agree with every point... esp. the game day coach
Illinois Hoops Recruiting Thread (August 2018)
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Now, Biff ...
CAIllini
- West Coast
I've got to say I don't fully understand the strategy of extending so very many offers. Seems it will be hard to truly track, let along stay in touch with that many recruits in any material way. I'm sure there is a spectrum of interest/priority amongst them, but with less rides this year, and having gone through the pain of running out of official visits last year I'd think they'd be getting more selective with their offers. Seems they've gone the other way and have already given out nearly as many as last year at a much earlier stage.
Interesting approach, we'll see how it works...
Interesting approach, we'll see how it works...
BU's approach:
1) My system works. I will offer all the best players/athletes available that fit the style of play. I will recruit guys that know what kind of system they are agreeing to and can be developed to win. The ones we need in order to win will see what we're building. It doesn't matter if we get classes of five 3 star players, five 4 star players, or a mix of 3, 4, and 5 star players if they have the attributes my system needs (e.g. shooter = Alan Griffin, speedy defense breaker = Trent, length at almost all positions for defense, etc.). I am supremely confident in my system and if we just have enough of the pieces firing on all cylinders = win.
2) The top recruits know they are being prioritized. BU wants to have plan A B C D E etc. relationships developing even if not necessary
3) We don't have to beg anyone to come to Illinois. Similar to 1, just offer all the best players available.
4) Do try to hire good recruiters to reel in 4 and 5 star talent, etc. Talent will show just how good the system is.
A
Complaints about BU: Recruit top recruits, but also have options available when those top recruits choose to go elsewhere...
BU strategy > Groce strategy...(Casey Kasem reach for the stars strategy)
As for the official visit worries...I would believe that BU/the Illini would have the power to choose who gets an OV and who does not get an OV.
Complaints about Groce: Chase after top recruits without a strong backup plan when they go elsewhere...
Complaints about BU: Recruit top recruits, but also have options available when those top recruits choose to go elsewhere...
BU strategy > Groce strategy...(Casey Kasem reach for the stars strategy)
As for the official visit worries...I would believe that BU/the Illini would have the power to choose who gets an OV and who does not get an OV.
Not even a little bit
JJB
- Chicago, IL
Meet Drew Timme, the quirky prospect who cloaked his recruitment and got 30 schools to chase him into late July
Hope Underwood's early relationship and style of offense pay dividends here. Timme would be a phenomenal get.
Not even close. Did you watch Trent Frazier highlights? They were much more impressive. I knew Trent was the real deal when I seen his tape. I was telling everyone at work last year before the students were on campus that Frazier was gonna be the best freshman in a while. Even with all of the Mark Smith hype i knew Frazier would be the real deal.
I'm sure you knew he was. Can you refer us back to your post with that proclamation so we can bathe in the light of your infinite wisdom?
Got a sick feeling in my gut when I saw Simeon expose M Smith in the state tourney. Still think M Smith would of had a solid career at Illinois by sticking to the plan. But speedy guards are likely to always get the best of him.
There has been some debate as to when the OVs begin again and how many. At least I think it was still being debated without a definite answer. Here is something from 247Sports Illini Inquirer article written by Derek Piper (part of his article about offering Braun which was cited here by Dan a few posts up).
"The Illini hope to get Whitney on campus for an official visit as well. Starting on Wednesday, they now have nine official visits to use during this recruiting calendar year, which runs from Aug. 1, 2018 to July 31, 2019."
He wrote the article Wednesday the 1st so I assume next Wednesday
"The Illini hope to get Whitney on campus for an official visit as well. Starting on Wednesday, they now have nine official visits to use during this recruiting calendar year, which runs from Aug. 1, 2018 to July 31, 2019."
He wrote the article Wednesday the 1st so I assume next Wednesday
t7nich
- Central IL
Yes. If I'm remembering correctly, his mother graduated from there (and played basketball I think). So there was some push from the family to go there. Certainly odd to pass up the full ride scholarships he was being offered elsewhere.
Who knows what the deal was, but Anthony Higgs looks like a much better player to me.
t7nich
- Central IL
For sure
I think he'll only be a walk-on for his first season and go on scholarship after that.
CAIllini
- West Coast
I agree I prefer BU's approach to Groce's over-confident and don't deliver approach. But the rest of the world seems to do the same things as BU, they just don't turn them into official offers. It's interesting to me is all, seemed to partially backfire a bit in year 1 with so many fall targets taking OV's then rejecting us, then some later like Okoro running out of OVs...but on the flip side of the coin it may have helped us by showing early love to a plan G recruit we needed to take in spring.
Wonder what the average number of outstanding offers per open scholarship ratio is in the BigTen / P5 conferences and how we stack up....
Not so sure that Braun offer was conmmitable after we got initial feedback that Higgs was interested.. Higgs is clearly the better of the 2 and iis BIG ready. Braun even admiitted that he was a redshirt candidate. Higgs was the right call.
Sorry, but the whole discussion of perceived recruiting strategies is nonsense. You are not going to outsystem some of the best coaches/programs let alone outrecruit some of the best coaches based on some magic recruiting strategy. None of our coaches failed because of failed strategies or not working hard. They failed because they could simply not get the talent. Either you can close or not, no matter what the strategy.
A little too early to say either way, don'tcha think? I mean, the kid is coming off his FRESHMAN high school season.
I don't need to prove anything to you man. All I'm saying is I told my dad and several others I thought he would be the best out of the class. I am an average fan that didn't even play basketball. I have however spent hours on end watching high school basketball highlights. Sorry you are offended pal.
Talent fits many, many systems. Players/athletes that "fit the style of play" is not descriptive at all, you can make a case for any recruit that he "fits our style of play." Especially when you recruit players like Parker Braun who is undersized but relatively quick (and fans make a case, before his decision, of how well he "fits our system") and then go out and recruit Adonis De La Rosa who is big but 300 pounds. Makes you wonder, who exactly does not fit our system? Certainly a very small group of players in a universe somewhere.
And then... they may all transfer next year.
Trent was not recruited by BU, neither was Black, or Kipper. And Dee, Deron, Luther, Augie, and Roger were not recruited by Weber. A clear indication that good, talented players fit may systems.
Top recruits really do not care about plan B, C, D, E, or F recruits anyway.
And then have no OV left... "all the best players available" is a HUGE group, vague, and not descriptive at all.
So we come back full circle, the ability to reel in 4 and 5 star players, and really "talent", who fits again many, many systems.
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