This is strictly an IMO, so I don't expect universal agreement LOL.
So many of us on here are posting the reasons why we are so successful this year, especially
compared to the last few years.
Granted, we're more experienced; "older" is the term we're seeing repeatedly.... yes, we are.
Of course that is fairly obvious. Also Jamie has "transformed". He recruited and is using grad players; he's got us going up-tempo. There's the improvement of James, Artis, Young, and others.
This is all true, but IMO what I see now is there are NO wreak spots in the starting five, and pretty true with the subs too. (of course we still are weak defensively). Last year we started Cam Wright in the backcourt, subbed with an ineffective (injured) Newkirk and relied on Jones for outside scoring. Even with James as an effective PG....THAT is one weak backcourt. We had NO center last year, and Young played WAY out of position as a Center. Artis was effective at PF, but with no Center, Young's effectiveness was way down as he was getting worn out inside. Jeter was new to the program and was not even close to being ready (talented but streaky).
So in effect we had no SF either. That's two positions we basically had no ACC level talent, throw in Young at Center and we had three positions like that. Except for Artis' ability with a mid range jumper we also had no outside threat.
With all that, Jamie actually did a pretty decent job with what he had last year. I for one do not think (as many on here do) that Robinson has improved all that much. He always ran the team and managed the flow very well. However last year he had to score too, and that's not what he does. Witness the recent ND game...he hardly scored, yet he did what he always does and we won. ( I know, don't say it...we beat ND last year too LOL). IMO he's the same as before., a very effective pg. The two grad starters have put Young and Artis where they belong, and those grad starters have filled in the slots where we had NOBODY, Robinson is doing what he always did. The subs are not relied upon to start and are now great off the bench.
If we had the same grad students last year....IMO we would have made the NCAA's because Young, Artis, and Robinson would have been where they belong, doing what they do best. Wright would have been a sub, Newkirk would have hardly seen the floor for playing time and Jones and Jeter would be where they are now in the rotation. Not as good a team as this year, but MUCH better than last year.
So many of us on here are posting the reasons why we are so successful this year, especially
compared to the last few years.
Granted, we're more experienced; "older" is the term we're seeing repeatedly.... yes, we are.
Of course that is fairly obvious. Also Jamie has "transformed". He recruited and is using grad players; he's got us going up-tempo. There's the improvement of James, Artis, Young, and others.
This is all true, but IMO what I see now is there are NO wreak spots in the starting five, and pretty true with the subs too. (of course we still are weak defensively). Last year we started Cam Wright in the backcourt, subbed with an ineffective (injured) Newkirk and relied on Jones for outside scoring. Even with James as an effective PG....THAT is one weak backcourt. We had NO center last year, and Young played WAY out of position as a Center. Artis was effective at PF, but with no Center, Young's effectiveness was way down as he was getting worn out inside. Jeter was new to the program and was not even close to being ready (talented but streaky).
So in effect we had no SF either. That's two positions we basically had no ACC level talent, throw in Young at Center and we had three positions like that. Except for Artis' ability with a mid range jumper we also had no outside threat.
With all that, Jamie actually did a pretty decent job with what he had last year. I for one do not think (as many on here do) that Robinson has improved all that much. He always ran the team and managed the flow very well. However last year he had to score too, and that's not what he does. Witness the recent ND game...he hardly scored, yet he did what he always does and we won. ( I know, don't say it...we beat ND last year too LOL). IMO he's the same as before., a very effective pg. The two grad starters have put Young and Artis where they belong, and those grad starters have filled in the slots where we had NOBODY, Robinson is doing what he always did. The subs are not relied upon to start and are now great off the bench.
If we had the same grad students last year....IMO we would have made the NCAA's because Young, Artis, and Robinson would have been where they belong, doing what they do best. Wright would have been a sub, Newkirk would have hardly seen the floor for playing time and Jones and Jeter would be where they are now in the rotation. Not as good a team as this year, but MUCH better than last year.
