Justin Jennifer Is A Bearcat

The Bearcats under Mick Cronin have not been known for their exciting offenses. The offense has been occasionally competent, often frustrating and perhaps a little bit light on skill. Recent recruiting classes have started to buck that trend, particularly last years.

In starting this class with Justin Jenifer Mick is signaling that the prime directive in recruiting is no longer finding stoppers at every position. JJ vol. 2 is going to have to work his as off just to be a average defender at his position. Jenifer is the smallest guard to be recruited here since Devan Downey. It will be very hard for the Bearcats to play the kind of defense that they have played for the last few years where every screen is switched.

What Jenifer lacks on defense he makes up for on offense. He is, to borrow a soccer parlance, a flair player. For better or worse he is willing to try shit if for no other reason than it would be cool if the stuff that he tried worked. The Bearcats haven't had that kind of player on the squad since Dion Dixon graduated. As maddening as Dion was at times his propensity to try outrageous shit has been sorely missed. Without it the Bearcats of the last couple of years have been far too predictable and thus easy to guard. For that reason alone Justin Jenifer should be greeted with cheers from Bearcat Nation.