There are tons of folks on here who are worried about filling up with 2-star and low 3-star talent. However, I think what the staff is doing right now is really smart. We are getting kids solidified in May & June who we would be scrambling to offer from December-February in a normal cycle. I do not think that these guys are reaches because the coaching staff has evaluated every single one of them in person and a handful of them have even camped with us and worked out in person. My point is that we are not recruiting from a list like Tubs/Prunty used to do. We are identifying players who fit our schemes and we are doing our homework and pulling the trigger to get them on board. We can always make room for the "can't miss" type prospects that decide later in the process at the all-star games if we are still in the running.
We just need solid, hard-working kids who will be in our system for 2-3 years getting coached up by our staff. We have made a living on lower ranked players who just wanted it more than anybody else over the past 2 decades.
Just because guys are a 2-star or lower 3-star doesn't mean they can't ball at this level. It's all about the system they come into and their ability to learn and adapt. I'd be willing to bet that by the time NSD rolls around, most of the guys ranked a 2-star on our current commit list are not only bumped up to a 3-star, but also have multiple Big 12 offers as well.
Here is a list of 5.5 3-star players or lower that had a HUGE impact on Texas Tech just in the past few years of recruiting. All of these guys have started games for TTU:
-Micah Awe (5.5 3-star)
-Sadale Foster (5.3 2-star)
-Bruce Jones (5.5 3-star)
-Will Smith (5.5 3-star)
-Keenon Ward (5.5 3-star)
-Blake Dees (5.5 3-star)
-Pete Robertson (5.5 3-star)
-Dennell Wesley (5.5 3-star)
-Darrin Moore (not ranked)
-Kerry Hyder (5.5 3-star
-DJ Johnson (5.5 3-star)
-LaAdrian Waddle (5.5 3-star)
-Jarvis Phillips (5.5 3-star)
-Donnie Carona (5.1 2-star)
-Cody Davis (5.4 2-star)
-Terry McDaniel (5.5 3-star)
-Austin Zouzalik (5.3 2-star)
We would kill to have some of those guys in our pipeline right now. Granted, those are some cherry-picked players and there are some busts over that time period as well. We just need players who will work hard and stay with the program, contributing by the time they are a JR or SR and we will be in business.
We just need solid, hard-working kids who will be in our system for 2-3 years getting coached up by our staff. We have made a living on lower ranked players who just wanted it more than anybody else over the past 2 decades.
Just because guys are a 2-star or lower 3-star doesn't mean they can't ball at this level. It's all about the system they come into and their ability to learn and adapt. I'd be willing to bet that by the time NSD rolls around, most of the guys ranked a 2-star on our current commit list are not only bumped up to a 3-star, but also have multiple Big 12 offers as well.
Here is a list of 5.5 3-star players or lower that had a HUGE impact on Texas Tech just in the past few years of recruiting. All of these guys have started games for TTU:
-Micah Awe (5.5 3-star)
-Sadale Foster (5.3 2-star)
-Bruce Jones (5.5 3-star)
-Will Smith (5.5 3-star)
-Keenon Ward (5.5 3-star)
-Blake Dees (5.5 3-star)
-Pete Robertson (5.5 3-star)
-Dennell Wesley (5.5 3-star)
-Darrin Moore (not ranked)
-Kerry Hyder (5.5 3-star
-DJ Johnson (5.5 3-star)
-LaAdrian Waddle (5.5 3-star)
-Jarvis Phillips (5.5 3-star)
-Donnie Carona (5.1 2-star)
-Cody Davis (5.4 2-star)
-Terry McDaniel (5.5 3-star)
-Austin Zouzalik (5.3 2-star)
We would kill to have some of those guys in our pipeline right now. Granted, those are some cherry-picked players and there are some busts over that time period as well. We just need players who will work hard and stay with the program, contributing by the time they are a JR or SR and we will be in business.
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