Penn State gets throttled by UMASS. 81-56

[TC4THREE]

I took some heat last year for saying that Shrewsberry might be better off passing on the Penn State job. Yes, it's a power-conference job with a nice paycheck attached to it, but it's going to be extremely difficult for him to win there just like it has been for everyone who has ever coached there. Yeah they have had years here and there but nothing really sustained. The last time they made the NCAA touranment in consecutive years was in the 1950's and have only made it 4 times in the past 50 years I believe. And clearly he's not starting with the a great roster. He could do a pretty good job there over the next 3 years and still end up losing his job.

One more year at Purdue with the team we currently have might have put him at the top of the list for other power conference jobs that will open up. If this opportunity at Penn State turns out poorly, he's not going to be in line for another power conference job for a long time, and maybe ever.

Can't blame him for taking the paycheck though. Most of us would do that same thing in the same situation. Just don't think it was a good place to try to build a successful program.

 

[Purdue85]

I expect him to have much more attraction, when it comes to recruiting.

 

[TC4THREE]

I expect him to have much more attraction, when it comes to recruiting.

We will see. Hard to get top recruits to come play in front of nobody.

 

[Purdue Grad in Texas]

We will see. Hard to get top recruits to come play in front of nobody.

The Tomb factor.

 

[OhioBoiler51]

Chambers had them ranked a couple times. I think shrew will do better than he did. Decent first recruiting class with a couple top 150 kids that Purdue also recruited. Have a feeling he will be able to do well in the transfer portal too.

 

[DAG10]

I expect him to have much more attraction, when it comes to recruiting.

Even if he does...there is SO much ground to be made up.

He could elevate them to relevance potentially...and middle of the conference possibly...and that is even if he does a really good job in/with recruiting. Is that good enough?

I like Shrewsberry A LOT...personally and professionally...but I was surprised that he was the top candidate, and, surprised in some ways that he took the job.

I would have loved to have him back at Purdue this year and with this group, and, I think he could have parlayed that into an even better job just as the OP had stated.

Hard certainly to pass on a job in the B1G...but, at the same time, hard to deem PSU a really desirable job in the B1G as well. Chambers did have some success on the heels of some recruiting success...maybe Shrewsberry will be able to do the same...he just has his work cut out for him...as has been shown time and again by guys that have preceded him.

 

[DAG10]

Chambers had them ranked a couple times. I think shrew will do better than he did. Decent first recruiting class with a couple top 150 kids that Purdue also recruited. Have a feeling he will be able to do well in the transfer portal too.

I mean, Indinia fans constantly state how important it is to have a guy that was a "NBA guy"...at least he has that as something else to use while recruiting.

 

[Purdue85]

We will see. Hard to get top recruits to come play in front of nobody.

He's off to a really good start. He took a combo guard from us, and signed a 4-star C from La Lum, along with what looks to be a decent 3-star PG, and a 3-star SF from Cincy.

I don't think they'll be playing in front of "nobody" for long, if he starts showing any improvement at all.

 

[TX4GB]

He is marketing the team based on what I have seen with the events held on campus and interacting with students. It may take a few years but hopefully the higher ups will be patient with him trying to build a culture for basketball.

 

[Professor Emeritus]

It would be difficult to pass up first chair in the B1G regardless of the situation. Given his early recruiting success and coaching acumen, Shrews will soon have Penn State competitive.

Besides, if Rutgers can do it...

 

[TC4THREE]

He's off to a really good start. He took a combo guard from us, and signed a 4-star C from La Lum, along with what looks to be a decent 3-star PG, and a 3-star SF from Cincy.

I don't think they'll be playing in front of "nobody" for long, if he starts showing any improvement at all.

Happy Valley Insider

The definitive source for all Penn State news.

pennstate.rivals.com

Rivals is showing their class as five 3-star recruits. That might improve their talent level but it's not going to be upper half of the Big Ten. Not to say they can't play better than their ranking, but it would be surprising if any of those players are going to be all-conference in the next couple years. If things work out really well, they could develop into a really good core as upperclassmen.

 

[Chi-Boiler]

It's a tough situation no doubt. Hard to disagree with anyone in this thread. It's a huge challenge to un-tomb the program, but he's had what seems to be a good start in recruiting with very little time to work with. The current roster is in shambles though.

 

[Russ Ford]

He's off to a really good start. He took a combo guard from us, and signed a 4-star C from La Lum, along with what looks to be a decent 3-star PG, and a 3-star SF from Cincy.

I don't think they'll be playing in front of "nobody" for long, if he starts showing any improvement at all.

They said the other night that it was the highest rated class ever at Penn State. That's pretty good considering the ground he had to make up. He convinced some good players to come play for him that had been recruited by others for a lot longer.

I agree, if he shows progress the fans will come. It's a football school but I think they'll support a winning basketball program.

 

[Purdue85]

Happy Valley Insider

The definitive source for all Penn State news.

pennstate.rivals.com

Rivals is showing their class as five 3-star recruits. That might improve their talent level but it's not going to be upper half of the Big Ten. Not to say they can't play better than their ranking, but it would be surprising if any of those players are going to be all-conference in the next couple years. If things work out really well, they could develop into a really good core as upperclassmen.

Rivals' recruiting site is ... "okay" ... but it's severely lacking.

24/7 has much better analysis (support?), IMHO.

Well, yes... I don't think anyone has advanced the idea/argument that they're an immediate team for the top of the B1G. That's not how a program is built when playing by the rules. To your point, it's process until they start beating the upper-tier teams consistently.

If you're thinking/arguing he's not having a substantial impact immediately out of the gate, with this first recruiting class, I would suggest you're way off base, and taking him lightly.

 

[Purdue85]

They said the other night that it was the highest rated class ever at Penn State. That's pretty good considering the ground he had to make up. He convinced some good players to come play for him that had been recruited by others for a lot longer.

I agree, if he shows progress the fans will come. It's a football school but I think they'll support a winning basketball program.

*PSSSSSSSSSSSST....!* ......... Don't look now, but that recruiting class is ranked 4th in the B1G (!), and they have a hard commit that's not yet signed.

Now...people can dismiss the class that it's rated that high just because of the quantity, not the quality, but that doesn't explain it all. He has talent coming in.

What's more, Shrews knows how to coach. He's been around the BEST (Stevens, Painter), and he'll have his teams playing very competitive basketball.

 

[TC4THREE]

*PSSSSSSSSSSSST....!* ......... Don't look now, but that recruiting class is ranked 4th in the B1G (!), and they have a hard commit that's not yet signed.

Now...people can dismiss the class that it's rated that high just because of the quantity, not the quality, but that doesn't explain it all. He has talent coming in.

What's more, Shrews knows how to coach. He's been around the BEST (Stevens, Painter), and he'll have his teams playing very competitive basketball.

We will see. Perhaps those recruits can close the 25-point gap with UMASS in a couple years.

 

[New Pal Boiler]

*PSSSSSSSSSSSST....!* ......... Don't look now, but that recruiting class is ranked 4th in the B1G (!), and they have a hard commit that's not yet signed.

Now...people can dismiss the class that it's rated that high just because of the quantity, not the quality, but that doesn't explain it all. He has talent coming in.

What's more, Shrews knows how to coach. He's been around the BEST (Stevens, Painter), and he'll have his teams playing very competitive basketball.

My concern would be, is this program the B1G hoops equivalent of IU Football ? i.e. not enough fans care, even if they have a good team?

 

[New Pal Boiler]

We will see. Perhaps those recruits can close the 25-point gap with UMASS in a couple years.

Painter had some rough games his first year here. The difference is, we have Mackey instead of that mausoleum in happy valley.

 

[TX4GB]

My concern would be, is this program the B1G hoops equivalent of IU Football ? i.e. not enough fans care, even if they have a good team?

Georgia has had that issue with basketball but Crean is not helping. Alabama and Auburn are coming around though probably with $.

 

[TC4THREE]

My concern would be, is this program the B1G hoops equivalent of IU Football ? i.e. not enough fans care, even if they have a good team?

I thought they had already established that. Chambers had some decent teams but fans rarely seemed to care.

I'd argue that the PSU job is the worst basketball job in the conference.

 

[Purdue85]

We will see. Perhaps those recruits can close the 25-point gap with UMASS in a couple years.

Well, yeah, that's the process of developing a program. I'm not saying Shrews is the man for the job, or that he's going to turn it around in the next 2 years. But he's showing a LOT of improvement, and promise.

Not sure how those recruits would have helped out THIS year... 😉

 

[JHetfield99]

Is MArcus Camby still there?

 

[TC4THREE]

Is MArcus Camby still there?

No but maybe Travieso and Padilla??

 

[New Pal Boiler]

No but maybe Travieso and Padilla??

Maybe Donta Bright Jr?

 

[BoilerAndy]

#4 UM lost to unranked Seton Hall.

 

[Purdue Grad in Texas]

#4 UM lost to unranked Seton Hall.

Well, that's a surprise. I think Howard just agreed to a five-year extension, as well.

Also, BYU ran #12 Oregon right out of the gym, 81-49.

 

[purdueplayer]

It doesn’t look like Michigan is going to shoot the 3 very well. But from the few clips I saw, Seton Hall had some good guard play. Not a great showing in the Gavitt games for the Big10.

 

[PaBoiler78]

We will see. Hard to get top recruits to come play in front of nobody.

there weren't too many people in the stands at last night's nd game neither.

 

[TC4THREE]

there weren't too many people in the stands at last night's nd game neither.

True. But they will sell out many of their home games against ACC competition. When they are good, they will sell out most/all of their conference game. I've seen the stands when competitive Penn State teams host ranked Purdue teams. Not close to full.

 

[TC4THREE]

Not looking good with a Penn State loss at home to a poor Miami team tonight.