Oddly the local (Pittsburgh) kids are the only ones I've heard about (Mike White does an awesome job), so I agree. Love to see the big local talent on the Bluff.

CLK wrote:

While it is possible that we could see a late summer pick up for the open Datt scholarship it looks more like it will be used for a 2014 recruit.  I would not rule it out entirely but at this point it appears less likely. The summer evalutation events are drawing to a close.and we have seen a number of offers, and I am sure there are others we have not seen.  It looks to me from the offers that are out theree that Coach Ferry focus is on getting a big guard who can also play the SF position, a combo forward, and a center.  Certaily the ones shown as Centers could also be considered PF. Here are some names we have seen (see recruiting thread).

Guards / SF:
Da'Jon Streeter
Anthony Pate
Rashad Figures
Eli Cain
Jaylen Barford
Collin Luther
Javon Bess

Combo Forwards
Ryan Skovranko
Ryan Luther
Mustafa Jones
Kevin Degnan
Chaise Daniels
Rashard Kelly
Therence Mayimba

Centers
Satchel Pierce
Jamuni McNeace
Elijah Minnie

I would like to see us get one or more of the local kids (Minnie, Skovranko and the Luthers) because first they look like terrific players by the schools involved and because of the local interest it would generate that would bolster attendance.  However, I don't think we could go wrong with any of these kids above.

Note:  Just saw where Eli Cain will transfer and repeat his junior year making him a 2015 recruit.

I felt the same way as the above bolded around this time last year with the 2013's as well. These are the plan A guys and I hope we can grab two like we did in 2013. The 2014 group all around is probably not as highly reguard as there are fewer top 150 types but its still looks solid. I've said it on the blog, but Ferry doesn't have a lot of early playing time to sell unless he recruits over someone. It'll be tough to tell a kid with SEC, Big East and American (still weird typing that) offers that he's going to have to wait to play at Duquesne like he would at a more established program in a better conference.

This is probably the best and deepest group of WPIAL players that I've seen in the 10 + years that I've been in Pittsburgh. While there is no DeJuan Blair, but there is more depth. Not a bad thing for Ferry to have in his back pocket when the playing time he's offering is slim.

According to Pittsburgh Basketball Report, the only schools to offer both Minnie and Skovranko are Duquesne and Temple.

Bill Parcells, the old ball coach, and now a Hall of Famer, always said, "You play the guys who help you win." If we have a 7-8 man rotation that helps us win 25 games and go to the NCAA Tournament this year, and the only guy we lose from that rotation is the graduating Soko, I too would expect that the rotation to start the 2014-15 season would be the guys who make us the best team.

I would be shocked if Ferry had a different philosophy, and if he ever had his mind made up about his rotation going into a season. Last year, he seemed to try every combination.

Those guys are welcome to look elsewhere. My opinion, of course.

Last edited by ElDuque (8/15/2013 8:48 pm)

ElDuque wrote:

Those guys are welcome to look elsewhere. My opinion, of course.

I kind of have mixed feelings on it. I want to tell those kids to take a hike, but of course that is the exact argument we would use to get a kid who is being wooed by a high level program. "Hey kid, why go sit on the bench for Villanova for three years, when you can play right away at Duquesne? You can't reach the NBA sitting on the bench."

I guess it's just one of those things for which there is no clear answer. There are players who are glued to the bench at places like Carolina, who would be dominant players on 80% of the teams in America, yet they decide to stick it out. Some are high level recruits that flop, or get stuck behind superstars, while others are the "B-level" recruits, that are recruited hard by second, and third tier schools, but get snatched away late when some powerhouse needs to fill a hole, but then quickly get recruited over.

CLK wrote:

Good discussion but I honestly do not see where playing time is an issue yet at DU.  Ferry said that he does not like to have players with more than 20 - 25 minutes this means in his system he will go 9 to 10 deep.

Hadn't heard that from Ferry. Historically, he seems to ride his PG's pretty hard but there are generally lots of minutes available in the post.

I don't see the gaping holes in the lineup projection in 2014-15 nor do I really see a lack of depth to fill a 9 man rotation unless you assume that something bad is going to go wrong or that a player isn't going to work out. Here's my depth chart:

PG - Colter, White Ridenour, Mason

SG - White, Mason, Ridenour, Jeremiah

SF - Jeremiah, Gill

PF/C - Pick 2 McKoy/Robinson/Watkins Lewis

That's 9 guys who should compete for minutes in two years and one, Lewis, who will likely still need some time in the oven. The only place where I see some need for 2014 might be at PF. Even then, the need isn't glaring.

I completely acknowledge that problems likely will arise between now and the beginning of next year. Players will bust or transfer. Holes will likely open up unless things go perfectly. Problem is that we're deep into the the 2014 recruiting season and right now, it's impossible to predict exactly what those needs will be in a year and two months. I don't think you can recruit on a presumed need or say to a recruit, "there are guys ahead of you on the depth chart, but don't worry, we're Duquesne so something will probably open up." For all I know, we might be able to recruit on immediate PT in the spring. I hope that's not the case because it means that players left the program or they aren't looking legit. Right now, I just don't think it's available to the point where it's fair or smart to sell a recruit on it. 
 

Last edited by steve19981 (8/16/2013 12:15 pm)

CLK wrote:

I think we have a different view of the talent level on this team.  We have depth on paper, but when compared to the talent on other A10 teams I don't really see any position where we are strong enough right now that a player could not be recruited over in giving minutes to a recruit who could be a "an immediate impact player."  For example, a kid Coach Ferry has been recruiting very hard all summer is Ryan Luther. He would most likely fit into the 3 - 4 slots. I don't believe coach Ferry would risk losing this valuable recruit to Dayton or another school by telling him he can not get immediate major minutes at Duquesne.


 

You might be right. I think there is lots of talent and upside among those 9 that I mentioned. I see average or better players at 4 positions this season and maybe the same the following year. For the most part, the talents just young and needs time to develop.  A guy like Luther could have more upside than Jeremiah Jones, but I wouldn't underestimate the value of age and experience that Jones will bring as a junior vs Luther as a freshman. That said, if they do find a way to get Luther, Ferry will find a way to get him minutes, but I just don't think it's likely he'll get big minutes.

I'd rather have a player go somewhere else than have him take up a scholarship for two years, get angry because he's not playing as much as he was promised and transfer right before he could make an impact because the coaching staff was dishonest with him. Someone who is a little less talented than that player who knows his role and will wait for his opportunity is more likely to pan out than a player sold snake oil, IMO.

Last edited by steve19981 (8/16/2013 2:29 pm)