Why is Memphis able to overcome the AAC stigma with recruits?

[freescooter]

+ bottom-barrel academic requirements may not hurt

LOL. Yeah because UConn basketball players are all
Academic stars. Last time I saw an analysis the average SAT scores for the general student population was over 1200. For basketball team it was like 935.

 

[Hans Sprungfeld]

Except for the facts you are right Hans. I get it. Hurley is looking to build a regional power, not necessarily a national one and the UConn brass is good wi5h that. It is easier it is cheaper and they will probably sell a few more tickets for a few years. But Calhoun built his recruiting the west coast, the southeast, the Midwest, basically wherever good players were found. Hurley has made it pretty clear when he talks recruiting he intends to focus on the northeast. The Big East fits that profile. Plus MSG Baby!

After UConn's trajectory since 2014, any sane, rebuilding coach would walk before running.

Aided by historical reputation & success, UConn & Memphis were in the best position to attract recruits above the AAC norm. And yes, the conference is trending upward, in alignment with football's primacy.

But any claim that there was/is "no AAC stigma" (twice in a reprise post whose successor got shouted down) is no less than an overreach. And any denial that UConn was not positioned for success in the AAC (and amply proved it) can't be taken seriously. It's your right to align with an unsupportable position, but it really does beg the question, "Why?"

 

[Dooooooomed]

There is no AAC stigma for recruiting.

Ollie recruited a top five class in the AAC. He just didn't know what to do after they got on campus. Hurley recruited a top 20 ecuiting class before the NBE news was released. There is no AAC stigma. It's just a figment of imagination by folks who overvalue the NBE.

No matter how many times you say this, it's not true. Ollie NEVER recruited a top 5 class.

 

[JMick]

No matter how many times you say this, it's not true. Ollie NEVER recruited a top 5 class.

I am sure he keeps getting confused because that group called themselves the top 5. He's been told he was wrong on numerous occasions, though, and if history is any indication he will continue to be wrong

 

[StepbackCity]

There is no AAC stigma for recruiting.

Ollie recruited a top five class in the AAC. He just didn't know what to do after they got on campus. Hurley recruited a top 20 ecuiting class before the NBE news was released. There is no AAC stigma. It's just a figment of imagination by folks who overvalue the NBE.

Gonna go ahead and help out the rest by stating this is wrong.

 

[Hans Sprungfeld]

I am sure he keeps getting confused because that group called themselves the top 5. He's been told he was wrong on numerous occasions, though, and if history is any indication he will continue to be wrong

...and continue to restate it.

Why?
Nobody knows, and he won't say.

It's moving (moved?) into, "Let the baby have his bottle" status.

 

[JellyBean]

Because of the timing. Memphis is a hot bed of talent. They have a heck of a coach in Penny Hardaway. Bottom line, just timing.

 

[cohenzone]

LOL. Yeah because UConn basketball players are all
Academic stars. Last time I saw an analysis the average SAT scores for the general student population was over 1200. For basketball team it was like 935.

Yeah, but the general population sucks at hoops. The clear solution is to move UConn to Memphis.

 

[Zissou]

Xavier is recruiting well. Prov has talent. Prov is going to surprise UConn fans I think. This has the makings for a better rivalry this time around.

 

[Robertelamin]

Xavier is recruiting well. Prov has talent. Prov is going to surprise UConn fans I think. This has the makings for a better rivalry this time around.

Why would PC surprise us? They gave us fits for the last ten years we played. They shouldn’t have but they did.

 

[tcf15]

There is no AAC stigma for recruiting.

Ollie recruited a top five class in the AAC. He just didn't know what to do after they got on campus. Hurley recruited a top 20 ecuiting class before the NBE news was released. There is no AAC stigma. It's just a figment of imagination by folks who overvalue the NBE.

Ok, might not be a stigma, but let's call it like it is. The AAC is primarily composed of teams that cannot recruit.

Between 2013 and 2019, the AAC had 33 top 100 recruits according to 247, 34 according to Rivals, and 32 according ESPN. Outside of UConn, Memphis, and Cincinnati, the rest of the AAC had just 5 on 247, 4 on Rivals, and 5 on ESPN.

AAC teams with a top-100 recruit in either 247, Rivals or ESPN from 2013-2019: 6/12 (UConn, Memphis, Cincinnati, USF, SMU, Temple)

For the Big East comparison, from 2013-2019, it was 53 top 100 recruits according to 247, 63 according to Rivals, and 62 according to ESPN.

Big East teams with a top-100 recruit in either 247, Rivals or ESPN from 2013-2019: 10/10

 

[Travelman6]

Xavier is recruiting well. Prov has talent. Prov is going to surprise UConn fans I think. This has the makings for a better rivalry this time around.

Not as lopsided, historically as some might think. Uconn has about a .575 win % vs Prov. all time. There was a 20-7 stretch from the early 90s to early 2000s that helped that W%. But since 2003 Uconn is just 6-7 vs Prov.

Depaul on the other hand...Uconn has slightly over a 90% W%...

 

[Pgh2Storrs]

Penny is a legend and was also smart enough (intentionally or otherwise) to cultivate a ton of resources at the AAU level. It is absolutely a perfect storm. If Tubby or Pastner is still there, they’re not a top class so it has less to do with the school and more to do with the coach.

I was initially skeptical but I think they definitely have some staying power. He needs to show he can take recruiting and turn it into wins though, so we’ll see how this year goes.

 

[whaler11]

Carrying water for the AAC should come with an ICD-10 diagnosis.

Thoughts and prayers.

 

[Da_Aisijimo_Gou]

LOL. Yeah because UConn basketball players are all Academic stars.

Nope, but still likely higher on average than Memphis and with a higher cutoff threshold in Storrs, i.e., not at minimum NCAA SAT/ACT #s

 

[scoscox]

Ok, might not be a stigma, but let's call it like it is. The AAC is primarily composed of teams that cannot recruit.

Between 2013 and 2019, the AAC had 33 top 100 recruits according to 247, 34 according to Rivals, and 32 according ESPN. Outside of UConn, Memphis, and Cincinnati, the rest of the AAC had just 5 on 247, 4 on Rivals, and 5 on ESPN.

AAC teams with a top-100 recruit in either 247, Rivals or ESPN from 2013-2019: 6/12 (UConn, Memphis, Cincinnati, USF, SMU, Temple)

For the Big East comparison, from 2013-2019, it was 53 top 100 recruits according to 247, 63 according to Rivals, and 62 according to ESPN.

Big East teams with a top-100 recruit in either 247, Rivals or ESPN from 2013-2019: 10/10

Keep in mind we have fewer teams as well

33/12=2.75
53/10=5.3

 

[Devland]

Of course every recruit is unique, but over all I don't think the recruits are that concerned with the conference. It's more about the school. Gonzaga does fine recruiting to the WCC.

 

[scoscox]

Xavier is recruiting well. Prov has talent. Prov is going to surprise UConn fans I think. This has the makings for a better rivalry this time around.

Cooley is a great recruiter. They’ve actually underperformed their talent pretty significantly, but he has raised their talent level for sure.

 

[scoscox]

Of course every recruit is unique, but over all I don't think the recruits are that concerned with the conference. It's more about the school. Gonzaga does fine recruiting to the WCC.

Not true at all. It took Gonzaga twenty years of sustained success and a national title game appearance to start recruiting at a high level. Conference held them back for years. Mark few eventually earned enough trust to overcome it. Recruits want to play in big games on national television and only the p5 and the big east can give them that. There’s a reason George mason never built off their final four and Davidson never built off steph curry and on and on.

Anyone involved in recruiting will tell you it’s an enormous factor. I will tell you from a first hand perspective our recruiting at Xavier took off after joining the big east. Obviously the success of the school itself is important as well, but conference affiliation is a huge factor. In the words of the wordsmith Jim boeheim “we went from not being able to recruit the great players, to being able to recruit great players”

 

[TheChamps990411]

But you know there$ other thing$ going on with Memphi$

I hate to be that guy because it sounds like jealousy but to pull in a recruiting class like that so quickly really raises my eyebrow.

 

[huskyrob1]

FWIW the American isn't necessarily a conference for everyone. It was a bad a conference for us though. AAC is a step up for Memphis both in money and exposure and it makes more sense for it geographically.

I don't think their current recruiting binge has much to do with the conference.

It's just timing and a coach who's in the right place at the right time and can convince a bunch of stars to come play for him. Look at Jerry Tarkanian and UNLV and it's great run, or Georgia in the early 80's with Dominique Wilkens, Eric Marbury, Vern Fleming, James Banks, Lamar Heard, Terry Fair. That Georgia team might have been the greatest team ever that didn't win it all.

 

[uconnbill]

Title says it all. Just honestly curious if there’s a reason or just hiring the right coach in the perfect circumstance.

One word "Penny"

He is the reason plain and simple

 

[freescooter]

Yeah, but the general population sucks at hoops. The clear solution is to move UConn to Memphis.

Not at all. Just that his argument about academics is totally irrelevant to basketball recruiting. If it could consistently hit the 3 either school would accept a parking meter.

 

[jibsey]

KO recruited well for a couple years when he was young and charismatic

Championship didn’t hurt

But you know there$ other thing$ going on with Memphi$

KO could not get a big man after that title. I expected better. I don't blame him though in part
because of the hole Calhoun put him in with the Miles and APR mess. Few blame Calhoun for any of this even with all the mistakes KO subsequently made.

 

[huskyrob1]

One word "Penny"

He is the reason plain and simple

One word "Hurley"

His time will come also as Uconn's head coach