Looks like Buffalo just got themselves a pretty good recruit in Jalen Harris. He's rated a 3 star PG and had offers from Providence, DePaul, Virginia Tech, and a handful of non-power 5 schools. He was also receiving interest from Kansas, NC State, Clemson, Wake Forest and Arkansas.

http://www.verbalcommits.com/players/jalen-harris--2

Who really cares about stars outside of Duke, UK, KU, etc? How many stars was Nick Kellogg (avg. of 2.5). How about Big Reg Keely? (2), D.J. Cooper, probably one of the top 10 MAC players of all time was a 3 star. The MAC always comes down to which coaches find the under the radar guys. Something that Dambrot, Kent State coaches, Steve Hawkins and Keno Davis have excelled at. Hopefully Saul catches up.

fixed the thread title for ya

According to Verbal Commits Ohio has 5 offers made to the class of 2016 and 5 for 2017. All 10 offers are to 2 star recruits. Here's a list of all the other teams these 10 recruits have offers from, according to VC-

Bryant
Campbell
Coastal Carolina
Delaware
Duquesne(x2)
Eastern Kentucky
Fairmont State
George Mason
Green bay
High Point(x2)
Hofstra
Illinois State
IPFW
IUPUI
Longwood
Loyola(IL)
Marshall
Milwaukee
Northwood(x2)
Northern Iowa
Northern Kentucky
Robert Morris
Richmond
Rider
Urbana
UNC Asheville
UTEP
Winthrop
Youngstown State

Akron(x2)
Buffalo
Eastern Michigan
Kent State(x5)
Miami(x2)
Toledo(x3)
Western Michigan


Not having any high majors beyond a couple of A10 teams is one thing, but look at all the low majors we're competing with. We're going after multiple targets of schools like Northwood and High Point? Campbell, Fairmont State, Urbana, Rider??

This is an uninspiring list of schools we are competing against for recruits.

When Coach Phillips took the Ohio job, he said that after he drove around the campus he knew he'd be able to recruit higher caliber players than when he was at NDSU and he used Ryan Taylor as an example. Of course we know how that turned out.

On its face Saul's first recruiting class appears to be good and there aren't many spots available for the 2016 class. Maybe recruiting against other MAC schools was harder than Saul thought? I have faith and I think Saul will get Ohio were it needs to go.

O'Shea had the same problem when he first started as he under estimated the talent level required to compete in the MAC and brought in marginal talent first couple class and set the program back a couple years. He then recovered nicely and added several outstanding players and returned the program into a contender. Groce came in and had an eye of Big Ten caliber talent and build a team that had players that had power conference skills, but mid major size. That being said Ohio recruits good people not just good players. They don't mess with the question marks off the court that say a certain school with a kangaroo for mascot may look at.

I believe this lists the offers of recruits still on the table. I think that's how verbalcommits works. Therefore, you won't see Seth Towns' impressive offer list because he's already committed elsewhere even though we did extend him an offer.

I talked personally with Saul not too long after he took the job here and asked him point blank if he meant what he said about staying here for the long haul, at least until his young daughter graduated from high school. I basically asked him if it was true, or just a bunch of B.S. He looked me right in the eye and said, "just watch me stay! I'm not the moving type." He then joked, well, I won't leave unless they fire me. I think you are misjudging Saul. He's a different animal from your average coach that looks on OHIO as a stepping stone. I really believe that was one of the reason Saul hired him. He wanted to stop the carousel coaching situation we had going. Color me naive if you want, but I believe Saul.

I'm sure he believes everything he said to you but I find it hard to believe that he wouldn't seriously consider a Big Ten or ACC job if they came calling. Unfortunately, that's just the nature of the business and our lot in it.

VC shows all offers, when a player has committed or signed the others are listed as "other offers".

http://www.verbalcommits.com/players/seth-towns

^^^ This - Spot On

I guess it's a matter of defining "waste of time." As I recall, we were on Burke early, before he really developed into a top player. I wonder how much time we put into recruiting him once we knew he was interested in bigger/better things.

Certainly not a waste of time on LaVert, but can anyone on this board tell me that based on what they saw of this kid before March of his senior year that he would be this good? When I saw him play in Feb that yr, the only thing I could see was a very skinny, OK shooter who'd have to redshirt in order to put weight on.

An offer for Kendrick Young, a top #25 kid? Hell, why not. You wouldn't wish it on anyone, but maybe he injures a knee and a lot of schools back off--then, who knows. But all other things being equal, after offering him, and seeing the offers he was getting from the biggies, I certainly hope we didn't waste much time pursuing him.

Three or four years from now, after his first recruiting class graduates, I'd love to spend some time with Saul talking about how it all worked out in recruitment of the class. Kids he thought he'd get, but didn't (and vice versa)...the surprise at the end in Gollom, etc...

Yes, but if you go to our team page, you won't see Seth Towns listed.