I was thinking today about Nebraska's youth, and wondered where we rank in the BIG in terms of youth this season. I looked at all the 11 teams currently ahead of us in the standings (ouch) and compared quality youth the best I could - by avg. minutes played.
I took the top six players (minutes per game) of all the teams ahead of us and assigned 1 point for a freshman, 2 points for a sophomore, 3 for a junior and 4 for a senior, then added them up. The bigger the number, the more older players are playing.
Here are the teams, from most experienced (top six in their rotation) to the least experienced. The years listed for players are in the order of minutes per game played):
1. Wisconsin, 19 (sr., sr., sr., so., sr, fr)
2. Ohio State 18 (sr., jr., jr., so., jr., jr.)
3. Michigan 18 (sr., sr., jr., jr., so., sr.)
4. Northwestern 17 (jr., jr., so., so., sr., jr.)
5. Indiana 15 (jr., jr., so., jr., so., so.)
6. Purdue 15 (so., jr., jr., jr., fr., jr.)
7. Nebraska 15 (sr., so., so., so., jr., so.)
8. Maryland 13 (jr., fr., fr., fr., sr., jr.)
9. Minnesota 13 (jr., fr., so., so., sr., jr.)
10. Michigan St. 12 (fr., sr., jr., so., fr., fr.)
11. Penn State 11 (jr., fr., so., jr., fr., fr.)
12. Iowa 10 (sr., fr., fr., so., fr., fr.)
Honestly, this surprised me a little bit, because I expected Nebraska to be one of the three youngest teams, and by this measure, we're not. HOWEVER, I think it's worth noting that Evans being a junior kind of skews us a bit older, though he's not a significant part of the future.
Additionally, while I only chose the top six players on each team in terms of minutes per game, our players 7, 8 and 9 (Jordy, Horne and Roby) in terms of minutes played are true freshmen playing 10 minutes or more per game.
I think next year, Wisconsin, Ohio State and Michigan will be down. Swanigan will probably go pro so Purdue will be down.
If we can stay healthy and improve, which most young players should, we should be right in the thick of the Big Ten race next year. I honestly believe we will finish top 4.
I took the top six players (minutes per game) of all the teams ahead of us and assigned 1 point for a freshman, 2 points for a sophomore, 3 for a junior and 4 for a senior, then added them up. The bigger the number, the more older players are playing.
Here are the teams, from most experienced (top six in their rotation) to the least experienced. The years listed for players are in the order of minutes per game played):
1. Wisconsin, 19 (sr., sr., sr., so., sr, fr)
2. Ohio State 18 (sr., jr., jr., so., jr., jr.)
3. Michigan 18 (sr., sr., jr., jr., so., sr.)
4. Northwestern 17 (jr., jr., so., so., sr., jr.)
5. Indiana 15 (jr., jr., so., jr., so., so.)
6. Purdue 15 (so., jr., jr., jr., fr., jr.)
7. Nebraska 15 (sr., so., so., so., jr., so.)
8. Maryland 13 (jr., fr., fr., fr., sr., jr.)
9. Minnesota 13 (jr., fr., so., so., sr., jr.)
10. Michigan St. 12 (fr., sr., jr., so., fr., fr.)
11. Penn State 11 (jr., fr., so., jr., fr., fr.)
12. Iowa 10 (sr., fr., fr., so., fr., fr.)
Honestly, this surprised me a little bit, because I expected Nebraska to be one of the three youngest teams, and by this measure, we're not. HOWEVER, I think it's worth noting that Evans being a junior kind of skews us a bit older, though he's not a significant part of the future.
Additionally, while I only chose the top six players on each team in terms of minutes per game, our players 7, 8 and 9 (Jordy, Horne and Roby) in terms of minutes played are true freshmen playing 10 minutes or more per game.
I think next year, Wisconsin, Ohio State and Michigan will be down. Swanigan will probably go pro so Purdue will be down.
If we can stay healthy and improve, which most young players should, we should be right in the thick of the Big Ten race next year. I honestly believe we will finish top 4.
