I am good with this result. Just never got a good vibe from all the interviews I read. Too bad, on to the next one.
I openly admit to not having followed this recruitment closely, but this reads to me like a case where Hunter was looking for a good reason to go elsewhere and drawing things out this long was just to give that more time to come through. Wish him the best though and would rather focus on other targets.
2 Likes
This sounds about right to me as well. I never remember him saying glowing things about Michigan at least not in the same breath as 4 or 5 other programs. When everyone presumed he was down to Xavier and Michigan, it just seemed like that was out of default. Not 100% surprised that he went to IU but 100% disapointed
3 Likes
Having Johns at the four certainly softens the blow of landing Hunter (who, to me, projects as a four at U-M ā at least to start).
I think Ignas is the guy that can elevate this class to a great class, but really any two of the offers to round things out would be very nice.
4 Likes
Good insight from Inside the Hall. http://www.insidethehall.com/2017/07/17/q-a-ohio-nova-director-andreas-james-discusses-jerome-hunter-commitment/
2 Likes
So literally from the time that he got on campus until when he committed, the staff has been in contact with his circle non-stop. And then this past first weekend, out of the four games, I believe Archie ā¦ obviously thereās a staff represented there ā¦ but I believe he was the only head coach that was at three of the four games. Thatās not to say the other schools didnāt prioritize him because some other schools did a really good job of recruiting him, but the staff came in really strong and identified that he was a guy they wanted and didnāt leave any doubt in Jeromeās mind that he was a priority. And also let him know what they would do to develop him as a student athlete there at Indiana.ā
Before everyone starts dissecting this tweet and questions Beileinās recruiting work ethic or whatever else. These games are literally going on at the same time as each other in different cities. The fact that Beilein was at Peach Jam and was at every game that Iggy played says something about where U-M wanted to prioritize this weekend.
Beilein was still in SC for a couple of games this weekend to watch Hutnter, but they clearly chose to prioritize being at Peach Jam (Iggy, Locke, Brandon Johns, Hunter Tyson, etc.).
2 Likes
Well, Iād say Johns was every bit as much of a priority as Hunter, maybe even a higher priority given the top competitor.
2 Likes
Johns was offered the first day, Hunter about a month or two later.
1 Like
Good points @bebopson @LosAngelesWolverine1, it might be my personal preference of Hunter as a player over Johns or just the recent talk of him being the #1 guy (along with Iggy) weāve been after since Johns committed.
No doubt JB and Saddi have been putting great work in on the recruiting trails lately, this one just hurts a little more than others because it could have taken the 18 class from good to great
2 Likes
I definitely wanted Hunter and I think heās a nice player. You canāt get them all, and Indiana is a program that has won three national titles in the past 40 years with several other FF appearances, so with a new, well-respected coach, theyāll get players. Even in the past few years, they have landed five stars like Eric Gordon, Cody Zeller, Yogi Farrell, and Thomas Bryant.
If we can add Iggy I think itās still an excellent class.
1 Like
wow! Agree with all of the above pretty much. Thought OSU was going to the most serious obstacle for Hunter. I think going forward with the new staffs at IU, OSU, even Northwestern to a certain extent and others, recruiting in the Big10 is going to get alot more challenging and intense from here on out.
1 Like
JB and crew put in their best effort I have no doubt but I feel Hunter may have looked at the roster and saw it as being crowded at his potential positions.
1 Like
This was my exact concern, and why Iām hoping we can get some quality assistants in. The Big Ten had a lot of good staffs, and itās seen a significant upgrade this offseason. I think itās quite a league of coaches right now.
I think Hunter is a spectacular looking player and would have been ecstatic to land him - with that said, I always wondered if Iggy was a better fit. Gun to my head, my preference has probably always been Iggy, although Hunterās athletic potential would have certainly left me second guessing on that. I love Iggyās game - really, really hope we can bring him in. Heād be such a great fit and my disappointment level over landing Iggy and not getting Hunter would be zero. I think theyāre both the kind of recruits you build a class around.
2 Likes
I donāt think thatās it. IU just picked up two other wing/forward types in the same class and we clearly need another wing.
We really need to land Iggy now.
1 Like
It may, although Matta was a great recruiter who signed a ton of players UM had offered (Cook, Lighty, Buford, Amir Williams, Tate, KBD), and Crean landed plenty of talent at Indiana (Zeller, Oladipo, Ferrell, Blackmon, Troy Williams, OG, Bryant), so I donāt know if Holtmann and Miller are going to do any better than their predecessors when it comes to recruiting. Collins, though, is certainly better at recruiting than Carmody and has his program on the rise. But at this rate, I could see him at Duke within 3-4 years, so it may be very short lived.
2 Likes
Thompson seems like a traditional four type. I havenāt really seen anyone refer to him as a āwingā in the mold of the other two.
But either way, I would have to think recruits see a ton of available playing time now at IU.
On the other hand, at the 3/4, we have all of Mathews, Livers, and Johns. Iām not suggesting a really talented player couldnāt break into that rotation and earn significant minutes - I think either Hunter or Iggy absolutely could - but those positions are certainly more crowded at Michigan.
I never really saw the fit for Race in 2018, but as a 2017 Iād have been more intrigued to fill some depth in this year at the four spot.
1 Like
But heās reclassifying to redshirt, anyway, right?
Yeahā¦ that I donāt really get. Either way, Johns is a much better 4 for Michigan than Race. (Hunter would have been a very good 4 too).
Key to making this a great class is landing Iggy, I still feel that way. One of Tyson/Locke would be icing on the cake.
4 Likes
I never even looked at him because I didnāt see a fit, isnāt he kind of physically underdeveloped? He looked very much like a HS junior in the one photo I glanced at, iirc?