Benson transferring? Whoa!

gradeck

Redshirt
Mar 22, 2011
164
3
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BTW, Soltau, Parker and Maley are three of the first seven Carmody recruits (VV, Davor, Hachad and Seacat) in two classes. Not a peep.

3 of 8. Tolic was in the same class as Parker, Maley, Seacat, and Hachad.
 

Sec_112

Sophomore
Jun 17, 2001
6,599
195
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3 of 8. Tolic was in the same class as Parker, Maley, Seacat, and Hachad.

Ooooo!! Good catch!!

For the high and mighty who want to hold coaches accountable for injuries, Tolic definitely makes the list - 23 games in four years.
 

Katatonic

Sophomore
Oct 23, 2004
86,854
134
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yet BC was allowed to hang on for 13 years.

Why bring up BC? (Oh, yeah...)

While BB intending to transfer is a bit surprising (considering that he was likely going to see a decent amount of playing time), wouldn't be surprised if he wanted to play a bigger role at a smaller program (and have a greater chance at making it to the NCAAs next season to boot).

While it is a bit disconcerting to have all these transfers at the same time, not really surprising.

What's more disconcerting is that so many of these 4* recruits haven't really panned out (which is why, I've never got so hung up on * and national rankings, unlike some).

If this continues, the staff is going to have to reconsider the type of recruits that they go after (like I have stated, too many wings who aren't particularly good at shooting or driving to the basket).

Over the past week or 2, there have also been posters bringing up the facilities and admissions as detriments to the program (preventing sustained success), but those things equally (if not more so) applied during the previous regime.

Add to that, the previous regime had to start w/ the mess that was left them by KON and elevated the program to the best level its ever been in the modern era; so CC was starting at a better place.

If the 'Cats play to the level of expectations next season, that will make 6 out of 7 season missing the post-season.

Some may scoff at the NIT, but playing in the NIT means that the team was a bubble team, meaning that they had a shot at making it to the NCAAs and that games towards the end pf the season counted (which makes for much more engaging viewership).

In addition, helps recruiting (pitching to a recruit that he's the missing piece to a Tourney team is better than trying to convince him that things will get turned around).

My concern is that these 2 back-to-back crappy seasons will bring to a halt the recruiting momentum coming from the Tourney season.

Need another good recruiting class (and not just on paper) and JJ to sign.

Well, at least the staff can now pitch playing time.
 
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corbi2961

Senior
Sep 9, 2005
30,524
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agree.

hypothetical though (seriously - no info on this - looking for perspective) say a kid decides to leave. tells his teammates and coaches he wants out. explores his options and realizes there are no options up to his standards. then he has decision remorse and wants to come back. do you take him back with open arms? are you excited for that player in your program in which you are trying to build a winning culture? if the player not deemed a fit - at that point what do you do?

I don't take him back on the team but I let him finish school, without any repercussions, if that is what he wants to do.
 

TejasCat

Sophomore
Apr 5, 2010
3,032
124
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I'm actually quite excited to see the young kids get all the minutes next year. Sure we will take our lumps, but I think it will make us a better team in 2-3 years. Ash, Benson and injured Falzon did nothing for me. We won't miss them.
 

freewillie07

Sophomore
Aug 22, 2017
5,240
100
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I'm actually quite excited to see the young kids get all the minutes next year. Sure we will take our lumps, but I think it will make us a better team in 2-3 years. Ash, Benson and injured Falzon did nothing for me. We won't miss them.

Agree, but it still comes down to bringing in a large, strong 2020 class to supplement the roster.
 

Purple Pile Driver

All-Conference
May 14, 2014
27,110
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If this continues, the staff is going to have to reconsider the type of recruits that they go after (like I have stated, too many wings who aren't particularly good at shooting or driving to the basket).
Isn’t shooting and driving to the basket the definition of what a wing does on O?
 

NJCat

All-Conference
Mar 7, 2016
21,326
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A reasonable question.

And let me clarify that I'm not trying to start Collins-Carmody comparison. Collins stands on his own at this point. I'm just shooting for a little consistency in our evaluation.

We'll ignore the KO recruits who transferred. It happens with every transition.

Soltau
Parker
Maley
In the gotcha discussion of 2019, people would add Brandon Lee to the list, but we know he doesn't count.
Mike Thompson
Cote
Gary Lee
Melchoir
Coble
Baran
Rowley

BTW, Soltau, Parker and Maley are three of the first seven Carmody recruits (VV, Davor, Hachad and Seacat) in two classes. Not a peep.
Thanks. FWIW, I believe MT-1 left because he had a heart condition. Hard to blame that on the coaching staff.
 

TheC

All-Conference
May 29, 2001
19,097
1,169
62
I also posted a couple weeks back before the transfers hit, how much this team reminded me of the Bill Foster transfer exodus, which saw Walters, Holmes, Nixon and Pedersen leave the program. I hope Dr. Phillips steps in and rights the ship soon.
Its nothing like this at all. I remember that because that was my class at NU. Those guys were all young, exciting players with lots of potential (including a future NBA'er) who left after one season. The guys today are all low level reserves who aren't really BIG level players and also have got their NU degree already. Not even remotely close.
 

TheC

All-Conference
May 29, 2001
19,097
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Again, I think you are missing the point with this argument. When you look at the sum total of the transfers rather than individually, one can only conclude that this goes well beyond issues of playing time or the quality of player development. This can only be construed as a player revolt. They are voting with their feet.
If Nance and Kopp were to leave, then it would be a player revolt.
 

Titanium999

Redshirt
Jan 16, 2014
4,573
0
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I'm actually quite excited to see the young kids get all the minutes next year. Sure we will take our lumps, but I think it will make us a better team in 2-3 years. Ash, Benson and injured Falzon did nothing for me. We won't miss them.
At least wrassler wont be posting about Ash anymore! LOL
 

PurpleFaze

Redshirt
Jan 9, 2019
1,331
38
48
I'm actually quite excited to see the young kids get all the minutes next year. Sure we will take our lumps, but I think it will make us a better team in 2-3 years. Ash, Benson and injured Falzon did nothing for me. We won't miss them.

The only real loss is BB- not because he would be very good, but because we could have used his size and 5 fouls since the 5 spot is currently basically a redshirt frosh. Realistically Benson would have likely been the worst starting center in the Big 10.

The team wasn't going to be good next year anyway, so I don't understand all the angst over guys who have graduated leaving for more on court success (at a lower level) in their final year of b-ball. They earned that choice.
 

nu greek

Freshman
Nov 11, 2001
3,136
88
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Its nothing like this at all. I remember that because that was my class at NU. Those guys were all young, exciting players with lots of potential (including a future NBA'er) who left after one season. The guys today are all low level reserves who aren't really BIG level players and also have got their NU degree already. Not even remotely close.
I don't totally disagree with you. My point is this has a similar vibe. Walters played two years at NU. His first year was nondescript. His Sophomore year was his breakout year. He then sat out before his two years at Kansas. His NBA career, though long was below average. Holmes had a mediocre career at Rice. Pedersen was rock solid at St. Louis and Nixon was fairly good at BYU. Our three guys here that have left, came in with some promise, but due to injury, development etc. didn't blossom. Add Rap to the equation and that's four guys who you state, "aren't B1G level players". Well then why the heck were they recruited to a B1G program and why were most of us excited about them when they inked their LOI???
 

TheC

All-Conference
May 29, 2001
19,097
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I don't totally disagree with you. My point is this has a similar vibe. Walters played two years at NU. His first year was nondescript. His Sophomore year was his breakout year. He then sat out before his two years at Kansas. His NBA career, though long was below average. Holmes had a mediocre career at Rice. Pedersen was rock solid at St. Louis and Nixon was fairly good at BYU. Our three guys here that have left, came in with some promise, but due to injury, development etc. didn't blossom. Add Rap to the equation and that's four guys who you state, "aren't B1G level players". Well then why the heck were they recruited to a B1G program and why were most of us excited about them when they inked their LOI???
The bummer is that three of these current guys were 4-star recruits. It seemed like they'd be BIG level guys, but for various reasons, it didn't pan out.
 

drewjin

Redshirt
Nov 27, 2017
371
0
0
The bummer is that three of these current guys were 4-star recruits. It seemed like they'd be BIG level guys, but for various reasons, it didn't pan out.
247 has ranked them the 5th,10th,11th and 19th highest NU recruits since circa 2000.
 

PurpleFaze

Redshirt
Jan 9, 2019
1,331
38
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247 has ranked them the 5th,10th,11th and 19th highest NU recruits since circa 2000.

I believe Ash, Falzon, and BB were all more highly rated coming out of HS than pardon. Tells you how much the recruiting "experts" know...
 

hdhntr1

All-Conference
Sep 5, 2006
37,230
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You could be right about Lathon but we just don’t know. Could Collins have avoided the whole situation or cut the cord earlier? Not sure.

I am less inclined to give Collins the benefit of the doubt on Vassar. For the very reasons you mentioned and the fact that he wasn’t a very good player, Collins should had never recruited him. What I found most upsetting was the reported handling of the player after it was determined the player was not a fit. Colllins tried to make life difficult on the kid to force him to transfer rather than let him stay in school. That is unacceptable from my perspective. I don’t want student athletes to be treated that way at NU.
But he was no longer a student athlete. And didn't he say that he was transferring? It was bad all around. But to your point, CCC does deserve some for that. However, it was his first recruiting class, he had a lot of spots to fill, he was trying to catch some lightning in a bottle with Vassar and it did not work out so I will cut him some slack on it. But I will take the rest of that class. I am more ready to hold him accountable for Brown as it was a couple years later and he had already had the Vassar situation.
 

corbi2961

Senior
Sep 9, 2005
30,524
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But he was no longer a student athlete. And didn't he say that he was transferring? It was bad all around. But to your point, CCC does deserve some for that. However, it was his first recruiting class, he had a lot of spots to fill, he was trying to catch some lightning in a bottle with Vassar and it did not work out so I will cut him some slack on it. But I will take the rest of that class. I am more ready to hold him accountable for Brown as it was a couple years later and he had already had the Vassar situation.

Rationalize much? Please, spare me your bs arguements. Collins recruited him, offered him a scholarship and then decided he didn't Want him on the team. That’s the coach’s prerogative to change his mind but it is the University’s ethical responsibility to honor the scholarship offer if the player decides to continue on as a student. The fact that Vassar initially said he intended to transfer is irrelevant. The kid changed his mind and in my view the University has the responsibility to honor his scholarship for the full four year period.
 

Styre

Senior
Oct 14, 2004
7,728
401
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The fact that Vassar initially said he intended to transfer is irrelevant. The kid changed his mind and in my view the University has the responsibility to honor his scholarship for the full four year period.

It's not just your view. Big Ten basketball scholarships are four-year guarantees.
 

hdhntr1

All-Conference
Sep 5, 2006
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the papers saw he visited in january and dimissed at the end of may

from a math standpoint that seems like 4.5 months after the visit - so it took 4.5 months to make a decision - at which point recruiting is over
That seems like an especially long delay in taking action. Had heard that it was on a recruiting trip. Did he visit more than once and could it have been on a different trip? Whole thing just seems odd.
 

hdhntr1

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It's not just your view. Big Ten basketball scholarships are four-year guarantees.
But should the scholarship be an athletic scholarship if no longer an athlete counting against the total? One thing to convert it as in a medical retirement but in this case it was not converted?
 

hdhntr1

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Then the kid had too much freedom on the visit, or the visit wasn’t properly structured, or the kid shouldn’t have been recruited.

I had a few revenue sport based officials in H.S. including one to USC. I got laid more than a couple times and drank on most of them. And I have heard stories of more and better officials than mine. If Lathon got in trouble on a visit and no other existing athlete got in trouble then there was a problem.

I was always ‘in the company’ of a coach or athlete.
When you were getting laid???
 

IGNORE

Redshirt
Jan 15, 2019
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That seems like an especially long delay in taking action. Had heard that it was on a recruiting trip. Did he visit more than once and could it have been on a different trip? Whole thing just seems odd.

If you are reading the other thread, there may have been a hint offered. If correct, doesn't surprise me at all that it would take four and half months to talk to witnesses, hold internal meetings, monitor law enforcement decision making, etc. Heck, that complaint itself could have arisen some time after the visit.
 

hdhntr1

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You have 3 players all with their degrees who have one year of eligibility left. None of them have contributed much for a variety of reasons. And none of them project to be prime time players next year. In other words, they all find themselves in the same boat at the same time. On a team that must turn to rebuild mode by going young. I too am concerned. But the timing can be explained by the common “got my degree” and “last chance to play” factors .... knowing the latter isn’t going to happen here.

GOUNUII
For Falzon and Ash that is definitely true. Less sure about Benson. Unless he sees things in practice where Young is significantly ahead of him and the threat that Jones/Nash were also putting him in the rear view mirror. If so it also would make sense
 

hdhntr1

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I don’t but when u are recruiting a player you are not his babysitter. I do know what he did but unless he coordinated a Louisville scenario which likely would involve several players it seems highly improbable
But that would indicate the leader this years team needed
 

hdhntr1

All-Conference
Sep 5, 2006
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I don't take him back on the team but I let him finish school, without any repercussions, if that is what he wants to do.
Should he be on athletic scholarship at that point or should it be changed to some other form?