So now that the 13 players are 'set'....

[axingfools1]

Who do we expect to see playing in Costa Rica and as the 2017-18 season starts? What positions need to be filled for 2018?

My starters this summer and probably into next year would be:

PG: Touchet
SG: Omega
SF: Flaggert
PF: Thomas
C: Willms

1st off the bench and a lot of playing time:
Gilyard
Williams
Jones

Not sure about the others yet, but I imagine Wade and Osborne will battle for minutes and Smith will give Thomas some good backup minutes. If one of those guys really plays well then it shake things up. I still think McGee and St. Pierre will redshirt if everybody stays healthy. Royster will prop 48. I think the lineup combos are endless.

If CTF can get these guys to play defense early, then the miners should be in good shape this year.

 

[unihorn]

Not drinking the Kool-Aid again.

 

[jdubb66]

Point
So.-Deon Barrett - s
Fr.-Evan Gilyard - s
Fr.-Kobe McGee - s
So.-Hudson Urbanus - wo

Two
Sr.-Omega Harris - s
Jr.-Trey Touchet - s

Three
Sr.-Jake Flaggert - s
So.-Isaiah Osbourne - s
So.-Roderick Williams - s
So.-Trey Wade - s

Four
Jr.-Paul Thomas - s
Fr.-Tirus Smith - s
Jr-Ivan Venegas - wo

Five
Sr.-Matt Wilms - s
So.-Kelvin Jones - s
Fr.-Joey St. Pierre - s

 

[jdubb66]

so why did they wait until now to announce the transfer. Obviously they've know for weeks he was not coming back.

 

[Lil_Train]

so why did they wait until now to announce the transfer. Obviously they've know for weeks he was not coming back.

Barrett likely would have had a spot on next year's team if one of the new guys failed to make it. All of the new guys still had to complete their work to qualify. Roderick Williams, for instance, still needed to graduate from his JC in order to be eligible next year.

One thing Floyd was adamant about was that this year, the team would be at 13 players. Reading between the lines, this meant that he was not going to have late "roster filler" type guys added late, as was the case last year. It sounds like we have a good idea of what the roster will look like next year, but it always seems like something comes up. For starters, we definitely need both of those two freshman PGs to come in ready to hit the ground running. Their play this summer, to me, is a big thing to keep an eye on.

 

[MineroFanatico]

My prediction

First game of the season:
Touchet
Omega
Flags
PT
Willms

First conference game:
Gilyard
Omega
Wade/Williams
PT
Willms

Key off the Bench:
Everybody except St Pierre and Urbanus just because we are deep enough in those respective positions. I agree with whoever said St Pierre will rs.

 

[Lil_Train]

My prediction

First game of the season:
Touchet
Omega
Flags
PT
Willms

First conference game:
Gilyard
Omega
Wade/Williams
PT
Willms

Key off the Bench:
Everybody except St Pierre and Urbanus just because we are deep enough in those respective positions. I agree with whoever said St Pierre will rs.

I agree with this FanatiCoog. I would actually feel more comfortable with Omega at the point than Touchet; or even if they split the duties. I do think Touchet has a role on the team, just not at the PG position. He struggles with any type of ball pressure, and is prone to get trapped. Also, he really has no experience running a team. That is a tough spot to put him in. At least the staff tried making Omega a PG at one time. Either way, it is a pretty scary proposition with either one in my opinion. I also think Osborne is a guy to keep an eye on at the two, and he will have a year of experience playing with the team come this summer.

 

[miner1liner]

My prediction

First game of the season:
Touchet
Omega
Flags
PT
Willms

First conference game:
Gilyard
Omega
Wade/Williams
PT
Willms

Key off the Bench:
Everybody except St Pierre and Urbanus just because we are deep enough in those respective positions. I agree with whoever said St Pierre will rs.

Wouldn't even want try to predict starting lineups, because you know it will be constant experimentation until they see what works. I do predict that Wade, Williams and Smith will be firmly involved. There appears to be a lot of talent to evaluate. Could be ten deep.

 

[unihorn]

Inexperienced/unproven at point no es bueno.

 

[MineroFanatico]

Wouldn't even want try to predict starting lineups, because you know it will be constant experimentation until they see what works. I do predict that Wade, Williams and Smith will be firmly involved. There appears to be a lot of talent to evaluate. Could be ten deep.

For sure. Its just a boring time of year and predicting things like starting line ups, who will be the first of these guys to announce a departure and how many games we will win, are just a way to get some meaningless, but fun dialogue going on.

 

[MineroFanatico]

I agree with this FanatiCoog. I would actually feel more comfortable with Omega at the point than Touchet; or even if they split the duties. I do think Touchet has a role on the team, just not at the PG position. He struggles with any type of ball pressure, and is prone to get trapped. Also, he really has no experience running a team. That is a tough spot to put him in. At least the staff tried making Omega a PG at one time. Either way, it is a pretty scary proposition with either one in my opinion. I also think Osborne is a guy to keep an eye on at the two, and he will have a year of experience playing with the team come this summer.

Interesting. Double edged sword imo. Omega is faster, slices and dices better but has the loosest damn handles. Touchet is slow(er), not as crafty, is more conservative, yet is more heady and less prone to turn the ball over, except for when he gets himself trapped. Just think Floyd will start with experience, which includes both those guys on the court at the same time. I'm curious to find out how it plays out.

 

[UTEPDefense]

Here is a relevant question to consider: Who will be the first Freshman to leave? History promises that at least one of these guys won't be here this time next year.

Also, will all players still be here one month into the season? On average, history also promises that at least one of the current Miners will be gone by the first month of the season.

Adrian Moore, Marqwell Jackson, Roman Silva, Dustin Watts, Terry Winn, Isaac Hamilton, Andre Spight, and Darius Nelson were all Miners in June, but had left the Program by the end of the first month of the season. That is 8 players in Floyd's 7 years here, which on average is more than one player per year. So history says that we are losing at least one guy by November.

 

[jdubb66]

Here is a relevant question to consider: Who will be the first Freshman to leave? History promises that at least one of these guys won't be here this time next year.

Also, will all players still be here one month into the season? On average, history also promises that at least one of the current Miners will be gone by the first month of the season.

Adrian Moore, Marqwell Jackson, Roman Silva, Dustin Watts, Terry Winn, Isaac Hamilton, Andre Spight, and Darius Nelson were all Miners in June, but had left the Program by the end of the first month of the season. That is 8 players in Floyd's 7 years here, which on average is more than one player per year. So history says that we are losing at least one guy by November.

My money's on Gilyard. Primadonnas don't last long around here.

 

[UTEPDefense]

My fear is that Tyrus Smith ends up having the same fate as Twymond Howard, in which half-a-year into his Freshman season, everybody will be asking why such a highly thought of recruit hasn't been given any playing time.

 

[MineroFanatico]

My money's on Gilyard. Primadonnas don't last long around here.

Is he known as a primadonna?

 

[MineroFanatico]

My fear is that Tyrus Smith ends up having the same fate as Twymond Howard, in which half-a-year into his Freshman season, everybody will be asking why such a highly thought of recruit hasn't been given any playing time.

I hope not. He's my answer to the thread I just posted about impact POY.

 

[jdubb66]

Is he known as a primadonna?

By primadonna I mean a highly rated or sought after recruit. If he believes he's coming here to start I think he'll get frustrated and leave. My money's on him being the first out.

 

[Lil_Train]

I have heard good things about many of the new guys, including Gilyard. I did see some attitude from Rod Williams that I did not particularly care for in watching some of his games on line. I hope that doesn't carry over to his D1 play.

The current roster is setup nicely for competition at all spots, which is what should be happening every year. After next year, with the departure of Harris, Willms, and Flaggert that will open up a ton of playing time for the new guys from this year to grab, if they are up to the task. If we can hit on 50% of these guys; meaning true starter level quality players, then I would consider this class to be really solid. What we can't afford, is to miss out on all of them again like last year.

 

[MineroFanatico]

By primadonna I mean a highly rated or sought after recruit. If he believes he's coming here to start I think he'll get frustrated and leave. My money's on him being the first out.

As long as he doesn't buy the hype about himself, he might be ok. Sure as hell couldn't have a wider open door to a starting spot as he has at UTEP.

 

[develman]

My prediction

First game of the season:
Touchet
Omega
Flags
PT
Willms

First conference game:
Gilyard
Omega
Wade/Williams
PT
Willms

Key off the Bench:
Everybody except St Pierre and Urbanus just because we are deep enough in those respective positions. I agree with whoever said St Pierre will rs.

I believe Williams is a prop 48 this year, so Smith might get more minutes.

 

[MineroFanatico]

I believe Williams is a prop 48 this year, so Smith might get more minutes.

Are you possibly thinking about Taj Royster as the prop 48 kid?

Pretty sure Williams can come in and play immediately.

 

[develman]

Are you possibly thinking about Taj Royster as the prop 48 kid?

Pretty sure Williams can come in and play immediately.

OK, I knew we had a prop 48 kid, thought it was Williams, thanks for the correction.

 

[e-rick]

Who do we expect to see playing in Costa Rica and as the 2017-18 season starts? What positions need to be filled for 2018?

My starters this summer and probably into next year would be:

PG: Touchet
SG: Omega
SF: Flaggert
PF: Thomas
C: Willms

1st off the bench and a lot of playing time:
Gilyard
Williams
Jones

Not sure about the others yet, but I imagine Wade and Osborne will battle for minutes and Smith will give Thomas some good backup minutes. If one of those guys really plays well then it shake things up. I still think McGee and St. Pierre will redshirt if everybody stays healthy. Royster will prop 48. I think the lineup combos are endless.

If CTF can get these guys to play defense early, then the miners should be in good shape this year.

A core of players from last year are returning and they found out that playing hard aggressive defense pays off big time! The culture is being instilled and barring massive defections from those core players, the newbies will buy in and follow! Picks Up Miners! \m/

 

[unihorn]

A core of players from last year are returning and they found out that playing hard aggressive defense pays off big time! The culture is being instilled and barring massive defections from those core players, the newbies will buy in and follow! Picks Up Miners! \m/

Core? What core?

 

[e-rick]

Core? What core?

read the initial post that this was a response to.

 

[unihorn]

read the initial post that this was a response to.

I like Jones' potential, but part of your "core" are two slow white guys who can't create their own shot, and a white big with glass feet.

 

[axingfools1]

I like Jones' potential, but part of your "core" are two slow white guys who can't create their own shot, and a white big with glass feet.

Well Omega is black and Thomas is half black. They are core players. How's that?

 

[unihorn]

Well Omega is black and Thomas is half black. They are core players. How's that?

Better, as 75% of NBA players are black.

 

[USAFminersfan]

And most of the white nba players are European, of which we have none. Guess we should just call it a season...

 

[unihorn]

All BS aside, is anyone predicting we win CUSA and/or the CUSA tournament?

 

[USAFminersfan]

Highly doubtful. We have some studs returning, but I wouldn't place my trust in a couple of freshman pg's who barely meet the height standards for riding a roller-coaster.

I'm joking of course, but they are freshman....and quite short in stature....

 

[JCorona]

All BS aside, is anyone predicting we win CUSA and/or the CUSA tournament?

Sure why not

 

[MineroFanatico]

All BS aside, is anyone predicting we win CUSA and/or the CUSA tournament?

I give us a shot.

It should take WKU a year for that highly prized recruiting class to take shape. MT should take a step back with the loss of two great players in JaCorey Williams and Upshaw. La Tech will probably reload but loses their Miner killer, McCree. ODU just doesn't put the fear in me, nor does uab. We have a shot...if a couple things pan out.

 

[MineroFanatico]

Sure why not

You've obviously been drinking the wrong color Kool Aid. That's the problem.

 

[unihorn]

One or two of these incoming players would have to be a Floyd wet dream.