13th Scholarship

[Queens_NYC]

Our roster is in great shape for next season at the moment. We have 12 scholarships filled and will have solid depth at every position with the exception of a few question marks at point guard. We could possibly fill in that last little roster hole with a late addition to next year's team who would be eligible to contribute right away.

However, we are due to lose at least 4 players in the summer of 2020 (Cumberland, Scott, Brooks, and Fredericks) and have the potential to upgrade our talent for 20-21 right now by snagging a transfer who would sit out next season.

We could also make a late signing to our 2019 class and treat whoever it may be as a 2020 recruit (ala Prince Gillam) by redshirting him next season.

There is also the option to not touch the scholarship for 19-20 and save it for a 2020 HS/JUCO recruit.

Obviously, since the offseason has just started, this discussion could become irrelevant (or change tones) very quickly if we experience some immediate attrition.

Regardless, with how things stand now, what do you believe to be the best course of action?

 

[cincycpaw]

Try to get the best available shooter. Don’t care about athleticism or even defense a lot. Get the best transfer shooter available to step in and knock down shots.

 

[TheLivingLegend]

6'6 wing. Knock down shooter. Elite athlete. Likely a lottery pick.

Go find that.

 

[waterhead]

Let's assume both Cronin and Cumberland will be coming back. I am going to take a look at this simply from a perspective of what we can do to put together a team in March that can contend. We have a very solid returning core that has pretty nice potential and I would not like to waste the few opportunities that come along for us with teams that might be able to contend. We had a contender in Gary's Sr year...but most of our teams aren't there. This year we all thought was one of those rebuilding years that turned out better.

A lot has been said that Cronin does not get enough offensive players but he has done a little better in that dept lately. I think it would be tough for him to do a 180 on recruiting style but the one place he can address team weaknesses is in the transfer market. In a year like this up coming year I am talking about a grad transfer that can help put us over the hump for a single season while we have the other pieces in place. Cronin does NOT like to use it and I understand why. If you nab a transfer at any position it tells the other players at the position you have lost confidence. Which is also IMO what riding the bench says. So you take the chance of alienating a player who might transfer out. I would take the chance of losing a low minute bench player for a chance at higher levels of success. No hard feelings.

So look at our roster. We look solid at the 4 and 5. We have Cumberland who can play point or wing. Keith was looking worse towards the end and we have unproven players in Curtis and Johnson coming in. Fredericks and Moore weren't cutting it. So all the help we would need would be at the guard/wing positions. Specifically someone who can shoot and add some scoring pop to an otherwise solid squad and deep bench. And who knows Curtis and Johnson COULD be all we need...but we are more likely a year from them being consistent and solid starters.

You have to ask. Are we rebuilding? Do we need to plug a hole for next year. Do we have a team that can contend and can use all the help we can get THIS year? I would go all in this year on the grad transfer wing/guard who can shoot the 3. If Mick ruffles some feathers...he just has to say to them...work a little harder and improve and you won't have to worry about it next year. You are not performing at the level I recruited you for. I understand if you are upset but I gave you some chances.

 

[waterhead]

And seriously. If you are Cronin. You are constantly getting hammered for not being a very good March coach. That is the elephant in the room for your coaching career. Why not go all out on a grad transfer and try to change that perception? Just one time...see what happens. If you are not changing others are passing you by because they are willing to. MAKE A CHANGE!!

 

[waterhead]

In our 9 tourney streak when we have a 7 seed or lower our average ORTG rank on T-rank has been 53.5 and that includes a massive outlier in SK's Sr year where we were ranked 102nd (5 seed). All other years were ranked between 56 and 32. That includes a 7 seed, three 6 seeds, 5 seed and 2 seed.

When we had higher than a 7 seed our average rank on offense was 92nd. So there is roughly a 40 point difference. 8, 9, and 10 seed.

During those same years with the 7 seeds and below our defense averaged a rank of 14.5. The higher seeds about 15.5. For only a 1 point difference.

Makes sense since our D is always going to be solid our seed should go as our offense goes.

So if I am Mick maybe I just keep recruiting the way I always do and fill 11 spots or so with HS and juco. I get my mix of athletes, projects, and actual basketball players. And every year (if I have to) I address the offensive weaknesses that arise (because of my recruiting style) through the grad transfer market. I let all of my players know when I recruit them I will likely fill the weakest spot on the team each year with a grad transfer so there are no surprises.

Perhaps this is how to solve the March success issue when we have trouble producing enough points to keep up. If we are ever going to end up in the top 25 on offense we need to use transfers to get there based on 12 years of evidence. We CANNOT do it with Cronin's recruiting style. We can however get to the top 10 in D.

 

[Queens_NYC]

I think this article gives some indication of the direction Mick is looking to go.

https://thespun.com/college-hoops/david-jenkins-jr-transfer-sdsu-kansas-gonzaga

 

[CareBat]

I think this article gives some indication of the direction Mick is looking to go.

https://thespun.com/college-hoops/david-jenkins-jr-transfer-sdsu-kansas-gonzaga

Yes please

 

[Profchaos102]

I think this article gives some indication of the direction Mick is looking to go.

https://thespun.com/college-hoops/david-jenkins-jr-transfer-sdsu-kansas-gonzaga

Didn’t that guy lose his head coach too? Is there a chance that he could be ruled immediately eligible because of that? If not, he’d still be a solid Cumberland replacement in two years. If we could land him, that’ll be absolutely huge for this program.

 

[TheRealUC]

Didn’t that guy lose his head coach too? Is there a chance that he could be ruled immediately eligible because of that? If not, he’d still be a solid Cumberland replacement in two years. If we could land him, that’ll be absolutely huge for this program.

Released his Final 7. Cincy not in it...but UCLA is

 

[cincyalum2014]

I would love to see Javien Cumberland wearing a UC jersey next year. And its not just because he is Jarron's cousin (although that is nice to). But this kid has some serious skill. 6'2 PG which would give us more depth at the position, he would pair great with alternating with LOJO (if he doesn't transfer). Averaged 17.2 pts, shot 43%, 40% from 3, 85% FT shooter, had a solid assist to turn over ratio. I think this would be a smart move to look at due to this team only having 1 PG on the roster. That would still leave us with one open scholarship due to Fredericks transferring (who cares). We could either save that for next years recruiting class or the new coach could bring in a guy he likes late.

Obviously this is just my two cents and honestly who knows how things are going turn out within the next couple of weeks.