2016 General Recruiting

[coachpipe]

Yeah, we might have oversold the Martin twins a little. Nobody wants to use two schollys to wait a year for them. Plus, with Broome, we'd have 3 guys waiting for next year using schollys.

Not to mention we dont have the 60 minutes combined you know they were asking for. Hence going to Nevada. Who by the way are taking the Iowa State Hoiberg model of taking all the transfers you can. If you guys remember Jordan Caroline who visited UC last summer. He committed to Nevada and sat out this year. They also have transfer Kendall Stephens a transfer from Purdue, Hallice Cooke a transfer from Iowa State, Cameron Oliver who was an Oregon State commit who then transferred to Nevada before ever playing a game at OSU. Marcus Marshall was a transfer from Missouri State. Leland King was a transfer from Brown.

That is a lot of transfers the last 2 years

 

[jacobkdoyle]

Yeah, we might have oversold the Martin twins a little. Nobody wants to use two schollys to wait a year for them. Plus, with Broome, we'd have 3 guys waiting for next year using schollys.

We leave 2 open every year anyway. Not saying we should've got them, just that it isn't a waste for us when we routinely use them on no one.

 

[jacobkdoyle]

Alot of posters are taking certain comments as excuses. Fact is, it's not an excuse, it's the reality of the situation. We are not a premier program anymore and are not capable of taking a highly touted NIKE kid away from that connection. I'm not sure who said it but Cronin had to fend out NIKE schools for Cumberland until he signed, that's a fact. These are not excuses for Mick, they are reasons he's not able to get the guys he's been used to getting in the past at UofL and UC.

For those saying these are excuses I want you to look at the last 3-4 recruiting classes. Find the top rated classes in the country. Then do the research as to what affiliation their AAU teams had with shoes companies and then the shoe company the college they committed to. You'll find there is a whole lot of similarities.

I get it. But Nike had nothing to do with a single recruit we whiffed on this spring. Our coaches said we had some scholarships to fill, and they haven't done it.

 

[the_one_32]

I get it. But Nike had nothing to do with a single recruit we whiffed on this spring. Our coaches said we had some scholarships to fill, and they haven't done it.

I understand where your coming from, however, the recruits we whiffed on weren't exactly world beaters. It seems at this point the fans just want anybody to fill a spot. If that's the case, it's unfair to criticize Mick if he does that and that guy never contributes. Its likely the guys he missed on will be projects and most of them will not pan out. Just the law of averages. Would we willing to accept just a body to fill scholarships? Or can be patient enough to see if Mick brings in a truly talented guy?

 

[L-T]

I get it. But Nike had nothing to do with a single recruit we whiffed on this spring. Our coaches said we had some scholarships to fill, and they haven't done it.

Be Patient Jacob. There's another 3-star or obscure JUCO signing coming any day now. I can feel it.

On a different topic, I'm obviously not real knowledgeable of the recruiting politics these days. I know we were once a Nike school. I believe Mick was the one who flipped us to Adidas, and now to UA. Should we blame him for the downturn in recruiting since he moved us away from Nike? It sounds like these decisions obviously impact recruiting far more than many think.

 

[the_one_32]

Be Patient Jacob. There's another 3-star or obscure JUCO signing coming any day now. I can feel it.

On a different topic, I'm obviously not real knowledgeable of the recruiting politics these days. I know we were once a Nike school. I believe Mick was the one who flipped us to Adidas, and now to UA. Should we blame him for the downturn in recruiting since he moved us away from Nike? It sounds like these decisions obviously impact recruiting far more than many think.

If I remember correctly, Mick didn't really flip us to Adidas from NIKE. How I understand it, it was more of NIKE saying we are going to lower your contract. Adidas offered a nice bit of money and UC made the decision to accept. NIKE saw the writing on the wall and knew UC was a rebuilding program and needed to use that money elsewhere. Under Armour could be extremely beneficial to UC, its pretty much the outfitter for the BIG 12 and the money was too much to pass up. Plus the UA brand is starting to skyrocket where it's really #2 behind NIKE right now and is making it tougher on NIKE.

 

[L-T]

Alot of posters are taking certain comments as excuses. Fact is, it's not an excuse, it's the reality of the situation. We are not a premier program anymore and are not capable of taking a highly touted NIKE kid away from that connection. I'm not sure who said it but Cronin had to fend out NIKE schools for Cumberland until he signed, that's a fact. These are not excuses for Mick, they are reasons he's not able to get the guys he's been used to getting in the past at UofL and UC.

For those saying these are excuses I want you to look at the last 3-4 recruiting classes. Find the top rated classes in the country. Then do the research as to what affiliation their AAU teams had with shoes companies and then the shoe company the college they committed to. You'll find there is a whole lot of similarities.

Are UCONN and SMU premier programs? They're stuck in the same awful mid-major conference as us? One has a top 10 recruiting class. The other has a Top 20 class.

Other top 10 classes are occupied by Mississippi St. and Florida St. Other top 20 classes are Gonzaga, Auburn, Miami, and Maryland...certainly not premier programs. Top 30 classes are Ariz. St, Marquette, Penn St., St. Johns, Washington, and UMASS. Top 35 classes....Harvard, Georgia, Tennessee, and Minnesota. None of these programs are premier programs, yet they are kicking Mick's butt in recruiting.

Our stature in the college basketball landscape is more attractive than most of these schools, yet we never even seem to slip into the bottom of the Top 35, much less anywhere near the top 25 and higher. It's excuse after excuse/ It's Nike. We're not a premier program. Our arena is causing recruits to go somewhere else. Our league is the problem. Our facilities suck. Our academics suck.

Let's not kid ourselves. There's one problem and I don't even have to say what it is.

 

[culverrd]

Are UCONN and SMU premier programs? They're stuck in the same awful mid-major conference as us? One has a top 10 recruiting class. The other has a Top 20 class.

Other top 10 classes are occupied by Mississippi St. and Florida St. Other top 20 classes are Gonzaga, Auburn, Miami, and Maryland...certainly not premier programs. Top 30 classes are Ariz. St, Marquette, Penn St., St. Johns, Washington, and UMASS. Top 35 classes....Harvard, Georgia, Tennessee, and Minnesota. None of these programs are premier programs, yet they are kicking Mick's butt in recruiting.

Our stature in the college basketball landscape is more attractive than most of these schools, yet we never even seem to slip into the bottom of the Top 35, much less anywhere near the top 25 and higher. It's excuse after excuse/ It's Nike. We're not a premier program. Our arena is causing recruits to go somewhere else. Our league is the problem. Our facilities suck. Our academics suck.

Let's not kid ourselves. There's one problem and I don't even have to say what it is.

Exactly. I'm tired of the excuses. Our staff just isn't getting the job done, end of discussion. We have to much to offer here to not be consistently in the top 20 in recruiting every single year.

 

[jacobkdoyle]

I understand where your coming from, however, the recruits we whiffed on weren't exactly world beaters. It seems at this point the fans just want anybody to fill a spot. If that's the case, it's unfair to criticize Mick if he does that and that guy never contributes. Its likely the guys he missed on will be projects and most of them will not pan out. Just the law of averages. Would we willing to accept just a body to fill scholarships? Or can be patient enough to see if Mick brings in a truly talented guy?

I'd like to take more chances on Ohio guys. Jalen Tate is a good example. He went to NKU. But with him being an Ohio guy, with a brother at OSU, and a dad that finished at UC, I have a hard time believing he wouldn't have jumped at a chance to go to a better program. Maybe he never finds a position, maybe he never contributes, but neither do half the guys we bring in anyway. And maybe you open a pipeline by getting multiple kids who are playing on the best AAU teams. I get that it's hard, but it got us Cumberland. That's worst it. We have no footprint in our own state anymore. Fill the roster with guys who worst case give you extra bodies for practice. And maybe they find a niche by SR year, maybe not. But it'd be better than empty spots all the time.

 

[jacobkdoyle]

What was the story with the Miami FL transfer? Did he ever visit? How did he end up at Nebraska?

 

[jacobkdoyle]

If I remember correctly, Mick didn't really flip us to Adidas from NIKE. How I understand it, it was more of NIKE saying we are going to lower your contract. Adidas offered a nice bit of money and UC made the decision to accept. NIKE saw the writing on the wall and knew UC was a rebuilding program and needed to use that money elsewhere. Under Armour could be extremely beneficial to UC, its pretty much the outfitter for the BIG 12 and the money was too much to pass up. Plus the UA brand is starting to skyrocket where it's really #2 behind NIKE right now and is making it tougher on NIKE.

On the Championship Drive podcast this week, they discussed UCLA going UA. And their point was that UCLA is now challenging Oregon as the cool school in the conference. UA is spreading through colleges more and more. I'm glad we're on board with them.

 

[Bearcat22]

Exactly. I'm tired of the excuses. Our staff just isn't getting the job done, end of discussion. We have to much to offer here to not be consistently in the top 20 in recruiting every single year.

I think the coaching staff not closing the deal is an issue. You can't ignore other factors that can influence recruiting like the shoe companies. Google shoe companies & recruiting and you'll find all kinds of stories about their influence. Also, there seems to be enough anecdotal and documented proof of recruiting being a dirty process filled with unseemly characters. Didn't Shaq admit he was payed at LSU recently. I doubt that was an isolated event at one institution and has since stopped. Who knows how often or if UC has gone down that road. Maybe, just speculating, Mick is trying to be above board and run a clean program and recruiting has suffered - maybe that's me being naive as well.

Moderators, please use whatever color coding system for non-factual posts on this one.

 

[L-T]

I think the coaching staff not closing the deal is an issue. You can't ignore other factors that can influence recruiting like the shoe companies. Google shoe companies & recruiting and you'll find all kinds of stories about their influence. Also, there seems to be enough anecdotal and documented proof of recruiting being a dirty process filled with unseemly characters. Didn't Shaq admit he was payed at LSU recently. I doubt that was an isolated event at one institution and has since stopped. Who knows how often or if UC has gone down that road. Maybe, just speculating, Mick is trying to be above board and run a clean program and recruiting has suffered - maybe that's me being naive as well.

Moderators, please use whatever color coding system for non-factual posts on this one.

Whoops, sorry! Missed those two excuses....

1) Everyone else is cheating.

2) Mick is trying to be above board and run a clean program.

 

[#BearcatNation]

Does every thread have to bash Mick? My goodness. Is anyone enjoying this anymore?

 

[Bearcat22]

Whoops, sorry! Missed those two excuses....

1) Everyone else is cheating.

2) Mick is trying to be above board and run a clean program.

No, I said cheating occurs and I don't know if we are. If he is trying to run a clean program (of which I said I don't know if we are) recruiting might be more challenging.

I actually share a lot of your frustrations. I differ in that I believe there's probably more nuance and challenges to running a program.

 

[L-T]

Does every thread have to bash Mick? My goodness. Is anyone enjoying this anymore?

The topic is recruiting. Recruiting is ground zero in the discussion of our program over this Cronin era. Are you enjoying zero recruits? Are you enjoying seeing Harvard and UMASS, and a bunch of other average programs, with better recruits than us? That is the better question.

 

[coachpipe]

The topic is recruiting. Recruiting is ground zero in the discussion of our program over this Cronin era. Are you enjoying zero recruits? Are you enjoying seeing Harvard and UMASS, and a bunch of other average programs, with better recruits than us? That is the better question.

We dont have zero recruits. We have 11 scholarship players. 10 that can play. The same number as Xavier, SMU, Purdue, Kansas and if i really wanted to look at all other P5 or decent basketball schools, im sure I could find more

How about we wait until the first day of classes before we bitch about the roster

 

[#BearcatNation]

The topic is recruiting. Recruiting is ground zero in the discussion of our program over this Cronin era. Are you enjoying zero recruits? Are you enjoying seeing Harvard and UMASS, and a bunch of other average programs, with better recruits than us? That is the better question.

The point of this thread is to discuss potential recruits we are going after. Specific players. If you want to start an "Our recruiting sucks" thread, go for it. But your posts here have been rather irrelevant.

 

[Bearcat513]

"General recruiting" thread turns into Cronin bashing just like every other thread on this site.

Anyone has any news or leads as to UC and potential recruits? Otherwise, there shouldn't be posts in this thread.

 

[culverrd]

I think the coaching staff not closing the deal is an issue. You can't ignore other factors that can influence recruiting like the shoe companies. Google shoe companies & recruiting and you'll find all kinds of stories about their influence. Also, there seems to be enough anecdotal and documented proof of recruiting being a dirty process filled with unseemly characters. Didn't Shaq admit he was payed at LSU recently. I doubt that was an isolated event at one institution and has since stopped. Who knows how often or if UC has gone down that road. Maybe, just speculating, Mick is trying to be above board and run a clean program and recruiting has suffered - maybe that's me being naive as well.

Moderators, please use whatever color coding system for non-factual posts on this one.

Boosters at pretty much every school "contribute" to athletes. I've actually seen it in person with us so I know we do it. There are obviously many different levels of this at different schools so not sure where we are on that spectrum but I know we most definitely are guilty of this at least a little.