There's still no doubt that I'm counting the hours to the tipoff with However the prospects surrounding this season - as wonderful as they are - still don't compare to this fact: Purdue will have this season again next season.
You see, the Boilers will only graduate Bobby Riddell, Marcus Green, Nemanja Calasan, and Chris Reid. While that foursome is an integral part to the team that Painter built, it represents only 13 pts and 6.1 rebs a game. To put that in perspective, Scott Martin's departure depleted the team of 6.9 pts and 3.6 rebs.
That amount of perspective has me kind of excited/relieved to hear that the word from West Lafayette is a possible redshirt for freshmen Ryne Smith or John Hart. If either of these guys can perform as advertised, I'd much rather have them for three seasons post Hummel, Smooge and JJ than two. God knows a great deal of the current - and God willing future - success could hinge on the overlap these rosters would have.
While I don't know thing one about how a redshirt season might affect the fragile ego of an 18 year old, I'm hoping Hart and Smith could get beyond the Scott Martin myopia and focus on the upside of not only playing with this talented squad for two to three seasons, but then stepping into their shoes with more than one season of your own in the sun.
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