PITT Transfer Josh Newkirk is headed to IU!

[Kepner]

Besides Curtis Jones, what other PG are we really going after in 2016/2017? Bruce Brown,Paul Scruggs, and Alkins are  combo guards and this way with Newkirk, they don't have to be forced into the point guard position but can still handle the ball. I don't think we are losing anything by adding him. I haven't seen enough of Newkirk to judge but I don't see it as a negative. He will be an upperclassman while these 16'/17' guys are just coming in and thats an added plus

[Alford Bailey]

Besides Curtis Jones, what other PG are we really going after in 2016/2017? Bruce Brown,Paul Scruggs, and Alkins are  combo guards and this way with Newkirk, they don't have to be forced into the point guard position but can still handle the ball. I don't think we are losing anything by adding him. I haven't seen enough of Newkirk to judge but I don't see it as a negative. He will be an upperclassman while these 16'/17' guys are just coming in and thats an added plus

And I've seen Jones advertised as a combo. Goes along with a post I made earlier. Why isn't there a list of top point guards lined up to take Yogi's spot?

[Kepner]

And I've seen Jones advertised as a combo. Goes along with a post I made earlier. Why isn't there a list of top point guards lined up to take Yogi's spot?

Besides Yogi, Crean has always relied on combo guards. The way he really wants his offense is to have a few combo guards in there that can all handle the ball and I think if you bring in a few of the combo guys together it would work. There are a few really good point guard prospects that we are recruiting in 16'/17' but they aren't connected to us as much as the combos. I agree about the question though, but I think that has more to do with the player that Yogi is. You could ask the same question after we had Zeller and Vonleh though. But thats a whole other topic that gets people bent out of shape haha


PS I went back and looked and we are connected to 2017 pg Markus Howard from Findley Prep, the kid can play! I would love to add him. 2017 class is going to be one of the best in Indiana in a long time and probably nationally as well. Hope we have a few scholarships for that year

[MartintheMopMan]

Besides Yogi, Crean has always relied on combo guards. The way he really wants his offense is to have a few combo guards in there that can all handle the ball and I think if you bring in a few of the combo guys together it would work. There are a few really good point guard prospects that we are recruiting in 16'/17' but they aren't connected to us as much as the combos. I agree about the question though, but I think that has more to do with the player that Yogi is. You could ask the same question after we had Zeller and Vonleh though. But thats a whole other topic that gets people bent out of shape haha


PS I went back and looked and we are connected to 2017 pg Markus Howard from Findley Prep, the kid can play! I would love to add him. 2017 class is going to be one of the best in Indiana in a long time and probably nationally as well. Hope we have a few scholarships for that year

We won't without Creaning right? Maybe Bryant?

[Old Friend]

Don't know what this means, but it has to show at least some concern on the staff's behalf that our point guard situation is not strong on the recruiting trail.   The offense Crean has run for the last 6 seasons is almost completely dependent on either points off the break or points off penetration.   This kid's a little bigger than Yogi is, and has experience handling the ball at a high D1 level.  At worst, a stop-gap.  At best, a relatively productive 2-year player.

 

What we do not need (and I think this gets missed a lot) is a group of 5 kids on the floor, all of whom need the ball and are looking to score all the time.   If this kid can simply run an offense, guard somebody, and lead...he'll help.   And having a year on the practice floor with this system can't hurt.  This has to play out, just like Grant does.

[Old Friend]

And I understand the looking on the bright of the Gelons, Prillers, Aprils, Newkirks ect. Thats fine. Just don't expect to win championships.

Rrrreeealllly unfair and premature to lump Gelon and Newkirk with Priller and April.   Not close to legitimate right now.

 

First of all, April had zero basketball IQ.  No clue where he was on the floor, very weak, and had no ability to contribute anything on a Big Ten floor.  That's not true with Grant and Newkirk.   Priller is a clumsy, slow 6'9" who's being forced to play out of position because of his skill set, and he's not got many basketball skills at the low D1 level, let alone the Big Ten.    Both Grant (shooting, spacing, and using screens) and Newkirk (ball handling and experience) bring far more to the table than Priller or April.   Let's say Grant's Matt Roth and Newkirk's Remy Abell.   I'd say that's at least close.   I'm not saying they're all we need in order to win championships, but as was beaten to death in the first recruiting thread about Grant, making comparisons to April or Priller is.....unfair and I don't think accurate in any way.

[Yogi'sBicep]

For a fan base who is supposed, and seems to hate UK. You guys sure want to be them. If it isn't a McDAA- all I ever see is negative comments. Forget the instant impact, can we think 2-3 years down the road? These are solid guys, high academics, supposed to be OUTSTANDING character, & established work ethic.

Do not forget that our beloved 2012 team was made up of Non McDAA's Hulls (SR) Vic (Jr) Cwat (Sr) Remy (Soph) sheehey (Jr) and a few contributors I'm sure I'm forgetting.

This is an exciting guy, with a lot of potential on the court.. And more off the court.

[Yogi'sBicep]

Would you rather have a 30-50 out of HS ranked kid, who doesn't have high character.. Or 60-100 kid who is academically there, & shows good moral standings? NOT A HUGE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN a 30 out of HS and a college junior 60-100. MSU, WIscy? Come on guys. Don't give me the BS "but we have crean" last time I checked he had a number 1 team, didn't finish the job.. But the guy obviously knows what he's doing.

[MartintheMopMan]

Would you rather have a 30-50 out of HS ranked kid, who doesn't have high character.. Or 60-100 kid who is academically there, & shows good moral standings? NOT A HUGE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN a 30 out of HS and a college junior 60-100. MSU, WIscy? Come on guys. Don't give me the BS "but we have crean" last time I checked he had a number 1 team, didn't finish the job.. But the guy obviously knows what he's doing.

Why is that the choice? Isn't it a false dichotomy?

 

Can I have a 30-50 out of HS ranked kid, who is academically there & shows good moral standings?

[Yogi'sBicep]

Why is that the choice? Isn't it a false dichotomy?

Can I have a 30-50 out of HS ranked kid, who is academically there & shows good moral standings?

Yeah & if he is, GREAT!! If not, I don't believe I can support a team of bad guys. CTC is making that HIS selection now, kudos to him. Kudos CTC!!!

I'm just saying hypothetically, as a fan base we are great with a 30-50 no matter what. And we hate lower end players no matter what. Time for us to take into account the morals & work ethic.

He's said many of times, and means it now-- he wants good kids who want to be here. I love it. Guess I'm stuck in the pre modern era of fandom though

[MartintheMopMan]

Yeah & if he is, GREAT!! If not, I don't believe I can support a team of bad guys. CTC is making that HIS selection now, kudos to him. Kudos CTC!!!

I'm just saying hypothetically, as a fan base we are great with a 30-50 no matter what. And we hate lower end players no matter what. Time for us to take into account the morals & work ethic.

He's said many of times, and means it now-- he wants good kids who want to be here. I love it. Guess I'm stuck in the pre modern era of fandom though

I think the general idea in the thread is that potentially losing 3 starters and so far replacing them with two 8th men is disconcerting. Front loading your class to have the players who likely would still be on the board in a few months is disconcerting. Heck, the fact that Crean has given us zero indication he is capable of keeping a player around for more than 2 years and continues to take on projects is disconcerting.

 

The way recruitment seems to go lately, I would not be at all surprised if Newkirk never set foot on the court and was creaned when in 2017 Crean realizes he doesn't actually have any scholarships.

[MikeRoberts]

He's said many of times, and means it now-- he wants good kids who want to be here. I love it. Guess I'm stuck in the pre modern era of fandom though

you are stuck in something... Just not sure what it is. Where are you getting this 30-50 range happiness example and talk of after 7 seasons finally going after kids who want to be here bologna?

We aren't even sniffing the 30-50 range right now and aren't getting kids that want to be here either if we are being truly honest with ourselves. Neither of of 16' recruits are top 30-50 and one of them isn't even probably top 300-500 and neither did or would choose IU first. One was recruited by IU and chose Pitt over IU and the other is a Duke fan that had no other high D-1 offers.

Spin spin spin. This class needs some top talent and less excuses or we are going to end up putrid again in 16/17' period

[WayneFleekHoosier]

you are stuck in something... Just not sure what it is. Where are you getting this 30-60 range happiness example and talk of after 7 seasons finally going after kids who want to be here bologna?

We aren't even sniffing the 30-60 range right now and aren't getting kids that want to be here either if we are being truly honest with ourselves. Neither of of 16' recruits are top 30-60 and one of them isn't even probably top 300-600 and neither did or would choose IU first. One was recruited by IU and chose Pitt over IU and the other is a Duke fan that had no other high D-1 offers.

Spin spin spin. This class needs some top talent and less excuses or we are going to end up putrid again in 16/17' period

so happy to see people with their eyes open.

[MikeRoberts]

so happy to see people with their eyes open.

i hate it that reality is negative or disloyal. I am anything but disloyal, just refuse to except this. This is not the IU I grew to love and nervous that it or a brand of IU that is exciting or promising is gone. Felt it for 75% of 1 season in the Crean era, that's not enough in 7+ seasons

[IU Hoosier41]

Solid!

[hoosierbgh]

Yep, said we can put the ball in Newkirks hands next year and there wont be a drop off.

 

There is going to be a drop off next year at the point no matter whose hands you put the ball in. There's just no replacing Yogi without a drop off, even with a 5* wunderkind. Better to have an experienced point to help shoulder the load than rely completely on a freshman no matter the talent level of the freshmen.

[KB0]

The fact that Newkirk will be coming off microfracture knee surgery is worrisome.  

[HoosierRob]

All you have to do is look at the last 4 commits besides Bryant.

Very underwhelming

[Bobman1]

Losing 6 top players will likely require us to fill the next 4 with top 100 quality. If we can't do that we will have mediocre results and play average basketball in the Big Ten. We've replaced 2/6 with 5 ppg, and a 0-Star recruit so I don't mind if they're not an AP student at this point.

[HoosiersLoveBanners]

All you have to do is look at the last 4 commits besides Bryant.

Very underwhelming

This is pretty standard when you have a coach who has been on the HOT seat. None of the big fish are going to pull the trigger until they see how our season goes. Our play at the beginning of the year will be crucial for recruits figuring out if CTC will be here or not.