Any Recruiting News?

[Mike Deane]

I know we have 4 signees.  Are we looking at other prospects?

[miltownsports]

Looking at that snazzy scholarship board...I think we actually have to take someone off a scholarship/ someone has to transfer/ someone has to go to the Association. so i doubt were looking to sign anyone else.

I think Burke or blackledge transfer...based on their PT.  I'm gonna guess blackledge cause no1 is going to the NBA and he did fail a pre-game test and hasn't played alot recently with increased minutes for Burke.  BTW: If Burke continues to play like he did last nite id hate for him to leave.

[rocky_warrior]

and [blackledge] did fail a pre-game test

What exactly does that mean?

[bananahammock]

i believe the team must take a test before every game to check their knowledge of the game plan.  don't pass=don't play!  rumor had it he did not qualify homself for the UW game.

[miltownsports]

Crean administers pre-game tests for everyone.  Players tendencies...how to exploit those...our offensive/defensive goals this game...that kinda stuff.  Blackledge failed his b4 the Wisconsin game thats why he didn't play at all.  This is from a friend that has been given respect by crean on his radio show and crean eats with him after every show. So I'm pretty sure hes creditable.

[ChicosBailBonds]

Before we all get ahead of ourselves, there are other possibilities too that do not include transfers, players going to the association or flat quitting.

Let it play out.

[rocky_warrior]

Thanks...I learn something new every day

[chapman]

I doubt Blackledge will transfer.  I mean, he's a Juco player that will be entering his senior season.  He also wasn't heavily recruited last year.  He's really not going to get much by transferring besides sitting out a year to play for whichever small-time school would want to give him a scholarship in exchange for one year of play.  I just think he would really have to hate being at MU to leave.

I think the only possibility of seeing another new face next year is if the NCAA adds another scholarship like the rumor had AND someone leaves, or if two people leave the program.  Even then with four freshmen coming in and Maurice Acker eligible to play Tom Crean might not want to bring in an additional new face and instead wait a year.

[sailwi]

I highly doubt based on track record that Crean would hold an open sholarship.  He has had the opportunity to bank one for the future many times and each time he acts like a drunk in the Avalanche who found $5 on the floor, he can't buy a beer or sign a recruit fast enough. 

I generally like Crean but have never understood why he can't bank a scholarship when there isn't an available recruit who can make an impact.  I don't like to criticize individual college kids but we can all make some assumptions on a couple of scolarships that should have remained un-used.

[rocky_warrior]

I highly doubt based on track record that Crean would hold an open sholarship. 

Uhhh...Crean banked a scholie this year.  Grimm, Chapman, Novak, Amoroso, and Mortenson left, Hayward, Cubillan, Acker and Blackledge came in.

We only had two for 07-08 before that (Christopherson & Mbakwe), but then picked up Patrick Hazel and Damian Saunders, and are only at -1.

[sailwi]

Rocky- your math is correct for 2006 although I would still argue this is the exception vs the norm.

[77fan88warrior]

Wasn't that a result of Niv or whatever his name was?

[What-Would-Wade-Do]

Crean banked a scholarship because Mortensen left so late

Also, i think it should be pretty obvious as to why Crean signed more players than availible scholarships, he assumed DJ was going to the NBA.

I'm sure if DJ decides to stay, Crean will "persuade" someone to transfer.

[mutpm]

Crean banked scholarships the year of the Final Four.  There were only 10 scholarship players on that team.  Novak, Grimm, Chapman, and Bradley were the 4 new players and the previous year lost 7 players: Henry, Harris, Nnamaka, Diggs, Howard, Blankson, and Menard.

[IAmMarquette]

Crean banked a scholarship because Mortensen left so late

Also, i think it should be pretty obvious as to why Crean signed more players than availible scholarships, he assumed DJ was going to the NBA.

I'm sure if DJ decides to stay, Crean will "persuade" someone to transfer.

Any basis to this claim or just blind speculation?

[herboturbo]

I'm sure if DJ decides to stay, Crean will "persuade" someone to transfer.

There are other more likely ways than this for a scholarship to appear next year. 

[DanceHallPlayer]

I though someone had mentioned on this board, or maybe it was on the Marquettehoops board that the NCAA may add a 14th scholarship.

[LastWarrior]

I though someone had mentioned on this board, or maybe it was on the Marquettehoops board that the NCAA may add a 14th scholarship.

Ding, ding, ding!!  Speculation on my part but I heard that all the MVC schools signed extra players and didn't G'Town & Clemson?

[Sir Lawrence]

From Rosiak in December:

Q: Scott of Muskego, WI - Todd, solid job so far this year. Question: MU has signed four players for next year. All signs that I've read say they have only three scholarships available. Is that right, or is a recruit going the 'academy' route one year? What about Amoroso's scholarship? Lastly, do scouts really think James is ready for the NBA? I don't see it...yet.

A: Todd Rosiak - That extra scholarship has to come from somewhere, and it's unclear at this point how things will shake out. A number of things could happen -- including James leaving for the NBA, as you also asked about -- but there have also been rumblings that perhaps the NCAA could be looking at adding a 14th scholarship. That's a way down the road yet, and the coaching staff appears confident it'll be able to get all four players in next year without incident. As for James being ready, I think he's ready right now when it comes to athleticism. Where he needs to continue to improve is keeping his energy up on a nightly basis, shooting from both the perimeter and the free-throw line and playing more consistently on the defensive end. Scouts will also be looking at his point-guard skills -- can he run a team at the NBA level? If he's a lock for the first round -- and therefore guaranteed millions of dollars -- it'll be hard to resist. But imagine if he stuck around for another year with that next recruiting class coming in. It'll be an interesting spring, that's for sure.

[rocky_warrior]

Ding, ding, ding!!  Speculation on my part but I heard that all the MVC schools signed extra players and didn't G'Town & Clemson?

Doing a quick google search - lots of schools have signed 14 players for next year, and lots of fans are speculating about why.  So, I'm guessing there's some NCAA trickery that we don't know about (officially) yet that would let us keep everyone.

[StillAWarrior]

I've said it before:  whatever you think of Crean, he doesn't strike me as the kind of guy who leaves things to chance.  Although I have no inside information, I am certain that he knows exactly where the "extra" scholarship is going to come from (whether it be an extra from the NCAA, academic scholarship, etc.).  And for the record, I suspect Crean is smart enough to know that an injury or an off year could prevent James from going NBA after this year, so I doubt that he's counting on that.  Also, I haven't really seen anything that looks or "feels" like someone is going to be transferring.  Obviously, something could still happen, but I'm thinking more along the lines of what was going on when Crean promised the "extra" scholarship.  I don't see any writing on the wall like many of us saw with Amo and some of the others.  Remember, Crean offered the "extra" before the season even started.  I'm not sure why he'd go through the entire season with a guy who he knows is leaving before next year.  That player -- if he existed -- wouldn't be getting any playing time, would he?

Based purely on my speculation, I'd guess either an additional scholarship from the NCAA or an academic scholarship for one of the current players.  If DJ leaves, I think that will free up another scholarship.

[TVDirector]

agreed.
tho' last minute recruits like trend sure seemed knee-jerk.

hopefully this will be a non-issue very soon.