Even though O'Bryant has been thought of as an NBA prospect since he set foot in Baton Rouge, he has been given a second round grade by NBA scouts. Even though he isn't guaranteed to be picked O'Bryant feels he's ready to ply his trade in the professional ranks.
"I've had a great time here at LSU, it's been an honor to wear the LSU jersey," O'Bryant said. "I just felt like I put the time and hard work in and I was ready."
During his three seasons in Baton Rouge, the Cleveland, Miss., native averaged 12.7 points and 7.7 rebounds in 91 games. In 2013-14, he was named first-team All-SEC for the second-straight season after shooting 49.6 percent from the field while starting all 34 games.
O'Bryant will have to wow the scouts in workouts if he wants to improve his position in the draft. At 6-9 and 256 he does have the size to play in the NBA but he'll have to improve his athleticism to make it at the next level.
O'Bryant has an uphill climb, but if Reggie Evans can stick around for as long as he has, O'Bryant has a shot. O'Bryant should hope that he doesn't go undrafted and wind up on a D-League roster.
The Wisconsin Badgers football team has caught a lot of flak for their non-conference schedule in past years. But you have to give some credit to athletic director Barry Alvarez as he tries to beef up the slate in the near future.
Justin Doherty, UW associate athletic director for external relations, declined to say whether UW is pursuing such a game. "I don't have anything I can tell you," he said after the regularly scheduled athletic board meeting.
"It has come up from time to time and it is something that we are pursuing," said Aaron Popkey, the Green Bay Packers' director of public affairs. "But it hasn't gotten to the point where there is anything on the books or where we're ready to announce. "We continue to look into it and will certainly explore those opportunities."
With the BCS going to a College Football Playoff, strength of schedule might be looked upon as criteria to being included in the four team derby. Seeing how everyone loves the SEC, it's in the best interest to schedule a game like this and win. Considering that we've seen two SEC teams battle it out for the national championship (2012) and a two loss SEC team (LSU) win it all. A one loss Big Ten team might get shafted, whereas a one loss SEC team gets the benefit of the doubt.
Knowing how the SEC operates the Tigers may want a home game or a game in the Superdome in return.
But give some credit to Alvarez for looking toward the future and trying to schedule games that matter when it comes down to choosing the teams for a playoff.
This year's version of the LSU Tigers overachieved to some degree. The Tigers finished 19-12 and went 9-9 in a weakened version of the SEC. That was good for ninth place in a season where not much was expected. The talent level was down and they had a new coach in Johnny Jones. The only player of note was power forward Johnny O'Bryant III.
With a .500 conference record and having 19 wins you would've thought the tigers would've been a lock for the NIT. They were snubbed and watched the postseason from their dorm rooms. But things won't be so bleak next season.
O'Bryant will be returning for his junior season and Jones has a recruiting class that some rank as high a sixth in the nation. Much will be expected from Jarrell Martin, Tim Quarterman, and Jordan Mickey. Add to that the experience of Anthony Hickey and Andre Stringer, the Tigers appear to be in good shape. Also, don't sleep on Jones as as bench boss. Don't let the lack of NCAA tournament appearances at North Texas fool you. He had that program on good footing before he left and turned them into a Sun Belt contender. See how good they were without Jones calling the shots form the sideline.
In my opinion, the Tigers could be a darkhorse in next year's SEC race. They won't win it. Kentucky and Florida still are head and shoulders above the rest and you don't know which Missouri team you'll get. Alabama and Tennessee also return a lot but LSU should be in the mix and be watching for their name to be called on Selection Sunday.
For those that remember, Kiel was the top rated passer by Rivals.com and Scout.com while in high school at Columbus East (Ind.). Kiel announced that he was going to Indiana which would've been a major coup for the Hoosiers. Kiel then spurned the Hoosiers for Les Miles and LSU. Kiel the changed his mind again and decided to sign a letter of intent with Notre Dame.
Kiel did not play and watched another freshman, Everett Golson, lead the Fighting Irish to the national championship game. Which leads us to today and Kiel announcing that he'll be a Bearcat.
"Cincinnati was the best fit for me because the relationship I have with coach (Darin) Hinshaw is like nothing else. He is a great overall person and is someone I know I can get coached by. The group of guys I'm going to be around is second to none. I love where (Cincinnati) is heading and the future is bright."
The transfer could be a good move for the young quarterback, as ESPN's Joe Schad is also reporting that Bearcats coach Tommy Tuberville plans to implement a pro-style attack that will better suit Kiel's skill set than Notre Dame's spread did. It's also a recruiting coup for Tuberville, who now has an elite talent around which to build his offense.
It can work out if Kiel decides that he actually wants to stick around.
Since it's March Madness time, I decided to do a little research and came up with a list of the top teams that never won the NCAA tournament. I'll say this, my list won't be one that most agree upon , but I think it will be tough to dispute. This list comes from 1980 to present day.
5. 1991 Arkansas Razorbacks- The Razorbacks were deep, talented, and athletic as any team in the nation which includes the dominant UNLV team that failed to win that year. They just didn't have UNLV's mental toughness. Led by Todd Day, Lee Mayberry, big man Oliver Miller, and coached by Mr. 40 minutes of hell, Nolan Richardson.
For all the talent they had, for some reason they couldn't put it together come tournament time. Arizona State gave them all they could handle in the second round and people started questioning whether Arkansas had what it takes to make it to the Final Four. They seemed to answer that question when they dismantled Alabama, a team that gave them fits in the SEC. Then they ran into a hot Kansas team and it looked like the Razorbacks tried to out-talent the Jayhawks instead of outplaying them.
Everyone figured it would be UNLV vs. Arkansas for all the marbles but both teams came up short. The Hogs finished 34-4.
5a. 1991 LSU Tigers- Any team with Shaquille O'Neal, Chris Jackson (Abdul Mahmoud Rauf), and Stanley Roberts belong on my list. The Tigers underperformed most of the year finishing with a 23-9 record. The supporting cast wasn't that bad either outside of LSU's big three. The problem was that Dale Brown couldn't coach his way out of a paper bag. I know he did more with less previously, but when he had serious talent he couldn't win.
The Tigers bowed out in the second round of the 1990 NCAA tournament to Georgia Tech and Lethal Weapon 3 (Dennis Scott, Brian Oliver, and Kenny Anderson) in a 94-91 thriller. What I remember from that game was Shaq and Stanley blocking every shot Georgia Tech's centers put up and Jackson missing an off balance three that ended the season of a team that started ranked number two in the country.
A serious waste of talent as Jackson went pro and Muslim, Roberts flunked out and went overseas and Shaq saw zone defenses for two more years.
4. 1993 Michigan Wolverines- The Fab Five was at full strength for two years and ran roughshod over the college basketball world. Although they looked undisciplined at times these kids could flat out play.
After falling short against Duke in the 1991 finals as freshman, it was predetermined that the championship was theirs for the taking as long as they were in Ann Arbor.
When the Wolverines won the Maui Invitational, beating eventual national champion North Carolina and Final Four participant Kansas, many figured the Wolverines would run to a top seed and Big Ten title. They got a top seed but not a Big Ten crown, being edged out by Indiana twice by one point.
In the tournament they got a second round scare, having to go to overtime against UCLA and close games against George Washington and Temple. Somewhere John Chaney is still seething. After beating Kentucky in the semifinals, I figured that Michigan had the title in the bag. The game against Kentucky was one of those games where everyone says "the winner of this game will win the championship". Well, we all know what happened in the championship, close game, the timeout that wasn't, ballgame thanks for coming. Michigan lost to North Carolina 77-71 to finish 30-4.
Chris Webber left for the NBA and the fabs were no more.
3. 1991 UNLV Runnin Rebels- It was a close call to put this team at number three. They were one of the most dominant teams to ever hit the hardwood. Others will point out that they played in the Big West, but when they went out of conference they blew them out as well, Check out the scores over NCAA tourney teams Louisville, Michigan State, Princeton, Rutgers, Florida State, and Arkansas. The Arkansas game was a 1 vs. 2 matchup on the road and the even though the score ended up 112-105 the second half wasn't that close.
It was only a matter of time before the college basketball world crowned Jerry Tarkanian and the Runnin Rebels for a second straight year. They won in dominant fashion, but they didn't blow everyone out like they did in the regular season. The Tarkanian's worse fear happened. They played Duke in the semis, a team they steamrolled by 30 in the championship game the year before.
Duke knocked off the Rebels 79-77 in one of college basketball's biggest upsets. I think it's one of college basketball's biggest shams. I don't know which players were responsible, but someone shaved some points or outright threw the game. And I'll die believing that until I'm convinced Duke won straight up.
The Rebels finished 34-1 and haven't tasted the success they had since Tark the Shark was ran off campus.
2. 1985 Georgetown Hoyas- It pains me to put the Hoyas at number two, since they also were the most dominant of that year. Led by Patrick Ewing, the Hoyas smothered teams on defense and were efficient on offense. They had a two game slide when they were knocked off by St. John's and Syracuse in back to back games, but later avenged both losses.
The Hoyas had really had no top notch competition as they ran through all comers until the Georgia Tech game in the Elite Eight. Then they had the misfortune of trying to beat a Villanova team for a third time. Georgetown escaped the Wildcats twice in the regular season but couldn't complete the sweep as they fell to Villanova 66-64 in the finals.
Georgetown finished 31-3.
1. 1983 Houston Cougars- Yes youngsters, the Houston Cougars made Final Fours and actually have a proud history, they've yet to restore. I place Houston at number one for one reason. They made three straight Final Fours and came up short each time. Houston's failures were based on bad timing, defections, and a cinderella miracle finish.
In 1982 they played North Carolina in the semis, led by James Worthy, Michael Jordan, and Sam Perkins. They lost shooting guard Rob Williams to the NBA after that season. And in 1984 they went up against a Patrick Ewing led Georgetown team and lost Clyde Drexler to the league after the '83 season. Which means I have to explain 1983.
This team had serious talent, even with the loss of Williams. Drexler, Larry Michaeux, Michael Young, and a young Hakeem Olajuwon, when he was still Akeem. Take this into account, Olajuwon barely played in '82. Coach Guy Lewis championed the dunk calling it a high percentage shot and Houston dunked so much they started a fraternity called Phi Slamma Jamma.
The Cougars went 31-3 that year, but they were the most entertaining, high octane team in college. They played in an epic semifinal game against Louisville's Doctors of Dunk and won 94-81. Another game in which the "winner of this game should win it all". There was a fly in the ointment called North Carolina State.
The Wolfpack slowed the game down and controlled tempo. Drexler was hit by early foul trouble and Houston couldn't get it going. When they did get it going, they went up by five until Guy Lewis went all Thomas Hearns on me and slowed it back down ( check the first Hearns vs. Leonard fight, when Hearns started boxing and let Leonard back in the fight), going four corners and playing right into N.C. State's hands.
The came the coup degrace, when the Wolfpack's Dereck Whittenburg threw up a long airball only to have Lorenzo Charles dunk in the miss. What a way to lose. By your favorite weapon. No matter what I'll always love Phi Slamma Jamma.
Honorable Mention- 1981-1983 Virginia Cavaliers, 1980-1981 DePaul Blue Demons, 1992 Indiana Hoosiers, 1999 Duke Blue Devils
As I sat and watched the Cotton Bowl last night, I thought to myself Les Miles could've been at Michigan. I still believe ESPN's Kirk Herbstreit sabotaged that whole deal by announcing it before anything was a bonafide fact. With Michigan searching for another coach, I believe Miles will once again stay at LSU. I don't know why I feel that way I just think he will.
I would like to see him come here, although he does have the age factor working against him. Also you know there's some slimy business going on in the SEC. They're just like the old Southwest Conference. I have a strong feeling that Miles may have done some dirty dealing himself. Call me crazy, but I'd still welcome him here in Ann Arbor. Anyone that can make Jordan Jefferson look like a halfway viable quarterback, could make Denard Robinson look all world.
Michigan fans need to stop falling all over themselves for a "Michigan Man". I'm tired of hearing about having to hire someone that can "unite the fan base". Listen, all it takes are more wins. Damn everything else. You guys (Michigan Elitists), should get behind whoever is named coach and hope for the best. Whether it's Brady Hoke or someone else. I know there a loots that aren't thrilled with the prospect of Hoke being named coach. That may be the best you can do. I have a suggestion for Athletic Director David Brandon. Take $5 millon, throw it around, shoot for the moon and work your way down. He's a businessman and he should understand that money talks. Otherwise, bring on the Hoke! Because Les Miles ain't coming and I'd be surprised if he does.
