Per Rivals...not even Top 25

[Collier11]

http://collegebasketball.rivals.com/content.asp?CID=933183

[Boomer.....]

That's a joke. It's way too early to come out with these polls anyways.

[stoops the eternal pimp]

Right..and really how high could you put this team right now?

[Collier11]

If willie is back and we get a decent contribution from Tiny and TMG, I think we should be top 15-20 atleast.

[soonerfan28]

They must be thinking that we are also losing Willie because if they think we aren't top 25 and some of those others are then that's a joke.

[soonervegas]

Well let's see we are looking at:

Mason Griffin (fr.) PG
Willie Warren (so.) SG
Crocker (sr.) SF
Patillo (sr.) PF
Gallon (fr.) C

Bench:
Davis
Wright
Allen

I can see us being borderline Top 25 with a high ceiling (Sweet 16) as these guys gel.

[stoops the eternal pimp]

I agree that this team coulde end up a top 25 team, but I wouldn't put them there now...Can't base it on guys who haven't even put on the uniform yet..

[soonerfan28]

Taylor Griffin raved about the improvement that Orlando Allen made from the beginning of the season to the end. If he can be a good inside man then we could have some nice depth next year. I think Tiny will start, but I could see us going big also with Tiny at the 4 and Allen at the 5. How many other teams could have 3 MDAA's starting for them next year. UNC? Maybe Duke?

[Rock Hard Corn Frog]

I know it is just rivals but that would make OU I would guess the first team ever to be able to start 3 Gacyburger AA's and not be ranked in the top 25. Apparently Xavier without a coach, Georgetown fresh off their "lets go down faster than Courtney Love on a submarine" season, Siena and Kansas St all have more going for them.

If WW returns we SHOULD project to about a top 12-15 team. Gallon and MG are going to be good players.

[stoopified]

We have been Top 25 preseason MANY times in the oastt 30 years with less talent.I'm betting when preseason magazine ratings,AP,USA Today come out we will be ranked.IF NOT then there will be a lot of people in for a HUGE shock once the season starts.OU is not going away after Blake anymore than we did after Wayman.

[Eielson]

Just looking at this real quickly...

Oklahoma not in top 25 doesn't make much sense.

Putting a Petino coached Louisville team at #22 is crazy.

Siena is rated ahead of both of the above teams. Ha!

Arizona State basically had two player on their team this team. One graduated and the other is basically a lock to go pro. They were only a 6 seed to start with.

Tennessee at 10? At first I thought Pearl was magical but I'm beginning to think that it might have just been Lofton. I don't care if they return everybody, they lost to OSU in the first round as a 9 seed.

Two Big 10 teams in the top 5? I guess it's possible.

Oh, and where is Kentucky? I guess there are too many questions, but if they could get 3 or so players between Orton, Meeks, Patterson, Henry, and Cousins they could be a really good team.

[TopDawg]

OU is not going away after Blake anymore than we did after Wayman.

1984 (Tisdale a sophomore): 29-5, AP #7
1985 (Tisdale a junior): 31-6, AP #4
1986 (Tisdale gone): 26-9, AP #15 (preseason #13)
1987 (Tisdale 2 years gone): 24-10, AP unranked (preseason #7)

I hope we don't go away any more than we did after Wayman!

If so, we'll need another Skurcenski to come to the rescue.

[badger]

pbbbth, how high were we ranked at the beginning of last season? if i remember my SI cover correctly, they had worthless texarse ahead of us in their stupid preseason pole.

The only place preseason polls matters is college football, because if everyone wins out and you start low, you have no chance at a title.

[TopDawg]

ESPN Preseason this year (and how they finished)

1) UNC (1)
2) UConn (3)
3) Louisville (5)
4) UCLA (18...woah!)
5) Duke (11)
6) Pitt (6)
7) Michigan State (2)
8) Texas (23...WOAH!)
9) Notre Dame (HAHAHAHA)
10) Purdue (14)
11) Gonzaga (13)
12) Memphis (9)
13) Tennessee (35...woah!)
14) OU (7)
15) Arizona State (19)
16) Miami (unranked...woah!)
17) Marquette (21)
18) Georgetown (unranked...woah!)
19) Florida (unranked...woah!)
20) Davidson (unranked...woah!)
21) USC (27)
21) Wisconsin (unranked...woah!)
23) Kansas (10)
24) Wake Forest (20)
25) Villanova (4)

Us, Kansas and Nova were the biggest upward movers that started the season in the preseason poll.

Missouri was the biggest surprise, with Washington also being a big one.

[TopDawg]

Next year's team could be a Kansas-esque team. Decent preseason ranking with maybe a tough loss or two due to youth...but by season's end, we might be really clicking.

[sooner59]

I pretty much agree with our ranking per ESPN. I also severely disagree with their ranking of Kansas. I think Kansas will be really good next year.

[Salt City Sooner]

I pretty much agree with our ranking per ESPN. I also severely disagree with their ranking of Kansas. I think Kansas will be really good next year.
I think you're mis-reading it a bit. Those ESPN rankings are the pre-season rankings for the year that just wrapped up.

[MojoRisen]

Willie is going to have a T-MAC type season, count on him being about as good as anyone in the country after game 10. He is young but he is ready to break out with the opportunity to be the man.

[stoopified]

1984 (Tisdale a sophomore): 29-5, AP #7
1985 (Tisdale a junior): 31-6, AP #4
1986 (Tisdale gone): 26-9, AP #15 (preseason #13)
1987 (Tisdale 2 years gone): 24-10, AP unranked (preseason #7)

I hope we don't go away any more than we did after Wayman!

If so, we'll need another Skurcenski to come to the rescue.You are forgetting 1988(35-4),1989( 30-6),1990(27-5).If memory serves the 26-9,24-10 teams sufferred 2 things that this team will not; 1) WEAK nonconference slate,poor recruiting(I REACLL GREAT HUBUB ABOUT RON rOBERTS ).Roberts was SUPPOSED to be the next Tisdale and what a colossal joke that was.

IF we drop to 24-10,26-9 after Blake this staff with better noncon slates and talent will still have us ranked and DANCING in March.BTW i think you proved my point,as we WERE ranked in preseason both years.

[OUmillenium]

Ron Roberts was a sweet dunker though...

[Eielson]

I like this better-

Capel's First Year- 16 wins
Capel's Second Year- 23 wins
Capel's Third Year- 30 wins
Capel's Fourth Year?

[TopDawg]

You are forgetting 1988(35-4),1989( 30-6),1990(27-5).If memory serves the 26-9,24-10 teams sufferred 2 things that this team will not; 1) WEAK nonconference slate,poor recruiting(I REACLL GREAT HUBUB ABOUT RON rOBERTS ).Roberts was SUPPOSED to be the next Tisdale and what a colossal joke that was.

IF we drop to 24-10,26-9 after Blake this staff with better noncon slates and talent will still have us ranked and DANCING in March.BTW i think you proved my point,as we WERE ranked in preseason both years.

Trust me, I'm not forgetting 88-90. All I'm saying is that we "went away" 2 years after Wayman. Yeah, we came back in a big way after that...I just hope what you say is true...that "OU is not going away after Blake anymore than we did after Wayman." In fact, I hope we don't go away at all (and I know you do too).

I was just pointing out that it wasn't all smooth sailing once Wayman arrived. There was a little bump in the road before we made it to the title game. I hope this team doesn't experience the same thing.

[soonerfan28]

I like this better-

Capel's First Year- 16 wins
Capel's Second Year- 23 wins
Capel's Third Year- 30 wins
Capel's Fourth Year- 37 wins

Do the math it adds up.

[Sooner04]

See, here's what's great about college basketball. You can start the year unranked and it has absolutely no bearing on your final outcome. You control your destiny. Win your games, and nobody can stand in your way.

[badger]

It's nice to get the recognition and respect that comes with a ranking, but it's unnecessary in the preseason. I wonder if they wanted to hold out a ranking for OU until the coaching carousel and draft declarations passed by.

[Eielson]

Do the math it adds up.

That's what I was pointing to.