Basketball Scholarships

[AusTxPony]

Could someone explain how these scholarships work? It seems as though we have offered many more players per position than we could ever take on scholarship. Does the first kid in each position who pulls the trigger get the scholarship or are these scholarship offers only committable if SMU says so? That would be like a game of chess, wouldn't it? If so, how are they worded? As you can see, I am in the dark about this.

[hoopmanx]

You offer multiple kids at each position of need, and difference makers. Cant be late to the party in most cases. Not every offer will be accepted. Schools have priorities and may choose to roll the dice on something bigger and better

[diamond_tom]

So let's say we need a point guard. We give out offers to five guys. I assume the five are ranked on our board, right? Let's say we like number one much better than the others but numbers four and five call and say they accept the offers. If we don't need 3 point guards, and coach thinks he has a good shot at number one on the list, what does he do? Thanks. Been wondering this for a while?

[Grant Carter]

So let's say we need a point guard. We give out offers to five guys. I assume the five are ranked on our board, right? Let's say we like number one much better than the others but numbers four and five call and say they accept the offers. If we don't need 3 point guards, and coach thinks he has a good shot at number one on the list, what does he do? Thanks. Been wondering this for a while?

He tries to string them along and if that does not work he makes a judgment call about whether it is worth the risk to hold out for one of the guys he likes better.

[AusTxPony]

Really? Wow. No wonder JJ doesn't like recruiting. Too complicated. I've got a headache just thinking about it.

[TDMustang]

Have none of you played any of the NCAA football franchise (RIP)? You just fill your board with 4 and 5-star pipeline studs, call em up all day err day, make em promises, have em visit campus and its a done deal. Conference bottom dweller to Natty champs in 3-5 years guaranteed.

[smusportspage]

Cool.

[hoopmanx]

They are also very adept at telling kids when to commit vs when to think it over. If the #4 kid on your board wants in, just tell him we love him, but its a big decision, come visit, make sure its the right fit, string it along etc etc

[ECMustang]

Have none of you played any of the NCAA football franchise (RIP)? You just fill your board with 4 and 5-star pipeline studs, call em up all day err day, make em promises, have em visit campus and its a done deal. Conference bottom dweller to Natty champs in 3-5 years guaranteed.

+1

[blackoutpony]

Have none of you played any of the NCAA football franchise (RIP)? You just fill your board with 4 and 5-star pipeline studs, call em up all day err day, make em promises, have em visit campus and its a done deal. Conference bottom dweller to Natty champs in 3-5 years guaranteed.

F-ing Obannon......

[ojaipony]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but we can offer all day long and they can VERBALLY commit all day long but it's not like it's a legal contract until they sign and even then is it? (so we can pull an offer at anytime even if they sign and they can back out even if they sign - see Eman).

Right?

[Alaric]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but we can offer all day long and they can VERBALLY commit all day long but it's not like it's a legal contract until they sign and even then is it? (so we can pull an offer at anytime even if they sign and they can back out even if they sign - see Eman).

Right?

Schools do rescind offers after they've been accepted but before signing but they have to do it sparingly or it'll ruin your cred. JJ did it with a db out of Louisiana a couple of years ago. Schools try to spin it of course. Eman's situation is entirely different.

[ideal]

Pat Fitzgerald, Northwestern's fb coach takes a hard-line approach, and pulls all offers when they choose to visit another school after a verbal.

[ojaipony]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but we can offer all day long and they can VERBALLY commit all day long but it's not like it's a legal contract until they sign and even then is it? (so we can pull an offer at anytime even if they sign and they can back out even if they sign - see Eman).

Right?

Schools do rescind offers after they've been accepted but before signing but they have to do it sparingly or it'll ruin your cred. JJ did it with a db out of Louisiana a couple of years ago. Schools try to spin it of course. Eman's situation is entirely different.

Sure, cred/relationships, etc, aside. My point is we/they CAN. Then up to the schools/players how they want to work it.

[OhioBrownFan]

Pat Fitzgerald, Northwestern's fb coach takes a hard-line approach, and pulls all offers when they choose to visit another school after a verbal.

I think you're referring to Brady Hoke at Michigan. I don't believe Fitz has adopted this.

Anyways, what has been said in this is pretty much how it works. Coaches have a "board," they identify the top priorities. These are "takes" whether they want to commit tomorrow, in 2 months, or in the spring after their senior season, doesn't matter. With basketball, not nearly as many offers go out, it's very risky to offer a prospect and the prospect wants to commit but you've identified others that you want more. Therefore you don't allow that prospect to commit and burn a bridge. With basketball, most offers are takes. Once you get a spot filled at a position, it usually closes the door on others at the position for the class unless you sorely need depth or it's a guy that is truly too good to pass on.

It's a very different breed from football. A lot of times, options 4 and 5 at X position on your board don't have offers even though you're recruiting them hard as though they do have an offer. If the first three come off the board to other schools, you then can offer the 4th or 5th option and be right in the mix because you've recruited them hard the whole way.

One other thing, boards in basketball don't go deep, it's not uncommon that a staff has to completely "reshuffle" their board. They lose their top 5 prospects at PG to other schools, they may wipe the board and start over, it happens more than you would think. My sister is being recruited by a school right now, she's been told that they want her but they've got two other offers out to players right now at her position and are waiting on them. My sister is fine with that because she loves the school, staff, players/program. If she wasn't, it'd force their hand to really decide on whether to offer and whether they would take her and be happy with the way they filled the position. Otherwise you run the risk that she says F you and looks elsewhere since they're dragging their feet on her so to speak. Hopefully that makes a bit of sense.