Say what you want about Travis Ford, but he is a recruiting machine. There have been threads on here about him having to get rid of guys to make room for new guys he's recruiting. Granted, we dont know what Capel has going on behind the scenes in recruiting, but it just feels like we dont have the inside track on any real difference makers. It looks like Ford justs gobbles em up and spits em out on a need basis. JMO
Travis Ford
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Well, the guys we do have on board are pretty highly thought of, just need a couple more of them! And I 'm not sure what "difference makers" Ford has recruited to this point? Thier best players (IMHO) are holdovers from the Sutton era [not suprisingly, a 5* Jr. and a 5* Sr.]. Penn looked pretty good [but TMG is better], and Pilgrim has shown flashes I guess [but no more than Tiny, and Pilgrim has been playing CBB for three years now? Or is it two?].
I went over to Rivals and looked at their signings the last two years. Most all their guys had good to great measurables and impressive offer lists. That's what I was looking at. Those were some large classes too. I get the feeling that Ford has some very good recruiting assistants.
Classes look okay on paper, but to date Ford hasn't shown to be that great of a talent or character evaluator...go look at how he left UMass as opposed to how Capel left VCU if you need an example. Ford's best players have been guys that Sutton recruited; however, I like the JUCO from Indiana [although I like Clark more] and I also like Penn [although I like TMG more].
Just seemed odd to have someone give it up to Ford for recruiting when our Coach has been "critiqued" for the players he has recruited [who have generally been thought of by the service you are citing as being "better"]. If you want to say that oSu is the better team right now, I won't argue with you, but their two best players were not recruited by Ford [oh and both are 5*'s].
Sam
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Who are the difference makes Ford routinely gobbles up?
If you look at all the recruits he brought in this past year only Penn and Pilgrim really have been difference makers this season. You have Dowell and Gully are only playing due to Penn's injuries and both received little more than time off the bench before them.
On a team with little post depth (still have to use Anderson and Obi at the 4) Shaw and Walker are two guys who can barely get off the bench. Of the 6 guys Ford brought in only 2 can be considered difference makers.
This upcoming class is better on paper but I think Cobbins isn't going to have a huge impact right away, he will get PT cause he is nice and athletic but his slight frame is going to give him a learning curve. J.P. their juco wing/forward was only brought in after Cam Clark committed to here so while I think he will play a role in replacing Obi/James I don't think he can be labeled a bigger difference maker than Cam Clark. Their two guards from Louisiana will both be given opportunities to play but I would say based on most rankings our own T.J. Taylor is just as good if not better than them.
I think Ford is in a similar situation as Capel right now. How this years group of freshman and the ones coming in 2010 develop will show their merits of a recruiter. Ford isn't going to have any more of Sutton's five star talent to carry his team (Eaton, Obi and James were all elite talents) similar to those that are arguing what has Capel done without Blake.
I think to label Ford a great recruiter when the bulk of his recruiting class hasn't even played a big role yet is a bit premature.
blankenship4
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Gulley has been averaging 20 minutes all season long
blankenship4
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Yes, Brian Williams and Markel Brown are both 6'3"-6'5" guards who are great shooters and can take it to the hole with authority. Both have 40+ inch verticals
Espescilly when you throw our recruiting into the mix and say that Capel hasn't brought in any "difference makers". Over the course of the last two years, OU has recruited and signed four players that were more highly thought of than ANYBODY oSu has brought in according to the service that the OP cites [Warren, Gallon, TMG and now Clark].
As far as recruiting to needs, if we can get a solid post, I'd say we have done the same thing for this season [and we seem to still be in on several of those]. Is there ANYBODY that would trade oSu's last two recruiting classes for OU's?
If OU can get the JUCO post or two that you covet, whose class would you take?
Sam
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But I don't really consider him a big impact player like the OP was referring to about OSU recruits. I know he is a good defender but anytime a point guard has more turnovers than assists that is never a positive impact. And if you want to say he is playing more shooting guard he is shooting 50% from the line and hasn't hit a 3 all year. Sure his defense is nice but I don't think he can be lumped into the difference maker for Ford so far unless you want to count Steven Pledger as a true difference maker for OU.
thebigabd
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Capel has signed lots of difference makers... TMG, WW, Blake, Cade, etc. Capel's recruiting has had lots of up's and down's, but he has signed some terrific players.
TMG will probably be the best scoring point guard in the country next year.... I would say thats a difference maker.
TMG will probably be the best scoring point guard in the country next year.... I would say thats a difference maker.
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You got a link to them having 40+ inch verticals?
Grand total of one guy had a 40 inch vertical at the draft combine last season.
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oh im not saying gulley is a difference maker at all, im just saying hes more than just a player that comes off the bench for a few minutes. He's not a great shooter but he's a great glue guy and defender.
I'd like to see that measured as well...oh, and since when did basketball become a high-jumping contest? Evidently there are some pretty glaring flaws in their games to only be rated as three stars by rivals if they are great outside shooters and can each out jump the entire NBA combine.
thebigabd
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If OU signed a guy like Jawanza Poland and Aziz Ndaiye, and maybe another post like Antione Lundy (averaging 20 and 14 in Jayhawk Conference, leads league in rebounding) to go along with Cameron Clark and TJ Taylor I think it would be a great class.
I think if OU signed a class like that they would sign 5 guys that would be contributing next year.. Two of them might start, so it would obviously be a good class.
OU's class would be better than OSU's if they were able to land the above guys...
Or get Terrence Jones, either way.
SoonerBounce13
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thats a good thing?
oSuJeff97
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First off, I totally disagree with the silly notion that Capel can't bring in "impact" players... that's obviously ridiculous.
But I do have a few comments:
It probably depends on how you define "impact"...
From my perspective, Gulley is an impact player because he is starting as a true freshman. It's true that he's only starting because Penn was injured, but he was playing a good amount before the injury, and it's not like Ford has to start him.
He could easily start both Moses and Pilgrim and have Page run the point.
Point being that Ford sees reason to have Gulley start, and so he is adding value to the team, mostly with his defense, which I won't discount.
Of course, the other big "impact" players are Penn, Pilgrim, and (to a lesser extent) Roger Franklin.
All of those guys have been or are major contributors to the team's success in their first season.
That, to me, is the definition of "impact."
But doesn't Capel still currently have 5-star talent on the team?
There are many on this very site who argued all last year that Willie Warren was superior to James Anderson.
If that were the case, shouldn't he have been "carrying" the OU team earlier in the season, the way that Anderson is "carrying" this OSU team?
I don't think anyone can deny that TMG and Gallon are 5-star talent, even if they are freshmen.
As for OSU next year, I think you will see Penn and Pilgrim become a formitable inside/outside combination.
But I do have a few comments:
It probably depends on how you define "impact"...
From my perspective, Gulley is an impact player because he is starting as a true freshman. It's true that he's only starting because Penn was injured, but he was playing a good amount before the injury, and it's not like Ford has to start him.
He could easily start both Moses and Pilgrim and have Page run the point.
Point being that Ford sees reason to have Gulley start, and so he is adding value to the team, mostly with his defense, which I won't discount.
Of course, the other big "impact" players are Penn, Pilgrim, and (to a lesser extent) Roger Franklin.
All of those guys have been or are major contributors to the team's success in their first season.
That, to me, is the definition of "impact."
But doesn't Capel still currently have 5-star talent on the team?
There are many on this very site who argued all last year that Willie Warren was superior to James Anderson.
If that were the case, shouldn't he have been "carrying" the OU team earlier in the season, the way that Anderson is "carrying" this OSU team?
I don't think anyone can deny that TMG and Gallon are 5-star talent, even if they are freshmen.
As for OSU next year, I think you will see Penn and Pilgrim become a formitable inside/outside combination.
