Transfers

[NativeCheesehead]

Been hearing from reliable people since January that Micah is as good as gone.

[vu72]

I'd bet a pretty penny that a bigger program or three got into JFL's ear.

Bakari and Smits aren't huge losses. JFL had his flaws but I was hoping he'd be a staple. Not sure the exodus is over.

Honestly it doesn't matter how good players are if you're losing 3-4-5 guys this offseason that's a bad look for your program.

Totally agree, but, it happens and the guys out on the ledge are overreacting.  Look at Drake (and here it comes: "sure, but they have a GREAT coach")(lost four starters and three out-bound transfers AND, their head coach) Then they lose their 4 star point guard.  I think they were down to two guys coming back and ended up tied for 1st.  Now we will find out about the staff's ability to recruit in bunches!

[VUGrad1314]

Lottich if he stays will recruit great talent... Then blow every close game imagineable. He needs to go. No defense no excuses End of story.

[M]

At least someone new will be jacking up the last second dumba$$ 3s at the end of halves from now on.

[oklahomamick]

A lot of us here don't see it in Lottich.  Several fans from other schools think he is bad too.  But what's more telling for you believers out there is his very own team doesn't see it. 

[SanityLost17]

JFL should go to a team like Wisconsin.  He plays their type of ball and will shine in their system.   

Smits will have lots of teams asking for his services.  Teams are always looking for size that can score. 

Not sure where Bakari will end up.  Might struggle to get with the type of team he wants to get with after an injury laden season.  But I think a team in need of experience will grab him based on his sophomore stats. 

As for Lottich.  Losing JFL looks really bad and seems like it could impact future recruiting of the Chicago suberbs.  He came from a well respected AAU team and was from a basketball family.  That paints a picture that Valpo is not the place for high level recruits and that is not good.

He probably needs one last year to prove himself....   but transfers or not the pressure is on and if next year is a dud the AD needs to pull the trigger this time next year and have somebody in mind to fill roster spots for Kiser, sorolla, RF, golder.   That is a good year to hire a new coach if need be with 4 scholarships available to immediately go out and get your type of guys.   

[valpopal]

With the graduation of Lavender plus transfers by Freeman, Smits, and Evelyn, Valpo so far loses 60% of the points, 52% of the rebounds, 65% of the assists, 60% of steals, and 55% of the minutes per game from this year's already weak numbers.

 

[VU2014]

I'm hoping Golder doesn't transfer. I know he was tight with Bakari. The one team I'd be worried about him going to would be Utah State because Coach Ragland is out there now and he was super close with Golder. It's also out west. I don't think this program could take another blow.

If Golder were to transfer then you might as well blow it up and hand the keys over to a new Coach at that point to allow him to recruit the future. This of course is assuming the AD didn't believe in Lottich anymore, but I don't even know why I'm bring this up because it will never happen.

[VU2014]

This sounds like a advertisement to coaches. It seems like Micah is going to be moving on. Potentially 4 transfers in one offseason. That's a lot of scholarships to fill.

https://twitter.com/barrybradford3/status/1108063185909805056

[VUGrad1314]

And you were worried about 2020...

[VU2014]

https://twitter.com/MichaelOsipoff/status/1108167681692307456

[EddieCabot]

I'd bet a pretty penny that a bigger program or three got into JFL's ear.

Bakari and Smits aren't huge losses. JFL had his flaws but I was hoping he'd be a staple. Not sure the exodus is over.

Honestly it doesn't matter how good players are if you're losing 3-4-5 guys this offseason that's a bad look for your program.

Totally agree, but, it happens and the guys out on the ledge are overreacting.  Look at Drake (and here it comes: "sure, but they have a GREAT coach")(lost four starters and three out-bound transfers AND, their head coach) Then they lose their 4 star point guard.  I think they were down to two guys coming back and ended up tied for 1st.  Now we will find out about the staff's ability to recruit in bunches!

I like vu72's attitude.  It's likely that Sorolla+Clay+Robinson+Gordon > Smits+Freeman+Evelyn+Bradford.  Now, let's see what ML does with those newly available scholarships!

[truth219]

Some people could poop their pants and find a bright side to it i guess...

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[VUGrad1314]

They say it is always darkest before the dawn. I hope that is true and that Dawn is coming soon because it is feeling pretty gosh darn dark right now. I mean I don't even need to see Lottich fired right now really if they could just announce a plan to get our facilities up to snuff. Just something to give us some hope a silver lining to let us know that everything will be okay. Instead of the cold you get nothing and like it but please keep supporting us attitude that we get. We need to donate to make our dreams come true yes but the school can and should help us out by investing too and giving us a campaign to assist and get excited about. Just something that says we hear you we feel you and we're going to get better. Why is that so much to ask for?

[M]

https://www.verbalcommits.com/transfers/Melvin%20Morgan

Here is an updated list of all the transfers, their new school when announced, and whether or not they are immediately eligible.

[vu72]

Good gracious, there are already 200 names on the  list.  Last year there were a thousand.  Yes, Matt is partially to blame but at the same time there is a rot in college basketball and it is really starting to smell.

[vuny98]

I'd bet a pretty penny that a bigger program or three got into JFL's ear. Bakari and Smits aren't huge losses. JFL had his flaws but I was hoping he'd be a staple. Not sure the exodus is over. Honestly it doesn't matter how good players are if you're losing 3-4-5 guys this offseason that's a bad look for your program.

Totally agree, but, it happens and the guys out on the ledge are overreacting.  Look at Drake (and here it comes: "sure, but they have a GREAT coach")(lost four starters and three out-bound transfers AND, their head coach) Then they lose their 4 star point guard.  I think they were down to two guys coming back and ended up tied for 1st.  Now we will find out about the staff's ability to recruit in bunches!

I like vu72's attitude.  It's likely that Sorolla+Clay+Robinson+Gordon > Smits+Freeman+Evelyn+Bradford.  Now, let's see what ML does with those newly available scholarships!

Fazekas
Gordon
Robinson
Golder
Sorolla
Sackey 6th

Still sounds like a damn good starting 5 to me pending how Gordon and Robinson pan out. But if I was a betting man, I would say Bakari saw his role decline a bit this year and with those guys coming up next year and he saw the writing on the wall that he was in for a smaller role in a year where he could transfer and find a better fit without having to sit.

[oklahomamick]

Vunny, those names on the paper might be good.  But you have to have someone to coach them.  Lottich is not a teacher or coach.  There is no identity or strategy. 

I'm actually happy for those kids who are transferring.  All of the current players would look even better than they are given a better system.  Or just a system at all....Javon on Drake or Missouri State would have been a all-conference player. 

[NativeCheesehead]

Fazekas - Solid when healthy, can't stay healthy
Gordon - Didn't really play enough to know what we're getting
Robinson - Actually really high on this kid, think he could be a day one star
Golder - He will bounce back next year
Sorolla - Still underdeveloped as a big. Like the potential but unproven as a 30 mpg guy.
Sackey - Major potential. Also a turnover machine who can't shoot.

[JD24]

Good gracious, there are already 200 names on the  list.  Last year there were a thousand.  Yes, Matt is partially to blame but at the same time there is a rot in college basketball and it is really starting to smell.

While this is overreaction central at the moment, what needs to be taken into consideration that the landscape of the game has changed considerably over the last few years particularly for the mid majors who will have a tough time hanging on to their better players when looked at it collectively.

[FWalum]

Vunny, those names on the paper might be good.  But you have to have someone to coach them.  Lottich is not a teacher or coach.  There is no identity or strategy. 

I'm actually happy for those kids who are transferring.  All of the current players would look even better than they are given a better system.  Or just a system at all....Javon on Drake or Missouri State would have been a all-conference player.

If you hate this program so much why don't you support some other team.  We don't need this type of support. Do you know anything about this sport or the situations that coaches find themselves in? How many college games have you coached and what "system" did you use? To come on a public forum for this school and team and then tell our players that they would have been better off at other schools is not what I expect when I come on this board to support a school that I love very much.  I don't have a problem with constructive criticism, but this is not constructive at all.  Instead of coming on here and publicly making our whole program sound like a s t show why don't you call up MLB and tell him what you really think and save your public castration of our program for the MVC forum.

[covufan]

I think the frustration we've had as fans the last two years is now coming out in the transfers. I'm sure the coaching staff is equally frustrated.

Yes, the move to the MVC has been tough. I believe we've had the talent, but have been horribly inconsistent. Is that on the coaches or players, or is it a combination of both. I don't know, and don't have an immediate solution.

Being inconsistent, frustrated, and losing has to enter each of these players minds. To the point that you might ask yourself 'is the grass greener elsewhere'?  It is a question that many division 1 basketball athletes ask every spring. And many will transfer.

I could see three from this team transfer, especially with injuries and expected playing time next year. I just didn't see these three making the decision so quickly.

This does seem to be more the norm these days, but we've been lucky at Valpo in the past. Not so this year.


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[M]

Grab up the trio (I think it was a trio) of Northwestern kids, lol

[vu72]

I'd bet a pretty penny that a bigger program or three got into JFL's ear. Bakari and Smits aren't huge losses. JFL had his flaws but I was hoping he'd be a staple. Not sure the exodus is over. Honestly it doesn't matter how good players are if you're losing 3-4-5 guys this offseason that's a bad look for your program.

Totally agree, but, it happens and the guys out on the ledge are overreacting.  Look at Drake (and here it comes: "sure, but they have a GREAT coach")(lost four starters and three out-bound transfers AND, their head coach) Then they lose their 4 star point guard.  I think they were down to two guys coming back and ended up tied for 1st.  Now we will find out about the staff's ability to recruit in bunches!

I like vu72's attitude.  It's likely that Sorolla+Clay+Robinson+Gordon > Smits+Freeman+Evelyn+Bradford.  Now, let's see what ML does with those newly available scholarships!

Fazekas
Gordon
Robinson
Golder
Sorolla
Sackey 6th

Still sounds like a damn good starting 5 to me pending how Gordon and Robinson pan out. But if I was a betting man, I would say Bakari saw his role decline a bit this year and with those guys coming up next year and he saw the writing on the wall that he was in for a smaller role in a year where he could transfer and find a better fit without having to sit.

We are bound to pick up a fifth year senior with all the openings and remember, if we can keep Clay, we MAY have a star in the making.  Both Javon and Donovan were First Team All State in Illinois.  Donovan is a 6'7" guard/forward who guarded the opponent's best player.  How will he fit in?  Where will he play?  Is he as good as advertised?  We were asking the same questions about Javon at this time last year.  Before we collectively jump off a bridge, perhaps we should wait until the dust settles and we see who is coming in to add to some serious talent left after all the departed.

[bigmosmithfan1]

What we're seeing is that the Drew family, through force of personality and skill, was able to outcoach a level of complacency and mismanagement in other areas of the athletic dept. and we're paying the price for it now. How many times over the years did you hear some form of "we don't need to spend money on X because we're winning without that" or "we don't need a better facility when we don't sell out every game now" or "the ARC ain't pretty but it's a tough place to play for opponents!"

All those years of letting stuff slide are coming back around now. And spare me the "landscape has changed" stuff. We've known that for several years now. We've known it since P5s spent the entirely of Alec's junior year salivating and openly recruiting him. If Lottich wasn't addressing that reality until the season was over, especially when anyone with a set of eyes could tell you that Freeman would have had much bigger opportunities had he not signed early, then again, that's on our staff, not the "landscape." Players aren't dumb -- they can see when a staff and administration have no plan or commitment.

Rather than asking Valpo fans to swallow another season of certain mediocrity because they are too timid to cut their losses when they should, it'd be nice if they gave us some reason to believe that they get it and will invest in the program like we're in the Valley instead of the old Mid-Con.