Rivals predicts Cormac Ryan to NU

[lou v]

Rivals Corey Evans is at the Nike EYBL event and caught up to with top 2018 NU target Cormac Ryan, a 6-5 four-star guard ranked 64th in the nation. Here's what Corey had to say:

Prediction: The idea of reclassing into the 2017 has been presented to him but it looks as if he will remain within the 2018 class and select Northwestern when the time presents itself.

EYBL story

 

[scru]

Promising. Hope he understands the potential benefit of an early commit towards building a great recruiting class to play with. Get the ball rolling!

 

[mickbula]

Would love to see Cormac play for NU!

 

[Deeringfish]

Promising. Hope he understands the potential benefit of an early commit towards building a great recruiting class to play with. Get the ball rolling!

From the little bit we know, he sounds like a thoughtful, deliberate individual. I'd bet that is a part of his puzzle. Probably not the most Important part.

 

[catcrazy]

Hopefully he starts a roll of top end commitments

 

[DaCat]

The Rivals guy sounds pretty confident about Cormac selecting NU. Would love to see us close the deal, the sooner the better.

 

[Windy City Cat Fan]

Unfortunately the article also projects Ayo Donsumu to Illinois

 

[JournCat]

Unfortunately the article also projects Ayo Donsumu to Illinois

If memory serves, Collins hasn't beaten Illinois for any recruit both schools pursued hard (assuming it's true as reported that ILL backed off Law and Benson). It'd be great to see CC win a head-to-head recruiting battle against them the way Fitz so often does.

 

[Deeringfish]

If memory serves, Collins hasn't beaten Illinois for any recruit both schools pursued hard (assuming it's true as reported that ILL backed off Law and Benson). It'd be great to see CC win a head-to-head recruiting battle against them the way Fitz so often does.

I could be wrong, but I feel like BB recruiting is more personal than FB so in the case of Law and Benson, let's say, a team might be more likely to back off when they see a recruit leaning away. I'd like to know more about that angle.

 

[hdhntr1]

Unfortunately the article also projects Ayo Donsumu to Illinois

Bummer

 

[EvanstonCat]

Another article on Cormac Ryan...

From the Duke guys who keep following NU and Chris Collins:

http://www.dukebasketballreport.com...-breakthrough-recruit-northwestern-basketball

Well, actually it's just a link to the Trib article. But it was reposted on the Duke site.

 

[mickbula]

I am willing to bet that the Duke faithful have a keen eye on Collins and his success here in the BIG. It would behoove them to- Coach K is not going to be around forever! They most likely will try to pry him away from NU and back to Duke when the time is right for them. I hope Collins is here to stay in Evanston for the rest of his coaching career.

 

[scru]

I am willing to bet that the Duke faithful have a keen eye on Collins and his success here in the BIG. It would behoove them to- Coach K is not going to be around forever! They most likely will try to pry him away from NU and back to Duke when the time is right for them. I hope Collins is here to stay in Evanston for the rest of his coaching career.

Become legend, don't follow a legend. The former is clearly very difficult, but ultimately a more rewarding accomplishment, I would think. The latter, based on history, is almost a surefire way to fail.

 

[VirginiaWildcat]

If memory serves, Collins hasn't beaten Illinois for any recruit both schools pursued hard (assuming it's true as reported that ILL backed off Law and Benson). It'd be great to see CC win a head-to-head recruiting battle against them the way Fitz so often does.

I don't know if this was intentional...but you sound exactly like an Illinois fan.

 

[IGNORE2]

I don't know if this was intentional...but you sound exactly like an Illinois fan.

Because if you don't drink the koolaid 247 and spout nothing but love and positive dreaminess for NU, then you cannot be a fan. NU fans know the NU is the best. Anything else is just an Alternative Reality...

 

[NUCat320]

Become legend, don't follow a legend.

He's already a legend. </s>

 

[VBCat97]

If memory serves, Collins hasn't beaten Illinois for any recruit both schools pursued hard (assuming it's true as reported that ILL backed off Law and Benson). It'd be great to see CC win a head-to-head recruiting battle against them the way Fitz so often does.

Refresh my memory. Since Collins took over, how many recruits has Collins lost to Illinois that both schools pursued hard.

 

[scru]

Refresh my memory. Since Collins took over, how many recruits has Collins lost to Illinois that both schools pursued hard.

Kipper Nichols?

 

[NJCat]

Kipper Nichols?

NU didn't have a scholarship available for Kipper, was still tied up in the JV mess.

 

[rwhitney014]

Kipper Nichols?

Nichols went to Tulane. He ended up at Illinois after transferring.

 

[JournCat]

Fair point -- it's only Kipper on their current roster, with all of the underlying circumstances there. Was counting Mark Smith and Charlie Moore listing U of I as finalists and bypassing us, at least in my head.

 

[scru]

Fair point -- it's only Kipper on their current roster, with all of the underlying circumstances there. Was counting Mark Smith and Charlie Moore listing U of I as finalists and bypassing us, at least in my head.

Not sure CCC and Co were even working on Moore in this cycle. We (I?) all assumed that they would given our needs and Moore's stated reason for the transfer, but NU was never mentioned in connection with Moore since he announced his intent to transfer.

It's really hard to figure out who they are working on in this cycle beyond E Brown. Seems like a lot of work going into 2018 class, but shockingly little noise about the two remaining spots for the 2017/18 roster. Head scratcher...

 

[willycat]

I am willing to bet that the Duke faithful have a keen eye on Collins and his success here in the BIG. It would behoove them to- Coach K is not going to be around forever! They most likely will try to pry him away from NU and back to Duke when the time is right for them. I hope Collins is here to stay in Evanston for the rest of his coaching career.

News conference today at 1pm.

 

[hdhntr1]

News conference today at 1pm.

Would that be for the contract extension?

 

[FloridAlum]

Would that be for the contract extension?

Yes

 

[Corey Evans]

I wanted to jump on real quick; I do believe that Northwestern closes the door on of its top guard targets this summer as Cormac Ryan might be the guy. It is likely a race between Northwestern and Stanford for him with Chris Collins' guys winning out.

 

[scru]

I wanted to jump on real quick; I do believe that Northwestern closes the door on of its top guard targets this summer as Cormac Ryan might be the guy. It is likely a race between Northwestern and Stanford for him with Chris Collins' guys winning out.

Thanks Corey! Appreciate the meat you're bringing to the table here. Love Lou and all he's done for WR, but the diet of basketball news on here can leave us fans a bit anemic.

Do you think the contract extension makes an impact on CMac and other 2018 targets? Maybe the thing that pushes one or two over the line here before too long?

 

[Deeringfish]

Thanks Corey! Appreciate the meat you're bringing to the table here. Love Lou and all he's done for WR, but the diet of basketball news on here can leave us fans a bit anemic.

Do you think the contract extension makes an impact on CMac and other 2018 targets? Maybe the thing that pushes one or two over the line here before too long?

I just stated on another thread, I think this is CC private style of keeping it personal.

 

[Corey Evans]

Don't think a contract means much to a kid. Yeah, it does show that Collins is in it for the long haul but they have to be more impressed with the transformation of the program and progressions they've made each year. Everyone wants to be a part of a winner.

Thanks for the kind words though, do appreciate it!

 

[scru]

Don't think a contract means much to a kid. Yeah, it does show that Collins is in it for the long haul but they have to be more impressed with the transformation of the program and progressions they've made each year. Everyone wants to be a part of a winner.

Thanks for the kind words though, do appreciate it!

Makes sense. I had either read or heard (can't recall exactly) another sports journalist stating recently that convincing recruits of coaching stability, especially in traditional "stepping stone" programs, is a key element to landing them. That the relationship with the head coach is the most important decision criteria for most recruits and they want to know that he'll be there throughout the recruit's time at the school. Do you buy into this line of thinking, or is winning tradition, facilities, and other criteria typically the more important factors?

 

[Corey Evans]

I think they all separately are integral in the sell of a complete program. At a place like Northwestern where the school is starved for on court success, believe winning is a bit more vital than a coaching tenure. However, at a place like Tennessee where they have gone through so much in recent years, seeing that someone can be at the helm for the foreseeable future is also important.

 

[PURPLECAT88]

Makes sense. I had either read or heard (can't recall exactly) another sports journalist stating recently that convincing recruits of coaching stability, especially in traditional "stepping stone" programs, is a key element to landing them. That the relationship with the head coach is the most important decision criteria for most recruits and they want to know that he'll be there throughout the recruit's time at the school. Do you buy into this line of thinking, or is winning tradition, facilities, and other criteria typically the more important factors?

I don't mean to pick on you because others have said it too, but how exactly is NU a traditional "stepping stone" program? In the last thirty years: Rich Falk never coached again, Bill Foster never coached again, Ricky Birdsong never coached again, Kevin O'Neill was a crazy person not representative of the program, and Bill Carmody is coaching in a lower level conference. NU is only a traditional stepping stone if that next step is off a cliff.

 

[catcrazy]

With all due respect, Ricky Birdsong did not coach again because of tragic circumstances

 

[scru]

I don't mean to pick on you because others have said it too, but how exactly is NU a traditional "stepping stone" program? In the last thirty years: Rich Falk never coached again, Bill Foster never coached again, Ricky Birdsong never coached again, Kevin O'Neill was a crazy person not representative of the program, and Bill Carmody is coaching in a lower level conference. NU is only a traditional stepping stone if that next step is off a cliff.

Fair point. Rather than "stepping stone", maybe more accurately put as "non-destination". I guess what I was trying to get at was that as soon as a coach achieved success at NU, he would be attacked by others as a highly probable departure for a bigger name program. We already had to face that this past season, even before making the tourney, with many media pundits making strong claims that CC would jump for Duke or some other school. This is why I think that the contract extension is a huge deal. It reduces a risk point for recruits to consider.

 

[pschatz25]

With all due respect, Ricky Birdsong did not coach again because of tragic circumstances

RIP Ricky Byrdsong, but that happened a couple of years after he coached his last game.

 

[VirginiaWildcat]

RIP Ricky Byrdsong, but that happened a couple of years after he coached his last game.

His famous "Walk On the Wild Side" in Minnesota did him in. But he was a great person. Just not prepared to coach at in the Big 10 with a handicapped program.

 

[hdhntr1]

Makes sense. I had either read or heard (can't recall exactly) another sports journalist stating recently that convincing recruits of coaching stability, especially in traditional "stepping stone" programs, is a key element to landing them. That the relationship with the head coach is the most important decision criteria for most recruits and they want to know that he'll be there throughout the recruit's time at the school. Do you buy into this line of thinking, or is winning tradition, facilities, and other criteria typically the more important factors?

But winning tradition (especially recent) facilities and the like generally also generally means stability. Guys leave lower level programs but how many leave well established successful big programs with good facilities? It happens but not that often. In the BIG look at MSU, OSU, even WIS that with change maintained continuity. IND did not but that was more because they haven't been consistent and Crean was a tool. Donovan left FL to go to the pros as did Stevens.

 

[hdhntr1]

I don't mean to pick on you because others have said it too, but how exactly is NU a traditional "stepping stone" program? In the last thirty years: Rich Falk never coached again, Bill Foster never coached again, Ricky Birdsong never coached again, Kevin O'Neill was a crazy person not representative of the program, and Bill Carmody is coaching in a lower level conference. NU is only a traditional stepping stone if that next step is off a cliff.

It is a program that is similar to others where success would enable the coach to use it as a stepping stone to a program that is traditionally more successful and easier to succeed at an offers a bigger paycheck.. THe fact is that those guys did not have success here so they were not exactly hot commodities.

 

[willycat]

But winning tradition (especially recent) facilities and the like generally also generally means stability. Guys leave lower level programs but how many leave well established successful big programs with good facilities? It happens but not that often. In the BIG look at MSU, OSU, even WIS that with change maintained continuity. IND did not but that was more because they haven't been consistent and Crean was a tool. Donovan left FL to go to the pros as did Stevens.

Well Illinois lost a couple of pretty good coaches, Kruger and Self to other big programs.

 

[JournCat]

So for those who questioned the timing of Teddy's story ...