Fedor Zugic (Signed)

[NateFunkyTown]

I tend to think a lineup with Ash, Pop and Fedor isn't going to get it done defensively.

Neal will be the defensive stopper and the athletic slasher we need in lineup.

Fedor and LJ fighting for backup wing time.

I tend to agree with the first point, and I'm still not necessarily expecting Fedor to start day 1 since he's such a late arrival, but I'll be surprised if Fedor is not starting over one of Steven or Pop by conference play. He's the most talented, has the most high level experience, and his game fits Creighton's offense the best of the 3 imo.

[HandDownManDown]

I’m going to enter two predictions - the first prediction is there are such wide ranges of potential playing time for anyone not named Ryan that PT will be determined on a game by game basis depending on play. Prediction two is there will be many fans irritated with guys because of our disjointedness, kind of like Treys first season - all these new parts and no one knows where to be.

[SonofFrankTomera]

I’m going to enter two predictions - the first prediction is there are such wide ranges of potential playing time for anyone not named Ryan that PT will be determined on a game by game basis depending on play. Prediction two is there will be many fans irritated with guys because of our disjointedness, kind of like Treys first season - all these new parts and no one knows where to be.

This may be the most intelligent post I have seen on this board. Determining playing time on a game to game basis also may help coach Mac keep the guys happy. Might piss some off as well but hopefully you all get the point.

[KenoshaJay]

I’m going to enter two predictions - the first prediction is there are such wide ranges of potential playing time for anyone not named Ryan that PT will be determined on a game by game basis depending on play. Prediction two is there will be many fans irritated with guys because of our disjointedness, kind of like Treys first season - all these new parts and no one knows where to be.

This may be the most intelligent post I have seen on this board. Determining playing time on a game to game basis also may help coach Mac keep the guys happy. Might piss some off as well but hopefully you all get the point.

Agree. In this NIL environment, this may be the plan going forward.
Fortunately, playing in the Big East, it's not how you start the regular season - but how you finish in the conference.

[Alphawalt]

The only problem with the playing time determined on game to game basis is that this is COMPLETELY OPPOSITE to how Mac has coached over the years. Yes, this may be the team with the deepest bench, but I recall at least a few times in the past where there were one or two players worthy of more playing time but Mac stuck with his rotation. Thus, while there may be fluctuations in playing time, it will still be the same rotation of 7-8 players.

[vivid_dude]

https://www.si.com/nba/draft/newsfeed/nba-draft-fedor-zugic-could-dominate-for-creighton-out-of-the

According to this article, Fedor could be one of the best players in all of college basketball next season.

I don't pretend to know enough about how impactful he will be. But this article is from a guy who seems to know about Euroleague basketball and Fedor's game. It makes me think that any notion of Fedor NOT starting is incorrect.

Fedor, Neal, Pops stepping in to replace Baylor, Trey, and Farabello may not be the serious downgrade some thought. And that doesn't even account for what LJ, McAndrew and Ty Davis will do.

Also, the thing I'm most irrationally excited about this year? Jasen Green's game and improvement. He's a guy that could play a game without having one play run through him, and yet he'd still be that game's MVP. The crazy hustle, energy guy (combined with Neal's top-level defense) is a whole different look that will complement our core in all the right ways.

Yeah...I'm ready for college basketball.

[gtmoBlue]

Hmmm,

In viewing the few clips of Fedor’s euroball, there appears to be a few team similarities to the Jays style of play. This ‘could’ shorten the learning curve for him. Bountiful experience, whether Zugic, Neal, or Pop is great. However, adjusting & learning a new system initially lessens/negates the advantages brought by experience.

Said experience should aid in shortening/speeding up the learning process, whether working them into the rotation or starting. By early to mid January these men will boost the team’s performance for the conference run. I expect veterans starting to open the season (Ash, ?, Green, Miller, Big Ryan), with Pop as the outlier starter. A rich cluster of Neal-Zugic-LJ-Knox make for great mix at the 2 & 3 off the bench.

Yes, Coach plays folks he ‘trusts’ and historically runs a short rotation….
However, he has previously shown a penchant for adaptability as well. Prior to ‘accidentally’ Coming-to-Jesus & switching to traditional Creighton-ball during the 2010 CBI, he had been known as a slow grind offense/aggressive defense coach (ISU/UNI).

He again adapted to personnel during the Mo-Foster-Khyri-Patton years, so there is precedent for Mac adjusting to the talent(s) available.

Now is a good year/time to tweak our game a little - no major changes - just adding a few new features, as the conference coaches know our playbook well. With the wealth of talent a bit deeper bench use would be a welcome addition.

I am not an advocate of ‘Ironman’ basketball - grinding your starters down - wearing them out, while 8 or more guys are popcorn / Pepsi-ing, joking, & cheerleading on the bench. An 8 or 9 player rotation is doable.

People on these boards pick & criticize players who only get to play during blowouts or injury. Of course those players are nervous, jittery, make mistakes - they only get to play during leap years. Fred would never have seen the court if Big Ryan had not been injured. That is a fixable problem.

While Altmanesque ‘line changes’ would be highly unlikely for Mac, more / better bench utilization provides 2 key benefits:

1. Players stay fresh (especially during MTE’s and short turnaround/travel) during games.
2. The reserve player benefits- whether a regular 5 minute stint of PT per half or via a few 2-3 minute bursts when starters rest - so that when OT, post-season tourneys, or injuries require, the reserve guys are ready to contribute - see Z (Isaiah Z), JJ, D Brooks, Mintz, & Farabello.

[Wizard of Westroads]

Yes, Coach plays folks he ‘trusts’ and historically runs a short rotation….
However, he has previously shown a penchant for adaptability as well.

He again adapted to personnel during the Mo-Foster-Khyri-Patton years, so there is precedent for Mac adjusting to the talent(s) available.

Mac has commonly used 8 players for 10+ minutes, but not the last couple of seasons (only 6).

He used 8 for 10+ in 2021-22, plus Feazell at 9.7. Reef only played 6 games, so Rati might not have gotten 10 otherwise.

The only time I could find 9 with 10+ was in the 2015-16 season, though I only put about 5 minutes into this ind-depth research.

[SeattleJay]

This discussion with Fanta, Oglesby and Dauster suggests::
1. Fedor is great
2. U Conn and CU are 1a and 1b in the league
3. TO doesn’t like European professionals coming to NCAA:

https://x.com/robdauster/status/1831691 ... 43741?s=43

[Jaysker12]

This discussion with Fanta, Oglesby and Dauster suggests::
1. Fedor is great
2. U Conn and CU are 1a and 1b in the league
3. TO doesn’t like European professionals coming to NCAA:

https://x.com/robdauster/status/1831691 ... 43741?s=43

Re: the "ethics" of this situation -- I fully accept that Creighton capitalized on the shifting landscape and the shitty NCAA oversight of this sort of situation. Wouldn't surprise me, if Fedor is an all-conf. level player that this situation blows up and the NCAA is forced to "re-evaluate" the applicable rules. Doesn't bother me in the slightest that our coaches put us in the best position to win. And I don't agree with TO that this practice "takes away opportunities" from US kids.