bump. please pin.

A few tips that I learned the hard way....

If you have a young team that is going to struggle, put more practice time into your offense/defense. A slightly above average team ratings-wise that can run the offense-defense cold can beat a lot of teams that are more talented. While it is fun to watch ratings increase, IQ is just as important. And pick one offense and one defense. While it is fun to imagine being able to run all three offenses, being a C- at three offenses is MUCH less effective than being at A-/B+ with just one. And don't be constantly changing offenses/defenses.

At my UW-Stout Tark team, I took my lumps for two years, going 19-37. I played a five man freshman class in pretty much every start and bumped up their O/D practice minutes. By the time those kids were juniors, they were all at B level and we went to the second round of the NT. There isn't a mega-star in the bunch, but they can run the O/D really well and the lack of a superstar makes them tough to defend.

As far as recruiting, home visits are my key. I'll toss in phone calls, but home visits are what I rely on. If the kid turns them down, they don't cost you anything (although if you are too persistent, you will get charged once in a while even if they kid doesn't actually let you in the door). And once a kid accepts your home visits, being considered isn't that far off. If I end up in a recruiting battle and have a good supply of cash, I will use HVs to get a recruit considering me and campus visits to seal the deal.

Stay away from promises unless you know you can keep them. If the recruit will undoubtedly be the best PG on your roster and you are locked in a recruiting battle, promise him the starting spot. But don't use promises for the sake of using promises. Find another way to get him. Why tie your hands if you don't have to?

oldr, is 100% correct. i have been doing that since Tark season 1. hence, my far better success in tark than in rupp.

This is great advice, and to take it one step further: try to ensure that each starting position and most of the backup minutes will be filled by upperclassmen each season -- even projecting several seasons into the future.

It's common for lower division coaches to do opportunistic recruiting, just grabbing the best players in the area. That often results in a talent glut at one position and team's getting stuck depending on freshmen at other positions.

Try to recruit for need.

there are other variables...

Ok a couple questions:

I've never done bball before yeah here on a freebie. But anyway

WHen you look at a recruits total subtract DU (Durability)?

Core stats for a PG are
BH/PER/PA should those total to 105?

or for any positions that core (whatever composes it) be about 105?

Since I'm knew I've not started recruiting yet. There is so much to this!

This entire thread has had some very useful information for me. This is my first season and I'm coaching at ST. Scholastica, I've gained some valuable hints that hopefully will be used during my first season. I'm expecting to take some bumps, but we'll see!