Flashback to Pemsl’s freshman year he and Cook were the primary “Bigs” on the team (RK didn’t play much). Cook with his athleticism could handle the ball out on the perimeter. Neither could shoot. Cook and Pemsl did start alongside one another for a bit, but it was a little clunky so Pemsl finally came off the bench.
The reality was on that team he was allowed to play his natural position which is center. Yes he’s a little undersized for the position but he did have the thick frame to move people around. He’s got a variety of post moves and is a willing passer. He had a very nice freshman year.
Flash forward to the following year and Fran brought in Garza, and Nunge both at 6’10/6’11 and Kriener began to earn some minutes. This led to the “let’s slim Cordell down and try to play him minutes at the 4 spot.” The results were pretty telling and not good. Without a jump shot for Pemsl and with Garza operating down low the majority of the time, it’s hard for Pemsl to find his spots on the floor. Offensively he’s pretty much a screener. On the defensive end he is being asked to defend 4’s, which given his lack of footspeed isn’t ideal. I mean does Fran or anyone think he’s has a snowballs chance in hell of guarding a guy like Lamar Stevens or Isaiah Livers? It’s just won’t happen, which pushes Iowa into a zone. This is far from only a Pemsl problem, we basically have 4 bigs who at this point appear too slow to defend the 4 spot. I’d hope Nunge could do it but he looks awfully slow as well.
The bottom line is this. We basically have 4 centers and in order to divide minutes Fran is trying to get Nunge and Pemsl at the 4. Nunge has at least a fighting chance with slightly better footspeed and more length. He also has a jump shot on offense so he gives Garza room to operate at the very least on that end.
I like Pemsl’s mean streak and I’m sure he will have some good moments in individual games, but playing at the 4 spot at the B1G level isn’t putting him in any sort of position for sustained success.
