Wednesday feels whilst sitting alone at a mom and pop shop in WaKeeney, KS. Looking over @shay latest hot board, thank you btw. It’s got me feeling feels.
With football, I can take our portal players with blind optimism. We’ve had misses for sure, but a lot of nice wins as well. I trust our staff’s evaluation (although I will always prefer HS players). Also a much lower bar, although with NIL I like our chances. At least in the Big 12.
With basketball, I have a much harder time finding optimism in the portal. I don’t understand the complete overhauls every season when you have a HOF coach at a top 5 program. Players leave, yes. But 7 players in 2023 and 6 in 2025 with no coaching change. What is going on? Is it an evaluation issue? Is it a culture issue?
2024 class. 2 HS, both gone after one year. I should include Philon but I won’t.
2023 class. 3 HS, 1&D NBA, 1 medical redshirt, 1 RS second year because couldn’t be top 10 on our worst squad ever.
2022 class. 4 HS, 1&D NBA, 3 transfer after 1 year
2021 class. 4 HS, 2 4 year (KJ & Clemence), 2 transfer after 2nd year
13 players in 4 years (that’s small, especially considering our turnover rate)
4-year: KJ Adams & Zach Clemence
3-years: Elmarko Jackson & Jamari McDowell
2-years: Bobby Pettiford, Kyle Cuffe
1-year NBA: Gradey Dick, Johnny Furphy
1-year transfer: Ernest Udeh, Zuby Ejifor, MJ Rice, Flory Bidunga, Rakeese Passmore
The NCAA ruling excuse ended years ago.
We won a National Championship 4 years ago.
Kentucky lost Calipari.
Duke lost K.
UNC lost Roy.
Villanova lost Wright.
UCLA and Indiana have been irrelevant.
We have had the highest payroll in Men’s Basketball.
We should be recruiting at an all time high. Where my program go?
This concludes my Ted Talk, and my time in WaKeeney.
God bless the slant. And god bless the United States of America.
With football, I can take our portal players with blind optimism. We’ve had misses for sure, but a lot of nice wins as well. I trust our staff’s evaluation (although I will always prefer HS players). Also a much lower bar, although with NIL I like our chances. At least in the Big 12.
With basketball, I have a much harder time finding optimism in the portal. I don’t understand the complete overhauls every season when you have a HOF coach at a top 5 program. Players leave, yes. But 7 players in 2023 and 6 in 2025 with no coaching change. What is going on? Is it an evaluation issue? Is it a culture issue?
2024 class. 2 HS, both gone after one year. I should include Philon but I won’t.
2023 class. 3 HS, 1&D NBA, 1 medical redshirt, 1 RS second year because couldn’t be top 10 on our worst squad ever.
2022 class. 4 HS, 1&D NBA, 3 transfer after 1 year
2021 class. 4 HS, 2 4 year (KJ & Clemence), 2 transfer after 2nd year
13 players in 4 years (that’s small, especially considering our turnover rate)
4-year: KJ Adams & Zach Clemence
3-years: Elmarko Jackson & Jamari McDowell
2-years: Bobby Pettiford, Kyle Cuffe
1-year NBA: Gradey Dick, Johnny Furphy
1-year transfer: Ernest Udeh, Zuby Ejifor, MJ Rice, Flory Bidunga, Rakeese Passmore
The NCAA ruling excuse ended years ago.
We won a National Championship 4 years ago.
Kentucky lost Calipari.
Duke lost K.
UNC lost Roy.
Villanova lost Wright.
UCLA and Indiana have been irrelevant.
We have had the highest payroll in Men’s Basketball.
We should be recruiting at an all time high. Where my program go?
This concludes my Ted Talk, and my time in WaKeeney.
God bless the slant. And god bless the United States of America.
