General question: Is Memphis safe to recruit again???

[The_Bionic_Pig]

I've read and heard stories of a cess pool evolving in the past 2 decades... (Memphis is being investigated right now)

Considering (Tubby) Memphis vs (Mike) Arkansas is on again (future schedule)?

The reality is the city still producing (top 25) elite basketball talent every single year but with a very below average Tennessee/Memphis D-1 teams being fielded. We may not get the next (top 5) Penny Hardaway due to Kentucky but another (top 25) Todd Day may be overshadowed.

Are they venerable to poaching again like the late 80's early 90's??

[IronMountainHog]

As long as Keith Easterwood is over there, all we will get is the leftovers. Crooked AAU coach who steers players to U of Memphis.

[The_Bionic_Pig]

As long as Keith Easterwood is over there, all we will get is the leftovers. Crooked AAU coach who steers players to U of Memphis.

I had forgotten about him and the Nick Young incident. http://www.hogville.net/yabbse/index.php?topic=31019.0;wap

[runninhog]

Well, the Tubby experiment will be short lived. There's still a ton of talent in Memphis and the Hogs would be foolish to not attempt a run at its best kids.

[RazorAg]

As long as Keith Easterwood is over there, all we will get is the leftovers. Crooked AAU coach who steers players to U of Memphis.

This is a pretty outdated statement.

[FineAsSwine]

Well, the Tubby experiment will be short lived. There's still a ton of talent in Memphis and the Hogs would be foolish to not attempt a run at its best kids.

We just need to keep Memphis out of Arkansas for the next few years.  If we land all of our top instate talents, we won't  need  to poach Memphis.

[mhuff]

We just need to keep Memphis out of Arkansas for the next few years.  If we land all of our top instate talents, we won't  need  to poach Memphis.

Think it would be good to have someone on our staff from Memphis.

[FineAsSwine]

Think it would be good to have someone on our staff from Memphis.

If we had an opening, I would like to see Todd Day up there. But we're good right now so I don't see a need to add any other coach from anywhere else. The chemistry is pretty good with our staff right now from the way recruiting is looking. Plus we're looking good on the court and in the classroom. I wouldn't mess with that.

[Birminghog]

I've read and heard stories of a cess pool evolving in the past 2 decades... (Memphis is being investigated right now)

Considering (Tubby) Memphis vs (Mike) Arkansas is on again (future schedule)?

The reality is the city still producing (top 25) elite basketball talent every single year but with a very below average Tennessee/Memphis D-1 teams being fielded. We may not get the next (top 5) Penny Hardaway due to Kentucky but another (top 25) Todd Day may be overshadowed.

Are they venerable to poaching again like the late 80's early 90's??

Venerable, like Bede, or vulnerable? I guess either could be depending on what you mean.

[The_Bionic_Pig]

Venerable, like Bede, or vulnerable? I guess either could be depending on what you mean.

I've probably attempted to spell that word twice in my lifetime.  lol

[NWAHog479]

It would be great to have some Memphis recruits back in the Hog uniform... Some of the best talent in the US outside of NYC and Chicago.

[Hogwarrior]

It would be great to have some Memphis recruits back in the Hog uniform... Some of the best talent in the US outside of NYC and Chicago.

It's going to be after 2020 before you see that.  In state talent is so good right now, I just don't see the need in the near future.

[Hawg Red]

It's going to be after 2020 before you see that.  In state talent is so good right now, I just don't see the need in the near future.

Agreed. Some really, really good in-state talent and not a lot of scholarships to offer.

[moses_007]

Nolan used to recruit Memphis players.  No reason we still can't.

[LJHOG]

Memphis and safe are words you don't see in the same sentence very often.

[HogFaninMemphis]

Memphis and safe are words you don't see in the same sentence very often.

Welp, I haven't died yet. Tubby is notorious for refusing to dirty his hands in recruiting. It was a big reason he didn't recruit well to Kentucky, and it's going to be among the reasons for his quick exit from Memphis. I think it is a great time to poach players from Memphis.
I also do not buy this idea that we should simply rely on in-state talent to fill the roster. As long as our recruiting classes aren't #1, I think there's always room to build and grow. Nolan didn't recruit here simply because there wasn't good talent in Arkansas; he was a national brand, so he recruited the best of the best.

[mhuff]

Have always thought that we need a coach from Memphis and StL

[The_Bionic_Pig]

It's going to be after 2020 before you see that.  In state talent is so good right now, I just don't see the need in the near future.

Your assuming our entire 2018 & 2019 roster will graduate and no transfer's will occurr.

The #1 player in the 2018 Midsouth (Arkansas, Tennessee & Mississippi) from Memphis just recently pledged to Vanderbilt..... freaking Vanderbilt.

The number of nationally ranked elite player's the *STATE* of Arkansas produces in it's best yrs the *CITY* of Memphis does in it's worst.

[HogFaninMemphis]

Your assuming our entire 2018 & 2019 roster will graduate and no transfer's will occurr.

The #1 player in the 2018 Midsouth (Arkansas, Tennessee & Mississippi) from Memphis just recently pledged to Vanderbilt..... freaking Vanderbilt.

The number of nationally ranked elite player's the *STATE* of Arkansas produces in it's best yrs the *CITY* of Memphis does in it's worst.

Right, but there's this perception that it's Arkansas first and then all other recruits just to fill in the void. This sounds harsh, but if we could have Top 5-10 recruiting classes, then we'd probably do it, and we'd probably also let more Arkansas kids walk. I think we have a good understanding of this in football, but we need to understand even more so in basketball that you need the best players. If your state produces Top 100 recruits, go get them, but don't only recruit your state's players.

[FineAsSwine]

Right, but there's this perception that it's Arkansas first and then all other recruits just to fill in the void. This sounds harsh, but if we could have Top 5-10 recruiting classes, then we'd probably do it, and we'd probably also let more Arkansas kids walk. I think we have a good understanding of this in football, but we need to understand even more so in basketball that you need the best players. If your state produces Top 100 recruits, go get them, but don't only recruit your state's players.

In the last three years we got some really good recruits from out of state:

Barford is from Tennessee
Reggie Chaney is from Texas/Nevada
Keyshawn Emberey is from Oklahoma
Jordan Phillips is from Texas
CJ Jones is from Alabama
Adrio Bailey is from Louisianna
Jimmy Whitt is from Missouri and the other guy from Nigeria was from out of state as well

[HogFaninMemphis]

In the last three years we got some really good recruits from out of state:

Barford is from Tennessee
Reggie Chaney is from Texas/Nevada
Keyshawn Emberey is from Oklahoma
Jordan Phillips is from Texas
CJ Jones is from Alabama
Adrio Bailey is from Louisianna
Jimmy Whitt is from Missouri and the other guy from Nigeria was from out of state as well

exactly. gotta recruit at least regionally if not nationally

[JONAS]

As long as Keith Easterwood is over there, all we will get is the leftovers. Crooked AAU coach who steers players to U of Memphis.

He hasn't been sending any good ones to Memphis here lately.  Maybe because of Tubby.  I don't know.

[MemphisBossHog]

Nolan used to recruit Memphis players.  No reason we still can't.

Nolan knew the value of Memphis players and how they all can play.  Corey Beck was the floor general that led the 94 team to the NC.  Ron Huery was the first big time recruit Nolan got out of Memphis after he took the Ark job.  Todd Day, Dwight Stewart, Marlon Towns.   Memphis kids can play. 

The problem was that Tiger High got good under Dana Kirk and then stayed fairly relevant under Larry Finch and it became hard to get any of the real studs out of Memphis. Plus you have POSs like Keith Easterwood always talking bad about Ark and other programs and trying to get MEM kids to stay at Tiger High and the Memphis pipeline dried up. 

Scott Edgar was one of Nolan's best recruiters and he helped get the Memphis kids. I dont know who Mike could get to come over here and get some of these kids but they better hurry up and establish some relationships cause when Memphis gets rid of Tubby Smith in the next year or two, the next coach may be Penny Hardaway and if that happens, you can forget getting any of the true Memphis stud recruits.

[Inhogswetrust]

Memphis and safe are words you don't see in the same sentence very often.

Unless you mean a safe in your home....................

[Paul]

In the last three years we got some really good recruits from out of state:

Barford is from Tennessee
Reggie Chaney is from Texas/Nevada
Keyshawn Emberey is from Oklahoma
Jordan Phillips is from Texas
CJ Jones is from Alabama
Adrio Bailey is from Louisianna
Jimmy Whitt is from Missouri and the other guy from Nigeria was from out of state as well

might be wrong but don't remember CJ & Adrio being highly recruited.  Univ of Memphis hasn't signed the best recruits out of Memphis since Pastner's first 2 years.  I've always thought we should have a coach devoted to recruiting Memphis, NE Ark & Western TN like Nolan had with Scott Edgar

[IronHog]

Welp, I haven't died yet. Tubby is notorious for refusing to dirty his hands in recruiting. It was a big reason he didn't recruit well to Kentucky, and it's going to be among the reasons for his quick exit from Memphis. I think it is a great time to poach players from Memphis.
I also do not buy this idea that we should simply rely on in-state talent to fill the roster. As long as our recruiting classes aren't #1, I think there's always room to build and grow. Nolan didn't recruit here simply because there wasn't good talent in Arkansas; he was a national brand, so he recruited the best of the best.

Nolan failed because he refused to offer players like Cory Carr and Quincy Lewis


He made sure to pick up felons like Ali Thompson though

[HognitiveDissonance]

Memphis and safe are words you don't see in the same sentence very often.

That's what I was thinking when I read the title of this thread.

Safe...as in, can you drive down the street safely to get to a recruit's house?

[Brian Weaver]

It wasn't just Lewis or Cart I remember a kid from Perryville named Keith Carter that killed us every time we played ole miss and I believe there were some little rock kids on that team too