Just stating the facts. Despite winning the SEC title, getting to the Sweet Sixteen, etc...

We lost six seniors last year, with four of them scholarship players who formed the core of our minutes, scoring, etc... This staff has just brought in one premier freshman for this season. Granted, I am really excited about what Robert Williams can do for the program. And I hope Vila can be a contributor. But that can't be considered any kind of recruiting success. We have to be honest about that.

I don't plan to get into any arguments with anyone here. Just want to recognize that this is quite a disappointment to me.

Steeple said:

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Just stating the facts. Despite winning the SEC title, getting to the Sweet Sixteen, etc...

We lost six seniors last year, with four of them scholarship players who formed the core of our minutes, scoring, etc... This staff has just brought in one premier freshman for this season. Granted, I am really excited about what Robert Williams can do for the program. And I hope Vila can be a contributor. But that can't be considered any kind of recruiting success. We have to be honest about that.

I don't plan to get into any arguments with anyone here. Just want to recognize that this is quite a disappointment to me.

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The recruiting class ended up being a bust which is very concerning considering recruiting is what this program is going to have to consistently hit on if we're going to stay successful.

It's a helluva lot better spot to be in than we were 2.5 years ago, but I think many feel/felt we had proven we're "back" due to the performance last year, but for many there was never really a doubt that BK could put together a winner for a single season if things fell just in place in regards to the roster. The question was could he string together multiple years of success with either continued elite recruiting or plus coaching.

This year will basically tell the tale on that.

We should be no worse than 2nd in the SEC this season, or at the very least within one game of it. If we fail to hit that mark then I think it's pretty obvious the type of program we are under BK.

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The recruiting class ended up being a bust which is very concerning considering recruiting is what this program is going to have to consistently hit on if we're going to stay successful.

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Yes, getting in the guys that we wanted for this year was a disappointment, but Caldwell will play next year and Robert Williams and Vila will contribute this year. If Gilder can play the PG position, this team could be pretty good.

czar_iv said:

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The recruiting class ended up being a bust which is very concerning considering recruiting is what this program is going to have to consistently hit on if we're going to stay successful.

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Yes, getting in the guys that we wanted for this year was a disappointment, but Caldwell will play next year and Robert Williams and Vila will contribute this year. If Gilder can play the PG position, this team could be pretty good.

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Agreed. On paper I would think we are the 2nd best team in the SEC, though with basketball it's difficult to forecast since freshman can come in and make a huge impact (both for us and other teams). Mississippi State has been an after-thought for a while, but on paper that's a tournament team this year.

Here's a quick roster breakdown based on recruiting rankings. UK is clearly above everyone else. UF is next. Then Bama, A&M, MSU, Ark, Auburn are actually all right there pretty close together. Obviously recruiting rankings aren't everything this doesn't factor in experience or anything like that but lots of other SEC teams have recruited just as well as we have over the past 3-4 years combined. The SEC should be a much better basketball conference with the way it recruits.

A&M:
5 stars- 1
4 stars- 5 (and 1 of these guys is ineligible)

Kentucky:
5 stars- 6
4 stars- 2

LSU:
5 stars- 1
4 stars- 3

MSU:
5 stars- 0
4 stars- 8

Arkansas:
5 stars-
4 stars- 5

Florida:
5 stars- 2
4 stars- 6

Alabama:
5 stars- 0
4 stars- 7

Auburn:
5 stars- 1
4 stars- 5

Sadly, the success of this year is really all on Gilder, which isn't fair, but definitely the reality. IMO, the front court of Davis, Troche and Williams have a chance to be a special group. Then, throw in a more mature Hogg; this team might be something. Cautiously, I think Vila will be a decent player; my only question with him is can he defend anybody.

Steeple said:

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I don't plan to get into any arguments with anyone here. Just want to recognize that this is quite a disappointment to me.

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I don't think you will find anyone on here that isn't disappointed with how the recruiting class turned out. But you failed to mention about bringing in JC Hampton as a senior transfer. So while Caldwell is out this year, Hampton will more than make up for that. We're getting a 16 ppg scorer who shoots 35% from 3 and 80+% from the FT line.

The team isn't as deep as we all hoped but the talent is there to contend for a top 6-seed in the dance.

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The team isn't as deep as we all hoped but the talent is there to contend for a top 6-seed in the dance.

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Too early to say this ... Right now, we don't have a true PG. We have that potential, but we need to see the play of Gilder/Carlton/Hampton/Eubanks/Hogg backcourt.

We were also able to get a late addition PG in Caleb Smith whom Mizzou and Tech were after. Waiting to hear how he's looking before rushing into too much judgement on last year's recruiting class. The Caldwell ruling was very unfortunate but we should get him to play next year.

I've been trying to piece together my thoughts on this team. On one hand you have 3 high quality, proven commodities (Gilder, Davis, Trocha) and other high ceiling guys (Hogg and Williams). On the other hand you're counting on Freshman, transfers, and rarely used players (Vila, Hampton, Miller, and Eubanks) to provide the depth. Last year our veterans were able to be spelled by quality young players. This year the "veterans" are much less experienced although as physically gifted, if not more so. If Hampton can play turnover free and get others involved similar to Collins last year I think this team should be the #2 team in the SEC and 5/6 seed in the big dance.

If Gilder and Trocha are proven commodities then Hogg is too. I'd put all three of them a level below Davis, who's a potential All-American caliber player.

I'm withholding all judgment until I see the boys play this Thursday.

Calling the 2016 recruiting class a 'bust' seems pre-mature, because there is a decent chance the basketball program picked up three pretty high quality players in Williams, Vila, and Caldwell. Any or even all of those guys could have nice careers at A&M.

Logan seems to really like Vila. Says his shot is as smooth as Hogg's and he is 6'10" with the skill set to play out on the wing. Needs work with Darby to bulk up but could be a really nice player for us particularly by his Soph season. Apparently he has already impressed in some early practices this year.

Talking about how much 2016 recruiting class can help specifically next season is of course somewhat a different conversation. Caldwell is red shirting (essentially) and Williams and Vila are both fish. We will get some contributions no doubt particularly from Williams and Vila but we'll see how much.

I think he is working out, but not really "practicing". That sounds like it will take more time.

consider me skeptical that Hampton coming from Lipscomb is an even trade for an Anthony Collins with NCAA tourney experience from USF.

Steeple said:

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consider me skeptical that Hampton coming from Lipscomb is an even trade for an Anthony Collins with NCAA tourney experience from USF.

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They are different dudes. Hampton seems more like an undersized 2. Hampton has been the best player on his team against D1 competition and that means something.

Steeple said:

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I think he is working out, but not really "practicing". That sounds like it will take more time.

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He should be really close if not doing full practices yet. Logan reported at the first day of practice of about two more weeks. Thurday's open scrimmage, probably we can get word from somebody who goes of how much Kobe participated.

Steeple said:

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consider me skeptical that Hampton coming from Lipscomb is an even trade for an Anthony Collins with NCAA tourney experience from USF.

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I think it is very reasonable to assume this year's team is going to be a drop off from last year. Last year's squad won 28 games (most ever by an A&M team) and SEC title and lost a ton of seniors.

We are thinner and less experienced in the back court. However in the front court a sophomore Davis, junior Trocha, senior Miller, and freshman Williams seems actually a stronger position for us compared to last year in terms of post play. Logan has mentioned that you may see us play a lot more zone this season to try to take advantage of the length that we have on the wing with guys like Hogg (6'8"), Vila (6'10"), and Trocha (6'10")

We certainly have enough talent to at least be an NCAA team. We'll see.

If we do make the NCAA this season, then 2017-2018 could be another 'peak deep run' year if we return most of the key pieces of this year's team plus add Caldwell, Starks, Jasey, and Flagg.

czar_iv said:

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The team isn't as deep as we all hoped but the talent is there to contend for a top 6-seed in the dance.

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Too early to say this ... Right now, we don't have a true PG. We have that potential, but we need to see the play of Gilder/Carlton/Hampton/Eubanks/Hogg backcourt.

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We're picked 3rd in the conference and a fringe top 25 team by most.

can't disagree with anything you said.