(03-07-2019 07:52 PM)tribeinexile Wrote: My point about Williams playing was not specific to him. I think a Blair or Harvey or Scott can look at Williams' opportunity and realize they are one ankle sprain away from a significant opportunity. That's better than thinking the coach has his chosen few and that those outside that circle have no shot at playing time.
I would love to see Williams get more playing time but I don't know where that time would come from. If he were to opt to move on because of perceived limited opportunity I would understand but I hope he doesn't.
If I am correctly interpreting the last post by bubbadog57, then I am feeling a bit better about retention prospects for the rising senior class. I have never thought that Milon was the most likely member of that class to transfer out.
Sure, but the large majority of scholarship players are a sprained ankle away from seeing rotation minutes (particularly on a team with only 11 eligible scholarship players). Waiting four years for an opportunity like that, which might never come, isn't satisfactory for most of them. In Jihar's case, he got the first two starts, and then apart from one game without Pierce, one without Pierce+Milon, and one without Chase, played next to no meaningful minutes. He's stuck behind Milon, Audige and Owens (the latter two being program cornerstones over the next three years) with another highly touted guard/wing coming in next year. In all likelihood, he'd absolutely be riding the pine next year, with maybe some rotational chances as a senior.
Maybe other schools wouldn't want him--not everyone gets to be an astronaut, and some guys just belong at the end of the bench, even at lower-level schools. As you noted, it's hard to say where those minutes should be coming from. But if somebody else did want to give him a more meaningful role (and I think somebody would), you couldn't blame him for exploring. I think he's talented, and of course as a W&M fan I selfishly want a player I trust available when someone rolls an ankle. But what's best for the Tribe isn't always what's best for a player whose top priority is actually getting to play.
As to Quinn, Mekhel and Thornton--I of course hope they always stay ready for their closeup. But I think they're in different scenarios--Quinn and Mekhel look like they have the inside track to starting roles in 2020, and got some more "real" spot minutes. Thornton also was getting a lot of minutes before his injury and was generally given a pretty long leash, considering he had turnover problems and was a complete nonfactor as a scorer. All those guys have good reason to believe they are in the coaches' plans for the next three years.