Quote:
Originally Posted by CAARHawk
If Luke wouldn't have gotten hurt that team would have been a lot different. Reggie was a freaking beast down low. I keep saying this is the type of playing FM should be focusing on.
Why go head to head with guys in better position to get the top high school talent? Go out and find a Juco beast to come in and control the front court.
Technically, that was Alford's second class. But it was the first one in which he had a full cycle to recruit. This is the same place FM is at right now and where my research seems to show the coaches who turn programs around normally make their mark.
I am not a fan of Alford, but I think we all should realize that if Pierre doesn't melt down like he did, Alford's level of success at Iowa would be quite different.
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If memory serves, Alford's "Top 5" class was recruited right around the time his first year started, because I remember Dick Vitale talking about how much Alford had cleaned up in recruiting during the Iowa/Uconn game in year 1. The top 5/top 10 class didn't get to campus until year 2. So McCaffery technically has had time to sign a big class, if Alford could do it in time to get those players on campus by year 2. BUT.. Alford also walked into a situation where the previous year's team had lots of graduation, so there must have been plenty of schollies available to use. I don't think Fran has that same luxury. We also can't overlook the fact that we had just gone to the Sweet 16 when Alford was hired, and Fran is walking into a mess.