Just because "experience matters" does not mean that "talent doesn't." Of course talent matters, and of course we have lost a lot of talent. But we have ALSO lost a lot of experience, which makes the challenge even harder.
I think a look at Tara's player time decisions over the years is instructive. Some of our most truly talented players did start four years. So talent in those cases LED to experience. Williams, Brink, Jones, etc. Of course, if you are the second most talented player but play behind the most talented player then you get no starts--so there are limits to the analysis. Even so, you could say that the number of starts on a team is a good measure not only of experience but also (to a degree) of talent. In which case the low number of starts on this year's team is alarming.
A few rare players--the ones everyone wants--come to college ready to play at the college level, and can be expected to start for four years. We get a few of those. Kiana Williams, Cameron Brink, Haley Jones, etc. But Tara built sustained excellence by developing other players around those few. And those players take time to come into their own. Hannah Jump, Erica McCall, Bonnie Samuelson, Brittany McPhee, etc. These are not the players that stand atop all the record books since they did not start for four years, but without players like them we would not have won many games. (Although Jump did pretty well for someone who started only 51% of her games!) And for that category of players, experience is crucial.
I think a look at Tara's player time decisions over the years is instructive. Some of our most truly talented players did start four years. So talent in those cases LED to experience. Williams, Brink, Jones, etc. Of course, if you are the second most talented player but play behind the most talented player then you get no starts--so there are limits to the analysis. Even so, you could say that the number of starts on a team is a good measure not only of experience but also (to a degree) of talent. In which case the low number of starts on this year's team is alarming.
A few rare players--the ones everyone wants--come to college ready to play at the college level, and can be expected to start for four years. We get a few of those. Kiana Williams, Cameron Brink, Haley Jones, etc. But Tara built sustained excellence by developing other players around those few. And those players take time to come into their own. Hannah Jump, Erica McCall, Bonnie Samuelson, Brittany McPhee, etc. These are not the players that stand atop all the record books since they did not start for four years, but without players like them we would not have won many games. (Although Jump did pretty well for someone who started only 51% of her games!) And for that category of players, experience is crucial.