I just took over Lakeland in Wooden, and I have a question on recruiting strategy. Since there is a class limit, and I can have at most 6 freshman, I'm curious as to what you would do.

a) I am thinking about recruiting 5 freshman to start immediately. Then I fill in the holes with 3 other schollies and just take my lumps, since I'd be taking them anyways with just 4 returning players. \

b) I'm also considering recruiting 6 and just starting the best available player, JUCO or not, returning or not. I try to win as many games as I can, possibly (although not likely) raise my prestige a notch, so next recruiting season I can go get 'em and my frosh will be more ready to start.

c) Another option. (Please Elaborate).

 

Again, this is what YOU would do. I just want to see if the choice I have made coincides with the choice others would make. I'm interested to see what everyone says.

I would go with option A, your prestige can't get much lower, and it'll be nice to have back-to-back years of full recruiting cash (if you do take 3 walk-ons) to recruit with. You just gotta make sure you recruit the right guys. This is all assuming you're planning to stay at Lakewood for a while, and are willing to lose for the first few seasons.

Ps: It's good to have you back in HD and good luck!

I'd also go with A as well.  You're going to lose, regardless, with only 4 returning guys.  Just play for the future.

if you had an offensive star or two on the returning team, i would say you might want to try to make something of the season. but as is, i just consider this one a throw-away. cant go lower than d3 c- anyway, and prestige is so fluid, its like, you arent really messing much up.

i would try to balance classes out somewhat though, especially if you have a longer term plan here. if you just want to leave ASAP then maybe ignore this part. but i would probably try to sign like 5 freshman, a complete well-structured starting lineup, and then id either take 3 walkons or get some jucos if they are quality. i would NOT take a low quality guy to fill any spot over 4. you really need to try to fill at least 4 but i think as long as you get 4 good players, you are fine, and 5 good players would be great. to me the most important thing is to remember that this season is junk anyway, and even without that, a walkon hurts you for 1 season (and not that badly), while a crap scholarship player screws you for 4.

The best advice I can give after the rebuilds I have done:

Don't be afraid to hand out start promises and minutes (once you are considered). Don't be afraid to spend more and only get 4 higher quality freshman as opposed to 6 above average freshman. Give a freshman a redshirt! Don't get juco players solely because they'll balance your classes - take a walk on (a bad juco isn't worth two years). Jucos/transfers can be found after signings.

you only face 4 human coaches all season, and only 1 in conference. Allen can't play a lick of defense but against D III sims he should be able to light it up from 3. I'd find the best 5 or 6 freshmen you can (and not be afraid to start a couple of them for development/promises) but I'd also make sure Allen gets good minutes and chucks a ton of 3s. Like everyone says, don't sign crappy players, but don't be afraid to take a flyer or 2 on guys with low starting values and high high potential - sometimes they go up a lot :)  Also, checking out transfers around 8 pm or a little before on signing day can find you some decent  D3 guys that got cut from their D2 clubs for whatever reason...

I think you could win half your games or so, maybe make the PIT due to your empty conference...

All depends on how long you plan on staying.

Posted by gillispie1 on 5/4/2013 6:11:00 PM (view original):
if you had an offensive star or two on the returning team, i would say you might want to try to make something of the season. but as is, i just consider this one a throw-away. cant go lower than d3 c- anyway, and prestige is so fluid, its like, you arent really messing much up.

i would try to balance classes out somewhat though, especially if you have a longer term plan here. if you just want to leave ASAP then maybe ignore this part. but i would probably try to sign like 5 freshman, a complete well-structured starting lineup, and then id either take 3 walkons or get some jucos if they are quality. i would NOT take a low quality guy to fill any spot over 4. you really need to try to fill at least 4 but i think as long as you get 4 good players, you are fine, and 5 good players would be great. to me the most important thing is to remember that this season is junk anyway, and even without that, a walkon hurts you for 1 season (and not that badly), while a crap scholarship player screws you for 4.

I hope Tbird reads this so he'll quit squalling about trying to go from a D prestige D3 team to an A+ prestige BCS team in a year (which he's done in several different threads).  If D3 teams can't drop below a C- prestige as you say (and I believe you to be correct.  When I went job hunting I couldn't find one lower than that and that was in five different worlds), then his little "challenge" would be quite impossible to accomplish, now wouldn't it? 

a

Thanks all. Seems like everyone is in agreement, and that was the one I was leaning towards. Now the problem is- how good am I at recruiting? 

I am doing the same thing and totally plan to do  a B.

This C- prestige sucks at D3, I have guys on my d2 in the 300's.   There are dudes at 430 who won't consider me.


I plan to recruit the best I can, win some games, get in the B range and go get real players next year.

I agree with billyg ... 5 players (max) and take the rest as walkons ... that lets you get paid for 6 guys next year (3 SR's, 3 Walkons).

You can then get 3 or 4 really good players with cash for 6 and take 2 (or 3) walkons for the next season ... and with 1 JR, that means 2 (or 3) paid spots that season.

I think it is very important to use walk-on spots for extra cash in the initial part of rebuilds as it lets you get some good recruits (if you take 3 guys with 6 spots, you can spend 2x as much per recruit).  Then once you have a good base team and a decent prestige, you can add depth later by filling your classes.

I took just took over a team in d3 as well, I had 6 scholarships, cut three guys and recruited this group of nine players:

ame	Pos.	GPA	FG%	FT%	A	SPD	REB	DE	BLK	LP	PE	BH	P	WE	ST	DU	TOT
Richard Eakes	SG	2.97	55.4	78.0	60	64	19	38	12	21	39	43	54	59	53	48	510
Brant Edwards	PG	2.88	52.2	62.8	30	64	1	42	1	1	39	49	26	59	77	64	453
Roland Gaylor	SG	2.93	38.3	72.4	53	52	15	46	14	30	40	61	29	57	69	66	532
Alton Horn	PG	3.27	48.3	64.2	45	65	15	30	15	15	22	65	45	28	78	25	448
Harold Lawrence	SG	2.61	54.3	65.7	57	28	30	71	12	12	14	27	12	54	76	56	449
Thomas Legg	C	2.69	70.0	68.8	57	12	75	53	50	86	1	10	9	79	71	47	550
Gary Pierce	PG	3.54	45.1	72.7	50	43	11	39	1	15	7	26	44	65	66	63	430
Bradley Spangenberg	C	2.75	53.4	58.2	74	15	39	75	25	10	3	3	3	40	66	61	414
Randall Williams	C	2.91	63.5	64.6	48	13	59	40	50	55	1	1	12	44	54	48	425
Average		2.95	53.4	67.5	52	39	29	48	20	27	18	31	26	53	67	53	467

There's no reason "to take lumps" in d3. There's a lot of blue in there I expect to win 15+ games this season.   In D3, I don't think you need so much money to recruit.  

I signed 9 guys with less than 19k to start and thats with wasting over 4k on mistakes.