Empty front court? Not so fast...

Mitch McGary? Gone.
Jordan Morgan? Gone.
Jon Horford? Gone.
Glenn Robinson III? Gone?

Michigan is absolutely screwed in the front court, right?...... Not say fast, I say.

Rivals just upgraded their 2014 class rankings.
6'8 SF/PF Kameron Chatman is up from #29 to #25 in the nation.
6'8 PF D.J. Wilson is up from #135 to #86 in the nation.

Top 100 recruit and redshirt freshman Mark Donnal is now up to 6'9 240 pounds. Ricky Doyle should not be slept on, either.

The cupboard is not empty. Our front court will be inexperienced, but the size, talent, and depth will not be the issue.

6'9 240, top 100 recruit, redshirt freshman Mark Donnal:


6'9 Ricky Doyle and coach Bacari Alexander



(for reference, here is Bacari Alexander with 6'6 Stauskas)

UM will be OK. May not win the B1G and will take some early lumps getting experience, but they will be a tournament team. No doubt in my mind.

Irvin and LeVert can put this team on their backs and score in bunches.

Exactly. Michigan will have an elite back court in an offense that thrives on guard play. Beilein has done a lot more with a lot less. Not only did he make the NCAAT, but he won a game (by 30 points) in the NCCAT with this team:
PG: Morris 6'4 (So)
SG: Douglass 6'3 (Jr)
SF: Hardaway Jr. 6'6 (Fr)
PF: Zack Novak 6'5 (Jr)
C: Jordan Morgan 6'8 (RS Fr)

But now he won't make the NCAAT with this team?
PG: Walton 6'0 (So)
SG: LeVert 6'6 (Jr)
SF: Irvin 6'6 (So)
PF Chatman 6'8 (Fr)
C: Donnal 6'9 (RS Fr)

Trolling at it's finest.

I have a ton of faith in Beilein BUT losing 5 guys plus Horford and expecting them to keep plugging along is not realistic. The guys you are mentioning have zero experience and are unproven at the college level. Donnal went to my HS. Believe me he doesn't see college D1 competition on most days. Not saying he won't produce but if you think he will fill Mitch's shoes I think you are going to be dissapointed.

I think they will be fun to watch. I think they will also be competitive. I do not expect them to challenge for B1G.

1. Michigan is losing 4 guys plus Horford, not 5 guys plus Horford.

2. Mark Donnal playing at a HS that didn't face D1 competition is pretty irrelevant. Even most true freshman face D1 competition on the AAU circuit (which Donnal did), but Donnal has also spent an entire season practicing against D1 competition.

3. Your post is filled with a bunch of strawman points. No one is saying that Donnal will fill McGary's shoes, that Michigan will compete for a Big Ten title, or keep plugging along.

4. I can't speak for everyone, but I'm expecting Michigan to take a step back. I don't think that step back will equal being a bubble team or missing the tournament, though. There is too much talent and size for this team to finish outside of the top half of the Big Ten.

Just touching on the McGary thing again, why would you even throw out the point "if you are expecting Donnal to fill McGary's shoes, you are going to be disappointed"? McGary was not apart of the team that won the Big Ten, outright, by 3 games or made it to the Elite 8. Donnal and Doyle will be filling Morgan and Horford's shoes, which isn't as far fetched as you are making it out to be.

hailtoyourvictor wrote:

Just touching on the McGary thing again, why would you even throw out the point "if you are expecting Donnal to fill McGary's shoes, you are going to be disappointed"? McGary was not apart of the team that won the Big Ten, outright, by 3 games or made it to the Elite 8. Donnal and Doyle will be filling Morgan and Horford's shoes, which isn't as far fetched as you are making it out to be.

Great point.

I'm actually excited that for once we will have Bigs that don't treat the basketball like it has SARS. What Donnal and Doyle give up to Morgan and Horford on the defensive end, they can make up for on offense.

I'd love to see either of those two knock down jumpshots from the elbow like this:

hailtoyourvictor wrote:

...Rivals just upgraded their 2014 class rankings.
6'8 SF/PF Kameron Chatman is up from #29 to #25 in the nation.
6'8 PF D.J. Wilson is up from #135 to #86 in the nation....

people have been saying Wilson is good but that is one hell of a jump. Not that I know what I'm looking for, but I think I need to go back and look at his highlights again.

hailtoyourvictor wrote:

...Mark Donnal playing at a HS that didn't face D1 competition is pretty irrelevant. Even most true freshman face D1 competition on the AAU circuit (which Donnal did), but Donnal has also spent an entire season practicing against D1 competition....

^^^This^^^

hailtoyourvictor wrote:

...McGary was not apart of the team that won the Big Ten, outright, by 3 games or made it to the Elite 8...

+1


Our guards have the chance to be scary good. Not saying they are Trey and THJR good but they have a real solid chance to play at that level. This is what I think keeps us in the conference hunt next year and this is why I think we'll a tourney lock again.

5 plus Horford is referring to the losses this team has had the past two years.  It is tough to go through that kind of attrition in a short period of time in one of the toughest if not the toughest BB conference and not take a step back.

Strawman?  That's rich.  Your basing the future of the program off of anecdotal HS numbers and/or ratings which we all know are full proof.  

By your own admission you always think the best of the program.  Good for you.  Your medal is in the mail.  I am more of a realist and believe this team takes a couple steps back.

MgoBlue wrote:

5 plus Horford is referring to the losses this team has had the past two years.  It is tough to go through that kind of attrition in a short period of time in one of the toughest if not the toughest BB conference and not take a step back.

Strawman?  That's rich.  Your basing the future of the program off of anecdotal HS numbers and/or ratings which we all know are full proof.  

By your own admission you always think the best of the program.  Good for you.  Your medal is in the mail.  I am more of a realist and believe this team takes a couple steps back.

Are you aware what a strawman point is? You are making points that are unrealistic and saying them as if we believe them.

"If you are expecting Donnal to fill McGary's shoes"..... strawman. No one said they are expecting Donnal to fill McGary's shoes. Donnal doesn't have to be as good as McGary for Michigan to be a good team next year.

"If you are expecting Michigan to lose X amount of players and keep plugging along"..... strawman. No one said they are expecting Michigan to keep plugging along. Michigan will likely take a step back, but taking a step back from Big Ten champions does not mean Michigan will be bad.

"If you are expecting Michigan to compete for the Big Ten title"..... strawman. I said that Michigan will make the NCAAT, not compete for the Big Ten title.


That being said, Wisconsin is the only team that I think is head and shoulders better than anybody else next season. Give me 3 other teams that you think will finish higher than Michigan in the Big Ten and every one of them will have as many question marks as Michigan.

Also, I'm assuming your reading skills are elementary at best, but how did you miss this point I made:

"4. I can't speak for everyone, but I'm expecting Michigan to take a step back. I don't think that step back will equal being a bubble team or missing the tournament, though. There is too much talent and size for this team to finish outside of the top half of the Big Ten."


How is that not being a realist?

Ouch Hail. It hurts having someone insult your intelligence when you have never met. It's not that I can't read it's more that I skim through your paragraphs of drivel and can't take it seriously. If I gave two shits about what you thought I would probably spend more time reading your posts. As it turns out I don't. Sorry bud.

Keep the pictures coming. We wouldn't know Donnal is taller than Morgan if you didn't post them. I mean their heights are all listed but I usually think it's bullshit without photo evidence. Do you have any pictures of these guys with you?

Morgan is listed at 6'8 and Donnal as 6'9. Do you think the difference, in that picture, looks to be 1 inch?

You really enjoy being a condescending prick, don't you? Keep making things up and then not owning up to it. No one claimed that Donnal could fill McGary's shoes and no one claimed Michigan would keep plugging along. Keep making stuff up, though.

MgoBlue wrote:

...It is tough to go through that kind of attrition in a short period of time in one of the toughest if not the toughest BB conference and not take a step back...

Agreed.

Which is why I think...

1. UM still stays in the hunt for the B1G

2. UM is a tourney lock (5 seed-ish)

3. UM makes another Sweet 16 run minimum.

4. Wait for it....... Beilein is named COY for what he does with the losses we take.

Bookmark my post!

^why? This is what I don't get. Are the bonus points awarded for having the rosiest outlook? Is it just better to be a homer vs being realistic after what we have lost?

I feel like I am in the Cleveland Browns forum. Every spring and summer the Browns are going to the Super Bowl according to their fans. Every fall they miss the playoffs by about 7 games. Next year the cycle repeats.

Who is saying Michigan is going to the national championship? No one.

MgoBlue... Give me your top 7 (half) Big Ten teams next season.

You are in the denial phase. We will be LUCKY to make the tournament next year. John Beilein is superb, but there is only so much he can do. I, for one, will be much more relaxed and laid back watching the team ball next season. The bliss of low expectations is a wonderful thing.

Think Michigan will have some growing pains , still will not be able to defend the post, which mean other B1G teams will score at will inside. My list for stat boy.
1 Wisky
2 O$U
3 Iowa
4. NEB
5. Minny
6 MSU
7 Michigan
8. PSU
9. Maryland
10 Northwestern
11 ILL
12 Purdue
13 IU
14Rutgers

rasputin wrote:

You are in the denial phase. We will be LUCKY to make the tournament next year. John Beilein is superb, but there is only so much he can do. I, for one, will be much more relaxed and laid back watching the team ball next season. The bliss of low expectations is a wonderful thing.

He's made the tournament with much less talent than he'll have at his disposal next season.

the artist formally known wrote:

Think Michigan will have some growing pains , still will not be able to defend the post, which mean other B1G teams will score at will inside. My list for stat boy.
1 Wisky
2 O$U - Finished 10-8 in the BT. Lost in the first round of the NCCAT. Lose their 3 best best players.
3 Iowa - Finished 9-9 in the BT. Lost the play-in game in the NCAAT. Lose 2 starters
4. NEB
5. Minny - Finished 8-10 in the BT. Failed to make the NCAAT. Lose a starter.
6 MSU - Lose Keith Appling, Gary Harris, and Adreian Payne.
7 Michigan
8. PSU
9. Maryland
10 Northwestern
11 ILL
12 Purdue
13 IU
14Rutgers

Like I said, every team other than Wisconsin has a lot of question marks. Michigan went 15-3 in the Big Ten last year, made the Elite 8, and are losing Stauskas, GRIII, and Morgan from that team.