I don't know what the difference is between a frosh, JUCO, transfer portal coming into a lineup that's any different than kids emerging and earning playing time and others losing playing time.
The question is can you replace a primarily dedicated shooting guard, who plays good defense, but doesn't help bring the ball up the court and requires the offense to set him up to score??
The days of a primary shooting guard are over. It is combo guard at 6'1, 6'3, 6'4 or 6'7.....can you dribble, pass, shoot or create your own shot??
Mathis is and was never a "combo guard"....he was a downhill, attack off the dribble or handoff guard who was a create a shot on the fly at the basket....some times that works, more times than not, it didn't work.
Can the replacement of Mathis be a combo guard who can do all of the things of dribble, pass, create and shoot?? I don't think you will see any guards at this level of basketball, be 1 or 2 dimensional. As Year 1 turned into Years 2 and 3, Montez Mathis had so many things to improve upon, that it just wasn't going to happen in time to be a complete "combo guard ". Doesn't mean he's not a good defensive player or didn't work hard to improve his 3 point shot....but he requires a guard hitting him as a stationary target to catch and shoot.
I look at any plug and play to be an opportunity to become more versatile. The more basic things a player can do, far outweighs what another player does really well.
Can Cliff be a facing the basket Big, who can shoot...?? Probably moreso than we realize.
Can RU find or survive with 2 guards incoming in Miller and Jones, who can dribble pass and shoot....?? Yep.....
Does that mean we aren't adding another guard....?? We will assuredly add another guard, but that player will more than likely be able to be quick enough to defend both guard positions, and handle the ball, similar to Jacob and Geo can, while creating their own shot, off the dribble etc.
If you find another reasonably good combo guard (not necessarily a starter), you would finally have 5 guards or wings who now can dribble, pass, shoot and create their own offense off the bounce.
If you find a versatile PF, who can play a few minutes at center and is mobile enough to alter shots and a combo guard with solid numbers in the basic categories, it offsets the departures.
As dominant as Myles and Jacob were defensively, there were obvious holes in their basics that aren't impossible to offset. The staff has a real chance to reshape this roster and take it up a level, just by improving the basics. Jalen and Jaden are two pieces that I am confident in helping. Need a 3rd combo guard to layer in depth with Geo, Paul and Caleb as your other options.