Killen wrote:Coaches make mistakes, like any other profession.
If one of your recruits doesn't pan out as hoped - you've got options:
1) Let the kid know that its not working out and that he's unlikely to see much playing time going forward. For the majority of players, they would appreciate the up front honesty. Then, allow them to transfer without restriction. Kids mostly aren't picking a school based on the academic/social setup...if there is another place that values them more than their current school - they would probably be happy to go. Not to disparage SMU, but its not the place most of the football and basketball team would want to attend - if not for sports.
2) Hope that the kid gives you an excuse to cut ties. This ins't very hard. Most students skip a few classes during the semester, and that alone is enough to pull the scholarship. Even the very best team captains are late to a workout, team meeting, rehab session. Guys that aren't getting playing time will occasionally demonstrate their frustrations in ways that lend themselves to the "violation of team rules".
Coach Tubbs, try as he did, couldn't find a way to run me off. I went to class, never missed a day of class or practice, and never muttered a word under my breath. But, I also knew that transferring to Houston Baptist or UTA for basketball reasons would be short sighted. If i'm not good enough to play beyond college...why would I jeopardize a good education. Eventually he asked me to be Team Captain, so go figure.
There's no reason to pretend that D1 Football and Basketball have the best interest of the student athletes at the core of their missions. But, there should be some reasonable protections for the cogs that make the whole system go.
Coach K left Semi on the bench, and he transferred to SMU. Was that a great decision?
You hit on some recruits and miss on some recruits. It happens. You get transfers to cover the gaps. And that is why you normally have 12 players. The players at the end of your bench are supposed to be the guys you missed on or the young players who aren't ready. They aren't supposed to all be white walkons.
When you have recruiting restrictions, your hit/miss ratio jumps through the roof. That is reality. That said, just because a kid isn't ready to play as a true frosh, it doesn't mean they won't get better. Killen is a perfect example of someone who improved significantly over time. Ryan Manuel is another. That is what 3 star players are - they aren't usually expected to come in and be studs right off the bat. They are expected to be good players their last two years of college. That is true for basketball as well as football. Our coaches all feel like the 4 frosh are going to be good players. Give them some time, it isn't their fault they were forced to play too early.