During my 4 hour drive yesterday, I was reminiscing on some of the recent basketball teams and was pondering the "what if they would have stayed" scenarios. I'm sure this has been discussed and dreamed about, but the talent this program has had since 2006 is pretty awesome.
The '06-07 team was the beginning of the run so let's assume that all of the players stayed their 4 years and we were able to get the same talent over the subsequent years. I know a rational argument can be made for certain players may have not came to tOSU due to the talent amassed or the talent may not have progressed the same. But this is a message board and I don't have to face those possibilities. I'm just dreaming...
Here would have been the roster of key contributors in 07-08 (The Shark is on their just because)...
FR
Diebler
Koufos
Turner
SO
Oden
Conley
Cook
Lighty
Shark
SR
Butler
Terwilliger
Hunter
Lineup (Not definitively starters, just the rotations)
1 - Conley/Butler
2 - Cook/Diebler
3 - Lighty/Turner
4 - Koufos/Terwilliger
5 - Oden/Hunter
The 2/3 position is essentially a rotation of 4 players; and likely Butler included in there too. My guess is Cook would have started versus a Frosh Turner. Koufos at the 4 with Oden at the 5 would have been a nightmare for other teams.
2008 NCAA Champs: - Jayhawks led by Chalmers (Heat), Arthur( Grizzlies), and Rush.
Head to head: the Jayhawks were a nice squad but I'd take the Buckeyes by 5. Conley vs Chalmers is the matchup here, but I like Conley in that matchup and especially like the rest of the Buckeye matchups.
08-09
FR
Buford
Mullens
SO
Diebler
Koufos
Turner
JR
Oden
Conley
Cook
Lighty
Shark
1 - Conley/Turner
2 - Turner/Cook
3 - Diebler/Buford
4 - Koufos/Mullens
5 - Oden/Mullens
The phenom class are now Juniors. The guards trade Butler for Buford and the bigs trade Hunter and Terwilliger for Mullens. Buford likely doesn't play much and the guard spots are a 5 man split. The bigs turn into a 3 man rotation between the 4 & 5. This is the year Lighty was hurt and since I'm in fantasy world and have ignored Oden's injuries I've decided to do the same for Lighty.
2009 NCAA Champs: Tarheels led by Basketball Tebow (Hansborough - Pacers), Lawson(Nuggets), and Ellington (Cavs)
I would have loved to watch a Conley vs Lawson and Oden vs Hansborough matchup. Both would have been titanic matchups. However I think Ellington/Green vs the remaining supporting cast of the Buckeyes is a tOSU lean.
'09-10
SO
Buford
Mullens
JR
Diebler
Koufos
Turner
SR
Oden
Conley
Cook
Lighty
Shark
1 - Conley/Turner
2 - Turner/Cook/Buford
3 - Lighty/Diebler
4 - Koufos/Mullens
5 - Oden/Mullens
The team simply matures a year and no major roster additions this year. This was Turners dominant year in real life and Buford likely extends his scoring role off the bench. This is likely the best team of the Matta dynasty based on maturity and talent.
2010 NCAA Champs: Duke led by Singler, Scheyer, Smith, and Zoubek.
I feel almost overly homerish now, but I don't see this Duke team staying with the Buckeyes. I feel like this game is in control at the under 8 timeout.
'10-11
FR
Jared Sullinger
Deshaun Thomas
Aaron Craft
JR
Buford
Mullens
SR
Diebler
Koufos
Turner
1 - Turner/Craft
2 - Buford
3 - Diebler/Thomas
4 - Mullens/Sullinger
5 - Koufos/Lauderdale
Mullens, Turner, and Koufos make a big difference against UK and Harrelson. Having such a formidable frontline pays huge dividends for Diebler and Buford's outside shooting. Along with Turner's play,asking ability this is a continuation of a Buckeye dynasty.
2011 NCAA Champs: UConn and the fighting Kemba Walker's (Lamb is there too). I feel this is the weakest champion of this timeframe. The Buckeye team lost in an ugly fashion to UK without two more strong post players and ET. I think you know where I'm leaning here: Buckeyes beat UK, UNC, and then handle UConn.
Concession number one; I have my scarlet colored glasses on. Yup, I sure do.
Concession number two; I assume tOSU doesn't lose any early entrants to the NBA, but don't consider what other programs were impacted by early enrollees. I don't have the energy to resource the other programs, but obviously that will change things too.
Concession number three; college kids will be college kids and motivations and egos will most assuredly impact the outcomes of several games/seasons.
Having said all of that... Holy hell what a run of elite talent Thad has had. Some bad luck, early departures, bad draws, and getting outplayed has prevented a championship (or four). The what if game can be argued any number of ways and I get that. I'm sure there are several variables I've missed or errors in my timing, but I think based on the elite college talent that was amassed, a multi year championship run is absolutely feasible.
The '06-07 team was the beginning of the run so let's assume that all of the players stayed their 4 years and we were able to get the same talent over the subsequent years. I know a rational argument can be made for certain players may have not came to tOSU due to the talent amassed or the talent may not have progressed the same. But this is a message board and I don't have to face those possibilities. I'm just dreaming...
Here would have been the roster of key contributors in 07-08 (The Shark is on their just because)...
FR
Diebler
Koufos
Turner
SO
Oden
Conley
Cook
Lighty
Shark
SR
Butler
Terwilliger
Hunter
Lineup (Not definitively starters, just the rotations)
1 - Conley/Butler
2 - Cook/Diebler
3 - Lighty/Turner
4 - Koufos/Terwilliger
5 - Oden/Hunter
The 2/3 position is essentially a rotation of 4 players; and likely Butler included in there too. My guess is Cook would have started versus a Frosh Turner. Koufos at the 4 with Oden at the 5 would have been a nightmare for other teams.
2008 NCAA Champs: - Jayhawks led by Chalmers (Heat), Arthur( Grizzlies), and Rush.
Head to head: the Jayhawks were a nice squad but I'd take the Buckeyes by 5. Conley vs Chalmers is the matchup here, but I like Conley in that matchup and especially like the rest of the Buckeye matchups.
08-09
FR
Buford
Mullens
SO
Diebler
Koufos
Turner
JR
Oden
Conley
Cook
Lighty
Shark
1 - Conley/Turner
2 - Turner/Cook
3 - Diebler/Buford
4 - Koufos/Mullens
5 - Oden/Mullens
The phenom class are now Juniors. The guards trade Butler for Buford and the bigs trade Hunter and Terwilliger for Mullens. Buford likely doesn't play much and the guard spots are a 5 man split. The bigs turn into a 3 man rotation between the 4 & 5. This is the year Lighty was hurt and since I'm in fantasy world and have ignored Oden's injuries I've decided to do the same for Lighty.
2009 NCAA Champs: Tarheels led by Basketball Tebow (Hansborough - Pacers), Lawson(Nuggets), and Ellington (Cavs)
I would have loved to watch a Conley vs Lawson and Oden vs Hansborough matchup. Both would have been titanic matchups. However I think Ellington/Green vs the remaining supporting cast of the Buckeyes is a tOSU lean.
'09-10
SO
Buford
Mullens
JR
Diebler
Koufos
Turner
SR
Oden
Conley
Cook
Lighty
Shark
1 - Conley/Turner
2 - Turner/Cook/Buford
3 - Lighty/Diebler
4 - Koufos/Mullens
5 - Oden/Mullens
The team simply matures a year and no major roster additions this year. This was Turners dominant year in real life and Buford likely extends his scoring role off the bench. This is likely the best team of the Matta dynasty based on maturity and talent.
2010 NCAA Champs: Duke led by Singler, Scheyer, Smith, and Zoubek.
I feel almost overly homerish now, but I don't see this Duke team staying with the Buckeyes. I feel like this game is in control at the under 8 timeout.
'10-11
FR
Jared Sullinger
Deshaun Thomas
Aaron Craft
JR
Buford
Mullens
SR
Diebler
Koufos
Turner
1 - Turner/Craft
2 - Buford
3 - Diebler/Thomas
4 - Mullens/Sullinger
5 - Koufos/Lauderdale
Mullens, Turner, and Koufos make a big difference against UK and Harrelson. Having such a formidable frontline pays huge dividends for Diebler and Buford's outside shooting. Along with Turner's play,asking ability this is a continuation of a Buckeye dynasty.
2011 NCAA Champs: UConn and the fighting Kemba Walker's (Lamb is there too). I feel this is the weakest champion of this timeframe. The Buckeye team lost in an ugly fashion to UK without two more strong post players and ET. I think you know where I'm leaning here: Buckeyes beat UK, UNC, and then handle UConn.
Concession number one; I have my scarlet colored glasses on. Yup, I sure do.
Concession number two; I assume tOSU doesn't lose any early entrants to the NBA, but don't consider what other programs were impacted by early enrollees. I don't have the energy to resource the other programs, but obviously that will change things too.
Concession number three; college kids will be college kids and motivations and egos will most assuredly impact the outcomes of several games/seasons.
Having said all of that... Holy hell what a run of elite talent Thad has had. Some bad luck, early departures, bad draws, and getting outplayed has prevented a championship (or four). The what if game can be argued any number of ways and I get that. I'm sure there are several variables I've missed or errors in my timing, but I think based on the elite college talent that was amassed, a multi year championship run is absolutely feasible.