Player Attrition

[dpo4isu]

I am a long time reader on this site, first post. I just thought I would add my two cents on recruiting. I coach basketball in Iowa and have listened to Mac and his assistants at a few different coaching clinics. We have taken our guys to the ISU team camp and to a practice this season. Everything that I have seen and heard leads me to believe that Mac wants to make it known that the best player in Iowa every year will go to ISU. Sometimes it won't pan out, like Vette. But the next time there is a Collison or Heinrich, they need to be Clones.

I agree that the best team we have had was built around a McDonalds All American from out of state. But you notice that we couldn't follow up with another, even with the success we had. We will not be able to recruit like Kansas or Texas (at least in the near future). I know that there is not enough Big 12 talent in Iowa to fill our roster with Iowa kids every year. But I think that we can afford to take some "projects" every year if it means we will get the great ones down the road. The "projects" aren't going to walk on either. The MVC schools are more than happy to take them. Overall I think that Mac and staff will do an excellent job. Give them time.

PS. Thanks to Jeremy and the mods. Hands down the best cyclone site I've ever encountered.:notworthy:

 

[cyclonenum1]

I am a long time reader on this site, first post. I just thought I would add my two cents on recruiting. I coach basketball in Iowa and have listened to Mac and his assistants at a few different coaching clinics. We have taken our guys to the ISU team camp and to a practice this season. Everything that I have seen and heard leads me to believe that Mac wants to make it known that the best player in Iowa every year will go to ISU. Sometimes it won't pan out, like Vette. But the next time there is a Collison or Heinrich, they need to be Clones.

I agree that the best team we have had was built around a McDonalds All American from out of state. But you notice that we couldn't follow up with another, even with the success we had. We will not be able to recruit like Kansas or Texas (at least in the near future). I know that there is not enough Big 12 talent in Iowa to fill our roster with Iowa kids every year. But I think that we can afford to take some "projects" every year if it means we will get the great ones down the road. The "projects" aren't going to walk on either. The MVC schools are more than happy to take them. Overall I think that Mac and staff will do an excellent job. Give them time.

PS. Thanks to Jeremy and the mods. Hands down the best cyclone site I've ever encountered.:notworthy:

Thanks for your post...I enjoyed it very much and appreciate your perspective as an Iowa HS BB coach!

I highlighted three comments in your post that lead me to the following questions:

1) He wants the best player from Iowa every year even if that kid is not a Big 12 caliber kid?

2) Why do you believe we cannot lure more McDonald's All Americans? Lake of past success? Location? Something else?

3) Why would an in-state "project" not be willing to walk on and earn his scholarship? Is it a pride thing? A money thing? Something else?

Thanks again for your insight!

 

[dpo4isu]

cyclone#1
Here is my opinion on your questions:

1) He wants the best player from Iowa every year even if that kid is not a Big 12 caliber kid?

Yes, I think he wants them on the team. They may be a role player or a guy that rides the pine, but I think it is worth a scholarship. If nothing else it builds a reputation with coaches and fans that he respects in state talent. I think if you build that reputation with the coaches it makes it easier to get the higher talent kids when they come along. I don't think that you have to fill the roster with in state kids but if you take one a year and have the reputation that the top talent comes to Iowa State, it pays off in the long run.

2) Why do you believe we cannot lure more McDonald's All Americans? Lake of past success? Location? Something else?

I think the biggest thing McD AA kids are looking for is national recognition. A school that they can go to for a year or two and then step to the next level. Right now I don't think we have the program prestige to be able to offer that to them. If I remember right, the reason we got Fizer was because Floyd had a connection to the family. We need some personal connection like that to have a shot at that level of talent. IMO the value of an AA has dropped for schools like ours with the new rules of the NBA. We are seeing a lot more one and done kids. If you don't have the ability to replace an AA with an AA is it worth it to have them for one year, or do you bring in a less talented player that you can build around for four?

3) Why would an in-state "project" not be willing to walk on and earn his scholarship? Is it a pride thing? A money thing? Something else?

I think it is a money thing as much as anything. If a parent has coach Mac saying their son could walk-on and maybe earn a scholarship and they've got Altman and Jacobsen telling them that their son can have a scholarship, I think they're going to take the free ride. If you are talking about other MVC schools that haven't had the success of Creighton and UNI then maybe its a 50/50 decision, but unless the family is die hard clone, I think they would usually take the money.

 

[el tornado]

I don't think anyone will miss Vette...
Too bad his parents didn't name him Cory Vette. That name rocks.