3 replies to this topic

[BSLChrisStoner]

1)When Allen returns, will he spend more time at off-guard, with Peters continuing to start at the 1?

2) How does Allen's return impact the rotation as a whole?

Starters right now are basically Peters, Wells, Layman, Smotrycz, Cleare... bench Faust, Mitchell, Graham, Ram, Dodd...

 

Do we get to a point this year, where Allen takes over at the 2, Wells to the 3, and Layman plays up at the 4 - moving Smotrycz to the bench?

 

3) 2014-15 Terps

Guards:  Faust (Sr), Allen (Jr), Peters (Soph), Trimble (Frosh), Wiley (Frosh)

Wings: Wells (Sr), Layman (Soph), Nickens (Frosh)
Bigs: Mitchell (Jr), Cleare (Jr), Smotrycz (Sr), Graham (Jr), Dodd (Soph), Reed (Frosh)

Probably way too early to wonder how the minutes will break out... but general thoughts on the roster?

 

 

[Mackus]

Allen's return impacts Faust the most, IMO.  He'll be the guy who loses the most minutes to Seth.  Unless Seth plays like a true point, and he isn't one so I don't think that's too likely, I think Peters' minutes continue to grow as the guy most like a point guard on the roster.  Dez is a better all around player than Faust, so he's pretty safe.  And Layman and Smotrycz aren't really in danger of losing much time.

 

I think Faust will see his time drip precipitously though, and I think that's the right decision.  Only way he continues to get similar minutes is if Turgeon decides to go small a lot of the time, with one of Cleare/Mitchell/Graham/Dodd in the game with one of Layman or Smot and then 3 guards.  I could see that being the case if they try a more aggressive pressing style, but without a shotblocker at the back end to clean things up if the press is broken, I don't think that's a wise strategy or one Turgeon will consider as a consistent option.

 

I think the NCAA hope is completely lost unless we go out and go 12-6 in the ACC or something crazy like that.  Nothing this team has shown should give anybody even the slightest hint of optimism that a run like that is possible.  This is the worst Terps team I've ever seen, and the return of Allen isn't that big of deal.  He's another guy in the mix with Layman and Wells for who may be have the hot hand and be the best guy on the floor for us on any given night, but he's certainly not someone you expect to play really well each time out.  We don't have anyone who fits that mold.

 

Even if Allen really helps out in the backcourt, we're still amazingly bad on the interior, with nobody with any sort of offensive, defensive, or rebounding assets aside from Mitchell's offensive rebounding abilities.

[bnickle]

Ram's minutes will be completely gone. Seth might not run the 1 much but he'll have the ball in his hands enough that Ram won't see minutes unless there is foul trouble.

 

 

My hope is he does cut into Faust's minutes that much more. I think he will to an extent, but I question whether Turge is really just going to keep Roddy at the starting PG spot and just slide everyone down and put Smo on the bench. My guess is you could easily just see Seth replace Roddy in the starting lineup at PG and everything else remains the same as it has been recently with Dez, Layman, Wells, and Cleare also starting.

 

 

I think we do have to try and find the right mix. It's worth a try as this season is headed down the toilet fast. Go ahead and try brining some instant offense off the bench with Faust, Smo, and Mitchell. Ideally, they are all bench guys anyway. Clearly, part of a rotation but bench guys nonetheless.

 

 

 

 

I disagree, at least at this point, that this is the worst MD over the last 20 years or so. People were too up on the team pre conference play last year, and they are too down on the team pre conference this year. My guess is we ultimately finish around the same in conference. 8-10 ish.  Either way, this team  is not worse than the '11-'12 team.

[BSLZackKiesel]

Just wanted to point out that Allen practiced at full-strength with the team this morning, and could play a few minutes on Sunday according to Turgeon.

 

What I'd like to see happen when it comes to minutes is probably different from what will actually happen. I'd like to see Faust's minutes diminish, but Ram and Graham's minutes will probably take the biggest hit. I don't see Smotrycz getting his minutes cut, he's too valuable to this team.

 

I think Allen and Peters will share PG/SG minutes once he's healthy, but Turgeon would be smart to keep Allen out of the PG position until he gets back into the flow of the game. I guess that mid-January prediction was totally off. Sounds like they'll ease him back into the rotation, but he should be a go for the ACC schedule.