So if Connor shows up on Iowa's doorstep this coming fall, he's not guaranteed a scholarship to Iowa until his junior year or sophomore year if he redshirted next year.....is that correct? Either way coach Fran will have to pay his way for the next 2 years unless someone leaves. It kind of makes since for him to redshirt next year if he truly wants to play along side Patrick for 3 years and 4 years along Joe Wieskamp. Not enough minutes in a 200 minute game for all the 13 scholarship players that will be at Iowa next year.....
Connors Scholarship dilemma.....
- Thread starter IllQChawk
- Start date
At this point, assuming he comes to Iowa, he will not be on basketball scholarahip. There has been talk that he could go the prep school route, there has also been talk that, if he were to be drafted, he could go play pro baseball. I have no idea how realistic, from the family's perspective, those options are, but they are possibilities.
Now, if one or two transfer, that certainly changes things.
Now, if one or two transfer, that certainly changes things.
Hutton and Fleming both announced that they would transfer in the last week of March. We may have a clue soon, based on that, what happens with Conner.
I don't think Connor is redshirting. He needs to play if he's going to be on the team.
Yeah, redshirting makes no sense to me. If he's on the roster next season, he's suiting up.
I mean, I know this is a crazy idea, but isn't possible he won't be on scholarship until one opens up? I'm guessing the McCafferys can afford to pay Connor's way for a year or two.. I'm not saying that's what they should do, that's entirely up to Fran and fam, but I can't imaginethey're too worried about it.
It's certainly possible Christian Williams announces his transfer in the next week or two, making all of this talk moot, but I wouldn't count on it. I remember when people were convinced that Anthony Clemmons was peacing out, and he stuck it out, worked hard, and became a valuable contributor.
So who knows. Regardless, I just don't see this as a dilemma.
I do not see any dilemma. He will be on the team as a walk on or scholarship player.
I think it is a luxury for Fran. He can pay in state tuition and have an other player on his team. I am not part of the he deserves a scholarship or not argue-ers.
If I was Fran both sons would be walk-ons.
Fran can certainly afford to pay for his son's (or even sons') education, especially since it gives him the potential benefit of recruiting additional players. I don't really understand why this is such a big deal for some posters.
What ever is going to happen, everyone involved will be fine.
Especially IF he the second best option at the point and off gaurd. He plays a position of need and backup for both positions. If he's on the roster, then he'll be playing.
People need to stop talking about the MLB Draft and Connor. It's incredibly rare for an Iowa prep to be drafted and even less likely for a position player. Further, the number of preps who sign a professional contract out of high school can be counted on one hand.
I haven't talked about it at all, but I have seen it discussed elsewhere. Honestly, I've never seen him play baseball so all I can go on for his baseball abilities are the stats posted on quik stats and 1st hand observations of others. It has sounded to me like it's at least a possibility. I'll be honest, I think the most likely scenario is that he ends up at Iowa, walks on but RS his Fr year of basketball but plays baseball.
With the highlighted, if you are talking about those from Iowa, I concur. If you are talking about overall, there are a lot of HS'ers that sign professional contracts.
My concerns with Conner is at 6'5" I think he is a little slow afoot to play point well and his shot release point seems low and a little slow. No doubt he is very game smart. I don't look for him to play much early on in his career. Dailey hardly played and appears to be much quicker but about the same height. If Dailey stays here I think he will play before Conner since he has been in the program a year and is quicker.
I don't think anyone should care if Conner is on scholarship or not. He will be treated the same as everyone else. Stay in a dorm room as a freshman, eat the same food, practice and travel the same.
I don't think anyone should care if Conner is on scholarship or not. He will be treated the same as everyone else. Stay in a dorm room as a freshman, eat the same food, practice and travel the same.
Here ya go:
CARING IS CREEPY: CONNOR MCCAFFERY TALKS PLAYING TWO SPORTS, WALKING ON AT IOWA
Link: http://www.goiowaawesome.com/caring-is-creepy/2016/08/100/connor-mccaffery-talks-playing-two-sports-walking-on-at-iowa
CARING IS CREEPY: CONNOR MCCAFFERY TALKS PLAYING TWO SPORTS, WALKING ON AT IOWA
Link: http://www.goiowaawesome.com/caring-is-creepy/2016/08/100/connor-mccaffery-talks-playing-two-sports-walking-on-at-iowa
So if Christian Williams transfers then Connor will have to play. If Christian doesn't transfer, then why couldn't Connor red shirt so that he could adjust to his first year of college while pursuing baseball more prominently than basketball if that's what he wants?
There are fewer and fewer preps signing professional contracts now days. Since 2010, four Iowa prep position players have been drafted and one has signed.
Most universities let children of employees of the university attend at reduced rates. Sometimes up to 75% reduced rates or more. Not sure if the McCafferys have that option or not at Iowa. If so the cost is not a problem. Sorry if this has been talked about.
I think he walks on, plays pg and Williams stays but at a different position. He has been playing out of position and to leave now, junior year, just when he's about to come into his own, I hope that doesn't happen.
A coach making Fran money is an idiot if he doesn't pay his kids way in order to sign an extra player
I remember Creighton did this, only for a year but Doug McDermott was a walk on for his senior season so that Grant Gibbs could play another season on scholarship
Don't forget you know who ...
http://www.latimes.com/sports/sport...ate-deep-recruiting-class-20151117-story.html
http://www.latimes.com/sports/sport...ate-deep-recruiting-class-20151117-story.html
Christian had an extended tryout and has shown he isn't a point guard. If he stays, he will compete for time at the 2 and 3. Connor unlikely to redshirt because he can help the team.
Remarkable the lack of respect this 4 star recruit gets online. You never really know what's in someone's heart, but I find it near impossible to believe that, with his background, Connor wants anything more than playing in Carver.
Oh, and Dick Peth played both at Iowa. Joined the baseball team after the season.
The cost was never going to be an issue. Its just some folks think Fran should pay for his kids, (because he can afford to), so that we can have like 20 guys on the roster, Which of course makes no sense anyway.
How about because Williams has shown he can't play point guard, and regardless what fans think, its more likely that the 4 star kid who was the point guard on the states large class champions is a better option.
I would agree if we were landing classes full of top 50 kids every year. But we typically land a couple kids every class that need development and bigger classes give us more margin for error. You saw this play out recently as we had exactly one player from the 2013-2015 recruiting classes become a major contributor and the result was that we missed the tournament.
That said, recruiting is picking up.
No one said should, more like golden opportunity.
The reason there are scholorship limits is because, if allowed, the blue bloods would stockpile 20 deep and no one else would even be competitive.
Same thing with salary cap in pros.
The more scholarships you have the more roster flexability to make up for misses. The odds tilt to your favor.
If Iowa was allowed 7 more players than everyone else it would get to a point where we would win the big ten most years.
Its the same advantage sec schools have in football, they bring in a full recruiting class every year and cull the ones at the bottom.
Well, you may end up deciding Fran is an idiot. I'd say considering his career and success, you'd be wrong. But to each his own.
So you've got a high school kid who worked a part time job, saved his money, and one day he comes home with a 1990's beater of a car. He says, "Dad! I can fix it up!" You got the paperwork for the brand new car you were going to buy him for graduation in your desk. What do you do?
I kind of think it's cool a kid wants to do it on his own. Maybe Conner wants to earn his own way? He certainly could have somewhere else, he doesn't need Dad to help. Neither will Patrick.
Besides, Fran offered. I don't see that happening if he didn't intend to give Conner a scholarship. Wouldn't he have just said, announced, my kid will walk-on?
This little risk that nobody would transfer was probably worth it with two guys like Nunge and Garza committing after the same weekend they visited together. Nice turn of events.
But just to save a scholarship to add a fourteenth player? Today, schools can't keep thirteen guys happy! What position of need do you see in the next two years? Wait, let me say that the overwhelming response on this board will be, a Ronnie Lester!!!! (Traditional, perfect, point guard.)
Well, I'll wager if you or anyone else on here walks in Fran's office with a Lester clone, Conner's walking on. But barring that, who's out there that we must have, that is begging to come to Iowa?
We could keep sending our guys on trips all over the country looking for that player, a true five star at any position that is a must get. But how often has that worked out for us when we HAD extra scholarships?
So for sure, this year, 2017, we're done recruiting. And if a scholarship opens up we could apply it to 2018 instead of giving it to Conner. And I suppose if there is a guy on the radar that McCaffery feels we must get...he'll make the call. But just to stockpile one ride when we/nobody can keep 13 filled? Nah. Not doing that would not make Fran an idiot.
First transfer, imo Conner gets a ride and he deserves it. A second transfer? Bank it for 2018 and if we can get AC Green, go for it. I'd love to see the traditional point guard crowd dealing with another white kid for the middle of Iowa.
And we would have a great set up for point guard for years to come!
I disagree a bit with your premise. If Iowa DID have a way to bring in 20 players, considering the way kids want playing time it would be a three ring circus. And let's say we had FOUR scholarships a year to offer? Cleary priority one, two, three go to the guys we offer early. So what does that fourth scholarship get?
2015 the last guy we signed was Christian Williams. I've got a great respect for him personally and wish him all the best of success...I'm biased...but Christian Williams. 2014. Brady Ellingson.
I think you are seeing this great, even up, all kids being equal opportunity, and that's where I disagree. I see the law of diminishing returns. And I also see more problems keeping the team a working unit without a bunch of unhappy guys on the bench.
Thirteen is plenty. But what IS great is if a major stud came wandering around we could have Conner give up his ride. That part, sure, if it happens I can see it. Chances of it happening? Less than Nunge and Garza committing in the same week.
So lets say Williams/Dailey/or Ellingson do decide to leave at a hypothetical in the next month. Conner obviously has a scholarship.
Would it be better for Iowa to try to get in on Mark Smith, the player of year in Illinois?
http://www.bnd.com/sports/high-school/prep-basketball/article139928473.html
Who also happens to be AJ's High School Teammate?
(If Uhl leaves, it's another problem since Wieskamp has his scholarship targeted as only Junior.)
Would it be better for Iowa to try to get in on Mark Smith, the player of year in Illinois?
http://www.bnd.com/sports/high-school/prep-basketball/article139928473.html
Who also happens to be AJ's High School Teammate?
(If Uhl leaves, it's another problem since Wieskamp has his scholarship targeted as only Junior.)
Thanks Dan. I think you got the point across better than my feeble attempt. There's such a thing as team unity, and cohesiveness. There's no way your keeping players 11 through 15 happy for more than a year or so. Eventually Fran needs to get the classes more balanced so that 3 or 4 guys leave through graduation each year, and you can fill those spots with quality recruits. The next year or two attrition will be from guys who are tired of waiting their turn.
Well done sir.
After a cursory look through the linked article, Connor's answer about playing both sports was understandably vague. "Working it out" between the coaches is open ended, but at the same time baseball has a roster limit. I'm sure there is a degree of professional courtesy involved with a fellow UI coach's son, but while Coach Heller is a positive guy he is also very intense. While he may want to accommodate the McCaffery family, at the same time his job is to put together his own team that can win games.
In the end it probably will come down to how much time Connor would miss during the fall, just as much as the time he would miss from February through March. At best he would step into a baseball uniform 4 (maybe even 6) weeks after the rest of his teammates have been practicing AND playing games that count on the schedule. That is a significant amount of time to try to make up. I'm not saying he couldn't do it, but it would be difficult.
To add to the points about having too many guys, the basketball roster is also heavily skewed to the younger players. If you were looking at 4 seniors next year, having an extra guy may be beneficial. You lose those benefits when you're fill of young'uns.
Thanks. Just stating my opinion.
As to balancing the classes out, that's a problem all over D1. Players just transfer at so big a number, for playing time. It's one reason why I think it is logical, all things being equal, to go after the Iowa kids who grew up wanting to be Hawkeyes. Who knows, but Kriener may be more apt to let things play out and accept a role player spot, than would a kid who never heard of Iowa before we recruited him.
These days, I think it is more important than ever to identify guys that will fit into a team. You look at Ohio State and in 2015/16 four of their five freshmen recruits transferred either during the season or after. And that was a highly ranked class.
We sure can't afford that here. And with the drought of local talent from Jok's class in 2013, to the 2016 class. Two years, not a guy in Iowa to go after, I think we see the results. We only had one senior in Jok because we only had one scholarship that year. But without redshirts and tranfsers we'd have had another senior in Dickerson (Injury..or three total with Jones.) Uhl, Ellingson and Baer would be juniors. Moss, Wagner, Fleming and Hutton as sophs. (Williams wouldn't have had a scholarship to receive.) And the freshman class would be three guys. I suppose no Daily, and somebody else. Pemsl committed early, we were after Cook for a long time. Either Bohannon or Kriener would have been the odd man out.
So who left to mess us up? Dickerson, Fleming, Hutton. But maybe it's a good thing?
Again, it's a problem all schools are facing, these transfers. But you take a juco kid like Dickerson, he still leaves! I don't know how you fix it unless you get guys willing to be role players. But you can't just take a guy, too many chances you end up with TOO many role players when others don't develop as planned.
I'm just glad Iowa is producing better players in high school right now. We're on a good run, and we can see that in guys coming in.
Well, you may end up deciding Fran is an idiot. I'd say considering his career and success, you'd be wrong. But to each his own.
So you've got a high school kid who worked a part time job, saved his money, and one day he comes home with a 1990's beater of a car. He says, "Dad! I can fix it up!" You got the paperwork for the brand new car you were going to buy him for graduation in your desk. What do you do?
I kind of think it's cool a kid wants to do it on his own. Maybe Conner wants to earn his own way? He certainly could have somewhere else, he doesn't need Dad to help. Neither will Patrick.
Besides, Fran offered. I don't see that happening if he didn't intend to give Conner a scholarship. Wouldn't he have just said, announced, my kid will walk-on?
This little risk that nobody would transfer was probably worth it with two guys like Nunge and Garza committing after the same weekend they visited together. Nice turn of events.
But just to save a scholarship to add a fourteenth player? Today, schools can't keep thirteen guys happy! What position of need do you see in the next two years? Wait, let me say that the overwhelming response on this board will be, a Ronnie Lester!!!! (Traditional, perfect, point guard.)
Well, I'll wager if you or anyone else on here walks in Fran's office with a Lester clone, Conner's walking on. But barring that, who's out there that we must have, that is begging to come to Iowa?
We could keep sending our guys on trips all over the country looking for that player, a true five star at any position that is a must get. But how often has that worked out for us when we HAD extra scholarships?
So for sure, this year, 2017, we're done recruiting. And if a scholarship opens up we could apply it to 2018 instead of giving it to Conner. And I suppose if there is a guy on the radar that McCaffery feels we must get...he'll make the call. But just to stockpile one ride when we/nobody can keep 13 filled? Nah. Not doing that would not make Fran an idiot.
First transfer, imo Conner gets a ride and he deserves it. A second transfer? Bank it for 2018 and if we can get AC Green, go for it. I'd love to see the traditional point guard crowd dealing with another white kid for the middle of Iowa.
*Connor
Well said. The time commitment and overlap of course are a challenge.
A not so humble brag but Curtis Granderson of the New York Mets is a family friend. I asked him a few years ago why he chose to play at Illinois-Chicago. He said he was set to attend Illinois State but they wouldn't let him play basketball. He chose UIC with the intention of walking on to play hoops with his main focus on basketball. The day basketball practice started, he broke his wrist sliding into second base during baseball practice and never ended up playing hoops.
/CSB
Are there restrictions to how much a walk on can participate in training tables, and things like that? I thought there at least used to be. Meaning, is there any downside to Connor not being on scholarship?
I'm just ready for this topic to be over. It's been debated ever since Connor committed.
