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November Signing Date


Old Titan

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TU received an unprecedented second "in-state" commitment for the same recruiting class yesterday, when James Woodard, 6-4 shooting guard from Edmond Memorial (and recipient of an offer from ORU), joined Lawton-Ike power forward D'Andre Wright as 2012 "early signing" commits for the Golden Hurlicane.

For some reason, these two early commitments got me thinking once again of our own recruiting efforts the past few years.

Now I will admit, I'm on record as panicking at this time of year before, when it appeared we were nowhere to be found on the recruiting trails, only to eat my words as we plucked such gems as Michael Craion and Steven Roundtree seemingly out of thin air in the spring.

Still, I can't help but notice that Dominique Morrison is in fact our ONLY November signee in the past FIVE YEARS to even stay in school for more than a season or two, much less contribute anything.

So here's the question: am I alone in thinking that over a five-year period, a school like ORU should be able to sign more than just ONE 3-star type freshman in November, as opposed to frantically beating the bushes every spring and early summer for diamonds-in-the-rough, juco mystery men, baggaged D-1 transfers, and other such wayward souls?

It would sure be cool in November for us to announce the signing of a kid who can play a little bit, has his grades in order, and can contribute next year.

Because after this season, we have some MAJOR holes to fill on the roster - and if a successful W-L record this year results in a probably-long-overdue coaching change in the spring, and we once again have no early signees, then it's going to make the spring/summer signing period even more stressful for die-hard ORU fans than usual... :sweat:

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great analysis OT. if ORU signed the big man from kansas, would that make the type of splash in the early recruiting period that you are talking about?

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I know that TU has had success recruiting some in-state kids in the past, but it seems that they usually go out of state to sign most of their players. Does the fact that their first two commitments are from in-state seem like a bad thing or a good thing for TU recruiting?

Usually TU doesn't perceive themselves as recruiting and offering the same level of player that ORU is recruiting and offering (of course perception is probably not reality in this instance). I guess I'm wondering if Wojcik is having trouble recruiting outside of the state due to the tenuous nature of his relationship with the powers that be at TU, or if these in-state players are fairly high quality players that he just snagged away from ORU.

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It would sure be cool in November for us to announce the signing of a kid who can play a little bit, has his grades in order, and can contribute next year.

Hmmm - sounds like a description of Caleb Green. Is it too much to ask for a fall signing of a player like Caleb?

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I do think that the talent level has fallen off in recent years but I don't think that is the primary problem... it's roster management.

ORU always seems to have 1-2 players with little chance of making it on to the floor. When that happens it puts even more pressure on the team; not only during practice and the season but to recruit for the next year.

The good news I don't see that on this roster so things are improving.

I fundamentally agree that you have to build a program around four year guys. It's hard to build continuity with JUCO players and transfers. BUT if a Larry Owens or Michael Craion are available you take them.

It would have been nice to land the Jenkins twins from Douglass...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9NRK4mcmzXI

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Sounds like the twins might have less than a 50-50 shot of actually showing up at ORU.....they would be a nice get for us...... :sweat:

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I know that TU has had success recruiting some in-state kids in the past, but it seems that they usually go out of state to sign most of their players. Does the fact that their first two commitments are from in-state seem like a bad thing or a good thing for TU recruiting?

Usually TU doesn't perceive themselves as recruiting and offering the same level of player that ORU is recruiting and offering (of course perception is probably not reality in this instance). I guess I'm wondering if Wojcik is having trouble recruiting outside of the state due to the tenuous nature of his relationship with the powers that be at TU, or if these in-state players are fairly high quality players that he just snagged away from ORU.

It does appear that Doug Wojcik is wrapping himself in the Oklahoma state flag in an effort to survive what might be a very rocky season this year. It's an interesting change of recruiting philosophy for Chicken Little, considering his only other state signee in the past few years, Jenks' Bryson Pope, was something of a disappointment who ultimately transferred this summer to a MAC school.

For the record, Woodard is considered one of the better players in what many view as a down year for high school talent in the state. Rivals.com has him as a 3-star prospect, and it appears he chose TU over Vanderbilt, after OSU passed him over this past week for higher-ranked talent.

Wright, on the other hand, is more of a project, without much in the way of high school or AAU cred, but his Kevin Ford-like physical make-up had drawn the attention from a handful of other D-1 programs beyond just TU.

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It would have been nice to land the Jenkins twins from Douglass...

Is there any new news about these guys? They look good in the video above!

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Regarding recruiting....

I retweeted this on the 9th:

@NextLevelRecrut

"Oral Roberts doing an in home visit w Jorden Kaufman, 2012 C, Andover Central (KS)."

Then I saw this by Kyan Brown:

@KyanBrown

"We had a great day out on the recruiting trail today!!!!! More good days to come."

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Kyan giving us a little tease there....wonder what's going on?..... :nerd:

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As for recruiting Oklahoma, there are usually very few legitimate D-1 prospects anyway from that state. I think ORU tries to sign guys early that may be a notch above in caliber above our level. If we sign one great, if not we take more flyers and JUCOs in the spring. Really the nature of being a smaller school. At a small school (as nearly every other D-1) school there is a good amount of turnover in basketball, unfortuantely that is the way it has to be. You sign guys that you think can contribute if they can't you move them on to other programs where they can play. The coaches will always fill the scholarships which is why we see guys with a lot of upside come in (and lately transfer out) but we did hit it big with late signee Warren Niles as of late.

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bball, That is a very good response and generally that is how it works for smaller schools.Now if you make the tourney and win a game then everything changes. You get so much exposure and pub for your team and school. That would make a huge difference.

Caleb Green is a once in a decade type of guy. Have to get really lucky to get that type of guy again. You just hope a guy slips through the cracks like the kid from BTW this spring. Gonna be a player for ORU.

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NCAA Tourney....here we come!....we have a pretty good squad this year with a good combo of experience and youth....if this guard from BTW in Tulsa is the real deal....look out....with leadership from DoMo, Craion and Pearson, improvement from DBH, Tree, Niles and all the new guys....look out Oakland!.... :*

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With Pearson, Holdman, and Niles all returning there will be fewer minutes for new guards which may not be a bad thing anyway. We need to find that new guard scorer behind Niles and Morrison to fill the void once DoMo leaves after this season. I'm holding all judgement or expectations on new players until I see them play.

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(@Sam_Duren)

9/13/11 10:24 PM

Fresno St visited Edmond Santa Fe's Aaron Anderson today, the 6'3 combo guard is also hearing from ORU, Tulsa, Texas St & Nevada #OKPreps

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(@Sam_Duren)

9/14/11 7:12 PM

Edmond Santa Fe's Shaq Morris, 6'7 PF 2013, picked up an offer from ORU today, he has a previous offer from Jacksonville St #okpreps

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A 6'7" PF....now that's just what we need!...Is this kid any good?...... :nerd:

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