Huh…I had no memory of Karim Mane and the story behind it. I just had to do some internet research to educate myself. He seems like an interesting prospect who maybe thought a little too highly of himself late in the process and ended up going undrafted and is now in the G-League. Definitely would have been an interesting prospect for MSU to be sure.
I think losing Jalen Terry (perhaps because they had signed Hoggard and were also after Mane) hurt. It felt like Izzo recognized the issue and was trying to solve it - but maybe ended up losing out on the one true PG of the three (Terry) and the guy with the highest potential (Mane). I’m still not convinced he would have solved the PG issues after reading this piece about how he broke on the scene. Feels more like a SG to me…
Michigan did have David DeJulius playing PG to take over from Simpson when he graduated. The fact he ultimately left in transfer doesn’t mean they did not recruit the position.
Also MSU with Loyer did sign him to replace Winston. Maryland literally signed nobody over 4 consecutive classes which is stunning to me.
Correct me if I am wrong but didn’t they recruit Ayala as a PG?? Whether or not you believe he’s capable of being a PG doesn’t mean Maryland didn’t want him to be a PG.
They recruited several combo guards like Ayala and Hart. I mean it is nice to hope they can be a PG but still a bit weird your only hope are guys that were barely PGs in high school.
They recruited him as a CG to play (at least part of his career) beside Cowan. Every PG commit they’ve signed since Cowan all the way back in 2016 has been listed as a CG on 247.
Now, I’m sure Turgeon and his staff envisioned at least one CG in five years panning out as a true PG. 247’s database is not necessarily reflective of Maryland’s scouting. But it’s potentially indicative of the blind spot in Turgeon’s roster management that got us to this point.
2020: none
2019: none
2018: none
2017: none
2016: Anthony Cowan (played alongside Trimble for a year, basically a 4 year starter)
2015: none
2014: Melo Trimble (3 year starter)
2013: Roddy Peters (top 50 recruit flamed out and transferred after 1 year)
2012: Seth Allen (played for 2 years before transferring to VT)
For a while Turgeon was regularly bringing in PG recruits and then he almost totally stopped
I don’t find Turgeon terribly personable, but I don’t think he’s an idiot. They must have swung and missed at some guys? In the presser after we walloped them, he was taking a ‘wait till next year’ attitude already at mid-season. Do they look like a strong team next year?
I do think that, Michigan’s success notwithstanding, teams and ADs and donors are going to be inclined to write this year off, not hold it against coaches. . .
Hard to say. They return everyone except nominal starting 5 Galin Smith and their incoming 2-man class is a pair of wings. So maybe a guy like Hakim Hart takes another step forward, maybe Donta Scott becomes the next Eric Paschall…but it’s still a roster of literally all wings.
Imagine telling MSU fans at the start of the season that come February Rocket Watts and Joey Hauser would be coming off the bench and Foster Loyer would be starting.