Darius Johnson-odom is a Golden Eagle

[Blackhat]

"Spoke to a DI assistant tonight from another school who saw Darius Johnson-Odom this year. He said he was the best available guard in the country not named John Wall. Said he is a freak athletically and will make an immediate impact."

damnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn

armageddon couldn't stop me from going to Marquette Madness and Haunted Hoops this october.   If this kid is all that.....giddee up.

[77ncaachamps]

armageddon couldn't stop me from going to Marquette Madness and Haunted Hoops this october.   If this kid is all that.....giddee up.

It may not stop you, but it might stop MU from throwing it! LOL! 

[rocky_warrior]

"Spoke to a DI assistant tonight from another school who saw Darius Johnson-Odom this year. He said he was the best available guard in the country not named John Wall. Said he is a freak athletically and will make an immediate impact."

damnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn

Where'd that quote come from?

Anyhow - I created a shell of a wiki page for him.  Feel free to fill it out.

http://wiki.muscoop.com/doku.php/men_s_basketball/darius_johnson-odom

[chapman]

Pretty much everything has been covered.  However, my thoughts...

-I don't like that we keep adding Juco players.  It just says something to me that counting Fulce and Otule as Buzz recruits, he's gotten 12 players to commit (already, wow) and 5 of them are Juco.  

-That said, I like Buzz's Juco targets.  He's getting three year players (Fulce, Butler, Johnson-Odom), as well as Milwaukee natives (Buycks, Clark).  They're also big time players, not afterthoughts to add a body in lieu of banking two scholarships.  If you're going to do it, at least do it right, and Buzz is doing it the right way.

-Despite my stigma towards Jucos, I do like that Buzz is balancing the classes out to best cope with the unbalanced roster and the roster attrition we've had.  We really don't want to have 5 or 6 players graduating at one time.  

-Juco player or not, that list of schools on Rivals is impressive.  When WKU is the only mid-major and it's a good program at that, this kid got some serious attention.  I like it better than the backup point guard being another afterthought.

-Wondering what roster move(s) we'll see and if this is the last commit.  Honestly, we were all expecting a 6'4" shooting guard, not a 6'2" if lucky point guard.  If no other attrition besides the expected Hazel, Johnson-Odom may struggle to get playing time with Cadougan and Acker at the point and Buycks/Cubillan/maybe Butler at the 2.  Like I've said before, it's very rare for a Juco player to come in without some lag/learning curve, and with the playing time that will likely be available it feels like either he's not a player we should expect to make an impact at all next year, but someone we should hope to be a more than capable backup to Cadougan and Buycks in his final two seasons, or else that we're banking on either Johnson-Odom or Buycks to fight it out to see who can transition from Juco and become a solid player first to earn the most playing time.

[bma725]

Given the reports about him so far, it likely won't be DJO that will struggle to get playing time, it would be Cubillan and Acker.  And he's not purely a PG, he plays off the ball as well.

[SWARM!]

If no other attrition besides the expected Hazel, Johnson-Odom may struggle to get playing time with Cadougan and Acker at the point and Buycks/Cubillan/maybe Butler at the 2.

If you don't think DJO will be firmly entrenched well ahead of Cubillan and Acker in the rotation, then I would say you are sorely mistaken.

I, like probably 90% of other MU diehards, knew nothing about this kid before today, but I think he competes with Buycks for a starting job, based on the reports on him.  Regardless, I can guarantee he will see significant minutes next year.  He's twice as talented as Acker and Cubillan.

[MUViking]

Where'd that quote come from?

Mark Miller on Dodds' premium board.   

[detroitwarrior]

Pretty much everything has been covered.  However, my thoughts...

-I don't like that we keep adding Juco players.  It just says something to me that counting Fulce and Otule as Buzz recruits, he's gotten 12 players to commit (already, wow) and 5 of them are Juco.  

-That said, I like Buzz's Juco targets.  He's getting three year players (Fulce, Butler, Johnson-Odom), as well as Milwaukee natives (Buycks, Clark).  They're also big time players, not afterthoughts to add a body in lieu of banking two scholarships.  If you're going to do it, at least do it right, and Buzz is doing it the right way.

-Despite my stigma towards Jucos, I do like that Buzz is balancing the classes out to best cope with the unbalanced roster and the roster attrition we've had.  We really don't want to have 5 or 6 players graduating at one time.  

-Juco player or not, that list of schools on Rivals is impressive.  When WKU is the only mid-major and it's a good program at that, this kid got some serious attention.  I like it better than the backup point guard being another afterthought.

-Wondering what roster move(s) we'll see and if this is the last commit.  Honestly, we were all expecting a 6'4" shooting guard, not a 6'2" if lucky point guard.  If no other attrition besides the expected Hazel, Johnson-Odom may struggle to get playing time with Cadougan and Acker at the point and Buycks/Cubillan/maybe Butler at the 2.  Like I've said before, it's very rare for a Juco player to come in without some lag/learning curve, and with the playing time that will likely be available it feels like either he's not a player we should expect to make an impact at all next year, but someone we should hope to be a more than capable backup to Cadougan and Buycks in his final two seasons, or else that we're banking on either Johnson-Odom or Buycks to fight it out to see who can transition from Juco and become a solid player first to earn the most playing time.

I think Buzz has to be given a little slack at this point. Like you I will be concerned if we make a habit over the coming years of recruiting a disproportionate amount of JUCOS. However, I think it is important to remember that when Buzz took over , we lost Christopherson,Taylor,Nick Williams and Mbwake from the roster as well as having to replace Burke,DJ,Wes and Rel for the 09/10 season. The need to shore up talent to remain competitive in the BE , let alone finish in the top 5 is enormous and it seems that Buzz has a gameplan to try and shore up talent for the next two years ( which obviously he is under pressure to do as a new coach whose hiring had some legitimate concerns) by using more JUCOS than would otherwise be taken in order to balance out the 09 and 10 classes.
As long as he is taking JUCOS that are solid citizens and not troublemakers and they graduate from Marquette I am not going to complain since I don't think this is going to be a hallmark of the program after the next few years assuming Buzz has success and his reputation hopefully grows nationwide. 3 year JUCOS are obviously preferable to 2 year JUCOS and based on Butler's contributions and Fulce's potential and the reviews of Buycks and DJO, it appears that we are getting the cream of JUCO talent, not just guys to fill roster spots.

[ATWizJr]

I wonder where our recruiting class will be ranked after this get?

[GGGG]

Added to the official scholarship table.  Let me know if anything looks incorrect!

http://www.muscoop.com/index.php?page=8

That means that if Hazel is leaving, we are balanced out nicely with two scholarships available for 2010.  Perfect!

[rocky_warrior]

That means that if Hazel is leaving, we are balanced out nicely with two scholarships available for 2010.  Perfect!

Actually, the way the table is organized, the "available" scholarships only lists the new ones available for that particular year.  If Hazel leaves after the semester, one opens up for 2009-2010, and leaves 3 available for 2011-2012 (takes one away from that year).

[Lighthouse 84]

-Despite my stigma towards Jucos, I do like that Buzz is balancing the classes out to best cope with the unbalanced roster and the roster attrition we've had.  We really don't want to have 5 or 6 players graduating at one time.  

+1

By balancing out the classes, Buzz is simply correcting what Tan Crean screwed us on.  Do you really think Buzz will not get great true freshman in the years to come?

[Henry Sugar]

Added to the official scholarship table.  Let me know if anything looks incorrect!

http://www.muscoop.com/index.php?page=8

I cannot emphasize enough how much I like the official scholarship table. 

Thank you for providing this feature and regular updates.

[mu_hilltopper]

I cannot emphasize enough how much I like the official scholarship table. 

Thank you for providing this feature and regular updates.

That was a carry over from Ahoya.  I think Mike Juno might have been the first guy to do one.  Mike Juno, where for art thou?

[NavinRJohnson]

The JUCO thing really only becomes an issue if they don't perform well off the court as well as on. Is it not fair to assume that the MU athletic department has some idea what they are doing, and still have their priorities set? MU's student athlete academic track record is stellar. Just because Buzz is willing to do something the last guy wasn't, doesn't make it wrong. Would I prefer to see something less than 40% JUCO's? Sure, but lets face it, the roster was a mess and this was a rebuilding project, and if these guys are viable players and students, there is absolutely nothing wrong with bringing them here. Will that percentage of JUCO players continue once the roster is back in some sort of order? Who knows, but more importantly, if they perform well on the court and in the classroom, who cares?

This only becomes a problem if these guys don't work out (which very well could happen). There have been plenty of 4 year guys who have not worked out the past several years as well. Why is this any worse?

[PuertoRicanNightmare]

I cannot emphasize enough how much I like the official scholarship table. 

Thank you for providing this feature and regular updates.

I am willing to commit to buying a game program at next season's home opener.

[SERocks]

Could someone clarify for me how many scholarships are available?  Last year, according to the table we used 12.  This year we have 14 listed, but are only -1 on the scholarships available, which would indicate that last year we should have been +1.

[bma725]

That was a carry over from Ahoya.  I think Mike Juno might have been the first guy to do one.  Mike Juno, where for art thou?

Mike Juno...

Wow I haven't heard that name in years...and I actually went to high school with Mike.  He seemed to disappear before the first meltdown of the Rivals board.

I think the schollie table started with the Reptile, back when the recruiting board over there was "IWB and The Reptile's" recruiting board.

[bma725]

Could someone clarify for me how many scholarships are available?  Last year, according to the table we used 12.  This year we have 14 listed, but are only -1 on the scholarships available, which would indicate that last year we should have been +1.

13 are available each year.  We only had 12 scholarship players because Mbakwe transferred and there was no time to replace him.

[mu_hilltopper]

Good call .. could have been from that .. funny, I just checked that board .. it still exists, and because no one has posted there for years, messages from 2005 are still there.  

http://marquette.rivals.com/forum.asp?style=2&sid=987&fid=1017&pid=53981466

[Tom Crean's Tanning Bed]

Good call .. could have been from that .. funny, I just checked that board .. it still exists, and because no one has posted there for years, messages from 2005 are still there.  

http://marquette.rivals.com/forum.asp?style=2&sid=987&fid=1017&pid=53981466

I just had to read thru a few of those for a laugh.  Apparently when we were on Derrick Rose's list a few years' back, we were worried whether we'd have enough minutes for him with James, McNeal, Matthews, Cubillan, and Christopherson all on the team. 

[thanooj]

How many 6'2" guards have done this at MU?

I saw Anthony Pieper kind of do that on the baseline in a game for MU.
How tall was he?

[SaintPaulWarrior]

Tell me your kidding!  The new jerseys are sick!  Marquette has always been at the front of jerseys and believe it or not, high school kids are intrigued by the jerseys a team wears.  We are one of, someone correct me here, 4 or 5 teams in the nation to have 4 different jerseys.  I do not want these to change, plus their D-Wade's Converse brand........The new jerseys add so much to the player's mentality believe it or not.

As Jeronne said...."They are exclusive"

[Wade for President]

Good call .. could have been from that .. funny, I just checked that board .. it still exists, and because no one has posted there for years, messages from 2005 are still there.  

http://marquette.rivals.com/forum.asp?style=2&sid=987&fid=1017&pid=53981466

Man Hilltopper....funny to think how far we've come from those days.  Hell, I had a post inquiring about Cubillan's high school performance.  Gez.

[CAINMUTINY]

Enough with the criticism of JUCO's.......if they help us win and stay out of the slammer then we have nothing to complain about.

If we had the opportunity to take a one-and-done player no one would say smack about that, but here are some guys who are willing to play their hearts out and they're not good enough? We sound like ND fans......if the kid had some troubles academically and now has his stuff together......GAME ON!!!