Dear D1 coaches,
Please refrain from "poaching" freshman recruits from D2 teams at the cycle they are due to sign with the D2 team they have become interested in. I understand you're under pressure to fill all of your scholarships, but with your C+ prestige do you really need to be aiming for the #162 C? Some of us D2 coaches may need the #162 C after losing battles with D2 coaches for the #119 and #126 Cs. It should tell you something that the #162 C was still available long after signings had started.
I understand that sometimes this happens to the best. I remember in 2000 when Duke got jilted by a recruit and needed a last-minute PG. Coach K signed
Andre Buckner from KY, who was on nobody's radar as a D1 player (and rode the Cameron Indoor bench for 4 seasons). But this appears to be less of an exception and more of a rule in HD-- I see a lot of human coaches going after D2 players that would be fine (but not great) in D2 but crappy in D1. I understand when the mindless SimAI does it, but its methods are not ones that anyone thinks should be copied.
If we could avoid this happening in the future, I think the entire D2 coaching community would appreciate it.
Sincerely,
An A- prestige D2 coach.