The status of 2020 grad transfers

[freewillie07]

Obviously, with 3 scholarship offers taken for the Class of 2021, NU is not taking another high school senior for the class of 2020, nor any transfer who would take up a scholarship in 2021.

Thus, NU must be looking at only grad transfers, or Collins is content to roll with 10 guys this year and let them get a lot of developmental minutes (maybe not a terrible idea, given the uncertainty around what the season will look like anyway).

Here's who they reached out to, per reports, and the current status:

Justin Smith: Transferred to Arkansas
Francis Okoro: Transferred to Saint Louis
Ian DuBose: Transferred to Wake Forest
Nate Johnson: Transferred to Xavier
Darius Banks: Transferred to Chattanooga
Mike Smith: Transferred to Michigan

ESPN's rankings at least suggest there aren't many players out there who remain uncommitted.

 

[cwcorgi-ks]

Obviously, with 3 scholarship offers taken for the Class of 2021, NU is not taking another high school senior for the class of 2020, nor any transfer who would take up a scholarship in 2021.

Thus, NU must be looking at only grad transfers, or Collins is content to roll with 10 guys this year and let them get a lot of developmental minutes (maybe not a terrible idea, given the uncertainty around what the season will look like anyway).

Here's who they reached out to, per reports, and the current status:

Justin Smith: Transferred to Arkansas
Francis Okoro: Transferred to Saint Louis
Ian DuBose: Transferred to Wake Forest
Nate Johnson: Transferred to Xavier
Darius Banks: Transferred to Chattanooga
Mike Smith: Transferred to Michigan

ESPN's rankings at least suggest there aren't many players out there who remain uncommitted.

I believe coach will forgo grad transfers and instead focus on building with 10 scholarship players to develop for the future. May mean a couple less 20-21 victories, but a solidified longer-term vision. Time will tell...

 

[freewillie07]

I believe coach will forgo grad transfers and instead focus on building with 10 scholarship players to develop for the future. May mean a couple less 20-21 victories, but a solidified longer-term vision. Time will tell...

I agree, it seems that's the plan. Makes sense, in what might be a somewhat strange season, to just count on a jump from having mostly freshmen and sophomores to having sophomores and juniors.

Still, 10 scholarship players in total creates a thin margin for error. I like the 10, and think there will be a lot of healthy competition between guys like Buie/Berry, Audige/Gaines/Kopp, and Nance/Beran for starter's minutes. But if one of two guys get banged up, suddenly guys are easily playing 35 minutes a game.

 

[NJCat]

I agree, it seems that's the plan. Makes sense, in what might be a somewhat strange season, to just count on a jump from having mostly freshmen and sophomores to having sophomores and juniors.

Still, 10 scholarship players in total creates a thin margin for error. I like the 10, and think there will be a lot of healthy competition between guys like Buie/Berry, Audige/Gaines/Kopp, and Nance/Beran for starter's minutes. But if one of two guys get banged up, suddenly guys are easily playing 35 minutes a game.

You can count on at least one player getting hurt. It happens every year to every team. Seems unfair to the kids to have a limited roster, just expecting them to play balls out increasing the likelihood of injury.

 

[willycat]

You can count on at least one player getting hurt. It happens every year to every team. Seems unfair to the kids to have a limited roster, just expecting them to play balls out increasing the likelihood of injury.

Still expect one , maybe two Grad transfers.

 

[scru]

You can count on at least one player getting hurt. It happens every year to every team. Seems unfair to the kids to have a limited roster, just expecting them to play balls out increasing the likelihood of injury.

Fully agree with this. Fill the bench. Don't put the burden on the kids in the event of likely illness and injury. Playing too many minutes can lead to even worse of the same. Hence minutes restrictions in the NBA.

 

[Vassar69]

You can count on at least one player getting hurt. It happens every year to every team. Seems unfair to the kids to have a limited roster, just expecting them to play balls out increasing the likelihood of injury.

Besides, what’s the point of an empty scholarship? Even if it’s a grad transfer you don’t expect to make an impact, he’s going to be more useful than an empty bench spot in 2020.

 

[freewillie07]

Still expect one , maybe two Grad transfers.

Any names you’ve seen? I thought my list was fairly comprehensive.

 

[Medill90]

Still expect one , maybe two Grad transfers.

Willy, two factors could argue against this. One the team gets on campus I don't see staff bringing anyone else in. And then the COVID thing. We can be optimistic that things turn around near year end, but I'm reading Op Eds from doctors who are pretty adamant that the universities are nuts to reopen.

 

[willycat]

Willy, two factors could argue against this. One the team gets on campus I don't see staff bringing anyone else in. And then the COVID thing. We can be optimistic that things turn around near year end, but I'm reading Op Eds from doctors who are pretty adamant that the universities are nuts to reopen.

I will agree with that the schools are nuts to open because COVID thing.

 

[GatoLouco]

Covid issues aside, you can't underestimate the importance of having more experienced and capable players in the roster. They bring in experience, mentorship, and, in my opinion, most important, they elevate the level of practice. Younger players benefit a lot from going up against better competition in practice, instead of scoring at will over a walk on.

It's up to the coach to make a transfer take away 5-10 minutes from a kid like Beran, instead of taking away 25.