SFA Insider: Buzz from around William R. Johnson Coliseum

1. TJ Holyfield is still nursing a turned ankle

Not since the opening game at Kentucky has SFA had both of its best players on the court at the same time. Ty Charles who missed essentially the entire non-conference season is finally practicing for the first time after making his post-injury debut during the final Diamond Head Classic game last weekend.

Of course, TJ Holyfield missed that same game after turning his ankle in the only practice Charles had been able to fully participate in since early November.

TJ has been practicing on a limited basis this week. His ankle remains wrapped and he hasn't participated in full-court drills. Coaches are optimistic that he will play on Saturday although depending on how his ankle feels, it might be a limited role.

2. Ty Charles is already the best player on the team (and maybe in the conference)

What the Lumberjacks have added in talent this season, they have lost in confidence. Probably nothing has frustrated program staff more than the gun-shy approach that many players have had or developed as things have gotten tough at times this season. Enter Ty Charles.

SFA's leading returning scorer, rebounder, assist-disher, and steal-getter, has no lack of assurance. He's playing with a contagious swagger and he should immediately impact this offense like he did for stretches during the Utah game on Sunday.

What makes Charles unique on this team is the fact that he doesn't need a point guard to make plays for him. He's a rare guy in this group who can make his own shot. With the point guard struggles SFA has experienced, they need a guy like that to be playing well. That being said...

3. Point Guard play is holding this team back

Dallas Cameron is a senior trying to learn a new position. Aaron Augustin is a freshman, struggling with a hand injury and not seeing the court as well as he should yet. Chase Winchester has the confidence of Kanye, but he's also a freshman, and a walk-on at that.

Most players on this team are not ball handlers that make their own shot. TJ Holyfield might eventually become that but right now he's also tending to play passively on offense. Leon Gilmore has admirably tried to be that - but his resulting turnovers are an issue.

Right now, SFA needs a guy who can make plays for other players. An assist guy. They haven't consistently had that. Not yet, at least.

Ty Charles' return should help open the floor a bit. Aaron Augustin is fully capable of being that guy but his growth hasn't reached that point. His injury certainly isn't helping matters, either. Dallas is probably going to always be a better #2 guard. And Chase Winchester? He might not have the physical characteristics of a DI starter but the coaching staff hasn't ruled out putting him in the first rotation if things don't improve. Sometimes confidence trumps talent. Right now this team needs a lot of it.

4. Don't be surprised to see a really big lineup later in the season

This may or may not ever happen - but as SFA guards have struggled to generate offense, there has been discussion of creating a large lineup with Ty Charles and Kevon Harris manning the two guard spots. There could remain the option of inserting a third guard or letting TJ Holyfield, Leon Gilmore, and perhaps Josh Huntley man the front court.

Against smaller teams in the league it may require playing a lot of zone defense, something SFA hasn't done a lot of, but ran with some success against Utah last weekend. It will be something to watch if the Lumberjacks fail to get better play-making from the point guard spot.

5. The injury bug isn't over yet - but SFA isn't alone

Samuli Nieminen is hurt and likely wont play this weekend. Nathan Bain is done for the season after back surgery. TJ remains limited. Ty has missed nearly the whole season up to this point. A number of other guys are nursing minor injuries that they'll play through and would prefer not to be made public. Just know this: as insanely healthy as SFA has remained over the last three years, it's all come back to earth in 2016. "What goes around, comes around," said one Southland Conference coach about the Lumberjacks' situation. They're right. SFA also isn't alone.

How thankless has Mike McConathy's job been the last few years at Northwestern State? The Demons' unique playing style (very fast, lots of possessions, lots of attempts, lots of scoring) requires top-tier scoring guards. They've had them, too, in Jalen West and Zeek Woodley.

McConathy lost West last season to a torn ACL. After a medical redshirt was granted, West suffered the same injury again prior to this season. Now Woodley has a broken wrist and is expected to miss the next six to eight weeks.

Just remember, as bad as it's been for the Lumberjacks this season on the injury front, someone somewhere has it worse.

6. Confidence for league play remains high inside WRJ

If you've ever had a conversation with Kyle Keller, you know he oozes confidence. For all the growing pains this team has had up to this point, Keller believes SFA is more than capable of claiming a 5th-straight league title.

Others in the building are too. Simply put, SFA can out-recruit anyone and the talent in Nacogdoches is superior, even now. This is not to knock the coaches of the SLC where there are admittedly some good ones - but compare Keller's resume to preseason league favorite Sam Houston State's Jason Hooten, and tell me where a high school athlete would rather play.

Keller has worked for Bill Self at Kansas where he won a national championship, worked for Billy Kennedy at Texas A&M, Eddie Sutton at Oklahoma State, and others. He has connections in every corner of the nation, has coaches and NBA scouts on speed dial. Hooten, as successful as he's been in Huntsville, has worked at exactly one other school in his career: Tarleton State.

SFA needs to find itself on offense still. If they do, they're not physically incapable of running the table. I'm not predicting 18-0 but the confidence inside WRJ is contagious and perhaps it has gotten to me too. SFA should remain the favorite until someone takes the title from them.

7. Speaking of Keller at OSU...Watch this gold from December 1999:

If you have questions or would like to know more about what's happening behind the scenes in WRJ, comment below and we'll try to answer any questions.