Small Roster....Not!

[overseasbbfan1]

I'm not sure what the talk about a small roster is about in the thread about Cokie's injury, or small roster 'mentality' as one poster put it. Yes...due to some unfortuante circumstances we've had a smaller roster than most would have liked the past season or two, but we were actually at 14 this season if you include the two walk-ons. This was reduced to 12 after Kristen decided not to return and Lauren was dismissed for violation of team rules, but both of these events occurred after signing periods were all said and done. Nonetheless we were still above the 10 or 11 referred to in the other thread, and certainly better than the 10 we had to make due with last year. I think it's pretty clear the staff have addressed this issue given the six freshmen on the squad (now effectively seven given Cokie's injury), and the four already committed for next season. That's 11 in the 2010 and 2011 classes alone; I don't think we're going to have to worry about roster size in the future!

 

[BabHorn]

There will 11 players this season with Cokie out. Next season, 13. Given Coach G's past history of roster size, that's pretty much how many there usually are: 12-13 players. Not a problem there.

The only concern I have is the few post players on the roster. That has been addressed next season. But this season, with Cokie, there were three true posts with Kat able slide down into that position. Kenisha likely could also play there even though she would have been small at 5-11. Still, similar sized PFs have been successful in the league. Now, with Cokie out, we got two true posts in AG and Anne Marie. Kat will give the team some additional height and Kenisha will provide depth. But those two positions will really be undermanned this season. Another injury or problems with fouls at those post positions and the team could be in trouble.

While Coach G does recruit players able to play multiple positions, inside play usually does require some height, of which there is not much available on this team. At the wings and guards, the team has very good depth, talent, and size,even though a lot of that is young.

 

[Moooooo]

Sorry, but walk-ons don't count when we are discussing scholarship numbers; if we expect our walk-ons to make significant contributions, then they deserve scholarships.

Women's basketball teams are allowed 15 scholarships; I think it's a shame not to award them.

Lauren Flores was dismissed on 05/10, and Shanice McCoy signed on 05/11.

Plus, if you think we will make it through the season without a few (minor) injuries here and there, you are kidding yourself; it happens to everyone every season. Even if a player misses just one game, the game can end up being a loss if you don't have capable backups. Plus, backups are important due to starters getting into foul trouble, especially post players.

 

[overseasbbfan1]

Had Kristen stayed and Lauren not been dismissed the roster would have been 14 and down to 13 with Cokie's injury. As Babhorn pointed out that's about where GG likes it and that's fine. No question Cokie's injury hurts but we'll have to adjust as best we can. Again, with the numbers in the 2010 and 2011 classes I don't think we're going to be talking about roster size very much in the future. Instead we'll probably see posts like..."Why isn't ______ getting any minutes?", or "Why aren't we giving ______ a chance?" And we all know what the answer to those questions will be!

 

[Moooooo]

overseas, I guess you and I are looking at the "numbers" differently. Roster size versus scholarship players is completely different, IMO.

If Lauren and Kristen would have remained with the team, we'd be at 12 scholarship players; we are currently at 10. So, there were still 3 "unawarded" scholarships.

For next season, with only Kathleen exhausting her eligibility next Spring, we will be at 13 scholarship players (4 recruits for 2011 class) if there are no additions/losses .

 

[overseasbbfan1]

Yes, you're right, I am looking at total roster size irrespective of whether the player is on scholarship or not. But my point is that everyone recognizes the issue with roster size and the current and future classes have addressed that issue. And if Kenisha performs as some predict, and she becomes a key contributor, I think it's likely she could be offered a scholarship for subsequent seasons. It's admirable that she wanted to attend UT badly enough that she was willing to walk-on and show everyone what she was capable of when she apparently had offers elsewhere; I hope it works out for her, and for us. Even though we may have scholarships available I personally don't think it's possible, or wise, to bring in more than five or six players at one time and still do them, or the program, justice. It will be difficult enough to develop six freshmen at once, and get them ready to play Division I collegiate basketball. Current shortcomings aside, we're slightly better off than last season in terms of roster size (weaker at the post position, though), and have certainly addressed the roster issue with the incoming and subsequent recruiting classes. We're currently at 14 for next season with Kenisha, 13 without her, and with other signings still possible or even likely.

 

[Moooooo]

Updated roster now lists 11 players; no Keneisha Harris.

The Link

You were saying?

 

[overseasbbfan1]

Well obviously I wouldn't, or don't have any knowledge about Kenisha being off the roster. Do you? Perhaps someone closer to the program will have more details, but sorry it didn't work out for her.

 

[Moooooo]

My point is/was that I don't count/rely on walk-on players to fill voids on a team. There is always that one exception, but it certainly is not the norm.

 

[overseasbbfan1]

Ordinarily I would agree with you but I didn't look at Kenisha as a typical walk-on. She had led her team to two State titles and was a state tourney MVP who apparently had offers from other Div. 1 schools, but wanted to attend Texas. For example there's a big difference between her situation, and that of Lancaster who hasn't played BB in four-years...and the same was true of Schrieber when she walked-on to the VB team a few seasons back. But whether or not Kenisha left due to performance issues, or some other reason (violation of rules or of her own accord) I have no idea. But even when a player leaves because of disciplinary issues or rules violations that is generally reported, as was the case with Flores in the Spring. I think another reason walk-ons sometimes leave a program is because it becomes apparent they aren't going to contribute much to the team, but I doubt that's the case with Kenisha as we're still a month away from the the start of the season. Anyway, I hope someone with more info will post something at some point.

 

[mb227]

Given the attrition that contributed to the loss in the Tennessee game, it seemed appropos to revisit the subject of small rosters...

We have not even gotten to conference play and the short bench has been exposed. The loss of Cokie hurts but it was equally foolish to think we could not go through the season without some form of issue that costs players entire games (and we have already seen illness, disciplinary and injury leave us with a bench that could offer no meaningful relief in a game that would otherwise have been winnable).

I wholeheartedly applaud the efforts of those who played 38-40 minutes of Sunday's game, but if they have to do that sort of thing more than one in a blue moon, well...it won't be a pretty sight to look at the standings. It has long been stated that there were no 'gimme' games in the Big 12. Short benches make that even more true...

 

[overseasbbfan1]

The short bench in the Tennessee game was contributed to by the suspension as well as injuries. With Kristen back in the lineup our roster is 12, down to 11 with the injury to Cokie. It won't be often (unless suspensions and illness become a weekly occurence) that the Horns have to make do with 8 or 9 this season. And we should remember our roster had actually been set at 13 until Lauren's dismissal in May (and Kristen's decision not to return, now reversed). And I don't think anyone would have made an issue of the short bench in the Vol contest had Tiffany and Anne-Marie both been available.