Idaho seeking respectability

Getting out of the comfort zone.

We think that describes what new Idaho Coach Don Verlin has done, having moved over from one of the WAC's most successful basketball programs at Utah State -- albeit as an assistant -- to woebegone Idaho. Actually, the folks around Moscow wish the woes in their men's basketball program would be gone and are certainly hoping Verlin is the one to achieve that transformation.

Almost every basketball coach want to eventually command his or her own program -- at any level -- and Verlin's itch just got scratched.

We wish him the best as he has an extremely difficult task ahead of him.


THE GONERS

Darin Nagle. Michael Crowell. Mike Kale. Clyde Johnson. Each of these guys started a significant number of games last season for the Vandals so their experience will be missed. But none probably should have been starters on a good WAC team -- contributors off the bench, yes -- so the loss is minimized by this distinction.

THE DON'T LET THE DOOR HIT YOU...

Second-team All-WAC player Jordan Brooks and Mike Hall, who averaged just under 10 ppg. were dumped from the team at the conclusion of the spring semester. Such is a powerful statement followed by an exclamation point that the Idaho men's basketball program is going to be run and led by the coaching staff, period. There will be some short-term suffering as a result of the dismissals of Brooks and Hall but Verlin obviously felt such steps were needed to readjust the program's cohesiveness and for the development of the team concept.


RETURNEES

Mac Hopson G 6-2 195 redshirt Junior - He played in 21 games for Washington State as a sophomore(he was at a junior college before) before transferring. In that one season for Wazzou, Hopson averaged 4.2 points and 2.0 assists a game, shooting 39% overall but 45% from three-point range.

Brandon Brown G 6-1 205 Senior - A junior college transfer, Brown averaged 5.1 ppg. last season but didn't shoot well. He'll probably be more comfortable in his second season as a D-1 player but still looks to be more a reserve type -- a fourth or fifth guard.

Terrence Simmons G 6-3 170 Senior - He had more of a playmaking rep than a scoring one after coming in from the juco ranks and he did compile more assists than turnovers last season with a poor shooting squad. He'll be in the mix at the point but needs to shoot much better to see substantial playing time.

Trevor Morris G 6-4 182 Senior - Morris averaged 7.1 ppg last season but his shooting has always been below 40% from the floor. He's a catch-and-shoot guard who needs time to get his shot off. Translated, he can score when left wide open and this limits his production and playing time.

Phillip Thomas F 6-8 250 redshirt Freshman - Out of San Leandro, Thomas played but 26 minutes all season and was eventually redshirted. It's early but he looks like he can perform as a frontcourter coming off the bench but seemingly will never earn a starting spot.

Luis Augusto F 6-8 245 Senior - He averaged a foul every five and half minutes, shot poorly and actually gathered more rebounds offensively than defensively. Depending on how Thomas progresses, Augusto may end up behind him in the rotation.

Erekele Jgernaia F 6-8 210 freshman Tbilisi, Georgia -- Jgernaia signed late last November and redshirted. He has a reputation as a solid perimeter shooter.


NEWCOMERS

Kashif Watson G 6-4 190 Junior CA junior college - He averaged 13.3 points, 5.5 rebounds, 2.8 assists and shot 52.3-percent from the floor for Irvine Valley Community College last season and also has the rep as a solid defender. He signed with San Diego State out of high school but didn't qualify as has since attended Winchendon Prep School in Massachusetts, Indian Hills CC in Iowa and Irvine Valley CC in southern California. His junior college stats indicate his shooting range in limited.

Brandon Wiley F 6-5 225 Junior CA junior college - Out of City College of San Francisco, Wiley actually led the state junior colleges in blocked shots this past season. He won't be a big scorer, more a fill-in-where-help-is-needed contributor. Overall, he averaged 12.9 points, 8.3 rebounds and 2.3 assists per game.

Kyle Barone C 6-10 215 Freshman CA high school - It looks like his best skill at the moment is three-point shooting. He played prep ball in Orange County and attended Summit Prep school this past season and averaged 12 points, eight rebounds, three assists and two blocks per game. Obviously, he needs strength and bulk.

Marvin Jefferson C 6-9 235 Junior CA junior college - Jefferson put up impressive numbers -- 18.8 points, 10.6 rebounds, and 4.6 blocks in 30 games last season but it was in a height and size-challenged conference. The previous season he didn't play, focusing on academics.

*** Marcus Lawrence G 5-11 180 Junior UNLV transfer/eligible in 2009-2010 - A quick look at his numbers indicate he's a distributor of the ball, compiling good assist-to-turnover ratios but his shooting needs to be upgraded.


THE COMPLETE IDAHO ROSTER BY POSITION

Guard

Mac Hopson - He has to be one of the starters in the backcourt and the best point producer in order for Verlin's group to gain the traction necessary to get the Vandal program turned around.

Kashif Watson - We see Watson as the backcourter most complementary to Hopson, providing defensive effort, size and athleticism.

Terrence Simmons - He's the most natural passer/distributor in Verlin's backcourt but best suited as someone coming off the bench.

Brandon Brown - An off guard who will offer scoring possibilities off the bench.

Trevor Morris - As we indicated earlier, Morris has the title of a shooter but a very circumstantial one. Another reserve.


Small Forward

Erekele Jgernaia - Verlin is hoping this young man can be an offensive sharpshooter as no one else in the Foward category offers that talent.

Brandon Wiley - Wiley may even see some time in the backcourt but that will be a situational circumstance. Here's a kid who won't score a lot but he'll work hard and garner stats in a lot of other categories.

Strong Forward

Phillip Thomas - see below

Luis Augusto - see below

Neither Thomas nor Agosto will earn a starting spot and possibly not even many minutes of playing time. Brandon Wiley just may find himself at power forward at times.

Center

Marvin Jefferson - Jefferson may face the unenviable task of carrying the frontcourt this coming season. The conundrum is that while yes, he does have talent, he's not at the level of ability. It will be interesting how tough he plays defensively because he won't be able to afford getting into foul trouble as there's a major dropoff when he sits.

Kyle Barone - We can't see him nabbing many minutes next season, not until he can increase his strength and size.


SUMMARY

Verlin is going to find this task a long row to hoe but he'll be given the time required to actually have a realistic shot at achieving a makeover.

Quite a telling stat: The only positive statistical category for the Vandals last season was having 11 more steals than opponents -- every other team number was a negative differential.

The current roster still has too many players who should not be playing the number of minutes they will but Verlin hasn't had the luxury of a full season of recruiting.

Idaho still looks like a last place finisher but there's at least hope on the horizon.