With Jeffress in our lineup it is literally 4 on 5

[PittPoker]

Will Jeffress offers nothing offensively at all. Nothing. So it makes the defense for Miami much easier to guard us. Jeffress is a waste of a scholarship and needs to be a forced transfer during the offseason.

1 of many problems with this squad and head coach.

 

[JD1976]

I remember being pumped when Jeffress committed. As I recall, it was in March or April of 2020 when the world was shutdown and we had no sports. His commitment something exciting to look forward to for when we got back to somewhat normal.

He’s just a flat out not cut out for this level. Nice kid. I will root for him wherever he ends up, but he just doesn’t have ACC talent.

 

[PittPoker]

I remember being pumped when Jeffress committed. As I recall, it was in March or April of 2020 when the world was shutdown and we had no sports. His commitment something exciting to look forward to for when we got back to somewhat normal.

He’s just a flat out not cut out for this level. Nice kid. I will root for him wherever he ends up, but he just doesn’t have ACC talent.

Agree. I was psyched too. I didn't know he is so bereft of talent.

 

[PittPharm2002]

Yeah
Will is the problem

 

[JD1976]

Yeah
Will is the problem

THE problem? No.

A problem? Well, he doesn’t seem like a solution does he?

 

[PittPharm2002]

THE problem? No.

A problem? Well, he doesn’t seem like a solution does he?

He’s a bench dude
The threads about him every game seem like obsession
burton is hot garbage again

 

[JD1976]

He’s a bench dude
The threads about him every game seem like obsession
burton is hot garbage again

Yeah he’s a bench dude who every single person following Pitt basketball would have expected to contribute a bit more by this point in his career. Heck, give us even one flash!

 

[PittPharm2002]

Yeah he’s a bench dude who every single person following Pitt basketball would have expected to contribute a bit more by this point in his career. Heck, give us even one flash!

Made a 3
There ya go

 

[Sean Miller Fan]

Yeah he’s a bench dude who every single person following Pitt basketball would have expected to contribute a bit more by this point in his career. Heck, give us even one flash!

Jeffress draws a lot of ire because he was a Top 75 recruit and was in some Top 25s as a sophomore and played on Team USA U17 so it was very easy to draw the conclusion that that type of recruit would be a solid contributor as a FR (even at 17), solid starter in Year 2, and pushing for All-ACC in Years 3 and 4. As it turns out, he doesn't even appear to have mid-major talent. More like NEC/D2. Its so rare to see a kid that badly misevaluated.

 

[sonofabit]

Yeah he’s a bench dude who every single person following Pitt basketball would have expected to contribute a bit more by this point in his career. Heck, give us even one flash!

Made a nice leaner late in the game. Lol. He’s - what’s the word - gangley? - just isn’t coordinated if you watch his legs move. Can’t count the times this year he’s flopped to the floor on his own. Maybe the body at 18 issue? And that set-shot 3 will be blocked more often than not going forward. Depth guy that programs have but not a solution.

 

[TheWerewolfFromTwilight]

Silver lining: He's a little better than Drumgoole.

 

[Sean Miller Fan]

Silver lining: He's a little better than Drumgoole.

Is he? On a scale of 1-10, Jeffress's offensive game is a 1. His defense and rebounding is a 5 so maybe that's enough.

 

[TheWerewolfFromTwilight]

Is he? On a scale of 1-10, Jeffress's offensive game is a 1. His defense and rebounding is a 5 so maybe that's enough.

Yes, and it's not particularly close. Drumgoole - or should I say the Maryland Slayer - is very much in the thick of the conversation for the worst DI scholarship player I have ever seen on a basketball court.

 

[Fsgolfdr]

Right now he’s their 6th best player !

Id like to see him practice before I throw him to the wolves , I’d give him 1 more yr before I’d give up on him .

The obsession of heaping the blame on him is idiotic , he’s being asked to do too much right now . Is it his fault they have nothing on the bench ? He should be seeing 2-3 minutes a half at most .

 

[recruitsreadtheseboards]

The game is obviously moving way too fast for him. Any of us who have played basketball at any level, hell even playground pickup can relate. Unless a few of you are ex D1 players, there always comes a time where you are running with a group better than you. Maybe when you were younger, older kids. Or say in Jr high playing with some varsity kids.

What comes naturally then all of a sudden doesn't. You rush everything. In many cases, you don't want the ball. It just moves to fast for you to be effective. And that is where Jeffress looks like.

The question is, does it get better? Or is this level too much?

 

[iMissTheOldDayss]

Right now he’s their 6th best player !

Id like to see him practice before I throw him to the wolves , I’d give him 1 more yr before I’d give up on him .

The obsession of heaping the blame on him is idiotic , he’s being asked to do too much right now . Is it his fault they have nothing on the bench ? He should be seeing 2-3 minutes a half at most .

Lmao is this real…? He was a top 75 commit who plays like a kindergartner, he’s literally asked to do absolutely nothing but not look like a clown for 15-20 min a night and he struggles with that

 

[Sean Miller Fan]

The game is obviously moving way too fast for him. Any of us who have played basketball at any level, hell even playground pickup can relate. Unless a few of you are ex D1 players, there always comes a time where you are running with a group better than you. Maybe when you were younger, older kids. Or say in Jr high playing with some varsity kids.

What comes naturally then all of a sudden doesn't. You rush everything. In many cases, you don't want the ball. It just moves to fast for you to be effective. And that is where Jeffress looks like.

The question is, does it get better? Or is this level too much?

I have said Jeffress reminds me of me playing against better players. Just trying to catch the ball and pass it without turning it over knowing I cant really do anything except maybe hit a jumper if I'm open. Even if we consider him a freshman, usually there's instances where you can see a glimpse of potential. Maybe a good game, a good spurt. People say, what about Lamar Patterson? As a true freshman before Dixon faked his injury, he had a great 1st Half vs a Top 5 Texas team and I remember him playing well in the 2OT game vs Duquesne when others fouled out. And that was a good team he was on.

 

[recruitsreadtheseboards]

I have said Jeffress reminds me of me playing against better players. Just trying to catch the ball and pass it without turning it over knowing I cant really do anything except maybe hit a jumper if I'm open. Even if we consider him a freshman, usually there's instances where you can see a glimpse of potential. Maybe a good game, a good spurt. People say, what about Lamar Patterson? As a true freshman before Dixon faked his injury, he had a great 1st Half vs a Top 5 Texas team and I remember him playing well in the 2OT game vs Duquesne when others fouled out. And that was a good team he was on.

The thing is, age aside, he has now been playing at this level for TWO WHOLE YEARS.

 

[pittzip]

No need to keep piling on. He will be gone skin enough.

 

[TheSpecialSauce]

Right now he’s their 6th best player !

Id like to see him practice before I throw him to the wolves , I’d give him 1 more yr before I’d give up on him .

The obsession of heaping the blame on him is idiotic , he’s being asked to do too much right now . Is it his fault they have nothing on the bench ? He should be seeing 2-3 minutes a half at most .

You are right. We should be heaping the blame on the head coach. The guy making 3.5 million dollars is stealing money from Pitt.

 

[Gunga_Galunga]

Right now he’s their 6th best player !

Id like to see him practice before I throw him to the wolves , I’d give him 1 more yr before I’d give up on him .

The obsession of heaping the blame on him is idiotic , he’s being asked to do too much right now . Is it his fault they have nothing on the bench ? He should be seeing 2-3 minutes a half at most .

You are right. We should be heaping the blame on the head coach. The guy making 3.5 million dollars is stealing money from Pitt.

Correct. The fact that he's the 6th best player in year 4 is the problem. It's not Will's fault he has to play as much as he does.

Similar to AKC last year. A guy who plays under 10 minutes a game as a junior for Saint Bonaventure had to play 22 minutes a game a sophomore in the ACC.

The issue is a staff who can't field a roster of competent players. Time to cut your your losses and move on, because it's not getting any better with this crew.

 

[PittPharm2002]

Correct. The fact that he's the 6th best player in year 4 is the problem. It's not Will's fault he has to play as much as he does.

Similar to AKC last year. A guy who plays under 10 minutes a game as a junior for Saint Bonaventure had to play 22 minutes a game a sophomore in the ACC.

The issue is a staff who can't field a roster of competent players. Time to cut your your losses and move on, because it's not getting any better with this crew.

Good point
I made a similar one in the game thread regarding femi, Horton , and even Hugley

 

[TommySmiles]

THE problem? No.

A problem? Well, he doesn’t seem like a solution does he?

The Kid is 18 and if we still had our 4 transfers from last year + Chapagne he would be doing what is expected of every scholarship player and that is to improve via practice and games. The value just in practicing with that type of talent he would be ready and confident for next year but of course we are dealing with IF's so with that being said the kid is 18 give him some time he may end up being much better than you think.

 

[JD1976]

The Kid is 18 and if we still had our 4 transfers from last year + Chapagne he would be doing what is expected of every scholarship player and that is to improve via practice and games. The value just in practicing with that type of talent he would be ready and confident for next year but of course we are dealing with IF's so with that being said the kid is 18 give him some time he may end up being much better than you think.

I hope you are right, but he’s only ever had one flash in his entire career and that was at Northwestern last year.

 

[recruitsreadtheseboards]

The Kid is 18 and if we still had our 4 transfers from last year + Chapagne he would be doing what is expected of every scholarship player and that is to improve via practice and games. The value just in practicing with that type of talent he would be ready and confident for next year but of course we are dealing with IF's so with that being said the kid is 18 give him some time he may end up being much better than you think.

He is 18. But this is now also 2 almost complete years at this level. If there was some improvement....then OK. With Collier, you see some improvement with him from this time last year. With Will this is not the case.

Again, you guys harp on his age, but there is also experience. That should offset some of the age issues.

The fact is, as many of us said, he was never ready to make this jump and he probably should have went from McDowell to one of these BB prep schools. It's a shame, last year was a "redshirt" year because of Covid, but it seemed to do more damage by him playing that sitting in a traditional redshirt year.

Not hating on the kid, I feel bad for him, he is a great kid from a great family, good student but........I am just worried he is now damaged goods here.

 

[PittPharm2002]

Him not meeting fan experience isn’t a reason for the obsession

 

[TommySmiles]

He is 18. But this is now also 2 almost complete years at this level. If there was some improvement....then OK. With Collier, you see some improvement with him from this time last year. With Will this is not the case.

Again, you guys harp on his age, but there is also experience. That should offset some of the age issues.

The fact is, as many of us said, he was never ready to make this jump and he probably should have went from McDowell to one of these BB prep schools. It's a shame, last year was a "redshirt" year because of Covid, but it seemed to do more damage by him playing that sitting in a traditional redshirt year.

Not hating on the kid, I feel bad for him, he is a great kid from a great family, good student but........I am just worried he is now damaged goods here.

Whether he was ready for the jump from HS to college is a point but remeber he reclassed to come a year early like Champ did but we ended up with different results. He and Champ are from two different worlds in society and the HUNGER and since of urgency is different.

But I would like to point how how much energy and hustle he's played with since being benched after 20+ starts how many player would play that hard for you so there is always hope.