Alex Kirk

[jt_nm]

According to The MTN, Coach Alford has informed them that A.K. will redshirt this season due to the recovery process on his back. Forgive me if this has already been posted. I wish A.K. a healthy recovery. We will miss him this season.

[MacLobo]

Probably the best thing for him and the program. Leaves us just a little thin at the 5, though. Hopefully AK will come back stronger than ever in 2012!

[Bullchuter]

Overall this is a good decision for both Alex and the team. His health is most important and taking a redshirt year will surely allow him to make a full recovery of his back surgery. We have two seasoned inside men in Drew and AJ with plenty of other rebounding help nearby. As for the next year providing Aget will contribute and hopefully we are able to sign Winston, we should be okay. Alex will be a force next year without a doubt.

Alex here's wishing you a very beneficial year to recover fully and be ahead on alot of schoolwork.

[jt_nm]

I agree. Better to get that back healed correctly than to risk a serious injury.

[wolf1960]

The Lair predicted this might happen... AK come back stronger than ever...

[Welcome2ThePit]

Big Slick will be back bigger, stronger, and better in all phases. This is actually very good news.

[NMFANINOKC]

Get well soon.. Hoping your nurses take good care of you!!

[70degrees]

I have the same injury as Alex, i jumped off a cliff skiing and hit a tree last year in Vail. I decided not to go the surgery route because i heard its only successful on about 20% of patients, i really hope not just for the team but for Alex himself that he spends all his energy on healing and to not worry about what the team is doing. The injury is very painful and can mess with you emotionally and well as neurologically, get well bud.

[LoboAuto]

We will be ok without AK. His health is more important right now. We are going to get bigger and stronger in 2012.

[LoboCubs23]

With our long quick guards I would not be surprised if we play more 2-3 zone with the lack of depth in the post in mind to keep the bigs out of foul trouble, but does zone necessarily lend itself to the type of uptempo game we want to play on the offensive end?

[JCB Lobo]

Best Wishes in your Recovery AK.

Obviously the Big Rotation will be between Hardeman, Drew Gooden, and Cam.... However, I can now see this injury increasing the number of minutes that Tony Snell plays. I can see Tony playing a Forward position as he is a Point Forward type of player. Obviously this makes us a lil thin up front but we have the speed to spread the floor out.

[The Crow]

I know how hard it is to not be able to play the sport you live for. I fully expect Alex to come back strong and ready to put up big numbers. Here's to a great recovery..

[GiJoeRay]

This is a really good thing for the team as a whole. Cam is going to get a good bump in minutes, it gives him time to get used to his new beast like body. Cam and Alex at the 4-5 is gonna be the best front court in the nation.

[mdanger007]

This is a really good thing for the team as a whole. Cam is going to get a good bump in minutes, it gives him time to get used to his new beast like body. Cam and Alex at the 4-5 is gonna be the best front court in the nation.

I've been saying this since this summer, but Cam looks like a man on a mission, due for some significant PT. But forget his size for second, this is a player who can shoot: 60 percent from the field and 50 percent from three point range his freshman year.

[GiJoeRay]

I've been saying this since this summer, but Cam looks like a man on a mission, due for some significant PT. But forget his size for second, this is a player who can shoot: 60 percent from the field and 50 percent from three point range his freshman year.

He's goona play like a physical Dirk.

[wolf1960]

I need a nurse !!! oopies

[dbkirkp]

Best Wishes in your Recovery AK.

Obviously the Big Rotation will be between Hardeman, Drew Gooden, and Cam.... However, I can now see this injury increasing the number of minutes that Tony Snell plays. I can see Tony playing a Forward position as he is a Point Forward type of player. Obviously this makes us a lil thin up front but we have the speed to spread the floor out.

I am a little nervous about going with a point forward lineup. Does anyone remember the last two seasons that we did that? One year we went a measly 30-5, and the other we just squeaked by the #1 draft pick in the conference tourney, and lost in the NCAA first round to a Big East squad. I don't know if I wasnt to go back there. :)

It will be good. Especially if Alex can use the year to get Swol like Cam. Does anyone know if cam is allowed to lift with this back injury? I am guessing he is limited.

[Zoukmaster]

Bummer for this year, but it just means Alex will be here to team up with Aaron Gordon for AG's sophomore season!

[hefman]

I've been saying this since this summer, but Cam looks like a man on a mission, due for some significant PT. But forget his size for second, this is a player who can shoot: 60 percent from the field and 50 percent from three point range his freshman year.

I like Cam as much as the next guy, but he only shot two 3-pointers last season. I guess I don't see him as a 3-pt threat. Can't really judge his ability from outside the arc from 2 shots. He does shoot a good percentage around the basket (gets a ton of putbacks) and he has a nice mid-range jumper, but he definitely needs to improve his FT shooting -- 59% is marginal.

I LOVE his hustle, work around the basket and his defense is coming along.

I hope Alex makes a full recovery and comes back strong next year...

[Agent]

[QUOTE=NMFANINOKC;386609]Get well soon.. Hoping your nurses take good care of you!!

[Burro lobo]

Tony as a point forward would tax the bigs to come out and stop his 3pt shooting, come out and he will drive past them and dunk or pass to the open man! His problem might be his endurance inside but other than that he will be a lot to handle. He would open up the game for the Lobos ala Buttah!

[LoboMike]

Next year's front line will have plenty of height, but will be young. Though Alex will be a pretty experienced sophomore.

Cam Bairstow 6-9 JR
Alex Kirk 6-11 SO
Obij Aget 7-1 FR
Nick Banyard 6-8 FR
Devon Williams 6-8 FR

Maybe add Tony and Winston as tall "point" forwards.

[Garishwolf]

Cam stay healthy please.

[wolf1960]

No cheap fouls and we are OK for this season, AK will be missed for sure... D D get ready to rebound ,

[18,018]

My belief is that just about every college player would benefit from a red shirt year (even stud freshmen like Kendall). Plus, it's always better to declare a red shirt early on and pull it if necessary, then to play the wait and see approach and apply for a red shirt later (thus, leaving your fate in the NCAA's hands).

Get well Alex!

[Mark]

I'm not near a computer but did Cam have a lot of fouls last year?

[Bullchuter]

no

[Howler]

I'm not near a computer but did Cam have a lot of fouls last year?

Cam was the most foul prone of our bigs last year, averaging a foul for each 6.54 minutes of playing time. In comparison, Alex had a foul every 7.27 minutes, AJ had a foul every 7.57 and Drew had one foul for each 8.48 minutes played.

[LoboColo]

What will be imperative is for Drew Gordon to be relatively foul free. There might be something to the BYU (Jimmer) approach of last year, and we hide Drew on the defensive end as much as possible. Look for AJ to get assigned the opposing team's top offensive post player.
Works out well in my estimation, as I think AJ is the best post defender on the team.
Cam may be the guy to come in and throw some muscle around when the need arises, again looking from the off-season work he did, that looks to be covered, too.

All in all we're OK. If two posts get in foul trouble, then we're skating on thin ice, but we should be cognizant of all this.

[RIDIC]

What will be imperative is for Drew Gordon to be relatively foul free. There might be something to the BYU (Jimmer) approach of last year, and we hide Drew on the defensive end as much as possible. Looks for AJ to get assigned the opposing team's top offensive post player.
Works out well in my estimation, as I think AJ is the best post defender on the team.
Cam may be the guy to come in and throw some muscle around when the need arises, again looking from the off-season work he did, that looks to be covered, too.

All in all we're OK. If two posts get in foul trouble, then we're skating on thin ice, but we should be cognizant of all this.

I don't think "hiding" your PF on the defensive end is ever a good idea. First of all, Drew is very good at blocking and altering shots around the rim. You can't handcuff him defensively just for the sake of avoiding foul trouble. The Jimmer analogy doesn't fit because not only do they play completely different positions, but Drew is also a much better Defensive player. Second, Drew is our best rebounder. "Hiding" him defensively will put him out of position to grab defensive rebounds.

Yes, we need Drew, AJ, and Cam to avoid foul trouble, but we also need them to defend the post. You can't limit yourself defensively just to avoid foul trouble, imo.