I must admit Saul used our momentum from Jaaron's success. Jaaron was first team all MAC and declared for the NBA draft and Saul went into Illinois and stole a player. We need to keep it up. We have kids that graduate that go on to coach, play pro ball or go on to be fine professionals. Maurice Ndour had four or five Big East offers, he picked Ohio, because he knew he could play without looking over his shoulder and grow. He also knew he would have an excellent opportunity to play pro basketball. We have to market ourselves and get the best kids to come here and put them into position to win MAC championships. I am underwhelmed by our second spring recruit, but I am hoping to be surprised. If we believe then the players will believe. Go Cats.

Yes Mo could have been a wideout. Fans can be uplifting or demoralizing.

Recruits read websites and when they see stuff like we will never get that guy, because he has bigger offers, you have just put a doubt into the recruit's head. Let's say we recruit a guy from a school that we beat that averages two points a game, another recruit will doubt that we have a chance to make the tournament. When a recruit sees TOS to Mars or Venus, he is probably wondering what that means and then if the recruit does due dilligence and sees that we are talking about a coach that ditched us in 1950, that is doubt number 3. when you recruit, you have to paint a picture and ithe picture has to be believable, accolades matter. If we signed the Ohio player of the year and we say that we are trying to go deep into the tournament, the recruit is inclined to believe that. He may come and recruit a friend. If he gets a call from a player that averaged two points a game, saying we are going to the dance, we need you, the recruit may give us the heisman.

Who's looking at BA? Maybe not the recruit so much, but their parents, coaches, "handlers', competitive recruiters for their fodder counter pitches, etc., certainly are.

The "if we believe, then the players will believe" is bad logic. "We" can certainly influence their "faith" (by evidence of strong program support), but that is MUCH more influenced by the coaches, other team players, Athletic dept, etc...

And I would agree - Mo very well could have been a fantastic Fball wide out! Maybe Moss-esque! Fun to think about.....

I'm sorry, that's pretty naive if you think that players/recruits/etc don't make their way here. I sometimes wish you were correct though, with the amount of nonsense that we tend to have here at times.

https://twitter.com/JyltonTusha/status/834568877065531396

+1 people don't have a clue. Recruits always look at the fan websites.

Just going to put this here then leave the thread....recruits and parents I have been around going on 30 years (pre message boards, chats. Prodigy groups...) have not been on fan sites and do not seem to be any more now than before. Most parents in that socio economic group largely have no time, desire, resources or background to go looking. Always amazes me how we are here everyday and I am constantly writing down links for parents and teaching them how to find stuff or bookmarking sites on their phones. Recruits themselves are too self indulged with their own twitter, instagram and social media to take the time to find the sites that are talking about them. Being self centered and self important many times does not leave time to actually figure out what people think of you....but the point of handlers and people pointing them in a direction is valid.

Coaches always say they do not look here but they always seem to know and repeat quotes, conversations and ideas when I talk to them. It does seem odd though, when you ask a specific name off a recruiting board, there are times we have a long thread on a kid and they have to look him up while I'm sitting there as they have never heard of the particular player we have been commenting on from many sources.

Now Players ....THEY make it here. Ben knows, Mike Johnson knows....anyone who has been here awhile knows as they have seen it and heard it firsthand from Nick, DJ, Tommy, AB, StevieFresh, Devo, Tunji, Ivo.....they all have chimed in and read BA the riot act. Players read it and tell the Coaches or staff...players defend their teamies and post up responses on Twitter and FB when someone on BA way more often than they respond to bad press, a grueling post game interview or a comment in a newspaper.

Just what I have seen over the years. Take it FWIW...Just my unqualified opinion

Thread drift...or back on topic...

Zach Butler was named 5A Player of the Year in South Carolina. I think Saul and crew know what they're doing. People don't realize Butler was getting big time looks before his injury. To come back from the injury, win a state title and win this award? Pretty sold on him.