Ok, tab and anyone else I have given my opinion to here are my thoughts on things right now.
We all know Villanova is a high academic school, ands it's not for everyone. But our pool of players is extremely small due to the fields our recruits choose. A lot of nursing, and business students. Nothing wrong with that, but they are not the easiest schools to get into at Nova.
Do you think that is used against us on the recruiting trail? Yes!
Schools say "Oh, we can take you, you can get in our program without a doubt, at Villanova...I'm not so sure." Etc. Our pool of players is small, thus HP is recruiting from all over the country. California, Ohio, Va. etc. You have to to find high academic kids that can play at a BE level. You miss on your 1st or 2nd target, then you are really down to slim pickings.
It is not for lack of trying. Nova was in the running for a sharpshooter out of NC last year. She ended up signing with UNC. Good player, but it would not surprise me if she is more than a role player there, where she could have been a big time contibutor at Nova. Time will tell, but I bet she will wish she had signed with VU before it is all over.). And we all know the EDD story. She could have possibly been big time here, but she went with the name school....and we know how that turned out.
I think we are heading in the right direction. The latest addition to the staff (Heather V.- recruiting coord.) seems to be doing a good job of trying to add athleticism to our team to compete with the Big East. Our latest class has 3 young ladies that supposedly will do that, but they will be Fr. so they will not jump in and take over.
I think HP really has overachieved in the early 2000's (which has set up some serious expectations). He was able to knock off the UConn's, make a Elite 8 run, get to the NCAA year before last led by a player that couldn't get on the court at Duke, etc. All with kids who could get in academically and graduate at Villanova, but wouldn't get off the bench at most BE/ACC schools. It is what it is, and he still needs to win, and I think he will. (I see Villanova a lot like Wake Forest in the ACC- super high academics competing in a tough neighborhood.)
HP had schools all over him after the Elite 8 run throwing a lot more money at him, but he stayed, he is loyal, he wants to win here.
So, to wrap up, I think we are going to need patience, let the staff recruit a few more classes with HV leading the way on the trail. We can't change the admission standards but if we did, you would see more talent walking through the door.
I didn't mean to be so harsh on tab, but I just don't think the standard "Fire the coach!" idea is the answer. HP knows his X's and O's, we just have to do a better job on the trail and I think we are headed that way. Hopefully things can be more positive on the boards for prospective players and parents to read.
Bash away!!
This post was edited on 1/7 12:33 PM by Coach4pride
We all know Villanova is a high academic school, ands it's not for everyone. But our pool of players is extremely small due to the fields our recruits choose. A lot of nursing, and business students. Nothing wrong with that, but they are not the easiest schools to get into at Nova.
Do you think that is used against us on the recruiting trail? Yes!
Schools say "Oh, we can take you, you can get in our program without a doubt, at Villanova...I'm not so sure." Etc. Our pool of players is small, thus HP is recruiting from all over the country. California, Ohio, Va. etc. You have to to find high academic kids that can play at a BE level. You miss on your 1st or 2nd target, then you are really down to slim pickings.
It is not for lack of trying. Nova was in the running for a sharpshooter out of NC last year. She ended up signing with UNC. Good player, but it would not surprise me if she is more than a role player there, where she could have been a big time contibutor at Nova. Time will tell, but I bet she will wish she had signed with VU before it is all over.). And we all know the EDD story. She could have possibly been big time here, but she went with the name school....and we know how that turned out.
I think we are heading in the right direction. The latest addition to the staff (Heather V.- recruiting coord.) seems to be doing a good job of trying to add athleticism to our team to compete with the Big East. Our latest class has 3 young ladies that supposedly will do that, but they will be Fr. so they will not jump in and take over.
I think HP really has overachieved in the early 2000's (which has set up some serious expectations). He was able to knock off the UConn's, make a Elite 8 run, get to the NCAA year before last led by a player that couldn't get on the court at Duke, etc. All with kids who could get in academically and graduate at Villanova, but wouldn't get off the bench at most BE/ACC schools. It is what it is, and he still needs to win, and I think he will. (I see Villanova a lot like Wake Forest in the ACC- super high academics competing in a tough neighborhood.)
HP had schools all over him after the Elite 8 run throwing a lot more money at him, but he stayed, he is loyal, he wants to win here.
So, to wrap up, I think we are going to need patience, let the staff recruit a few more classes with HV leading the way on the trail. We can't change the admission standards but if we did, you would see more talent walking through the door.
I didn't mean to be so harsh on tab, but I just don't think the standard "Fire the coach!" idea is the answer. HP knows his X's and O's, we just have to do a better job on the trail and I think we are headed that way. Hopefully things can be more positive on the boards for prospective players and parents to read.
Bash away!!
This post was edited on 1/7 12:33 PM by Coach4pride