Maurice Kirby has decided to transfer to Coffeyville Community College in Kansas. Kirby confirmed this rumor to Mark Berman of the Roanoke Times on Monday night.
“Buzz and his staff, they’ve been great to me,” Kirby told Berman. “[But] the basketball aspect, I didn’t know what was going to happen. … Anytime you get a new coach that didn’t recruit you, you really just don’t know what to expect. That was the big thing.”
Kirby redshirted for James Johnson during the 2013-14 season, and he was expected to provide depth in the post for the Hokies this coming year. However, incoming true freshman center Satchel Pierce was likely going to win most of the minutes behind starting center Joey van Zegeren.
Scholarship Situation
Here is a list of Virginia Tech’s scholarship players…
G Will Johnston, Sr.
F C.J. Barksdale, Sr.
C Joey van Zegeren, r-Jr.
G Adam Smith, r-Jr.
F Marshall Wood, Jr.
G Devin Wilson, So.
G Ben Emelogu, So.
G Malik Mueller, r-Fr.
G/F Ahmed Hill, Fr.
G/F Justin Bibbs, Fr.
G Jalen Hudson, Fr.
C Satchel Pierce, Fr.
That’s 12 scholarship players, which means that the Hokies currently have one scholarship available for this class. However, that number will go up if former walk-on Will Johnston’s scholarship is not renewed or there is more attrition in this class.
Post depth is a problem right now. At power forward, the Hokies have just C.J. Barksdale (Sr.), Marshall Wood (Jr.) and walk-on Christian Beyer. Buzz Williams is trying hard to add a power forward to this class, and former Marquette commit Malek Harris will visit Blacksburg on April 28. Harris is rated the #77 recruit in the country by Rivals and #106 by 247Sports. Tech is also in the final two for JUCO power forward Shane Henry.
We also hear that Williams will also bring in a point guard recruit or transfer if he can find a guy he likes this late in the recruiting process, so that would indicate that he will either not renew Will Johnston’s scholarship or he is expecting more attrition.
ACC Schedule Set
Although we don’t know any dates or times, we do know which ACC opponents the Hokies will be playing for the next two years, and we know where they’ll be playing them.
First, here’s the schedule for the upcoming season…
Home: UVA, Miami, FSU, Syracuse, Georgia Tech, Duke, Pitt, Boston College and Notre Dame
Away: UVA, Miami, FSU, Syracuse, Clemson, UNC, Wake Forest, NC State and Louisville
Now, here is how it looks for 2015-16…
Home: UVA, Miami, Wake Forest, Pitt, FSU, Clemson, UNC, NC State and Louisville
Away: UVA, Miami, Wake Forest, Pitt, Georgia Tech, Duke, Boston College, Syracuse and Notre Dame
The Hokies will play home-and-home contests with both UVA and Miami for the next two years. They will play home-and-home matchups against Syracuse and FSU in 2014-15, and against Wake Forest and Pitt in 2015-16.
For a complete PDF look at the schedules for all ACC teams, click here.
Print
UVA and Miami are our permanent rivals.
Here’s my thoughts on the 2-deep at this point based on what I’ve read and heard. Based on Buzz bringing three “2/3″ guys into the program as HIS guys, either Emelogu or Smith is on the outside looking in. Knowing that Buzz seems to take a liking to guys with size, I think Smith, at 170lbs and all of 5’10” is going to need to shoot lights out to win that PT. I think Wood is also in trouble. He likes to play more behind the arc than in the paint anyway.
1. Wilson/Mueller (I know Buzz has commented that he liked MM in watching pickup games but not sure if that means much)
2. Emelogu/Hudson (I expect Johnston to see 2-5min/game)
3. Hill/Bibbs
4. Barksdale/Wood
5. JVZ/Pierce
Doubt Emelogu has anything to worry about given his performance. At least one of the 2/3 spot Freshman will redshirt I think. Wood is another story but given we are currently thin at the 4 spot, that works well for him. If we land a good 4 in this class, all bets are off on Woods future, IMHO.
Adam Smith might have a bit of a challenge to get PT other than a zone buster. He did not impress me as much of a team player last season.
Who knows about Mueller…..However, who else to we have at the point for 2 deep? Can one of the FR 2 guard guys play the point to that level now? I was not all that impressed with Smith at the point last season.
None of these guys will redshirt. Bet the house on that.
I haven’t seen Hudson or Bibbs on video but Hill was impressive with the ball in his hands if they need ball handling help.
Buzz is looking for(and needs) a PF and if a PG works out, he’ll take him I think. Remember, we don’t know if Will Johnston’s scholly will be renewed.
Smith is a given in my opinion. He is a very talented and will prove to be one of the best at VT in recent years. Emelogu is a work in progress, but I believe will prove to be a valuable “team” component to the existing chemistry of our current roster. Heck, with Devin at 1 I would play three or even four so called “2/3” guys as long as long as two of them know how to block out and crash the boards.
UVA has done an excellent job rebuilding their basketball program. Now it is time for VT to do the same and we are off to a good start.
I am assuming that Wilson will run the point next year so he’s recruiting for a replacement so Emologu or Smith won’t cover that now?
Buzz has Devin Wilson and Malik Mueller available to run the point next year. Not sure why he would be looking for another PG, unless he feels he can get one better than those guys.
Thanks, forgot about Mueller.
Looks like Montrezl Harrell will never play in Cassell Coliseum. He’ll likely go pro after next season.
Am more excited about the basketball program than in a long, long time.
Has Shane Henry taken a visit to VT? 0r is he planning to? One small advantage he would have is that he would be in a different graduating class than the other recruits.
Exactly what I was just thinking. Just for class balance, a JUCO might be better.
It seems to me that Buzz is faced with what big-time schools (okay…I mean Kentucky) face every year. He will need to wave his magic wand and get a whole new team set up in place for next year.
I love this guy! This team may not be markedly better next year but the change is mindset will definitely pay off eventually. I kind of liken this to (I hate to say this) what UVA did with its basketball program.
Actually Bennett did not have this much movement when he took over, Buzz is far more aggressive and realizes the quick change that is needed with the program. Bennett did a slow build much like their offense!