Comparing Marquette recruiting classes

[TulsaWarrior]

I've been following Marquette basketball since the McGuire days. This latest Buzz Williams recruiting class may be the deepest in school history. Al had higher ranked players over the years but for sheer quality number of recruits i would have to give the edge to Buzz.

[Phantom Warrior]

Coming in, this may be the best recruiting class MU has ever had, at least on paper. If we consider McKay part of this class as a juco transfer, then looking back, we'd have to do the same with previous classes in terms of both juco transfers and transfers from four-year programs.

Here are some of the best incoming recruiting classes beginning with Al's first years. If memory serves Walton sat out a year before being able to play, but I could be wrong. An * indicates a consensus Top 100 recruit coming out of high school.

Feel free to correct any errors I may have made:

Class of '69: Chones* and Allie (both frosh);

Class of '70: McNeil* and Washington (frosh) and Lackey (juco);

Class of '72: Tatum* (frosh) and Walton (juco, had to sit a year);

Class of '74: Butch* and Rosenberger (frosh) and Payne (transfer - had to sit a year);

Class of '75: Toone* (frosh); Whitehead (juco,), and Boylan* (had to sit a year);

Class of '78: Marquardt* and M. Wilson (frosh) and A. Green* and Worthen;

Class of '81: D. Johnson*, M. Johnson*, and Reason (all frosh);

Class of 90: Key*, Logterman*, Big Mac*, and Brakes (all frosh);

Class of '05: D.J.*, Jerel*, Wesley*, Burke, and Mortensen (all frosh) and Lott (juco);

Class of '09: Junior*, Maymon*, and EW* (all frosh) and DJ-0 (juco A-A) and Buycks (juco A-A);

Class of '10: Vander*, Jamail*, Davante, and R. Smith (frosh), Jae (juco A-A), and Jamil* (had to sit a year);

Class of '13: Burton*, Wilson*, Johnson*, Dawson, and McKay - possibly not yet finished.

Jury is still out on '09 and '10, but on paper a whole lot of talent in both classes.

In 2017, we'll be able to assess the Class of '13. Exciting group, but odds are someone transfers out and someone else falls short of reaching incoming hype.

Anyone care to pick MU's best class to this point? Again, feel free to correct any errors you find.

[TulsaWarrior]

Obviously they have to prove it on the court. That said on paper based on ranking and quality volume this latest group looks special. Buzz is taking advantage of a successful series of runs in the NCAA Tournament. Somehow you have to believe he will get that big man he's looking for and that will be the final piece. Buzz always seems to get a gem in spring. It isn't as urgent for the 2013 class but it would be nice. I think the development of Gardner and Otule should help the recruiting cause on that front. That and the obvious opportunity for a big to get PT. Perhaps some guy with ties to the SE Wisconsin area might want to fill that role. :)

[TedBaxter]

I won't say who the best classes are and will only add what I think are the 5 most pivotal classes.

-1969 class of Jim Chones, George Frazier, Allie McGuire and Kurt Spychalla turned Al McGuire's program into a national power or were the class that put it over the edge with Chones leading the way.

- 1982 class of Lloyd Moore, Kerry Trotter, Vic Lazarretti and Paul Newman was highly ranked because of Moore and Trotter, but only Trotter was there at the end and if I'm not mistaken, Madison Lafollette's Rick Olson would have been a member of this class. This groups lack of production, outside of Trotter, combined with the recruiting loss of Joe Wolf a year later ushered in the toughest run in modern Marquette history.

- Kevin O'Niell's 1990 class of Brakes, Key, Logterman and McIlvaine took MU out of the fire and put them back into high major basketball. Might be the single most important class in MU still being a relevant high major school.

- 2005 class comes in with the membership into the Big East and helps make MU a force right away after two NIT berths.

- 2013 class. It remains to be seen what this class produces, but it's impact can be felt right away with Buzz' future at Marquette in question. I think the signings yesterday go a long way in keeping Buzz at Marquette.

[MKE_GoldenEagleFan]

On paper a great class, but I'm not about to start putting them up there with the other great classes we have had... If thy all burn out then it won't be that good, and likewise if they win a NC together then they will be pretty great. No way to say right now other than that there is good potential.

[Mucrisco]

How about the class of Wade, Merritt, Sanders, and Blankson?

[Markedman]

2010 in retrospect was really really good.......Getting Jae, Gardner, Vander and Jamil in one class? Wow.

[tower912]

They are not going to have the option of adjusting slowly. DuWilson is probably going to be handed the keys to the program, a la DJames. I don't think DeWilson can be a BEast starter. One of them is going to have to step in for Lockett, unless Buzz goes big with either Taylor or Juan joining JWilson up front. If at least two of them don't make an instant impact, next year is going to be a down year.

[Phantom Warrior]

I think McKay starts from Day 1 alongside Davante and Jamil in the front court; he will also get time at the 5 when Davante goes to the bench. I can easily see Duane earning the starting slot at point.

Deonte and Johnson are too good to not be part of an eight-man rotation.

[Alan Bykowski, "brewcity77"]

Deonte and Johnson are too good to not be part of an eight-man rotation.

Personally, I think this TEAM is too good to have an eight-man rotation, especially if CO is back. Otule, Gardner, Jamil, Juan, Vander, and Derrick will all have experience in the system. Steve Taylor will have a year to adjust, and I think Johnson, McKay, Burton, and Duane will all be ready for some minutes immediately. Buzz will be hard pressed not to go at least 9-10 deep.

[TedBaxter]

Don't sleep on the sleeper, John Dawson.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2grCAk90EHQ