jdon

May 1st, 2013 at 9:48 AM ^

when we first got going with beilien about three years ago I figured we would be decent, make the tournament more often than not and every five or six years have a shot at a final four...

 

Now, I don't see us missing the tournament any time soon and I see us having a shot at the final four year in and year out...

 

It's amazing.

And I feel safe that we won't be having any recruiting violations any time soon... which is worth its weight in gold.

 

jdon

 

turd ferguson

May 1st, 2013 at 9:51 AM ^

I agree.  At this point, I think the only reason we'd ever have a seriously down year with Beilein (i.e., no NCAA tournament) is if we see an exodus to the NBA one year with early entrants.

taistreetsmyhero

May 1st, 2013 at 10:49 AM ^

We will probably have at least two players leave (gr3 and mcgary), lose Morgan, and potentially have Irvin and/or Walton leave.



I'm not saying 2015 will be a make or break year, but I do think it will be a great indicator of whether or not we've put ourselves on the path to sustained dominance that msu and the like have built.

BraveWolverine730

May 1st, 2013 at 9:53 AM ^

I was always a huge Beilein defender (both here on the board and amongst my friend group), but he's been far better than I thought possible. I figured we'd get to Sweet 16s occasionally and that when that happens you always have a shot at the Final Four, but this recruiting is making returning to elite status not only possible, but probable. The 2014 class will be criticial for maintaing momentum, but really how can anyone doubt Beilein at this point. 

Lordfoul

May 1st, 2013 at 10:04 PM ^

Already we have Walton stepping in to a situation where Spike may very well start for the first third of the season.  This means that Walton is less likely to track to the NBA after only one year.  In this light, looking at each position in 2-3 years:

  1. Soph. Spike allows Walton to ease into a starting role = Walton either Burke level awesome (sweet) or else Walton around at least 2 years, probably more.  Next PG recruit after Walton will have Senior Spike (and possibly Jr Walton) around and will probably learn from the bench as a Frosh.
  2. Irvin may steal the show here, and then jump after only a year (again, sweet), but LeVert is going to own this starting spot as an upperclassman, again allowing for future SG recruits to come in an learn from the bench.  Stauskas splitting between the 2 and 3 will add to this.
  3. In 2-3 years this will be am upperclassman Stauskas I would think.  Even if Irvin is already gone, whoever the next recruit is will be learning from the bench almost undoubtably. 
  4. Donnal will be seasoned here in 2-3 years, with an upperclassman Biefeldt there as well.  More learning from the bench here for whoever comes in next.
  5. In 2 years this will be a senior Horford and junior Bielfeldt with Freshman Doyle learning from the bench probably.  In 3 years the next Big recruit will be learning behind Doyle.

Of course any position may have a super-recruit come in and steal the show.  If this happens with seasoned veterans as listed above then coming off the bench, the wild swings we saw these past seasons will be smoothed out considerably.  Eventually I think the program will reach a steady-state (of excellence) under Beilein, hopefully in time for him to hand the reigns off to a protege.

KAYSHIN15

May 1st, 2013 at 9:53 AM ^

Football and basketball ladies and gentlemen, I think we are zooming in on one of those 2006 Florida Gator years when they won the Championship in both sports. That thought makes me happy...

Farnn

May 1st, 2013 at 9:58 AM ^

The trend appears to be to pick up players who are highly rated but not high enough to be clear cut 1 and dones.  Geting those players who would be low first or second round NBA draft picks after their first year and having them stay for a second year really helps build more continuity even though you have players nearly as good as the 1 and done types.  Throw in a few 4 year players and you build a team that should be good every year even though you lose a player or two to the NBA every year.

Soulfire21

May 1st, 2013 at 10:01 AM ^

I've always admired Beilein, thought he was a good coach and a great man.  I expected under him to make the tournament most years, maybe miss a few, close the gap a bit between Michigan and MSU, and make run for a Big Ten title every third year or so.

All I can say is: wow.  Beilein very well could have Michigan among the upper echelon of college basketball programs.  It will take a couple more deep tournament runs (hopefully a championship!) to solidify that status, but with the way Hoke and Beilein are recruiting Michigan should be a Big Ten and National Championship contender most years.

Just think about it.

yoopergoblue

May 1st, 2013 at 10:09 AM ^

I had some serious doubts about him a few years ago and even this past season during that late-season swoon we had.  I was wrong and Belein is as good of a coach as there is in CBB today.  He's really stepped his recruiting game up the past few years and seems to be letting his players play in a system they enjoy.  I do think he could do a little bit better in coaching defense but thats a small issue at this point.

Raoul

May 1st, 2013 at 12:22 PM ^

There are only 1314 Big Ten signees (including Maryland) in that top 100, and 3 are headed to Michigan. Not bad!

EDIT: Obviously, I can't count. LSAClassOf200 is correct (see below)—there are 14.

MGoLogan

May 1st, 2013 at 10:16 AM ^

2 years in a row now that Beilein has signed 2 top 30 recruits in the same class.  Impressive stuff, especially considering where this program was only 5 years ago.

Toledo_Wolverine

May 1st, 2013 at 12:45 PM ^

Ive seen him play a couple times and he was not 132 lbs. He appeared to be about 190, which at 6'8" looks scrawny. He needs to obviously bulk up and also become more constant. There were games he would dominate and others where he would get tossed around. With the depth we have at C I really hope he can redshirt. It would benefit both him and the team in the long run. Add some weight and he would be a PERFECT fit in Belein's system. Hes like a very poor mans Dirk Novinsky.

Toledo_Wolverine

May 1st, 2013 at 1:45 PM ^

I'm usually here a couple times a day just to keep up with all things Michigan. Most of the time I'm at my boring jobjust passing time. It just seems that every time I do have the slightest insight on a topic I get negged for no reason. I would be better off just posting funny or attractive female pictures.

Bodogblog

May 1st, 2013 at 1:53 PM ^

The poster you're responding to was joking when he said 132 lbs.  You didn't get the joke and replied seriously, thus the negging.  No sweat though, take the hit and move on - we've all been negged to pieces on this board.  It makes you part of the community

ClearEyesFullHart

May 1st, 2013 at 10:18 AM ^

We already KNEW the '13 class was going to be fantastic...

We're hungry for 2014...Come on Devin, pull the trigger!

True Blue Grit

May 1st, 2013 at 10:18 AM ^

per year, this program will be staying in that elite status - which is where we belong.  I agree that the 2014 class will be very important to maintaining where we are.   Getting Booker and 1 or 2 other top 100 guys will be important. 

MDave

May 1st, 2013 at 10:20 AM ^

Beilein is recruiting great and we all know he has an eye for talent.

On another note, that Kentucky class is ridiculous... 5 in the top 10 and 6 in the top 25. 

MGoLogan

May 1st, 2013 at 10:25 AM ^

It will be interesting to see how Calipari handles the mintues for everyone.  They have 5 5-stars coming in the 2013 class, and they return 2 5-stars in Alex Poythress and Will Cauley-Stein.  They are also bringing in high 4-star Marcus Lee along with returning former high 4-star Kyle Wiltjer.  With 7 former 5-stars and 2 other near 5-stars, there simply is no way to give each kid the minutes he will expect.  But that is a pretty damn good problem to have.

trueblueintexas

May 1st, 2013 at 3:16 PM ^

With that much talent you give them all @ 25-30 minutes and tell them to play their butt off for the time they are on the court. Kind of like how Mattison treats his D-Line. The real question is when there is a close game, who are the 5 on the court for the last 5 minutes. That's where the issues come into play.

Indonacious

May 1st, 2013 at 11:21 AM ^

They didn't have the 6 out of the top 25 players then. They also were missing Noel too, not saying that they shouldn't have been able to beat them. Next years Kentucky team will be very good. I look forward to their early season matchup with Msu.

Tater

May 1st, 2013 at 10:30 AM ^

Beilein is having two great recruiting years in a row, while Sparty is struggling to get elite talent like they used to.  Since both teams recruit the same region, this balance is always important.  

However, in basketball, everything is very fluid due to the age at which players can enter the NBA.  It means that a coach almost can't afford to have even one year where he doesn't pull in elite talent.  Beilein is great because he is now able to mix four year players with one and two year players, and can usually find a way to make it work.  

The four year guys will mitigate the "down years," but it's going to be very difficult to go to the Final Four every year.  More often than not, even the best teams have a series of two year "windows" followed by a couple of average years.  Luckily, the average year at Michigan should mean an NCAA Tournament berth.  

At any rate, as Brian has said here, the 2014 class is going to be very important.  If Beilein can recruit classes like last year and this year every year, the Wolverines can be a perennial top ten team.  But the 2014 class isn't a "lock" yet by any means.  

I just plan on enjoying MBB one season at a time.

 

Trebor

May 1st, 2013 at 11:37 AM ^

MSU has a great team heading into this year, and they'll likely end up with 2 top-5 guys for 2014 in Jones and Okafor. They aren't going anywhere for a while, at least as long as Izzo is there.

They may have had a bad recruiting season this year, but they could afford to put all their eggs in the Parker basket with 2014 looking extremely promising.