Ranking of Top 20 recruiting Classes of 2007

[collegehoopjunkie]

Per Dave Telep

http://scout.scout.com/a.z?s=167&p=9&cfg=bb&c=14&yr=2007

No Valley teams, but DePaul is on there

1. Kansas State
2. Syracuse
3. Duke
4. Purdue
5. Michigan State
6. Arizona
7. Ohio State
8. Indiana
9. Florida
10. Georgetown
11. Memphis
12. Virginia Tech
13. UCLA
14. Texas
15. Arizona State
16. DePaul
17. Michigan
18. South Carolina
19. Florida State
20. Wake Forest
21. Villanova
22. LSU
23. Saint John's (NY)
24. Georgia Tech
25. Oklahoma

[BradleyBrave]

I will take my chances with BU's class against some of those.

[Braves4Life]

Superstars

Sometimes when all you recruit are superstars it is impossible to fit all the pieces into a puzzle. That's why countless number of teams underachieve and coaches get fired.

I've always preferred and appreciated the way BU and other mid-majors have to go about it. Try to find hungry kids who are good, smart and under-appreciated and bring them in with an assigned role. If the coach finds the right pieces, can coach and motivate, these teams can compete and beat the superstars in a one-game-showdown (ala NCAA Tourney).

Don't tell me how this or that top mid-major could not compete in the ACC or B-10 -- They are not in the ACC or B-10! If they were they would have more top 100 "superstars" and it would be a different story! Bring an ACC or B-10 team into the MVC or another mid-major conference and they would be an entirely different team; much fewer superstars. It's sad that it's this way but that's the way the networks and Billy Packer announcers have made it. And, that's the way they want (and need) to keep it$$$$$$$ Watching the ACC, Big East, B-10, etc... is like watching the NBA. Me, me, me, me, me..... You can't compare apples to oranges.

However, as I said, put BU or another good mid-major in a one game showdown and they can win (BU over KU & Pitt; Wichita St, George Mason, Gonzaga, etc....................)

[BradleyBrave]

Re: Superstars

Sometimes when all you recruit are superstars it is impossible to fit all the pieces into a puzzle. That's why countless number of teams underachieve and coaches get fired.

I've always preferred and appreciated the way BU and other mid-majors have to go about it. Try to find hungry kids who are good, smart and under-appreciated and bring them in with an assigned role. If the coach finds the right pieces, can coach and motivate, these teams can compete and beat the superstars in a one-game-showdown (ala NCAA Tourney).

Don't tell me how this or that top mid-major could not compete in the ACC or B-10 -- They are not in the ACC or B-10! If they were they would have more top 100 "superstars" and it would be a different story! Bring an ACC or B-10 team into the MVC or another mid-major conference and they would be an entirely different team; much fewer superstars. It's sad that it's this way but that's the way the networks and Billy Packer announcers have made it. And, that's the way they want (and need) to keep it$$$$$$$ Watching the ACC, Big East, B-10, etc... is like watching the NBA. Me, me, me, me, me..... You can't compare apples to oranges.

However, as I said, put BU or another good mid-major in a one game showdown and they can win (BU over KU & Pitt; Wichita St, George Mason, Gonzaga, etc....................)

Billy Donovan did an entire shift in philosophy after a number of disappointing seasons ended in NCAA failure with teams of McDonald's All-Americans. Donovan decided that he wasn't going to just recruit the McDonald's kids anymore, but was going to look more for kids who fit roles and addressed areas where Florida was lacking. Low and behold 2 years later, Billy Donovan won a national championship. Now, of course at Florida you're still looking at a lot of Top 100 kids, but it is a different philosophy than recruiting all top 20 kids who have nothing but themselves on their mind. The results speak for themselves, and I personally have gained a lot of respect for Donovan for taking that approach.

[Braves4Life]

Donovan

Donovan learned from the master. Rick Pitino, IMO, is one of the most under-rated college coaches out there; jumping to the NBA destroyed his legacy. You should be hearing Pitino in the same breath as Coach K, Roy W., Self, Sampson, Boheim, Calhoun, etc... but you don't.

In a one game college showdown, with time to prepare your team, I'll take Pitino any day!

[squeaky]

Re: Superstars

Don't tell me how this or that top mid-major could not compete in the ACC or B-10 -- They are not in the ACC or B-10! If they were they would have more top 100 "superstars" and it would be a different story! Bring an ACC or B-10 team into the MVC or another mid-major conference and they would be an entirely different team; much fewer superstars. It's sad that it's this way but that's the way the networks and Billy Packer announcers have made it.

I agree.
Depaul now is a good example of this. They have not been able to land top 50-100 players for a long time, and jerry Wainwright has never been a great recruiter. but suddenly this year they have landed several top recruits. The reason clearly is the switch to the Big East. Now with national TV coverage, these high ranking, me-first recruits see DePaul as their stepping stone to the NBA.

[MacabreMob]

Re: Ranking of Top 20 recruiting Classes of 2007

4. Purdue
5. Michigan State
7. Ohio State
8. Indiana
16. DePaul
17. Michigan

Hmmmm.....

Without UIUC on this list, and 5 B10 schools and an In-State school.... could the Illini be looking forward to mediocrity (instead of maintaining an "elite" status from the Championship game in '05)?

[BUBraves06]

Re: Ranking of Top 20 recruiting Classes of 2007

4. Purdue
5. Michigan State
7. Ohio State
8. Indiana
16. DePaul
17. Michigan

Hmmmm.....

Without UIUC on this list, and 5 B10 schools and an In-State school.... could the Illini be looking forward to mediocrity (instead of maintaining an "elite" status from the Championship game in '05)?

Looking for something to make your day MM?

[BradleyBrave]

Re: Ranking of Top 20 recruiting Classes of 2007

4. Purdue
5. Michigan State
7. Ohio State
8. Indiana
16. DePaul
17. Michigan

Hmmmm.....

Without UIUC on this list, and 5 B10 schools and an In-State school.... could the Illini be looking forward to mediocrity (instead of maintaining an "elite" status from the Championship game in '05)?

Yes. Illinois and Bruce Weber are getting circles run around them recruiting-wise.