No matter which tigers he picks, his recruiting process makes him seem like a good kid. Quite the opposite of Bryce Brown's recruiting process...no mentors....no websites...no contrived press conferences disigned to focus national attention on him...no fasting and public religious breastbeating (also designed for maximizing attention and promote image)... and to top it off, NJ wants to move away from unethical programs and towards good ones. Go figure . NJ you're certainly welcome here, if this is where you want to go.
Brutal. Yes, Rivals is reporting Clemson too. This one hurts, largely b/c it would have been so huge for the Tigers for next season. :cry: I had a bad feeling yesterday though In the end, this is what Noel had to say... "I chose Clemson for the academics of course, just the way coach Purnell is and also their winning tradition and playing in the ACC." :huh: I get the fact that if at the end of the day, it's closer and it's in the ACC. But, don't give me the winning tradition and stuff. He would have been on as big if not a bigger stage at LSU. Oh well, let's wrap up this thread and leave open more schollies for next year's deep class. :thumb:
That hurts, but you have to be impressed with how much ground Trent and the staff made up in such a short time. I wish Noel nothing but the best, and I look forward to the class of 2010.
Well, there's looking at the positive :wink:. On the day after, and having some time to get over the disappointment, I'm left trying to rationalize a little. After all, Trent proponents will say that it was an accomplishment even to be in the game--we get on Noel after by fortuitous circumstances he becomes available just 5 or 6 weeks ago, and we make the final two, competing against a school that's been recruiting Noel since the 10th grade. But, Trent doubters (and believe me they seem to exist more--esp, when it comes to Trent's recruiting) will say that LSU lost out despite many advantages, including former CJ mentoring, the SEC C, the new facilities, lots of PT, and a system that seemed to fit right with NJ's style. After digesting many of the reports coming out yesterday night, I believe that I just had my odds reversed. LSU lost a very close decision according to Noel's dad, and that Noel had utmost respect for Trent and the potential teammates at LSU, but that the deciding factors for Clemson were distance (90 minute drive), ACC, and chance to play (potentially start) immediately. Throw the academics in there (I can't say that I would necessarily say Clemson's academic rep is that much better) and you have Clemson edging out LSU. In the end, I have to think that distance was the main factor, AND whatever Purnell and staff did to convince NJ that he'd be the man appealed to him. :angry: Here's the interesting observation. Although, none of us were in those recruiting meetings, what I have to say will time and time challenge LSU's ability to land the top level talent, is Trent's style. I don't think Trent would EVER promise a kid a starting role, or x amount of playing time. I think Trent certainly explained to Noel his system, where he might fit, and how he would be used, but Trent's just not going to bowl you over with his salesmanship. I don't know if at the end of the day, Noel felt more "comfortable" with Purnell b/c of that. But, this loss still stings a little a day after, and I'm trying to cope. In the back of my mind, I do worry a little bit about why the top 50 kind of recruit has spurned Trent. So far, he's landed Dotson, but he's missed out on Cousins, Sidney, Riley, the big Ukranian kid K.Natzyahko, and Bawa Muniru (debated if they backed off LSU or vice versa), N. Johnson, and you could really argue on some others (wasn't able to get back in the game with Tommy Mason Griffin). I wonder if Trent was say J Cal, Roy Williams, or gasp even Tim Floyd, whether those recruits would have swung the other way (NOTE: I am not saying I would prefer Floyd or Cal, b/c at the heart of this recruiting in college basketball has become a seedier prospect--I'm just saying something must underly that recruiting prowess that some of these guys have). Or, one could just say that LSU is not UNC, Kentucky or a namebrand basketball school (yet). But, fast forward to 2010, and I think the reality is here if you do look at LSU's roster (and I don't know Clemson's that well, but if you asked me, their roster looked MORE full than LSU's) Noel would have been competing with Spencer (when he played 2), Dotson (a top 100 kid in his own right, although coming back from knee surgery), and Sr. Alex Farrer. Perhaps, there's some merit in the idea that getting tons of minutes at LSU wasn't a guarantee. What NJ's decision does do is give us 4 schollies to use next year, when we still have at least 5 folks that are really looking at LSU--including 3 LA kids that could all really help build the foundation of Trent's program--Matt Derenbrecker, Langston Galloway, and Brian Williams. Any of which would certainly be comparable to a Noel Johnson in ways. Add to that mix Ralston Turner and Andre Stringer, and if you're an optimist, you feel like 4 schollies instead of 3 really does sound alot better. :grin: 2010 is also a year where there aren't any excuses, b/c these are kids that Trent has targeted from the beginning--they are in the "sweet spot" which is in that close "radius" to campus and kids that really fit in the system and have interest in LSU. If we're really objectively judging, we're first asking how is Trent faring against his SEC West colleagues, particularly, can he win a recruiting battle against Anthony Grant at Alabama (both Stringer and Turner, list Bama as chief competition with LSU :dis? These are going to be real keys for Trent and his staff in the coming year, but so far, there have been some good momentum wins (White, Courtney, Isaac). The proof is in the pudding, and I'm waiting for good news on the recruiting front rather than bad. opcorn: I hope that folks don't see this NJ decision as a bad mark against Trent or LSU, but, I am concerned about when we'll see the next big commitment. Hopefully that comes from (based upon reports), Derenbrecker, Turner, and Stringer by the fall. With the Noel decision, that gives plenty of room for Galloway and/or Williams too. I still believe that overall the LSU program is certainly headed in the right direction. NJ would have just accelerated the time table and made next year a potentially easier to watch season. But, I still have faith in Trent's coaching, and senior leadership from Tas', to keep us competitive in 2009-10. In the end, recruits will hopefully see that--the coaching is what Trent brings and that will get you where you need to go. :geauxtige:geauxtige BE A PART OF THE TRENT JOHNSON ERA.
I really like what TJ has done so far. His style, demeanor and personality are a refreshing change. However recruiting is the life blood of every college program and so far he has not shown the ability to recruit. Hopefully he is about to turn the corner and start hauling in some players that can improve the program, but right now his recruiting grade is pretty bad.
