Hypothetical

[Dickthedribbler]

So Wojo walks into Lovell and Scholl's office tomorrow and says " the best Junior College guard in America wants to come to Marquette and play next season. He has size, quickness and is the best ball handling guard in the country at that level. Blue bloods want him, but he wants to play in the Big East and he knows he can garner big minutes right away at MU. This would free up Carton from ball handling duties and he could concentrate on being a scoring 2 guard. Can I sign the kid???

Lovell and Scholl would tell Wojo:

1. Sign him NOW and get his azz to Milwaukee
    ASAP.
2. Here at Marquette we stive to recruit a
    higher caliber student-athlete than one
    Is apt to find at the JUCO level. Pass.
3. We'll be just fine without him.
4. Something else.

How this question would be answered by the important people at MU should tell anyone where the program is currently at and more importantly where it's headed

[tower912]

The standard would be whether the player has a path to graduation.   If he was similar to DJO or Jimmy, perhaps.   If he was on a path like Jae, I don't think so.

[TAMU, Knower of Ball]

The best juco in the country from last year is the last guy off the bench at Kansas. Good player for sure but not a program changer.

It depends on if he majored in PE or not. If he didn't, it could probably happen.

[The Sultan]

The standard would be whether the player has a path to graduation.   If he was similar to DJO or Jimmy, perhaps.   If he was on a path like Jae, I don't think so.

On a path similar to DJO, Jimmy it would be a "no doubt yes."  Fully qualified players with only one year of Juco and three years to make up any deficiencies.

On a path similar to Dwight, it would be a "perhaps yes."  They would need to graduate and have enough transferrable credits to graduate in a reasonable timeframe.

And I believe all three hold degrees from MU.

I doubt someone with Jae's background would be allowed now.

[Nukem2]

On a path similar to DJO, Jimmy it would be a "no doubt yes."  Fully qualified players with only one year of Juco and three years to make up any deficiencies.

On a path similar to Dwight, it would be a "perhaps yes."  They would need to graduate and have enough transferrable credits to graduate in a reasonable timeframe.

And I believe all three hold degrees from MU.

I doubt someone with Jae's background would be allowed now.

I would agree with your take on where things probably stand.

[MuggsyB]

I would think it would be a challenge to know who is on a "path to graduation" before they are admitted.  Wouldn't this potentially be a prejudicial point of view?

[The Sultan]

I would think it would be a challenge to know who is on a "path to graduation" before they are admitted.  Wouldn't this potentially be a prejudicial point of view?

If someone graduated from a Juco with a AA in physical education, they are basically starting behind two semesters when they get to MU since it doesn't offer a PE degree.  Marquette wants them to be able to graduate (or be reasonably close) by the time their eligibility is complete.

[asdfasdf]

Does the requirement of being able to graduate before their eligibility runs out take into account the ability to redshirt?

For example, Jae wasn't going to be able to graduate in his 2 years.  However, if he were to redshirt for 1 year, wouldn't he be able to graduate in 3 years?

[MUBurrow]

If someone graduated from a Juco with a AA in physical education, they are basically starting behind two semesters when they get to MU since it doesn't offer a PE degree.  Marquette wants them to be able to graduate (or be reasonably close) by the time their eligibility is complete.

Do you know if this is something that junior college admissions folks know about and counsel guys on?  Like, are D-I scholarship hopefuls encouraged to major in Comm or something similarly transferable to broaden their options for transfer destinations?

[The Sultan]

Do you know if this is something that junior college admissions folks know about and counsel guys on?  Like, are D-I scholarship hopefuls encouraged to major in Comm or something similarly transferable to broaden their options for transfer destinations?

I don't know.  I do know that the ratio of students to counselors is pretty high at most Jucos.

[BCHoopster]

If he can shoot, bring him in and get Adrian to work with him everyday!

[Dickthedribbler]

In my original post I used the JUCO star as an example. I guess where I was going was whether it's Wojo or any other coach, at Marquette or at any other high major job, if you want to build a consistent top 25 program, that consistently makes deep NCAA Tournament runs, you have to at least be able to look at all sub-sets of recruits out there----including maybe some so called non-traditional guys (that doesn't mean you sign every loose screw with basketball talent who comes along). It means that once in awhile you have to break your own rules and take a well reasoned chance on a kid.

I turn the clock back 21 years to 2000 when a young coach at MU one year on the job lobbied Bill Cords and Fr. Wild to admit a kid who reportedly had some "holes" in his academic background. The polite language in those days was "partial qualifier."

Now, Cords and Wild understood that Marquette was first and always a strong educational institutions. But they were realists who also understood the historical importance of college basketball at MU. They put their stamp of approval on signing the kid. And the rest, as they say, is history.

And if you want to assess how important to the  program that one decision to admit one 17 year old kid was, let me tell you with complete confidence what WOULDN'T have happened had the decision gone the other way:

1. No Final 4 in 2003.
2. No McGuire Center ( not then anyway).
3. No invitation to join the BE in 2005.
4. No string of 8 NCAA appearances 2006-2013.
5. The young man turned out to be probably the best ambassador MU has to this day.

I guess my bottom line is if you want to be competitive at the highest levels of college basketball, you don't have to cheat or sign a roster full of felons. But you do have to allow your coach (Wojo or someone else) to take a well reasoned chance on a kid once in awhile.

[tower912]

There are no partial qualifiers anymore.

[Dickthedribbler]

There are no partial qualifiers anymore.
[/qu
ote].

I know.

[MuggsyB]

Do you know if this is something that junior college admissions folks know about and counsel guys on?  Like, are D-I scholarship hopefuls encouraged to major in Comm or something similarly transferable to broaden their options for transfer destinations?

Great question.  It would be interesting to find out which courses are transferable.  If one is actually two semesters behind from one JUCO but on track towards graduation at another JUCO (and in the same class) it does raise some eyebrows such as do they actually take classes at all?

[Dr. Blackheart]

By my count, 22 JUCOs have suited up for MUBB since Al started. Many are all-time greats. None have played since MU adopted higher academic standards as Larry Williams publicly announced before Buzz's last (and worst) year (McKay made the cut but quit for a few reasons, one being Buzz brought back Otule for Year 6 as he thought McKay would get shelved like Todd and Vander).

NCAA wins in eight seasons since: 0. NCAA appearances: 2.5.

Wojo's network fits that profile. Many of these others you all are touting don't. Wojo will be here next season.

[f/k/a humanlung]

So Wojo walks into Lovell and Scholl's office tomorrow and says " the best Junior College guard in America wants to come to Marquette and play next season. He has size, quickness and is the best ball handling guard in the country at that level. Blue bloods want him, but he wants to play in the Big East and he knows he can garner big minutes right away at MU. This would free up Carton from ball handling duties and he could concentrate on being a scoring 2 guard. Can I sign the kid???

Lovell and Scholl would tell Wojo:

1. Sign him NOW and get his azz to Milwaukee
    ASAP.
2. Here at Marquette we stive to recruit a
    higher caliber student-athlete than one
    Is apt to find at the JUCO level. Pass.
3. We'll be just fine without him.
4. Something else.

How this question would be answered by the important people at MU should tell anyone where the program is currently at and more importantly where it's headed

Isn't this the "we can't for Wojo now because of next year's recruiting class..." argument all over again?