-Toney/Drumgoole/Champagnie
PF-????/Toney/Coulibaly/Kene/Champagnie
C-Terrell B/Kene/Coulibaly

My depth chart by position.

I think you are going to see times where you have X, Murph at the 2, and Trey at the 3. Actually, I think letting Trey get aggressive at the 3 sometimes would be very beneficial to his game.

 

[Drew1208]

I think you are going to see times where you have X, Murph at the 2, and Trey at the 3. Actually, I think letting Trey get aggressive at the 3 sometimes would be very beneficial to his game.

I believe you maybe correct

 

[Chescat]

I think you are going to see times where you have X, Murph at the 2, and Trey at the 3. Actually, I think letting Trey get aggressive at the 3 sometimes would be very beneficial to his game.

That could be a possibility. A lot of it depends on whom if any among X, Trey and Toney
develops a reliable outside shot. If none of these guys do that, then we are going to
have to have someone who can. That would then be Murphy and/or Drumgoole.
Given how we ended the season, my guess for the five starters would be as follows:
PG....... X
SG....... Trey
Wing.... Murphy
Forward... Toney
Center..... Brown

This is no way what I want to see, but without a new Big, it's where we are now IMO.
This would have Kene, Coulibaly, and Champaigne as inside backups
Drumgoole could backup at guard or wing
If Capel gets a Big (and I believe he will) we're in much better shape. Brown then
becomes a reliable backup at Center, and Kene and Coulibaly can help inside at
forward. This would also allow Toney to also play wing. This is what I hope happens.

 

[4upmc]

I think you are going to see times where you have X, Murph at the 2, and Trey at the 3. Actually, I think letting Trey get aggressive at the 3 sometimes would be very beneficial to his game.

Agree. A bunch of teams play lots of 3 G’s at times. Will provide more floor spacing for X and Trey to drive.

 

[joeydavid]

That looks about right. Now if they can get Hugley to reclassify...

Pg-x/murph/trey
Sg-Trey/Murph/X/Drumgoole
SF-Toney/Drumgoole/Champagnie
PF-????/Toney/Coulibaly/Kene/Champagnie
C-Terrell B/Kene/Coulibaly

My depth chart by position.

 

[Drew1208]

That looks about right. Now if they can get Hugley to reclassify...

They need someone to fill that big question mark area I have there.

 

[gary2]

That could be a possibility. A lot of it depends on whom if any among X, Trey and Toney
develops a reliable outside shot. If none of these guys do that, then we are going to
have to have someone who can. That would then be Murphy and/or Drumgoole.
Given how we ended the season, my guess for the five starters would be as follows:
PG....... X
SG....... Trey
Wing.... Murphy
Forward... Toney
Center..... Brown

This is no way what I want to see, but without a new Big, it's where we are now IMO.
This would have Kene, Coulibaly, and Champaigne as inside backups
Drumgoole could backup at guard or wing
If Capel gets a Big (and I believe he will) we're in much better shape. Brown then
becomes a reliable backup at Center, and Kene and Coulibaly can help inside at
forward. This would also allow Toney to also play wing. This is what I hope happens.

I see:

Johnson, McGowens, Toney, Couliblay, Kene
N/A, Murphy, Drumgoole, Champagne, Brown
N/A, (George), N/A

Biggest current need is a physically, ready to play player in the paint.

Guessing we can get by with McGowens and Murphy seeing some time at the point.

Murphys quotes sound like he thinks he is going to start with both X and Trey. I don't think that will be the case.

 

[Chescat]

I see:

Johnson, McGowens, Toney, Couliblay, Kene
N/A, Murphy, Drumgoole, Champagne, Brown
N/A, (George), N/A

Biggest current need is a physically, ready to play player in the paint.

Guessing we can get by with McGowens and Murphy seeing some time at the point.

Murphys quotes sound like he thinks he is going to start with both X and Trey. I don't think that will be the case.

Well, he probably thinks he'll start because of the way he might have been
recruited. I would guess that Capel stressed how they needed to replace
Frame, our only outside threat. Even if Capel didn't promise him a starting
role, Frame was a starter. It follows that Murphy would assume Frame's
starting role would be replaced by a shooter. I'm sure he sees himself as
that shooter, and this was undoubtedly stressed during his recruitment.

Your projected starting five is interesting.... Coulibaly is a frosh and Kene is
returning from injury. What's your thought on Capel landing a Big?
I certainly agree with your thought on the need for a "physically ready to
play player in the paint."

 

[tvich]

Kene will not play this season that's why we need at least 1 more big.

 

[DC_Area_Panther]

Kene will not play this season that's why we need at least 1 more big.

Has that been announced officially?

Previously, it was reported his surgery was very minor. So, it had appeared he would be ready to play.

 

[tvich]

Not officially announced injury/surgery was more severe than originally thought.

 

[Chescat]

Kene will not play this season that's why we need at least 1 more big.

If that's true, we will need more than 1 more Big. We needed at least one when
we had Brown and Kene. If Kene is out permanently, we need at least two IMO.

 

[Sean Miller Fan]

Kene will not play this season that's why we need at least 1 more big.

Marquette just landed a 7 foot transfer from Utah and Miami got a really good one from Cincy who is from Philly. Everyone from Philly goes to either Miami or Penn State. Weird.

 

[CaptainMurphy]

That looks about right. Now if they can get Hugley to reclassify...

Hurley isnt as big as some of our other targets but I like his game a lot. I think we are in good shape if we can land him.

 

[cruzer]

Well, at a minimum, we will have 5 more fouls to give on the inside even if we only have Coulibaly as a backup to Brown and Chukwuka. That should help.

Also, I expect Coulibaly could be an asset against zone defenses (thinking especially of Syracuse here) by playing the foul line and elbows on offense (he is supposed to be a good jump shooter from that distance) while Brown or Chukwuka occupies the other teams big down low.

Of course, as you suggest, Capel may have a viable plan here and it may still be possible to land another big (Sy, a big from overseas, or--a reclassify?) who might help. Hope springs eternal!

Hope is the Pitt version of Bitcoin....heck, we might even come out with an ICO....Pittcoin...backed exclusively by hope!

Cruzer

 

[Pitt1992]

hurley already signed up for summer league and fall AAU, hes not reclassifying

 

[Tonyt66]

Khadim is down to his final 3 and Pitt has a realchanceto gethim butOleMiss is a threatandECUhastwo of his former teammates on theteam so it's going to be very interesting