Look where Capel was on Monday

[BigTime]

From Rivals:

Oklahoma's Jeff Capel and Kentucky's Calipari - along with two assistants - were also in Ames, Iowa, for Monday's open gym. Assistants from North Carolina and USC also attended. According to Barnes' mother, Shirley Barnes, UCLA assistant coach Scott Duncan is expected this week.

Going after the big fish I see. :clap :jcapel

 

[FaithfulSooner]

We have to at least try to get him to visit. LET'S GO COACH CAPEL REEL HARRISON IN! BOOMER SOONER BABY!!!:clap

 

[AdaSooner]

Coach Capel doesn't back down from anyone. He loves a challenge, and that's one of many reasons he and his staff are great recruiters. :clap

 

[DenverSooner]

I don't think it is not backing down. I personally think the fact that he is one of the youngest coaches, a black coach and played a very high level really help him relate to the high school kids.

 

[Seymore Cox]

I don't think it is not backing down. I personally think the fact that he is one of the youngest coaches, a black coach and played a very high level really help him relate to the high school kids.

Absolutely. And with Barnes, I think their is a chink in the prospects of him going to Duke. UK is getting more involved in the process. The way I think it breaks down with this kid is Duke and UNC will get in season visits and KU and UK will try to get him to go to their March Madness. So that leaves OU and the rest of his list trying to get his last visit. If Capel can get a visit it would be huge. Capel has been masterful at using the football venues to help in the process with WW, Ray, Pledger, Gallon and Fitzgerald. He usually gets a visit scheduled right around the first signing day. Capel has also been smart to not involve a Basketball bash situation in the recruitment of these kids. An OU Basketball bash would look very poor compared to what UK and KU do. My concern on Barnes is that it doesn't turn into a Jai Lucas vs. John Roberson situation where we abort a good plan in going after Clark and mix the message with Clark by Recruiting Barnes hard. I personally feel that we try to get Clark to commit as soon as possible, and once that happens, then we can turn up whatever heat we have on Barnes.

 

[Sid]

Going after the big fish I see.

:clap

I love Jeff's attitude when it comes to recruiting. He's not AFRAID to jump in the ring and mix it up with the big boys. That’s why he has been able to turn things around so quickly. A total 180.

:jcapel

 

[Bk2X]

"My concern on Barnes is that it doesn't turn into a Jai Lucas vs. John Roberson situation where we abort a good plan in going after Clark and mix the message with Clark by Recruiting Barnes hard. I personally feel that we try to get Clark to commit as soon as possible, and once that happens, then we can turn up whatever heat we have on Barnes."

Sounds like a good plan. Agreed....

 

[gracefor24]

How many schollies does OU have to give? I agree DM, I think you recruit both all out and tell Clark that the spot is his whenever he wants it.

 

[Seymore Cox]

4 scholarships. The way it's looking by the recruits that we know OU is in on is that OU will sign a PG, combo, wing, and post player. I think the beauty of Taylor is you're not locked in on the prospects of having to have a PG or having to have a wing guard. However, OU must bring in perimeter shooting. If you combine a TJ with a Pressey, you'll have two guards who to this date aren't great shooters. Cameron Clark is a good shooter and would be a plus. I'm not sure about Barnes's shooting ability.

I think the prospects of having a backcourt of Ray Willis at 6'6 and Cameron "phenom" Clark at 6'7 is the type of things you see with UNC, Louisville and the other big boys. It would put OU on a different level as far as having wings who don't have to worry about close out defenders because they could shoot over them, the same way you saw Ellington and Green do it this year. As far as Barnes is concerned, OU just needs to stay in the hunt and try and be there when his list dwindles to 5.

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GL43QagWYTo[/ame]

 

[Seymore Cox]

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cDG-P4PtcTE[/ame]

 

[SoonerfanTU]

It would put OU on a different level as far as having wings who don't have to worry about close out defenders because they could shoot over them, the same way you saw Ellington and Green do it this year.

I think length is a little overrated.

Ellington and Green are listed at the same heights as Warren and Crocker.

If you are good, you can play, big or small.

 

[Seymore Cox]

I don't think it's overrated when you have a guy like Keiton Page who can only get about 7 or 8 shots a game because he's so short. Now I know Page is at the extreme end of the argument, but Page is not far away from guys that we've had in the past on the wings. Also, you sight Warren and Crocker as comparison to Green and Ellington. Warren and Crocker aren't those guys size. However, even in Warren and Crocker's case, those guys can get their shots off pretty good because they do have a little bit of size. We've seen Warren elevate over Abrams, ISU's guards, and Page. Same with Crocker. I know you probably play alot of ball, and when you do, and you have to guard someone who has some length and elevation, and they're 6'4 and you're 6'0, there is not much you can do about stopping that shot besides waving your hand in their face if you can get to it, or the old elbow tap.

I think wings like that will be a huge advantage over teams, especially when you see a team like OSU loading up on sub six foot guys just because they can shoot.

 

[McJacknife]

I think length is a little overrated.

Ellington and Green are listed at the same heights as Warren and Crocker.

If you are good, you can play, big or small.

But if you are good and long, sometimes you become unstoppable.

 

[campbest]

I don't think it's overrated when you have a guy like Keiton Page who can only get about 7 or 8 shots a game because he's so short. Now I know Page is at the extreme end of the argument, but Page is not far away from guys that we've had in the past on the wings. Also, you sight Warren and Crocker as comparison to Green and Ellington. Warren and Crocker aren't those guys size. However, even in Warren and Crocker's case, those guys can get their shots off pretty good because they do have a little bit of size. We've seen Warren elevate over Abrams, ISU's guards, and Page. Same with Crocker. I know you probably play alot of ball, and when you do, and you have to guard someone who has some length and elevation, and they're 6'4 and you're 6'0, there is not much you can do about stopping that shot besides waving your hand in their face if you can get to it, or the old elbow tap.

I think wings like that will be a huge advantage over teams, especially when you see a team like OSU loading up on sub six foot guys just because they can shoot.

When I played, length ALWAYS gave me more problems than my defender's height. It's such an asset on the perimeter...

 

[SoonerfanTU]

I don't think it's overrated when you have a guy like Keiton Page who can only get about 7 or 8 shots a game because he's so short. Now I know Page is at the extreme end of the argument, but Page is not far away from guys that we've had in the past on the wings. Also, you sight Warren and Crocker as comparison to Green and Ellington. Warren and Crocker aren't those guys size. However, even in Warren and Crocker's case, those guys can get their shots off pretty good because they do have a little bit of size. We've seen Warren elevate over Abrams, ISU's guards, and Page. Same with Crocker. I know you probably play alot of ball, and when you do, and you have to guard someone who has some length and elevation, and they're 6'4 and you're 6'0, there is not much you can do about stopping that shot besides waving your hand in their face if you can get to it, or the old elbow tap.

I think wings like that will be a huge advantage over teams, especially when you see a team like OSU loading up on sub six foot guys just because they can shoot.

If you are comparing guys like Page and Drew Lav, then yes, I agree.

But I can name you a TON of guards that were in the 6' to 6'2 range, that were never affected. Hollis never had trouble getting shots off. Brewer wasn't very tall. Neal. The list, nation-wide, could go on and on.

Just don't compare a kid like Page (average AND short), to a guy like Ellington (very good AND tall), as that is a faulty comparison.

I'm not saying lenght isn't a nice thing to have, but it certainly isn't a given. All that perimeter length that Louisville had this year didn't help them very much at the end of the day.

 

[Seymore Cox]

When I played, length ALWAYS gave me more problems than my defender's height. It's such an asset on the perimeter...

Offensively, you can pump fake, jump into a guy, or ball fake to buy space. Defensively, you just screwed. I like that aspect about recruiting a guy like Clark. He'll rise over about 75 percent of guys like you saw from Danny Green. One of the problems with Ray Willis in the limited time he played is he shot it every time he got the ball. I think part of that was just because he could. Where as you see shorter guys chased off their shots.

With Barnes, obviously he has the same aspects to his game. However he's a physical beast and despite being a future NBA SG, he could probably be an All conference type PF if desired.

 

[SoonerBackInOKC]

I think length is a little overrated

Really? Go watch Kevin Durant play. he either makes or misses his shot, it really doesn't matter what the guy guarding him does because he just shoots right over him. Height is one thing but his wingspan is ridiculous, so too is the heigth where he releases his shot.

 

[Seymore Cox]

I think length is a little overrated

I definetely get what you're saying and agree with it to a certain extent. Length is not as neccessary in College as it is in the NBA because essentially in the NBA it's almost a job requirement at that SG position. If you look at the success a school like Oklahoma and OSU have had, it hasn't been a requirement to their success. However, if you look at Danny Green, Brandon Rush, Corey Brewer, McCants, Rip Hamilton, Morris Peterson, decent size guards have been a staple in alot of NCAA winning teams. That's not to say guys like Hollis Price can't be affective. At the same time though, a guy like Hollis Price isn't going to have anything in his arsenal to stop a Cameron Clark or Harrison Barnes.

 

[Sooner79]

Really? Go watch Kevin Durant play. he either makes or misses his shot, it really doesn't matter what the guy guarding him does because he just shoots right over him. Height is one thing but his wingspan is ridiculous, so too is the heigth where he releases his shot.

That's the NBA and it sums up the pro game which is a totally different animal than college ball.

 

[Seymore Cox]

That's the NBA and it sums up the pro game which is a totally different animal than college ball.

But then that's where the debate is. Wouldn't having those guys be like having pro type players? Wouldn't having pro type players put you at an advantage in the college game?

Again, I'd hate to envoke the name of Keiton Page, but if you look at a guy like Keiton Page and Danny Green who play close to the same amount of minutes, who's the better shooter? Now go check and see who has the most three point makes.