No one in the B1G has an "elite stopper." No, I do not consider Williams an "elite stopper.
Certainly, no one else I've seen qualifies. Arizona has a lot of size and athleticism, yet we came within a hair of beating them with a McGary who was not close to 100 per cent. I'm not sure who Kansas' elite stopper is this season. Wiggins? Not hardly. And UK? Are people referring to Cauley-Stein? Randall? I would not call either one an "elite" stopper.
You are delusional if you don’t think Cauley-Stein, Emblid, and Arizona’s bigmen don’t qualify as elite stoppers LOL
Yeah, guestavo, I agree that those guys are elite stoppers. I don’t agree that those teams guaranteed wins over teams without defensive stoppers, though. Like YOU said, there aren’t that many elite big men and just because you can’t get one doesn’t mean your team/program is screwed. Butler made back to back National Championships… who was their elite big man?
We are already recruiting and performing on Ohio St.'s level. I expect Michigan to be on par with Ohio St. I don't expect Michigan to be on par with Duke and Kentucky.
No, we’re not. One season doesn’t equate the sustained success that OSU has experienced under Matta.
Would you agree that the two rosters were equally talented last year? Would you agree they are equally talented this year?
Why aren’t you guys giving Matta flack for his past two abysmal recruiting classes? They were coming off a final four year last year and the only recruit they bring in is Della Valle?
Michigan is recruiting on par with Ohio St. We had the better class the past two years, they have the better 2014 class. You guys are knocking Beilein for his recruiting, but I think the Albrecht/Stauskas/LeVert/GRIII/McGary class is one of the best classes in recent memory.
Abysmal - the guy just signed 2 top 100 recruits this year, and has 3 100 prospects committed for 2014. Not to mention 4, I repeat 4, top 100 players in 2011. Get real
#18 Glenn Robinson III #22 Zak Irvin #27 Mitch McGary #30 Derrick Walton #34 Shannon Scott #43 Amir Williams #45 Sam Thompson #53 LaQuinton Ross #58 Kameron Williams #62 Marc Loving #75 Carlton Brundidge #76 Nik Stauskas #84 Trey Burke #89 Mark Donnal
In the past 3 years, Michigan has landed the top 4 recruits between the two schools and has landed 8 top 100 players compared to OSU’s 6 top 100 players. I’d say Michigan is recruiting well. Ohio St. will have a better 2014 class, but we’ll see by how much. Beilein is known for finding the late bloomers, so I’m sure we’ll see some changeup in the 2014 rankings.
And yes, abysmal. Ohio St. has not landed a top 50 player in the past two years. Meanwhile, Michigan has landed 4 top 30 players. How do you go to the Final 4 and fail to land a top 50 recruit two years in a row?
Do you understand the word hypocritical? I would suggest you consider that word before posting moving forward. You got in guestavo’s case about being consistent, but yet you fail to do the same.
Literally a few posts up you say you’re not “talking about history” but looking at “trends”, and then proceed to omit 2014 recruiting. How can you possibly fail to consider 2014 if you’re looking at trends rather than history? Seems to me you have a conflict going on that can’t be resolved objectively to fit your preferred story so instead you apply your own brand of analytics.
Do you understand the word hypocritical? I would suggest you consider that word before posting moving forward. You got in guestavo's case about being consistent, but yet you fail to do the same.
Literally a few posts up you say you’re not “talking about history” but looking at “trends”, and then proceed to omit 2014 recruiting. How can you possibly fail to consider 2014 if you’re looking at trends rather than history? Seems to me you have a conflict going on that can’t be resolved objectively to fit your preferred story so instead you apply your own brand of analytics.
Furthermore you fail to account for 2010 because you know good and well that it wouldn’t fit your take on things but would confirm the truth that OSU has out recruited Michigan in totality during JB’s tenure.
Why leave out 2014? Because it makes your argument look suspect?
D’Angelo Russell is not a top 20 player? Keita-Bates isn’t a top 30 player (we offered)? Ja’Saean Tate is not a top 50 recruit (we offered)?
Mickey Mitchell is not a top 30 recruit in 2015?
Also use 247 composite to be more genuine in your argument.
2011 OSU
2012 OSU didn’t have scholarships
2013 UM
2014 UM
2015 so far OSU
Let’s not talk about when they were getting Oden, Conley, Lightey, Turner, Diebler, Buford, etc
Are we recruiting well? Sure. Do I have confidence in JB? Sure. Is it wise not to offer a true bigman with size in 2015? Heck no.
Maybe we are getting ahead of ourselves. I expect us to field a title contending team in 2015 so who knows what magic that will work.
I conceited that the 2014 class goes to Ohio St. Once those rankings are locked in, they will be worth analyzing. At this point last year Irvin was a in the 40s. He moved up to the 20s over his senior year. Ditto GRIII.
Of course 3, 4, 5 years ago Matta smoked Beilein in recruiting. Beilein was in the early stages of building this program. From here on out, though, I expect recruiting to be fairly even. Wouldn’t you? Michigan will land better classes here and there, Ohio St. will land better classes here and there.
What is up with you guys and strawman arguments? I never said I didn’t want to pursue an elite big. I never said I didn’t want JB to offer an elite big. I would love it. I’m saying that if we fail to land an elite big, we can still have a really good team based on how good our back court will be.
If we’re being totally honest, no, I don’t expect our recruiting to be fairly even. I think our style of play alienates certain types of players. Not to say that our recruiting won’t be above average/good but I don’t think it will consistently be as good as OSU. When JB has gone head to head with Matta, Thad seems to have the upper hand - Williams, KBD, Tate and I don’t think that will change.
Sure, it alienates some players. It also fits some players perfectly. PG recruits have to love the idea of running Michigan’s offense after seeing the success of Darius Morris and Trey Burke. Versatile guys like Chatman love the offense and obviously shooters like it.
Thad Matta took OSU from from horrible to great literally within 2-3 years. They are now a consistent powerhouse and are always expected to compete for a national title. OSU recruiting is great. Can we not expect to be on par with OSU on the court and on the recruiting trail?
At some point your excuses have to cease, and reality needs to kick in. If you intend to be a great program you need great players, plain and simple. And, if the coaching/recruiting is that good, then you’ll eventually see the recruiting profile and on court product reflect that.
Why does being on par with OSU on the recruiting trail matter one lick?..
If we’re on par with them on the court…nothing else matters. I don’t care if they get the #1-5 top recruits in the nation every year and we get #1000-1005 if the results on the court are on par.
Thad Matta took OSU from from horrible to great literally within 2-3 years. They are now a consistent powerhouse and are always expected to compete for a national title. OSU recruiting is great. Can we not expect to be on par with OSU on the court and on the recruiting trail?
At some point your excuses have to cease, and reality needs to kick in. If you intend to be a great program you need great players, plain and simple. And, if the coaching/recruiting is that good, then you’ll eventually see the recruiting profile and on court product reflect that.
Why does being on par with OSU on the recruiting trail matter one lick?..
If we’re on par with them on the court…nothing else matters. I don’t care if they get the #1-5 top recruits in the nation every year and we get #1000-1005 if the results on the court are on par.