In state recruiting just got tougher....

isuno1fan · 03-09-2008, 10:26 PM

Who says Drake will stop winning? If they put together another strong season next year...watch out because I think it will become the norm.

I think Keno leaving is the only thing that is going to kill that program again. It will be interesting to see what happens when the 1st big offer comes in.

Drake's bench looked very good today and if their recruits are as strong as they seem to think they are then my money is on another 20+ win year next year.

LindenCy · 03-09-2008, 10:28 PM

I hope Drake has a great finish this year (sweet 16 or better), but hopefully we don't have to discuss this in the future. I hope they do well, but this is a once in a long time season, even for a good team.

Clone_12 · 03-09-2008, 10:29 PM

I think Drake's academics will give them trouble as far as continuing to recruit at a high level...not to say they won't land a good class here and there. But I don't see them competing against ISU and Iowa for guys on a regular basis, that's for sure...but then again, I've been waiting for the Dogs to stumble all year, and they've proved me wrong...as far as talent and experience go...both are nececcary to be successful unless you're doing it with McD' all american level players...Young and Cox will be upperclassmen next year, but I doubt they dominate that conference like they did this year. They'll be good again, I just have a hard time seeing them lose the conference player of the year, their most athletic player, and Korver, and improving.

cybsball20 · 03-09-2008, 10:30 PM

Originally Posted by isuno1fan

Who says Drake will stop winning? If they put together another strong season next year...watch out because I think it will become the norm.

I think Keno leaving is the only thing that is going to kill that program again. It will be interesting to see what happens when the 1st big offer comes in.

Drake's bench looked very good today and if their recruits are as strong as they seem to think they are then my money is on another 20+ win year next year.

I think two things need to happen for Drake to keep Keno and if they do, I see Drake being very tough to compete with. IF they are able to secure a deal to play in Wells Fargo and get a coporate 'partner' to pony up some big money. I beleive Marquette, Creighon, and Gonzaga all play in city arena's right? This could put them right up there with them and Knapp essentially turns into a very nice practice facility.

Originally Posted by Clone_12

I think Drake's academics will give them trouble as far as continuing to recruit at a high level...not to say they won't land a good class here and there. But I don't see them competing against ISU and Iowa for guys on a regular basis, that's for sure...but then again, I've been waiting for the Dogs to stumble all year, and they've proved me wrong...as far as talent and experience go...both are nececcary to be successful unless you're doing it with McD' all american level players...Young and Cox will be upperclassmen next year, but I doubt they dominate that conference like they did this year. They'll be good again, I just have a hard time seeing them lose the conference player of the year, their most athletic player, and Korver, and improving.

I think the academics 'may' work as an advantage in recruiting the players for that system. It's a system based on freedom to make 'smart' decisions so maybe recruiting alot of smart kids that will stay four years will help.

Jeremy · 03-09-2008, 10:34 PM

I could see them being just as strong next year - BUT then what about when they lose their two top scorers? They live by the three for the most part and we know as well as anybody that once you lose those sharp-shooters, it's all downhill. They might have some good recruits coming in but good recruits don't always do it, it's the right recruits in the right position. Right now they have the perfect compliment of players to be successful, it's going to be hard to re-create that.

I would like to see Drake succeed because I don't really feel they're competition for us, for the most part, but I just don't see them getting the level of recruits to make them a top 15 program like some would have you believe they're capable of. They just don't have the resources at any level to make something like that happen. Davis appears to be a great coach but he's got limitations just like any other mortal

As far as the Gonzaga comparison, one could say that they might even be past their peak. They had some great teams but after a while they've started to regress a bit. It could be nothing but it could very well be the normal tide that goes through most middle of the pack programs. You have up years and down years but with programs like Drake, their down years will catch back up with them once they lose key players and/or Davis.

Just my opinion, nothing more.

Jeremy · 03-09-2008, 10:37 PM

Originally Posted by cybsball20

I think two things need to happen for Drake to keep Keno and if they do, I see Drake being very tough to compete with. IF they are able to secure a deal to play in Wells Fargo and get a coporate 'partner' to pony up some big money. I beleive Marquette, Creighon, and Gonzaga all play in city arena's right? This could put them right up there with them and Knapp essentially turns into a very nice practice facility.

I guess I haven't paid attention enough to the Wells Fargo rumors of the past to know if there is any validity to think they'd be playing there in the future. It could be possible but an arena doesn't necessarily equate to wins, especially in a league that doesn't get the tv coverage and press to create a lot of hype around arenas and their history, aura, etc.

Clone_12 · 03-09-2008, 10:37 PM

That could be...one thing about the team they have this year, is that I bet they have about as high of a basketball iq level as any other team in the nation...I still believe they'll be competetive, and be a factor in the mvc for at least a couple years to come, I just am having a hard time seeing them keeping this level of success going...you have to start somewhere though.

Jeremy · 03-09-2008, 10:40 PM

As long-winded of posts as I and others have made in this thread, the original topic was in-state recruiting. We won't know what type of future Drake has until it's come and gone but I would bet money that you won't see many players picking Drake over Iowa State or Iowa. If they're good enough to get scholarships from the big-two, they have big enough ambitions to compete in the big conferences with the national exposure that can provide. There may be an exception here or there but I doubt it will be with players that would be potential starters for the big-two.

Clone_12 · 03-09-2008, 10:41 PM

One thing though about Gonzaga and Marquette recruiting against the big boys, is that Marquette was in Conference USA with Cincinnati and Louisville when they landed Wade, and now are in the Big East...much, much, easier to convince kids to play for a power conference...and Gonzaga has established themselves as an annual top 25 caliber team, that annually plays one of the toughest non-conference schedules in the nation. Little easier to recruit as those schools than Drake.

SeattleClone · 03-09-2008, 10:45 PM

Let me make this clear first: I am a McDermott fan, and am not doubting him yet. I do expect a big jump in "year 3" as most people are saying. I truly hope that he has enough success in the future to keep him at ISU for a LONG time see also: Bill Fennely.

That being said, if things don't pan out for GMAC and he is gone in a couple years, and if Keno is still at Drake and having the same success, I can definitely see JP making a run for him!

superfan · 03-09-2008, 10:47 PM

Honestly haven't paid much attention to Drake this year, but watched most of the first half today while in Okoboji's.

Drake is a scary team this time of year. The question, however, is scary for who? The offense is fun to watch, and if you draw them in the tournament you've gotta be sweating a little bit. Hard to play defense (even harder to play a zone) against a team that has players who can spot up and hit a three from NBA distance.

On the other side of the coin, that kind of offense is bound to have games where things don't click. Shooters go cold every once in a while, its a fact of life. No big deal during the regular season, but once March rolls around...it only takes one game...

You live by the three, you die by the three.

kingcy · 03-09-2008, 10:59 PM

I dont think Drake will play at the Wells Fargo, for between the Hockey team, the Energy nad everthing else going on there it would be hard to get Drake games in. They have a good thing going at the Knapp Center and they dont have to pay rent on the building. Playing at Wells Fargo would prob cost them some cash. If seats at the Knapp are hard to get they will just ask for a bigger donation.

We were saying the same thing about UNI when McD was there as you are saying about Drake now. McD got his share of instate kids but Iowa and ISU were winning games too, Iowa with Iowa kids and ISU with mostly out of state kids. Most kids in the state dream of playing at Iowa or ISU. It may hurt Iowa more than ISU since it seems more kids from the state want to go to Iowa.

Bobber · 03-09-2008, 11:38 PM

Gosh I just think this is going to be a flash in the pan...

Maybe I'm wrong, but UNI and Creighton both had good runs and did come back to earth.

It is the Valley and I still think a school like Drake will have trouble long term recruiting against schools like ISU and Iowa who offer solid educations and also have larger crowds, more T.V. time, and more money to throw at their programs.

Wesley · 03-09-2008, 11:42 PM

Originally Posted by Jeremy

I don't think Drake can ever have the pull of Iowa or Iowa State, period. They might be having a great year and all the props to them but no seriously legit in-state player is going to consider a MVC program with a fraction of the fanbase and perennial support on the same scale as a Big XII or Big Ten team. Drake fans are about as vocal as any when they're doing good but any other year you'd be hard pressed to see anybody wearing a Drake t-shirt.

Now you might get some players that would go to other lower D1 programs or be walk-ons at ISU or Iowa but not Barnes, Adam Haluska, etc level players.

It does appear he can take walkons and make them into very go(o)d players...it also looks like he really coaches the players from not too much authoritarian, not too much Dad, just right.

Steve · 03-09-2008, 11:44 PM

The thing that will limit MVC teams is if the league slips back to getting only 1 or 2 tournament teams like will probably happen this year. Top level players will look to other leagues first as they want better odds to making the tournament.