OK, now that I've been suckered into posting in multiple Butler-related threads today, I thought I'd do my duty and start something related to the real team on here - our beloved Sycamores!!!
2010-2011 looks to be an interesting year for the Trees. A reloading year at some positions, and a rebuilding year at others. In this thread, let's discuss the redshirts that will be freshmen next season:
1. Jake Odum - The hype on Jake is that he is the consummate point guard that we've been missing for several years - a guy that gets just as much of a buzz from finding the open teammate (and creating that opening) as he does from scoring. He's got nice size for a PG, he is a tremendous ballhandler, and his outside shot looks as though it is better than some thought. He showed some flashes of brilliance in the exhibition games last fall, and had some of us salivating at Bird-esque passes that could be filling the HC court for the next four years. There is some concern, however, that his "helter-skelter" type of game won't translate well to D-I, and that his lack of shooting ability will be an enormous hinderence in the MVC. Word on the street is that he's vastly improved his shooting over the redshirt year, and he has really gotten a grasp of the offense he's going to be running for KMac. He's worked extremely hard over the last season, and could be poised to be an impact freshman.
2. RJ Mahurin - a 6'9" Larry Bird clone (type of game, not quality of player) comes to ISU with a reputation as a deadly outside shooter whose size could create problems for opposing defenses. I've heard it said many times from folks at ISU that RJ is the best shooter on the team, an attribute that could be a real headache for opposing coaches, as they presumably won't be able to guard him with a guard, and he'll pull one of the bigs away from the basket. RJ has a really nice feel for the game, and being the son of a coach, is fundamentally sound. Some have been concerned that he will be too slow to play D-I ball, and that his thin frame will not allow him to use his 6'9" body inside to any decent effect. I have heard that he is the most impressive of the redshirts, though, and has not only gained quite a bit of muscle over the past year, he's gained a lot of respect from the coaches. I even heard that one of our coaches speculated that if he wasn't redshirted, he would have been playing 15+ minutes per game for us. That's pretty good for a true freshman, albeit we were very weak inside, but I don't think they were talking about his inside game. Could RJ be the game-changing "sleeper" recruit that we've been longing for?
3. Logan and Lucas Eitel - Sorry I put them together, but I can't tell them apart!!! And, admittedly, being in Indy for the past 10 years, I don't know that much about them. They came to ISU with a reputation as winners who do the work it takes to get the job done. Being walk-ons, I don't think the expectation of starting, or even playing that much, rests on their shoulders. That would merely be a big bonus, and hey, it's happened before! What I've heard is that their attitude alone has made them a valuable addition to the team. These kids are winners, and as you may know, that kind of attitude is infectious on a team. I've also gathered from talking to folks around ISU that one of the two (sorry, can't remember which) looks as though he might be another Harry Marshall, a walk-on that just might develop into an all-conference player. That would be a HUGE bonus, but could sure make for some tense Thanksgiving dinners at the Eitel household...:bigsmile:
From what I've been able to glean from my sources, this group of redshirts are ready to make a big impact for us next year. At the very least, we'll be getting a true PG who knows how to play the position and can handle the ball (finally!), and a forward who knows how to play the game and can shoot the eyes out of the basket. Who knows what else they'll be able to accomplish!
Of course this is all speculation, but that's what these boards are for, right? So what do you all think, know, hear, etc.?
:sycamores::sycamores::sycamores:
2010-2011 looks to be an interesting year for the Trees. A reloading year at some positions, and a rebuilding year at others. In this thread, let's discuss the redshirts that will be freshmen next season:
1. Jake Odum - The hype on Jake is that he is the consummate point guard that we've been missing for several years - a guy that gets just as much of a buzz from finding the open teammate (and creating that opening) as he does from scoring. He's got nice size for a PG, he is a tremendous ballhandler, and his outside shot looks as though it is better than some thought. He showed some flashes of brilliance in the exhibition games last fall, and had some of us salivating at Bird-esque passes that could be filling the HC court for the next four years. There is some concern, however, that his "helter-skelter" type of game won't translate well to D-I, and that his lack of shooting ability will be an enormous hinderence in the MVC. Word on the street is that he's vastly improved his shooting over the redshirt year, and he has really gotten a grasp of the offense he's going to be running for KMac. He's worked extremely hard over the last season, and could be poised to be an impact freshman.
2. RJ Mahurin - a 6'9" Larry Bird clone (type of game, not quality of player) comes to ISU with a reputation as a deadly outside shooter whose size could create problems for opposing defenses. I've heard it said many times from folks at ISU that RJ is the best shooter on the team, an attribute that could be a real headache for opposing coaches, as they presumably won't be able to guard him with a guard, and he'll pull one of the bigs away from the basket. RJ has a really nice feel for the game, and being the son of a coach, is fundamentally sound. Some have been concerned that he will be too slow to play D-I ball, and that his thin frame will not allow him to use his 6'9" body inside to any decent effect. I have heard that he is the most impressive of the redshirts, though, and has not only gained quite a bit of muscle over the past year, he's gained a lot of respect from the coaches. I even heard that one of our coaches speculated that if he wasn't redshirted, he would have been playing 15+ minutes per game for us. That's pretty good for a true freshman, albeit we were very weak inside, but I don't think they were talking about his inside game. Could RJ be the game-changing "sleeper" recruit that we've been longing for?
3. Logan and Lucas Eitel - Sorry I put them together, but I can't tell them apart!!! And, admittedly, being in Indy for the past 10 years, I don't know that much about them. They came to ISU with a reputation as winners who do the work it takes to get the job done. Being walk-ons, I don't think the expectation of starting, or even playing that much, rests on their shoulders. That would merely be a big bonus, and hey, it's happened before! What I've heard is that their attitude alone has made them a valuable addition to the team. These kids are winners, and as you may know, that kind of attitude is infectious on a team. I've also gathered from talking to folks around ISU that one of the two (sorry, can't remember which) looks as though he might be another Harry Marshall, a walk-on that just might develop into an all-conference player. That would be a HUGE bonus, but could sure make for some tense Thanksgiving dinners at the Eitel household...:bigsmile:
From what I've been able to glean from my sources, this group of redshirts are ready to make a big impact for us next year. At the very least, we'll be getting a true PG who knows how to play the position and can handle the ball (finally!), and a forward who knows how to play the game and can shoot the eyes out of the basket. Who knows what else they'll be able to accomplish!
Of course this is all speculation, but that's what these boards are for, right? So what do you all think, know, hear, etc.?
:sycamores::sycamores::sycamores:
