Getting to know Ricky Doyle

Submitted by bballislife22 on

Don't know how many people on here read umhoops.com regularly, but it's a great site and this is a great piece that shouldn't go unnoticed. 

http://www.umhoops.com/2014/04/28/getting-know-ricky-doyle/#more-61451

Sounds like Ricky is doing everything we could ask from him to be ready to come in and contribute immediately next season. I especially liked the part about him being a 4.0 student. I think mental ability is just as important as physical ability when it comes to being able to contribute in a freshman season, with the complexity of Beilein's offense and knowledge of defensive rotations. I think we all are just hoping for solid rebounding, decent defense, and an ability to finish wide open layups/dunks from Ricky next season, and it seems like he's going to be able to provide that. It'll be nice to get another big guy in the program who's probably a 4 year player (though we said that about many of the players who have jumped early, also). I think he has all the tools to be a big time player by his junior and senior seasons, and we know Beilein and Bacari will bring it out of him. 

 

On another note, I'm kind of surprised by all of the negative thoughts about the potential team next season. Name me another team other than Wisconsin that is for sure better than us in the Big Ten next season. I think this team could for sure grab that 2 spot in the Big Ten and make another Sweet 16, then who knows after that. I think Caris is going to be awesome, I'd be surprised if someone other than him or Kaminsky wins the Big Ten POY next year. He's already pretty good and let's be honest, even after adding 22 pounds or however many it was, he still kinda looked like a stick figure out there last year. Tons of room to grow for him. Walton really started to come into his own at the end of last season and I have no doubt he'll make the kind of sophomore leap that Beilein PGs do. Freshman year Irvin reminds me a lot of freshman year Stauskas (great shooter, and you could tell they had the ability to do more but just couldn't quite put it all together yet), and I think he'll have a big time year next season. Chatman is going to be a really tough guard at the 4 spot for most guys, and I think while GR3 is for sure better at this point, Kam actually fits the system better. Then we have solid backups from Spike, MAAR, 10 pounds heavier DJ Wison, and maybe/probably Dawkins. Yeah we're lacking a little bit at the 5, but I think both Donnal and Doyle are going to be able to at least hold their own against most guys not named Kaminsky or other guys like that, which are few and far between. We'll probably lose the rebounding battle most nights, but we almost always have and we've done just fine. It seems kind of unbelievable now, but let's not forget that in 2012, Beilein won a Big Ten Championship with Novak at the 4 and 6'7" Smotrycz as the back up 5 man. We'll be just fine.

Rant over.

bballislife22

April 28th, 2014 at 12:26 PM ^

That's true. It seems like these days, in order to have a great team, you really gotta get lucky and combine two or three guys spurning the NBA draft for another year of college and combine that with some solid incoming talent. 

On another note, fuck Kentucky

champswest

April 28th, 2014 at 1:34 PM ^

I think he already has better size than Donnal for the 5 and maybe a better post up game.  He could be like McGary, taking up space underneath, grabbing rebounds and finding the open man.  I hope he can earn 10-15 minutes at the 5 this year.

As for the B1G, after Wisconsin, I see MSU, OSU, Nebraska and Minnesota (not necessarily in that order) all equal to UM or better.  I doubt if we will end up #2 due to our youth, but we could be good by tournament time.  Remember, we are losing 5 guys from our rotation plus McGary and only returning 4.  That is similar to what IU went through last season and they couldn't even make the NIT.  We will have talent, but with lack of experience, they could swing either way.  Hopefully, the Euro trip and the staff will swing them to the up side.

alum96

April 28th, 2014 at 1:52 PM ^

Please don't sleep on Maryland people.  They are returning a good portion of their production from a "decent, not great" team that played teams like Duke close.  They will start mostly seniors and juniors...to that they added a huge haul of recruits, including two 7 footers and all these guys except for 1 I believe are ranked between Chatman and 100ish (i.e. 30 to 100 level).  I am sure 1-2 will redshirt but it's still a great haul.

I think basically it is Wisconsin at 1 and I could put about 6 teams anywhere from 2 to 7 - it is going to be a wide open race for 2nd place.  I see UM at 10-8ish in conf but aside from Wiscy I think amost everyone is going to beat up on each other and we're going to have a ton of teams 7-9 through 9-7 in conference similar to 2010-2011 where I believe 4 teams tied at 9-9.   The difference between 2nd and 7th next year might be 1 game.

re: Doyle in the gym.  Kid is already heavier than Morgan and Horford as seniors.  I am sure he has to convert some of that boy strength to man strength but he definitely has the 'bulkiness' component to him.  I am more interested in him getting position and not losing foot races down the court.  Looks like he is doing open gym with Florida Gulf Coast so that should help some.

alum96

April 28th, 2014 at 4:24 PM ^

Well Maryland fans can say the same thing about Doyle.  There are only so many 7 footers who are elite and they aren't going to Maryland.  It is going to be a size issue for UM to deal with but we'll be better equipped the next few years than we were the last few.  (once we get through this year)

Spontaneous Co…

April 28th, 2014 at 1:02 PM ^

And he looks pretty big in the photos embedded in the article.  I don't see any reason that Ricky can't come in here ready to play 10-15 minutes or more as an energy guy who focuses on setting screens and rebounding.  Will he be a little lost at times - sure - but I think the staff does an excellent job defining roles and teaching players how to be successful in their role. 

True Blue Grit

April 28th, 2014 at 1:08 PM ^

his mindset in the right place.  It's fantastic to hear about his workout regimen.  If he keeps that up over the summer, he should be able to really contribute this next season given what Beilein asks his big men to do.  With our front line situation next fall, Michigan can't afford to let guys like Doyle sit out redshirting.  

DCAlum

April 28th, 2014 at 1:14 PM ^

I think Doyle will be a pleasant surprise for us coming off the bench. I could even see him and Donnal getting some time together if we want to go really big.

Champeen

April 28th, 2014 at 2:53 PM ^

Ill say it for the fourth time.  Doyle is our best recruit coming in this year.  Kevin McHale 2.0

Kid has extremely nice skills, uses his body well, can finish with both hands etc...

And don't take it as a knock on Chatman.  I just think Doyle is extremely underrated.  10+ pts a game as a true frosh - you watch.

Evil Empire

April 28th, 2014 at 3:29 PM ^

The only two guys shaped like that in the last x years.  If we can get >20 minutes and ~6 ppg out of him next year that would be great.  I expect most of the points to come from LeVert, Irvin, Chatman, Walton.  Whatver Donnal and Doyle are able to create off post feeds or offensive rebounds is dessert.

Evil Empire

April 28th, 2014 at 8:41 PM ^

Mitch didn't show up to school ready to play like the #2 recruit as a freshman.  That year. Trey, Tim, GRIII, and Nik all averaged over 30 minutes.  Is anyone but Caris and maybe Zak going to warrant that level of PT?  Also, there is no Morgan or Horford to get upperclassman minutes down low.  I think it will be spread around a bit more, with Donnal, Doyle, and Chatman averaging in the 20s and Wilson getting about 10, covering the 4 and 5 between them. 

JayMo4

April 28th, 2014 at 3:46 PM ^

When Doyle first committed, I thought he was ahead of the curve in terms of fundamentals and would likely fit our system well, but it looked like he needed a lot of S&C work.  I'm pleased to see how much he's been able to develop physically in a relatively short period of time.

You can be disappointed about McGary and the potential national title he may have left with, but that doesn't mean you don't like Doyle.  We won't have the same ceiling without Mitch, but this is going to be a good team.

ilah17

April 28th, 2014 at 4:21 PM ^

Great interview. He seems pretty excited and determined, always great things to see in a new player. Glad to see he connected with Bacari too, that could help his transition to college. A lot of players seem to connect with him, our staff is awesome.

EJG

April 28th, 2014 at 4:42 PM ^

Living just south of Fort Myers, I had the opportunity to watch Ricky Doyle play in the Palms City tournament over the Christmas Holiday against some of the nation's best talent.  Don't sleep on him.  He is not Beifeldt 2.0.  He isn't significantly more athletic, but his is much, much more skilled.  He is the number 5 player in Florida and rated a five-star talent by Florida Hoops.  Florida has some great players.  

Ricky has one of the smoothest softest shots I've seen from a big fella.  He was matched up against a Colorado team with two Division I bigs and lit them up for 23 with zero support.  Not one of his shots from the floor hit the rim.  His face up game is superb.  Give him space and he will bury it.  Back to the basket game? Well, in Bielein's offense who really cares.  Defensively, he isn't the fastest afoot, but with some work and conditioning he will be competent.  Definitely not a shot blocker.  Rebounding is decent, but he isn't a great leaper.

Closest comparator I can think of is a 6'10" Frank Kaminsky who is a bit thicker and not quite as quick under the basket.  He is a shooter who draw an opponents big to the perimiter and over time will add some defense and rebounding. Okay, I'll go there -- Pittsnogle 2.0, but a little more athletic.

Mr. Wizard

April 28th, 2014 at 5:23 PM ^

Donnal's Kevin Pittsnogle 2.0. Bielien will finally have a big that can hit it deep from outside, something he hasn't had at Michigan. Doyle might take some time to develop offensively, but defensively, kids gonna be a monster. Someone get this kid some Bill Laimbeer video!!!! Donnal will be his offensive big, and Doyle his defensive block machine. What I really love about this class (Chatman, Wilson, Doyle) is the length. I call this trio; Wingspan! Sanderson, go work your magic! 

Michigania

April 28th, 2014 at 8:54 PM ^

I was excited as pie, when Doyle signed... not as much as McGary, who disappointed me immensely, playing really only half a season....i think that overall, Doyle will be far more beneficial to the program, staying at least three years. I say three because it seems they all metamorphisize...

My goodness...think about Beilein NBA hit rate lately with Morris, Burke, Tim, Nik, Glenn, Mitch...then Caris and Zak, and maybe Derrick. Relative to incoming expectation, this is simply exceptional.