Big Men

[ProudWYOAlum]

Not having Larry exposed a glaring weakness. Mr. Nance prevented around 10-15 points in the paint in an average game with his shot blocking ability.

He was also far and away our best rebounder.

Sellers and Cooke can't make up for 10-20% of Larry's production. Shyatt and staff have really lacked recruiting quality big men during their tenure, Cooke and Sellers were exposed for what they are yesterday.

The only reason Cooke was able to thrown down monster dunks and have any efficiency in the paint was because the opposition was entirely focused on Nance.

I really hope Herndon is good and we hit the JUCO ranks to bring in a big body next season.

 

[fromolwyoming]

I knew we would miss Nance, but didn't expect it to be that bad. Cooke can only do things right around the rim, and not much else (he BADLY needs to work on, if nothing else, free throws, during the off season), and Sellers, well, I did like him belly bumping the one sheep player backwards when going for the basket, only problem was, was that he got called for traveling.

 

[NewYorksCowboy]

Nance is a special player, truly the leader of this team in many different ways. The sheep are a sneakily very athletic team. The production isn't going to come overnight, that is the unfortunate reality, when you lose your star there is most likely going to be a drop off.

I think the bright spot that coms out of this, is that it will give Cooke an opportunity to really develop his game. HAving a dominant duo of a healthy Nance, and an experienced Cooke can cause team absolute fits next season.

The pokes are gonna have to find a way to win and rebound. Frontcourt depth is an issue, that unfortunately won't really be addressed till next year with Barnes and the Redshirts.

Like I said the one positive is that Cooke is going to get an oppo to really develop his game. Pokes just have to find ways to win without Nance!

Its a testament to just how GOOD Larry really is in so many ways, I believe in these players, they make me proud to be a cowboy fan, hopefully we can find some magic and make a run!

 

[Wyo2dal]

I knew it was going to be ugly, I honestly can say he carried this team and was taken for granted because we we're just use to him doing that. By both the fans and the players and now there is no one to step up. Wouldn't be surprised to see us lose out while it would be frustrating because it's something every year that we have a good push I'm use to it.

 

[WYCowboy]

It's what I have been saying all year, we are lacking quality depth of big men down low. Sellers shows some flashes of being able to play, but he plays so tight he is like a robot. IMO he needs to loosen up and just play. Maybe he needs some confidence too.

 

[BeaverPoke]

Could you imagine where we would be without Larry?
If he wouldn't have been a late-bloomer, and would have gone to a some of the big schools that were looking at him?

 

[PotatoCreekPete]

Not having Larry exposed a glaring weakness. Mr. Nance prevented around 10-15 points in the paint in an average game with his shot blocking ability.

He was also far and away our best rebounder.

Sellers and Cooke can't make up for 10-20% of Larry's production. Shyatt and staff have really lacked recruiting quality big men during their tenure, Cooke and Sellers were exposed for what they are yesterday.

The only reason Cooke was able to thrown down monster dunks and have any efficiency in the paint was because the opposition was entirely focused on Nance.

I really hope Herndon is good and we hit the JUCO ranks to bring in a big body next season.

All of what you said is accurate, but I might add, as much as I respect and admire what Larry Shyatt has done in coaching this team, Nance's going down has exposed a HUGE weakness in this program and that has been the utter lack of being able to recruit adequate big men over the last 3 seasons! I have mentioned it a number of times...about the lack of depth behind Larry Nance and unfortunately this has come to bite the Pokes in the backside late in the season when many things are on the line.

Larry Shyatt needs to look no further than the mirror to see the reason the Pokes do not have any response for the loss of Larry Nance on the bench after 3 years! I know that Larry Nance is a special player and no one could fill his shoes entirely, but my gosh how about someone that can rebound and play some defense that is a big man on the team. Seller's just eats up fouls and Haldorson is not physically capable of banging and doing what he needs to do to be a force underneath. It seems like Larry Shyatt is a nice guy and one whale of a coach, as he has kept Seller's on the bench and team long after knowing that Seller's was not able to play at this level. Instead of moving him to a place that he can actually play he has kept him on the bench and recruited "projects"....Haldorson is a project that will never develop into a decent big man in this league.....sorry to say it, but that is the fact. What else do we have? A redshirt freshmen that is about 40+ pounds too light to play at this level. I said last year that Cooke was not going to ever develop an offensive game and I was ripped a new one by a few so called "knowledgable people"....well I will say it, I was right and they were wrong.

I am tired of seeing Shyatt recruit 6-5 kids and then expect them to compete against 6-8 or 6-9 kids from the other team. I constantly read where Wyoming is in on a "6-1" or "6-5" kid, are we only going to have a team of guards? Hopefully Larry has learned from his recruiting mistakes and is determined to correct them quickly.

 

[kansasCowboy]

You can't blame Shyatt. He has recruited the "big" men. Every recruit is a potential risk of not developing the way the coach thought he would. Halderson was a top recruit out of Colorado. Shyatt has given him opportunities, and I'm not completely unconvinced he won't develop into a solid player his jr and sr year. We went after Ajayi, who was a top rated big man, and we watched his attitude completely screw his career. Sellers was a late recruit to add size, for exactly what he does now, playing in times of need. We have Herndon, who no one recruited well and he defensively stopped a top big man. And then on top of that he also recruited Cooke and Nance. I'd say he's done quite well in bringing in bigs, but all our bigs are still considered young.
This is also an average of recruiting two big men a year for Shyatt.

I'm more concerned of the lack of depth we will have at the guard spots if we lose Washington along with Sobey graduating and Granberry gone. That would be three guards gone to two incoming freshman guards. Plus if we lose Vernon that is a F we will need to replace.

 

[NowherePoke]

You can't blame Shyatt. He has recruited the "big" men. Every recruit is a potential risk of not developing the way the coach thought he would. Halderson was a top recruit out of Colorado. Shyatt has given him opportunities, and I'm not completely unconvinced he won't develop into a solid player his jr and sr year. We went after Ajayi, who was a top rated big man, and we watched his attitude completely screw his career. Sellers was a late recruit to add size, for exactly what he does now, playing in times of need. We have Herndon, who no one recruited well and he defensively stopped a top big man. And then on top of that he also recruited Cooke and Nance. I'd say he's done quite well in bringing in bigs, but all our bigs are still considered young.
This is also an average of recruiting two big men a year for Shyatt.

I'm more concerned of the lack of depth we will have at the guard spots if we lose Washington along with Sobey graduating and Granberry gone. That would be three guards gone to two incoming freshman guards. Plus if we lose Vernon that is a F we will need to replace.

The lack of guard depth is directly related to the recruiting failures in the frontcourt. The reason we have no guard depth is because we have 6 frontcourt players on scholarship and only two of them can be trusted to play (Nance and Cooke). Four players using scholarships and not contributing really impacts available depth.

Not counting the 2014 class (which hasn't suited up yet), Shyatt has recruited 8 big men in his 2nd tenure at UW. Only 2 of them can play in the MWC.

Shyatt recruited more impact big men in the first 7 months of his first tenure than he has in 3+ years this time. Can't survive this way.

 

[kansasCowboy]

You can't blame Shyatt. He has recruited the "big" men. Every recruit is a potential risk of not developing the way the coach thought he would. Halderson was a top recruit out of Colorado. Shyatt has given him opportunities, and I'm not completely unconvinced he won't develop into a solid player his jr and sr year. We went after Ajayi, who was a top rated big man, and we watched his attitude completely screw his career. Sellers was a late recruit to add size, for exactly what he does now, playing in times of need. We have Herndon, who no one recruited well and he defensively stopped a top big man. And then on top of that he also recruited Cooke and Nance. I'd say he's done quite well in bringing in bigs, but all our bigs are still considered young.
This is also an average of recruiting two big men a year for Shyatt.

I'm more concerned of the lack of depth we will have at the guard spots if we lose Washington along with Sobey graduating and Granberry gone. That would be three guards gone to two incoming freshman guards. Plus if we lose Vernon that is a F we will need to replace.

The lack of guard depth is directly related to the recruiting failures in the frontcourt. The reason we have no guard depth is because we have 6 frontcourt players on scholarship and only two of them can be trusted to play (Nance and Cooke). Four players using scholarships and not contributing really impacts available depth.

Not counting the 2014 class (which hasn't suited up yet), Shyatt has recruited 8 big men in his 2nd tenure at UW. Only 2 of them can play in the MWC.

Shyatt recruited more impact big men in the first 7 months of his first tenure than he has in 3+ years this time. Can't survive this way.

I thought our lack of guard spots was due to guards leaving early, like Shakir Smith? And who are the other two big men Shyatt recruited, cause I've only counted six. Nance, Cooke, Halderson, Sellers, Herndon, and Ajayi. Who else was there?

 

[NowherePoke]

You can't blame Shyatt. He has recruited the "big" men. Every recruit is a potential risk of not developing the way the coach thought he would. Halderson was a top recruit out of Colorado. Shyatt has given him opportunities, and I'm not completely unconvinced he won't develop into a solid player his jr and sr year. We went after Ajayi, who was a top rated big man, and we watched his attitude completely screw his career. Sellers was a late recruit to add size, for exactly what he does now, playing in times of need. We have Herndon, who no one recruited well and he defensively stopped a top big man. And then on top of that he also recruited Cooke and Nance. I'd say he's done quite well in bringing in bigs, but all our bigs are still considered young.
This is also an average of recruiting two big men a year for Shyatt.

I'm more concerned of the lack of depth we will have at the guard spots if we lose Washington along with Sobey graduating and Granberry gone. That would be three guards gone to two incoming freshman guards. Plus if we lose Vernon that is a F we will need to replace.

The lack of guard depth is directly related to the recruiting failures in the frontcourt. The reason we have no guard depth is because we have 6 frontcourt players on scholarship and only two of them can be trusted to play (Nance and Cooke). Four players using scholarships and not contributing really impacts available depth.

Not counting the 2014 class (which hasn't suited up yet), Shyatt has recruited 8 big men in his 2nd tenure at UW. Only 2 of them can play in the MWC.

Shyatt recruited more impact big men in the first 7 months of his first tenure than he has in 3+ years this time. Can't survive this way.

I thought our lack of guard spots was due to guards leaving early, like Shakir Smith? And who are the other two big men Shyatt recruited, cause I've only counted six. Nance, Cooke, Halderson, Sellers, Herndon, and Ajayi. Who else was there?

We didn't have many guards leave early. Just Smith, now that I think about it. We have had more big men leave early (Ajayi and Tyrone Marshall).

Tyrone Marshall and Keonta Vernon are the other two. Marshall never contributed before transferring (ended up at a JC in TX and eventually with CSU-Pueblo, a D2 team). Vernon appears positioned to follow a similar path (He is only 6'5" or so, but is definitely a frontcourt player).

 

[stymeman]

bend your knees at the ft line DC

 

[Bryoming]

Bigs recruited by Shyatt:
6'10" C Leykan Ajayi (washed out)
6'8" F Tyrone Marshall (washed out)
6'7" F Larry Nance Jr.
6'9" F Staphon Blair (Signed with UCF)
6'8" F Austin Haldorson
6'10" C Matt Sellers
6'9" F Derek Cooke Jr.
6'8" F Alan Herndon
6'9" C Jonathon Barnes
6'8" C Zach Braxton (Signed with Weber State)

 

[PotatoCreekPete]

You can't blame Shyatt. He has recruited the "big" men. Every recruit is a potential risk of not developing the way the coach thought he would. Halderson was a top recruit out of Colorado. Shyatt has given him opportunities, and I'm not completely unconvinced he won't develop into a solid player his jr and sr year. We went after Ajayi, who was a top rated big man, and we watched his attitude completely screw his career. Sellers was a late recruit to add size, for exactly what he does now, playing in times of need. We have Herndon, who no one recruited well and he defensively stopped a top big man. And then on top of that he also recruited Cooke and Nance. I'd say he's done quite well in bringing in bigs, but all our bigs are still considered young.
This is also an average of recruiting two big men a year for Shyatt.

I'm more concerned of the lack of depth we will have at the guard spots if we lose Washington along with Sobey graduating and Granberry gone. That would be three guards gone to two incoming freshman guards. Plus if we lose Vernon that is a F we will need to replace.

"You can't blame Shyatt."....I am flabbergasted at this statement, who else is responsible for the recruiting besides the head coach? It is Coach Shyatt's responsibility to recruit depth that can go in when needed. Frankly we have NO ONE that is coming in and providing anything close to what Nance was producing. I understand about picking up the slack on the scoring side, but what about someone that could come in and give valuable minutes on the defensive end, getting rebounds, etc.....that person is NOT in the program right now, and it is not like this is a new issue, this has been 3 years in the making!

Haldorson just doesn't have the body or whatever to bang and be a presence underneath and he doesn't have the offensive game to play outside...unfortunately Haldorson has not developed an identity on either end of the floor enough to be a presence....and the kid is a sophomore, so when will that happen. Please don't tell me that an experienced coach couldn't tell pretty fast that Seller's doesn't have the physical tools to make it in the MWC! Seller's and Haldorson have never developed enough in the program, so this is why as a junior and sophomore they are permament residents of the bench. The 6-9 redshirt freshmen is a project, but he is far from having the physicality to be an impact player next year, it will take him a year or two. Cooke, plays well and then disappears on the floor, and putting Cooke at the freethrow line is an effort in futility. If it isn't a slam dunk from Cooke it really isn't happening. This is NOT negatism, it is reality!

Wyoming has a freshman big man coming in next season but on top of this Wyoming desperately needs to have a JC guy come in and take over the middle and say this is mine! If we don't have someone ready to come in next season, it will be another long season next year IMO. Nance will probably not be ready until mid season, and Cooke isn't magically going to develop an offensive game by next year, and I do not see much improvement from Haldorson or Sellers. I have a feeling (nothing to back it up) but I don't think that Seller's will be back next season and frankly, with the scholarship for the freshman that was just suspended I would be searching for a JC big man as hard as I could if I were Shyatt.

 

[PotatoCreekPete]

Bigs recruited by Shyatt:
6'10" C Leykan Ajayi (washed out)
6'8" F Tyrone Marshall (washed out)
6'7" F Larry Nance Jr.
6'9" F Staphon Blair (Signed with UCF)
6'8" F Austin Haldorson
6'10" C Matt Sellers
6'8" F Alan Herndon
6'9" C Jonathon Barnes
6'8" C Zach Braxton (Signed with Weber State)

You failed to mentioned Derek Cooke, Jr. in this list. I am not counting Ajayi as he wasn't here long enough to unpack his bags and I am not counting Barnes because he hasn't joined the program as yet. I am also not counting Blair and Braxton as neither signed with Wyoming. But this list of 6 guys, it just points out how futile and unsuccessful the recruiting of big men has been under Shyatt. ONLY 1 and I do mean ONLY one of all of these 6 guys has been a real contributor in the program! That is NOT a good track record.

 

[Bryoming]

Bigs recruited by Shyatt:
6'10" C Leykan Ajayi (washed out)
6'8" F Tyrone Marshall (washed out)
6'7" F Larry Nance Jr.
6'9" F Staphon Blair (Signed with UCF)
6'8" F Austin Haldorson
6'10" C Matt Sellers
6'9" F Derek Cooke
6'8" F Alan Herndon
6'9" C Jonathon Barnes
6'8" C Zach Braxton (Signed with Weber State)

You failed to mentioned Derek Cooke, Jr. in this list. I am not counting Ajayi as he wasn't here long enough to unpack his bags and I am not counting Barnes because he hasn't joined the program as yet. I am also not counting Blair and Braxton as neither signed with Wyoming. But this list of 6 guys, it just points out how futile and unsuccessful the recruiting of big men has been under Shyatt. ONLY 1 and I do mean ONLY one of all of these 6 guys has been a real contributor in the program! That is NOT a good track record.

I did forget Cooke. My bad. This is a list of big men RECRUITED by Larry Shyatt and his staff. You don't land every player you offer a scholarship to, that's just the way the business works. This list was just to illustrate that the frontcourt isn't lacking because of lack of effort in recruiting.

 

[JimmyDimes]

Bigs recruited by Shyatt:
6'10" C Leykan Ajayi (washed out)
6'8" F Tyrone Marshall (washed out)
6'7" F Larry Nance Jr.
6'9" F Staphon Blair (Signed with UCF)
6'8" F Austin Haldorson
6'10" C Matt Sellers
6'8" F Alan Herndon
6'9" C Jonathon Barnes
6'8" C Zach Braxton (Signed with Weber State)

You failed to mentioned Derek Cooke, Jr. in this list. I am not counting Ajayi as he wasn't here long enough to unpack his bags and I am not counting Barnes because he hasn't joined the program as yet. I am also not counting Blair and Braxton as neither signed with Wyoming. But this list of 6 guys, it just points out how futile and unsuccessful the recruiting of big men has been under Shyatt. ONLY 1 and I do mean ONLY one of all of these 6 guys has been a real contributor in the program! That is NOT a good track record.

Shyatt started in a big hole. The season was over, the old staff didn't do any recruiting, and half the starters left the team. Shyatt came to Wyoming with very little to work with. He took a chance on Seller's, trying to put a class together, and that hasn't panned out yet. Besides Seller's, only Halderson hasn't seen significant playing time.....but he is only a sophmore. Herndon is redshirting...as most if not all incoming recruits should do eventually. Barnes just signed his papers. Who is Tyrone Marshall....not ringing a bell.

I think many have a problem with Shyatt's philosophy. Maybe he doesn't load up on big men and likes to play a guard heavy rotation. One thing I now for sure, regardless of who is playing next year....Shyatt will have them playing good ball.

 

[PotatoCreekPete]

Bigs recruited by Shyatt:
6'10" C Leykan Ajayi (washed out)
6'8" F Tyrone Marshall (washed out)
6'7" F Larry Nance Jr.
6'9" F Staphon Blair (Signed with UCF)
6'8" F Austin Haldorson
6'10" C Matt Sellers
6'9" F Derek Cooke
6'8" F Alan Herndon
6'9" C Jonathon Barnes
6'8" C Zach Braxton (Signed with Weber State)

You failed to mentioned Derek Cooke, Jr. in this list. I am not counting Ajayi as he wasn't here long enough to unpack his bags and I am not counting Barnes because he hasn't joined the program as yet. I am also not counting Blair and Braxton as neither signed with Wyoming. But this list of 6 guys, it just points out how futile and unsuccessful the recruiting of big men has been under Shyatt. ONLY 1 and I do mean ONLY one of all of these 6 guys has been a real contributor in the program! That is NOT a good track record.

I did forget Cooke. My bad. This is a list of big men RECRUITED by Larry Shyatt and his staff. You don't land every player you offer a scholarship to, that's just the way the business works. This list was just to illustrate that the frontcourt isn't lacking because of lack of effort in recruiting.

That is the difference between a successful coach and one looking for a job....not the effort but actually being able to land a contributor. Lot's of coaches have been fired and let go who put in an incredible amount of effort....they don't reward effort they reward results! Shyatt has had 3 years to prepare for this moment and all we hear is....the kids will have to play harder. It is Shyatt's responsibility to bring the components together. If the components are not there, which they aren't then who's responsibility is it?

 

[PotatoCreekPete]

Bigs recruited by Shyatt:
6'10" C Leykan Ajayi (washed out)
6'8" F Tyrone Marshall (washed out)
6'7" F Larry Nance Jr.
6'9" F Staphon Blair (Signed with UCF)
6'8" F Austin Haldorson
6'10" C Matt Sellers
6'8" F Alan Herndon
6'9" C Jonathon Barnes
6'8" C Zach Braxton (Signed with Weber State)

You failed to mentioned Derek Cooke, Jr. in this list. I am not counting Ajayi as he wasn't here long enough to unpack his bags and I am not counting Barnes because he hasn't joined the program as yet. I am also not counting Blair and Braxton as neither signed with Wyoming. But this list of 6 guys, it just points out how futile and unsuccessful the recruiting of big men has been under Shyatt. ONLY 1 and I do mean ONLY one of all of these 6 guys has been a real contributor in the program! That is NOT a good track record.

Shyatt started in a big hole. The season was over, the old staff didn't do any recruiting, and half the starters left the team. Shyatt came to Wyoming with very little to work with. He took a chance on Seller's, trying to put a class together, and that hasn't panned out yet. Besides Seller's, only Halderson hasn't seen significant playing time.....but he is only a sophmore. Herndon is redshirting...as most if not all incoming recruits should do eventually. Barnes just signed his papers. Who is Tyrone Marshall....not ringing a bell.

I think many have a problem with Shyatt's philosophy. Maybe he doesn't load up on big men and likes to play a guard heavy rotation. One thing I now for sure, regardless of who is playing next year....Shyatt will have them playing good ball.

Excuses are for losers and talking about what a hole Shyatt started in is nothing more than an excuse with all due respect. I think the world of Shyatt and his coaching and the X's and O's, and I am not saying anything about that. But the recruiting is the lifeblood of a program and the program is very anemic in the big man category right now and this should not come as any surprise....I mentioned the need for another big man last year! But the coach has to give his program the players to be successful and not require kids to play over their heads constantly to be successful and that is what is going on right now. I feel with Lieberman coming in next year that Wyoming will be fine at the guard position, and they have another 6-5 kid coming in and thank heavens we have Barnes coming in....but there needs to be much more than Barnes for Wyoming to be successful.

 

[stymeman]

let's blame Heath for all the garbage he had during his years....lol, there's the hole we're all taking about