One difference between the Dawson and Swanigan recruiting battles.....this time around Purdue is recruiting from a position of strength.
When Dawson was being recruited.....without him you were looking at future frontline options of Tacos, (plan B Lawson), Hale .
This time around without Swanigan......Haas, VE, Smotherman....and potentially Hammons for one more year.
This is the perfect opportunity for Painter to "swing for the fences". The upside is final four potential (especially if Hammons stays)......the biggest downside risk is a "pity party" on knuck central for a few days (vbg).
Zo - On the other hand is playing more of a high stakes game of poker. Best case scenario all three elite players stay for a couple years and put Cal on the Map.....and establish CAL as a destination for future elite recruits. Worst case scenario a couple of them don't come....or only stay one year. Then CAL fans/AD/big boosters are asking in year 3 and 4.......where is the progress?
Don't blame Zo for swinging for the fences.....but he is recruiting in a very complicated area. There is a small group of elite coaches that are able to consistently win with this strategy. But those are the coaches that get these elite players....year after year. Crean is a perfect example of a coach that is "outkicking his coverage" in recruiting. Losing Zeller, Vonleh....and now apparently Yogi and Williams considering their NBA options. Next year he might lose Blackmon. Tough to establish any type of consistency....when you are a notch below the recruiting of the Self's. Coach K, Cal, Matta etc.
As a general rule I think a coach like Crean would be better served swimming more in the top 50-100 recruiting range....as would most coaches that don't reload with burger boys ever year. Certainly there are times when the pieces are in place to win big immediately.....going after a one and done...makes complete sense.
I am a huge Zo fan....so (other than Swanigan) hope he has a great run at CAL. Be interesting to see the outcome of this high stakes poker game.
When Dawson was being recruited.....without him you were looking at future frontline options of Tacos, (plan B Lawson), Hale .
This time around without Swanigan......Haas, VE, Smotherman....and potentially Hammons for one more year.
This is the perfect opportunity for Painter to "swing for the fences". The upside is final four potential (especially if Hammons stays)......the biggest downside risk is a "pity party" on knuck central for a few days (vbg).
Zo - On the other hand is playing more of a high stakes game of poker. Best case scenario all three elite players stay for a couple years and put Cal on the Map.....and establish CAL as a destination for future elite recruits. Worst case scenario a couple of them don't come....or only stay one year. Then CAL fans/AD/big boosters are asking in year 3 and 4.......where is the progress?
Don't blame Zo for swinging for the fences.....but he is recruiting in a very complicated area. There is a small group of elite coaches that are able to consistently win with this strategy. But those are the coaches that get these elite players....year after year. Crean is a perfect example of a coach that is "outkicking his coverage" in recruiting. Losing Zeller, Vonleh....and now apparently Yogi and Williams considering their NBA options. Next year he might lose Blackmon. Tough to establish any type of consistency....when you are a notch below the recruiting of the Self's. Coach K, Cal, Matta etc.
As a general rule I think a coach like Crean would be better served swimming more in the top 50-100 recruiting range....as would most coaches that don't reload with burger boys ever year. Certainly there are times when the pieces are in place to win big immediately.....going after a one and done...makes complete sense.
I am a huge Zo fan....so (other than Swanigan) hope he has a great run at CAL. Be interesting to see the outcome of this high stakes poker game.
