Last year at this time, coach Bruce Weber knew what he had at center and, for better or worse, was prepared to ride Shaun Pruitt for 30 minutes a game, taking the good with the bad. He starts practice this season with a mixed bag and plenty of questions about how the minutes will be split.

Mike Tisdale made enough progress and gained enough weight — he’s up to 240 – during the offseason to establish himself as the heavy favorite to start. However, a leg injury that kept him out three weeks has slowed the 7-1 sophomore.

Weber said he remembers leaving a team workout the day Tisdale was injured and telling someone, “That’s the best Mike Tisdale has looked since he’s been here.”

Tisdale is expected to participate in some drills when practice begins Friday, and Weber hopes he’ll be able to play in the orange and blue scrimmage Oct. 26. But Weber questions if he can play more than 20 minutes when the season begins.

So, who gets all of those minutes?

Weber called Richard Semrau the X-factor. The 6-10 redshirt sophomore continues to search for confidence, but Weber said he’s ”physically as gifted as anyone we have.” In drills, Semrau has posted better marks for agility and speed than James Augustine when he was at Illinois.

“When James came out, he was among the most physically gifted big guys, so (Semrau) has the physical tools,” Weber said. “It’s a matter of putting it all together.”

Freshman Stan Simpson might seem the perfect candidate to redshirt. But, of course, Weber doesn’t have a very good track record when it comes to convincing players to redshirt, and he basically lets the players and their families make the decision. And even Weber now questions whether that is neccesary.

“Stan is better than we thought,” he said. “He’s smarter than I thought and a better athlete.”

Simpson has had difficulty making the transition to college life. He is the only freshman on the team, so he lives in dorms away from the rest of the team and without a basketball player as a roommate. He is extremely quiet and Weber has encouraged players to include him in activities.

The last option is the one I believe Weber hopes can work. It involves using 6-7 junior college transfer Dominique Keller at center in a smaller, faster lineup. Keller has been told his job is to rebound, defend and be physical. But after Rodney Alexander failed last season in his transition from junior college, Weber will wait to decide on whether Keller is prepared.