Yeah, I’m not saying it is impossible but cramming any of Michigan’s 3/4 combo types into the 2 doesn’t seem completely optimal. I’d rather focus on jamming the 3/4 combo types into the 5.
The issue is that U-M still doesn’t have a ton of guard depth.
Yup JC and hopefully a grad transfer guard are absolutely necessary to raise the ceiling for next year’s team.
JC, yes, absolutely. A grad transfer, while one would be useful for guard depth purposes under any circumstances if there is a scholarship available, only raises the ceiling in any meaningful way if the grad transfer is going to be a significant rotation piece. If all of JC, Eli and DDJ are still around, that’s questionable no matter which grad transfer we would get, and unlikely with some of them, and that doesn’t even consider whether Zeb would be able to contribute at a similar or higher level. Me, I’d far rather keep what we have (and add JC of course) than try to find the up transfer exception (like Mooney at TTU) in the face of many, many others who have not been all that and a bag of chips.
As far as guard depth… I’m not sure 3 guys for 2 spots is really ideal. It was an issue for U-M this year at times and one of those guys was one of the best PGs in college basketball and a 4-year player.
Maybe Zeb is that 4th guy, but if he’s not I suspect it would still be an issue.
I guess I’m thinking Todd/Christopher are significant quicker than Johns/Livers/Franz. Could definitely be wrong though.
Johns/Livers/Franz are still in your example. I think those three would have some issues trying to keep guards in front of them in a switch everything lineup.
I agree–I’d like 5 guards for depth. I vividly remember having 4 in the JB era in '15 and '16, getting 2 injured (Caris and Derrick in '15, Caris and Spike in '16), and having to play Andrew Dakich for guard depth. And you’re right–having 4 who can play and contribute significantly right away is ideal, and we’re not sure that Zeb can do that. However, these seem more raising the floor than raising the ceiling concepts. I was trying to respond to Adam’s statement that a grad transfer was needed to raise the ceiling next year. Sorry if that was unclear.
I’m also operating under the assumption that there will be attrition, which may come in the form of 1-3 guards currently on the roster, which is already light on guards. I don’t think Michigan would be mentioned this frequently as contacting grad transfer guards if guard attrition wasn’t on the way. A grad transfer like Turner or Aikens especially helps alleviate the concerns over losing someone.
I think its going be really hard to ever have more than 4 guards on this roster given the level of prospect Juwan wants to recruit. Those guys are all going wants to play a lot and it will be difficult to keep more than 4 around most years. You can have 5 at some places where your recruiting some program guys like spike but if you’re recruiting all top 100 and highly thought of transfers its just not possible to have 5 true guards on the roster IMO.
Well, Michigan has five 4/3 combos on the roster next year so I think anything is possible. Just comes down to roster construct and having a blend of different experience at each position.
I mean, I think 5 guards is far more common than 5 4/3s. Bigger guards can play the 3 too so you essentially have 3 positions that could field guards. In college you see 3 guard lineups all the time. Michigan’s problem last year was that they had 3 6ft guards. I’ll bet we would have seen the 3 guard lineup even more if the players were 6’0, 6’3 and 6’5. If a future team is constructed differently and has more talent at guard than on the wing, I could see an athletic guard with size like JC playing the 3.
There doesn’t seem to be much optimism for Zeb as the 3rd/4th guard. I personally am really excited to see how he stacks up. There may not be minutes available, but I’m comfortable with him as a backstop (unlike a Dakich, etc.)
I agree I think Zeb will surprise as a freshman. Kid’s definitely used to playing with talent
Didn’t mean to be down on Zeb necessarily. Talking more big picture about roster construction.
Sorry my point wasn’t necessarily directed at anything you have been saying…After all, there’s no doubting that the staff is investigating guard depth issues, thus your piece on the transfers out there.
My point is more just a general observation that we, as a fanbase, haven’t been too hyped about Zeb. (Whereas typically when losing a senior PG, we’d be pumped to be bringing in a top 75 PG).
I think the question for me always comes down to physical strength. Can a 18/19 year old play against a 22/23 year old guard. Gotta be strong on the ball with no time to think.
Well, he basically won the UCLA game for us in 2017-18 by coming in and shutting down Aaron Holiday, who was killing us, and he scored 15 points too. That was the game where he essentially claimed the starting PG job.
“Evaluating the opportunity to hire an agent” seems like a unique way to phrase that. But I might just be stir-crazy right now. I miss hoops.