Being a winning program means getting like guys like McConnell AND Mulcahy, not one or the other.
Caleb McConnell 2018 Combo Guard
- Thread starter dpwhite
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Programs of Florida's stature have quality depth at every position.What they offer is a winning history which is Rutgers hardest problem to overcome in recruiting battles.
Winning history has some impact but for certain players it is a comfort level of knowing they are taking some ownership of a program....not every player or recruit is built for that....as much as Sanders gets criticism for what may not have happened, he put the program back in a position to get others interested in it.
If Mulcahy isn't up for that challenge or finds an offer that is one you can't turn down, you tip your hat and move on to the next player. These are big decisions beyond basketball for these families, it not about winning tradition as much as fans want to believe it is.
Russ, you are on the beat, so I would like to hear your opinion.
The AAU program and spotlight has put a lot of pressure on these kids, and also a lot of power. They are high school superstars, and have a fair amount of fame at a young age.
Do they want to see playing time, or are they looking for competition? If there is a player in front of them that seemingly has the position locked, does that affect their decision?
RU will keep recruiting Mulcahy. I just think they will have a better shot now with McConnel, then the growing recruitment of Mulcahy. A lot of posters have put a lot of emphasis on the Mulcahy recruitment. As the days go by, recruiting him will be harder and harder. I am not one to let myself get affected by this, but seemingly a lot of people would be let down here.
Which is why I don't expect him to go there. My $ would be on BC followed by Georgia Tech. If he has a blowout spring/summer season I could see that change.
If he goes to Georgia Tech then I'm really gonna start wondering. They stink and don't really have any inherent advantages. They made a Final Four but 2004 might as well be 1976 to the current crop of high schoolers. They haven't made the tournament since 2010. Pastner got run out of Memphis and the results so far at GT haven't been inspiring.
1. They are a much better academic school
2. They play in a warmer climate
3. Could easily argue a nicer campus
4. It isn't Rutgers
I'd have to go back and watch video on McConnell and Mulcahy but iirc McConnell is a SG and Mulcahy is a PG. Mulcahy has elite playmaking skills, he makes his teammates better.
In my experience the better the player the less concerned they are about playing time.
Elite kids, typically, don't mention playing time when I talk to them. They believe they are good, that they will earn playing time and don't have a problem competing for it.
Kids ranked in the 30-100 range mention playing time, roster construction etc.
Kids ranked 100+ definitely mention playing time & some want to know if the schools play freshmen at all. Saturday one told me that he's listening to schools that have told him that he'd start as a freshman.
That's been my experience talking to/interviewing prospects.
You could say the same thing about lots of guys in the 2019 class, unless Jay Wright leaves. Nova has won two of the last three Nattys and run a guard oriented offense. In fact you could just say:
I think ________ wants to play for Villanova but might have to wait and see how their roster and availability of scholarships play out over the summer.
The program is just that hot right now.
Unless I missed something, there is a long way to go in Mulcahy's recruitment. He has taken several unofficials to RU so he is hearing something from the staff that is resonating with him. I'm not close to his recruitment but the sense I get is that he is your typical junior class guy who is open and gaining interest as coaches come to see him in games/practice/workout.
Deep breaths, long way to go here.
I think there is a separation for fans who have heard a name of a recruit the longest and then it turns that into a popularity contest more than a basketball player...so while Mulcahy is assuredly a priority recruit for RU, fans will only say the following.
A) If the recruit gets offers from XYZ bigger school, RU will not get that recruit for this or that reason....or the player becomes "out of reach"....
B) If the recruit doesnt get offers from XYZ bigger school, then RU will not get full credit for landing that recruit, because XYZ school didnt offer and if they did offer, he would have picked that school.....AND because XYZ didn't offer, means he's not all that good or those schools got a better player....
But if RU is fortunate to land a player like McConnell, it's because RU is one of the bigger offers or best one for that player, whether it's campus, depth chart, playing time as Russ Wood mentioned....
Then the "pessimistic" fan says, "why is the player still available so late, so he must not be that good".....it's an argument that gets spun in whatever direction fans want to believe.
I can assure everyone that Mulcahy is still a primary recruit and his offer list dictates that....at the same time, i would tend to think that Mathis and Geo are players that likely are your building blocks...but i think McConnell is being downplayed because he's new to the "public"....i can assure everyone here that his name has been on the radar much longer than the last couple of weeks....definitely goes back into 2017 as far as i know.
A) If the recruit gets offers from XYZ bigger school, RU will not get that recruit for this or that reason....or the player becomes "out of reach"....
B) If the recruit doesnt get offers from XYZ bigger school, then RU will not get full credit for landing that recruit, because XYZ school didnt offer and if they did offer, he would have picked that school.....AND because XYZ didn't offer, means he's not all that good or those schools got a better player....
But if RU is fortunate to land a player like McConnell, it's because RU is one of the bigger offers or best one for that player, whether it's campus, depth chart, playing time as Russ Wood mentioned....
Then the "pessimistic" fan says, "why is the player still available so late, so he must not be that good".....it's an argument that gets spun in whatever direction fans want to believe.
I can assure everyone that Mulcahy is still a primary recruit and his offer list dictates that....at the same time, i would tend to think that Mathis and Geo are players that likely are your building blocks...but i think McConnell is being downplayed because he's new to the "public"....i can assure everyone here that his name has been on the radar much longer than the last couple of weeks....definitely goes back into 2017 as far as i know.
Hoping Caleb enjoys his visit this weekend and signs up to join the team. I think this kid could be a very very good get for us.
NJH,
Your posting is just the reality of the situation and the hurdles we will face going forward. It's like being a fan of a small market baseball team you can find and develop talent, but ultimately when they are attractive free agents you can't afford them and leave for better places. Can't blame the players and can't blame the fan for being upset.
Your posting is just the reality of the situation and the hurdles we will face going forward. It's like being a fan of a small market baseball team you can find and develop talent, but ultimately when they are attractive free agents you can't afford them and leave for better places. Can't blame the players and can't blame the fan for being upset.
To me that would be a short sited approach on his part. Even if there is an open spot for him he could easily be recruited over by a couple all americans the following year
Outside of three point shooting I think Mulcahy is the better player and has the bigger upside.
Three decades of basically discussing the same subject,namely,difficulty recruiting shooters/scorers,has gotten fans upset because very little has changed other than league affiliation.
This is why people are underestimated how good of a job recruiting coach P has done in the last two classes...
We have signed two classes with 2 four stars and four off the type of three stars that clearly all have real upside and proper size and athleticism to play in a 20 game big ten schedule
The key is two more class of equal or better....and then developing them to the on the court results follow and justify our confidence in this staff vision and plan...and then get us up another notch from there in the recruiting world
On Campus for ice cream and just ran into Myles Johnson leading McConnel around with family, Coach Knight and Ben Asher. As an ambassador of RU, I told them good luck next year and this is the place!
MCConnel looks to have a very nice family. His mom and dad were smiling during the whole interaction. Feeling good here.
On campus and just said hi to them. Very nice people. Also interesting to note that today is admitted students day. Very tall lanky kid. Coaches prototype.
Nice to see coach Knight actively still recruiting for RU.
See him and Myles outside of scarlet fever. Looks like he's having a good time. Mylea looks HUGE btw. Beautiful day!
this Would be quite the player for Pikiell. Scarlet fever is where players buy school gear, right? Are these signs?lol
Caleb McConnell’s visit to Rutgers went very well, per a source.
Hopefully we get some good news soon. Really would like Caleb here.
Hopefully we get some good news soon. Really would like Caleb here.
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