Self said it would be another week before a final decision would be made on one or both of the duo. He said no other non-freshmen were being considered as red-shirt possibilities.
Self said it was still a possibility a freshman could red-shirt.
"We haven't made any decisions on redshirting yet, but Mario Little and Travis Releford are not going to play tomorrow," Self said. "The reason is, if they play tomorrow, they forfeit the right to ever red-shirt. We're going to give it another week and try to determine some things. Of course, the incoming guys, we can play them and still red-shirt them. It's kind of a screwy rule.
Freshman guard C.J. Henry will not play Tuesday. He's listed day-to-day because of a sore knee.
“I think it’s a positive thing. But what we are probably looking at is what newcomers and Mario and Travis ... if they could be in our top seven or eight going into the season. If they can, great. If they can’t, you have Brady (Morningstar) who will become eligible (after first semester) and you have (Jeff) Withey who will become eligible (after first semester). You have some situations that may not be the brightest from a numbers standpoint. We’ll see what happens. I think the guys who are not going to play tomorrow both have a chance to be starters here. Maybe one of them will play this year. Maybe one of them won’t. Maybe they’ll both play. Maybe they’ll both red-shirt. I don’t know yet. We’ll just have to wait and see.”
I'm kind of surprised that Reed isn't going be redshirted this year, I guess CJ and Elijah haven't been knocking the three down consistently enough in practice to knock Reed down the depth chart. If either of them contributed anything on defense, it would be more than what Reed is capable of. I would be surprised if BOTH Little and Releford redshirt becasue that would mean that X isn't going to have a true back up. Personally, I like Reed and his attitude, but his skillset is inferior to Elijah, CJ, and Morningstar. Elijah and CJ are both better ball handler's and Morningstar is a better three point shooter. Personally, I would love to see Reed here for two more years to mentor the 2011 freshman class since our experienced depth for that year is not looking that great at this point.
I had such high hopes for Mario Little and was looking forward to seeing what he would do this season. He didnt have much of a chance last year because of his injuries and Coach Self has said he is doing great in practice. If he needs a little more time to be 100% then i can see the red shirt. It will really be hard to perform with all of the guns KU has this year if your not 100% on your game.
Im with you RCJ78, I really thought Reed would red shirt because of the missed playing time. If KU has 4 or 5 Hawks shoot to the NBA after this season then Mario could be a big man next season anyways.
Little is such a 'tweener, I just don't see exactly where he would play. He would be best on the wing but he apparently has not practiced well enough to get into the rotation there this season. I am not surprised to see Reed on this list. With Brady out for the first semester, Self needs Reed to be what Brady was, a guy who hustles, know's where to be and can hit a spot-up 3 pointer. Reed wasn't much of a defender last season but he has been the fastest Jayhawk in practice over the summer. Maybe th e offseason work he did will help him keep from getting blown past by guards this year.
Releford should DEFINITELY get redshirted. We have half a dozen guys that can do what he can do. He is way down the list of players off the bench. Not because he isn't good, but because he isn't as good as the other players on the team. Unfortunately, he will have the same problem next year as he will always be recruited over the top of. You can't be a guard for Bill Self with no real threat to hit a jump shot. We don't need a guy outside of garbage time that can only drive to the rim.
I am all for the possibilities of red shirting Releford and Little. Because there are some speculations the Marcus Morris has been tearing it up in practice at the three spot and that would give a legitimate backup at the three for X. giving Little time to get healthy and Releford to get his jumper down and some defensive skills.
I think I see why Self may do this is because we lost out on the big man that Self was high on which is Payne who committed to Mich. State. So if Aldrich leaves which we all think he willwere getting slim at the big man spots we can then move Marcus back to the four and have one more year of elgibility for little to play the three and a legitimate backup ormaybe and eventual starter @ the three also in Releford. If we redshirt them this year this is what it could look like in 2010 and 2011. This is if the following speculatios of player to leave for the pros: Aldrich, Xavier, Tyshawn, and Sherron(graduation)
And this is without any other recruits coming to KU which I doubt so you could pencil either KNIGHT or SELBY into the guard spot and even Barnes a possibility into the 3 spot.
So I think this would be good becuase it gives us a 2 deep 3 spot next year and a deep big man rotation. Because we all know how Self likes to have and 8 to 9 man rotation with the possibility to red shirt a couple of players also.
Very good points. As far as the redshirting and what it means you can read between the lines in various ways. For example if Self wants to redshirt Little does that mean he doesn't feel good about his chances to land Barnes and wants to ensure some depth and options at that position next year? Two coach referenced a point I harp on about this and that is that a redshirt for Releford or Little probably doesn't ensure them of anything because we will continue to recruit over guys like that. We may add Selby or Knight, Lamb, and I won't totally rule out Barnes yet even though I have been pretty resolved to the notion he is headed to Durham. So couple that additional talent to Johnson and Henry with a year's experience and the senior influence of Brady and Reed and you have to wonder how Releford will even sniff the court.
With those points I can see the various ways, I like to think Self will land Barnes but I just don't feel in my gut he will, but I have seen and heard stranger things. So if we don't land Barnes I think that Little and Releford give us a better option for the 3 spot then Morningstar. Even though morninstar exceeded expectations last year I just think with him playing the three spot he gave up alot of size. Compare the players he was gaurding(Delvon Roe who's 6-8 Raymar Morgan who's 6-7, Chase Buddinger who 6-7, and the other forward from syracuse that left early) Even though I know he played well against them I just don't see a 6-3 guy holding up against 6-7 to 6-8 guy that is much more athletic then him. Plus that is what we were lacking last year against Michigan State was size on the wing and a legitimate scorer from the 3 spot like we had with rush. I just think little has more of an offensive ability to him then morninstar. Releford I think with the time of a redshirt year will develop his offensive perimeter game and the defense prescense that he will be a much more viable option the morningstar at the three.
I think Brady would be a great fit at a guard position and playing there best scoring guard option here is an example: Michigan state he could have played Lucas and that would give Collins some rest time so he didn't have to guard Lucas since he is a drive and score guard. Another example would have been the Cuse game where collins and flynn were guarding each other Flynn got in Collins head and he began to do some stupid streetball anctics and chucking three's from all over the court, with morningstar guarding him, collins would have played his game and we could have came out of there with a W.
But I guess if we are talking about and comparing and contrasting on two scholarship players redshirting then I guess Self is doing his job. Recruiting more talented players then the next one have a extremely deep team to cope with injuries and being in a great spot to win the National Championship every year!!
Any idea why C.J. and Teahen are in street clothes? I realize the rule is that upperclassmen can't participate in exhibitions and still be redshirt eligible, but I have a hard time believing C.J. is going to be redshirted.
Any idea why C.J. and Teahen are in street clothes? I realize the rule is that upperclassmen can't participate in exhibitions and still be redshirt eligible, but I have a hard time believing C.J. is going to be redshirted
