WIU lets Coach Thomas go

[tornado]

WIU's best recruit, 6-9 Josh Harrelson, wants out since the coaching change,
but WIU won't release him...
He is very highly rated and Kentucky wants him...

http://www.stltoday.com/stltoday/sports/columnists.nsf/berniemiklasz/story/148B4747AB3D3FC38625741B0010B705?OpenDocument

http://jucojunction.rivals.com/viewprospect.asp?pr_key=59073&sport=2

http://jucojunction.rivals.com/content.asp?cid=784856

This morning the Louisville Courier-Journal reports that WIU big man Josh Harrellson has obtained his release and can reopen his recruiting.
Kentucky is after him as are a couple other programs.

http://www.courier-journal.com/blogs/demling/blog.html

[patrick_o'brian]

This guy lookis like he may have been one of the most dominate big men Western has ever had? This is a huge loss for them. It's kinda funny for me at least that after he gets his release a plethora of BCS teams are chasing after him. I mean look at that list: Kentucky, Indiana, Iowa, Iowa St.? THat was a huge get for Coach Thomas.

[tornado]

The released WIU recruit, Josh Harrellson is picking up BIG TIME offers at an amazing pace..

A new scout article says Indiana is in on him as Tom Crean is offering immediate playing time as a huge lure...

BUT--- the story says that WIU is NOT giving Harrellson an unlimited release....they have required Harrelson to sumbit a list of schools that he would like to be released to and WIU will decide....wow...

"According to Harrington (Jay Harrington, the juco coach at SWIC), Western Illinois won??™t grant Harrellson a blanket release, which would free him to go to any school. Instead, the WIU athletic director is having him submit a list of schools, and he will then decide which ones he would release Harrellson to attend. It??™s unclear what criteria WIU would use to make that decision, although it might scratch a school that is either in their conference or on a future schedule.
After WIU okays certain programs, those various schools??™ compliance officers must call Western Illinois??™ compliance officer before they can start recruiting him. There??™s also a recruiting dead period to deal with, which ends next Friday (April 11).
As of Thursday night, the list Harrellson was expected to submit was Indiana, Illinois, Ohio State, Purdue, Kentucky, Iowa, Iowa State and St. Louis.
???He might submit more than that and see what happens,??? Harrington said..."

http://indiana.scout.com/2/743646.html

[2bradleyfans]

I think it is silly that Western wont give him a blanket release. With how good he is reported to be and all these BCS shools after him its not like he is going to snub Western to go to a rival Summit League School.

Off topic, but I would say that the Summit League has just one Marquee program with widespread name recognition, Oral Roberts.

[MacabreMob]

I am just wondering about the non-blanket release thing.

Maybe WIU suspects foul play from 1 or 2 schools... and they will not allow him to transfer to one of the suspected schools.

[tornado]

More on Harrelson, and he snubs WIU.....

http://indiana.scout.com/2/744249.html

"Harrellson originally signed with Western Illinois during his senior season at
St. Charles (Mo.) High school. But after playing against some players headed
to major conference schools such as Louisville, he began to question his decision.
“I was like, ‘these kids are no better than I am, so why are they going here
and I’m going there?’” Harrellson said."

"there" is WIU.... and the obvious answer to the kid's question is because you signed an agreement to do so, remember?
It's a little thing called the LOI.

[tornado]

Harrelson's recruiting is really hot, as he is one of the few remaining big men that appear to have the potential the BCS guys want.

Harrelson is 6-9, 270 (a little over his ideal, lean wt.)

Here are a few comments from another premium story today-

"He was just released about five days ago... "He has what they call a partial release."

"Anyone that has wanted to speak with him has had to have their compliance officer call the compliance officer at Western Illinois and then Western Illinois has given them either a yes or no," said Harrington.

The coach says Western Illinois has been given the list of what appears to be his final list of eight schools. That includes Indiana as well as Kentucky, Purdue, Missouri, St. Louis, Iowa, Iowa State and Ohio State.

"We turned down Washington State, Nebraska called today, Gonzaga called yesterday. Everybody could be in on him. My understanding is there is just not a lot of premier big guys left in the country."
"He is mobile, great hands. Medium range shooting ability but better in the post. He didn't have a lot of great work ethic and I think we have sort of turned him around."

This winter Harrellson averaged about 15 points and eight rebounds per game for the Blue Storm. (SWIC, Harrelson's junior college)

Narrowing things down from the eight finalists won't be easy for Harrellson.

"He has committed to at least two visits," said Harrington. "That means three might have to be told no. But for right now I know he is going to visit Kentucky and St. Louis. He may have some other visits that he is trying to set up."


14.8 point/8 rebounds at Southwest Illinois College (junior college)
This is roughly equal to Matt Salley's juco stats.

[tornado]

Now Harrelson has narrowed to Kentucky and Saint Louis, and will decide soon.

http://indiana.rivals.com/content.asp?CID=801986

"It's even between them now. Both coaches are great, so I feel good about
that, either way. Distance is a factor. Size and exposure is a factor. I like the
smaller campus and class sizes at Saint Louis. I like the size of the program
and the great exposure at Kentucky. I mean, who wouldn't want to play for
Kentucky? But I'm looking at everything, basketball and school. They kind of
contradict each other."

Harrellson, who originally signed with Western Illinois before going to SIC,
averaged 15 points and eight rebounds as a freshman to establish himself as
a major recruiting target. Programs such as Indiana, Iowa, Iowa State,
Missouri, Ohio State and Purdue also were involved in his recruitment before
he trimmed his list to the Wildcats and Billikens."