With Nevill Gone, How Will U. Adjust?
Center Luke Nevill averaged about 17 points for the Utes this past season, led the league by grabbing nine rebounds per game, shot 60.7 percent from the field, 79 percent from the free-throw line, blocked a school-record 92 shots and was named player of the year in the Mountain West Conference.
So how do the Utes propose replacing all of that?
Coach Jim Boylen said that it's probably fair to expect some kind of rotation involving mostly redshirt freshman Jason Washburn and returning LDS Church missionary David Foster -- though incoming junior-college transfer Matt Read and freshman Jeremy Olsen also can play center, though their outside shooting skills allow them to play power forward, too.
"Maybe we'll have a center-by-committee, a two-headed monster there," Boylen said. "Guys that can run, guys that can block shots. They're both, I would say, way above average shot-blockers. One's 6-10 1/2, 6-11, and one's 7-2, 7-3. So our center position may not get 34 minutes to one guy. It may be 21 and 18. I don't know how it will shake out, but that's what I'm planning on."
In fact, Boylen seemed to expect that Foster will be ready to contribute to the Utes next season, even though he's not scheduled to return from his mission until May. Asked whether he thought Foster would be a redshirt candidate if he's still regaining his fitness, Boylen agreed, saying “we'll do what's best for the guy” but noted that Brigham Young's Jackson Emery returned from his mission only a few months before playing a big role for the Cougars this past season.
“Didn't look like it bothered him much, did it?” Boylen said. “He was rolling.”
What's more, Boylen seemed especially excited to add another 7-foot-2 body to his roster, in Foster.
“We feel like he's a guy in our program with his attitude and ability who can really help us win,” Boylen said. “I love a big center ... our defense is built around having centers. Luke's success this year at the center spot, you know, a lot of it was his effort, and his toughness and his improvement. But the system is also built to have a center succeed at the defensive end. We think David fits right into that spot.”
And speaking of LDS Church missions ... forward Josh Sharp is going to serve his in Houston -- Boylen's old stomping ground with the NBA's Rockets -- and is scheduled to depart in early May. “He's pumped,” Boylen said, smiling. “Good food in Houston, too -- a little barbeque, a little Mexican food. We're gonna get some meat on his ass. He's not going somewhere where he doesn't like the food, so I think it's great.”
Meanwhile, Olsen is expected to join the Utes for next season before embarking on his own church mission, suggesting that he will be a strong candidate to redshirt next season.
So how do the Utes propose replacing all of that?
Coach Jim Boylen said that it's probably fair to expect some kind of rotation involving mostly redshirt freshman Jason Washburn and returning LDS Church missionary David Foster -- though incoming junior-college transfer Matt Read and freshman Jeremy Olsen also can play center, though their outside shooting skills allow them to play power forward, too.
"Maybe we'll have a center-by-committee, a two-headed monster there," Boylen said. "Guys that can run, guys that can block shots. They're both, I would say, way above average shot-blockers. One's 6-10 1/2, 6-11, and one's 7-2, 7-3. So our center position may not get 34 minutes to one guy. It may be 21 and 18. I don't know how it will shake out, but that's what I'm planning on."
In fact, Boylen seemed to expect that Foster will be ready to contribute to the Utes next season, even though he's not scheduled to return from his mission until May. Asked whether he thought Foster would be a redshirt candidate if he's still regaining his fitness, Boylen agreed, saying “we'll do what's best for the guy” but noted that Brigham Young's Jackson Emery returned from his mission only a few months before playing a big role for the Cougars this past season.
“Didn't look like it bothered him much, did it?” Boylen said. “He was rolling.”
What's more, Boylen seemed especially excited to add another 7-foot-2 body to his roster, in Foster.
“We feel like he's a guy in our program with his attitude and ability who can really help us win,” Boylen said. “I love a big center ... our defense is built around having centers. Luke's success this year at the center spot, you know, a lot of it was his effort, and his toughness and his improvement. But the system is also built to have a center succeed at the defensive end. We think David fits right into that spot.”
And speaking of LDS Church missions ... forward Josh Sharp is going to serve his in Houston -- Boylen's old stomping ground with the NBA's Rockets -- and is scheduled to depart in early May. “He's pumped,” Boylen said, smiling. “Good food in Houston, too -- a little barbeque, a little Mexican food. We're gonna get some meat on his ass. He's not going somewhere where he doesn't like the food, so I think it's great.”
Meanwhile, Olsen is expected to join the Utes for next season before embarking on his own church mission, suggesting that he will be a strong candidate to redshirt next season.
posted by www.sltrib.com @ 10:00 AM |
1 Comments:
I remember thinking that David Foster was alot better than Luke, with a huge upside. I think the "bigs" will be just fine, but it's DRCA that struggles bringing the ball up the court that concerns me.
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