I know we haven’t talked about this a ton, but how do people feel about the other incoming recruiting classes in the Big Ten?
Michigan’s recruits aside, there are only 9-10 top 100 players committed to other Big Ten schools. No 5 stars committed to other Big Ten schools either (Karim Mane could change that).
I actually like a lot of the non-top-100 players committed to B1G schools; like Bowman (Wisconsin), Geronimo (Indiana), and Mitchell (Minnesota) for example. But OSU, Maryland, and Iowa for example all have super underwhelming classes. Just from a recruiting standpoint, what does everyone else think?
Thanks for sharing. Regarding OSU, is anyone else surprised by the three transfers in, three transfers out?? All of those guys are solid contributors last season (Carton before illness). Was there a domino effect? What led to Luther Muhammad and Alonzo Gaffney transferring? With Andre Wesson’s minutes graduating, I feel like those guys didn’t have to feel that much pressure with Seth Towns coming to town (sorry had to).
Edit: Gaffney wasn’t a contributor outside of the UMass-Lowell game, which I watched part of
Between DJ Carton taking a mid-season leave of absence, Duane Washington and Luther Muhammad catching in-season suspensions, Gaffney barely playing as a top-50 recruit … I don’t think it is exactly a shock that there were multiple transfers out from that program.
Fair enough with Gaffney and Carton. I’m still surprised Muhammad is transferring. After making some epic recruiting pitches lately, Eric Liddell will likely be Holtmann’s only RSCI 100 recruit on next season’s roster.
Over the past 15-20 years the only B1G program that consistently recruited at a top-10 or top-5 level nationally was Matta’s OSU. Izzo gets his share of burger boys but the MSU class composition is usually one top-50 type and a handful of low 4-stars. Behind those two I don’t know who I’d consider the next best recruiting program. Illinois I guess?
So I don’t think the rest of the B1G is recruiting any differently or worse than it usually does. And their models translate to wins. But if Juwan’s model is to sign piles of 5-stars year in and year out, it will make the conference’s relative paucity stand out more.
You’re definitely correct in your assertions. I guess I just mean that given the success of some of these programs I would have expected better from them as far as recruiting goes. Regardless, those OSU and Maryland classes REALLY stuck out to me though. Especially Maryland. Not awesome.
Yeah Maryland’s class just sucks. They are definitely in a different category to my overall point, at least this year. They’re also striking out badly in the transfer market.
OSU’s class seems okay to me. I agree with @goblue8 that Holtmann is too enamored with the portal but otherwise it’s not a bright red flag like Maryland’s situation.
Coach Chris Holtmann has been very busy over the past month or so. The Buckeyes saw sophomore Luther Muhammad and freshmen D.J. Carton and Alonzo Gaffney depart the program via the transfer portal, and they welcomed Seth Towns (16.0 PPG at Harvard), Jimmy Sotos (11.5 PPG at Bucknell) and Abel Porter (5.6 PPG at Utah State) to Columbus. It’s a total overhaul of last season’s supporting cast, although only Towns and Porter are definitely eligible to play right away next season. As for the returnees, C.J. Walker and Duane Washington Jr. are back on the perimeter, and Kyle Young should start up front. Freshman E.J. Liddell is ready for a big step forward, and California transfer Justice Sueing (14.3 PPG) will provide scoring punch after sitting out. The big question: How does Holtmann replace Kaleb Wesson?
CJ Walker, Duane Washington, Seth Townsm, Justice Sueing and Kyle Young as a starting five? Maybe add in EJ Liddell.
Holtman seems to have a clear vision how he wants to construct his teams, roster of good players but no real true difference making NBA types. See this team as no different, its a high floor (safely in ncaa tournament) but has a low ceiling. Guess I shouldn’t be surprised, he came from the big east and programs below Villanova in the big east are pretty much that.
Yeah carton and last years class was an example but it seems to me like he likes to play in 75-150 range + transfer route. Leads to a lot of good players but limits your upside of getting big timer. Hes clearly more comfortable to me at taking transfers thats he knows what they are to fill gaps rather than taking a chance on a high school kids that may have more upside.
And its fine to have that vision, but you can’t have the constant roster turnover and have to have some stability. Plus at some point you have to bring in some difference makers, rather than just guys.
Washington is a prime example. Good player, I like him, but to have him be “the guy” I can’t see. To me that is the problem with their roster to be an upper-level team. Unless Sueing or Towns can be that player, I’m selling on OSU.
Losing Kaleb alone is a huge hit. Slotting them into the top 20 assumes a step up from some players, and contributions from several newcomers. It’s fine if someone wants to assume that, I guess. But, I don’t see it. It’s sort of like slotting us into a pre-season top 20 after losing X and Teske. We could assume that returnees and a transfer will pick up some of the slack, and that a freshman or two will contribute, but that’s introducing a lot of ifs to the equation.
had to).