New Force in Chicago Recruiting

[keefe]

Chris Collins inks Vic Law.

http://seasonpass.suntimes.com/news_article/show/269214

[Dawson Rental]

It just keeps getting worse and worse for DePaul.

[Avenue Commons]

DePaul should have hired Collins when DPU hired Purnell.

[MU82]

There is absolutely no reason Northwestern couldn't get some of the same kind of kids Duke and Stanford do.

It's too early to say if Collins can turn NW into the Duke of the Midwest, but it's incredible that no coach has really been able to come close so far. I might have thought it couldn't have been done 20 years ago, but the football team was turned from doormat to Rose Bowl participant -- and it's a heck of a lot easier to build a basketball program than a football program.

There are certain things Duke and Stanford have that Collins can't sell. But Collins can sell the Big Ten, instant playing time and a chance to help build a legacy. He can sell, "You can be The Guy who helps us make the NCAAs for the first time." Those kinds of things matter to kids.

I wish him luck. It's not easy, obviously, but it's doable.

[We R Final Four]

It's too early to say if Collins can turn NW into the Duke of the Midwest, but it's incredible that no coach has really been able to come close so far. I might have thought it couldn't have been done 20 years ago, but the football team was turned from doormat to Rose Bowl participant -

I think you forgot to add that after their brief Rose Bowl stint they soon went back to........the doormat. The staying power is the hard part. NW views athletics as a bonus--alums are less interested in NW sports than most MU alums.

We have been trying to get a legit big man for years and you know what other coaches say about MU--not incredible at all that NW will not be the Duke of the Midwest--especially in the city of Chicago.  NW will get to the dance soon, but the drive is long.

[Lennys Tap]

It's too early to say if Collins can turn NW into the Duke of the Midwest

He has zero wins and one verbal from a borderline  top 100 kid, so yeah, it's just a little early for that.

[77fan88warrior]

I haven't seen Vic Law but he has some seriously long  arms in that picture.

[augoman]

Great news for the cats.  NU has been getting some terrific players the last few years, but have not been able to get them all on the court at the same time.  Hopefully Collins will have the talent and the stars will finally align. 
Their football team is chugging along just fine, although it's not the days where they win the conference regularly, they still had a better record than the baaajrs last year.

[GGGG]

There is absolutely no reason Northwestern couldn't get some of the same kind of kids Duke and Stanford do.

Duke bends the rules for the admission of basketball players more than NW will....that was at least the reason why Johnny Dawkins didn't take the job earlier.

[Avenue Commons]

John Shurna would have looked good in Blue and Gold.

[Dawson Rental]

John Shurna would have looked good in Blue and Gold.

Drew Crawford would have looked even better.

[Pakuni]

I think you forgot to add that after their brief Rose Bowl stint they soon went back to........the doormat.

Err ... what?
They won shares of the Big 10 title the year after the Rose Bowl and again in 2000. They have a winning conference (and overall) record over the past five seasons and finished last season ranked in the top 20.
They're far from a powerhouse program, but they're also not the doormat.

[We R Final Four]

After NW's fabulous Rose Bowl run in '95--they followed that up with 3 winning records in the next 12 years.  The last time NW won a bowl game was 1948.  I was not referring to their recent success, which is fantastic compared to what they have done previously.

[MU82]

Since 1995, Northwestern football has five good years (9-3, 8-4, 8-5, 9-4, 10-3), five bad years (3-9, 3-9, 3-8, 4-7, 4-8) and mostly mediocre years. That's not how I define doormat.

I mean, for decades, Northwestern had trouble going 1-10 or 2-9. THAT's a doormat.

The last five years, Northwestern is 40-15. Last season they went 10-3 including a Gator Bowl win. That's not a doormat.

If Northwestern football can have a .727 winning percentage over 5 years, is it outrageous to think that its basketball team can have something close to that?

I guess we'll see. I have no skin in the game -- not a NW alum or fan, don't have kids at NW, not a Chicago native, no NW ties at all. I just think the possibility is there for success.

[only a warrior]

Since 1995, Northwestern football has five good years (9-3, 8-4, 8-5, 9-4, 10-3), five bad years (3-9, 3-9, 3-8, 4-7, 4-8) and mostly mediocre years. That's not how I define doormat.

I mean, for decades, Northwestern had trouble going 1-10 or 2-9. THAT's a doormat.

The last five years, Northwestern is 40-15. Last season they went 10-3 including a Gator Bowl win. That's not a doormat.

If Northwestern football can have a .727 winning percentage over 5 years, is it outrageous to think that its basketball team can have something close to that?

I guess we'll see. I have no skin in the game -- not a NW alum or fan, don't have kids at NW, not a Chicago native, no NW ties at all. I just think the possibility is there for success.

+1 to dat  Go Cats

[brandx]

There is absolutely no reason Northwestern couldn't get some of the same kind of kids Duke and Stanford do.

It's too early to say if Collins can turn NW into the Duke of the Midwest, but it's incredible that no coach has really been able to come close so far. I might have thought it couldn't have been done 20 years ago, but the football team was turned from doormat to Rose Bowl participant -- and it's a heck of a lot easier to build a basketball program than a football program.

There are certain things Duke and Stanford have that Collins can't sell. But Collins can sell the Big Ten, instant playing time and a chance to help build a legacy. He can sell, "You can be The Guy who helps us make the NCAAs for the first time." Those kinds of things matter to kids.

I wish him luck. It's not easy, obviously, but it's doable.

If Cameron only seated 8,100 people, Duke wouldn't be getting the kind of kids they do. It's surprising Stanford gets the guys they get - although definitely a level or two below Duke - with their small arena.

I don't think Northwestern can ever approach Duke, but why not Stanford.

[The Lens]

If Cameron only seated 8,100 people, Duke wouldn't be getting the kind of kids they do. It's surprising Stanford gets the guys they get - although definitely a level or two below Duke - with their small arena.

I don't think Northwestern can ever approach Duke, but why not Stanford.

Cameron holds just over 9,000.