Given what the roster looks like today (do we have one more spot to fill), anyone want to take a shot at minute distribution for next season? If you like, maybe add what you think would be a good or bad sign? For instance, 25 mpg for EO would, to me, be a negative, as it indicates that BF hasn't shown much and EO is a known quantity. On the other hand, 15 mins for EO would indicate that he's been passed.
Early Stab at Minutes
- Thread starter zebnatto
- Start date
The minutes have been discussed in plenty of threads and that's different than actual production. This depends on what the freshman look like in summer and October practices, but assuming the current roster, this is probably a safe guess
Starters for November/December to early January.....
Buchanan 28MPG
Grant 26MPG
Ogbole 12 MPG
Davis 18 MPG
Zrno 30 MPG
Nwuli 22 MPG (splits with Buchanan/Grant)
Ware/Dortch 8 MPG
Fall 20 MPG
Mark 18 MPG
Portal guard/Powers/Francis 18 MPG
Once January to early February 2026 is here I see the staff playing Nwuli, Powers and Mark more minutes, assuming they make the necessary jumps in productivity and familiarity with the systems.
I have no real way to know if Ware and Dortch can outplay others at the PF position instead of center, but there will be some matchups where Ware is more likely to see minutes and the same with Dortch. Since neither projects to be a scorer, Ware (on tape) is more likely to be physical enough to score inside, where Dortch projects to be a better perimeter defender that can move and block shots from the weakside.
Starters for November/December to early January.....
Buchanan 28MPG
Grant 26MPG
Ogbole 12 MPG
Davis 18 MPG
Zrno 30 MPG
Nwuli 22 MPG (splits with Buchanan/Grant)
Ware/Dortch 8 MPG
Fall 20 MPG
Mark 18 MPG
Portal guard/Powers/Francis 18 MPG
Once January to early February 2026 is here I see the staff playing Nwuli, Powers and Mark more minutes, assuming they make the necessary jumps in productivity and familiarity with the systems.
I have no real way to know if Ware and Dortch can outplay others at the PF position instead of center, but there will be some matchups where Ware is more likely to see minutes and the same with Dortch. Since neither projects to be a scorer, Ware (on tape) is more likely to be physical enough to score inside, where Dortch projects to be a better perimeter defender that can move and block shots from the weakside.
Don't think you are terribly far off, you just under estimate the minutes the returners get, and over estimate some freshman/newcomers, but none of it matters until the roster is set.
Too early to agree or disagree, especially since we do not know the last player to be added from the portal.
That said, I'd lean towards Davis getting more minutes - though I am not sure from whre they come ( - most likely from the "line" of "Portal Guard/Powers/Francis ... or maybe Zrno? And there are times when Mark and Davis are on the court at the same time (though neither are 2G's, nor have the right size to play more than spot minutes at 2G in Big 10 play).
BUT ... notice my bolded line of NJHawk's "Portal Guard/Powers/Francis - 18 mpg". Since those are THREE playewrs for a total of 18 minutes - instead of endlessly arguing Francis is likely to get (and deserves) 18-22 mpg, NJ Hawk is now saying Francis SHARES 18 mpg with Powers and an unknown portal transfer guard - meaning less than 18 mpg, and probably less than 12 mpg.
In other words, NJHawk now appears to CONCEDE the argument of posters like PSAL and me that 8-10 mpg is much more likely - and appropriate - for Francis and the skillset he likely offers.
My prediction is all these predictions will eend up wildly off just like every other year
I dont know what you're talking about.....LOL....Francis was always a complimentary guard and until we see what combo guard is added, is currently slotted for around 18MPG, not 8 to 10.....the only reason I have Powers/Combo guard/Francis as 18 MPG, is because the recent article written, indicates that Zrno is going to be the shooting guard, which keeps minutes open for Buchanan, Nwuli and Grant at the 3/4.
What I think will happen is we either get a combo guard that cuts into Zrno minutes a bit and everyone else in the backcourt and allows some Zrno minutes as a 3rd guard/Small Forward.......
OR
Powers, JMike and Francis are likely fighting for minutes as the 4th guard with Mark, Zrno, combo portal TBD....In this instance, if the combo guard via the portal is actually solid, it may wind up bolting Davis to the 5th guard spot, unless he's miles better than Lino Mark AND Francis, which is unlikely.
If this comes down to a true Combo guard via the portal, it is MORE likely that Davis loses minutes to Francis vs the other way around, since Francis is MORE likely to be a scoring option in limited minutes off the bench vs JMike.
How do you feel about THE OFFICIAL SEASON PREDICTION THREAD?
Haven't seen the article, but he's been playing wing and was projected at wing during prior commitments to Kentucky and Indiana - interesting if we think he'll be our starting 2G (and speaks loudly to our lack of guard depth). Also interested to see what his final measurements are.... different sites have him everywhere from 6-5 to 6-9 (my guess is he shakes out in the 6-6/6-7 range) on the official roster.
Has nothing to do with guard depth, since they're planning on adding another guard or wing.....here is the article and I've isolated the quotes....from Jerry Carino.
"The missing piece to the puzzle for Rutgers was perimeter shooting. Zrno can play either two-guard or wing. He’s long, so that should be something for Pikiell and his assistants to work with defensively. And he’s a better value than anything comparable that can be pulled from the insanely inflationary transfer portal right now.".....
Part two confirms the other obvious goal of adding another wing/combo guard, but it's pretty much a lock that Zrno is starting at SG or 3rd Guard/SF.
"With one more scholarship to give out (Pikiell almost certainly will stick to the traditional 13), look for Rutgers to target another two-guard or wing shooter type of player to add more perimeter shooting options."
This is all just based on Carino saying he "can" and fans should "look for" Rutgers to "target" another guard in the portal?
Carino hasn't exactly proven to be an oracle over the years.
He also said "Griffiths will arrive at a position of need and projects to make an immediate impact."
if JMike improves as much as he did frosh to soph in this off season I see him getting close to 25 minutes per game
His D is solid, his shot selection improved dramatically as his soph season progressed and he knows the type of game Pike wants played
His D is solid, his shot selection improved dramatically as his soph season progressed and he knows the type of game Pike wants played
How can Big E be a disappointment? Is anyone anywhere really expecting more than something like 5 and 5 out of him?
That alone is a disappointment! The guy shouldn't be playing in this league. He is only here because he looks the part but, then he plays.
You got what, 3 and 4 LY? With another year of hoops under him, we can get 5 and 5, I'd think. He's a decent rebounder, points will always be a question.
JMike certainly did a lot of that the first year and a half of his career. But in the second half of this past season, he did NOT do it at all, maybe once or twice.
He also had the best A/TO ratio, as he averaged about 0.5 TOs per game. The kid takes care of the ball.
He also increased his shooting percentages (FG, 3-pt FG, FT) across the board by a sizable number.
The kid is “developing,” and there is no reason to think that he won’t continue to improve in year 3. I have him penciled in as the starting PG in November.
This is a November/December likelihood on the minutes being allocated.....I do think or hope that Mark, Nwuli and Powers all get some early PT and move into the top 9 in the rotation by late January 2026.