Yes, but EXPERIENCE augments and increases TALENT. I agree with the rivals ratings, etc... obviously our guys are super talented and I'm really excited to see them play this year. I expect to see some big things. They may just be inconsistent. Experience is the factor.
T.Mitchell is going to be great. No doubt. I really hope he sticks around after this season. If so, then 2012-13 will be the year for the big expectations.
R.Franklin has not even been confirmed to play this year. He played 13 min/game last year. Maybe he wasn't utilized properly, or maybe his heart was heavy with what's going on with his dad... we'll need to see more from him, if we get to see anything this year at all.
J.Patton was an all-conf. player at Grambling. It looks like he was relied upon to score in bunches. We probably won't need him to do that here. His role will probably be different than his role at Grambling. Can he work in JJ's system? JJ seems to think so, but we just don't know. Also, I'm less confident that he'll get a waiver for this season than I am for Franklin.
B.Walton had us scratching our heads when he committed. I hope he can be a McCoy/Mangrum type player for us, but I'm not expecting much more from him.
The Frenchman? He was struggling at Lon Morris. I expect Knox type minutes.
The returning players are injury-riddled (hopefully healthy now) and I expect to see Ked, Holmen, Edwards and Alzee turn it up a notch. That just comes with experience.
The rest of the guys are VERY PROMISING, VERY TALENTED freshmen. They will need that experience to grow at the collegiate level. I expect, with their talent, that the learning curve will be steep, but they're still freshmen. We're expecting a freshman to start at PG. Do you think he'll have his hands full when he lines up against conference foe Raymond Taylor, among others next year? I do. He'll get better though.
Line this years team up against the 2009-2010 team, and I'll bet they lose. Why? Experience has a lot to do with it. Are they more talented *-wise than this years group? Not even close. But they proved it on the court. I just don't want to see the last group of guys forgotten so quickly. Heck, Josh White even mentioned that they heard the rumblings of the incoming class and T. Mitchell while they were still playing last year.