The commitment by Joan Duran once again makes my wonder what our philosophy is regarding recruiting. We are seriously planning to sign a player whose only firm offer was from a JUCO (Eastern Florida) and who was recruited by Belmont and Lipscomb (the only D-1 schools mentioned) but not offered. WTF????
First, admittedly the last four or five years Davis' recruiting has brought us much success on the court and only a few of the recruits have been a miss. For that I am thankful.
Second, we must realize that with two seniors and two signed in the early period any players we sign in the late period will make us oversigned. The only players who, IMHO, would be candidates for a transfer out would be Habbersham and Jones (surprised he got PT last game). If each additional player we sign brings us over the limit it makes sense that such players should bring a lot to the table. Duran doesn't seem to fit this criteria.
Third, anyone who looks at our roster and has seen us play this year would say that our most pressing need for next year will be "Bigs" who can immediately help. I hope the 6'-9" Gamble and the 6'-7" JUCO Coleman will be the answer but if we are going to oversign it would seem we would want one more inside player who, along with the freshmen guards could go a long way to insuring continued success.
Fourth, according to Verbalcommits.com we have offers out to 6 JUCOs (including a PG we offered only last week - Seriously??? - we need a PG to go with the two freshmen we have now?), and thirteen high schoolers including Giddy Potts bro. as a SF and four Power forwards - not "in on" any true Centers for next year. A couple of the PFs are reasonably highly rated and to this outsider would be our prime targets.
I realize recruiting is a gamble, that recruiting as a $#&-major is different than "power" schools, that wasting time going after players you know you can't get is counterproductive, and that a %$&-major has to take a really high-quality player who accepts an offer even if his position is seemingly already filled on the roster. I get all of that.
But I don't get what our recruiting philosophy is. To this outsider it seems to be: Offer to any players you can get "in on" who might help the program and sign the first ones who accept the offer. A shotgun approach. I just don't get it!
First, admittedly the last four or five years Davis' recruiting has brought us much success on the court and only a few of the recruits have been a miss. For that I am thankful.
Second, we must realize that with two seniors and two signed in the early period any players we sign in the late period will make us oversigned. The only players who, IMHO, would be candidates for a transfer out would be Habbersham and Jones (surprised he got PT last game). If each additional player we sign brings us over the limit it makes sense that such players should bring a lot to the table. Duran doesn't seem to fit this criteria.
Third, anyone who looks at our roster and has seen us play this year would say that our most pressing need for next year will be "Bigs" who can immediately help. I hope the 6'-9" Gamble and the 6'-7" JUCO Coleman will be the answer but if we are going to oversign it would seem we would want one more inside player who, along with the freshmen guards could go a long way to insuring continued success.
Fourth, according to Verbalcommits.com we have offers out to 6 JUCOs (including a PG we offered only last week - Seriously??? - we need a PG to go with the two freshmen we have now?), and thirteen high schoolers including Giddy Potts bro. as a SF and four Power forwards - not "in on" any true Centers for next year. A couple of the PFs are reasonably highly rated and to this outsider would be our prime targets.
I realize recruiting is a gamble, that recruiting as a $#&-major is different than "power" schools, that wasting time going after players you know you can't get is counterproductive, and that a %$&-major has to take a really high-quality player who accepts an offer even if his position is seemingly already filled on the roster. I get all of that.
But I don't get what our recruiting philosophy is. To this outsider it seems to be: Offer to any players you can get "in on" who might help the program and sign the first ones who accept the offer. A shotgun approach. I just don't get it!
