Did we get the assist coach slot filled yet?

[tcf15]

Which players did he recruit?

"Killings, who has helped shape the Owls’ roster, directed the recruitment of unanimous First Team All-American Athletic Conference player Quenton DeCosey. Under Killings’ direction, the Owls received praise for landing two ESPN Top 100 players, Trey Lowe and Levan Shawn Alston, Jr., in the 2015 recruiting class. This helped Killings earn ESPN Honors as a Top 10 Recruiter of Non-BCS programs."

 

[80shusky]

It is all over Twitter now that Killings is the guy. Looks like it could be a great pickup for the program. I wonder if he will help some of our 2017 dominoes fall now.

 

[HooperScooper]

Rothstein's confirms: Killings is our new assistant.

 

[gtcam]

Just asked my buddy who broadcasts for Temple MBB about this guy. Says he's an ace recruiter with great New England connections. That's good enough for me.

Good New England ties is great but really need a national recruiter
Been reading about this guy the past few hours and he seems to be highly thought of
Welcome Coach Killings - time to make some recruitment Killings

 

[tcf15]

Good New England ties is great but really need a national recruiter
Been reading about this guy the past few hours and he seems to be highly thought of
Welcome Coach Killings - time to make some recruitment Killings

That's KO's job.

 

[husky429]

Seeing as he's being described as an ace recruiter, I thought I would check out Temple's recruiting since he arrived and slightly before. He arrived in 2011, so the first real class he would have had an impact on is 2013, maybe note even until 2014 or 2015 considering it takes some time to build relationships with coaches, families, and players.

2010:
Anthony Lee - 2*, No composite
Aaron Brown - 2*, No composite
Jimmy McDonnell- Unrated ESPN, No composite

2011:
Will Cummings - 3*, no composite

2012:
Daniel Dingle - 3* ESPN, 107 composite
Devontae Watson - 2* ESPN, 301 composite
Quenton Decosey - 2* ESPN, 251 composite

2013:
Josh Brown - 3* ESPN , 160 Composite
Mark Williams - 3* ESPN, no composite?
Kyle Gren - 1* ESPN , no composite

2014:
Obi Enechionyia- 4* ESPN, 120 Composite

2015:
Levan Alston - 4* ESPN 100, 127 Compostie
Trey Lowe - 4* ESPN, 147 Composite
Ernest Aflakpui - 4* ESPN, 186 Composite

2016:
Quinton Rose - 4* ESPN 311 Composite
Alani Moore - 3*ESPN, 165 Composite
Damien Moore - 3* ESPN, 329 Composite


Some of the composites can be off because of PG year and such, so the stars from ESPN might be an easier basic guide. I don't know the players histories at all, so just an FYI.

So, obviously there was a serious uptick in recruiting since our new assistant arrived... This also coincides with their 2013 move to the American conference which could have impacted recruiting, considering they were in the A-10 before. I would have assumed this if he hadn't already been labelled a top recruiter.

The Temple website says he was credited with bringing in the 2015 4*'s. Here's to hoping he can keep it up, and step it up on the bigger stage starting next weekend at Peach Jam!

 

[Fishy]

1) Mildly surprised that they went outside the family, but that seemed assured after reading the job posting.

2) It's a good hire - we needed someone who will hammer recruiting. Former head coaches are nice to have, but tough to expect them to hit it like a guy like Killings.....

3) I'd be surprised if David Beatty went anywhere other than UConn if they truly want him...

 

[Tenspro2002]

Love it:

- An outside perspective, not prone to an echo chamber in the coaches' office
- Stud local recruiter
- Experience with player development

Really shores up 3 key aspects of the bench.

 

[UConnKev]

Temple fans are not happy at all. They lost their ace recruiter.

Great get for the program!

 

[Huskyforlife]

"Killings, who has helped shape the Owls’ roster, directed the recruitment of unanimous First Team All-American Athletic Conference player Quenton DeCosey. Under Killings’ direction, the Owls received praise for landing two ESPN Top 100 players, Trey Lowe and Levan Shawn Alston, Jr., in the 2015 recruiting class. This helped Killings earn ESPN Honors as a Top 10 Recruiter of Non-BCS programs."

Went back up and read the thread again after posting. Seems like a great hire, could be huge with some local star recruits.

 

[Huskyforlife]

Like fishy said, it'd be surprising if we didn't land Beatty at this point. He's from Philadelphia, and temple just lost their best recruiter too us. Maybe we'll see instant gratification.

 

[champs99and04]

worked in the dleague focused on player development, tons of experience as an assistant under two good coaches (dunphy and pat chambers), ex high d1 player and good recruiter... should be interesting. just a little awkward sniping him from an in conference foe?

I love that aspect of it. It serves us well to bring in an outsider that's intimately familiar with the program, especially one that has had some success against us (Temple had beaten us four straight prior to the AACT victory this season). My impression is that Dunphy is the x's and o's shark on the Temple staff, but I'm sure he actively partook in scouting operations to the extent that he can relay - and perhaps eradicate - any pronounced flaws in the system.

 

[CAHUSKY]

That's KO's job.

But it shouldn't be. In my opinion, the head coach should be the closer not your lead recruiter.

 

[superjohn]

Love the hire. He's a New England guy with a lot of New England AAU connections. Love getting an ace recruiter from outside the program, always good to have an outside voice. Also has a background in player development and worked with Emeka in Charlotte.

 

[UConnStats]

I don't see any reason why UConn shouldn't consider a coach from "outside the family".

Geno does it, don't think it hurts his program.

From his bio:

"Killings, who has helped shape the Owls’ roster, directed the recruitment of unanimous First Team All-American Athletic Conference player Quenton DeCosey. Under Killings’ direction, the Owls received praise for landing two ESPN Top 100 players, Trey Lowe and Levan Shawn Alston, Jr., in the 2015 recruiting class. This helped Killings earn ESPN Honors as a Top 10 Recruiter of Non-BCS programs. In addition, in the 2013 season, Killings was invited to the NCAA’s prestigious Achieving Coaching Excellence (ACE) program, where he was put through an intensive development program for preparation of career advancement. "

Welcome to the family Dwayne

In the world of recruitment, it's often better to land a big fish before he is recognized as such. Look at Barry Rohrssen. He thought once he got popular at Kentucky, he could go anywhere and his name would allow him to coast and keep recruiting. It's not that easy, it's always going to be a grind.

I haven't heard much of Killings, but as far as one paragraph goes, this one has me excited for Ollie and the rest of our staff. It's exactly what the Boneyard has been calling for all year.

 

[BlueMAB]

I haven't heard much of Killings, but as far as one paragraph goes, this one has me excited for Ollie and the rest of our staff.

Agree 100%

 

[BlueMAB]

But it shouldn't be. In my opinion, the head coach should be the closer not your lead recruiter.

He is the closer. But when you're recruiting nationally against Duke, Kentucky, North Carolina, Arizona etc, etc. Sending an assistant, when Calipari or Coach K is in the building doesn't get the job done.

KO is (obviously) an LA guy who has been key in pulling in guys like DHam and Vance Jackson, but most of our recruits aren't going to come from the west coast. With the amount of talent in the NE Prep school, bringing in someone with NE ties who can help us sign these kids is instrumental.

 

[Gillies#1]

Hopefully he can recruit at this level, replacing Hobbs big shoes to fill, out of 6 new recruits coming in this year 5 were Hobbs.

 

[sledog]

I'm sure that I looked right at it, but for whom did he lpay??

 

[Gillies#1]

I'm sure that I looked right at it, but for whom did he lpay??

I think Umass? anyone? .... heard he was a walk on

 

[intlzncster]

I'm sure that I looked right at it, but for whom did he lpay??

UMASS. Transferred to Hampton after 2 years.

 

[caw]

He is the closer. But when you're recruiting nationally against Duke, Kentucky, North Carolina, Arizona etc, etc. Sending an assistant, when Calipari or Coach K is in the building doesn't get the job done.

KO is (obviously) an LA guy who has been key in pulling in guys like DHam and Vance Jackson, but most of our recruits aren't going to come from the west coast. With the amount of talent in the NE Prep school, bringing in someone with NE ties who can help us sign these kids is instrumental.

Yeah.

Not saying they solely do this, but having Miller and this guy focus on NE-Mid Atlatic based recruits, Moore on Southern based recruits and Ollie close while trying to pull kids from the West Coast seems pretty ideal for covering a lot of ground.

 

[Paesano]

UMASS. Transferred to Hampton after 2 years.

Played under the squid. Perhaps he learned "a few tricks" and how to be a good buffer.

 

[tcf15]

Played under the squid. Perhaps he learned "a few tricks" and how to be a good buffer.

No he didn't. Calipari was at Memphis when Killings was at UMass.

Calipari coached at UMass from 1988-1996.
Killings was at UMass from 2000-2002 and played for Bruiser Flint.

And you think other people have a John Calipari obsession.

 

[Matrim55]

Good New England ties is great but really need a national recruiter

No. We've pulled top 40 kids from LA, Atlanta, Tampa & NYC already -- we're doing just fine nationally. Locally, however, we need to make sure we don't lose the next Vonleh, the next Noel, Niang, Auguste, Layman, Abu, the next Mustapha Heron.

If we could just draw a border around New England we honestly wouldn't need to recruit anywhere else. The talent coming through -- especially in and around Boston -- is so freaking good right now. It's on par with the likes of Atlanta, Oakland, Seattle, Miami & DC, and just a step down from NYC, LA, Dallas and Chicago.

And bear this in mind: Anything that helps us become "New England's Team" helps us, long-term, in Conference Realignment.