Thinking about Signing Classes - USM Forum -- Message Board

Date: Apr 15, 2005

Thinking about Signing Classes

Date: Apr 15, 2005

I don't understand your obsession with where recruits hail from. Should we only recruit in-state athletes? Should we recruit only in-state students? No, you want to get athletes that meet your needs. You are looking or wishing for something that may or may not be there.

Date: Apr 15, 2005

You can look throughout the whole state and I doubt you will be able to find two players that are 6'9'' and 6'10" that have DI talent. Also, the state of MS has historically only produced a 10-15 Division I basketball players each year. I don't know for sure, but I bet if you look at MSU and OLE Miss you will find that a lot of their players are not from MS. If you think there are enough division I basketball players within a 75 mile radius of USM to make us more competitive than we already are you are insane.

Date: Apr 15, 2005

Call the NCAA on Auburn while you are at it. Something fishy is going on. Their roster only contained five kids from the state of Alabama. Four went to Jucos or CCs. Jeff Lebo is in the same position LE is. He just finished his first season and had to get talent and quick. It is not that uncommon. There is enough to worry about at USM without manufacturing stuff, so don't read so much into the current signees.

No.

Name

Pos.

Ht.

Wt.

Cl.

Exp.

Hometown

High School/JC

1

Frank Tolbert

G

6-3

205

Fr.

HS

River Falls, AL

Red Level

2

Daniel Hayles

G-F

6-5

215

Fr.

HS

Mobile, AL

LeFlore

3

Ian Young

G

6-3

200

Sr.

1L

Orlando, FL

Des Moines (IA) Area CC

4
Emanuel Willis
F
6-8
220
Fr.
TR
Mendenhall, LA
USC

10

Troy Gaines

G

6-1

185

Sr.

2L

Tucson, AZ

Scottsdale (AZ) CC

12

Moses Edun

G

6-6

195

So.

1L

Ellenwood, GA

Cedar Grove

14

Michael O'Connor

G

6-2

170

Fr.

HS

Alpharetta, GA

Chattahoochee

15

Brett Howell

G

6-1

175

So.

TR

Auburn, AL

William & Mary

21

Quinnel Brown

F

6-6

210

Sr.

1L

Chicago, IL

Wabash Valley (IL) JC

22

Scott Campbell

G

6-3

187

Fr.

HS

Detroit, MI

Mackenzie

23

Toney Douglas

G

6-1

180

Fr.

HS

Jonesboro, GA

Jonesboro

24

Nathan Watson

G

6-3

200

Sr.

3L

Fort Payne, AL

Fort Payne

33

Ronny LeMelle

G

6-5

200

Sr.

1L

Harrisburg, PA

Western Okla. State College

35

Ryan Daniel

C

6-11

215

Fr.

HS

Madison, TN

Goodpasture Christian School

44

Chris Rogers

G

6-4

196

So.

HS

Birmingham, AL
Ramsay

45

Kyle Derozan

F

6-4

252

So.

HS

Morganza, LA

Pointe Coupee Central

Head Coach: Jeff Lebo (North Carolina '89)

Associate Head Coach: John Cooper (Wichita State '91)

Assistant Coach: Brandon Johnson (Georgia State '97)

Assistant Coach: Dave Lebo (Elizabethtown College '66)

Dir. of Basketball Operations: John Searby (Milligan '98)

Video Coordinator: Randall Malone (Tennessee Tech '01)

Graduate Assistant: Kyle Robinson (Gardner-Webb '03)

Date: Apr 15, 2005

You are completely wrong about Auburn in many respects. First, they do have many more players from AL that LE has taken from MS. Many of their non-AL players hail from contiguous states like Georgia. If you've ever looked at a map of Alabama, you'll know that Auburn is closer to Atlanta GA than it is to Mobile or Birmingham (as a consequence there are tons of AU people all over ATL and GA in general). Lebo did not run off old players the way LE did --- many left right when Cliff Ellis were fired b/c they signed with AU b/c he was there. Also, AU signed five big-time (3-star or better on rivals) high school kids this year (Lebo's 2nd group, like LE) --- no JUCO -- 4 of which are from either AL or GA (the other from SC, next state over). Lastly, and this one is significant, look at the PPG stats for the kids LE is bringing in from all over --- they all hover around 10, 11, 12 --- nothing stellar or "big time" about these people. He could do just as well (easily) in Jackson metro area.

On MSU, there were key players from MS (O. Harper, D. Slater, M. Boler) this year. Response to other poster.

Date: Apr 15, 2005

ABD, one more thing, all four of AU's JUCO players from this year were brought to AU by Cliff Ellis, the old coach.

Date: Apr 15, 2005

Certainly there is enough local talent for LE to harvest for USM that going to get marginal JUCO (and other) players from Iowa, Nebraska, Maine, Maryland, and California is not necessary.

Byron Sanders, a member of UNC's championship team went to Harrison Central H.S. down in Gulfport. So somebody thinks that Mississippi has some good hoopsters.

But we should give LE a chance. His contacts are in the midwest, so its no surprise that he's recruiting there.

Date: Apr 15, 2005

Tar Heel, like your post. LE's biggest problem is that the old C-USA was too good for him to get to the March dance. Now, the new C-USA is so bad that only one team will likely ever get invited to it. He's damned if the old and damned if the new.

Date: Apr 15, 2005

quote:
Originally posted by: Cox-Purvis Report
"You are completely wrong about Auburn in many respects. First, they do have many more players from AL that LE has taken from MS. Many of their non-AL players hail from contiguous states like Georgia. If you've ever looked at a map of Alabama, you'll know that Auburn is closer to Atlanta GA than it is to Mobile or Birmingham (as a consequence there are tons of AU people all over ATL and GA in general). Lebo did not run off old players the way LE did --- many left right when Cliff Ellis were fired b/c they signed with AU b/c he was there. Also, AU signed five big-time (3-star or better on rivals) high school kids this year (Lebo's 2nd group, like LE) --- no JUCO -- 4 of which are from either AL or GA (the other from SC, next state over). Lastly, and this one is significant, look at the PPG stats for the kids LE is bringing in from all over --- they all hover around 10, 11, 12 --- nothing stellar or "big time" about these people. He could do just as well (easily) in Jackson metro area. On MSU, there were key players from MS (O. Harper, D. Slater, M. Boler) this year. Response to other poster. "

CPR-First, I am very familiar with the state of Alabama and Auburn as I am an Alabama native and a doctoral student at Auburn. So I fully recognize that Atlanta is close to Auburn without the aid of a map.

Second, it is clear that you are implying that LE is doing something wrong or illegal by signing Jucos or prep school kids simply because the come from areas far removed from Mississippi. I don't understand it or buy it. I would assume he is falling back on relationships he built while at ISU. If we hired a FB coach from Texas Tech and he recruited Texas, Oklahoma, etc. would you be just as concerned? It shouldn't matter where a recruit is from. I guess the European player should have to go back to his homeland to play because Lithuania certainly isn't contiguous to Mississippi. Somebody better tell BYU to lay off recruiting those big Samoans too. Come on, you are grasping at straws. I agree that it normally isn't a good practice to fill your team with Jucos in any sport, but LE may be sensing some pressure to win and win quick (Thames) and that is the most expedient way to do it. Long term, I will be dissappointed if the practice continues, but I'm not going to abandon ship or make wild accusations at this point.

Third, you put a lot of stock in the ppg of these kids. I imagine it is hard to get "big time" jucos to come to Southern Miss given our performance over the past ten years and because CUSA's basketball has been greatly diminished. He has to sign players that can contribute and he is a defensive oriented coach from what I can tell, so being a big time scorer that can't play defense might not be what LE is looking for.

But hey, what do I know. I don't even like basketball. I just like to argue

Date: Apr 15, 2005

A few questions before I leave. You said that the credentials of Alabama's recruits are impeccable. Are you some kind of recruiting guru? All I saw was their position, height, weight and hometown. Do you know something bad about our recruits? Share it if you do rather than hinting and spreading rumors.

You also say that all of Alabama's recruits were highly regarded. Do you think that the fact that they went to the tournament two years in a row might help? When was the last time we went? Yeah, that will get you a lot of hight touted recruits.

If you don't like LE and you hope he fails, just be honest and admit it. I can respect that, but don't expect to go unchecked when you throw around accusations without any basis.

Date: Apr 15, 2005

Third, you put a lot of stock in the ppg of these kids. I imagine it is hard to get "big time" jucos to come to Southern Miss given our performance over the past ten years and because CUSA's basketball has been greatly diminished. He has to sign players that can contribute and he is a defensive oriented coach from what I can tell, so being a big time scorer that can't play defense might not be what LE is looking for.

But hey, what do I know. I don't even like basketball. I just like to argue

Two more comments relative to the bold quote:

1. That kind of player (defensive, not scorer) describes neither Rashaad Carruth nor his buddy Mr. Ford (in fact, just the opposite).

2. The kind of coach you are describing is James Green.

Date: Apr 15, 2005

i also wonder whether the recently reported story on the poor academics of MS high school football players also applies to basketball players. could be difficult for LE to recruit MS basketball players that will qualify academically right out of high school.

Date: Apr 16, 2005

"Signing" classes? I thought you said "Singing" classes. I must have wandered in here by accident.

Date: Apr 18, 2005

quote:
Originally posted by: Cox-Purvis Report
"Third, you put a lot of stock in the ppg of these kids. I imagine it is hard to get "big time" jucos to come to Southern Miss given our performance over the past ten years and because CUSA's basketball has been greatly diminished. He has to sign players that can contribute and he is a defensive oriented coach from what I can tell, so being a big time scorer that can't play defense might not be what LE is looking for. But hey, what do I know. I don't even like basketball. I just like to argue Two more comments relative to the bold quote: 1. That kind of player (defensive, not scorer) describes neither Rashaad Carruth nor his buddy Mr. Ford (in fact, just the opposite). 2. The kind of coach you are describing is James Green. "

1. You are right, but you can't have a team full of Carruths and Fords. You need players who can play other roles on the team too.

2. Agreed. I think Green and LE are very similar in approach. We know what Green's results were, the jury is still out on LE.

Date: Apr 18, 2005

Signing classes?

Once again, it looks like the community colleges are out ahead on this one. Not surprisingly, the USM "signing Eagles" have a broken link.

Date: Apr 18, 2005

quote:
Originally posted by: I love my audiologist
".. the USM "signing Eagles" have a broken link."

"Signing Eagles?" I thought you said

Singing

Eagles. Sorry, I'm on the wrong thread again.

Date: Apr 18, 2005

If USM adopted the Whiffenpoof Song we could tell prospective students and their parents that we are like Harvard.

Date: Apr 18, 2005

We're poor little lambs who have lost our way
Baa, baa, baa
We're little black sheep who have gone astray
Baa, baa, baa

Gentleman songsters off on a spree
Doomed from here to eternity
Lord have mercy on such as we
Baa, baa, baa