Ideally, how do you see the 200 minutes of playing time getting split up this year? I'm really high on Marvin Price, though that's mainly due to his incredible offers (Georgia Tech, VT, Oklahoma State, Texas A&M, Boston College, Kansas State, DePaul). Hoping he can average over 20 minutes a game as a true freshman.

For what it is worth - at Stoney Brook - minutes per game fell as follows:

18-19
3 - over 30
2 - over 20
4 over 10
0 at 8 or 9

17 - 18
0 0ver 30
7 over 20
3 over 10
2 at 8 or 9

16 - 17
1 over 30
4 over 20
4 over 10
1 at over 9

Assuming health:
high 20s: Preston, Darts, 20 plus: Roderick, Murrell, Ogbonda, Vander Plas. High teens: McDay, Price. low teens: next big (McMurray?), low single digits Springs/Foster.

I don't think he's saying that he wants to see a 9-man rotation. I think he's saying he wants to have 9-10 guys who are good enough to be part of it. In recent years we haven't had guys who could step up and contribute when parts of the rotation went down with injury.

I enjoy this exercise, but boy is it difficult this year. I have no clue. But I am still going to try:

Preston - 30 (primary ball handler)
Roderick - 30 (I just get the sense he is the alpha freshman)
Dartis - 25 (could be 30+ but feel like health could knock it down)
Price - 25 (going to get a chance)
Vander Plas - 25 (Wouldn't surprise me if he stays in that 6th man swing role)
Ogbonda - 25 (If nothing else, out of need for a big man)
Foster - 15 (direct backup / in competition with Ogbonda and rarely on court together?)
McDay - 15 (stay at PG and just back up Preston and rarely on court together?)
Brown - 3
McMurray - 3
Foster - 2
Springs - 2

The 4 guys showing out of the rotation are just my guess right now on who will be on the outside looking in. I am sure 1 or more of them will jump into the rotation and/or one of the guys I have in the rotation could fall out. I do think coach Boals will want to redshirt 1 or 2 and break up the cluster of 7 in the class of 2023. A lot of minutes available next year with Dartis/Ogbonda heading out.

I like looking more at who subs in after the starters instead of minutes. For the starters I am surmising just from comments on the board that Dartis, Preston, BVP, Ogbanda and Roderick will be the starting 5 when all are healthy. From there I could see Boals having multiple lineups specific to the teams they play. For example, it won't always be a big for Ogbanda. You could move BVP to the 5 and have Murrell at 6-7 come in at the 4. You could go 4 guards with Dartis, Preston, McDay and Roderick/Price/Brown. If everyone is healthy I can see as many as 10 guys averaging from 10 to 30 minutes per game. That is unlike the past few years where we were decimated by injury and also had too many guys not meant for D-1 hoops.

^^ I don't think any of us should be shocked if between 1 and 3 players here now transfer because of the reasoning you mention 100%Cat. It's the reality of the game these days.

Maybe players thinking of transferring should look at where OHIO players have ended up. Other than Ryan Taylor, few have had success elsewhere or found a more promising situation.

To use an over used, almost trite, phrase, I think the "culture" that Boals is developing at OHIO will lead to fewer outgoing transfers. From what I can see from a distance there seems to be more of an emphasis on camaraderie and building a sense of "team" both on the court and off than was true of the previous regime. I'm not dissing Saul with that comment, only complimenting Jeff.

Crap. I don't know. Good luck, coach.

MAC tourney MVP.