BB RECRUITING Regular signing period starts April 17, 2019

[dukewayne]

Tommy Gunn came to mind for me also. An outstanding example.

I kind of like the idea of prep school recruits. Still get 4 years of eligibility, and they have one more year of growth, maturity, and experience. At that age, one year can make a big difference.

 

[C-Bow]

Regardless, I still find it hard to believe that Lewis was #1 on our list considering our roster and our needs if we have a scholarship to give (Is it certain Farquhar's scholarship is available?).
I would clearly like to be a fly on the wall when the staff has recruiting meetings (something I wouldn't need to do if we had better media coverage)

Listen, he was the #1 guy. I don't know how much clearer I can say that other than he was the #1 guy. You win some, you lose some - but MT was all in on him because his skillset was a perfect match for McDevitt's system. Regardless of what the roster looks like at the position, they wanted him. If I were a betting man, Lewis was comparing depth charts pretty intensely.

Junior's scholarship is technically not available because he hasn't transferred anywhere...yet.

I'd recommend you take a gander over at Lightning's Lounge sometime - all of my recruiting news and notes go there for the most part -- in fact, I was the only one reporting that Junior had entered the portal and was the first to confirm Butler's departure as well. I'm also about to drop some 2020 intel and an update on where MT goes from here with 2019.

 

[MTFNBY5]

The NCAA website gives May 15th as the last day of the regular signing period for BkB. An online article from The Tennessean states that a commitment for another school has until May 15th sign.

Yet we all know of players who have been late signees up until when classes start (or possibly even until the last date to sign up for classes). Just what is the importance of the last day of a signing period and more importantly, can MT fans expect any recruiting news within the next 9 days?

 

[SpaceRaider]

As I understand, the signing period is for the NLI only, school and conference paper work is good after that, but the NLI is what excludes the recruit from going to another DI program. I'm sure Casey or someone else can correct me if I have that incorrect

 

[MTFNBY5]

Onto Demontay Dixon?

FWIW committed to Evansville

 

[sWiley]

Looks like we filled our last scholarship. It's a sit 1 play 2 deal. Talented kid, but not sure it's what we need at this point. I get the sense McDevitt is taking the best talent available at this point and just rolling with it.

Looking at the roster for the 19-20 season, It's hard to view it as anything but another throw away season. Not a single POY candidate on the roster or 1st team All CUSA selection. We will be a decent team and win a few decent OOC games and finish 3rd or 4th in the East.

The talent just isn't there and losing Jr. makes it that much worse. He really had the potential to be a world of a player if he could find his 3 pt. shot in games, which I feel he eventually would have. Starting to make sense why all the big programs gave up on him. The knee is as bad as they thought.

 

[MTFNBY5]

I said early last season that I would give McDevitt until the beginning of 2020 after the '20 early signing period and after next year's pre-conference schedule to start making any judgements on what his tenure will bring but early results are mixed.
No doubt last years team made tremendous strides especially considering the lack of depth and that we always had one or more perimeter players on the floor with limited offensive skills. Conversely, the recruiting of McDevitt's first full class is puzzling. No doubt several potentially good players were signed but we are entering next season with only two players who have typical size for the inside positions. One of these is a freshman and the other is coming off of an injury and his offensive skills are perimeter oriented.
We have to hope that Scurry and several of the other players in the 6'5" - 6'6" range can play "big" for a successful season next year. Such lack of size may work in the A-Sun or the Big South but I have my doubts as to it flourishing in C-USA. I will be concerned if next year's class doesn't emphasize signing "Bigs".

 

[crposton]

“Bigs” will never be an emphasis. Probably 1-2 per class at the most.

 

[sWiley]

“Bigs” will never be an emphasis. Probably 1-2 per class at the most.

I don't really even care what position the players play that we sign I trust the coaches to sign enough big, small, or tall players etc. for their system. I just want to see talented players on the court, period.

What are our conference brethren signing? It's hard to ignore the players WKU is bringing in 100 miles up north. And people can talk all they want about how they've underachieved, but there will come a point where they will have so much talent it won't matter if Ronald McDonald is their coach on gamedays they will still beat us like a drum.

 

[MTFNBY5]

FWIW Butler to Southern Indiana.

 

[crposton]

I don't really even care what position the players play that we sign I trust the coaches to sign enough big, small, or tall players etc. for their system. I just want to see talented players on the court, period.

What are our conference brethren signing? It's hard to ignore the players WKU is bringing in 100 miles up north. And people can talk all they want about how they've underachieved, but there will come a point where they will have so much talent it won't matter if Ronald McDonald is their coach on gamedays they will still beat us like a drum.

Oh I agree with talented players, but we do need some with at least a little size. I am not as worried about our forwards this year as many are. That is as long as Jackson and Millner can contribute right away.

 

[dukewayne]

Looks like they have finally started to update the roster over on the official MT site. I'm guessing the updated additions are for players who are already on campus because only one new player is added. Eli Lawrence is the lone new player on the roster with the returning players. I imagine sometime in June, the rest of the new recruits will start showing up.

 

[dukewayne]

Oh, by the way, Junior Farquhar is no longer on the roster.

If my calculations are accurate, it looks like CNM has his 13 with 2 of those sitting out the transfer year.

 

[SpaceRaider]

FWIW Butler to Southern Indiana.

https://www.courierpress.com/story/...asketballs-latest-former-d-player/3743328002/

 

[mtfblue]

Simmons there also.

 

[blueraiderJT]

We were ranked in the top 25 a little over a year ago and now we can't even bring in players who are going to D2. SMH. I shut my mouth last season but it still feels like CMD doesn't know what he's doing on this level. Gonna be another long year.

 

[MTFNBY5]

Who knows how it plays out but a cursory look at our conference foes signing classes reveals that several have signed taller players. How Tyson Jackson does early is crucial IMHO.

With an additional season to get "in on" recruits it's hoped that the replacements next year (hopefully in the early signing period) for Scurry and Green (the only 2 at this time) will bring just a little more size along with increased excitement and hope.

My fear is that no matter how well McDevitt does with big perimeter players and undersized posts MT men's BkB languishes in $#&-major purgatory for decades as we did during the Farrar, Weil, and early Davis tenures.

 

[MT-PAIN]

I think you are right. So close to a power but gone in an instant.

Who knows how it plays out but a cursory look at our conference foes signing classes reveals that several have signed taller players. How Tyson Jackson does early is crucial IMHO.

With an additional season to get "in on" recruits it's hoped that the replacements next year (hopefully in the early signing period) for Scurry and Green (the only 2 at this time) will bring just a little more size along with increased excitement and hope.

My fear is that no matter how well McDevitt does with big perimeter players and undersized posts MT men's BkB languishes in $#&-major purgatory for decades as we did during the Farrar, Weil, and early Davis tenures.

 

[Blueraider_Mike]

Talk about goal inflation...we were never really close to a power team. We won 2 first round games. Its not like we went on a run in the NCAA tourney. We had some nice teams but they were not sustainable.

Give CNM some time, we gave CKD over 10 years and Davis had a way better team his first year.

Its going to take about 3-4 years just to get the roster right.

 

[MTFNBY5]

Talk about goal inflation...we were never really close to a power team. We won 2 first round games. Its not like we went on a run in the NCAA tourney. We had some nice teams but they were not sustainable.

Give CNM some time, we gave CKD over 10 years and Davis had a way better team his first year.

Its going to take about 3-4 years just to get the roster right.

Mike: I think it depends upon your definitions of "really close" and "power team". Davis kept talking about the goal of MT becoming a "national team" also for which there is no clear definition.
MT had been among the top two or three in-state teams for several years, even ranked highest one year IIRC. (yes the big three were all down during our best years) Sustainable? We won what at the time was arguably the biggest upset in NCAA tourney history, didn't fall off the map but instead followed up the next year with another upset, and then had possibly the best team the next year until the wheels fell off.
Fifteen months ago we were ranked for the first time ever, several pundits had said we were built "for a deep NCAA run", had the best three man freshman class ever signed; and then, and then . . . We run into a Marshall team on a roll for Sr. night, rumors of Davis leaving surface, and we lose it all by closing the season 1-3 (The only win a blowout victory over a good Vermont squad in Davis', Potts', etc Murphy Ctr. farewell).
I don't think any of us can definitively state with certainty just how close MT was to being a respected program, regardless of what you call it. And now MT's men's BkB program is just another mid-pack in-state %$&-major far behind the three "power" schools, Belmont, Lipscomb and possibly others. It's easy for a %$&-major BkB program to fall off the cliff after success, it is very hard for such a program to rebound quickly, if ever.

 

[dukewayne]

On expectations for the upcoming season, I'm hoping to see continued growth and improvement. Oh, sure, I'd like to see championships. Realistically, MT is still another year or two away from seriously contending for or winning any conference championships.

This upcoming season would match expectations with a decent-to-good season if:

MT finishes with an overall winning season, north of .500

MT at least finishes in the middle tier in conference with a shot at the top 4 slots in conference play. Finishing in 4th or even 3rd in conference would be pretty good improvement year to year, in my opinion.

The players and team as a whole demonstrate continued improvement, team cohesion, skill development, toughness, and that same do not quit attitude that they demonstrated last year.

The new players are integrated well into the team.

Some positive hopeful signs show up in the early signing period in Nov.

Obviously, this is all based on my subjective opinion. It is my opinion that the above markers would still be a pretty good indication that the program is growing, developing, and improving from what was essentially starting all over again before last season.

Of course, seeing the new season's schedule would help with more accurately and specifically identifying reasonable and achievable expectations.

 

[dukewayne]

Speaking of 3-4 years to make the roster right, it looks like MT will have only 2 seniors this season. Ideally a handful of seniors is a good sign for an upcoming season, but it is actually encouraging that MT has a roster full of young talent. Helps add some optimism for overall growth and the future.

Typically when a team is rebuilding particularly with a bunch of new players and freshman, it is those freshman's Jr or 3rd year when they breakout and make a bunch of noise. It could be argued if last year or this year is that freshman class. Either way, it would seem MT could be back competing for the top of the conference in the next 2-3 years. Showing some improvement and development again this year will help with momentum and the fans for the following year.

As it looks right now, MT will only have 2 slots to sign for next year. Although the recent trend in college basketball would suggest that one or two of the new players will leave by this time next year. Still, only having to replace 2 seniors is pretty impressive for building the team into the future. If MT does lose a player or two, hopefully it will be for a player or two who just didn't fit in that well or contribute too much. MT has been pretty fortunate in that regard recently it would seem.

 

[dukewayne]

MT is still too lean in the frontcourt for my liking, but that is just my personal hangup for wanting to see a certain type of balanced roster. I'm certainly willing to cut CNM some slack on the types or sizes of players he recruits that he believes will best match his overall philosophy and style. I'm willing to see where CNM is going to take things with his approach.

Last year, it seemed that MT was lacking size particularly in the frontcourt. For all of last year's team struggles, rebounding did not appear to be one of those problems. Being small in the frontcourt would have seemed to suggest that the team would have struggled with rebounds, yet that did not appear to be the case. That is just one example of why I'm willing to give CNM an opportunity to show what he can do with a lineup of tall lengthy versatile wing type players.

By the way, it's not looking good for football when basketball is the only thing worth discussing during the summer.

 

[Blueraider_Mike]

Mike: I think it depends upon your definitions of "really close" and "power team". Davis kept talking about the goal of MT becoming a "national team" also for which there is no clear definition.
MT had been among the top two or three in-state teams for several years, even ranked highest one year IIRC. (yes the big three were all down during our best years) Sustainable? We won what at the time was arguably the biggest upset in NCAA tourney history, didn't fall off the map but instead followed up the next year with another upset, and then had possibly the best team the next year until the wheels fell off.
Fifteen months ago we were ranked for the first time ever, several pundits had said we were built "for a deep NCAA run", had the best three man freshman class ever signed; and then, and then . . . We run into a Marshall team on a roll for Sr. night, rumors of Davis leaving surface, and we lose it all by closing the season 1-3 (The only win a blowout victory over a good Vermont squad in Davis', Potts', etc Murphy Ctr. farewell).
I don't think any of us can definitively state with certainty just how close MT was to being a respected program, regardless of what you call it. And now MT's men's BkB program is just another mid-pack in-state %$&-major far behind the three "power" schools, Belmont, Lipscomb and possibly others. It's easy for a %$&-major BkB program to fall off the cliff after success, it is very hard for such a program to rebound quickly, if ever.

It is easy, especially when you rely on one year players to get you over the top. The roster was decimated...have you forgotten how much better we played in our last 10 games? We improved with a rag-tag roster. Have some hope and be patient. Remember it took Davis 10 years to have a really good team.

 

[MTFNBY5]

Not quite following your first sentence but, as I have stated on this board several times, I agree with your assessment on the improvement made last year during the season. Nothing short of amazing considering the pieces the staff had to work with.

While there is hope for the future I will stand by my belief that for a %$&-major it's extremely hard to reach respectability, easy to lose it, and the climb back up is no easier because of past success. The list of %$&-major programs which have gained national notoriety and disappeared is long.

That is why I am so concerned about our precipitous fall from respectability. It's happened before at MT after Bruce Stewart and I've lived through 20 +/- years of mediocrity. It's not fun.

 

[Blueraider_Mike]

Not quite following your first sentence but, as I have stated on this board several times, I agree with your assessment on the improvement made last year during the season. Nothing short of amazing considering the pieces the staff had to work with.

While there is hope for the future I will stand by my belief that for a %$&-major it's extremely hard to reach respectability, easy to lose it, and the climb back up is no easier because of past success. The list of %$&-major programs which have gained national notoriety and disappeared is long.

That is why I am so concerned about our precipitous fall from respectability. It's happened before at MT after Bruce Stewart and I've lived through 20 +/- years of mediocrity. It's not fun.

The first sentence - CKD did not develop a program that was sustainable, he was not a good recruiter, but he did find a few diamonds in the rough...half of that 20 years of mediocrity CKD led the program. He built noting. He's gone, the program basically is starting over.

 

[blueboro007]

The first sentence - CKD did not develop a program that was sustainable, he was not a good recruiter, but he did find a few diamonds in the rough...half of that 20 years of mediocrity CKD led the program. He built noting. He's gone, the program basically is starting over.

I remember a few people on this board about 2/3 of the way into the KD era said they would never go to a game again as long as he was coach and until/unless they went to the NCAA. You know who you are!

 

[MTLynn]

Kermit won at a high level for a few years. Nick is a proven head coach taking over a good program... this is a completely different situation than Farrar walked into.

If Nick was unproven, like Stockstill, I would have my doubts but he has a track record as a successful recruiter and head coach at a non power school.

 

[bluefutcpa]

I think we are good with Nick. I’m not counting last year as his first. For me the clock starts this year.

 

[sWiley]

If he can do what he did at Asheville here, I think we'll be OK.

I'm just not sure he can. CUSA is a much stiffer league and he doesn't seem to be wowing the recruits yet. At some point he's gonna have to start signing some big time talent, whether it be transfers, graduate transfers, high schoolers, junior college, etc.

 

[blueraiderJT]

If he can do what he did at Asheville here, I think we'll be OK.

I'm just not sure he can. CUSA is a much stiffer league and he doesn't seem to be wowing the recruits yet. At some point he's gonna have to start signing some big time talent, whether it be transfers, graduate transfers, high schoolers, junior college, etc.

Exactly. It's apples and bowling balls. He's trying to get the same type of talent he did at his former job. WKU is getting 4-5 star players. Even Kermit got P5 transfers in. I don't think he will succeed here but I'm gonna cool it on that. I hope he does. It's gonna be a long road. It was with Kermit but he had us winning more than he lost a lot sooner than CMD will.

 

[blueboro007]

Exactly. It's apples and bowling balls. He's trying to get the same type of talent he did at his former job. WKU is getting 4-5 star players. Even Kermit got P5 transfers in. I don't think he will succeed here but I'm gonna cool it on that. I hope he does. It's gonna be a long road. It was with Kermit but he had us winning more than he lost a lot sooner than CMD will.

Unlike STAINSbury we don't pay players though. Plus he can't coach his way out of a paper bag.

 

[bluefutcpa]

Unlike STAINSbury we don't pay players though. Plus he can't coach his way out of a paper bag.

may be we should instead of paying an AD

 

[crposton]

Exactly. It's apples and bowling balls. He's trying to get the same type of talent he did at his former job. WKU is getting 4-5 star players. Even Kermit got P5 transfers in. I don't think he will succeed here but I'm gonna cool it on that. I hope he does. It's gonna be a long road. It was with Kermit but he had us winning more than he lost a lot sooner than CMD will.

I think getting the same type of talent is just fine. Since 2015-16 here are some of the players that transferred from UNC-Asheville to major schools.
Andrew Rowsey - Marquette
Dylan Smith - Arizona
Dwayne Sutton - Louisville
Jonathan Baehre - Clemson
MaCio Teague - Baylor
I think if he can bring in talent like that and keep them here we will be just fine. I do not get hung up on star ratings, but I think he will be able to land some 4* recruits sooner than later.

 

[MTBig Blue]

I think getting the same type of talent is just fine. Since 2015-16 here are some of the players that transferred from UNC-Asheville to major schools.
Andrew Rowsey - Marquette
Dylan Smith - Arizona
Dwayne Sutton - Louisville
Jonathan Baehre - Clemson
MaCio Teague - Baylor
I think if he can bring in talent like that and keep them here we will be just fine. I do not get hung up on star ratings, but I think he will be able to land some 4* recruits sooner than later.

Don't forget about Keith Hornsby. He played his first two years at Asheville, then transferred to LSU where he started 52 of 53 games in two years.

 

[kingaling42]

Don't forget about Keith Hornsby. He played his first two years at Asheville, then transferred to LSU where he started 52 of 53 games in two years.

For those worried about the talent level it should be noted that every guy on that list except one (Smith) was a 2-star level talent in the useless recruiting service ratings... Interestingly Dylan Smith (the highest ranked recruit UNCA ever had) has had the least impressive results since transferring... what should be more notable is that every guy on that list have been significant contributors and every guy has been a starter for those larger programs.. these weren't studs at UNCA that left and were simply relegated to the bench/practice players at P5 programs- all of these guys would be All-CUSA performers despite their 2/2.5-star ratings in HS..

Hornsby- 2 year starter for LSU as noted; plays for Mavs Legends G-League team currently
Rowsey- 2 time All-Big East selection; Big East 6th Man of the Year his junior year; all Big East honorable mention team his senior year; started 41 of 67 games, averaged 20.5 pts and 4.8 assists/game his senior year
Sutton- started every game this last year as a junior for L'ville; at "only" 6'5" had 7 games this year with double figure rebounds; 4 games with 9 boards
Smith- has had ups/downs at 'Zona with the increased pressure but has started in 23 of 64 games.
Teague (Baylor) and Baehre (Clemson) are eligible this year, although Baehre tore his ACL last week in workouts so I'm guessing that is going to significantly impact this entire year for him.

 

[sWiley]

Can he replicate that success? I doubt even Nick thought at the time of signing that some of those players would be that good. Guess we'll see. I hope he can. I still like our chances of striking gold by signing the more highly rated players.

 

[MTFNBY5]

kingaling42: ". . . in the useless recruiting service ratings" I accept that the ratings are not as helpful at our level (primarily 2 star level which can be anything from a breathing high school player to a low %$&-major prospect - that's why offer lists are helpful). Ratings are much more predictive at the "power" level and even more so at the "elite" 5-star, one-and-done level.

That said, not defending him but Davis did have a few high school recruits who were 2-star rated but became really productive players. One difference from McDevitt is that Davis never had a high school player who exploded early in his career and then moved "up". How that plays out should McDevitt have such a player at MT is still in question but hopefully the differences in the schools, programs, conferences and locations which have been discussed previously by kingaling42 will prevent wholesale transfers of players with high upside.

On to the question at hand -
MT has four 2 star players presently expected to be on the roster next year which McDevitt signed in his first two classes: Johnson, Crump, Millin, & Lawrence (Jackson is 3 star rated by ESPN). A question for those of you who have studied the players more closely. Since McDevitt has had success with 2 star high schoolers becoming all-conference type players early in their careers (and attractive to higher profile programs) which of the four on our current roster has the the best chance of "blowing up" next year?

 

[crposton]

Hard to say since we have not seen Crump, Millin, or Lawrence play in college. I think if Jayce can develop a shot he can be really good. I really think he reminds me of Perrin Buford.

 

[crposton]

I will say all of those players are guards who are 6’5” or taller