Posted by gvsujulius on 7/16/2012 10:15:00 AM (view original):
I agree with the idea because I do it at D3 with a high level of success. Maybe I was too conservative but I was leery of getting into battles with 6 scholarships because I have read that D1 is a blood bath. There were a couple guys that got picked up by C or C+ D1 programs. Is it easy to battle a school of that nature? I was looking at scholarship money and post season money to determine if it is something I should do. 

I still feel these guys will be a significant upgrade for Davidson and I know I won't be NT dancing anytime soon, but I hope to be at C or C- in 3-4 years. Is this a reasonable expectation? 

That leads into a point I wanted to make. When you have a high number of open scholarships at low D1, be aggressive! 5 or 6 open scholarships=POWER. People don't like battling a team like that. Even if someone does try to battle, don't just lie down if it's a player you like.

With 5 or 6 open scholarships, you should try and sign 2-3 cheap players and then spend the bulk of your money on 1-2 stars. To get those stars, you can do one of two things 1) get tight early and save a chunk of money to protect them against poachers, or 2) become the poacher and take a player from vulnerable mid majors or BCS schools. (Knowing what makes a school "vulnerable" is an essential skill to learn in D1). 

I've used both strategies at low D1 and been effective.

Well I just added Steve Dison to round out my class. I battled a C+ prestige D1 program so I must be doing something right with him. http://www.whatifsports.com/hd/RecruitProfile/Scouting.aspx?rid=2431394

ATH 53 (avg)
SPD 43 (low)
Reb  62 (high-high)
Def 63 (high)
SB 42 (high)
LP 30 (high - high)
PER 19
BH 40
PAS 15
STA 74 (high)
DUR 68 (high)
FT% 65%
OVR 566


 

Posted by caesari on 7/16/2012 2:37:00 PM (view original):
I've found that it's helpful to have a guy like this on the team.

I don't think you can win without it.

+1 This is the key to winning at low D1. Gotta have these kind of guys.

Posted by tkimble on 7/15/2012 11:50:00 PM (view original):
Advice for low D1 schools (in the Ds):

1) You should rarely (if ever) fill all your scholarships.  Go big or go home, that's the only way you're going to improve.  Don't just take a guy because you don't want to come away with nothing.  Most of the time, nothing is better than a crappy big man because that big man is on campus the next four years and a walk-on is only there for 1.

2) You shouldn't ever come away with a well rounded recruit because that probably means he's not good enough anywhere to be effective.  Find guys with extreme strengths and try to set off their weaknesses.  

3) Find the low-rated guys with high-high potentials because taking a big man with 20 LP but  high-high is a lot better than taking a big man with 45 LP and low-high potential because only one of them has a chance at being an elite scorer.  Low D1 in all about high-high potential because that is where your studs come from.  

4) GO INTERNATIONAL!!!!!!  These guys are the high-risk high-reward players and that's exactly what you need.  The bigger schools don't want to deal with most unranked and seemingly untalented international guys because it's a risk they can't really afford to take.  They can find these same types of lowly ranked guys locally, except they know the local guys have great potential and so they take them.  As a lowly ranked D1 school, it's very hard to get a local guy with a bunch of high potentials, but it is SO MUCH EASIER if you go overseas.  Yea, most international guys you scout are going to be ****, but once in a while you find a guy that has high-high potential EVERYWHERE.  Normally, this guy would go to a big 6 school, but since they have no idea of his potentials, you can scoop up this international gem and dominate your conference.