Downward trend

[SoonerNorm]

2008 We went 32-5 overall and 15-1 in conference

2009 We went 27-11 overall and 11-5 in conference

2010 We went 23-12 overall and 10-6 in conference

2011 We went 21-13 overall and 11-7 in conference

2012 We went 24-11 overall and 11-7 in conference

2013 We went 18-15 and 9-9 in conference

When we lost Courtney, we weren't as good.

When we lost DRob, we weren't as good.

When we lost Aaryn, we aren't as good.

When we lose Sharane, it doesn't look like we will be as good.

 

[annabelle]

for whatever reason Sherri couldn't maintain the recruiting momentum gained when the twins signed...amanda t,abbi o,& d-rob were all a direct result of signing the twins....

what floors me is Sherri's admission that she isn't crazy about recruiting! that's like being an insurance salesman & not liking selling insurance !

recruiting is the lifeblood of any college program & it doesn't seem to me that OU is getting any elite players anymore.....jmo

 

[SoonerNorm]

for whatever reason Sherri couldn't maintain the recruiting momentum gained when the twins signed...amanda t,abbi o,& d-rob were all a direct result of signing the twins....

what floors me is Sherri's admission that she isn't crazy about recruiting! that's like being an insurance salesman & not liking selling insurance !

recruiting is the lifeblood of any college program & it doesn't seem to me that OU is getting any elite players anymore.....jmo

I wonder if losing Hansmeyer didn't have a lot to do with that.

 

[sybarite]

By now, I've heard over a hundred college coaches state that they don't like recruiting. Who does?

 

[Sweetest OU Girl]

By now, I've heard over a hundred college coaches state that they don't like recruiting. Who does?

Toward the end of his career - and when he reached the point of no longer being very successful - Daryl Royal said the same thing.

Is there a message/lesson in that?

 

[Sweetest OU Girl]

2008 We went 32-5 overall and 15-1 in conference

2009 We went 27-11 overall and 11-5 in conference

2010 We went 23-12 overall and 10-6 in conference

2011 We went 21-13 overall and 11-7 in conference

2012 We went 24-11 overall and 11-7 in conference

2013 We went 18-15 and 9-9 in conference

When we lost Courtney, we weren't as good.

When we lost DRob, we weren't as good.

When we lost Aaryn, we aren't as good.

When we lose Sharane, it doesn't look like we will be as good.

It looks pretty stark when you list it out like that Norm.

It has been obvious this year that a real lack of height/size/skill in the post is hurting us badly. Arkansas brought in a reserve center and she completely dominated us. Sherri's emphasis on mainly guards has created an "Iowa State" #2. And that means the days (there will be lots of them) when you don't hit lots of 3's, you have little chance of winning.

 

[Mac]

It could very well be the type of girls Sherri likes on the team.

 

[Soonerbay]

2008 We went 32-5 overall and 15-1 in conference

2009 We went 27-11 overall and 11-5 in conference

2010 We went 23-12 overall and 10-6 in conference

2011 We went 21-13 overall and 11-7 in conference

2012 We went 24-11 overall and 11-7 in conference

2013 We went 18-15 and 9-9 in conference

When we lost Courtney, we weren't as good.

When we lost DRob, we weren't as good.

When we lost Aaryn, we aren't as good.

When we lose Sharane, it doesn't look like we will be as good.

Really? When I was accused of "You just don't like SC...", I was saying the very same thing. If the ship did not get righted in a quickness, then I knew this would be the path. It's not rocket science. When we did not continue to recruit top 10 student-athletes, this is what happens. Recruiting…you have to make hay while the sun is shining, otherwise, you end up starting over. And that’s where we are today, but it does not appear that the coaches have a plan to regroup and regain top 10 status (recruiting and AP/ESPN rankings) again.

IMO…we initially blew it when we didn't take Sade Wiley Gatewood in Dec 2005. She went to Maryland instead and earned a NC. See http://newsok.com/tennessee-guard-to-transfer-interested-in-ou/article/2924608
We continued to blow it when we didn’t get top OK recruits; especially CWalker. The only thing worse than not getting a top recruit is getting her then losing her. That’s just two examples. But there were other top 10’s who wanted to come to OU who were never even offered. Their names might be familiar….in NC circles. SDiggins (ND), DAdams (TAM) and BGriner (Baylor). Then there was DStallworth (Kentucky). There were also rumors that AGrayLawson and DHampton (Cal) wanted to transfer in 2006. You have to keep players on the team who have been to the FF if you want to return. Experience is always the best teacher. Those players start with top 10 recruits. OU has passed on too many for one reason or another when the player wanted to go to OU. It’s been said that SC likes a certain kind of player…let me make it clear. IMO, she was/is not interested in student-athletes that fit the stereotype/profile of a lesbian. But surely she knows she’s missed some over the years at OU.
Not only did they not have the ability to recruit, the coaching staff did not have the ability to develop post players. CParis and AParis left with the same skill level as they arrived. Talk about weight and conditioning all you want. Both played as many minutes as they were allowed whether 20 or 40. AOlajuwon improved from high school because she had CParis to compete against day in and day out. But it is what it is. Que sera sera!

 

[soonerstar]

The same thing happened at Kansas State. From about 2002 to 2005 or 2006, they were tough to beat with Nicole Ohlde, Kendra Wecker, Laurie Koehn, etc. on their team. When they graduated, their program started going down also. They had a couple decent years later whe Shalee Lehning was there, but the past 4 or 5 years, the trend is like ours. Patterson did not get the type players to compete in the Big 12 and was eventually replaced last year when the season was over. I hope we are not the "new" Kansas State.

 

[Mac]

Have to say as a bay area person I have never once heard of Gray-Lawson and Hampton wanting to come to OU. I know Stallworth did out of high school, and once again after she wanted to leave cal.

 

[sybarite]

So. The nay-sayers are out in force.

Skylar Diggins was recruited heavily by OU.

 

[Mac]

So. The nay-sayers are out in force.

Skylar Diggins was recruited heavily by OU.

Diggins did name OU once in a interview about the schools she was looking at. I think she looked at OU as long as Kelsey Bone looked at OU, kind of like a package deal. Remember people Hand was the last time we signed a All American out of high school, I would say 2009 and 10 is where we started to miss out on players. In 2010 Kaneisha Horn, Richa Jackson, Cassie Herberts, Lindsay Sherbert, Alexis Burke, Shawnta Dyer, Jennifer Hamson all took official visits to OU, and Jeanne Kenney(silent commit at at one time) took unofficial visits to OU.

 

[Soonerbay]

Have to say as a bay area person I have never once heard of Gray-Lawson and Hampton wanting to come to OU. I know Stallworth did out of high school, and once again after she wanted to leave cal.

Mac, I've been around the AAU/club circuit for years. I'm not going to post anything without hearing it "from the horse's mouth" or from a very good source. And when I say "very good", I mean very good. At the same time, if I didn't hear it from the "horse's mouth", it's a rumor. With that said...

You're right about DStallworth. Hansmeyer did all she could. It's been said that SC would not return phone calls to the players parents. Gray-Lawson and Hampton had always planned to continue to play with the twins, but when Cal did not resign Caren Horstmeyer, the twins gave up on Cal after giving them every chance to act like they really wanted them. A smart player is not going to commit to a school if the coach that is recruiting you is in her final year of the contract and has not been resigned. I believe Cal still had a chance to get the twins if they had resigned the coach. She recruited what we called the bay area Fab Five (S. Sneed, the twins, Gray-Lawson and Hampton) since they were in elementary school. They all played together for club ball at different points. The twins, Gray-Lawson and Hampton played for Sade Wiley Gatewood's dad their last two years of club play. All four were McD's AA. They wanted to play together. Gray-Lawson and Hampton gave a verbal to Cal early; didn't take trips, then regretted when Horstmeyer was not signed. Trust me...they considered leaving and wanted to head to Norman. SC probably would not have offered them anyway.

 

[Soonerbay]

Diggins did name OU once in a interview about the schools she was looking at. I think she looked at OU as long as Kelsey Bone looked at OU, kind of like a package deal.

You're right. I was at the Nike camp when Diggins attended. Guess who her camp counselor/mentor was? CParis.

 

[keysersose]

Does it seem possible that a downturn began immediately in 2003, and was interrupted for five years due to the Paris twins coming and drawing in several good players while they were here? Since the "Paris Bump" passed, there has been no top shelf recruiting.
Also, can anyone explain why, in 19 years, SC has not recruited a single player from the Tulsa area?

 

[mystery32]

By now, I've heard over a hundred college coaches state that they don't like recruiting. Who does?

Karen Aston does!! Which is why she's so successful now!

 

[sybarite]

Karen Aston does!! Which is why she's so successful now!

Do you really believe that she enjoys recruiting?

 

[SoonerNorm]

Karen Aston does!! Which is why she's so successful now!

You bet, I'm sure she does too. It sure seems that Patty not only likes recruiting but she puts a lot of effort in finding the right players and bringing them into her program. There is NO WAY she would be as successful as she is unless she was passionate about recruiting.

Recruiting is at least 80% of the job...coaches better like it a lot or they need to go do something else for a living.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=oqzINA_QtD8&autoplay=1

 

[Mac]

Do you really believe that she enjoys recruiting?

I could see it, Maybe she doesn't have any kids so these girls really become her family... I also notice the whole Texas staff is black, and all have Texas roots. Recruiting isn't easy, it's all about building relationships with the kid, there family, there coaches, alot goes in to it. Seems as if Sherri is really doing this with Cox, looks like Sherri is following the entire family on twitter.

 

[sybarite]

I could see it, Maybe she doesn't have any kids so these girls really become her family... I also notice the whole Texas staff is black, and all have Texas roots. Recruiting isn't easy, it's all about building relationships with the kid, there family, there coaches, alot goes in to it. Seems as if Sherri is really doing this with Cox, looks like Sherri is following the entire family on twitter.

Let her say she loves it. I've never heard anyone say that, and I have heard a lot say how disgusting it is.