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Bzdelik sees 6th Buff leave
Patterson latest to exit; Silas catches up with Patton
The Colorado men's basketball coaches recently moved into their fancy new digs at the Coors Events Center.
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Share and Enjoy And they understand -- despite the progress that has been made with facilities and on the recruiting trail -- how the heavy player turnover in the program since Jeff Bzdelik took over a year ago looks from the outside.
So does the boss.
"Certainly, the attrition is not a sign of stability," CU athletic director Mike Bohn said on Monday after freshman center Caleb Patterson was added to the list of ex-Buffs who have departed the struggling program since he hired Bzdelik to rebuild it last April. "I recognize across the country and in this enterprise that it does happen. But it's not something we're proud of."
Patterson -- a 6-foot-11 work in progress from Ringwood, Okla., who averaged 1.4 points and 1.4 rebounds last season -- walked into the basketball offices and requested to be released from his scholarship.
After the spring semester ends, Patterson could follow sophomore guard Xavier Silas -- who Bzdelik dismissed from the team in February -- in transferring to Northern Illinois to reunite with former CU head coach Ricardo Patton.
Four other Patton recruits -- SeanKowal, Kal Bay, James Inge and Marc Van Burck -- made their exits from CU last offseason. Kowal is already at NIU after sitting out last season.
"We are disappointed that Caleb has elected to leave our program," Bzdelik, who is in Australia recruiting, said in a prepared release. "Caleb is a special young man that we think highly of and we wish him nothing but the best for his future endeavors."
Patton announced that Silas will officially be rejoining him in DeKalb, Ill. He will have two years of eligibility remaining after sitting out the 2008-09 season per NCAA transfer rules.
"Xavier Silas is a guy that played his first two years in the Big 12," Patton said in an NIU release. "He's a young man, a big guard at 6-foot-5, who can play either side of the floor. Physically, he is strong enough to dominate his position."
Silas averaged 9.7 points for the Buffs in 23 games last season, which was third on the team behind seniors Richard Roby (17.0 ppg) and Marcus Hall (14.0 ppg). He averaged 12.0 points as a freshman when Patton was the lame duck coach at CU.
Patterson, one of Patton's final CU recruits, only played in 14 games, averaging 8.1 minutes. He did not get off the bench after playing for two minutes against Texas Tech on Feb. 20, with walk-on Andrew Zehnder handling the mop-up duties among the big men in March.
With Casey Crawford (6-9) and Jeremy Williams (6-7) coming off redshirts, the additions of incoming recruits Toby Veal (6-7), Austin Dufault (6-8) and Trey Eckloff (6-9), and the return of senior Jermyl Jackson-Wilson (6-6), it would have been difficult for Patterson to increase his minutes next year without a dramatic improvement in his game at the Big 12 level.
Silas and Patterson are both continuing their studies at CU this semester and are expected to transfer in good academic standing.
Patterson will visit NIU and several other schools from non-BCS conferences before making a decision.
Bzdelik, who booted junior-college recruit Javonte Clanton from the program last month before he ever got started in Boulder, could now use as many as three scholarships for this signing period.
Posted by mikegetto on April 22, 2008 at 4:51 a.m. (Suggest removal)
I understand the concern expressed by Mike Bohn with regard to the perception of the men's basketball program following the announced transfer of Caleb Patterson. But, I believe it is somewhat misplaced. Patterson's transfer is a small part of a natural transition from a consistent second-division Big 12 program to that of, what I believe in time will be, a consistent first-division, NCAA Tournament-caliber program.
Patterson essentially belongs to the previous regime of Ricardo Patton and evidently did not make the adjustment to Jeff Bzdelik's program. This does not surprise me. Patterson, who seems to be a good kid and a good student, also seems to be a marginal Division I prospect, based on his performance last season.
Patton holdovers (Roby, Hall, King-Stockton, Jackson-Wilson, Thorne, Williams) have either made the adjustment to Bzdelik's system to date or they have not (Kowal, Silas, Patterson, Bay, Inge and Van Burck).
Bzdelik is recruiting and signing the players who fit into and are committed to HIS system -- a program that, at the Division I college level, is a proven winner.
Posted by barney56 on April 22, 2008 at 7:10 a.m. (Suggest removal)
mikegetto - How classy of you to throw Caleb Patterson under the bus in a public forum! "A marginal Division 1 prospect," you say? Why was Bzdelik talking about Caleb's "huge potential" last Fall on the radio? Why did Bzdelik say in February that "it takes big men a year or two longer to develop?" Bzdelik should have redshirted Caleb this season, played him in spots next year, and by his redshirt sophomore season he would have been rounding into form!
I have it on good authority that Caleb did not want to leave CU. He was forced out! That makes the sixth Patton recruit who has been shown the door by Bzdelik. ALL OF THESE KIDS wanted to stay at CU! They LOVED being Buffs!
If Bzdelik is such a good coach, why couldn't he take the hand he was dealt and develop these kids? Why couldn't he implement a different offensive system? Certainly his experience in the NBA should mean that he has four or five different systems he could utilize, depending on the talent available to him.
Bzdelik instead comes to CU and brings the NBA waiver wire with him! That's what he has done here - simply "waived" the players he is unhappy with and then gone out and found new ones.
Maybe in this day and age, that's what it takes. A cold-blooded, ruthless approach to gathering talent.
As a long-time follower of the program, I find myself deeply disturbed. It's just not right, and unfortunately I think most Buff fans want to win so badly they are willing to overlook this sort of behavior from the CU head coach as well as the athletic director and his administration.
Posted by SEColoBuffFan on April 22, 2008 at 7:24 a.m. (Suggest removal)
You can say whatever you want about being dealt a hand and coaching it, but the bottom line is talent wins and Bzdelik is trying to upgrade the talent to compete in one of the best basketball conferences in America.
Also, Bzdelik's system works, so why would he try to adjust it? Does Roy Williams change his system or Bill Self? No, they get the talent they need to run their stuff. Bzdelik is never going to get a top 5 recruiting class like the other two coaches can get, so he has to get HIS TYPE of players.
Posted by dsnow622 on April 22, 2008 at 8:06 a.m. (Suggest removal)
The trademark of the Patton era was virtually totally undisciplined players--presumably a combination of nature and nurture. Bzdelik's system requires discipline. Is it rocket science that Patton era players don't fit into the new system and that they are following their old coach to the edge of the end of the world--De Kalb, Illinois?
Posted by choderlos1741 on April 22, 2008 at 9:28 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Jeff Bzdelic didn't run Patterson out of town, and nobody's throwing him under the bus. Patterson chose to transfer, as is his right. I'm so pleased that Barney56 (another Barnett bot? great) has such accurate inside information, but Bzdelic played the best players last year, and if Caleb Patterson couldn't get playing time then he wasn't deserving of it.
I too am a long time follower of the program, and Bzdelic isn't being cold-blooded, he's being fair and even-handed. The best players play, and Bzdelic will recruit the best players he can. And moreover, he will run off players like Xavier Silas who refuse to play within the team concept. The program has been run poorly for the last 25 years, and its going to take some time to get the program going. If anybody is seriously pining for the days of Ricardo Patton, who seemed more interested in trying to ram Christianity down the throats of his players and screaming racial obscenities at them than in teaching the fundamentals of basketball, than by all means start following NIU. Enjoy the "everybody standing around and throwing up bricks" offensive scheme. True Buff fans will be watching Bzdelic establishing a system based on team play, hustle, competitiveness and accountability.
Posted by CABuffalo on April 22, 2008 at 10:02 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Amen choderlos! Anyone who loves Patton and all the substandard talent he brought in can follow NIU if they want. I'm a Buff through and through and I fully support the Buzz hiring. He's already proven he knows what he's doing.
Posted by LAbuffAlum on April 22, 2008 at 11:17 a.m. (Suggest removal)
I am torn by this latest loss we need some stability,, but I do want to get back to 20 win seasons and if this is what we need to get there then I may just have to deal.
www.allbuffs.com - there is a good argument for both sides rolling on there
Posted by Starwatcher on April 22, 2008 at 12:21 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Is anyone paying attention to what is really going on? Coach B never said WHY Silas was dismissed from the team. Ryan and Neil should report fact, not Bohn's unfounded rhetoric to make his hire look good and the player look bad. Bzdellik is the ringmaster of a three ring circus! As for B's ability to recruit! He had recruits last year, what did they do? Certainly they did not prove to be the athlete Xavier Silas is. Who, by the way Bzdelik quoted in the media as being "the player who best understood and implemented "his offense". So what's the real reason Patton's players are being let go from the CU Team. On the for real deal people, I understand Bzdellik's soldiers were directed to tell Patterson he wasn't going to play next year. So what choice did he have? Bohn, bone up and do your job. After year three years and 2 mill later, the consecutive last place Big 12 CU will understand they have been had by Bohn, McGrath and company.
Oh, and recruiting in Australia?? Yeah right. Great vacation for Jeff and family....
Posted by choderlos1741 on April 22, 2008 at 1:10 p.m. (Suggest removal)
"After year three years and 2 mill later, the consecutive last place Big 12 CU will understand they have been had by Bohn, McGrath and company."
What a compelling argument. Bzdelic has only been the coach for one year dude. And Bzdelic won twice as many games with Patton's players than he did the last year he was here, so maybe we should give him a couple of years to build the program? Or we could rant incoherently because the player you liked is gone now, I guess.
Posted by bouldabuff on April 22, 2008 at 2:23 p.m. (Suggest removal)
I believe incoming recruit, Nate Tomlinson is on the U-19 Aussie team. Maybe Bzdelik is trying to lock up some of his teammates, ever occur to you Starwatcher? Why don't you do some research before you open your mouth. Bzdelik is the best thing to happen to CU basketball in more than a decade.
Posted by BIGEZ on April 22, 2008 at 2:54 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Haha!!! Patton is gone and you guys still continue to attack him. How funny? Patton raming christian views on players. Hmmm, I doubt it. Undisciplined Players??? Guess Billups, Fred Edmonds, Greg Jensen, Michele Morandais, Jamal Mosely, Blair Wilson, Jayson Obazuaye, Richard Roby, and others were just undisciplined. What a pile of you know what!
X's and O's don't determine if your disciplined. The problem with Patton's teams is that it requires a great point guard run it. After Jaquay Walls, it really became hard to run Patton's offense because he couldn't find another great PG. Anyone that knows about team offense can see that Patton's teams here at CU required the ball in the point guards hands around 40 percent of the time. It's too much pressure on a point guard who doesn't have great decision making and great leadership skills.
I like Bzdelik's system because I'm just a fan of the Princeton offense, and most observers are probably right when they say not everyone is meant for it. To be successful, Bz's offense requires all 5 players on the court to have dribbling skills, good decision making ability, and shooting range. It's not easy to find these types of players, especially when most of them enroll at Duke, NC, and UCLA. But Air Force has shown it can do it with dedication. But even with that dedication, Air Force just didn't have the talent and athleticism to really make some noise in the NCAA's.
Anyway, so maybe Patterson found out that he is only one or two dimensional and decided to leave. Meaning he was an inside only guy that grabs rebounds and posted up. Its tough for this kind of player to flourish in the Princeton system. Hibbert had success with GT but they're Princeton offense is very modified. I would bet that both Bzdelik and Patterson knew he wasn't going to be the Priceton type player. Whatever the case, Patterson probably fits into Patton's system where he's asked just to play down low while the guards play up top. I wish Patterson, Xilas, Kowal, and Patton good luck. NIL - the Bball extension of the Buffs!!! I would love for those guys with Buff ties to make it to the tourney.
Posted by NC2ABOUND on April 22, 2008 at 3:51 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Barney - you again bring your personal past vendetta based on marginal information. Patterson was given many chances to take his game to the next level to compete in the Big 12. This is a decision Bz but more by Patterson and his family (although not an easy one I'm sure) that is best for his family, education and basketball fit. Please quit trying your hardest to trash the CU program and coach BZ. Please move on with to your new sitation in Idaho - we will handle things here in Colroado and we wish you the best.
Posted by Buff1221 on April 22, 2008 at 6:02 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Patterson was a Patton recruit, the only BZ recruit on the team last year was Cory Higgins, who is by far going to be the leader of this team in the next few years. MKS was the only player over 6-6 on scholarship playing and he only averaged a little over 2 points, so if Patterson didn't play last year what are the odds hes gonna play next year with 5 good players over 6-6 joining the squad. Patterson obviously is a smart kid he knew he would not be playing much at CU, good luck to him. I still think within the next two years we will have a 20 win season. Don't forget Marcus Halls name when you bring up good CU guards, he had a sick season last year and should be remembered as one of the better point guards in CU history.
Posted by mgmtgrad on April 22, 2008 at 10:09 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Regardless of the above posts, the most important part of the article is the following:
"Silas and Patterson are both continuing their studies at CU this semester and are expected to transfer in good academic standing."
"Sh** happens" in life and they are all young enough to chase and decide their own fate.
Being able to still move forward in a positive manner says a lot about the men; men who are leaving the program while transferring in good standing.
I wish them all a qood life, but wait for time to tell the fate of the program and those involved in the transition. Time and truth will tell in the end.
Marcus J.
Posted by zwilson56 on April 23, 2008 at 12:15 a.m. (Suggest removal)
This program was turned into a total joke over the last decade. Bzdelik is doing drastic things because they need to be done. I agree with CABuffalo, if you want to follow NIU, go ahead. If you want to see see this program rise from the ashes, keep watching.
Posted by GoBuffs07 on April 23, 2008 at 1:35 p.m. (Suggest removal)
I doubt we'll be any better in 5 years that we were with Patton. haven't seen anything from this coach to say other wise. Their defense last year sucked as bad if not worst than the patton era. They an undiciplined bunch. I think Bohn made an error hiring this guy.
Posted by Buff1221 on April 23, 2008 at 1:55 p.m. (Suggest removal)
GoBuffs07 clearly you watched no more then 1 basketball game this year and you are clueless when it comes to defense. In Pattons last year CU gave up 80.1 points per game to their opponents. In BZ's first year they only gave up 64.4 points per game. Nearly a 16 point difference. Defense was clearly better Under Bzdelik and the team was clearly better winning five more games and five more that came down to the wire. Next time you post something make sure you have facts to back it up so you don't look so ignorant.
Posted by SEColoBuffFan on April 23, 2008 at 3:21 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Yeah....being in the top half of the Big 12 in points allowed for a team...what a horrible defensive job. Bzdelik obviously doesn't know anything about defense.
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