Here are the guards Brad has recruited, and the presumed reason they left:
2018
alan griffin - mom
tevian jones - character?
ayo
miller - mom
2019
2020
curbelo = headcase
padilla (walk on)
2021
melendez
goode
podz - according to some insinuation, speculation, Brad ran him off
I guess I don't see how things might have changed in any of these cases.
As to Podz, those lamenting his absence from this team, I understand. As always, hindsight is 20/20. After last year ended, if it were known that one of the three freshmen would be leaving, who would be the two most would have wanted to stay? Me, I'm taking RJ and Goode.
We can add 2022: Skyy - doesn't appear interested in winning. And Feliz in the '18 class (dang it, he was awesome). Miller was 2020.
It's impossible to foresee any of these issues; or at least one may think that even given some red flags, better than 1 of 6 will pan out and reach their potential in your program. It's such a statistical anomaly that it leaves me wondering "what the heck is going on here?". When I saw coach lay into Epps during the Rutgers game (after what I had perceived as a Hawkins miscue), I couldn't help but wish he'd take it easy on the kid, mostly because of the noted attrition at the guard spot.
Don't get me wrong, I honestly feel it's a shame more than anything and I still think Brad is the right man for this program. I will ride with BU, whatever his philosophy is. The '22-'23 team needed somebody who could dictate tempo and influence good decision-making on offense. It's been suggested that those types are developed within, not easily procured on the transfer market, and most likely not ready to do that as freshman.
To speak to "how things might have changed", not recruiting any guards in the 2019 class seems like a misstep (don't remember the scholly situation, but Tyler U was getting minutes in '19-'20). More than anything, I hope coach does whatever is necessary to avoid a situation like this for future teams. Bringing in guys who might be okay with not being granted abject freedom offensively as freshman would seem like a solid start. This goes hand-in-hand with being wary of guys with problematic "camps" or suspect character. I know it's really hard; recruiting is HARD. So when you get guys who can play and seem like they are good kids, be a little nicer to them.