ISU loses Walker, McFarland to follow?

Jeremy · 10-04-2006, 09:11 AM

ISU loses Walker, McFarland to follow?
CycloneFanatic.com
Jeremy Lind

ISU lost one of it's remaining primary targets for the MBB Recruiting Class of 2007 yesterday when Kenton Walker verbally committed to Creighton. Will Andre McFarland go elsewhere now that one of the people he connected with the most has picked somebody else? It's possible but still unknown.

Both Andre and Kenton were in Ames this past weekend on visits and both showed strong interest in the Cyclone program. From what I have confirmed, Walker's biggest obstacle was going to be playing time. While he has great size and ability, he is no comparison to Brackins and would be competing against Alex Thompson and Ross Marsden who will have been with the program for quite a while by the time Kenton shows up.

Regarding Andre McFarland, it' still up in the air where he'll land. With basketball only his second focus, it really comes down to what offers him the best all-around experience, Idaho or Ames. While I still like our chances with him, it really comes down to a 50-50 chance at this point with Walker out of the picture and Idaho pressing so hard.

Regardless of the latest news, I don't feel that Andre and P'Allen Stinnett will feel forced to make a joint commitment. It appears more and more likely that the two will not discuss too much further what they want to do jointly. I look at them as two completely separate entities now, regardless of what the outcome is.

Now what does this mean for the '07 recruiting class? Just that the staff has to keep their focus on the ball and keep pressure on the other kids they're talking to. There are a handful of players that the staff feels very comfortable with and I would expect some additional offers to be made in the coming days as they try to wrap things up a bit. Look for more news as it happens.

On a side note:
Sorry about making a prediction with a percentage on it. I never should have done that and it obviously made me look foolish today:) My % was based on feedback Kenton himself had been giving as well as those around him. He really liked ISU but Creighton just had more for him in the end. I'll make sure not to put those type of numbers out there anymore as it's not only foolish but innacurate in the fact that nobody truly ever knows whats up with these kids until it's official.

TheHelgo · 10-04-2006, 09:17 AM

ughhh, terrible news for a Wednesday morning. So much for 95% certainties in this world....

Jeremy · 10-04-2006, 09:22 AM

I think everybody really thought he was on board. Creighton came on incredibly hard at the end and they had some bonuses that he though outweighted how things went at ISU. I think he had some problems matching up really well with some of the talent that we will have and he thought Creighton was better for PT and for his existing friends.

cyclonedrew · 10-04-2006, 09:36 AM

95% ??? anyway this is a disappointment. I thought he was ours for sure. McFarland is not comming from what he sounds like when he speaks on ISU. So now we have to go after Stinnet with everything in our arsanal. Then hopefully we can pull Bocot or another player or bank that Scholly until 08.

TheHelgo · 10-04-2006, 09:43 AM

after a few minutes of thought, I am beginning to wonder if Walker would have been a good fit. If a kid isn't confident enough in his skills that he thinks he can EARN solid playing time (regardless of who else is on the team), then would re really want him anyway? I don't know - maybe its frustration talking on my part. Let's get McFarland & Stinnett!

jdoggivjc · 10-04-2006, 10:02 AM

maybe i'm misinformed, but if these were morgan's recruits then screw them. let them miss out on the wild ride mcdermott's gonna take us on. they might not have been the guys he had in mind for his program anyway. let mcdermott build the program the way he wants. look at what he's done at his three previous schools. it might cost us this year and possibly next, but mcdermott's gonna have us winning soon.

benjay · 10-04-2006, 10:04 AM

They may have been Morgan's recruits initially, but rest assured McDermott evaluated their talents and chose to continue pursuit. We wanted these guys, and it will suck to lose them.

That being said, I'm sure he's got some recruits on the backburner that he still has a chance of landing.

ljs6756 · 10-04-2006, 10:06 AM

It bothers me when they are more worried about playing time than looking for a good team to play for, with the class MC was putting together in the long run it would have been worth sitting for a year or working your a** off and making yourself or the guy in the spot in front of u play harder to keep it. I dont think he was looking at the big picture when he made that choice..

TheHelgo · 10-04-2006, 10:11 AM

i think Walker was completely McD's recruit. I don't think Morgan was ever in on him - although I could be wrong.

jdoggivjc · 10-04-2006, 10:11 AM

another reason why i said screw them. i don't think mcdermott's looking for the kind of guys that put their interests above the team.

ripvdub · 10-04-2006, 10:11 AM

Even if we can just get Stinnett, I'll still be way happy with this recruiting class. I heard Walker could jump outta the gym, but could he do anything else? Hopefully we can get P'Allen and another role player. Greg McD is probably only gonna play 9 players anyway. Not everyone will be an AllAmerican on our team, plus theres plenty of time left in the recruiting season.

Cloned4Life · 10-04-2006, 10:12 AM

I am not confident that we will land Mcfarland anymore. I'd say 0-10% chance.

Stinnett remains a question mark IMO. I want to think he'll committ again, but something tells me he'll screw us over in the end.

BUT there's still other options out there. Bocot looks like a good prospect. I don't know if we're still after Jamine Petersen but I've always liked him, seems like a Rahshon Clark type of guy.

Kaleb Korver? ... I may be in the minority, but I don't think he's scholarship worthy...

Anyone know of any other prospects?

PS. I'm going to stay positive about this class because it still cant be a VERY good one.

Cutlass · 10-04-2006, 10:13 AM

I'm disappointed because I really wanted Walker the most of our remaining recruiting targets. But I can understand his thinking. Creighton is a fine school that plays in a fantastic areana. They make the NCAA regularly. And he has a very good chance to be The Man there. That may be important to him, and was unlikely to happen at ISU.

kuney1 · 10-04-2006, 10:18 AM

Walker would have been a fine addition, but I understand his reasoning with Thompson coming in next year, along with Brackins. It's too bad he went elsewhere.

colocy · 10-04-2006, 10:19 AM

What are the chances we get P'allen without getting McFarland