Is BYU getting a lack of respect?

[WashingtonCoug]

Is the BYU basketball team getting a lack of respect or is Jimmer's supporting cast really not very good?

[ame="http://sports.espn.go.com/ncb/news/story?id=5752533"]Kyle Singler, freshman Harrison Barnes top AP All-Americans - ESPN[/ame]

All of the other teams with a Preseason AP All-America are ranked in the top 10. BYU is 24th in the AP and 27th in Coaches poll. Can his supporting cast help lift BYU into an eventually top 10 ranking?

I honestly think they're probably a top 20 team. If Emery plays well the entire season and doesn't wear down I think they're a top 15 team.

[Indy Coug]

BYU lost 3 of their top 6 scorers from last year. I think they have no business being ranked any higher than they already are -- which is higher than 320 other D-1 basketball teams.

[jay santos]

Is the BYU basketball team getting a lack of respect or is Jimmer's supporting cast really not very good?

Kyle Singler, freshman Harrison Barnes top AP All-Americans - ESPN

All of the other teams with a Preseason AP All-America are ranked in the top 10. BYU is 24th in the AP and 27th in Coaches poll. Can his supporting cast help lift BYU into an eventually top 10 ranking?

I honestly think they're probably a top 20 team. If Emery plays well the entire season and doesn't wear down I think they're a top 15 team.

I think the way they finished last year, I would call them something like #18.

I expect us to be slightly worse this year than last year. Maybe like #21. With Loyd I would have said slightly better maybe like #15.

[BGRTHNUMEGO]

Is the BYU basketball team getting a lack of respect or is Jimmer's supporting cast really not very good?

Kyle Singler, freshman Harrison Barnes top AP All-Americans - ESPN

All of the other teams with a Preseason AP All-America are ranked in the top 10. BYU is 24th in the AP and 27th in Coaches poll. Can his supporting cast help lift BYU into an eventually top 10 ranking?

I honestly think they're probably a top 20 team. If Emery plays well the entire season and doesn't wear down I think they're a top 15 team.

It's not any real news that BYU is going to have a weaker roster than Dook or UNC. Purdue won't be ranked where they are for long with Hummel out for the season. And yes, K-State does have a better supporting cast around their all-american PG than BYU does around Jimmer.

Being ranked in the preseason after all that BYU lost from last year's team seems like a nice tip of the cap to the program and Jimmer.

[KillerDog]

Comparing BYU's rosters to the rosters of other teams with pre-season All-Americans makes it clear that BYU's supporting cast, while good for the MWC , is not on the same level as the supporting casts on the other teams with pre-season All-Americans. Fact is, BYU generally has solid supporting casts but no star. This year we have a star and we have our usual supporting cast. Many of the other teams with pre-season All-Americans have supporting casts with stars in the making. We don't have that.

[WashingtonCoug]

I am a little surprised though that BYU is not a solid consensus top 25 team. Time will tell how good this team will be, but I don't see any drop off from last year. Loyd and Haws will be missed. By the end of the season Tavernari was a non-factor. I see Emery, Abouo and one of the Collinsworths stepping up. I'm hoping to see an increase in rebounding and defense from Davies. That's all I want from him at this point.

[KillerDog]

I am a little surprised though that BYU is not a solid consensus top 25 team. Time will tell how good this team will be, but I don't see any drop off from last year. Loyd and Haws will be missed. By the end of the season Tavernari was a non-factor. I see Emery, Abouo and one of the Collinsworths stepping up. I'm hoping to see an increase in rebounding and defense from Davies. That's all I want from him at this point.

You're looking at it as a fan, which is your right. From an outsider's perspective, we lost the career leader in 3 pointers made who was a multi-year starter despite coming off the bench last year. He was also one of our best rebounders and played a large number of minutes at the 3 and 4. We lost a multi-year starter who was our best interior defender and was our best combination of length and strength. We lost one of our 3 leading scorers who started at the 3. We also lost our back-up at the 1 and 2 who was a key player down the stretch. In place of those players, we got back a pair of guys who haven't played in two years and weren't worth much when they left, a JC guy who can score but can't guard, a shooting guard who is going to have to become a pg to be an impact player in college, and a very versatile and decently recruited high mid-major prospect. Frankly, it is a tribute to how good Jimmer looked this summer that we are ranked.

[BGRTHNUMEGO]

You're looking at it as a fan, which is your right. From an outsider's perspective, we lost the career leader in 3 pointers made who was a multi-year starter despite coming off the bench last year. He was also one of our best rebounders and played a large number of minutes at the 3 and 4. We lost a multi-year starter who was our best interior defender and was our best combination of length and strength. We lost one of our 3 leading scorers who started at the 3. We also lost our back-up at the 1 and 2 who was a key player down the stretch. In place of those players, we got back a pair of guys who haven't played in two years and weren't worth much when they left, a JC guy who can score but can't guard, a shooting guard who is going to have to become a pg to be an impact player in college, and a very versatile and decently recruited high mid-major prospect. Frankly, it is a tribute to how good Jimmer looked this summer that we are ranked.

And to be realistic, from an outsider's perspective in terms of those that have votes, most of that isn't really even considered. The team won one tournament game, returns its best player who happens to be one of the top players in the nation, has a coach who has a decent program going...so just in or outside of the top 25 seems about right.

I doubt we'd be ranked any higher if Loyd was back. He averaged 5 and 1 last year. I do think BYU would be at least 5 spots higher if they could have won 2 tournament games. Previous year post season success, high profile players/recruits, and conference affiliation mean an awful lot when it comes to preseason rankings.

[KillerDog]

And to be realistic, from an outsider's perspective in terms of those that have votes, most of that isn't really even considered. The team won one tournament game, returns its best player who happens to be one of the top players in the nation, has a coach who has a decent program going...so just in or outside of the top 25 seems about right.

I doubt we'd be ranked any higher if Loyd was back. He averaged 5 and 1 last year. I do think BYU would be at least 5 spots higher if they could have won 2 tournament games. Previous year post season success, high profile players/recruits, and conference affiliation mean an awful lot when it comes to preseason rankings.

You're cynical and probably correct.

[WashingtonCoug]

Let me also clarify that I don't think BYU is a top 15 or a top 20 program right now. I do believe that by the end of the season they will be a top 20 team. Right now I think they should be a consensus top 25 team. My guess is by the time they start conference play they'll be around the 20 spot.

[Jacob]

BYU lost 3 of their top 6 scorers from last year. I think they have no business being ranked any higher than they already are -- which is higher than 320 other D-1 basketball teams.

Without Jimmer, BYU would still be miles ahead of most of those 320 D-1 basketball teams, so how are the bottom 250 relevant to the discussion?

[Indy Coug]

Without Jimmer, BYU would still be miles ahead of most of those 320 D-1 basketball teams, so how are the bottom 250 relevant to the discussion?

Because it puts some perspective on the level of "disrespect" that some seem to impute to BYU's current poll position.

BYU lost a lot of significant contributors and STILL managed to get their first preseason top 25 ranking in 30 years. That's pretty freaking amazing if you ask me.

[jay santos]

Outside of Loyd, I'd say the supporting cast is slightly better.

Davies 2011/Collinsworth >> Davies 2010/Miles (at least I'm hoping)
Harstock 2011 = Hartsock 2010 (already hit his potential)
inconsistent JT with diminishing role late in season 2010 = no JT 2011
Charles 2011/Kyle = Haws/Charles 2010 (Charles' minutes were increasing late in the season)
Jax 2011 = Jax 2010 (already hit his potential)

Loyd is a big factor though.