Is BYU any good or are we playing stiffs?
 

I don't imagine the first games mean much except to improve the record, but are we playing well?

Playing stiffs.

Really hard to tell how good we are. But my gut feeling is that we are as good as we were last year with the potential maybe to be better than we were last year.

JT has really become a man. He is the leader of this team.

Burgess is stepping up and we should expect a Brock Reichner like season.

Plaisted and Cummard same as last year. Murdock not a terrible drop from Ainge last year.

I think Cummard will be more consistent than he was last year. Plaisted will look better by virtue of no other offensive options in the post. Fredette brings more offensively to the table than Rose and Collinsworth is more athletic than what BYU has had in many, many years as a 4. In that I mean a true 4 and not the hybrid matchup problem that Keena became last year as obvious KY was very athletic for a BYU 4. I think this year's club will be deeper and have more flexibility. I think we can compete better with more athletic teams.

However, there is still a limit to how far this club can go. If it can pick off either Michigan State or Wake Forest and not lose any other OOC games other than Louisiville and the WF or MSU game they lose, they could have a better regular season than last year. However, if they are unable to come up with a win against the OOC big programs (MSU, WF or Louisiville) I doubt they can earn a single digit seed in the dance. I don't see anyone else in the conference good enough to possibly be ranked like AF and UNLV were last year. Last year the good MWC saved BYU's bacon after a poor OOC performance, the Y won't have that luxury this year.

I am not as brilliant when it comes to basketball as I am football, so I can't tell you.

Yes.

I concur.

When I said Plaisted and Cummard same as last year, I meant that as a good thing. But really I expect them both to be a little improved.

The two guys to watch are JT and Jimmer.

JT owns this team. He's the man in charge out there. He's going to take the big shot. He'll take the team on his back when we need it. He'll even get a big steal on defense or haul down the big rebound. Plaisted and Cummard are great college players, but they're complimentary players and neither feel comfortable taking the lead. JT will do that. And to lesser extent Burgess will too.

Jimmer will take until next year but he will be THE guy along with JT very shortly. He hit a couple big three's back to back last night. He has 19 pts, 4 assists, 1 TO, 2 steals in 42 minutes. He had three steals in the last exhibition game. He took the ball at the wing three point line last night faked to the middle, took his man on the baseline, took a dribble and two steps and floated a running 15 footer off the backboard. Ainge had this shot but never took it that deep and never off the backboard. Jimmer looks like he's taken that shot a million times. The guy's game as a frosh is more advanced than anyone I've seen at BYU for quite a while.

Burgess will hold him off for the starting position but that's more a sign of how good he's playing. Both of them would have started last year the way they're playing this year.

We are playing well, although it is tough to guage against teams like Idaho State. I'm not sure if we will be better than last year - don't underestimate the loss of Ainge, KY, and Balderson. But the future looks bright, and I'm excited for this year.

I continue to be impressed with Jimmer, especially his ability to create. He's going to be a major headache for other teams the next few years. As good as Murdock is playing (10 assists, 1 TO the last two games), I still think we ought to move Burgess over to the 1 and start Jimmer at the 2.

Loved it when Cummard reached up for the ball last night while still hanging on the rim - good stuff - I don't think anybody else on the team has as much fun out there as he does.

Classic. I also like that Rose let it go. Gave him a little growl but that was about it. A guy working as hard as Lee and playing unselfishly and having fun, you can overlook that kind of stuff.

I don't think of myself as a homer, but when the dust settles the only thing BYU will miss from last year, IMO, is Keena Young. However, he was the POY and dominating so that is kinda a big thing. I like Ainge's IQ, gritty effort, leadership and experience but I think Burgess can provide that and to be honest Austin was limited by his lack of athletic ability. Balderson was MIA last year.

To appease Arch's insatiable appetite for gloom and doom I will say that they are all stiffs.