2019 6’8 F Tristan Enaruna (KU transfer, Iowa State commit)

[bluejayfan00]

As for recruiting Top 50 guys every year... We haven't earned the right to expect that we can do that, yet. Top 50 players want to know that we'll be in The Dance every year... Want to know that we are a consistent Top 20-40 program (at least). Want to know that we'll prepare them for The Leauge.

Problem is, we can't do that without having at least a couple of Top 50 guys on the roster each year.

Soooooo, the problem really is a "Catch 22".

Until that problem is solved, it will be hit and miss as to whether we can recruit Top 50 players. Until then, we just have to deal with it... and Grad Transfers are a possibility. But then again, that's a bit of a crap shoot too.

Plenty of programs have turned into the type of program you just described without top 50 guys every year. We need to make that jump, at some point. But like many have said, Mac is what he is.

[Trifecta]

He's a troll.

I love the state of this discourse. Calling people trolls is one of the most trollish things you can do.

[gtmoBlue]

As for recruiting Top 50 guys every year... We haven't earned the right to expect that we can do that, yet. Top 50 players want to know that we'll be in The Dance every year... Want to know that we are a consistent Top 20-40 program (at least). Want to know that we'll prepare them for The Leauge.

Problem is, we can't do that without having at least a couple of Top 50 guys on the roster each year.

Soooooo, the problem really is a "Catch 22".

Until that problem is solved, it will be hit and miss as to whether we can recruit Top 50 players. Until then, we just have to deal with it... and Grad Transfers are a possibility. But then again, that's a bit of a crap shoot too.

Plenty of programs have turned into the type of program you just described without top 50 guys every year. We need to make that jump, at some point. But like many have said, Mac is what he is.

Yes, grabbing a top 50 kid once in a while would be nice. I would have been happy to get Enaruna even as #105 before his jump up the rankings. But the bolded statement above is so true. Someone earlier pointed out Tex. Tech, but K St, Ia St, Oklahoma, Ariz. St., Vandy, Va Tech, and others do so also. We have talent, we just need to help it reach its' potentials.

I submit we are a top 30-40 program already...most years. We make the dance...most years. We Develop/prepare guys for the next level...regularly. We ARE picked in the top 25 in 5-6 preseason polls for this coming season also, or did you forget?

We have several top 100 guys in Ty-Shon, Mitch, Marcus, Jacob, with Antwann sitting out this season. We have good 3-star guys in Davion, Damien, Chris, and Denzel as well. Many of CU's greatest players were 3 stars...Walker, Sears, Korver, Funk, McKinney, Tolliver, Watts, McDermott, Foster, Watson, Thomas. We have a good (not great) coaching staff and I am hoping they hit their stride in coaching up the team this coming season and also that our Jr. class hits its' potentials and thrives. While I have my issues with coaching...we have the potential to do much better.

We have talent. We just need to help it reach its' potentials and avoid injuries. Yes we are short on Bigs-I recommended several jucos to the coaches. They thanked me and politely told me where to go. I am excited to see what contingency plans there may be. The program hasn't fallen, merely idling along...we're in a good place to blossom.

Seems as though some of you are wishing for Creighton to rise to where we already are. I hope we rise to consistent top 15-20 status, with annual NCAA runs, and a shot at Glory.

[ictjay]

As for recruiting Top 50 guys every year... We haven't earned the right to expect that we can do that, yet. Top 50 players want to know that we'll be in The Dance every year... Want to know that we are a consistent Top 20-40 program (at least). Want to know that we'll prepare them for The Leauge.

Problem is, we can't do that without having at least a couple of Top 50 guys on the roster each year.

Soooooo, the problem really is a "Catch 22".

Until that problem is solved, it will be hit and miss as to whether we can recruit Top 50 players. Until then, we just have to deal with it... and Grad Transfers are a possibility. But then again, that's a bit of a crap shoot too.

Plenty of programs have turned into the type of program you just described without top 50 guys every year. We need to make that jump, at some point. But like many have said, Mac is what he is.

Yes, grabbing a top 50 kid once in a while would be nice. I would have been happy to get Enaruna even as #105 before his jump up the rankings. But the bolded statement above is so true. Someone earlier pointed out Tex. Tech, but K St, Ia St, Oklahoma, Ariz. St., Vandy, Va Tech, and others do so also. We have talent, we just need to help it reach its' potentials.

I submit we are a top 30-40 program already...most years. We make the dance...most years. We Develop/prepare guys for the next level...regularly. We ARE picked in the top 25 in 5-6 preseason polls for this coming season also, or did you forget?

We have several top 100 guys in Ty-Shon, Mitch, Marcus, Jacob, with Antwann sitting out this season. We have good 3-star guys in Davion, Damien, Chris, and Denzel as well. Many of CU's greatest players were 3 stars...Walker, Sears, Korver, Funk, McKinney, Tolliver, Watts, McDermott, Foster, Watson, Thomas. We have a good (not great) coaching staff and I am hoping they hit their stride in coaching up the team this coming season and also that our Jr. class hits its' potentials and thrives. While I have my issues with coaching...we have the potential to do much better.

We have talent. We just need to help it reach its' potentials and avoid injuries. Yes we are short on Bigs-I recommended several jucos to the coaches. They thanked me and politely told me where to go. I am excited to see what contingency plans there may be. The program hasn't fallen, merely idling along...we're in a good place to blossom.

Seems as though some of you are wishing for Creighton to rise to where we already are. I hope we rise to consistent top 15-20 status, with annual NCAA runs, and a shot at Glory.

+1

[drbluejay]

Very well said gtmoBlue

[go_jays]

He's a troll.

I love the state of this discourse. Calling people trolls is one of the most trollish things you can do.

Yes, I am trolling for trolls and I won.

[ZMagic30]

make top 4 for top flight recruit..... convince ourselves that he’s a perfect fit and that there’s no reason for him to not come to Creighton....... he commits to a program that’s actually done something noteworthy..... have the thread go 20 more pages as we have the same conversations we’ve been having since before matt mcquaid went to Mich St....... rinse, repeat

[go_jays]

gtmo...

According to 247 Sports, not a single one of these teams you mentioned, besides Texas Tech is getting a Top 50 recruit in 2019.

Tex. Tech
K St,
Ia St,
Oklahoma,
Ariz. St.,
Vandy,
Va Tech

So they don't fit the criteria. They are not elite programs. Texas Tech got the #31. Which supports my theory since they just played in the National Championship game and lost in OT. But I still wouldn't call them an elite program.

If you are saying we need to make the jump to these programs' level. I contend that we already have. Instead, we need to make the jump to Elite status. Like the majority of the teams below. And basically what you are asking for. Teams ranked 15-20 every year would be considered Elite... teams making Sweet 16 runs and beyond... an Elite program.

Here's a list of the schools with the most Top 50 recruits from 2017-2019.

Kentucky 13
Duke 12
Arizona 6
North Carolina 5
Villanova 5
USC 5
Texas 5
UCLA 5
Oregon 5
Kansas 4
LSU 4
Flawda 4
Louisville 3
Missouri 3
Ohio St 3
Providence 3
Gonzaga 2
Michigan St 2
Stanford 2
Oklahoma 2
Michigan 2
Maryland 2
Wake Forest 2
Mississippi State 2
Memphis 2
Indiana 2
Auburn 2
Flawda St 2
Illinois 2
Alabama 2

Lot of Elite and Blue Blood programs here. Otherwise, programs that are in talent-rich areas. And yes, a few outliers.

But no Texas Tech, K-State, Iowa State, Arizona St, Vandy or Virginia Tech here.

My point stands. Unless you are an Elite program with a track record of Top 20-40 finishes and regular, if not yearly, Tournament appearances, you can not expect to get Top 50 recruits on a regular basis.

[go_jays]

BTW... don't know if you noticed... but Providence has gotten 3 in 2017 and 2018. Certainly an outlier... but they are in a talent-rich area.

But the point here is... Ed Cooley is considered one of the outstanding coaches in the BE, if not the entire country, right? Yet, they were 20-13, 21-14 and 18-16 over the past 3 years... with 2 NCAA appearances and losing in the 1st Round each time.

So, the point here is... "making the jump", even WITH Top 50 recruits isn't easy... much less having none.

While I appreciate everyone clamoring for Conference Championships and Sweet 16 and beyond... keep things in perspective. And once again, no one here is satisfied with the status quo. But the constant references to Mac's ineptitude is beyond ridiculous. Does he need to constantly be adapting and fine-tuning? Of course he does. Does he need to be working his ass off? Of course he does. But the expectations from some of you are simply WAY out of line.

[Chicagojayfan]

BTW... don't know if you noticed... but Providence has gotten 3 in 2017 and 2018. Certainly an outlier... but they are in a talent-rich area.

But the point here is... Ed Cooley is considered one of the outstanding coaches in the BE, if not the entire country, right? Yet, they were 20-13, 21-14 and 18-16 over the past 3 years... with 2 NCAA appearances and losing in the 1st Round each time.

So, the point here is... "making the jump", even WITH Top 50 recruits isn't easy... much less having none.

While I appreciate everyone clamoring for Conference Championships and Sweet 16 and beyond... keep things in perspective. And once again, no one here is satisfied with the status quo. But the constant references to Mac's ineptitude is beyond ridiculous. Does he need to constantly be adapting and fine-tuning? Of course he does. Does he need to be working his ass off? Of course he does. But the expectations from some of you are simply WAY out of line.

I was thinking very similar things. Cooley hasn't done as much with his talent as we would want if he'd been our coach and pulling in those players. It's not an easy thing to make the jump. I do think we are pretty well positioned, though.. here's why:

1. We've continued to win with the talent we had to start in the BE and with what we could pull in at times when we were just getting bodies to fill gaps

2. While winning we went from a team that had 0 top 100 recruits to one that should have 5 (depending on how you count Marcus) next year. We're absolutely getting a lot more talent and winning more recruiting battles than we ever did in Creighton's past

3. Our off the radar kids have been VERY good for the most part, especially the local ones -- Patton got his first offer from us (and the thread for him is fun reading with people having no idea he'd changed so much from the year before), Khyri Thomas is in the NBA now, and Martin was a very little known recruit who people had a lot of questions about

4. We can sell a good brand with style of play and fan support. This can't negate the negatives we have entirely, but it can get us in the door for a lot of kids

negatives we still need to work on:

1. Making a run in the tourney. This is very important for landing more of those top recruits, but I'd rather have us build the way we have an then make a run, than make a run and not have a real recruiting base and infrastructure in place (when will Loyola ever make a run again?)

2. Dealing with our location recruiting issues -- we can't move, but we can continue to work hard in areas with opportunity -- Kansas has been great for us, for instance, and we need to continue to get the best recruits in Omaha