Will Cal Platoon Next Year?

[CatColumbia]

Let's say if we land Bolden and if Lee & Briscoe come back, that gives us a solid 10-deep lineup. Thoughts?

PG Fox, Hawkins
SG Monk, Matthews
SG Briscoe, Wenyen, Willis
PF Adebayo, Lee, SKJ, Wynyard
C Bolden, Humphries,

 

[rodgerblue]

I hope not.

 

[Graves51]

why would he do that, all it did last year was give us one of the most dominant stretches of basketball I can remember and I am 64 years old. No he won't and its because he is too partial to the 5-stars. Remember how good we were?

 

[Naked_Truth]

I think you'd be more likely to see a starting 5 of
Fox, Monk, Gabriel, Adebayo, Bolden.

Briscoe backing up the 1 & 2 (all three will play heavy minutes)
Willis backing up the 3 & 4
SKJ backing up the 4
Lee backing up the 5

Spot minutes for the remainder. If Lee transfers, I'd bet SKJ gets most of those minutes w/ Humphries getting a few more as well.

 

[Graves51]

I think you'd be more likely to see a starting 5 of
Fox, Monk, Gabriel, Adebayo, Bolden.

Briscoe backing up the 1 & 2 (all three will play heavy minutes)
Willis backing up the 3 & 4
SKJ backing up the 4
Lee backing up the 5

Spot minutes for the remainder. If Lee transfers, I'd bet SKJ gets most of those minutes w/ Humphries getting a few more as well.

If Briscoe returns you can bet he will start.

 

[HexxenHammer]

If we see a major drop-off in talent from squad 1 to 2, I doubt it. If Cal has to gimp/compromise his starting squad to make the other paltoon roughly more equal in talent/ability, I don't see it happening.

 

[jrpross_rivals]

Nope. That ran its course. He may go 10 deep (though 8-9 is more likely) but even if he does, the 10th guy won't get as many minutes as the 6th.

 

[CatColumbia]

I think you'd be more likely to see a starting 5 of
Fox, Monk, Gabriel, Adebayo, Bolden.

Briscoe backing up the 1 & 2 (all three will play heavy minutes)
Willis backing up the 3 & 4
SKJ backing up the 4
Lee backing up the 5

Spot minutes for the remainder. If Lee transfers, I'd bet SKJ gets most of those minutes w/ Humphries getting a few more as well.

Briscoe will start. He brings too much energy and does everything well except shooting the ball which my educated guess is that he will work his *** off on his shot this summer to achieve his dream of making it to the NBA.

 

[Naked_Truth]

If Briscoe returns you can bet he will start.

Why is that a foregone conclusion? Briscoe is a great player... I love the way he plays, but is he automatically better than the starting 5 I just named? He's a great utility player to man both the 1 & 2. He's not a natural fit at the 3.

Plus, Calipari is a marketing guru; he knows that starting 5 freshmen makes the headlines of every single sports outlet. It keeps the program in the limelight, & piques the interest of future recruits. I'd say starting a freshmen 5 is an excellent chess move. It doesn't matter if they sub out at the first media timeout... UK's starting 5 is comprised of five 5* blue chip freshmen.

 

[Graves51]

Why is that a foregone conclusion? Briscoe is a great player... I love the way he plays, but is he automatically better than the starting 5 I just named? He's a great utility player to man both the 1 & 2. He's not a natural fit at the 3.

Plus, Calipari is a marketing guru; he knows that starting 5 freshmen makes the headlines of every single sports outlet. It keeps the program in the limelight, & piques the interest of future recruits. I'd say starting a freshmen 5 is an excellent chess move. It doesn't matter if they sub out at the first media timeout... UK's starting 5 is comprised of five 5* blue chip freshmen.

Time will tell, the fab 5 thing has already been done at Michigan. Kentucky has no problem being in the limelight.

 

[On-On-UK_rivals45415]

Cal will not use the word "Platoon" again, even if he feels the need for mass substitutions...

 

[DelkBowl]

No and Briscoe isn't starting over WG imo

 

[CatEye2010]

Cal will not use the word "Platoon" again, even if he feels the need for mass substitutions...

This. The negative recruiting from that is still being used against us.

Never ever mention that word again (unless it's against ISIS).

 

[1war_rivals62997]

This. The negative recruiting from that is still being used against us.

Never ever mention that word again (unless it's against ISIS).

Apparently the negative recruiting isn't working, at all.

 

[CatEye2010]

Apparently the negative recruiting isn't working, at all.

Didn't say it wasn't working, just being used as a negative. How about all the misses we had last year?

 

[truebluewildcat_rivals34254]

Platoon has a pretty good record here...38-1...

I hope he considers it...long run I think it may be the best strategy when you have so much talent...

It allows you to really develop and bring everybody along while at the same time not wearing a couple of individuals out...

Jamal didn't have the steam v IU...maybe a different story if he was able to be rested more through the SEC and was able to play half the minutes v Stony Brook...

Tyler benefited greatly from getting a lot of run and was able to step right in and take the reigns this year like he was a senior vet...imagine Tai and Hump getting some good run this year and what they could do come march and especially the following season as battle tested vets...

guys have to get in and get some run...what purpose does it serve to shelf guys like Hump, Tai, Matthews...they may not be the best most talented options with a loaded group of OAD types, but they may one day be our only option after a mass exodus or in a year when a freshmen or two doesn't pan out quite the way Cal planned...

Imagine if Hawk and Lee had gotten more playing time their first two years...they might have been able to do more...

honestly why not platoon on some level this year so everyone is ready come march...Ulis, Murray, AP, Willis, Skal...Briscoe, Hawk, Matthews, Hump, Lee...maybe not an exact 50/50 split like last year...but 70/30...especially against the weaker OOC and in games we had well in hand...

10 guys ready to go...5 of them always having fresh legs was one of the most devastating things college basketball has seen...literally a game changer...

 

[TheDude1]

The amount of crap Cal got for "platooning" was just stupid as hell. He has done a consistently good job over the years managing expectations, egos, and minutes.

 

[brianpoe]

Let's say if we land Bolden and if Lee & Briscoe come back, that gives us a solid 10-deep lineup. Thoughts?

PG Fox, Hawkins
SG Monk, Matthews
SG Briscoe, Wenyen, Willis
PF Adebayo, Lee, SKJ, Wynyard
C Bolden, Humphries,

The second five is not nearly on par with Dom and Matthews as your guards.

 

[brianpoe]

why would he do that, all it did last year was give us one of the most dominant stretches of basketball I can remember and I am 64 years old. No he won't and its because he is too partial to the 5-stars. Remember how good we were?

"because he is too partial to the 5-stars"


How many times do we have to hear this whiny *** line every year?

Skal and Lee say hi.

And by the way the 5 stars play more than everyone on pretty much every team in college....



As a poster you provide some good insights but you live off this premise about as much as Cutnets bringing up Cal not winning enough titles.

 

[Hoskins91_rivals]

Apparently the negative recruiting isn't working, at all.

It was a hindrance last year, seeing as how we missed out on most of our top targets.

 

[1war_rivals62997]

It was a hindrance last year, seeing as how we missed out on most of our top targets.

Was that the reason though? Or was it that players had connections close to home and wanted to stay, like Newman and Zimmerman.

 

[Goratrix]

That is not a good enough squad to Platoon.

 

[Hoskins91_rivals]

Platoon has a pretty good record here...38-1...

I hope he considers it...long run I think it may be the best strategy when you have so much talent...

It allows you to really develop and bring everybody along while at the same time not wearing a couple of individuals out...

Jamal didn't have the steam v IU...maybe a different story if he was able to be rested more through the SEC and was able to play half the minutes v Stony Brook...

Tyler benefited greatly from getting a lot of run and was able to step right in and take the reigns this year like he was a senior vet...imagine Tai and Hump getting some good run this year and what they could do come march and especially the following season as battle tested vets...

guys have to get in and get some run...what purpose does it serve to shelf guys like Hump, Tai, Matthews...they may not be the best most talented options with a loaded group of OAD types, but they may one day be our only option after a mass exodus or in a year when a freshmen or two doesn't pan out quite the way Cal planned...

Imagine if Hawk and Lee had gotten more playing time their first two years...they might have been able to do more...

honestly why not platoon on some level this year so everyone is ready come march...Ulis, Murray, AP, Willis, Skal...Briscoe, Hawk, Matthews, Hump, Lee...maybe not an exact 50/50 split like last year...but 70/30...especially against the weaker OOC and in games we had well in hand...

10 guys ready to go...5 of them always having fresh legs was one of the most devastating things college basketball has seen...literally a game changer...

We didn't have the depth, and we don't this year either. There is a huge drop off from our starting perimeter guys to who will likely be the reserves. You don't play someone big minutes in meaningful games simply for the hope they will become big contributors years from now.

 

[Hoskins91_rivals]

Was that the reason though? Or was it that players had connections close to home and wanted to stay, like Newman and Zimmerman.

I bet it contributed.

 

[JonathanW_rivals]

I loved the platoon last year.
But NO!!!!

1) Cal has already said "Never again". He saw how it was used against him in recruiting.
2) While deep and talented, this group is not close to that group last year. What made it so appropriate last year was that the 2nd 5 was 95% as good as the 1st 5. The 1st 5 was an average top 5 team. But so was the 2nd 5. The group you list (below), the 1st 5 are a good top 5 group, but Hawkins-Matthews-Gabriel/Willis-Lee/SKJ/Wynyard-Humphries probably isn't a top 20 lineup (especially at guard).

PG Fox, Hawkins
SG Monk, Matthews
SG Briscoe, Wenyen, Willis
PF Adebayo, Lee, SKJ, Wynyard
C Bolden, Humphries,

I see it being war at practice next year. And could see any of them working their way into the 8 (maybe 9) man rotation. Hawkins is the least talented, but Cal trusts him, and he plays good defense. Willis showed how he can contribute. We've all seen Lee "on", if he can do that consistently. Humphries showed some flashes, and the scouts liked him. Wynyard has the size, we haven't seen him play so can't really evaluate him good or not yet. Matthews has some intangibles unique to this team.
I also think there is a good chance Briscoe returns, I guess knocking out Bolden.

 

[mbc82584]

The second five is not nearly on par with Dom and Matthews as your guards.

Can you imagine if Ulis stays and adding him to that platoon?

Ulis
Fox
Monk
Willis
Adebayo

Briscoe
Hawkins
Killeya-Jones
Gabriel
Bolden


Both teams have experience, tons of talent, defensive presence, a stretch-4, rebounding...alll the parts.

I know it probably won't happen, but if it did.........

 

[revcort]

I doubt he'll ever platoon again. But I would bet there will still be a 10-man rotation, even if he doesn't platoon. And we won't see 5-man substitutions, either. But there will be 10 guys getting minutes, maybe more than 10. We're gonna be loaded.

 

[Hoskins91_rivals]

Can you imagine if Ulis stays and adding him to that platoon?

Ulis
Fox
Monk
Willis
Adebayo

Briscoe
Hawkins
Killeya-Jones
Gabriel
Bolden


Both teams have experience, tons of talent, defensive presence, a stretch-4, rebounding...alll the parts.

I know it probably won't happen, but if it did.........

You wouldn't have Ulis, Fox, and Monk in the same group. Take one of them and kick Hawkins out. SKJ wouldn't be in either, especially playing on the perimeter.

Then you have the same issue we did in 2015. You're forced to play two guards who shouldn't be playing, or play a couple of interior players out on the perimeter.

 

[Graves51]

We didn't have the depth, and we don't this year either. There is a huge drop off from our starting perimeter guys to who will likely be the reserves. You don't play someone big minutes in meaningful games simply for the hope they will become big contributors years from now.

SKAL?

 

[fs-ripcord65]

IMHO, the "platoon system" is not advantageous unless the team that uses the platoon system runs a full-court press for the whole game. Cal demonstrated, with the 2014-15 team (which would have been perfect for the two-platoon, full-game, full-court press), an unwillingness to run a full-game full-court press. Therefore, the only benefit of a "platoon system" would be to get equal playing time for 10 players -- which, IMHO, is counter-productive in that it takes away playing time from the team's five or six best players (see 2014-15). I woiuld guess, therefore, that U.K. will not run a "platoon system" in 2016-17.

Just MHO, of course.

 

[Hoskins91_rivals]

SKAL?

What about him? He was never going to be back for a sophomore year and our ceiling as a team was clearly dependent on how good he would become over the course of the season. We played a handful of frontcourt guys all about the same amount of time and none of them ever separated themselves significantly.

 

[BLUEHILLS]

The real question during the offseason? Does Mark Fox platoon next season?

 

[LineSkiCat14]

Agreed. Unless you use the platoon system to run teams down and out of the building, it will just bite you in the ***. Platooning doesn't help the shooters get going and it takes minutes away from the better players.

Maybe platoon between two TV timeouts, 4 minutes, and utilize an all-out blitz. Other than that, shooters and our best post-players need 30+ minutes/game. It's why Booker never got his shot down the 2nd half of the year.

 

[Graves51]

What about him? He was never going to be back for a sophomore year and our ceiling as a team was clearly dependent on how good he would become over the course of the season. We played a handful of frontcourt guys all about the same amount of time and none of them ever separated themselves significantly.

Pretty sure our ceiling was hit during a 10 game stretch starting after the Auburn loss and ending with Willis injury in A&M game.

 

[Kats23]

Won't have enough guys to platoon even if Biscoe comes back. Briscoe might start at the beginning of the season, but by conference time it will be an all freshman starting lineup. It's one of the reasons I think Briscoe goes pro. Cal will play a 7-8 man rotation likely with Hawkins, Willis, and Humphries off the bench.

 

[Graves51]

Agreed. Unless you use the platoon system to run teams down and out of the building, it will just bite you in the ***. Platooning doesn't help the shooters get going and it takes minutes away from the better players.

Maybe platoon between two TV timeouts, 4 minutes, and utilize an all-out blitz. Other than that, shooters and our best post-players need 30+ minutes/game. It's why Booker never got his shot down the 2nd half of the year.

second half of year we didn't platoon. He shot better at beginning of the season when we did.

 

[Hoskins91_rivals]

Pretty sure our ceiling was hit during a 10 game stretch starting after the Auburn loss and ending with Willis injury in A&M game.

And that team lost in the second round. We were not winning anything with Willis being (arguably) our best interior player. Our frontcourt as a whole was too limited.

 

[LineSkiCat14]

He started the year luke-warm IIRC, then heated up, then really fell off. While we weren't fully platooning late in the season, the minutes were still being divided up.. but maybe that's because we had 4 guards that needed minutes.

 

[Hoskins91_rivals]

second half of year we didn't platoon. He shot better at beginning of the season when we did.

No he didn't. His ridiculous streak was in the middle of the year during SEC play. He was bad at the beginning of the year.

 

[K_TIME]

A second platoon of Briscoe, Hawkins, Matthews, Willis and Lee isn't totally shabby. I'd like the idea of hammering people defensively vs. guys pacing themselves while playing 32+mpg. What we did last year was pretty eye opening until Poythress got hurt.