[SkiBum80]

Turning an excellent player, 1-2 good players (depending how you define Sellers), and zero depth/a box of misfit toys into a competent team should be considered a major accomplishment for coach Smith in year 1 of what's expected to be a complete down-to-the-studs multi-year rebuild.

IMO virtually everyone agrees that this team played vastly better than initial expectations/conventional wisdom would have predicted. Coach Smith certainly was a large part of that. That is the "good" news. As far as a "down to the studs" rebuild goes this year may not have helped that much. That isn't a criticism of coach Smith, as he had no time to recruit the "young talent" necessary for such a rebuild.
 
This year was IMO an "extract maximum benefit from what you have" year, not a "build for the future" year. Every year is a new challenge, but next year will tell us a lot more about where we are in our "rebuild" efforts. We may win fewer games next year while at the same time setting Stanford up to win many more games two or three years from now. Of course, it would be better to be building for the future while winning in the present. That may not be possible next year.

You have a point. 
I'm trying to be realistic and yet still subject to partiality to look at the glass a little more half full.
I assume we are losing Raynaud and Blakes for sure after this season. Big gaping holes to fill no doubt.
Hopefully no others?
Coach KS was able to bring in 2 great transfers this year in Blakes and Sellers that were arguably the #2 and #3 of key players this season.
(And arguably his coaching helped give them really good, or their best, seasons)
Can he repeat that transfer magic?
Maybe some good growth next year from Donavin Young and Cameron Grant who showed occasional flashes of talent (among youthful inconsistency)?
I remain more focused on seeing how far this team can go this year, most likely hoping they do some real damage in the NIT as my best guess/most likely hope.
Then will resume the scrutiny for next year ,which I hope remains more hopeful glass half full than half empty.

[SkiBum80]

Turning an excellent player, 1-2 good players (depending how you define Sellers), and zero depth/a box of misfit toys into a competent team should be considered a major accomplishment for coach Smith in year 1 of what's expected to be a complete down-to-the-studs multi-year rebuild.

IMO virtually everyone agrees that this team played vastly better than initial expectations/conventional wisdom would have predicted. Coach Smith certainly was a large part of that. That is the "good" news. As far as a "down to the studs" rebuild goes this year may not have helped that much. That isn't a criticism of coach Smith, as he had no time to recruit the "young talent" necessary for such a rebuild.
 
This year was IMO an "extract maximum benefit from what you have" year, not a "build for the future" year. Every year is a new challenge, but next year will tell us a lot more about where we are in our "rebuild" efforts. We may win fewer games next year while at the same time setting Stanford up to win many more games two or three years from now. Of course, it would be better to be building for the future while winning in the present. That may not be possible next year.

You have a point. 
I'm trying to be realistic and yet still subject to partiality to look at the glass a little more half full.
I assume we are losing Raynaud and Blakes for sure after this season. Big gaping holes to fill no doubt.
Hopefully no others?
Coach KS was able to bring in 2 great transfers this year in Blakes and Sellers that were arguably the #2 and #3 of key players this season.
(And arguably his coaching helped give them really good, or their best, seasons)
Can he repeat that transfer magic?
Maybe some good growth next year from Donavin Young and Cameron Grant who showed occasional flashes of talent (among youthful inconsistency)?
I remain more focused on seeing how far this team can go this year, most likely hoping they do some real damage in the NIT as my best guess/most likely hope.
Then will resume the scrutiny for next year ,which I hope remains more hopeful glass half full than half empty.