DISQUS

Ben_M · 1 year ago

would of liked to see this scholly used on a younger prospect myself

jgongora86 · 1 year ago

Yeah I don't like this addittion. Too many guards and I can't believe that all of them will be diamonds in the rough. Why not save it for a great 09 or 10 class. Now if Jordan Crawford leaves then maybe I can understand this.

jdaddy · 1 year ago

I have mixed feelings about this. Rivers was at best an average role player at G'town. I saw the Hoyas play on TV at times and he was above average defensive player it seemed. Not to much of a threat offensively. We need players like this but... we also need some solid bigs. We are still really slim in the post...

ronb · 1 year ago

I think this is a good fit into Coach C game plan. He loves great on ball defenders and he likes for his teams to create turnovers and get out and run. Coach also likes the 3 guard offense and defense. I believe he is molding his team for the future. After going 3 or 4 seasons with no point guard or maybe one at best it is nice to see him get big and/or quick guards who can play D and run. I know we need another big or two but this was to good to pass by. Patience boys he will get us back on top.

ricbraun · 1 year ago

I like this pickup, we know exactly what we will be getting for two years and that is a very good defensive player and one that is very disciplined offensively. We are not really in a position right now to be picky about what type of players we have, we just need as many quality players as possible. Crean's teams do not always have all that many big men, he knows the type of players he needs to be successful more than we do

And if Crawford is gone....well lets not talk about that until it happens

ricochet · 1 year ago

Don't you guys get it? Crean & Co. run an offense build around guards, so IU needs a lot of guards whether they are PG's or wings.

What some of you guys don't seem to get is that they aren't just going to add another body for the sake of having one and losing a valuable scholarship for the next 4 to 5 years. IU's going to be bad next season, really bad and they will be undermanned but it will be better the following season and so on but it's about building a strong foundation so that when these guys are upperclassmen that IU should be very good and have scholarships open to start getting that top talent.

But you've got to look past the 2008-09 season. Next season is awash, it's about the following season and beyond and there are a lot more big at or coming to IU by then. They might not be anywhere near as talented as we want but they are there and taking up scholarships. So come the 2009-10 season IU already has 4 BIGS, 2 Centers and 2PF's. At Center IU has Pritchard and Jobe for that season and already have Elston and Capobianco coming in at PF, hopefully IU can add Negedu to the '08 recruiting class and that would make it 3 PF's.

Remember this is Crean's offense that we are talking about it's guard heavy, a 3 guard offense so that means twice the amount of SG's and CG's. So 5 players that have size and can play in the paint is about right, 2 Centers, 3 PF's, 5 or 6 SG and/or CG and 2 to 3 PG's.

But getting Rivers opens up a scholarship for 2011, which would allow IU to get a younger prospect that they wouldn't be able to if they wasted a scholarship now a HS prospect that would be nothing more than another body at this point it would be a wasted scholarship.

Don't forget that Rivers little brother Austin is one of the best prospects in all of the 2011 class.

Even though Jeremiah can't play this year he will help IU a lot in practice because Verdell Jones is the only PG on the roster next season and going up against Jeremiah in practice everyday will expedite his development.

This is a good pickup a let's also not forget that his game suffered at Georgetown due to there style of player and his natural abilities aren't suited to thrive in that slow down and continue to force it into the post offense and not only that remember who IU's coach is? Remember a lot of guards want to play for Crean because he''s known for developing guards, so maybe he sees something that he knows he can change as sees that Jeremiah Rivers after he's gotten a hold of him has the ability to be a stud PG.

ricbraun · 1 year ago

very well put

MikeinNC · 1 year ago

Well said, I am sure Coach Crean has a clear plan in mind. I just worry about two risks - #1 will there be enough minutes and shots for all these guards, all of whom are coming because they hope Crean can mold them into the next D-Wade, and #2 will we have enough strength to rebound and defend...if we are undersized we will get worn down over the course of the grueling big ten schedule and we will be easy to defend if we have no legit low-post threat and everyone knows our game plan is to shoot the 3's....

Disco_Briscoe · 1 year ago

Was a scholarship used or is Doc going to pay his way?

Alex · 1 year ago

To my knowledge, a scholarship will be used.

JerryCT · 1 year ago

I like Rivers alot. Living in BEast country I got a chance to see him often. He was actually very good defending, handling the ball and added a spark off the bench. He was not asked to score so his offense is still unknown. I think he is going to be very good and solid where other guards may be less reliable.

I voted that Crawford stays based on how much sense it makes a ) featured scorer b) top 10 attendance c) B10 d) fan favorite immediately as a soph e) good coaches to develop him. Unless Crean is despised by him I see no reason to willfully leave now

MPmike · 1 year ago

Jordan's big brother Joe stayed at UK when he thought about transferring. Hopefully, Jordan will do the same with good parental guidance.

hoosierfan27 · 1 year ago

Not sure what some of the negativity is about. We need experience and he brings it along with outstanding defense. He only will be here 2 years so its not a big risk at all. I hate when people come on here and act as if they are smarter than coach (jgongora86). Way to go coach great pickup.

Ben_M · 1 year ago

I wouldn't say its negative. This is a form built to discuss opinions. I understand what kind of player Rivers is, and I don't think its a horrible move. I think comming to IU will give Rivers more playing time and by sitting out a year will he will be a very mature point gaurd. There is a lot of talent out there and I just feel that a year down the road Crean will have some of these young stars ready to sign. When they do I would like to see room for them. I will fully support Rivers now that he is a Hoosier and I'm behind him all the way.

tberry · 1 year ago

Unless Rivers has an offensive upside that he has not shown to date, I don't think it was a good get. If we were stocked with great offensive players and could afford using a scholarship on a defensive role player, OK but we are not that deep.

Sorry, but I think it was doing a friend a favor. Doc Rivers and Crean are close. I see it as being similar to the coaches who give their son a ride when the son is not good enough to earn had there been no relationship.

CoveyDale · 1 year ago

apparently Rivers was good enough in high school to be offered a ride by Florida, UCLA, Kansas, Georgetown and Wake Forest.

let's not make him sound like Mike Davis, Jr. i don't think anyone is doing anyone a favor. he may be a role player, but this kid can play.

Spencer_D · 1 year ago

Everyone forgets how late it is in the signing period and how few options there actually are left and how much of a disadvantage Crean was at to begin with.

Give the coach a break and realize he's doing the absolute best with what he's been given.

jgongora86 · 1 year ago

I'm no saying he's not good enough, I'm just saying that I think we have too many guards. Are big guys are going to get exhausted easily and that can cause problems coming down the stretch of a game. Just my opinion. I'm not a yes man. Thats why I love this blog so much. I love good debate and it least we talk things out. I only wish our world leaders can be so open minded.

Ben_M · 1 year ago

Well the big man situation......isn't as bad as I thought really....maybe for next year, but not for 09....like some people are saying....we will run a 3 gaurd offense, so that leaves us with Jobe, elston, pritchard, capo, and if we could get negedu we'd be in decent shape to fill 2 spots for 09.

Ben_M · 1 year ago

And anybody building Jordan Crawford up while talking smack about our recruits needs to realize that JC was rated as a 3 star player....while most of our incomers are rated at 3 stars

jgongora86 · 1 year ago

I love elston and pritchard. I think they will be our heart and soul of the team. I think jobe can be an awesome shot blocker by his senior year. I still think we are low on forwards. If we get negedu this changes things a lot because the man is a fighter with freakish athletic ability. I would just like to see more balance. Good balance prepares for any type of offense or defense the oposition may bring.

hoosierfan27 · 1 year ago

In 09 we'll have Pritchard, Jobe, Elston, Capobianco. Thats four big men if we get Negedu that's 5. I don't think we're in that bad of position. If we don't get Negedu we still have one scholarship to give for 09 plus there will be likely transfers after next year. If we need to go bigger we still have room to do so.