Pel's Recruiting....

[Hot_Town_Hog]

May not be as bad as some on here are saying, and that includes myself to a point. Rankings are not everything, but generally the teams with higher ranked recruiting classes tend to be among the better teams.

Just a couple of points that have likely been pointed out previously, but do merit consideration.

- Last year's class was ranked 15th according to Rivals, and 5th within the SEC not including Payne. McDonald was a 3 star and behind 4 stars Fortson and Henry. There were only 5 SEC schools in the Top 25, and two of those were ranked 13th and 14th. The Vols were the highest ranked at #7. The basketball program has been in the tank for too many years and really doesn't have any momentum in terms of attracting recruits.

- The football team was ranked 17th, which was 7th in the SEC. The SEC also had 4 of the top 10, including #1 and #2. This year's class also had the benefit of following the household names of DMac, Jones, and Hillis.

The SEC is much easier to recruit in football than basketball. There is no doubt you have to get players to fill the team's needs, but heading into this year we did have Beverly which would have made a HUGE difference in this team's performance.

I am also on the side that says this team could easily be .500 right now in the SEC, but just haven't been able to finish the games. SC has lost once this year at home, and we should have been their 2nd. Also played pretty well at Florida and should have beaten LSU and Tennessee without question.

The record sucks bigtime and nobody is more disappointed as a fan than myself. However, maybe this is not all on Pel and things are not as bad as they might seem. I will agree we have to get a couple of guys in here for next year to fill a couple of needs and add depth, which is completely on Pel. However, IMO some of have really jumped the gun claiming Pel as a failure. Next year will be a key year and I for one will reserve judgement until that time.

In the meantime, let's kick UGA's butt in honor of our Championship team and gain some confidence heading into the SECT.

[HogNuttz]

I'm not completely sold on Pel's recruiting yet.  I do like the class that is playing right now, although I wish they (Fortson, Clarke, Sanchez) weren't having to play so much.  I don't know why, but I have a feeling next year's class will either greatly exceed expectations, or just the opposite.

I work the father of one of the better high school Junior's in the state.  He's had contact with other SEC schools, at least one team from the Big 12, and some contact with Memphis.  Apparently, he was playing in a tournament in a area where Pel was at during the tournament.  The father called someone within the program and in less than verbatim terms said "Hey, come watch my kid play."  As far as they know, no one from the program was in attendance and they feel they kinda got the brush off.  I know the kid is only a Junior but he is being recruited by two teams in our conference that are significantly better than us right now and has had some contact with a top 10 program but for some reason Pel's staff can't watch the kid if he's playing down the street.

[imisswarrenlinn]

Wasn't purifoy at conway was it?

[HogNuttz]

Nope.  But if your talking about Purifoy from Conway they've got another good Junior in McNeail (sp?) or is McNeail a senior maybe?  If I remember correctly, they only had one, maybe two Sr's that contributed much, but I could be wrong.  If Purifoy and McNeail are both Juniors, Conway should be tough to beat next year....heck they're pretty darn good this year.  I know they were playing my home town Cyclones tonight.  Someone told me Conway won by 20+ at Russellville.


I actually had to go from Russellville to Conway this evening so I couldn't see Russellville play Conway in Russellville.

[klp1]

Pel's problem with recruiting, other than Ostrom, was his inability recruit to the needs of the team.  This years recruiting class was highly ranked, but did not have a even a servicable SEC PF.  A blind man could see that Moore and Andre Clark have potential, but are years away from being able to contribute in the SEC.  For this class he did recruit a good PF in Powell and decent project in Borden.  But there is a decent chance that these guys never make it to campus.  If Washington leaves, we will have no SEC level PF or center.  He needs to get a decent PF, who is eligible,  for the spring class.  His job depends on it.

[Razorod]

there have been several hints that pel's staff is less than stellar when it comes to doing their homework, being organized and trailing recruits. with pel's lack of a national reputation, the program's current problems and so forth, he can ill afford to overlook in-state talent.

[rzrbackrob]

Need to have one go to guy and 4 SEC caliber role players + depth.
Takes time and a little luck to get that in place.
Really more concerned about Pel's ability to coach defense at this point.
We owe it to ourselves to give Pel 3 more years, after that let the chips fall where they may.
Fortson, Henry, and Clarke could be pretty good in 3 more years.

[Razorod]

Need to have one go to guy and 4 SEC caliber role players + depth.
Takes time and a little luck to get that in place.
Really more concerned about Pel's ability to coach defense at this point.
We owe it to ourselves to give Pel 3 more years, after that let the chips fall where they may.
Fortson, Henry, and Clarke could be pretty good in 3 more years.

if henry has a breakout year i would predict he's gone. if he doesn't have a breakout year, pel's in trouble. i like clarke and fortson, but, like you said, defense is a big concern. i wonder how much of our defensive woes comes from playing both together. need a big combo guard to add to the mix. one who can play the off guard when fortson is in and who can play the point when paired with clarke. both fortson and clarke on the court at the same time will always be a problem on the defensive end. you can't coach height and foot speed.

[HogNuttz]

Really more concerned about Pel's ability to coach defense at this point.

Bingo.  Teams have been lighting it up against us all year from deep.  We've done little to try and change and stop that.  If one team has their best 3 point shooting night in several years, maybe they were lucky, extremely talented, etc....But when it happens multiple times, it's not bad luck.  I can't for the life of me figure out how we ever held A.J. Abrams in check.  He would have had 30+ on us with our typical 3 point D.

[Razorod]

we held aj abrams in check because he's only 6'0 and doesn't have dj augustine creating open shots for him. abrams has not had a great senior year.

[Swine & Cheese Club]

RazoRod nailed it when he said that Fortson and Clarke were not intended to play together more than a couple of minutes at a time much less the whole game.  It makes us small and easy to shoot over.  Pel planned on having the luxury of subbing Clarke when we needed instant offense but losing McDonald, Payne, Beverly, and Henry(to injury), he lost a lot of his options.  We have players getting double, maybe triple, the minutes they were anticipated having before this season started.

RClarke should be a spark off the bench role player that is good for 10-14 points a game on average.  He should not be playing 30+ minutes a game as he is now.  He needs fresh legs late in the game so he can make his shots and be a dagger in the hearts of our opponents.

[Veritas Arkansas]

Nope.  But if your talking about Purifoy from Conway they've got another good Junior in McNeail (sp?) or is McNeail a senior maybe?  If I remember correctly, they only had one, maybe two Sr's that contributed much, but I could be wrong.  If Purifoy and McNeail are both Juniors, Conway should be tough to beat next year....heck they're pretty darn good this year.  I know they were playing my home town Cyclones tonight.  Someone told me Conway won by 20+ at Russellville.


I actually had to go from Russellville to Conway this evening so I couldn't see Russellville play Conway in Russellville.

B-b-b-blue white!

[h0gfan6]

B-b-b-blue white!

YOU KNOW!

[ra2ford]

We'll just have to see if the "heralded" class this year makes it to campus. When you are rebuilding can't afford to waste scholies like Payne, McDonald in Pel's first recruiting year.  In his first year, Pel had 7 scholies, 2 were washouts (payne/mcdonald), 2 were projects (moore/clark), and 3 were keepers.  Can't rebuild with a 3/7 efficiency.  It must improve significantly next year.   

[chiefsfan]

We'll just have to see if the "heralded" class this year makes it to campus. When you are rebuilding can't afford to waste scholies like Payne, McDonald in Pel's first recruiting year.  In his first year, Pel had 7 scholies, 2 were washouts (payne/mcdonald), 2 were projects (moore/clark), and 3 were keepers.  Can't rebuild with a 3/7 efficiency.  It must improve significantly next year.   

You keep saying the same thing over and over and the same thing you keep saying is wrong

Montrell McDonald only came to campus because Payne didnt pan out.   There was never any intention whatsoever of having both on campus at the same time.   We didnt have enough open scholarships for it

Only 1 scholly didnt pan out.      If Beverley didnt go screw up this team would be light years better because we would not be forced to play Clarke and Fortson together so much defensively

[12247]

It amazes me how a coach who has been here roughly what 20 months has been accused of 3 recruiting classes so far, brought in 7 recruited players last year, has shown more discipline during his time here than any coach of any sport in 30 years, yet is letting the BB players get away with cheating the system, can only recruit thugs, can't coach defense, can't coach offense, can't recruit a lick, has ruined the BB program by setting it back 10 years.  About the only thing he hasn't been called is a red headed idiot and I would guess thats next.  He has accomplished all this with a group of players good enough to play but not good enough to really win last year who either graduated or left the team and this year with all first year starters and 3 of them freshmen.  Honestly, we are one Beverly away from breaking even in conference this very year and likely better than that.  We might have won the West.  With 5 freshmen and I think 1 redshirt freshmen on the team, I'm surprised we aren't having more player trouble than we do.  Like Holtz once said.  A man was trying to swim across a lake.  He was having trouble, getting tired as he reached the half way point, finally realizing he just couldn't make it across, he turned around and swam back.  I think thats what we are trying to do with this BB team.

[HogNuttz]

You keep saying the same thing over and over and the same thing you keep saying is wrong

Montrell McDonald only came to campus because Payne didnt pan out.   There was never any intention whatsoever of having both on campus at the same time.   We didnt have enough open scholarships for it

Only 1 scholly didnt pan out.      If Beverley didnt go screw up this team would be light years better because we would not be forced to play Clarke and Fortson together so much defensively

I'm sorry, but if Beverly was here, we still don't make the NCAAT.  Would we be better...yes. Would we be good enough to make the tourney...only if you think P-Bev was worth 6 or 7 conference wins because that's about how far short we were of making the tourney.

[jackflash]

Beverly would have made a big difference with this club.  But never read where this team was picked to make the NCAAT.

[PoormansRobbyHampton]

It amazes me how a coach who has been here roughly what 20 months has been accused of 3 recruiting classes so far, brought in 7 recruited players last year, has shown more discipline during his time here than any coach of any sport in 30 years, yet is letting the BB players get away with cheating the system, can only recruit thugs, can't coach defense, can't coach offense, can't recruit a lick, has ruined the BB program by setting it back 10 years.  About the only thing he hasn't been called is a red headed idiot and I would guess thats next.  He has accomplished all this with a group of players good enough to play but not good enough to really win last year who either graduated or left the team and this year with all first year starters and 3 of them freshmen.  Honestly, we are one Beverly away from breaking even in conference this very year and likely better than that.  We might have won the West.  With 5 freshmen and I think 1 redshirt freshmen on the team, I'm surprised we aren't having more player trouble than we do.  Like Holtz once said.  A man was trying to swim across a lake.  He was having trouble, getting tired as he reached the half way point, finally realizing he just couldn't make it across, he turned around and swam back.  I think thats what we are trying to do with this BB team.

He's shown discipline, but what's been the result? We still have guys acting out and showing their rear ends. Courtney's "indefinite" suspension turned into a one gamer. What does that tell recruits? "Aw, this guy's a push over, we can do what we want".