Everybody is deservedly excited about the 5 incoming players. The 2014 recruiting class has only two scholarship players, Uhl and Ellingson. Some might find it weird that I added a walk on into the mix (Baer), when I wrote in yesterday's "Jok the X-Factor next season?" thread regarding Iowa's bench, "Throw 8 spaghetti noodles on the wall, and I like the chances that 2 or 3 will stick."
The first inkling that Baer belongs in the discussion is the fact Fran red shirted him. You don't red shirt a walk on unless he figures in your plans.
Quotes from the awards dinner have Fran saying, "Nicholas Baer is going to leave a mark on the program when he's done."
Insiders tell me the only things keeping Baer from getting some of Uhl's minutes last year were his lean frame, and the fact he wasn't on scholarship, so there was no need to burn a year. The media guide listed him last fall as 6-7, 187. People tell me he'll be 6-8, and have a 2 in his first weight number next year. The staff sees him as a Uthoff body type, and wants him between 210 and 215 by 2016/17.
I didn't see a practice this year. Many who did say Baer was the best of the recruiting class of 2014.
The story goes, when Iowa lost to Northwestern in last year's first conference tourney game, Fran was freed up to watch Connor and Iowa City West in the 4A state semifinal the next day in Des Moines. (Yes, Patrick had just been identified as having a tumor in his neck, and family time was important, but, this would be similar to Fran watching Williams in the Illinois state semi's this year after the loss to Penn State) The Trojans led Bettendorf by 14 at half. Bettendorf's guards and wings were cold, and ignored feeding Baer, the team's center, who had just 3 shots and 3 points. Baer had 19 of his game high 22 in the second half (Mr. Iowa Basketball Wyatt Lohaus finished with 13), and as Fran said, "Nicholas almost single handedly beat Iowa City West." Bettendorf had the ball, down 2, and missed a 3 in the last 20 seconds, as the Trojans escaped.
Baer had 6 dunks on his way to 25 points in his final high school appearance the next day in the 3rd place game.
Baer has advantages over the Freshmen. He's been in the system. He's been through everything once, including a year of school, and road trips to rowdy Big Ten environs. He already fits in with the staff and teammates. He's under the radar, has little pressure, and any production from a non-scholarship player in 2015/16 has to be considered gravy. If he gets more time and turns out to be more integral than any of his fellow 7 noodles, he's a scholarship player in 2016/17.
Uthof sat a year at Wisconsin, and then his transfer year, before taking the floor at the age of 20. His 3rd year was good. His 4th, outstanding, and his 5th will be even better. Baer could be on the same trajectory. Privately, that's what the Iowa staff is hoping.
Understandably, the fan base only pays attention to the scholarship names. That's to be expected. However, those close to the program expect Baer to eventually be one of those names, and because of his familiarity with everybody and everything, has a good chance early this season to actually see the floor at the same time as some of his newbie scholarship teammates, and probably even before some of them.
Let's check him out in PrimeTime and see for ourselves. Randy Larson is a purported Baer believer because he saw him last year.
I'm not saying Baer is God's gift. I'm saying the coaching staff knows what they have in him more than the fan base does because they've seen him every day for a year, and in their mind, he's an 8th noodle they will be throwing on the wall as they search for bench production to augment the experienced upperclassmen.
The recruiting classes of 2014 and 2015 are the great unknowns that will tip the scale in 2015/16.
In a year of the secret weapon, Baer is the most secret weapon of all.
The first inkling that Baer belongs in the discussion is the fact Fran red shirted him. You don't red shirt a walk on unless he figures in your plans.
Quotes from the awards dinner have Fran saying, "Nicholas Baer is going to leave a mark on the program when he's done."
Insiders tell me the only things keeping Baer from getting some of Uhl's minutes last year were his lean frame, and the fact he wasn't on scholarship, so there was no need to burn a year. The media guide listed him last fall as 6-7, 187. People tell me he'll be 6-8, and have a 2 in his first weight number next year. The staff sees him as a Uthoff body type, and wants him between 210 and 215 by 2016/17.
I didn't see a practice this year. Many who did say Baer was the best of the recruiting class of 2014.
The story goes, when Iowa lost to Northwestern in last year's first conference tourney game, Fran was freed up to watch Connor and Iowa City West in the 4A state semifinal the next day in Des Moines. (Yes, Patrick had just been identified as having a tumor in his neck, and family time was important, but, this would be similar to Fran watching Williams in the Illinois state semi's this year after the loss to Penn State) The Trojans led Bettendorf by 14 at half. Bettendorf's guards and wings were cold, and ignored feeding Baer, the team's center, who had just 3 shots and 3 points. Baer had 19 of his game high 22 in the second half (Mr. Iowa Basketball Wyatt Lohaus finished with 13), and as Fran said, "Nicholas almost single handedly beat Iowa City West." Bettendorf had the ball, down 2, and missed a 3 in the last 20 seconds, as the Trojans escaped.
Baer had 6 dunks on his way to 25 points in his final high school appearance the next day in the 3rd place game.
Baer has advantages over the Freshmen. He's been in the system. He's been through everything once, including a year of school, and road trips to rowdy Big Ten environs. He already fits in with the staff and teammates. He's under the radar, has little pressure, and any production from a non-scholarship player in 2015/16 has to be considered gravy. If he gets more time and turns out to be more integral than any of his fellow 7 noodles, he's a scholarship player in 2016/17.
Uthof sat a year at Wisconsin, and then his transfer year, before taking the floor at the age of 20. His 3rd year was good. His 4th, outstanding, and his 5th will be even better. Baer could be on the same trajectory. Privately, that's what the Iowa staff is hoping.
Understandably, the fan base only pays attention to the scholarship names. That's to be expected. However, those close to the program expect Baer to eventually be one of those names, and because of his familiarity with everybody and everything, has a good chance early this season to actually see the floor at the same time as some of his newbie scholarship teammates, and probably even before some of them.
Let's check him out in PrimeTime and see for ourselves. Randy Larson is a purported Baer believer because he saw him last year.
I'm not saying Baer is God's gift. I'm saying the coaching staff knows what they have in him more than the fan base does because they've seen him every day for a year, and in their mind, he's an 8th noodle they will be throwing on the wall as they search for bench production to augment the experienced upperclassmen.
The recruiting classes of 2014 and 2015 are the great unknowns that will tip the scale in 2015/16.
In a year of the secret weapon, Baer is the most secret weapon of all.
