Rick, I've seen "hints" of players leaving elsewhere but I don't think there's anyone left on this board who has ties to the program, like they do elsewhere. Getting back to the point of the first point, we brought in 4 guys in season 1, 2 left before season 2. If we're going to have a high turnover rate with Ferry, then yet another argument for firing Everhart would fly out the window. Not that I want to start that again, but c'mon man.

Yes, but as I pointed out in another post, you don't just want to add bricks to your program, you need cornerstone players too. Two-three guys with plus talent and leadership skills. I'm not a Fran McCaffrey fan, but he took over a bad Iowa program, re-did the roster, added two guys who fit that "cornerstone" mold, implemented his offense and defense, and got to the NIT in his second year and to the NCAA's in his third year. 

From what I can see now, we have two plus guys for next year (McKoy and Mason), a couple developing players (Ridenour and Gill), two unknowns with supposed high upside (Robinson and Watkins), one project (Lewis), and three guys (Colter, Jones, and White) who I would view as bench players who unfortunately get too much PT for the amount of production they contribute. Soko, if he had been a freshman or sophomore this year, could have been viewed as a "cornerstone" guy, and Winters, if he had stayed, would have been one of those guys. Ferry has been unable to land any of his top recruiting targets (Castro, Severe, Notice, Luther), and perhaps one or some of those guys could have filled that role. Tarin Smith would have been Ferry's best recruit for next year, but we missed out on him too.

If Robinson and/or Watkins lives up to expectations, maybe one or both become(s) a cornerstone. McKoy's gone after next year. Mason could also be a cornerstone guy. But landing at least one breakthrough recruit (preferably a point guard) would go a long way towards getting next season's team over .500.
 

Well before we all die lets do the math. A-10 2014 great year can it sustain into 2015. If so 13 teams 6 make the NCAA add Richmond NIT with Davidson NIT making Number 14 next season. As a A-10 member thats better then 50% for NCAA & NIT.Based on the % Duquesne should be in the NCAA or NIT no later then 2015 or atleast 2016.Now my  second point 1977 to 2014 lets apply 3.14159.(Pi) to this formula Prof DeFelice help! LOL. 

duq81 wrote:

FAM wrote:

" Ferry has been unable to land any of his top recruiting targets (Castro, Severe, Notice, Luther),.

Watkins and Robinson were top targets.

Not as widely followed in the recruiting process as the other four, but OK. Both are still unknown quantities at this point.

ElDuque wrote:

duq81 wrote:

FAM wrote:

" Ferry has been unable to land any of his top recruiting targets (Castro, Severe, Notice, Luther),.

Watkins and Robinson were top targets.

Not as widely followed in the recruiting process as the other four, but OK. Both are still unknown quantities at this point.

 "Not as widely followed" because the process didn't drag out until the last possible moments as it did with Severe and Notice. Make no mistake, Robinson and Watkins were prime targets that the staff wrapped up earlier.  After securing some size, their frontcourt targets they concentrated on Notice and Severe; and unfortunately finished second on both guys.

duq81, if you read my original post, I covered a lot of the same ground about the potential upside for some players. My point in the extracted statement, which I don't think has gotten enough attention in the discussion, is that while we have added plenty of "bricks" to the program we've yet to land "cornerstones" -- the guys around whom we're building. It's not just my opinion that Severe et al were looked at in such a way by Ferry and his staff, the quotes are out there. Notice and Castro would have had a far different role on the Dukes than they would have at the schools at which they actually matriculated. Severe was the second leading scorer in the conference as a freshman. Ferry went head-to-head with Pitt for Luther, and urgently wanted him. He even rescinded the offer to Colin Luther when Ryan signed with the Panthers.

Cornerstone players.

Maybe Mason develops into one. McKoy has only one year left. Maybe Gill, Watkins and Robinson develop into that. Ridenour, not so sure the same upside is there.

If I recall correctly about the courtship of Watkins, he was one of six D1 recruits while he was at St. Benedict's, and there were higher rated players on the team. Robinson I had never heard of, not that it means anything. When L-Train texted me about the signing I thought he was a PG. 

FAM wrote:

I say to myself, self, Why am I so frustrated with the program, am I being fair?  Well, this morning, I hear a lot about Harvards upset win in the NCAA which is great.  I hear how this is the coach's third year and last year in his second, he took his team to the NCAA.  Forget Ferry's second year but looking at next year, we are "hoping" for a winning record.  Maybe he wasn't the correct choice???
Really???

 
More frustration Mercer over Duke

FAM wrote:

  Maybe he wasn't the correct choice???
Really???

I don't remember Tommy Amaker being interested. It's not like coaches were lined up to take this job. We could have hired Orlando Antigua, but no one else has either to this point.
 

Phildog wrote:

Iron duke II wrote:

FAM wrote:

I say to myself, self, Why am I so frustrated with the program, am I being fair?  Well, this morning, I hear a lot about Harvards upset win in the NCAA which is great.  I hear how this is the coach's third year and last year in his second, he took his team to the NCAA.  Forget Ferry's second year but looking at next year, we are "hoping" for a winning record.  Maybe he wasn't the correct choice???
Really???

 
More frustration Mercer over Duke

 
I saw Mercer beat FGCU at FGCU , where they never lose in conference. Mercer jumped out ahead, held off a fierce 2nd half rally with great shooting, defense and 4 years, athletic players.

I think some of these freshman at Duquesne could develop into players by the time they are Jr and Sr.

Did DoMo lose eligibility for 4 years. D-1 when he spent 1 year in JUCO?

 He played a year at URI, a year in JC, and a year here. That is 3 years. He has one more left. After 40 years, no one wants to hear patience, but that is what we will have to have. I think at our level, we need to have 5 experienced upperclassmen in our 8 man rotation, preferably with 2 juniors, and 2 seniors starting, and not one year guys like Soko either. We should reach that point in year 4.