Next Step

[RunningStang]

Win big in football.

[MustangIcon]

It appears the Big East establishment is really not happy about adding SMU as a basketball school. I know many of you are understandably excited about the talent upgrade that SMU is currently experiencing. I was speaking with a die-hard Big East fan recently and he said "SMU's best players wouldn't be walk-ons at many Big East schools". Aside from the compliance matters that some have mentioned, what does SMU need to do to NOT be considered the leprous red-headed step child of the Big East?

That is an interesting comment. I am not going to 100% disagree or 100% agree, but here is my take.

We have 4 players that were top players in the country coming out of high school. All were recruited at a Big East level and received offers from prestigious, national programs.
- S Williams: #67 player in the country
- Cunningham: Top 100 player in the country
- Blaise: Top 100 player in the country
- N Russell: Something like the #115 player in the country per Rivals

Naykundi is a more valuable player than some folks on scholarship at Big East schools. If only bc he is guy with length that can shoot 40-50% from downtown. Coming out of high school he was not as highly acclaimed of course.

Bernardi was supposed to be getting pretty strong consideration from some BE programs.

Do I think we have a Big East caliber team yet? No. Is it correct to say our best players wouldn't be walk-ons at Big East programs? No. Your die hard Big East friend is full of sh*t if you ask me.

[2ndandlong]

That is an interesting comment. I am not going to 100% disagree or 100% agree, but here is my take.

I thought that was a requirement of message boards in general.

[Treadway21]

What we need to do is beat some good teams - starting with Memphis. We have a long way to go, but just getting into the conference is a starting point. Until we start competing well in the conference, SMU fans will just have to put up with the slights.

[smubrooks]

I think we will be competetive at the lower to middle level in the BE once we get there. And recruiting will only improve with the move. 5 yrs from now they won't look down on us with such distain.

[Monkeystang]

It appears the Big East establishment is really not happy about adding SMU as a basketball school. I know many of you are understandably excited about the talent upgrade that SMU is currently experiencing. I was speaking with a die-hard Big East fan recently and he said "SMU's best players wouldn't be walk-ons at many Big East schools". Aside from the compliance matters that some have mentioned, what does SMU need to do to NOT be considered the leprous red-headed step child of the Big East?

That is an interesting comment. I am not going to 100% disagree or 100% agree, but here is my take.

We have 4 players that were top players in the country coming out of high school. All were recruited at a Big East level and received offers from prestigious, national programs.
- S Williams: #67 player in the country
- Cunningham: Top 100 player in the country
- Blaise: Top 100 player in the country
- N Russell: Something like the #115 player in the country per Rivals

Naykundi is a more valuable player than some folks on scholarship at Big East schools. If only bc he is guy with length that can shoot 40-50% from downtown. Coming out of high school he was not as highly acclaimed of course.

Bernardi was supposed to be getting pretty strong consideration from some BE programs.

Do I think we have a Big East caliber team yet? No. Is it correct to say our best players wouldn't be walk-ons at Big East programs? No. Your die hard Big East friend is full of sh*t if you ask me.

I agree.

[hoopmanx]

Your friend is definitely full of [deleted]. We have 6 guys currently, on the roster or committed, who were or would have been recruited at the Big East level. All of Williams/Blaise/Cunningham/Russell were top 100 kids by one or more services. I personally saw Vilde at Lee Academy, spoke w/their coach, as well as DC Assault brass, who had multiple kids stashed at Lee at the time. Big East coaches were all over Lee, but they stashed Vilde for SMU. Strict instructions that he's our guy, we're handing him to you for safe keeping etc. Many Big East teams inquired about him, only to get turned away by Lee's coach. Heck, he started over Desoto kid, Keith Davis, who gets about 16 minutes or so a game for 8-1 Texas A&M. Lutz told me just last week that Coach mcD at Creighton wanted Lutz to bring Vilde and Smith w/him. He likes Vilde more than any big of Creightons roster not named Doug McDermott. That includes Greg Echenique who was like rookie of the year at Rutgers as a frosh. First team all frosh at the very least

Ryan Manuel chose SMU over UNLV. Lew Hill, current assistant at OU, told Reggie Brown that UNLV & Kruger had Manuel in pen, and were shocked when he chose SMU. He also told Reggie that they thought he was a mid-high teens scorer by his junior year, if given run early. Had more schools watched him in high school as opposed to AAU, where Cam Ridley ate all the looks, he'd have been recruited at a high major level as well.

Leslee Smith blew up summer after his junior year at elite camps, and proceeded to barely play AAU ball. Simply, nobody put eyes on him to really evaluate him. He played one tourney in Cali his senior year, and USC immediately offered. Bernardi had a BCS offer, as did Uche etc.

Of course we need better players, but we have considerably more talent than we're being given credit. Kids need experience and in a couple of cases, to shake off some rust.

[ponyscott]

That is an interesting comment. I am not going to 100% disagree or 100% agree, but here is my take.

I thought that was a requirement of message boards in general.

A++

[1983 Cotton Bowl]

Once the renovations to Moody are completed in the next couple of years (presumably), then our facilities will be on par with or superior to most BE programs. There is some talent already on campus, more is set to arrive, and I anticipate that recruiting will continue to improve as we recruit kids as a BE program. Not to mention the fact that SMU sits right in the middle of a very strong recruiting area in DFW.

The current BE schools probably have the edge now, but I see that gap closing relatively quickly. I'm not saying we'll roll into the BE and immediately knock off UConn and Louisville. But I think we'll be more competitive than the current BE folks think.

[angryfan04]

and we need a real coach..........

[MustangIcon]

and we need a real coach..........

I agree! And not just any coach. Someone who has Big East experience. And has won there. 20+ wins in the Big East. I want a coach with that kind of experience. Oh wait...

Matt Doherty- 22-15 in his lone season as head coach at ND before leaving for UNC.

[ponyscott]

and we need a real coach..........

I agree! And not just any coach. Someone who has Big East experience. And has won there. 20+ wins in the Big East. I want a coach with that kind of experience. Oh wait...

Matt Doherty- 22-15 in his lone season as head coach at ND before leaving for UNC.

He WILL be fine. The talent is there and the system is in place.

[hoopmanx]

I'm ready to play ball. 10 day layoff's don't work for me. Time to step up vs OSU or Miss, after whooping cupcakes.

[PonyPlayer4]

I'm glad we have this season and next season for our pups to gel before stepping in to the Big East.

[whitwiki]

That is an interesting comment. I am not going to 100% disagree or 100% agree, but here is my take.

I thought that was a requirement of message boards in general.

100% disagree