BGleas

Was just going to say the same thing. I’ve noticed him leaning as well.

I agree, especially don’t see RoJo all of a sudden becoming a consistent shooter halfway through his senior season.

That’s a solid 7 that is a tournament team IF Morgan keeps up his current play, RoJo somehow regains his old perimeter shooting form, Green can develop some offensive consistency that can be trusted nightly, and Davis gets his free throw stroke back. Gosh, if RoJo and Green could get consistent offensively, this can be a really good team.

This is my own completely made-up perception, but I think Archie is really putting an emphasis on this "inside/out" approach. He made another reference in his Andy Katz interview this week to building from Indiana and the Midwest out. Again, my own made-up perception, but I think he's come to the conclusion that Brooks, TJD and Watford aren't all going to go to the same school, so he's probably prioritizing the Indiana guys over a kid from Alabama (even though his brother played here). I'm assuming that he wants/would take Watford, but he probably sees more long-term value in terms of in-state relationships, etc., in landing Brooks and TJD.

Agree, he'd be stupid not to test the waters and get the feedback.

Bryant is a way better athlete than Davis. I could see him going, since these things are difficult to predict and crazier things have happened in terms of leaving early, but I just don't see how he fits into today's NBA. He kind of reminds me of the offensive version of Kendrick Perkins. Perk was excellent on defense and pretty poor offensively, but both are lumbering big men that play below the rim and lack athleticism. He's going to have incorporate a consistent 10-12 ft jumper as well.

We've been begging for a coach that tightens the rotation and limits the crazy subbing, especially in big games. Remember a couple years ago we played Louisville in NYC and for some inexplicable reason Crean threw April out there in the first half of a close game, I think it might have even been the last couple minutes of the half, and all of the sudden Louisville went on a run, and then just blew us out in the 2nd half? I am in no way comparing Justin Smith to April as a player, but that is why Smith only played 2 minutes. That was a big time game, and in those games a good coach is going to roll with the guys he trusts and not mess around. Smith has been really good so far, and I'm not saying Archie doesn't trust him, but it's clear at this point, in that game, he wanted to go with Hartman and McRoberts, two kids who have been there and done that to an extent.

Because we don't have great shooters. It's really as simple as that. Over the last two years IU has lost Yogi, Biefeltd, Zeisloft, JBJ, Bryant, etc. Those guys were good to great shooters. Our two best shooters now are RoJo (very streaky) and Hartman (often injured). Green and Newkirk are also streaky, Durham and Morgan aren't good shooters, etc. It's just a talent issue. Edit: I'm referring to the 3-pt shooting, not as much free throw shooting.

I'll say this, last night's game is what you live for as a basketball player. You live for those atmospheres. It's why you go to schools like Indiana, Duke, Michigan State, etc. You get a similar atmosphere at IU several times a season, you may never get that atmosphere at Vanderbilt. I don't know how anyone that plays basketball, other a hometown thing (Garland) or a lower level player worried about playing time, can choose Vanderbilt over Indiana after watching last night's game/atmosphere. There are a lot of reasons why kids pick certain schools, I get it, but when you strip the game down to why players play, games like last night are why you put all the work in and what gets the juices flowing.

I don't mean to bash Crean, but it was so refreshing to watch a game of that caliber and see a team that was so well prepared and coached, and at no point did I think the coaching on either side was anything but level. Archie had the team extremely prepared, he had a game-plan that was effective and the players clearly understood, and his adjustments/substitutions made complete sense. We got a good one, now it's just a matter of time in terms of how quickly he can ramp the talent level he has to work with.

No clue if any of that it true or not. But one thing to remember is that a kid and his family can be of the highest caliber (not shady at all), but that doesn't mean there aren't some people around them trying to cash in without their knowledge.

His coaching background was pretty sketchy prior though. He trained his kids and did some AAU coaching (he has 8) and then got the Mizzou girls bbal opps job and later assistant job while his two oldest girls played there. Romar then hired him with that as his coaching background. He was hired by Romar and immediately made the highest paid assistant on that staff (with zero experience coaching men's college basketball) and another assistant had to be demoted to an operations role. To be fair, Romar and the Dad have a history together. Romar coached the father when he played for Athletes in Action.

You got it! Good memory, I had to look it up (used Rivals).

Also, just to be clear, I don't mean to insinuate the Langford family is shady or looking to break rules. There's ways for recruiting to go sideways and shady things to go on without the family being directly involved or even having knowledge of it.

I have no idea, but if what has been alluded to is true, that Shittu was almost locked up for Arizona before the FBI issue changed things, then I'd say it's close to being "Ole Miss Football" suspicious. We also know either UNC tried to get involved and couldn't, or something made Shittu not interested in UNC. Seems rare for a kid to shun even visiting UNC (coming immediately off a Natty) because he's so set on Vanderbilt. I did a little digging and other classes similar to this include California's 2015 class (2 top 10 guys) and Georgia Tech's 2006 class (2 top 10 guys). I think we all wonder about Cuonzo Martin given how things played out with the Porter's, and for Georgia Tech I don't know much about it, but they were coming off a National Title Game appearance two years prior.

It's just hard to believe because it's literally never happened before at a school like Vandy (meaning 3 top 10 guys). No coach ever has pulled of something like this at a school like Vandy, let alone in his really first recruiting cycle, and being a coach with no experience recruiting at this level. The closest comparable might be Kansas St. landing Beasley and Bill Walker, but again I think we're all pretty sure that was shady and at least the coach then was Huggins who has been a high major coach for a long time.

I don't even think "rare" is the word, it's unprecedented. I'm not sure 3 top 10 recruits to a program like Vandy has ever happened, at least not in the modern era. I really hate being the "we lost a recruit, the other school must be cheating" guy. It's really not my style, but if Drew pulls this off, it's literally one of, if the the, best recruiting coups ever. And again, it's not like he got hired at UCLA, this is Vanderbilt.

Agree. They'll be competitive with three guys of that caliber, but IMO they won't be a title contender or a real national threat. Things could change based on other additions, etc., but if you just add those 3 guys to their existing roster (minus seniors leaving), they're going to struggle. I think they'll be closer to LSU the Ben Simmons year (though not quite as bad) than anything Duke or UK has done with their one and done factories. The other aspect is that it's a huge challenge to have that much young talent on one team. Coach K and Cal have tons of experience with managing these ego's, etc. Their systems and programs are set-up to manage the one and dones and what comes with that, and even with them their best teams were the ones that had some senior leadership and veterans, which Vandy won't have. If they land all three, Drew is going to have his hands full managing this, and at a school that really isn't set-up for it or has any experience with this type of situation. They could be really good, but I think it could also be just as likely that it goes the other way. I'm sure the response will be that Archie doesn't have experience with this either. But, it's a lot different having one of those guys as opposed to three, and while Archie doesn't, IU does. IU as a program/school has had guys of this caliber and there is support staff around that has done this before.

Need to grab one regardless.

Which also begs the question, why isn’t anyone asking Romeo if any IU recruits are pitching him? Many of them were at HH too, so it’s not like they don’t know him. Also, while they’re not top 10 players, IU has some talented kids coming in, so why know narrative about wanting to join these guys?

Langford is a tremendous talent and would no doubt elevate IU to a different level from day one, but another reason that it won't be doomsday if he doesn't pick IU is that we have a really nice core developing. Yes, this year is going to be tough, but I already like what we have in Durham, Smith and Davis, and potentially Green if he settles down and develops, then you add the '18 class that even without Langford is a really strong foundational class, and IU is in a great position IMO. Would definitely need to nail the '19 class, and yes Langford would make this all go much quicker, but the pieces are there and IU basketball is in good hands either way.

This is what has me hopeful still for IU. Being Mr. Basketball and passing Damon Bailey seem really important to him. I can't see a player of his caliber caring that much about those things and then turning down IU for Vanderbilt. Kansas? Maybe. But not Vanderbilt. He clearly cares about the pageantry of being one of the best ever from Indiana.

Like you said, the Garland get makes complete sense. While we all would have loved him at IU, staying home is something some guys want, even 5*'s. With that said, if Vandy lands the trio of Garland, Shittu and Langford, then I'm firmly in the "shady" camp. That's a UK/Duke type class at feaking Vanderbilt. I don't care if Bryce Drew played a few years in the NBA, he's never coached a 5* at any level and has never (as far as I know) put a kid in the NBA, and now he's landing 3 top 10 players at Vanderbilt?!?! If it happens, it might literally be the greatest recruiting haul, given the coach/school, in the history of college basketball. Definitely fishy IMO.

Yup! Not to derail the thread about Anderson, but what I love about this class and what Archie is doing is that while Garland would have been a great get, and Langford will obviously be great get if IU lands him and those guys would certainly accelerate things, between Smith and Durham and the guys currently in the '18 class, that is a really, really nice foundation to build on. Don't get me wrong, Archie is going to have to land the big fish consistently, and maybe it starts with Langford or maybe the '19 class, but the foundation is already in place for a really strong team in a year or two.

The real challenge for a coach in this situation is if the losses pile, not allowing the upperclassmen to create a toxic environment for the young guys. There will naturally be chatter from seniors, etc. about how things compare to the old coach, etc.