I think it's insane to be speaking about recruiting, I actually have ZERO problems with Zags hatchet job....local coaches and connections all have their hands out and RU isn't necessarily interested in trying to keep up with coaches (Hurley) that would only truly support RU if Bobby or Danny were coaching. Hurley asked for too much money and too many years and got passed over because of it....and he was very similar to Rice in demeanor and coaching and there wasn't any way that was going to fly, considering what we dealt with 3-4 years ago.
Zags has every right to report whatever he wants....at the same time, Laurent is very, very green, but has some ability, Goode is a complimentary shooter and was recruited for that role (not as a starter) and Mike Williams, Nigel Johnson, Diallo and Foreman are all very solid building blocks.
Eddie has good assistant coaches in Shoes and Macon and there are more verbals coming. What I have a concern with has nothing to do with Zags hatchet job on recruiting locally....he could have substituted RU or Seton Hall and the recent results locally for either school is practically non-existant for anyone of note locally. If you want to give SHU credit for Tiny Morton bringing Carrington and Whitehead then that is fine, just not reality.
Eddie has an image problem because we are now in Year 3 and there appears to be no communication between assistants to help the kids during game days and you cannot just sit and defer to Eddie to coach the entire roster on game days, make defensive adjustments, manage egos, minutes or just listen to "one voice". The effort or items are strictly game day related for me, there appears to be a passive effort to improve the kids that need to improve decision-making (Daniels playing under control), rebounding (I'm sorry, but Lewis should average 10 boards a game) and overall effort on the defensive end.
Even NBA players get bad habits or need weekly, if not daily reminders on defense, positioning, hustle and playing with energy. It's as if RU has an NBA roster on a 5 game West Coast trip at times, very casual and coasting. Call me unfair, but this is still a kids game and needs to be played with energy and passion and hunger and right now, I understand we are 180 degrees away from Rice and draining blood from a stone.
If RU can show some enthusiasm for the fans, an occasional hand clap or something to get the fans something to cheer for, I think it would be perceived differently. And Saturday's lack of effort on defense vs Seton Hall was just not acceptable, especially for the talented athletes on the roster.
It still comes down to whether Coburn, Beatty, Mitchell, Biruta, Dane Miller and 2 bench players and a roster of 7 players and a part time 5th year transfer from New Mexico State a few years or so ago, was the high point of watching a limited team, giving 1000% effort most nights. I still believe that Hurley is as close to being as good a coach as Rice was here at RU and this roster is miles more athletic and talented vs Rice's first year. Hurley would have this roster locked in defensively.
If comparing rosters from Rice's first season with FHJ leftovers, does anyone really believe we would be giving up 80 points every other game, with the players we have assembled now?? Or is it something where my standards are perhaps warped??
It's at the point where I'd rather turn the keys over to Shoes Vetrone and let him go to work on the recruiting trail and see if we can do something different as a program. Or go get the checkbook out and pay Mike Lonergan at GW to get the kids to play hard on both ends of the floor and get the program moving forward. This is not a talent issue, there are actually more pieces coming, but the effort is lacking from the bench and it's showing on game days.......Zags piece has no impact on RU recruiting and is clearly a hatchet job.....but the results on game day are more alarming and needs to be addressed ASAP.
