Basketball recruiting: USF is really struggling

[Paisa el Toro]

If we land a class of Showtime Haynes, Robertson, Poland, and Wright would that be acceptable for USF fans? Austin and Dority will either redshirt or play very little as I project things right now.

Not exactly a barn-burner of a class, but if Heath can get USF to the post season again next year, I'd hope to see an uptick in recruiting. For now, I hope Heath can keep Assistant Coaches Skeeters and Cox aboard. We need consistency with assistant coaches if we intend to make a push at Florida high school kids. 

[locus000]

I am reading this thread with 2 USF basketball players (Fitzpatrick and Burwell) sitting in the table behind me in the library  >

USF will be OK once the new practice facility is up

[whiskeyboarder]

I have a question.  Perhaps it has been answered previously, but I had not yet had the opportunity to review this entire thread.

In football, it seemed that USF's ability to recruit high quality players almost automatically increased when we joined the Big East.  High quality players desire to play in big conferences.  And, in basketball, the perception is that the Big East is one of the top three marquee conferences.  Moreover, basketball rosters are so much smaller than those in football that there should be a larger pool of these great recruits (that want to play in the Big East) remaining for USF to choose from.

How come the switch to the Big East hasn't influenced our ability to recruit in basketball as significantly as it has in football?

[DELdaBull]

The perception (which some would say is reality) is that USF is not capable of being successful in this league. Therefore we can't recruit.

Kids want certain things.

Winning

Exposure

Facilities

Competition

Not necessarily in that order.

The only thing USF had to offer (other than hot girls) to a basketball player is competition. We added some more winning this year. Soon we will add facilities. By winning MORE and packing the dome MAYBE we will increase our exposure. That depends on ESPN.

[dabull80]

In Basketball, it really should not be all that difficult to recruit. All you need are 4 to 5 good to above average players. Overall, I think facilities and other explanations in this thread are just excuses. Based on our success this year, we should have some momentum going and not striking out on EVERY SINGLE TARGET.

I thought Jeremy Cox and Eric Skeeters were brought in as new Assistant Coaches for their ability to RECRUIT. Last year, Vega and others complained the previous Assistants could not recruit. Well, the old ones actually did BETTER getting Famous, etc. The new assistants are not getting it done. Why did they waste all that time recruiting all those Baltimore kids?

Why don't they just concentrate on good Florida players, rather than striking out all over the Northeast!

Recruiting is all about enthusiasm, passion and SELLING. Get out there coaches and RECRUIT!

No doubt about it, if it were all about facilities and money Oregon would win the national championship every year. 

all about selling an idea, showing you are building a team and yes selling the amenities your university AND city offers. 

nothing truer than all you need is 4 to 5 good players.  you see that when you watch teams like Butler, N. Iowa, Xavier, Cornell, etc.  Its not luck, its not a fluke when these teams achieve.  its a coach with a philosophy and being able to plug his players and styles into it.

we never can get it going here.  I blame it on the conference a lot but Im pretty sure we had butlers schedule we wouldnt have 29 wins and easily make the tournament every year.   

Maybe part of that is changing coaches every 4 years.  I believe BCSH is a decent coach, decent guy and should be given another 4 years or so.  If you bring in any coach other than Coach K, Roy Williams, Izzo, Bill Self (you get the idea), they are going to have the same hard time selling recruits on USF basketball.  So why keep the coaching carousel going?  Give Heath some time to become known in the BE recruiting wars and to develop the program.

My take is neither he nor any run of the mill coach can bring USF Basketball to prominence.  We just need to get used to having an "also ran" program in basketball.  Lappas at St. Johns can sell playing at MSG and point to some history (although a long, long time ago).  You just don't have anything to work with at USF.

Excuse me? We just need to get used to having an "also ran" program in basketball? That's one of the dumbest things I've ever heard. Fans of sports should never have to be used to being that kind of program or team. That's ridiculous.

Tell that to a Cubs fan.

[Vega]

The perception (which some would say is reality) is that USF is not capable of being successful in this league. Therefore we can't recruit.

Kids want certain things.

Winning

Exposure

Facilities

Competition

Not necessarily in that order.

The only thing USF had to offer (other than hot girls) to a basketball player is competition. We added some more winning this year. Soon we will add facilities. By winning MORE and packing the dome MAYBE we will increase our exposure. That depends on ESPN.

All of our conference games are on some form of ESPN. What we need to do is get exposure during non-conference but until Heath actually schedules somebody worthy of a TV viewing prospects won't know USF is even playing ball until January. Competition falls into that category. We need to stop being afraid to beef up the schedule.

Facilities comes in dead last as it is slightly overrated. Every winning type of program doesn't have A+ facilities. It's nice to have updated facilities but it doesn't guarantee success. In fact the Greer Wright kid that visited USF  recently said he liked the facilities here lol.

[Cmr3]

Its not always about recruiting the best players either, its about putting the rite combo of players out on the court. I think Coach Heath needs to put some shooters out on the court  and go zone if you have to, give your self a chance to win. The shooting killed USF this season and of course a lack of a inside presence. I mean in that last NIT game he put Noriega in the game for like 20 secs and took him out. Noriega didn't even do anything bad, give the kid a chance and if he makes a bad play then take him out. He just puts the most athletics players out on the court  and hopes for the best it seems like.

[Cmr3]

Also why don't we recruit over seas, 60% of the players on William and Mary are from Australia.

[bullgrad10]

Also why don't we recruit over seas, 60% of the players on William and Mary are from Australia.

I'm pretty sure u mean st marys and they have that many because they are a heck of a lot closer to Australia than we are here in FL

[Oldsmobull]

USF doesn't have to go to Australia.  Saw John Henson home on break at Clearwater Beach yesterday.  He's right from Tampa's Sickles High and now playing at North Carolina.  We should be able to snag guys like him that are in our own neighborhood.