Has Bill Self lost his recruiting swagger?

Yes, Self has lost out on some recruits in the 2008 and 2009 classes. Osby, Liggins, Warren, Zeller, Morgan and Monroe last year...now Snaer and Henry. Some of these players Self recruited from very early on, some not. But, even with Self suffering what could be construed a down year in recruiting last year, he still pulled together at the last second what appears to be a solid class - only time will tell, these guys have only played together for a month. Plus, we have already added two five star prospects in Robinson and Johnson for 2009.

I believe it is a very hard sell sometimes to these kids for Self . There is the tradition, the prestige, the coaching, the tv visibility, the connections, the education, the girls, etc. But, some of these kids expect immediate playing time, close proximity to home, and a situation where they will be "the franchise player" and ensure a high NBA draft pick. KU always has elite players, and not many freshman will come in and be able to jack up 25 shots a game and run the show like they could at Memphis or FSU or USC, etc.

Also, I don't know if Self is an offensive X's and O's genius, but he is a proven defensive wizard and an elite recruiter. When Self starts recruiting like Roy and every other class is filled with a Niang or a Janise, then you can ponder if he's lost his swagger. He's had some tough breaks lately, but, lets see if he can pull in Cheek for 2009 and a great 2010 class. Remember, UNC, Ohio State and UCLA appear to outrecruit KU on paper almost every year, but as of late, Self does have them beat on what matters - championships.

November 19, 2008 at 10:24 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )

Uneasy opener

Can Little guard a two? Can Marcus guard a three? Can these guys handle the ball and feel comfortable and be effective on the perimeter? A size advantage is nice, but we will learn in the coming games how to gauge everyone's skills better. I want to know how we are going to score when defenses tighten up and we can't force turnovers like we've become accustomed to. When that freshman group of Rush, Chalmers and Wright were struggling, Rush could step up and hit a great pull up jumper or drive it. Who other than Collins can create their shot, drive to the basket and finish or get to the line? I'm guessing Taylor and/or Releford. Taylor looks hyper-athletic but wild beyond belief. Releford at times looked like a spark plug, with smooth drives to the basket and solid defense.

November 17, 2008 at 10:14 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )

Uneasy opener

Morris could have easily had 20 boards if he had consistently blocked out and sealed off his man. He was jumping wildly for some and fell to the ground. It is obvious we are going to struggle with rebounding at times this year against good competition. The new guys have to learn positioning. Markeiff was impressive though, some nice passes and heads up plays.

November 17, 2008 at 7:33 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )

Snaer to announce on ESPNU on Friday; Self happy with new signee Robinson

Would it not be kind of a letdown if a kid has a giant publicized ESPN press conference to announce he will play basketball at FLORIDA STATE.

November 13, 2008 at 9:10 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )

Snaer to announce on ESPNU on Friday; Self happy with new signee Robinson

I hope Snaer picks KU, but I am not entirely optimistic. His bottom line is immediate playing time. Even though KU is loaded at the wing now, he is an elite player who would contribute immediately - but will he take a look at the holes at FSU and jump on board there as the "franchise player"? The argument looks great for KU, but I'm not so sure he will bite.

November 12, 2008 at 6:46 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )

KU-Nebraska game will be available on pay-per-view

How much will this cost? $20? $40?

November 3, 2008 at 10:58 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )

Recruit Henry in no hurry to select school

I hope Henry picks KU and he should take as long as he needs to make his decision. But, I wonder if the coaching staff is so set on X that it could affect our chances of getting Snaer or Cheek. Would we accept a committment from one of those guys before Henry commits? Probably not. If we get any of those three, though, we are in great shape.

October 21, 2008 at 8:20 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )

(Under)dog lovers

If we don't lose by 5 touchdowns I will consider this a small victory.

October 18, 2008 at 11:14 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )

Dugan Arnett's KU football notebook

Scout suggests Tanner's weakness is his speed and in high school developed solid pass catching and blocking skills, etc. Interesing.

October 17, 2008 at 3:22 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )

Prep hoops forward torn between Memphis, KU

I don't know if we need to secure one-and-doners to prove we are an elite team or show recruits they can come play with elite players. That is not going to necesarily improve recruiting or our odds of winning another championship.

Losing Henry would hurt but would not break KU. Self is going to get a great class. And having guys that stick around 3-4 years can be a great thing in the end. Memphis may beat KU out for some of these guys because of style points and we have to live with that. But we have a roster of good ballplayers and just need one or two real difference makers.

October 6, 2008 at 8:10 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )