Recruiting tells the story

[JimBoston]

Recruiting has signaled the decline in performance more than anything. I'm not a fan of overall class recruiting rankings as you can have a small class of good players ranked better than a large class of mediocre players. What is most important, in my opinion, is the individual rankings, or quality, of the players.

Over the past 4 classes, Syracuse has signed 0 top 50 recruits and 1 top 90 recruits. More alarming is that Syracuse's average class has been ranked 7th in the ACC or middle of the pack since joining the ACC.

Fortunately, one or two recruiting classes can turn a program around, but until recruiting improves, it is hard to see how performance dramatically improves.

Some people think the 2016 Final 4 was a fluke, but the roster was talented. Here are the recruiting rankings of the players on the team: 22, 28 (transfer from Duke), 34, 41, 48, 72, 79, 105, 180. That team had 5 top 50 recruits and 7 top 100 recruits.

I went back and looked at the player and class recruiting rankings since 2003 and you can see why Syracuse is struggling.

2020: Player ranks: 96, 99 Class rank: 44 ACC rank: 12
2019: Player ranks: 97, 122, 197, 201, 478 Class rank: 33 ACC rank: 7
2018: Player ranks: 61, 151, 349 Class rank: 43 ACC rank: 7
2017: Player ranks: 111, 137, 190, 289 Class rank: 38 ACC rank: 7
2016: Player ranks: 34, 66, 74 Class rank: 18 ACC rank: 7
2015: Player ranks: 34, 72, 79 Class rank: 8 ACC rank: 3
2014: Player ranks: 21, 48 Class rank: 38 ACC rank: 8
2013: Player ranks: 23, 41, 89, 175, 180 Class rank: 8
2012: Player ranks: 22, 48 Class rank: 43
2011: Player ranks: 23, 26, 105 Class rank: 15
2010: Player ranks: 14, 21, 81, 146 Class rank: 4
2009: Player ranks: 122 Class rank: 265
2008: Player ranks: 43, 58 Class rank: 28
2007: Player ranks: 7, 18, 53, 65, 279, 284 Class rank: 3
2006: Player ranks: 12, 38, 157 Class rank: 25
2005: Player ranks: 33, 201 Class rank: 143
2004: Player ranks: 43, 72 Class rank: 35
2003: Player ranks: 24, 27, 42, 70 Class rank: 9

 

[Nicknack]

Thanks for your well thought out post, however, I stopped reading after this...

Over the past 4 classes, Syracuse has signed 0 top 50 recruits and 1 top 90 recruits.

Just let that sink in. That absolutely says it all. So disappointing. Some look to coaching or lack thereof, but you just can't compete at this level successfully recruiting the way we have. Sucks so bad.

 

[NKR1978]

You know, the recruiting explains this year's team, but it doesn't explain the rest of the bad teams we've been watching for most of the last 6 seasons. We have had early departures and scholarship restrictions, but that doesn't explain the lack of development and putrid offense.

 

[Sherman20]

Thanks for your well thought out post, however, I stopped reading after this...

Over the past 4 classes, Syracuse has signed 0 top 50 recruits and 1 top 90 recruits.

Just let that sink in. That absolutely says it all. So disappointing. Some look to coaching or lack thereof, but you just can't compete at this level successfully recruiting the way we have. Sucks so bad.

And our highest ranked recruit on the team, Carey, who was actually in he top 40 per ESPN rankings, hasn’t panned out the way we thought he would.

 

[jdubs30]

Good info and not to be a jerk - but Guerrier and Brissett would have been top 50 kids if the rankings accounted for Canadian kids. Also, Rivals said Marek would have been a 4 star and top 100 kid if he was able to be ranked

 

[cuseguy]

The alarming thing here is that recruiting has slipped noticeably AFTER joining the ACC.

The question is why is this happening?

 

[NKR1978]

The alarming thing here is that recruiting has slipped noticeably AFTER joining the ACC.

The question is why is this happening?

Sanctions account for a good chunk of the drop off. 38, 8 and 18 2014-16. The 2015 class was sewn up before they were implemented and I think a lot of the 2016 class was locked.

Losing Hop probably accounts for the rest. Though I think with Bazley we had a top 10 class, or close it it.

 

[tbonezone]

most games are already decided before the tip. winner was declared signing day. recruiting matters.

 

[orangecuse]

Thanks for your well thought out post, however, I stopped reading after this...

Over the past 4 classes, Syracuse has signed 0 top 50 recruits and 1 top 90 recruits.

Just let that sink in. That absolutely says it all. So disappointing. Some look to coaching or lack thereof, but you just can't compete at this level successfully recruiting the way we have. Sucks so bad.

No doubt. And, exacerbating this issue further is the fact that we haven't landed a legit D1 P5 level point guard, which by far is the most critical position in the game. There's a reason why the point guard position is referenced as the "quarterback of the team" and/or "floor General." Additionally, the 5 spot guys we have had since Christmas have been very mid major type at best, with absolutely ZERO offensive prowess/skills at all, so we are constantly playing 4 on 5 on the offensive end.

 

[NKR1978]

most games are already decided before the tip. winner was declared signing day. recruiting matters.

The great thing about basketball is that it literally takes one class to change a program. The 4 classes leading up to the 09-10 season - 25, 3, 28 and 265. The two best players of that #3 ranked class weren't even on the team.

 

[Fly Rodder]

Sanctions account for a good chunk of the drop off. 38, 8 and 18 2014-16. The 2015 class was sewn up before they were implemented and I think a lot of the 2016 class was locked.

Losing Hop probably accounts for the rest. Though I think with Bazley we had a top 10 class, or close it it.

Except Bazely didn't come. I don't think that it's surprising that a McD AA top-20 recruit with a pretty mediocre offer list of B10 schools, and decommited from one, flaked on another commitment after signing with Syracuse at the last minute. The signs were probably there for most schools, but some were willing to gamble.

 

[NKR1978]

Except Bazely didn't come. I don't think that it's surprising that a McD AA top-20 recruit with a pretty mediocre offer list of B10 schools, and decommited from one, flaked on another commitment after signing with Syracuse at the last minute. The signs were probably there for most schools, but some were willing to gamble.

Ohio State, Indiana, Maryland and Louisville are mediocre offers?

 

[Fly Rodder]

Ohio State, Indiana, Maryland and Louisville are mediocre offers?

Mediocre offer list. He played for three different high schools and had eligibility issues at least two. He decommitted from OSU, Indiana stinks, and the Louisville offer was from Pitino who was under investigation and about to be fired.

He was an NBA prospect and was a top-15 kid, but no Duke, UK, KU, UNC, AZ, etc sniffing around which is odd for a McD AA. He had baggage from the beginning and his offer list showed that.

 

[stuckinbig11]

No, poor shooting tells the story. Very good shooters were recruited, but they are not producing.

 

[phil77]

JB is responsible for both coaching and recruiting and he is doing a horrible job at each.

 

[JimBoston]

Good info and not to be a jerk - but Guerrier and Brissett would have been top 50 kids if the rankings accounted for Canadian kids. Also, Rivals said Marek would have been a 4 star and top 100 kid if he was able to be ranked

Fair points. Still, Syracuse is not getting enough top 50 recruits anymore.

One last point. Syracuse had 4 recruits ranked >150 from 2003 to 2016. There have been 7 recruits ranked >150 in the last 4 classes.

 

[Cusefan0307]

Some schools are able to scheme offense better. That has never been one of our strengths.

 

[SUfanNC]

The alarming thing here is that recruiting has slipped noticeably AFTER joining the ACC.

The question is why is this happening?

Wasn't Hopkins our biggest recruiter as well? Also his last year or 2 here some have alluded to not working as hard on the recruiting trail. To me that seems to have something to do with it.

 

[Fly Rodder]

Wasn't Hopkins our biggest recruiter as well? Also his last year or 2 here some have alluded to not working as hard on the recruiting trail. To me that seems to have something to do with it.

IIRC, there was some friction between Hop and Boeheim regarding Hop's recruiting targets as he started recruiting guys for when he would supposedly be HC. I may be wrong, but its interesting to note who Hop picked up from NY after he went west. In particular, Nahz Carter who is really turning into a nice player.

 

[cuseguy]

Wasn't Hopkins our biggest recruiter as well? Also his last year or 2 here some have alluded to not working as hard on the recruiting trail. To me that seems to have something to do with it.

Believe that’s been debunked.

 

[cusefan88]

JB has never changed. What happened was he lost Hop and Rob Murphy. Shows the assistants really are not good

 

[SUfanNC]

Believe that’s been debunked.

IIRC, there was some friction between Hop and Boeheim regarding Hop's recruiting targets as he started recruiting guys for when he would supposedly be HC. I may be wrong, but its interesting to note who Hop picked up from NY after he went west. In particular, Nahz Carter who is really turning into a nice player.

I guess my point is if you lose your best recruiter and haven't replaced him with another good recruiter then classes will dip. Not saying our asst coaches aren't good but they aren't as established and in some cases unproven.

 

[cuseguy]

I guess my point is if you lose your best recruiter and haven't replaced him with another good recruiter then classes will dip. Not saying our asst coaches aren't good but they aren't as established and in some cases unproven.

Hop is and was a great recruiter. Our loss.

 

[SUfanNC]

Hop is and was a great recruiter. Our loss.

As someone else said Rob Murphy too. We had 2 strong recruiters. When you replace guys like that with unproven ones it will hurt. Can the coaches we have be great at recruiting who knows, but at this point you need a proven recruiter.

 

[tbonezone]

one great class can indeed turn around the fortunes of a program. do we have the staff to make that happen ?
secondly quincey G needs to start. sidibe is a foul turbine inside and now more than ever let's keep the canadien connection flowing.