RE: MBB Recruiting
If JMU is going to be a contender next season, Byington is going to have to bring in a couple of impactful transfers, at a minimum. Based on offers extended to his two signees in the fall (Archie and Carey), looks like a higher caliber recruit than he's brought in previously. What JMU is losing, though, is pretty significant from a fringe contender in the Sun Belt. (I say fringe since JMU's margin of error was so small in nearly all conference games.)
Byington, himself, has said that JMU competes with its no. 3 through 11 player on the roster. That's his way of saying the team didn't have front-line players to compete with other schools in conference, with quality depth making up the difference. He also said we haven't seen the full impact of using the AUBC as a recruiting tool either.
Here's what the depth chart might currently look like, not knowing who's returning. I know Mettlen, for example, said that Julien Wooden needs to decide if he's coming back for a 5th year. I wouldn't be surprised if some, or all, of the current freshmen were to leave. Brycen Blaine might be the best of that bunch, based on Mettlen's comments on him prior to last season.
1 - Ihenacho, Archie, Brown, Strickland
2 - Freidel, Blaine
3 - Edwards
4 - Amadi, Wooden
5 - Carey, Roberson
On paper, looks like team needs a playmaker in the mold of T. Molson and a switchable big like Offurum. Plus, more shooting. Should be interesting to follow what happens between now and sometime in May perhaps.
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