JUCOs Revisited

[ChicosBailBonds]

Buzz said it right the other day.  You need to go after high school players.


"Williams believes the ideal way to maintain a high level of success is recruiting and developing high school players."

I know Ners is throwing out the HS transfer numbers, and that's all fine and dandy, but the JUCO pool is so much smaller it will skew those numbers.

Buzz knows you need guys here for four years and that is a more ideal situation than 2 years.  It's why almost all of the top programs go after high school kids and MAYBE have 1 or 2 JUCO players on the squad at any given time, not five.


Hopefully Buzz wasn't just saying that but meant it.


http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/11007/1116199-175.stm

[Tugg Speedman]

I know that there is a stigma attached to these guys

Jucos with a stigma ... like Trevor Mbakwe?

[GOMU1104]

Chicos...Of course you need to go after high school players.  I dont think anyone disagrees with that, or Buzz' statement about high school players.

That being said, based on his career path/connections/success thus far...I wouldn't be surprised if we have at least one JUCO player on the team every year Buzz is around.

Do I think we will ever have 5 on the roster at the same time ever again...no. Frankly, I'm not so sure we add one as a part of the 2011 class.

In the end...as long as they are good people, good players, and fit the complexion of the roster...I'm cool with having a JUCO presence.

[NersEllenson]

My philosophy is take the best players with a baseline level of character you are comfortable with - regardless of where they come from.  I do agree that a player being in the MU system for 4 years definitely has its benefits to both the player and program - but to me the benefit likely does not exceed the type of production we are seeing from our current crop of JUCO's as 1st, 2nd and 3rd year players.

What I'm most pleased about is that Buzz has the roster (and JUCO and other connections) in place - to where we can hold a scholarship for the spring signing period - evaluate what the team really needs - and then go sign a quality kid in the spring - whether he be a transfer, JUCO, or high school player such as Gardner last spring.  This is a HUGE advantage in my opinion, versus being "full" after the fall signing period.

[PuertoRicanNightmare]

When I heard JUCOs in the past, I thought of Bob Huggins and his band of over-aged and over-developed thugs at Cincinnati.

When I see the quality individuals (not players, but people) we've gotten from the junior college ranks under Buzz Williams it gives me an entirely different perspective. I love our guys, maybe especially our transfers like Buycks, DJO and Crowder. Tell me what "4 year player" we've had...ever...that would go over to an opponents bench to check on somebody's well-being after an inadvertent collision like DJO did vs. Pitt? Ever. That is the kind of guy Marquette University should be...and are...proud to call Warriors!

[4everwarriors]

I'm certain Too Tan Tommy emphasizes the importance of good sportsmanship to his team on a daily basis.

[cheebs09]

When I heard JUCOs in the past, I thought of Bob Huggins and his band of over-aged and over-developed thugs at Cincinnati.

When I see the quality individuals (not players, but people) we've gotten from the junior college ranks under Buzz Williams it gives me an entirely different perspective. I love our guys, maybe especially our transfers like Buycks, DJO and Crowder. Tell me what "4 year player" we've had...ever...that would go over to an opponents bench to check on somebody's well-being after an inadvertent collision like DJO did vs. Pitt? Ever. That is the kind of guy Marquette University should be...and are...proud to call Warriors!

It wasn't after a collision but I remember James going over to the Kentucky bench and congratulating Crawford on a great game after he fouled out.

I agree with your post completely. I though of Huggins' players and the JUCO's Crean brought in that outside of Marcus Jackson were pretty underwhelming. Buzz has found quality people who are also quality players. I don't mind going after JUCOs. As long as they play hard and represent the university well I don't really are what route they take to get here.

[kmwtrucks]

We went hard after Blackshear, Shaw, Hood, Harrison, Young, Faust, Dawson, Miller, and I'm sure other's.  Why would anyone say Buzz is
not going after High School kids. 

[El Duderino]

When I heard JUCOs in the past, I thought of Bob Huggins and his band of over-aged and over-developed thugs at Cincinnati.

When I see the quality individuals (not players, but people) we've gotten from the junior college ranks under Buzz Williams it gives me an entirely different perspective. I love our guys, maybe especially our transfers like Buycks, DJO and Crowder. Tell me what "4 year player" we've had...ever...that would go over to an opponents bench to check on somebody's well-being after an inadvertent collision like DJO did vs. Pitt? Ever. That is the kind of guy Marquette University should be...and are...proud to call Warriors!

Yea, that whole Huggins at Cincinnati band of non-graduating thug feel to JUCO's had somewhat prejudiced me against JUCO's overall.

Seeing the type of seemingly great kids though that Buzz has brought to Marquette out of the JUCO ranks who also have been great on the court, i won't mind at all if Buzz continues to recruit and bring in kids from that talent pool.

Sure Buzz will mainly need to fill his roster via high school kids, but we ended up getting three very productive years from Butler and it looks like the odds are high that we'll get three very productive years from DJO. Crowder sure looks like he'll give us two very productive seasons and Buycks certainly has been a productive college basketball player also.

Many high school recruits either don't play much as freshman or if they play right away, their production is limited as they adjust to playing college kids. So given the pretty much immediate good to very good production Buzz has received from Butler, DJO, Crowder, and Buycks, i can't see reason why anyone would find would find it anywhere near a negative in regards to what Buzz has done so far when it comes to the bringing in of JUCO's.

All i see from it has been lots of productivity on the court from these JUCO kids and also kids who represent the university well off the court. What's been not to like so far?

[Lennys Tap]

When I heard JUCOs in the past, I thought of Bob Huggins and his band of over-aged and over-developed thugs at Cincinnati.

When I see the quality individuals (not players, but people) we've gotten from the junior college ranks under Buzz Williams it gives me an entirely different perspective. I love our guys, maybe especially our transfers like Buycks, DJO and Crowder. Tell me what "4 year player" we've had...ever...that would go over to an opponents bench to check on somebody's well-being after an inadvertent collision like DJO did vs. Pitt? Ever. That is the kind of guy Marquette University should be...and are...proud to call Warriors!

+1. Try to recruit good kids and immerse them in the positive culture that is Marquette. The only people concerned with whether they are high schoolers, preps or jucos are the phonies concerned with how MU is "perceived" by the other phonies in their social network.

[radome]

When I heard JUCOs in the past, I thought of Bob Huggins and his band of over-aged and over-developed thugs at Cincinnati.

Or Tark the Shark at UNLV before him.