Marucs' blog breaks down 2010 recruits and chances of landing them

Donate To GopherHole
A couple weeks ago, I was tempted to post a topic about the lack of 2010 recurits, it seems like the Gophers can never get "ahead of the game" (ala tOSU) and start filling up classes in advance with commits from top ranked juniors/sophomores. That said, the recruiting has been excellent under Tubby and I see no reason why that will change. Personally, I wouldn't have been excited about a McCabe or Creekmur commitment. I doubt we would have see an ecstatic response on the board if either became a Gopher, so I don't think we should panic yet. What would be a mistake is taking borderline guys just because we have the scholarships available.
 

Let's not forget

When Barnes name was being thrown around as a serious recruit most folks wouldn't have given it a chance of hell in landing him. We're in the mix. It's not unreasonable to assume that we won't be with other higher profile 2010 recruits.
 

Johnny, any scuttlebutt on if/when they will offer Kreklow with Creekmur/McCabe off the board now? I would think he'd be the next logical offer and I hope they get after him hard.

Also, do you think they have a legit shot at Releford? Seems like he might want to stay in the Big12.
 

When Andy Kennedy was a high school All American going through the recruiting process he remarked that the two most lied about things in the world are sex and recruiting.

Head coaches are important but in 99% of the cases all the grunt work, the initial contacts and the building of relationships is done by the assistant coaches. They're the guys sending texts and making the phone calls, the ones going to the camps and high school games. They're the ones in charge of the recruiting databases and the mailing lists. The assistants are the ones who are supposed to know the AAU guys, the high school coaches and have all the contacts. Mediocre assistants will lead to mediocre recruiting.
 

The Truth said:
When Andy Kennedy was a high school All American going through the recruiting process he remarked that the two most lied about things in the world are sex and recruiting.

Head coaches are important but in 99% of the cases all the grunt work, the initial contacts and the building of relationships is done by the assistant coaches. They're the guys sending texts and making the phone calls, the ones going to the camps and high school games. They're the ones in charge of the recruiting databases and the mailing lists. The assistants are the ones who are supposed to know the AAU guys, the high school coaches and have all the contacts. Mediocre assistants will lead to mediocre recruiting.
Click to expand...

Don’t forget the alumni office checkbook. "The Truth", you are so predictable. I have a feeling that you are referring to Tubby’s assistants at UK???
 


Yep

I'm sure The Moron has overlooked the fact that those Tubby assistants (Hobbs, Hanson, Felton) signed Top 20 rated class in 2003, #1 rated class in 2004, #1 JuCo forward in 2005, Top 15 class in 2006, and was primed to sign Top 10 rated class in 2007 with Patterson and Lucas coming.
 

You start off with an Andy Kennedy quote from his high school playing days, you preface your remarks talking about 99% of college basketball and the entire focus of your statement is about the job assistant coaches do AND somehow that's about Tubby Smith.


Will one of you fella's please look up a fine mental health institution in your local area and receive some god damn help.
 

JohnnyGopher said:
Marcus is from hawaii. He is also more in the know on recruiting than people are giving him credit for. Marcus spent alot of time at both the Pulley and recently the Pump N Run tourny talking to alot of kids and coaches. I heard him say most of what was in that article last week and while I didn't fully agree with him that it was that bad, it's hard to disagree that with Creekmur and McCabe off the board and Jacob's grades so bad and none of the in state big men under strong consideration, it is a big mystery of where our first commit will come from. By the way, Taylor was the key to recruiting Joseph, not Saul.
Click to expand...

He may or may not know his recruiting. Johnny I'd trust you a lot more than him. That said, Marcus also does not seem to care much about the Gophers, his articles are often derisive. The fact that he puts a lot of mediocre programs above Tubby and the Gophers should say alot (Alabama? Colorado State?). I'm going to guess that some big recruits are scared away a bit by the present talent on the roster. Frankly, we don't have much room anymore for 2010 freshmen to get playing time. If we have a small class this year, it might be for the better for all team members.

If the Gophers can get a big name; better yet, a big name student athlete like Barnes, great; otherwise, there's not that much sense in filling up on mid-road guys who won't find much playing time for the next 2 years.
 

The Truth said:
You start off with an Andy Kennedy quote from his high school playing days, you preface your remarks talking about 99% of college basketball and the entire focus of your statement is about the job assistant coaches do AND somehow that's about Tubby Smith.


Will one of you fella's please look up a fine mental health institution in your local area and receive some god damn help.
Click to expand...

Yep, it SURE was about him. But you're wrong AGAIN.

Tubby and his staff signed two straight Top 15 to 20 rated classes at Georgia in 1996 and 1997, then Top 20 (or better) classes at Kentucky in 1998-99-2000-01-02-03-04 and 2006. Then he and his staff signed two straight Top 15 to 20 rated classes at Minnesota in 2008 and 2009.
 



The Truth said:
You start off with an Andy Kennedy quote from his high school playing days, you preface your remarks talking about 99% of college basketball and the entire focus of your statement is about the job assistant coaches do AND somehow that's about Tubby Smith.


Will one of you fella's please look up a fine mental health institution in your local area and receive some god damn help.
Click to expand...

Wow, so much aggression. Were you one of those fans on the stand who booed Shari Thomas and expected him to deliver the next day? Shari was such a great recruit. He even played for the Canadian national team. Unfortunately, he underwent that life-threatening surgery and never recovered fully. Some of these really ignorant fans at UK called for the kid’s head. Tubby did recruit well. Sometimes, things like this happen. I hope to god that your son would never go through what Shari did at UK. It is just a game. Let the hate for Tubby and his assistants go.
 

Back to the original topic, Gopher coaches are not in the same panic as the fans and think they are in pretty good shape with Kirk, if they miss on him, then they will look to big men who would be classified as projects like a Brown,Krueser or Mills. they will watch Brown play today against Kreklow and Releford. Cross Ziegler off the list, they are really down on him and another guard has entered the picture although the competition once again will make it very difficult. He's from Michigan and his father is a D 1 coach.
 

Thanks for the update Johnny, always appreciate your insight! I heard that too about Ziegler...saw a video interview where he listed about 10 schools and didn't mention us at all. I hope you are right with Kirk, he would be a very nice addition if we can land him.
 

JohnnyGopher said:
Cross Ziegler off the list, they are really down on him and another guard has entered the picture although the competition once again will make it very difficult. He's from Michigan and his father is a D 1 coach.
Click to expand...

They're not just getting in on McCallum now, are they? It seems like it would be too late to even bother.

Also, what's up with Zeigler? They just offered him. How can they suddenly be down on him?
 



Maurice Walker

JohnnyGopher said:
Back to the original topic, Gopher coaches are not in the same panic as the fans and think they are in pretty good shape with Kirk, if they miss on him, then they will look to big men who would be classified as projects like a Brown,Krueser or Mills. they will watch Brown play today against Kreklow and Releford. Cross Ziegler off the list, they are really down on him and another guard has entered the picture although the competition once again will make it very difficult. He's from Michigan and his father is a D 1 coach.
Click to expand...

I have no idea if Gophers are interested but 6-10 Maurice Walker (originally) from Toronto, now playing somewhere in USA, is a promising big man flying under the radar.
 



Thanks for ruining a perfectly good thread. You jackasses
 

Ray McCallum is a great kid and a very good player. He's been overshadowed a bit by more flashy prospects this summer in Knight, Irving, Selby and Joe Jackson but he's about as pure of a point guard as you'll find in his class. A lot of the PG prospects in this class have a score first mentality but McCallum seems to relish the role of floor leader from what I've seen and been told.
 


McCallum has a personal connection to a MN assistant so that may help get the Gophers in this late in the game. Ziegler just played bad recently when MN watched him and even though they we're a long shot to get him anyway, they have stopped recruiting him.

Kreklow didn't do himself any favors yesterday in two games in front of MN coaches including a courtside Tubby. Right now an offer isn't in the cards. Releford had a solid game. I guess Noreen also played well in front of Tubby so who knows if that might change there opinion of him.
 

Friend Of Tubby said:
Meeks chose his college because of the coach, not its name. He remained close to Tubby after he left.
Click to expand...

FOT - some of these guys (on this board) are pretty darn stubborn. Thanks for the info.
 

CollegeBBallFan said:
Some think that the 2010 class is not necessarily loaded with talent. Why take someone for the sake of filling a scholly unless it is understood that it's a year-to-year thing? A year might make a difference in the over-looked players and the Gophers will get more consideration with a great 2009-2010 season. Then there 's the option of carrying some schollies over to the 2011 class. Is Marcus from Minnesota? I wouldn't put him in charge of tourism.
Click to expand...
Good points.
We were concerned when Tubby did not come in and pull in a top player for his first year, many hoping he'd do a Calipari. I'm feeling good about the recruiting he did following that. If people are expecting that Tubby is going to recruit just like every other big name program (and yes we are a big name program now with him here) then I think there is a lack of understanding of why Tubby is here.

If we are going to "win the right way" which is the stated goal and ethics of Tubby and the AD and the institution itself, then there will be a fluctuation of incoming talent as there is a greater all over scrutiny. IMO: If a program is at the absolute top year after year, then there is a compromise in ethics somewhere. Why did Tubby come here? I think because he wanted a place where the drive to succeed didn't override reasonable ethical standards. AND I think that it is possible to have great success putting together an excellent team and a program outside of a dysfunctionally driven need to try to prove you have the biggest pee-pee every damn year. That kind of need to succeed creates its own kind of failure.
 

Moonlight said:
Good points.
We were concerned when Tubby did not come in and pull in a top player for his first year, many hoping he'd do a Calipari. I'm feeling good about the recruiting he did following that. If people are expecting that Tubby is going to recruit just like every other big name program (and yes we are a big name program now with him here) then I think there is a lack of understanding of why Tubby is here.

If we are going to "win the right way" which is the stated goal and ethics of Tubby and the AD and the institution itself, then there will be a fluctuation of incoming talent as there is a greater all over scrutiny. IMO: If a program is at the absolute top year after year, then there is a compromise in ethics somewhere. Why did Tubby come here? I think because he wanted a place where the drive to succeed didn't override reasonable ethical standards. AND I think that it is possible to have great success putting together an excellent team and a program outside of a dysfunctionally driven need to try to prove you have the biggest pee-pee every damn year. That kind of need to succeed creates its own kind of failure.
Click to expand...

VERY well stated!

Rarely does the biggest wee-wee (#1 recruiting class) actually win it all. Michigan State (EG) rarely has the #1 class but rather a series of Top 10 to 20 rated classes. No one has done better the past 10 years (1999 through 2009) with 5 FF appearances. UNC has 4 FF (closest in that timeframe).
 

Moonlight said:
Good points.
We were concerned when Tubby did not come in and pull in a top player for his first year, many hoping he'd do a Calipari. I'm feeling good about the recruiting he did following that. If people are expecting that Tubby is going to recruit just like every other big name program (and yes we are a big name program now with him here) then I think there is a lack of understanding of why Tubby is here.

If we are going to "win the right way" which is the stated goal and ethics of Tubby and the AD and the institution itself, then there will be a fluctuation of incoming talent as there is a greater all over scrutiny. IMO: If a program is at the absolute top year after year, then there is a compromise in ethics somewhere. Why did Tubby come here? I think because he wanted a place where the drive to succeed didn't override reasonable ethical standards. AND I think that it is possible to have great success putting together an excellent team and a program outside of a dysfunctionally driven need to try to prove you have the biggest pee-pee every damn year. That kind of need to succeed creates its own kind of failure.
Click to expand...

I totally disagree with every one of your points and they're factually incorrect for the most part but they are well stated.
 

From Rivals national guy Jerry Meyer

Head coaches from Tennessee, Arizona, UCLA, Oklahoma and Texas A&M made it out to watch Trevor Releford.


On McCallum..

#42 overall - Rivals (Profile)
#20 overall - ESPN (Profile)

-Jan
 


The Truth said:
I totally disagree with every one of your points and they're factually incorrect for the most part but they are well stated.
Click to expand...

Every single point made by the other poster is factually CORRECT. Only a Tubby Hater might disagree.
 

Plinnius said:
Would Tubby offer a player verbally committed to another school?
Click to expand...

No - but Tubby has signed players that de-committed from other schools. Todd Tackett in 1998. Kelenna Azubuike in 2002. Joe Crawford in 2004. Shagari Alleyne and Lukascz Obrzut in 2003. (Among others, probably).
 


Plinnius said:
Would Tubby offer a player verbally committed to another school?
Click to expand...

I bet he wouldn't have to, esp for an in state player. I would think if you were really interested in someone like Noreen, you just keep showing interest and ask him if he's solid, etc. Or you just send word through the grape vine that he'd get an offer if he de-committed.

I doubt we think Noreen is good enough to play those kinds of games with, though, even if we miss our other targets. We can always get a similar 3* hit-or-miss project who's not yet committed. Heck, last year, by the end of recruiting season, Dower was exploding and we needed a big man, and we still didn't try any funny business with him (at least the way it was reported ... and there seemed little doubt we'd be his first choice if we had gone after him hard).
 

You must log in or register to reply here.



Top Bottom