How many players has Heath missed on?

[bigred7987]

We all know Heath is a great recruiter, He landed Beverly in a big fight with Michigan, landed Brewer and Steven Hill from Kansas.  He got 5 star Olu even though he flopped.  Also beat out Ga Tech for Cyrus McGowan and landed Al Jefferson even though he went pro. 
So I was wondering who did Heath get in a battle for and lose out on?  I would say the 2006 class would be Thaddeus Young who told everyone he was coming then went to Georgia Tech.  Any others?  Point of thinking about this is how much we have put towards James Anderson and it seems as though everytime we have put that much effort into a recruit, we usually get him.

[return2glory]

Willie Kemp, Daniel Gibson, Kyle Lowry, Denis Clemente. Those are some guys that I think we were hot and heavy on and didn't end up coming here. Conley, Oden, Niles, Chism, we were on those guys to some extent. I think we were probably in the top three at least for the first four mentioned though.

Guess you could throw Ravern Johnson in there as well, even though he hasn't officially signed with MSU.

[scdundee]

Chris Lofton

[bigred7987]

We never went after Chism and Niles because they were long shots to qualify at a position we were fortified at.  I saw him at Tennessee state tournament, actually sat two seats over from me and I didn't realize it was him for a minute.  Said he liked them but doubted we would sign either.  Niles was memphis all the way and Chism favored UT throughout.   
Willie Kemp, we lost out to his moms health, there was no winning that battle because he was going to stay near his sick mom since she doesn't have that much time left.  I'm from TN so more informed about those prospects compared to others
We pursued Thaddeus Young alot harder than those guys...

[mbgrulz]

THAD YOUNG. he was all but ours, but that one can be attributed to some foul play by your typical memphis scum.

[bigred7987]

Yeah commercial appeal was slinging mud in that fight.  Thad's Athletic director/Pastor at Mitchell said it came down to big city of Atlansas vs. Fayetteville and he liked Atlanta better so take that for what its worth.
If he has a good year this year though, he is likely gone so Sonny could end up being the better of the two.  Thad sometimes thought he was too good in high school and it hurt his team.  His team didn't win state title and they had guys sign with San Francisco, Florida, and Ga Tech.  Tell me how that works?

[mbgrulz]

Yeah commercial appeal was slinging mud in that fight.  Thad's Athletic director/Pastor at Mitchell said it came down to big city of Atlansas vs. Fayetteville and he liked Atlanta better so take that for what its worth.
If he has a good year this year though, he is likely gone so Sonny could end up being the better of the two.  Thad sometimes thought he was too good in high school and it hurt his team.  His team didn't win state title and they had guys sign with San Francisco, Florida, and Ga Tech.  Tell me how that works?

i'd take one D1 guy and 4 role players who knew their role any day.

i would have loved to have TY, but i am a Sonny fan through and through.

thad will have to put 2 years in at Ga. Tech if he wants to be high in the NBA draft. he could go  out olu style, but surely he isnt that dumb. who knows, maybe i am wrong and he'll blow us away.

[bigred7987]

He's actually a very smart guy but he mentioned going to NBA during recruiting

[mbgrulz]

He's actually a very smart guy but he mentioned going to NBA during recruiting

i am firm believer that the new 19 year old rule will not only keep high school kids from making the jump, but a lot of overrated freshmen will also have to hone their games in college more than the 1 year they were planning on.

[The real Hogules]

LaMarques Aldridge and Horton at Missouri, off the top of my head, in addition to the players already mentioned.

[killamon]

Chris Lofton.......Heath actually cooled off on Lofton b/c he wanted Dontell Jefferson so bad and lofton wanted to be a hog bad

[Cresthog]

Thad Young was GT bound and everyone in Memphis knew it. The Commercial Appeal doesn't like us but all that never hurt us with him. I lived in Memphis for a little while and have lots of family that live in Memphis and from what I understand he really like us but when it came down to it...GT was where he wanted to be.

The day Thad signed they put up banners of his college choices in his school gym. There were two or three banners. The school accidentally got an ASU banner instead of an Arkansas banner...everyone knew he was head to GT.

[The real Hogules]

Soon to be added to this list, James Anderson.

[Pragmatic PiG]

AT least Stan goes after the big fish, in-state or not, unlike another UA coach I know who is afraid to recruit with the big boys unless he has an "in" with them

Sure Heath doesn't sign 'em all, but he's putting quality effort out there and signing some good one's at the same time

Now back to your regularly scheduled bashing session

[bigred7987]

This wasn't a bashing session, I think Heath and his assistants are great recruiters and believe that they can get almost anyone in the nation if they are set on it, James Anderson proved they can't get everyone but we will get our fair share

[hogfan98]

the anderson saga is just further proof that it sometimes doesn't matter how hard a coach recruits a guy.  sometimes it just isn't meant to be.  coach heath and his staff have been on this guy since day one.  other staffs may have worked just as hard, but no one worked harder.  he just didn't want to be a hog.  plain and simple. 

[gohawgsgo]

Sounds like it may not be over with Anderson!  That is what they are saying on drivetime.

[Pragmatic PiG]

This wasn't a bashing session, I think Heath and his assistants are great recruiters and believe that they can get almost anyone in the nation if they are set on it, James Anderson proved they can't get everyone but we will get our fair share

fair enough