Capel and recruting ability.

[htownSOONER]

I know things can be slewed to make a situation look better or worse, I know I will be accused of trying to make something look worse, but here goes.

Everyone knows TG was looking to leave under Sampson so kudos to him saving TG and getting Blake. Everyone has at least acknlowedged having TG made it easier for Capel to get Blake. Does anyone else see the connection or thought that if OU did not have Blake he does not get WW TMG or Tiny?

Capel gets credit for bringing in 3 knuckleheads that were McD guys. The fact that they are McD guys is reason quite a few people defend Capels ability as a recruiter.

My question, does anyone think Capel gets WW, TMG or Tiny without Blake? Remember all the interviews where those 3 talked about playing with Blake. Does anyone think he gets Blake without Taylor?

Since he has struck out either on character or talent on almost all of hisrecruits, I think it is a fair question. I think he greatly benefited from the fact Taylor was Blakes brother and the limited success he has had after is a reflection of right place right time. personally, I don't think he can coach or recruit his way out of a wet paper bag.

The fact he had to promote a video assistant and travel coordinator to assistant coaches to me is a direct reflection of the respect he lacks in the coaching circuit. Not to mention, bringing in 2 assistants that had not coached or been on the AAU circuit in 5 years will prove to be a disaster. Evidence is we are not in on any top AAU Tx players right now. Even though AAU can be sleazy, they are the gatekeepers. Fact is we have 2 assistants at a top 25 program that by NCAA law have not even been able to attend a single AAU event in 5 years.

 

[seniorsooner]

I don't even know where to start with this. Some of you are really taking this "Capel can't do anything without Blake" thing way too far.

 

[htownSOONER]

I just really think Capel greatly benefited from right place right time.

 

[okcsooner83]

Just look at mizzou and compare them to ou. Both teams hired new coaches at the same time, but now both teams are going in completely different directions. Anderson has built a program, Capel has destroyed one. I think mizzou made it to the elite 8 the same year ou did but after that both teams have gone in a different direction.

On the assistants, it is hurting ou in recruiting because neither one has aau connections. Coach O was OU's guy that help land top recruits, ever since he left OU hasn't landed a top 100 kid. I've heard aau coaches hate Capel for the way he handled Coach O's firing.

 

[seniorsooner]

I've heard aau coaches hate Capel for the way he handled Coach O's firing.

Anyone that hates Capel for the way that was handled is, quite frankly, an idiot. OU had no choice but to distance themselves from him as soon as humanly possible. What should they have done, bunkered down in support of him and taken the entire program down the toilet with him? I honestly could not possibly care any less if there are AAU coaches out there that were offended by how that was handled. As far as I'm concerned the man got exactly what he deserved. There's a reason he's selling insurance somewhere right now.

 

[Big Old Booger]

Just look at mizzou and compare them to ou. Both teams hired new coaches at the same time, but now both teams are going in completely different directions. Anderson has built a program, Capel has destroyed one. I think mizzou made it to the elite 8 the same year ou did but after that both teams have gone in a different direction.

On the assistants, it is hurting ou in recruiting because neither one has aau connections. Coach O was OU's guy that help land top recruits, ever since he left OU hasn't landed a top 100 kid. I've heard aau coaches hate Capel for the way he handled Coach O's firing.

When the new assistants were hired I thought OU was handcuffed because of the possible sanctions so nobody of note was interested in the positions. After this post, I'm wondering if Joe C instructed Capel to distance the OU program from AAU since AAU is so corrupt. The University can't keep taking chances with the NCAA because at some point they are going to put the hammer lock on us and then football could even suffer from the repercussions. The university can't take that chance.

And, maybe I'm wrong...maybe Capel genuinely believed these 2 guys were going to help him turn it around.

 

[seniorsooner]

When the new assistants were hired I thought OU was handcuffed because of the possible sanctions so nobody of note was interested in the positions. After this post, I'm wondering if Joe C instructed Capel to distance the OU program from AAU since AAU is so corrupt. The University can't keep taking chances with the NCAA because at some point they are going to put the hammer lock on us and then football could even suffer from the repercussions. The university can't take that chance.

And, maybe I'm wrong...maybe Capel genuinely believed these 2 guys were going to help him turn it around.

Someone posted a rumor awhile back that Capel had a respected assistant on the hook but he wanted a two year contract and Joe C. would only authorize a one year deal. Take that with a huge grain of salt, of course.

 

[OUhoops11]

Anyone that hates Capel for the way that was handled is, quite frankly, an idiot. OU had no choice but to distance themselves from him as soon as humanly possible. What should they have done, bunkered down in support of him and taken the entire program down the toilet with him? I honestly could not possibly care any less if there are AAU coaches out there that were offended by how that was handled. As far as I'm concerned the man got exactly what he deserved. There's a reason he's selling insurance somewhere right now.

Exactly this. I don't understand htown's obsession with hating on the two new assistants just because of their job titles last year. We have no idea what happened behind the scenes with joe c. Maybe the players love these guys. Maybe they are solid coaches and recruiters. Maybe they have the moral and ethical values that coach O lacked. There are many reasons why this team is not on par with the history of ou basketball, but the two assistants are not one of them

 

[Max Power]

Exactly this. I don't understand htown's obsession with hating on the two new assistants just because of their job titles last year. We have no idea what happened behind the scenes with joe c. Maybe the players love these guys. Maybe they are solid coaches and recruiters. Maybe they have the moral and ethical values that coach O lacked. There are many reasons why this team is not on par with the history of ou basketball, but the two assistants are not one of them

I wont say they aren't a problem, because IF they are in over there head trying to be AC's then that is a problem, however, IF they are a problem, they are a very minor problem in the grand scheme of things

 

[NickZepp]

The only thing I can base recruiting off of is what his recruits have actually done. I've said this numerous times. His recruiting has been poor at best. Outside of Blake the 2nd best player he had was either Warren or Pattillo. Then it's Cade Davis. After that it may be a Fitzgerald. That's how quick it dips on the guys he brought in based off of what they did. I think this means that Capel just isn't near as good a recruiter as we want to hype him to be.

 

[Big Old Booger]

The only thing I can base recruiting off of is what his recruits have actually done. I've said this numerous times. His recruiting has been poor at best. Outside of Blake the 2nd best player he had was either Warren or Pattillo. Then it's Cade Davis. After that it may be a Fitzgerald. That's how quick it dips on the guys he brought in based off of what they did. I think this means that Capel just isn't near as good a recruiter as we want to hype him to be.

I can't disagree with this. He's brought in some guys who were considered good players but most of them never saw the floor or left after 1 season. I've said before, other than Blake, his best recruit is Cade Davis simply because he's been in the program 4 years and made a contribution every year and is a decent player. However, when Cade is the 2nd best recruit of a coach in his 5th season, then something is wrong with the recruiting.

WW, TMG, and Tiny can't be considered for the 2nd best player because 2 of them only played 1 year, and WW played some of the 2nd year but he was a malcontent and from what others have stated he was the big problem with last years team. WW clearly was the 2nd most talented recruit Capel brought to OU, but his off the court antics remove him from consideration in my book.

 

[OUhoops11]

I wont say they aren't a problem, because IF they are in over there head trying to be AC's then that is a problem, however, IF they are a problem, they are a very minor problem in the grand scheme of things

Well, my point is that these two guys were most likely coaching last year and previous years since they've been here, even though their titles were not assistant coaches. Pretty common tactic for coaches to get more teachers on staff by giving them other positions. Obviously i'm not at practice so I don't know for sure, but that's my assumption based on the two new assistants past

 

[scrybe]

Great replies, seniorsooner.

 

[jerry]

I just really think Capel greatly benefited from right place right time.

Absolutely agree. Joe C. needs to look in the mirror and figure out this guy was not ready for a good Big 12 program. Jeff Capel is one step above John Blake as a coach, but J Blake was a good recruiter. Of course, Jeff C is a much better person then J Blake.

Time to move on Joe.

 

[Sooner04]

I don't even know where to start with this. Some of you are really taking this "Capel can't do anything without Blake" thing way too far.

Well, what HAS he done without Blake?

Other than post a losing record.

 

[NorthCarolinaSooner]

The AAU reference is garbage. You do NOT absolutely HAVE to have a great AAU guy to recruit. As a matter of fact, many of the 'sleazy' AAU guys are the REASON a lot of these programs are getting in trouble.

You could do just as well with a well respected and well connected high school coach and maybe even better.

As for the points made in the original post, I don't disagree with everything as far as the recruiting as I believe Capel has been a poor jusge of character and has spent an uneeded amount of time trying to recruit the 'big fish' when he could have been building a solid program without putting almost all of his eggs in one basket year after year.

 

[NorthCarolinaSooner]

By the way, Coach O and guys like him are EXACTLY the reason college basketball is where it is today. AAU has absolutely DESTROYED the integrity of the game. There are absolutely no morals or ethics on the AAU curcuit, for the most part.

 

[htownSOONER]

Well, my point is that these two guys were most likely coaching last year and previous years since they've been here, even though their titles were not assistant coaches. Pretty common tactic for coaches to get more teachers on staff by giving them other positions. Obviously i'm not at practice so I don't know for sure, but that's my assumption based on the two new assistants past

Ouhoops you are right, theybhave been "coaching" and or participating at practice. What they have not been doing for five years is building relationships with high school coaches, aau coaches and parents of recruits. NCAA laws do not allow them to do that. How can a top 25 program expect to stay there if half of their staff has not been building relationships in recruiting for 5 years.

Recruiting is sales. Sales is relationships. They may know more about basketball than I could ever forget, but it does not matter. If you do not have juco, aau, or high school relationships you will fail in this business. We would have been better off bringing in assistants from Sam Houston or something.

 

[Sam]

A couple of reasona OU isn't in on many 2011 elite Texas kids are

- I don't think OU went after any many big name 2011 kids after they figured out Nash was down to OSU or Baylor more or less.

- its a down year in Texas in comparison to 2010 and 2012. Especially in the needs for OU (true posts and pgs). From what I've watched and read the bulk of the 2011 elite talent are wings (miles, Henry, Jalen Jones, Jordan Williams, etc). Thomas gipson was one of the few true posts in Texas who were heavily recruiting unless I am missing someone. Same with pgs, there are many Texas 2011 pgs who are ou caliber.

- he's been focusing on 2012 and 2013 Texas kids (Reese, Rose, Ridley, Ibeh, Randle, Harris etc). Capel has his fingerprints all over the future Texas recruits.

Also Cline was the lead recruiter on the last two top 100 kids OU signed (T.J. and Cam) not Oronde. not that it makes that mug a difference since he's gone now too but I thought that was worth pointing out.

Based on Phelps history with Texas and the updates don't by William Jennings I think he's doing a pretty good job early on establishing connections in the Texas scene.

 

[okcsooner83]

High school coaches have little influence on high school hoops prospects. High school basketball recruiting is all about relationships with aau coaches. AAU basketball is sleazy but to be a top program you have to have relationships with the people involved.