4-STAR BIG MAN BARRET BENSON COMMITS TO NU

[GOUNUII]

How in the world would NU's offer be the only one committable out of like 15 of them? Sounds like wishful thinking there.

This may be a good example of a situation where the truth lies somewhere in between. Barret has admitted he didn't have the best summer when all eyes from the recruiting world (i.e. coaches) were on him for critical evaluations. And he is not the type of big man who is going to show rare quickness, reach, size or explosion...the kind of physical talents coaches can't resist, regardless of how well the prospect uses those God given attributes. He appears to be one of those prospects that is going to have to be very efficient with his skills ... a welcome addition to the program but still a developmental prospect.

GOUNUII

 

[Figrating]

Aren't we done?

The story at InsideNU says there is another scholarship available.

 

[NJCat83588]

The story at InsideNU says there is another scholarship available.

That is correct. NU has only 12 players on scholarship this year, and with 3 running out of eligibility (Olah, Demps, van Zegeren) they can give up to 4 next season.

 

[EvanstonCat]

Our last two classes have committed to us over offers from the following schools (repeats left in for emphasis), per rivals offer list:

auburn
boston college
boston college
cincinnati
clemson
creighton
creighton
creighton
dayton
depaul
georgia
harvard
harvard
illinois
iowa
iowa
iowa
iowa
marquette
memphis
missouri
nc state
nevada
notre dame
oregon st
penn st
pittsburgh
providence
purdue
purdue
purdue
rutgers
seton hall
stanford
texas tech
utah st
vanderbilt
vanderbilt
VCU
virginia tech
washington
west virginia
west virginia
xavier

Huge get. But, we haven't arrived until we start seeing Illinois multiple times, as well as the likes of Kansas, UNC, Duke, Kentucky, dOSU, Louisville, and Michigan State on this list.

 

[Wrestlerneverdiesasacatfan]

Congrats

 

[NURoseBowl]

The nice thing is that even though the teams in the middle aren't in the tournament every year, they do make the tournament fairly often. So if we can get to that level, it'll only be a matter of time. Which is something I never thought I'd say.

Collins is doing unbelievable things with recruiting. Assuming he can coach these guys up -- and there's no reason to think he can't -- we're likely going to reach unprecedented heights in the next few years.

I - and many, if not most ALL of us - buy this stance as being well within the bounds of reason. As such (and yes, I know we've just sweetened his contract), let me ask this: Beyond the obvious (and soon to be nonexistent) "He hasn't made the Tournament yet" , what, exactly, is the argument against giving him a new contract; one that pays him enough that he wouldn't even seriously entertain other offers? If Chris Collins not only makes the Tournament at Northwestern, but has the program on a serious upward trajectory -- and this seems, dare I say it, happily inevitable -- why even risk having a "name" program sweep in and offer him, say, $4 million a year . . . and losing him because we're insisting on paying 25-30% less? If Collins indeed gets us where we're apparently headed, the amount of time it'll take for larger programs to swoop in with lucrative offers will be measured in nanoseconds. Other than the fact that it's not my money, I've got to ask . . . why not head this off at the pass? Why not give him a contract sweet enough that he's happy to stay here with no nagging second thoughts about leaving a lot more money on the table? Given what he's accomplished, reshaping the roster into something the likes of which we never honestly thought we'd EVER see (let alone this quickly), the argument could at least be made to pay him in the range of the top third of coaches in the Big Ten. To me, that would seem around the sweet spot between going WAY over the top (like putting his salary in Izzo territory) and lowballing him to the extent that his antennae are on the alert for a better offer. He has local ties, he has local name recognition, a marvelous area in which to raise his kids and enjoy a magnificent lifestyle, and the chance to put an indelible stamp on a program at an outstanding university . . . about the only thing I can see pulling him away would be a significantly higher offer from a name program. So I say, WHATEVER that takes . . . DON'T. LET. THAT. HAPPEN. Hey, I'm just sayin' . . . . .

 

[Gladeskat]

We just gave CCC a raise to put him in the middle of the conference in salary.

 

[NJcatsfan]

Arrow: Up. Love it.

 

[NJCat83588]

We just gave CCC a raise to put him in the middle of the conference in salary.

Maybe he needs another raise to get to the top. Then his recruiting would also move to the top.

 

[Gladeskat]

Maybe he needs another raise to get to the top. Then his recruiting would also move to the top.

True. The first thing star recruits look at and is key in their final decision is how well the head coach is paid.

 

[NURoseBowl]

[QUOTE="Gladeskat, post: 51846, member: 382"]We just gave CCC a raise to put him in the middle of the conference in salary.

Acknowledged, Glades. My whole point, though, is . . . Is that enough to keep him firmly in place when the inevitable Power Conference school drops an offer of $3.5 million a year at his feet? Unless there are doubts about the direction in which the program is headed, why even allow him to be in a position where a significantly higher offer is not only possible, but extremely LIKELY? Make him an offer he can't refuse, make him a Northwestern basketball lifer, and sit back and enjoy the ride as this legacy takes shape. Full disclosure: I fully realize this isn't my money we're talking about. But as a fan . . . DAMN, this is an easy wish to make.

 

[Gladeskat]

He hasn't achieved anything notable yet! Until he gets into the NCAA tournament, then it's reasonable to have some doubts. At least doubts about whether to reward CCC with a contract comparable to the top coaches in the Big Ten.

When he does, I'm sure Phillips will tear up the old contract and offer him a better one like our AD's have done for our successful football coaches.

 

[NJCat83588]

When he does, I'm sure Phillips will tear up the old contract and offer him a better one like our AD's have done for our successful football coaches.

Not exactly the best example of setting the program up for sustained excellence........

 

[Gladeskat]

Not exactly the best example of setting the program up for sustained excellence........

Give me a break! NU has performed better than any other academic school in the country over the past 20 years with the possible exception of Stanford.

Do you think we should NOT reward our coaches when they win 10 games or win the conference or get into the NCAA tournament while graduating over 90% of their athletes?

 

[hdhntr1]

Not exactly the best example of setting the program up for sustained excellence........

Phillips has already done that with one contract for CCC. He supposedly around the midpoint of the conference now but he has not done anything other than start to put in the foundation. He has shown he can recruit and we have seen signs that he might be a pretty good coach but so far it is all potential. When we show continued improvement to the point of getting to the promised land, that is the time to revisit the contract. He is very fairly paid for now.

 

[NURoseBowl]

Phillips has already done that with one contract for CCC. He supposedly around the midpoint of the conference now but he has not done anything other than start to put in the foundation. He has shown he can recruit and we have seen signs that he might be a pretty good coach but so far it is all potential. When we show continued improvement to the point of getting to the promised land, that is the time to revisit the contract.

My fear, hdhntr, is that if we wait 'til he makes the tournament, the vultures will descend before the last ball drops through the net, and at that point it may be too late. A strong preemptive strike - beyond what we've already done - might go a long way toward warding that off. By all indications (not just a player or two, as we've had in the past), this program is headed in a direction the likes of which none of us have seen in our lifetimes. If there's ever been a chance worth taking, this is it in spades.

 

[Gladeskat]

Your fears will be Phillips' fears as well. Relax.

 

[NJCat83588]

Do you think we should NOT reward our coaches when they win 10 games ?

Winning 10 games over the last 2 seasons is reward enough for us diehard fans!

 

[hoosboot]

I'm confused, RoseBowl. Even if we give him ANOTHER big shiny contract, what's to stop CCC from taking the offer whenever the vultures descend? He's either going to want to be here or not and he's either going to take our $ or someone else's. At that point, he's going to go with whatever is the best situation for CCC. Why throw out a whole ton of extra money now when we'll have that opportunity if the time comes.

 

[Gladeskat]

Winning 10 games over the last 2 seasons is reward enough for us diehard fans!

Oh stop your whining or I'll send you back to the Dark Ages where fans were rewarded with 10 wins over 5 seasons rather than 10 in one year, or (gasp), over two years.

Duke and Vanderbilt hadn't seen 10 wins in two years for over several decades until recently. Vanderbilt will be lucky to see 10 wins in the next three years.

 

[Figrating]

True. The first thing star recruits look at and is key in their final decision is how well the head coach is paid.

1. Do I start?
2. Can I shoot?
3. How much TV time do I get?

 

[NURoseBowl]

I'm confused, RoseBowl. Even if we give him ANOTHER big shiny contract, what's to stop CCC from taking the offer whenever the vultures descend? He's either going to want to be here or not and he's either going to take our $ or someone else's. At that point, he's going to go with whatever is the best situation for CCC. Why throw out a whole ton of extra money now when we'll have that opportunity if the time comes.

I suppose, Hoos, that nothing's really to stop him from taking another offer if he really wants to graze in more established pastures. What I'm saying here (perhaps a bit prematurely, but you can certainly fathom why I'm saying this) is that I'd like to see us make this as attractive a pasture as it can possibly be --- and not only for reasons BEYOND money. We can all appreciate the intrinsic positives in being the head coach at (and living near) Northwestern. And as we ALSO well know, money still speaks loudly, and we're certainly not the only place that can offer a lot of positives, i.e., lifestyle, program infrastructure, climate, etc., and I'd hate to see us lose him because we simply got outbid. I don't have quite the longevity with the program that some of our distinguished posters have, but I DO have thirty+ years on board this ship, and I can say unequivocally that I've never had the kind of anticipation of the coming seasons that I have now. Call it coincidence if you like, but I credit this almost exclusively to Coach Collins and the dramatic, and more importantly, REPEATED recruiting successes he's had (and is continuing to have). To lose him because another attractive program offered him, say, half a million a year more would be criminal.

 

[Styre]

To lose him because another attractive program offered him, say, half a million a year more would be criminal.

Here's the thing -- any established athletic power is going to be able to offer any of our coaches a raise. Any coach who places a high priority on his salary is always going to be a danger to leave NU because we don't have the athletics money of our competitors.

I think our recent contract extension for CC is more than enough for what he has accomplished thus far. Remember, while his recruiting has thus far been exceptional for NU, it's still decidedly middle-of-the-road for the conference. If he leads us to the tournament, I guarantee you there will be new NU paper in front of him within days of the end of our run. But if some major power wants to swoop in at that point and offer him millions more, they're going to do that no matter what we do with his salary right now. And hopefully he will have enough reasons to stay that outweigh the salary increase.

(This is a problem I would really like to have, incidentally)

 

[EvanstonCat]

Recruiting ranking will fall as other schools fill out their classes, but this class is currently ranked #3 in the B1G and top 10 in the nation. I suspect we will end up in the top 30 or so with two 4 stars and a 3 star. Which is a far cry from where we have ever been. Ever.

 

[IGNORE]

And this one too. GONU did call him a developmental project - in the middle of all the hoopla.

 

[haywood jahblowme]

I'm probably most excited about Pardon. He has video unlike any I've seen from an NU big. He also did it playing against some of the best competition in the county. I know he's "undersized" but the kid is going to put up some numbers for us.

lunker was the one on point here

 

[haywood jahblowme]

i am very excited for the 3 incoming players as well.

if those guys don't develop to a high level and graduate in 3 years and decide to go leave to play their final year elsewhere, please book mark this post and share it.

i will still say i am excited they came NU, fulfilled their academic requirements, and wish them the best to finish their basketball career.


its a pretty ridiculous thing overall - to bring these threads back. probably everybody for every school gets over excited and over values their recruits. its human nature to see things in the best possible light for your prerogative. as we have seen 40% transfer. 60% don't.

of the 60 - how many get over recruited? how many live up to the hype? how many 4-stars turn out average? how many 2-stars become studs? how many at of all of them make the NBA? how many miss the tournament? how many never develop?

none of that factors into the human moment of excitement when someone joins your team or school

 

[Cat Fan in Buckeye Land]

i am very excited for the 3 incoming players as well.

if those guys don't develop to a high level and graduate in 3 years and decide to go leave to play their final year elsewhere, please book mark this post and share it.

i will still say i am excited they came NU, fulfilled their academic requirements, and wish them the best to finish their basketball career.


its a pretty ridiculous thing overall - to bring these threads back. probably everybody for every school gets over excited and over values their recruits. its human nature to see things in the best possible light for your prerogative. as we have seen 40% transfer. 60% don't.

of the 60 - how many get over recruited? how many live up to the hype? how many 4-stars turn out average? how many 2-stars become studs? how many at of all of them make the NBA? how many miss the tournament? how many never develop?

none of that factors into the human moment of excitement when someone joins your team or school

You’ve been killing it on here this week, Haywood (you pretty much always do)! Thank you for bringing the sanity around here!

 

[hdhntr1]

i am very excited for the 3 incoming players as well.

if those guys don't develop to a high level and graduate in 3 years and decide to go leave to play their final year elsewhere, please book mark this post and share it.

i will still say i am excited they came NU, fulfilled their academic requirements, and wish them the best to finish their basketball career.


its a pretty ridiculous thing overall - to bring these threads back. probably everybody for every school gets over excited and over values their recruits. its human nature to see things in the best possible light for your prerogative. as we have seen 40% transfer. 60% don't.

of the 60 - how many get over recruited? how many live up to the hype? how many 4-stars turn out average? how many 2-stars become studs? how many at of all of them make the NBA? how many miss the tournament? how many never develop?

none of that factors into the human moment of excitement when someone joins your team or school

What I have said over time is that while CCC has shown to be a very solid recruiter, he had not been great at recruiting strategically. He did well at recruiting high rated individuals but there were holes on what he put together overall. I expected him to learn from his mistakes and even though we have fewer guys in the program right now, it is a better mix of positions. Two guys that can play the point plus two at the two plus two Bigs and 3 wings, Hopefully this is added too in the Grad Transfer market but we already have a better mix going forward.