We've spent the afternoon getting caught up on all the news out of Big East media day, from the Wildcats not being the conference's preseason favorite for the first time in five years, to a potential redshirt for Bryan Antoine, to the All-Conference Team selections. While much of today's news has had a tone of disappointment or concern in regards to Villanova, there was also some good news as star freshman Jeremiah Robinson-Earl was selected as the conference's preseason Freshman of the Year.
It's easy to understand why Robinson-Earl was the selection. He comes to Nova as a five-star recruit who is ranked 11th in his class. He's also coming off a summer in which he had a solid showing with Team USA in Greece. And finally, he comes to a Villanova team that is lacking its usual senior leadership, opening the door for Robinson-Earl to contribute from day one. In fact, I'd be stunned if he wasn't starting on opening night, but we'll try to get a better feel for that over the next few weeks. The less-than-encouraging news on fellow freshman Bryan Antoine should only increase JRE's opportunities. The mix of talent and opportunity make him an easy choice for the award.
With the way Jahvon Quinerly was handled last season, there will be some scrutiny on JRE's situation. But it appears to be a completely different scenario, and early indications are that the freshmen group is picking things up well. Robinson-Earl's complete skillset and experience with Team USA should help him make the transition to the college game, and expectations are that he will be a contributor from the opening tip of the season.
It's easy to understand why Robinson-Earl was the selection. He comes to Nova as a five-star recruit who is ranked 11th in his class. He's also coming off a summer in which he had a solid showing with Team USA in Greece. And finally, he comes to a Villanova team that is lacking its usual senior leadership, opening the door for Robinson-Earl to contribute from day one. In fact, I'd be stunned if he wasn't starting on opening night, but we'll try to get a better feel for that over the next few weeks. The less-than-encouraging news on fellow freshman Bryan Antoine should only increase JRE's opportunities. The mix of talent and opportunity make him an easy choice for the award.
With the way Jahvon Quinerly was handled last season, there will be some scrutiny on JRE's situation. But it appears to be a completely different scenario, and early indications are that the freshmen group is picking things up well. Robinson-Earl's complete skillset and experience with Team USA should help him make the transition to the college game, and expectations are that he will be a contributor from the opening tip of the season.
