Hard to say that narrative isn't already one of the strongest surrounding the program--even after signing a new coach.
Illinois Hoops Recruiting Thread (October 2017)
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Hard to say that narrative isn't already one of the strongest surrounding the program--even after signing a new coach.
Many posters keep trying to talk a lot of us down from being a bit worried about this year’s recruiting class. But their optimism hinges upon Ayo, Nolley, and possibly THT. However, all smoke points to Nolley going to VT, & Ayo is trending toward Wake. I say odds would tell us we are more likely to miss those guys than to land them. That should be worrisome to all of us
mattcoldagelli
- The Transfer Portal with Do Not Contact Tag
Yep, I'm right there with you.
Don't know about the rest of you, but I'm disregarding the CBs, putting on the proper protection, and charging headlong into this Nolley announcement. I think we're a better fit, I think he's into playing with Ayo, I think no matter how highly you think of Buzz (and I think quite highly of him), VT is a football school first, second and third.
Underwood Special! Who's with me? WOOOO
Illiniwek06
- N of I-80
Yep, I'm right there with you.
Don't know about the rest of you, but I'm disregarding the CBs, putting on the proper protection, and charging headlong into this Nolley announcement. I think we're a better fit, I think he's into playing with Ayo, I think no matter how highly you think of Buzz (and I think quite highly of him), VT is a football school first, second and third.
Underwood Special! Who's with me? WOOOO
DB11Headband
- Chicago Burbs
Yep, I'm right there with you.
Don't know about the rest of you, but I'm disregarding the CBs, putting on the proper protection, and charging headlong into this Nolley announcement. I think we're a better fit, I think he's into playing with Ayo, I think no matter how highly you think of Buzz (and I think quite highly of him), VT is a football school first, second and third.
Underwood Special! Who's with me? WOOOO
Not only do I like the way you think, but I also think that you're on to something:thumb:
I don't think anything really surprising has happened so far. The coaches have done the best they can. Some times things don't work out and it's easy to "magnify the negative." We still have a month before signing day and the three best players we are recruiting are still in play. I think we have a decent shot of signing one or two. However, it may turn out to be a total loss. All schools go through cycles. Remember, we just had an outstanding spring recruiting season. Perspective is important. It's misleading to judge recruiting based on one class.
Deleted member 14522
D
Guest
The recruiting season is far from over. Everyone just needs to buckle up and enjoy the ride. The number one priority recruit is still up for grabs, Ayo. If we land him everything else is gravy. Land either Nolley and THT on top of that and I call it a home run for the class of 2018.
I was initially bummed about Castleton but he is not the game changing recruit we are after (speaks volumes to me when Florida doesn't really recruit him as to how ready he is for next year). Insert him in next year and he probably doesn't alter the outcome of any games. Put someone like AYO out there with Mark Smith, Frazier, Lucas, Nichols, Williams, and we are going to run some teams out of the gym.
I was initially bummed about Castleton but he is not the game changing recruit we are after (speaks volumes to me when Florida doesn't really recruit him as to how ready he is for next year). Insert him in next year and he probably doesn't alter the outcome of any games. Put someone like AYO out there with Mark Smith, Frazier, Lucas, Nichols, Williams, and we are going to run some teams out of the gym.
Deleted member 631370
D
Guest
That's certainly true.
The problem is, if we lose out on Nolley and/or Ayo, we're suddenly in a position in which we have to enter recruitments late. How many other 5-star guards are we legitimately going to be able to get in on? How many top-50 wings are we legitimately going to be able to woo?
And before people say "Mark Smith!", I'd counter by saying that Smith was a uniquely advantageous recruit for us: downstate Illinois kid, Illini fan, and didn't really emerge as an elite prospect until late. That's the kind of combination a new coaching staff needed.
So, if we lose out on our next few targets, it's not the end of the world. But it puts us back into that position of hoping for somebody to blow up in the spring. Because as hyped as Orlando Antigua is, I really don't see him getting us into the conversation with existing elite prospects on short notice.
Present wins = Future prospects.
Track the prior.
Track the prior.
sacraig
- The desert
Yep, I'm right there with you.
Don't know about the rest of you, but I'm disregarding the CBs, putting on the proper protection, and charging headlong into this Nolley announcement. I think we're a better fit, I think he's into playing with Ayo, I think no matter how highly you think of Buzz (and I think quite highly of him), VT is a football school first, second and third.
Underwood Special! Who's with me? WOOOO
Deleted member 631370
D
Guest
Yes, we did. Though as I said earlier, the Mark Smith recruitment was uniquely advantageous for us -- downstate kid, Illini fan, didn't blow up until late. And while the Alstork get was a big one for us, our competition wasn't exactly elite (no offense to Pitt, South Carolina, NC State, etc.). Plus, he's a kid who only has one year left and we offered immediate playing time given our graduations.
2018 is the staff's first chance to put together a traditional class, top to bottom, on relatively equal footing with other schools. Now, should we be expecting a top-10 class this early? No. But going 0-fer would raise a lot of flags.
We could always say "wait until 2019, because by then we will have built a longer relationship with those kids". That's true, but the basketball landscape is full of first-year staffs pulling in strong classes. There's absolutely no reason why it can't -- and shouldn't -- happen here.
All that said, I still think we'll be okay in this class. But a month from now if we're left without Nolley or Ayo, that's probably valid cause for concern.
Name two or three of these "lot of flags" you refer to. This is a meaningless argument until a trend is established and that will take a couple of years.
It is not so much getting us into the conversation with elite prospects, it is actually getting them to commit. OA can certainly get us into the conversation, yet, if we are not able to close on Ayo (with the Chin connection) in the fall, there is no much reason to believe that we would be able to find, and close, top prospects in the Spring. Other than that, I fully agree.
The barometer IMO of a good class this fall would be closing on Ayo and at least one of Nolley/THT. Still a big gap in the middle, but DeSousa aside, our prospects at PF/C have certainly been below Ayo/Nolley/THT level.
Well, even the losers get lucky some time.
Hey, even the losers get lucky sometimes.
BananaShampoo
Captain 'Paign
- Phoenix, AZ
Yeah, it's starting to feel like our curse with PGs has now shifted to bigs. We haven't landed a top level big man prospect since Leonard, and as good as Egwu turned out to be he was around Top 70 coming out of HS, and that was 2011 with that ranking based mostly on potential. While maybe Black should count as a good "big", I'm more referring to guys 6'9 and over. With a coach like OA who has a great reputation for developing bigs, this shouldn't be the case. So what is keeping them away when we have so much to offer? This was my question before under Groce when we had loads of playing time to offer and a supposed system predicated on PG play.
beat me to the punch...don't do me like that
RichBradIllini
- Peoria
I don't understand why people continue to minimize the loss of Castleton. A 6'10" athletic power forward who can run the floor, play inside and out, knocks down 3's. He was also a bit of a late bloomer who was receiving a lot of interest. If this kid isn't tailor made for a BU offense I don't know who is. This was a huge hit.
Recruits don't drink Kool-aid like we do, unless that recruit's name is Trent Frazier.
Our program can charitably be described as mediocre at best at the moment. Iowa State has more recent success. Michigan most certainly has more recent success PLUS a tried-and-true outstanding coach. We aren't losing these recruiting battles to nobodies (except for Goodwin). We're losing them to programs that legit have more to offer a recruit.
Looking at BUs SFA and OSU teams, he plays 8-9 regularly, with 11-12 players getting > 5 mins per game.
Givens:
1. Finke
2. Black
3. Tejon
4. Kipper
5. Smith
Expected to contribute:
6. Trent
Optimistically Hopeful:
7. GE
8. Damonte (knee?)
Questionable:
9. Aaron (was Groce holding him back?)
10. Matic
If this team is going to improve, the roster needs to improve. We are only 5 or 6 deep before we start hoping guys pan out. We need at least couple guys in this class that upgrade our talent level.
Givens:
1. Finke
2. Black
3. Tejon
4. Kipper
5. Smith
Expected to contribute:
6. Trent
Optimistically Hopeful:
7. GE
8. Damonte (knee?)
Questionable:
9. Aaron (was Groce holding him back?)
10. Matic
If this team is going to improve, the roster needs to improve. We are only 5 or 6 deep before we start hoping guys pan out. We need at least couple guys in this class that upgrade our talent level.
When will it rise to the level of its posters?
Never, we are all 5*/future professional keyboard typists.
My post was referring to the 2018/19 season for which we’re recruiting now.
IllFanInMi
I
Guest
Recruiting Rant
I come to this board for my own addiction to Illinois hoops, and hoping to watch the types of teams we saw in 89 & 05. At this point I would be thrilled with simply our good teams that always had a shot at a B10 title, Sweet 16 or better NCAA run.
Living in Michigan it is even harder being an Illinois fan as MSU and SCUM have been consistent winners on the gridiron and hardwood. Tom Izzo and Dantonio have been able to feed off each other, building a top football program definitely helps with all other sports, especially hoops. Both of them acknowledge their partnership in this regard, and support each other to strengthen their own brand. Harbaugh has obviously resurrected the SCUM football program, and Bielien is benefiting recruiting wise in the last couple years as a result.
With all the nut punches we have taken in recruiting, it is completely normal, and rightful for us to be pessimistic recruiting enthusiasts. I would imagine most fans can say the same thing about losing recruits, and we believe we are the most snake bitten given our history; likely much of that is because we are vested in U of I and don't get emotionally involved with other schools.
Regardless, I am now an eternal pessimist once again. Feel free to tell me to take a pill, get off the ledge, have faith, trust BU and the boys, blah, blah, blah, fricken blah. If these words of hope came from the staff, then okay, but I would bet my daughters five signed MSU bballs that the staff IS disappointed in not only missing out on their targets, but the real possibility of watching the others (who the eternal optimists believe will save our 2018 class) sign elsewhere. Especially out of state schools, damn, U of M and MSU are both top tier programs and have to compete against each other for in state kids, and the other state schools are no slouches. Illinois has not had that competition until arguably recently with NW.
I am going to do my best to not worry about crystal balls, get excited about all the names floating around here for months, but am just going to worry about this years team and hoping they turn this brand around as we all expect they will. Sure, I am going to check in and hope we get some great recruiting news, but am going to take the approach that this is a rebuild despite our staff, and no matter who we hired and all the hype and connections they supposedly had, #WEMUSTWIN to instill faith in the kids and those who can influence them.
It does hurt that we have signed NOBODY, and the B10 is recruiting the leather off the ball. Oh I forgot, the early signing period is not here, wait until spring, blah, blah, blah, fricken blah. Guess what those schools full for 2018 can focus that much harder on 2019 and beyond kids, so filling your class early is an advantage.
Damn that felt good!
I come to this board for my own addiction to Illinois hoops, and hoping to watch the types of teams we saw in 89 & 05. At this point I would be thrilled with simply our good teams that always had a shot at a B10 title, Sweet 16 or better NCAA run.
Living in Michigan it is even harder being an Illinois fan as MSU and SCUM have been consistent winners on the gridiron and hardwood. Tom Izzo and Dantonio have been able to feed off each other, building a top football program definitely helps with all other sports, especially hoops. Both of them acknowledge their partnership in this regard, and support each other to strengthen their own brand. Harbaugh has obviously resurrected the SCUM football program, and Bielien is benefiting recruiting wise in the last couple years as a result.
With all the nut punches we have taken in recruiting, it is completely normal, and rightful for us to be pessimistic recruiting enthusiasts. I would imagine most fans can say the same thing about losing recruits, and we believe we are the most snake bitten given our history; likely much of that is because we are vested in U of I and don't get emotionally involved with other schools.
Regardless, I am now an eternal pessimist once again. Feel free to tell me to take a pill, get off the ledge, have faith, trust BU and the boys, blah, blah, blah, fricken blah. If these words of hope came from the staff, then okay, but I would bet my daughters five signed MSU bballs that the staff IS disappointed in not only missing out on their targets, but the real possibility of watching the others (who the eternal optimists believe will save our 2018 class) sign elsewhere. Especially out of state schools, damn, U of M and MSU are both top tier programs and have to compete against each other for in state kids, and the other state schools are no slouches. Illinois has not had that competition until arguably recently with NW.
I am going to do my best to not worry about crystal balls, get excited about all the names floating around here for months, but am just going to worry about this years team and hoping they turn this brand around as we all expect they will. Sure, I am going to check in and hope we get some great recruiting news, but am going to take the approach that this is a rebuild despite our staff, and no matter who we hired and all the hype and connections they supposedly had, #WEMUSTWIN to instill faith in the kids and those who can influence them.
It does hurt that we have signed NOBODY, and the B10 is recruiting the leather off the ball. Oh I forgot, the early signing period is not here, wait until spring, blah, blah, blah, fricken blah. Guess what those schools full for 2018 can focus that much harder on 2019 and beyond kids, so filling your class early is an advantage.
Damn that felt good!
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