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Ok so we have the #1 pg in the country Dennis Smith jr., but who else will we get to go w/ him in 2016?? Four years ago we landed 3 McDonald AA’s, but 2 transferred and one’s getting paid! We need to pursue a recruiting guru/genius! Who’s going to help Pack and Smith next season???
Torin Dorn is a transfer coming in.
Other than that nothing. We really need some big men and unfortunately Bam stiffed us.^This is a problem for Gottfried, much in the same way it’s a problem for DD. It’s much easier for a basketball coach to fill in holes and turn the ship around with recruits than a FB coach, but some of the constants are true for both sports.
1. After a coaching change, there is generally a renewal in program excitement, and an uptick in recruiting that comes with it, especially locally or regionally where kids may have grown up fans. Look at our past history. The brand and the conference recruit for itself in basketball. The coach and results propel you forward and take you over the top.
2. If you don’t show results or fairly linear improvement in all that matters to top recruits (wins, rankings, scheduling, professional draft), then the recruiting stagnates or declines. I’m not saying it’s fair, it’s just the way it is. It’s a double edged sword. Win to recruit, recruit to win. Better be able to do both if you want to survive, and you better be able to do both better than your piers if you want to achieve consistently excellent results. Dennis Smith is an anomaly. He grew up a fan.
The transfer route isn’t sustainable over the long term in basketball. Correct my if I’m wrong, but the new graduate transfer rule goes into effect soon, if not already. That eliminates one source. JUCO can help. But depending on kids who were overlooked out of high school and want to try their luck at a different level creates long-term problems in scholarship spacing and sustainable results. If you’re losing kids to transfer at a fairly rapid and consistent clip, that presents its own problem. Either you did a poor job assessing talent and character, representing the program, being honest with the kid about development, strengths and weaknesses, or you do a poor job developing that talent, putting it in schemes that successful, or fairly rewarding kids. Don’t call me naive, I realize kids transfer these days. But if it’s epidemic and routine, then it signifies bigger problems, perceived or real, or both. In the gym, it’s a bigger issue than football, and we’re seeing it this year. With Gottfried, his track record speaks volumes.
DD is very different but he, too, must win against the middle of the road teams, and particularly against regional rivals and other competitors, if he wants to seriously upgrade talent. Gotta get the high school coaches on board, show them you can develop, and win. Lots of measurable prior to his hire that suggested he may struggle.
^rhetorical question or not, I’ll take the bait. Early signing ended in mid-November. Next spring, after the season ends, the final signing period begins and ends.
I think that’s probably a bad thing this year. If we struggle, and some our competitors don’t, I think we lose out on some more top recruits. Top players aren’t intimidated from competing for pt. the whole instant pt selling point only goes so far. We’re in the running still for a few gems supposedly but I think the loss of Bam, which shouldn’t have been a shocker given the absence of a verbal, likely foreshadows the spring period, wouldn’t be surprised to see the staff scrambling and in search of more transfers and juniors who reclassify
To gotts credit, he’s done a pretty good job filling needs, at least up until this year. Even those who see some of his deficiencies hoped hoped he’d be able to overcome those by stocking the cupboard with prize recruits. That’s where I disagree. I think he hurts himself in this area over the long haul. I fear his best classes are behind him
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