Q: Do you think our '14 class will be four or five recruits?
A: There's really no way of knowing at this point, because it will depend entirely on who Purdue can get.
Funny thing about recruiting is how things change over time. It's well established that Purdue would like a big man in this class, in large part due to the A.J. Hammons factor, but otherwise, its emphasis (perhaps a better word than "need") has shifted to the backcourt.
After this past season's struggles, Matt Painter will never, ever want a thin backcourt again and is going to do everything in his power to not let history repeat itself.
The guards being recruited - Bryant McIntosh, Tyler Ulis, Ronnie Harrell, JP Macura and Sandy Cohen prior to his commitment to Marquette - are different enough to not all be clones of one another, but Purdue clearly would take a few of them if it can get them to go along with existing commit Dakota Mathias.
Vince Edwards has obviously been a long-standing target and Purdue will see that through to the end, but whether that 4 spot is an absolute must anymore, I don't know.
Anything goes here, but you have to figure Purdue takes at least four, five if it can get the right fifth, but there is obviously something to be said for not booking the inn now in anticipation for either the spring (when Purdue should know whether Hammons will be back) or a 2015 class it's been actively recruiting for years already.
Purdue will not have any seniors next season, so any scholarship used now is one fewer it will have for the 2015 class.
Q: I read Painter would consider taking McIntosh, Harrell and Macura if he could. I know that is VERY unlikely, but if they did all want to commit, that would leave one open spot at a maximum, correct? Would this mean we walk away from Edwards and try to land a true big with the other scholarship?
A: Yeah, the most important part of this is how unlikely it is to happen, so it's a major hypothetical, but coaches have to make difficult decisions like this all the time in recruiting. You only get 13 spots and every year coaches have to decide between any number of guys, with it being important they maintain a balanced roster.
We're talking here about Purdue getting three more guards to commit, but at some point, nature will run its course. You have to figure that after two of those guards theoretically committed, it's unlikely a third would. And the guards are different enough to where it can be reasonably explained how they could all have roles.
If that almost unimaginable scenario would arise, this would be the scenario in which Purdue pushes its class to five, maybe even six if Hammons goes and they find someone else in the spring.
But there is simply very little chance all these dominoes fall like that.
Q: Any thoughts on how good our chances are with Haas?
A: None whatsoever, but I do think he's genuinely going into this process open to everyone recruiting him and everyone who really wants him, so I'm not sure anyone has any better a chance than anyone else, so there's that.
Purdue is getting his first visit. That means it was the first school he was willing to commit one of his five trips to, but also means four other schools will get cracks at him between his trip to West Lafayette and his decision.
Keep in mind, too, that this will be Purdue's coaches' first time around him, too, so the visit will be about both sides evaluating each other.
Q: Everything I've read makes it sound like Swanigan is a beast on the hardwood. Do you think hoops will be his sport? Or does he like football more? If he chooses hoops, do you like Purdue's chances?
A: All I know is that basketball seems to be his preference, but he is only going to be a sophomore this upcoming season and at some point, a decision is going to have to be made, maybe a business decision.
Swanigan is a physically dominant basketball player right now, one who will absolutely have opportunities to play at a high-major level, but he is also the absolute prototype for a professional offensive lineman. Personally, he looks like a future offensive guard to me, but if he's a tackle, consider how much those guys get paid at the professional level.
Physical dominance right now aside, Swanigan's college potential is a bit of a complicated forecast. He is physically advanced right now, but he won't be bigger and stronger than everyone he plays against for the rest of his basketball career. He is not a leaper and probably about 6-foot-8 right now, tops. If he grows a couple inches/becomes more mobile or athletic, he could have a chance to play basketball for a long, long time, the way Jared Sullinger will.
But if he doesn't grow and remains as is athletically, I'm not sure he doesn't fit the football prototype better.
Either way, he has great options - a great problem to have - and as it has been explained to me, it might come down to how tall he is that guides which direction he goes in. He is too young and has too much promise in both sports to commit to one or the other this early, but IMO it's a dynamic here any basketball coach considering offering him now has to take into account.
It's hard enough to get a recruit away from Tom Izzo. Getting him away from Nick Saban, too, will be no walk in the park.
You ask what Purdue's chances would be: I'd say good. They were in first and have a good relationship there. But a bunch of people would probably come in right after this hypothetical Purdue offer and I'm guessing his camp would be methodical in looking at all of them.
I wouldn't expect a quick decision, and a quick decision might be a tough proposition for colleges anyway because of the football factor.
Question: Is Caleb Swanigan Tyler Wideman 2.0? By that I mean he is so large and advanced for his age, but once his class starts to catch up with him he may not be as sought after (unless he grows a few more inches)?
Answer: As mentioned above, that is something to wonder about, but it should be noted that Swanigan isn't good only because of his size and power. He has a tremendous feel for the game for a big man, is an outstanding passer and can shoot the ball a little bit from the high post. Of course, take away the suffocating matchup problems he presents physically and none of that stuff matters all that much, but that's not going away, even if others catch up some.
The difference between Swanigan and Wideman - who is good enough to get a scholarship to Butler, by the way - is that Swanigan already enjoys (and maximizes) more of a physical advantage than Wideman ever had and is just as skilled from a passing/shooting standpoint.
Again, Swanigan is a good basketball player, not just a big one.
Question: Does Purdue still have an "AAU problem"? I think the hearsay was there may be some bad blood between Painter and a couple Indiana-based AAU coaches. Is this overblown or is it a problem that still persists? Are there certain programs we Purdue fans should hope prospects join in order to have a better shot?
Answer: No. Time heals all wounds and in recruiting, certain personalities weave in and out of relevance as recruiting cycles run their course. I don't think Purdue has an AAU problem right now. Seems to me like all the coaches/programs who matter right now very much respect Purdue and, at the very least, won't hurt it in recruiting.
Question: How have Painter, Owens, and Gary split up recruiting priorities this July ? Are they going more off class or player? Based on who they (Painter especially) have been watching the most, which guys are priority for 2014 and beyond, and how do you see the 2014 class panning out as a result?
Answer: "Purdue's staffs have always divvied up recruits. Not sure there's been a hard-line method to it geographically or anything like that, but if a coach knows a guy who knows a guy, then naturally he'll recruit that prospect.
For example, Jack Owens will recruit Illinois Wolves players, because his connections to that program go back to him recruiting Mike Mullins' son, Bryan, to Southern Illinois. On the Spiece 2015 team, Greg Gary is recruiting Sean McDermott because of his ties to that part of the state, but Micah Shrewsberry was on Derrik Smits and Owens is on KJ Walton, I think. That particular coach said last week that Purdue might be the only college with which he talks to all of its coaches.
Purdue does make it a point for multiple coaches to be involved on recruits, though, and for multiple coaches to see recruits during recruiting, though that's a sheer practicality thing in July.
Question: I am interested in hearing more about McIntosh and what kind of fit he would be at Purdue with what they try to do offensively and defensively. Has Painter been following him around everywhere, because it seems like Northwestern is?
Answer: McIntosh is the prototypical "combo" guard, a guy who could play either backcourt spot, provide Purdue another shooter but also a mid-range scorer to go along with more slasher types like Ronnie Johnson, Bryson Scott and Rapheal Davis in the future.
But a big thing, too, about McIntosh is how intangible-driven his value is. He takes basketball very seriously and is very competitive. Basketball's really important to him and that's as big a draw for Purdue right now almost as much as anything else.
Painter paid plenty of attention to McIntosh in July, following him to tournaments in Cincinnati, Minnesota and Vegas.
This visit Thursday is going to be big, because he went into this re-opening really wanting an offer from Purdue, but also probably not having an idea just how many opportunities would present themselves.
This isn't going to be an open-and-shut case for Purdue.
Question: You seemed a little bearish on McElvene before this weekend but then had some nice things to say afterwards. It appears Haas is the top big we are after but where do you see McElvene stacking up after Haas with the other bigs we appear to be after (Chandler, Craig, Brennan). It appears to me that he may be the easiest guy to get pending grades as well, can you also comment on where we might stack up with the other guys in terms of Purdue's chances with each?
Answer: McElvene played well the past two weekends, but he is very much a work in progress. He is raw, but being gigantic and relatively athletic, that's certainly a good starting point. And at the rate he's coming along, it would seem like he's someone major programs in need of a big man should be monitoring. His academic situation is obviously something that must be watched closely, but from Purdue's perspective, if it has to replace Hammons - or try to at least - he is the sort of physical presence that could potentially help ease that loss, though he's nowhere near as polished as Hammons.
Haas can be described the same way. He's enormous, but I've only seen him play in two AAU games and it's hard to gauge whether he's the sort of player Purdue could feature on offense the way it did some of the other bigs it's had, like JaJuan Johnson and now Hammons. He might be. I just haven't seen it yet. But on defense and the boards, they don't come much bigger than 7-2, 270, or whatever he is.
Purdue, I think, would really like to have a center in its 2014 signing class, whether it's now or in the spring, but I don't know if it has that slam-dunk target that stands out above all the others. I think that's why you saw it these past couple months consider transfers and start to dabble in the junior college market.
Question: What are the chances Purdue offers 2016 bigs Benson, Swanigan, and Pemsl early?
Answer: Seems like a class as a whole that the coaching staff has already gotten a long look at, those three guys included. Not sure Matt Painter got to see Benson or Pemsl in July, but he's obviously seen a ton of Swanigan from team camps and from the big man playing on Trevon Bluiett's AAU team in the spring and summer at Nike events Painter was already at.
Purdue has had Benson at elite camps in the past and will have many of its top 2016 targets and its camp again this year, so it is very possible that early offers might be made after that, conceivably to some of these guys.
Question: If Purdue makes Benson a top priority early, do you get the sense he might be a quick commit like Kendall Stephens due to the family ties to Purdue?
Answer: Don't have any reason to think so, but you never know. Stephens was obvious, because of not only his ties to Purdue but his ties to Purdue basketball. This isn't quite the same situation, but Purdue would certainly have some advantages there.
Question: What effect do you think Purdue's losing record this past season has had on recruits?
Answer: None, I don't think. In the grand scheme of things it was just one season and Purdue still has a pretty good track record. It's not like this has been a trend over a matter of years. And recruits factor in a lot of things typically, success being just part of it. Robbie Hummel, JaJuan Johnson and E'Twaun Moore all committed to Purdue after it won nine games.
Relationships and opportunity are usually very important to recruits in addition to team success.
A: There's really no way of knowing at this point, because it will depend entirely on who Purdue can get.
Funny thing about recruiting is how things change over time. It's well established that Purdue would like a big man in this class, in large part due to the A.J. Hammons factor, but otherwise, its emphasis (perhaps a better word than "need") has shifted to the backcourt.
After this past season's struggles, Matt Painter will never, ever want a thin backcourt again and is going to do everything in his power to not let history repeat itself.
The guards being recruited - Bryant McIntosh, Tyler Ulis, Ronnie Harrell, JP Macura and Sandy Cohen prior to his commitment to Marquette - are different enough to not all be clones of one another, but Purdue clearly would take a few of them if it can get them to go along with existing commit Dakota Mathias.
Vince Edwards has obviously been a long-standing target and Purdue will see that through to the end, but whether that 4 spot is an absolute must anymore, I don't know.
Anything goes here, but you have to figure Purdue takes at least four, five if it can get the right fifth, but there is obviously something to be said for not booking the inn now in anticipation for either the spring (when Purdue should know whether Hammons will be back) or a 2015 class it's been actively recruiting for years already.
Purdue will not have any seniors next season, so any scholarship used now is one fewer it will have for the 2015 class.
Q: I read Painter would consider taking McIntosh, Harrell and Macura if he could. I know that is VERY unlikely, but if they did all want to commit, that would leave one open spot at a maximum, correct? Would this mean we walk away from Edwards and try to land a true big with the other scholarship?
A: Yeah, the most important part of this is how unlikely it is to happen, so it's a major hypothetical, but coaches have to make difficult decisions like this all the time in recruiting. You only get 13 spots and every year coaches have to decide between any number of guys, with it being important they maintain a balanced roster.
We're talking here about Purdue getting three more guards to commit, but at some point, nature will run its course. You have to figure that after two of those guards theoretically committed, it's unlikely a third would. And the guards are different enough to where it can be reasonably explained how they could all have roles.
If that almost unimaginable scenario would arise, this would be the scenario in which Purdue pushes its class to five, maybe even six if Hammons goes and they find someone else in the spring.
But there is simply very little chance all these dominoes fall like that.
Q: Any thoughts on how good our chances are with Haas?
A: None whatsoever, but I do think he's genuinely going into this process open to everyone recruiting him and everyone who really wants him, so I'm not sure anyone has any better a chance than anyone else, so there's that.
Purdue is getting his first visit. That means it was the first school he was willing to commit one of his five trips to, but also means four other schools will get cracks at him between his trip to West Lafayette and his decision.
Keep in mind, too, that this will be Purdue's coaches' first time around him, too, so the visit will be about both sides evaluating each other.
Q: Everything I've read makes it sound like Swanigan is a beast on the hardwood. Do you think hoops will be his sport? Or does he like football more? If he chooses hoops, do you like Purdue's chances?
A: All I know is that basketball seems to be his preference, but he is only going to be a sophomore this upcoming season and at some point, a decision is going to have to be made, maybe a business decision.
Swanigan is a physically dominant basketball player right now, one who will absolutely have opportunities to play at a high-major level, but he is also the absolute prototype for a professional offensive lineman. Personally, he looks like a future offensive guard to me, but if he's a tackle, consider how much those guys get paid at the professional level.
Physical dominance right now aside, Swanigan's college potential is a bit of a complicated forecast. He is physically advanced right now, but he won't be bigger and stronger than everyone he plays against for the rest of his basketball career. He is not a leaper and probably about 6-foot-8 right now, tops. If he grows a couple inches/becomes more mobile or athletic, he could have a chance to play basketball for a long, long time, the way Jared Sullinger will.
But if he doesn't grow and remains as is athletically, I'm not sure he doesn't fit the football prototype better.
Either way, he has great options - a great problem to have - and as it has been explained to me, it might come down to how tall he is that guides which direction he goes in. He is too young and has too much promise in both sports to commit to one or the other this early, but IMO it's a dynamic here any basketball coach considering offering him now has to take into account.
It's hard enough to get a recruit away from Tom Izzo. Getting him away from Nick Saban, too, will be no walk in the park.
You ask what Purdue's chances would be: I'd say good. They were in first and have a good relationship there. But a bunch of people would probably come in right after this hypothetical Purdue offer and I'm guessing his camp would be methodical in looking at all of them.
I wouldn't expect a quick decision, and a quick decision might be a tough proposition for colleges anyway because of the football factor.
Question: Is Caleb Swanigan Tyler Wideman 2.0? By that I mean he is so large and advanced for his age, but once his class starts to catch up with him he may not be as sought after (unless he grows a few more inches)?
Answer: As mentioned above, that is something to wonder about, but it should be noted that Swanigan isn't good only because of his size and power. He has a tremendous feel for the game for a big man, is an outstanding passer and can shoot the ball a little bit from the high post. Of course, take away the suffocating matchup problems he presents physically and none of that stuff matters all that much, but that's not going away, even if others catch up some.
The difference between Swanigan and Wideman - who is good enough to get a scholarship to Butler, by the way - is that Swanigan already enjoys (and maximizes) more of a physical advantage than Wideman ever had and is just as skilled from a passing/shooting standpoint.
Again, Swanigan is a good basketball player, not just a big one.
Question: Does Purdue still have an "AAU problem"? I think the hearsay was there may be some bad blood between Painter and a couple Indiana-based AAU coaches. Is this overblown or is it a problem that still persists? Are there certain programs we Purdue fans should hope prospects join in order to have a better shot?
Answer: No. Time heals all wounds and in recruiting, certain personalities weave in and out of relevance as recruiting cycles run their course. I don't think Purdue has an AAU problem right now. Seems to me like all the coaches/programs who matter right now very much respect Purdue and, at the very least, won't hurt it in recruiting.
Question: How have Painter, Owens, and Gary split up recruiting priorities this July ? Are they going more off class or player? Based on who they (Painter especially) have been watching the most, which guys are priority for 2014 and beyond, and how do you see the 2014 class panning out as a result?
Answer: "Purdue's staffs have always divvied up recruits. Not sure there's been a hard-line method to it geographically or anything like that, but if a coach knows a guy who knows a guy, then naturally he'll recruit that prospect.
For example, Jack Owens will recruit Illinois Wolves players, because his connections to that program go back to him recruiting Mike Mullins' son, Bryan, to Southern Illinois. On the Spiece 2015 team, Greg Gary is recruiting Sean McDermott because of his ties to that part of the state, but Micah Shrewsberry was on Derrik Smits and Owens is on KJ Walton, I think. That particular coach said last week that Purdue might be the only college with which he talks to all of its coaches.
Purdue does make it a point for multiple coaches to be involved on recruits, though, and for multiple coaches to see recruits during recruiting, though that's a sheer practicality thing in July.
Question: I am interested in hearing more about McIntosh and what kind of fit he would be at Purdue with what they try to do offensively and defensively. Has Painter been following him around everywhere, because it seems like Northwestern is?
Answer: McIntosh is the prototypical "combo" guard, a guy who could play either backcourt spot, provide Purdue another shooter but also a mid-range scorer to go along with more slasher types like Ronnie Johnson, Bryson Scott and Rapheal Davis in the future.
But a big thing, too, about McIntosh is how intangible-driven his value is. He takes basketball very seriously and is very competitive. Basketball's really important to him and that's as big a draw for Purdue right now almost as much as anything else.
Painter paid plenty of attention to McIntosh in July, following him to tournaments in Cincinnati, Minnesota and Vegas.
This visit Thursday is going to be big, because he went into this re-opening really wanting an offer from Purdue, but also probably not having an idea just how many opportunities would present themselves.
This isn't going to be an open-and-shut case for Purdue.
Question: You seemed a little bearish on McElvene before this weekend but then had some nice things to say afterwards. It appears Haas is the top big we are after but where do you see McElvene stacking up after Haas with the other bigs we appear to be after (Chandler, Craig, Brennan). It appears to me that he may be the easiest guy to get pending grades as well, can you also comment on where we might stack up with the other guys in terms of Purdue's chances with each?
Answer: McElvene played well the past two weekends, but he is very much a work in progress. He is raw, but being gigantic and relatively athletic, that's certainly a good starting point. And at the rate he's coming along, it would seem like he's someone major programs in need of a big man should be monitoring. His academic situation is obviously something that must be watched closely, but from Purdue's perspective, if it has to replace Hammons - or try to at least - he is the sort of physical presence that could potentially help ease that loss, though he's nowhere near as polished as Hammons.
Haas can be described the same way. He's enormous, but I've only seen him play in two AAU games and it's hard to gauge whether he's the sort of player Purdue could feature on offense the way it did some of the other bigs it's had, like JaJuan Johnson and now Hammons. He might be. I just haven't seen it yet. But on defense and the boards, they don't come much bigger than 7-2, 270, or whatever he is.
Purdue, I think, would really like to have a center in its 2014 signing class, whether it's now or in the spring, but I don't know if it has that slam-dunk target that stands out above all the others. I think that's why you saw it these past couple months consider transfers and start to dabble in the junior college market.
Question: What are the chances Purdue offers 2016 bigs Benson, Swanigan, and Pemsl early?
Answer: Seems like a class as a whole that the coaching staff has already gotten a long look at, those three guys included. Not sure Matt Painter got to see Benson or Pemsl in July, but he's obviously seen a ton of Swanigan from team camps and from the big man playing on Trevon Bluiett's AAU team in the spring and summer at Nike events Painter was already at.
Purdue has had Benson at elite camps in the past and will have many of its top 2016 targets and its camp again this year, so it is very possible that early offers might be made after that, conceivably to some of these guys.
Question: If Purdue makes Benson a top priority early, do you get the sense he might be a quick commit like Kendall Stephens due to the family ties to Purdue?
Answer: Don't have any reason to think so, but you never know. Stephens was obvious, because of not only his ties to Purdue but his ties to Purdue basketball. This isn't quite the same situation, but Purdue would certainly have some advantages there.
Question: What effect do you think Purdue's losing record this past season has had on recruits?
Answer: None, I don't think. In the grand scheme of things it was just one season and Purdue still has a pretty good track record. It's not like this has been a trend over a matter of years. And recruits factor in a lot of things typically, success being just part of it. Robbie Hummel, JaJuan Johnson and E'Twaun Moore all committed to Purdue after it won nine games.
Relationships and opportunity are usually very important to recruits in addition to team success.
