How Do You Feel About the 2008 Recruiting Class?

[BlueMountains]

What does everyone think in general about the 2008 recruiting class?

DeAndre Liggins and Darius Miller are exciting players. Rivals.com ranks us as the 19th best recruiting class (5th in the SEC). Are you satisfied if we don't bring in anymore new players in the 2008 class?

Scotty Hopson and Wesley Witherspoon still both may have some interest in UK. Do you see both staying away since they play similar positions as Liggins and Miller? Is Bud Mackey even on the radar anymore for UK, or have his legal problems taken him off the screen?

Sounds like we might bring in a frontline player from the JUCO ranks.

Thanks for your comments. I know this thread is general in nature, but it will help me see the big picture as I have not been able to follow all the details in recruiting as much as most of you.

Go Big Blue!

[freethrow]

I feel real good about it. And, knowing that Coach G has the spring and summer to sign more talent, it may happen even sooner, I am optimistic as heck. It is my guess that he already has some guys lined up.

[teamchemistry09]

I am very excited about Liggins and Miller BUT I feel we are only another dominating PF or a true C away from a Final Four. They dont even have to be as good a Patterson just someone who can catch the ball and get 10 boards a game and not turn it over. Stevenson has been that guy the last 2 or 3 games but we need that every game. If we get one of the big time JUCOS or even a guy like Leonard Washington I think we are the best team in the SEC and a definite top 25 program and a team no one wants to play when March rolls around

[billoliver40]

Really hard to say right now. I'm concerned about the talk about Liggin's eligibility. I also want to wait until it's done and over with the recruiting.
I believe this coaching staff when they say they look for a player with "intangibles", which means they might be looking at a kid that isn't on anyone's radar screen today.

It could get interesting.

[Mark Blueblood]

I don't think a couple of 6'6" guys are the answer. I'm excited about these two as far as it goes, but as pointed out - Liggins is questionable from a qualifying standpoint.

We need another pure point guard and at LEAST one more big guy.

Two recruits and #19 ain't gonna get it done.

[bigblue23]

Miller & Liggins are very nice, but I'm not happy with the class at all. It's very sub par as of now. Liggins may not even be eligible plus we still haven't signed a big man to help Patterson. Even if Liggins is eligible, he has around 5 turnovers per game & all of those aren't just because his teammates aren't good enough to catch his passes. He's also no scoring machine. We're replacing Bradley & Crawford with one guy who doesn't score much & another who isn't going to be a program changer until later in his career, if that.

[matt colvin]

Folks, I understand most of you are talking about it as it stands currently, but it's far from over.

[WingoCatFan]

I am content with where we are at now, but expect it to improve. CBG will come thru with big for next year.

[DCWildcat]

Where have all the questions about Liggins' eligibility come from?

I'm content with the class, but it was pretty crushing to get turned down by so many big men.

[Terry L. Wildcat]

I'd love to have a center so Pat could play the 4...I'm still hoping for Carter and/or Williams to develop as this might be our best chance of having a center next season.

[RCS]

I don't think there is much difference in the 4 & 5 under BCG from what I have seen. I think if either Stevenson or Stewart or preferably both can improve it would help just as much as if Carter or Williams does so. Obviously I would prefer all of them to improve drastically and our inside troubles to go away;)

As to the recruiting class, I think we are in need of athletic SF types more than others do. I think it is something that we have missed the last few years. I would like us to pick up a shooter also.

[jdwade]

What exactly is the deal with Liggins' eligibilty?

[Tom Blevins]

I'd love to have a center so Pat could play the 4...I'm still hoping for Carter and/or Williams to develop as this might be our best chance of having a center next season.

I agree 100%, Terry. While I'm pleased with both Liggins and Miller, the big key to next year's team is going to be the improvement of the returning players. Al Maguire once said, "The best thing about a freshman is that he becomes a sophomore." I believe that will be apparent next year as we see the improvement in both Williams and Stewart. For that matter, a lot of people didn't think Stevenson would be as good as he has been the last couple of games when they saw him play last year. As for Carter, I haven't given up on him being a significant contributor THIS SEASON.

[matt colvin]

Liggins eligibility questions: My disclaimer is that I've read this somewhere else. I'm not linking to it or anything like that. The source is primarily Marc Maggard, and I'm not going through that argument with anybody.

Liggins' grades were not that great. That is one reason why he's at Findlay Prep, as there are supposed to be good at helping people qualify. He's supposed to be making progress, and it's apparently not something to have nightmares over (:icon_lol:).

So, in short, he's working on it, and it seems like he'll make it :thumbup:

Again, I wouldn't lose any sleep at this point.

And as to the remarks about his ability to play, or as it should be said, make plays, I'm sure he'll benefit greatly from Coach. He's quite athletic, big, and can shoot a little better than Derrick. I'm sure his abilities to set others up will be very beneficial to our team.

[crazzedcats22]

I don't think a couple of 6'6" guys are the answer. I'm excited about these two as far as it goes, but as pointed out - Liggins is questionable from a qualifying standpoint.

We need another pure point guard and at LEAST one more big guy.

Two recruits and #19 ain't gonna get it done.

Miller & Liggins are very nice, but I'm not happy with the class at all. It's very sub par as of now. Liggins may not even be eligible plus we still haven't signed a big man to help Patterson. Even if Liggins is eligible, he has around 5 turnovers per game & all of those aren't just because his teammates aren't good enough to catch his passes. He's also no scoring machine. We're replacing Bradley & Crawford with one guy who doesn't score much & another who isn't going to be a program changer until later in his career, if that.

BINGO!!! I agree 100%. As it stands now, this class is nothing to get overly excited about. I like Miller and Liggins, but they are FAR from the help and answer that this team needs. IF we don't get any more help and they are it, I think we are about as good next year as we are this year, not very.

[bleedbluelady]

Where have all the questions about Liggins' eligibility come from?

I'm content with the class, but it was pretty crushing to get turned down by so many big men.

Read the article linked on the last post on this page...

www.wildcatnation.net/forum/showthread.php?t=25064 (http://www.wildcatnation.net/forum/showthread.php?t=25064)

It sounds as Liggins is confident he will qualify.

[The Black Watch]

I think Miller and Liggins are a very good start. We will need a strong spring signing period to round it out. And I think that will happen. Getting one of the better JUCO big men, and maybe an Appleton would make this a pretty good group.

[dj4cats]

I would really like to see the Cats go and get Mack out of Lexington. He is a hard nosed guard who would fit Billy G's style great and be a great 4 year player at UK. He has committed to Butler but there must be some room there per Matt Jones's website. He will be a great pickup. and if no big man is out there, go get Hopson too. But I think Mack is more important than Hopson for the Cats now.

[jdwade]

Anybody heard any news about Verdell Jones or Steve Goins? Both players are also being reruited by Tubby. Wouldn't that be bad to lose recruits to him after he left partly because of not necessarily bringing in the recruits. There rankings aren't too high, but they could help us out. It would boost our recruiting class a little too. From what I know, I don't think we've offered either one a scholarship. I'm sure coach "G" has a good reason.

[wildcatdon]

We need a point guard,a center and another forward..So far I am not excited about this class either..If Billy can reel some more good players in,then I can get fired up,but so far I am withholding my excitement. We need to start getting committments like Donovan is getting in order to move up the ladder..

[bnewt]

I think the team needs athletes. That is why I think it critical to sign Hopson. He is athletic + he is 6'7" and can score.

[needmore44]

I'm excited because we already have two good ones, and we have a lot of possibilities left. There is a lot of unknown right now, but i personally think we will sign a PG and a JUCO Big. The Dream wold be Appleton, Jefferson, and then throw Hopson on top of that.