Question: Will win more games next year?

[CowboyCO]

Everbody is excited about this recruiting class. The reality is, the only player in this class who has a shot to be a starter this next season (barring injuries) is Gilmore. Will we be a better team? We lost our two best players from last year. We will be very young. The upper classmen are injury-prone.

My Take:

I saw Shyatt take a team led by Jeron Roberts and Gregg Sawyer beat a top 5 Utah team in Laramie. Joby played good D and Shyatt played better D. They ran a structured offense that pushed the ball when it weas there and were disciplined when it was not there. I credit Shyatt with laying the foundation for Cowboy basketball for the next 5 years after he left. McLain got lucky that Shyatt recruited quality men. McFall, UGO, Davis, and Blakes were vital to the long-term success of the Pokes. When Shyatts base recruiting graduated, the program began to fall. I'll say it right here. We beat Gonzaga in 2002 because of Larry Shyatt. Outside of Marcus Bailey (who Mac fell into), the table was set from one year of Larry Shyatt.

I loved the guy, and I hated him for leaving. Just like I hated Brandenberg for leaving. But today, I love Jim Brandenberg. We still recite his formulas for winning the conference, over 20 years later. And today, I love Larry Shyatt.

 

[SLCPoke]

I'll make a comment that I beileve Ajayi has a VERY good shot at starting and even Nance has a pretty decent shot....we don't know whats going to happen when the coaches get in there and are able to see who works well together on the floor. Even so, if Gillmore is the only one that starts...D-E-P-T-H and the base for a very near winning future. I still think that we win about 17-20 games this season purely based on coaching.

My guess at two different starting lineups:

C-Waddell
PF-Ajayi
SF-Washington
SG-Cruz
PG-Gilmore

OR

C-Waddell
PF-Washington
SF-Nance Jr....Mujoke if 100%
SG-Cruz
PG-Gilmore

It really just depends on what kind of basketball they want to play and how big they want to be or if they would rather be smaller and more athletic. Of course this all changes if Mujeoke is able to be 100%, which I would much rather prefer.

 

[TheRealUW]

We will struggle next year. This recruiting class was very good, but VERY RAW...especially on the offensive end. None of them are prepared to contribut on the offensive end next year. In fact, I'm not sure who is going to score points next year.

 

[SLCPoke]

We will struggle next year. This recruiting class was very good, but VERY RAW...especially on the offensive end. None of them are prepared to contribut on the offensive end next year. In fact, I'm not sure who is going to score points next year.

More raw than what Shyatt took over his first time around? I don't think so, much more athletic as well. I guarantee we win more than 10 games. We have guys that can make things happen....when they have the opportunity to have confidence in what they're doing and are coached correctly generally good things happen.

 

[GetRealMan]

They'll be raw and young and probably a bit sloppy at times but they'll also be more productive...I hope. Shyatt will have much better offensive schemes especially one to counter a zone. Jackson was our zone buster last year and half the time he had it stripped while driving the lane.

 

[WYCowboy]

They'll be raw and young and probably a bit sloppy at times but they'll also be more productive...I hope. Shyatt will have much better offensive schemes especially one to counter a zone. Jackson was our zone buster last year and half the time he had it stripped while driving the lane.

True that, but we are getting some people back this year. Hopefully Waddell will stay injury free the entire season, Washington was supposedly the best player on the team in practice last season, Muojeke will be back - but at what level, Martinez is said to be the best outside shooter on the team. Many question marks for sure.

 

[thirtyseven]

McLain got lucky that Shyatt recruited quality men. McFall, UGO, Davis, and Blakes were vital to the long-term success of the Pokes. When Shyatts base recruiting graduated, the program began to fall. I'll say it right here. We beat Gonzaga in 2002 because of Larry Shyatt. Outside of Marcus Bailey (who Mac fell into), the table was set from one year of Larry Shyatt.

I have to disagree somewhat. Shyatt did start everything no doubt about that. However McClain recruited the following players who beat Gonzaga:

M Bailey 37 5-12 3-6 0-5 3 3 13
U Nsonwu-Amadi 30 6-12 2-5 0-6 0 2 14
D Richardson 26 3-5 2-2 0-4 3 5 10
J Straight 38 2-6 2-2 0-3 7 2 6
R Mingo 7 3-3 0-0 2-5 0 3 6
D Rottinghaus 4 0-0 0-0 0-0 0 0 0
P Corner 15 3-6 4-4 0-2 0 2 11
J Ries 3 1-1 0-0 0-0 0 0 2

His teams were good for a few years after Shyatts recruits left. I am not saying it didn't fall apart at the end but McClain deserves more credit than you are giving him. He also recruited Brad Jones, Justin Williams, Brandon Ewing, and our favorite curb stomper Joseph Taylor!!!

Looking forward to what Shyatt can do this time and I hope he stays for a while. I can see us being in the top 5 of the conference for a long time if he gets this right.