Tyler Griffey (Whole New Player)

[illiniracers]

Illinois head coach John Groce talked at length about instilling confidence into the Illini during the offseason. He talked about pushing the tempo. He talked about making the players tougher specifically during the late stretches of the game. After an 8-0 start, it is very clear that there is a change to these Illini when compared to last season. Winning the Maui Invitational and pulling out gutsy wins against Gardner-Webb and Georgia Tech in Champaign proves that Groce’s coaching style is beginning to work. No other player has benefited the most from the new coaching staff after the first three weeks than senior forward Tyler Griffey

Rush The Court

[champaignchris]

We've seen fairly remarkable Junior to Senior transformations before.

Chris Gandy and Warren Carter both come to mind.

But this might be the most remarkable and unexpected yet.

[zoggle101]

Originally Posted by champaignchris

We've seen fairly remarkable Junior to Senior transformations before.

Chris Gandy and Warren Carter both come to mind.

But this might be the most remarkable and unexpected yet.

I remember Warren being a good player as a freshmen, sophomore, and junior but had to defer to older more experienced teammates. It was his team alomg with a couple other vets to lead his senior year.

[Sure Shot]

Originally Posted by zoggle101

I remember Warren being a good player as a freshmen, sophomore, and junior but had to defer to older more experienced teammates. It was his team alomg with a couple other vets to lead his senior year.

I recall very, very differently.

[zoggle101]

Originally Posted by Sure Shot

I recall very, very differently.

You probably don't remember Mike Davis showing flashes as a freshman either but I do. There weren't many freshmen or sophomres who were going to play on our teams let alone be the star back then. It's just my opinion and you have yours too but to just say that's not how I remember it is a horrible rebuttle for someone as smart as you. What do you remember about our teams back then?

Surely you understand my point on Warren deferring to his older, more experienced teammates but it seems my points get thrown out of he window lately. I guess it's a problem when you're over opiniated.

[IL2000]

Warren rarely played his freshman year. The 06-07 team was McBride's team.

[Sure Shot]

Originally Posted by zoggle101

You probably don't remember Mike Davis showing flashes as a freshman either but I do. There weren't many freshmen or sophomres who were going to play on our teams let alone be the star back then. It's just my opinion and you have yours too but to just say that's not how I remember it is a horrible rebuttle for someone as smart as you. What do you remember about our teams back then?

Oh I definitely remember flashes of potential from Davis as a freshman, but Warren Carter was just a no-defense stick figure who shot every time he touched the ball his first three years. Then he grew that mop-top and its like he was a whole different player.

[brosox]

Originally Posted by IL2000

Warren rarely played his freshman year. The 06-07 team was McBride's team.

I always thought that Warren made a huge mistake by not red-shirting his first year as he rarely played. We really could have used him the year after he graduated.

[champaignchris]

My recollection of Mike Davis was that he didn't play much his freshman year, had an "out of nowhere" very good sophomore year, continued that ascent as a junior, and then had a relatively disappointing senior year.

He also had that weird quality, where no matter how well he did, it always seemed like he should have done a little better. Get 8 pts, 10 rebounds, he shoulda had 12 and 15. If he got 15 points, 11 boards, he shoulda got 17 and 14, etc.

Warren Carter went from 4.8 pts, 2.8 boards a game his junior year to 13.7, 6.1 his senior year. Now, obviously that increase in production was playing time related, but I don't recall seeing enough out of him his first three years to ever predict he'd have the senior year that he did.

[IL2000]

Originally Posted by brosox

I always thought that Warren made a huge mistake by not red-shirting his first year as he rarely played. We really could have used him the year after he graduated.

No doubt. But then, we may not have had Mike Davis.

[zoggle101]

Originally Posted by IL2000

Warren rarely played his freshman year. The 06-07 team was McBride's team.

He did play and there was talent there if you watched. Most people think a player you see sit for 38 minutes sucks if they don't wow them in those two minutes at the end of games after sitting 2 hours. Well, Warren had a few games where he played with some rhythm and had me excited that we went down to Texas and snatched him up. Warren did seem to lack focus early on and I'll say that did improve a little every season along with his shooting consistency. I just wouldn't say he made a huge jump from his junior to senior season but it was a little every season. I will say once again it was his along with Rich's team while his teammates looked to him as a senior just like he did in prior years.

It's beyond me how our fan base didn't run him out of town if we thought he was totally worthless until his senior year. I guess that's why we're not high major D1 coaches and Weber is.

[PeoriaSteve]

Originally Posted by IL2000

No doubt. But then, we may not have had Mike Davis.

Why, he was headed to a prep school anyway until we stepped in at the last minute. We could've just signed him the next year. Of course, there would likely have been more competition for his services.

[IL2000]

Originally Posted by PeoriaSteve

Why, he was headed to a prep school anyway until we stepped in at the last minute. We could've just signed him the next year. Of course, there would likely have been more competition for his services.

Good point. I forgot we talked him out of the prep school.

[zpfled]

Originally Posted by zoggle101

It's beyond me how our fan base didn't run him out of town if we thought he was totally worthless until his senior year. I guess that's why we're not high major D1 coaches and Weber is.

Our fanbase was having too much fun watching really good teams his freshman, sophomore, and junior years, to get upset about a player who didn't play much for the first two years. I remember Carter being fair his junior year, and rock-solid his senior year. He only got garbage minutes on the 04-05 team, and I don't remember anything from his freshman year.

Griffey's transformation is accentuated by just how little he was allowed to do under Weber. He had a few flashes of good games, but he rarely got significant PT and when he did, he had a very short leash.

Now he's taking the last shot when the game is on the line against G-W. It is remarkable.

[jcgoldie]

Originally Posted by zoggle101

He did play and there was talent there if you watched. Most people think a player you see sit for 38 minutes sucks if they don't wow them in those two minutes at the end of games after sitting 2 hours. Well, Warren had a few games where he played with some rhythm and had me excited that we went down to Texas and snatched him up. Warren did seem to lack focus early on and I'll say that did improve a little every season along with his shooting consistency. I just wouldn't say he made a huge jump from his junior to senior season but it was a little every season. I will say once again it was his along with Rich's team while his teammates looked to him as a senior just like he did in prior years.

It's beyond me how our fan base didn't run him out of town if we thought he was totally worthless until his senior year. I guess that's why we're not high major D1 coaches and Weber is.

No.

[ChazzReinhold]

Originally Posted by champaignchris

My recollection of Mike Davis was that he didn't play much his freshman year, had an "out of nowhere" very good sophomore year, continued that ascent as a junior, and then had a relatively disappointing senior year.

He also had that weird quality, where no matter how well he did, it always seemed like he should have done a little better. Get 8 pts, 10 rebounds, he shoulda had 12 and 15. If he got 15 points, 11 boards, he shoulda got 17 and 14, etc.

Warren Carter went from 4.8 pts, 2.8 boards a game his junior year to 13.7, 6.1 his senior year. Now, obviously that increase in production was playing time related, but I don't recall seeing enough out of him his first three years to ever predict he'd have the senior year that he did.

Mike Davis' Jr year was the disappointment. The second half of his Sr year he often carried the team when DMac was struggling.

[IlliniRunIn07]

Originally Posted by ChazzReinhold

Mike Davis' Jr year was the disappointment. The second half of his Sr year he often carried the team when DMac was struggling.

Agreed. Very solid sophomore year. IIRC he injured himself the summer before his junior year so there's no saying how much that set him back.

[ctblaisdell83]

What about Griffey?

BTW - that is a nice article, with some good detail on Griff and schemes to exploit his capabilities

[champaignchris]

Originally Posted by zpfled

Griffey's transformation is accentuated by just how little he was allowed to do under Weber. He had a few flashes of good games, but he rarely got significant PT and when he did, he had a very short leash.

Right. I'm not sure what was going on prior. Were they trying to make him a back-to-the-basket 4, when it's quite obvious now that he's a face-to-the-basket 3/4?

[stevo99]

Originally Posted by champaignchris

We've seen fairly remarkable Junior to Senior transformations before.

Chris Gandy and Warren Carter both come to mind.

But this might be the most remarkable and unexpected yet.

Gandy went from a pretty unproductive disappointing guy as a junior to the legit #2 option on a team that should've gotten to the sweet 16.

What Griffey has done the first 8 games has been great, but what Gandy did was the most unexpected.

[zoggle101]

People hate on Davis his junior season but that kid won us games that year. People want to remember what they remember always remember that. One game can define what you remember. Perhaps in some cases the twenty minutes you've watched a team play might influence you or the 200 minutes you've watched another team play might influence you more. Maybe, you like to listen to the pundits, a knowledgable friend or do the scouting yourself. A blend of all three is an option too. Always remember what you remember when you remember what rememeber.

This board has me so flustered I'm talking about it to my grown friends and theyre laughing at me for caring. A friend and myself were talking and I said how my Dad used to try and tell me about the Bulls when in fact I watched every single game for years growing up. My buddy is a guy I go to for X's and O's talk and big into the NBA. He said the same thing happened with him and his father. They watched very little of the regular season but are knowitalls in the postseason. It didn't matter to my father if I knew the league better and Bulls in my opinion. This is probably one of the reasons we don't root for all of the same professional teams because I couldn't stand arguing about a team we are both supposed to love when we saw things differently. He was older and more intelligent than his son but to me he wasnt putting in the work scouting.

[Ress]

Hopefully, Griffey continues to improve and not revert back to his old style of play. Will make a big difference if we can count on him when we start playing better competition. He's such a good kid, would love to see good things happen for him.

[OrangeAndBlue217]

Originally Posted by Ress

Hopefully, Griffey continues to improve and not revert back to his old style of play. Will make a big difference if we can count on him when we start playing better competition. He's such a good kid, would love to see good things happen for him.

His style of play hasnt changed that much. I saw a lot of the same last year. The big difference is that he wouldnt pull those shots last year. Presumably in fear of missing and being taken out of the game. Since he didnt always take the shot last year, his pump fake almost never worked and he couldnt get past his defender. But he tried. I am glad everything is working for him so far. Lets hope he just continues to knock down shots.

[zoggle101]

Originally Posted by OrangeAndBlue217

His style of play hasnt changed that much. I saw a lot of the same last year. The big difference is that he wouldnt pull those shots last year. Presumably in fear of missing and being taken out of the game. Since he didnt always take the shot last year, his pump fake almost never worked and he couldnt get past his defender. But he tried. I am glad everything is working for him so far. Lets hope he just continues to knock down shots.

+1,000,000

[IlliniRunIn07]

Originally Posted by zoggle101

People hate on Davis his junior season but that kid won us games that year. People want to remember what they remember always remember that. One game can define what you remember. Perhaps in some cases the twenty minutes you've watched a team play might influence you or the 200 minutes you've watched another team play might influence you more. Maybe, you like to listen to the pundits, a knowledgable friend or do the scouting yourself. A blend of all three is an option too. Always remember what you remember when you remember what rememeber.

This board has me so flustered I'm talking about it to my grown friends and theyre laughing at me for caring. A friend and myself were talking and I said how my Dad used to try and tell me about the Bulls when in fact I watched every single game for years growing up. My buddy is a guy I go to for X's and O's talk and big into the NBA. He said the same thing happened with him and his father. They watched very little of the regular season but are knowitalls in the postseason. It didn't matter to my father if I knew the league better and Bulls in my opinion. This is probably one of the reasons we don't root for all of the same professional teams because I couldn't stand arguing about a team we are both supposed to love when we saw things differently. He was older and more intelligent than his son but to me he wasnt putting in the work scouting.

You do realize no one is out to get you, right? I have no clue what has gotten you so touchy lately.

Davis broke his ankle the summer before his junior year. At least at the beginning of the season there was a regression in many facets of his game, but he still led the conference in rebounding which is an incredibly awesome feat. Mike Davis had a huge leap from his freshman to sophomore year but there wasn't much of a noticeable leap like that again until the last half of his senior season. The freshman to sophomore leap is usually the biggest, so that's no surprise. Tyler Griffey's transformation has been unreal given how late it is in his career. No doubt about it. It's good for everyone to see.