08 DI talent level

If UNC's recruiting, which has leaned heavily on in-state players in recent years is any indication, there is a big change as far as NC 08's are concerned. Only three NC players out of 11 are signed by UNC.
Is this the product of two trips to Omaha or a dropoff in NC talent ?

 

Probably a combination of both. I believe the UNC roster will always be heavily stocked with in-state kids. And, it's four in-state, not three.

 

Who's the 4th after Messer,Lassiter and Baldwin ?

 

Jeff May

He will sign his nli in April during the spring signing period.

 

Also, I imagine after losing two freshmen players to the draft, they may be re-thinking their recruiting approach.

I know that Coach Mike Martin at FSU went through a terrible time recruiting some of the top talent in the nation only to see them sign pro contracts. It set his program back for a few years.

UNC has been very successful with the NC players. I don't see him ever going away from that. But the success they have had the last few years has certainly helped them nationally. UNC has now positioned themselves as one of the best programs in the nation; year in, year out.

I imagine that Oregon State has gathered the same type attention out west.

 

"innies vs. outies"

Just wondering if there is an advantage, scholarship wise, to taking out of state talent. Are there any special deals for these guys and if so, will the new ncaa rules have a negative affect?

Also with the popularity of UNC as a top program I would imagine that there are plenty of kids willing to go there for nothing, just to have a chance to be a part of the team. Obviously for in state players, and their families, this is more affordable than it would be for an out of state prospect. It does make one consider the talk that baseball is becoming more and more a sport for the more affluent. Many of us here have been spending pretty big money for our boys to play at the highest level possible over the years. Maybe the college programs see this and know they can bring in talent without having to "pay top dollar". Could you imagine what would happen to college basketball if scholarships were limited to say 5 per program and no one got a full ride?

 

Gman, I may be wrong, but I recall the NC Legislature passing something that allows athletic depts.in schools in the UNC system to reimburse the schools at in-state tuition rates for out-of-state athletes. Hopefully someone on here can clarify this. I do not think this would change Coach Fox's approach to recruiting however.

 

There's more detail to it Souther but essentially you are correct.

 

A couple of off-the-top-of-the-head responses to several of the points made here:

(1) Even though it is true that UNC's College World Series presence the last two years has made it easier to recruit some of the best players nationally, I'd be reluctant to view the 2008 entering class' percentage of in-state versus out-of-state players as indicative of a fundamental change in approach for the UNC program. The staff's core principles are rock solid, and one of those principles is that they look to their home state first.

(2) One of the practical reasons that state universities traditionally look to their home state first when recruiting is that the NCAA defines an "athletic grant-in-aid" as the total of tuition, fees, books, room, and meals for the "average" student. The "average student's" total costs reflect the weighted average of the proportions of in-state and out-of-state students. Because of that, dollars applied to an in-state player's costs go farther (i.e. represent a higher proportion of the in-state player's costs) than with an out-of-state student.

(3) Braves, you and I disagree on few things; but, I may have found a minor one here. I don't think the loss of a few, high profile players to the draft over the last few years will alter UNC's overall recruiting approach. Rather, I think it's pretty well taken for granted that it's a risk that must be borne to a certain extent by virtually every program that aspires to compete consistently for the national championship. If the truth be known, I think the UNC coaches might say that they feel they're in better shape than some of their competitors because of the overall appeal that UNC carries (i.e. the combination of the high level of play, excellent education, and great college atmosphere).

 

Time will tell, but when you lose two of your high recruits to the draft; they weren't replaced. The opportunites for others will open, but not the players they lost nor the other players they didn't sign because of those two signees.

I mentioned Mike Martin at FSU because he went through years of signing some outstanding recruits only to see them gobbled up by the pro's. It takes time to get back on track if you keep losing your recruits. I know he had to adopt a different philosophy about his recruiting efforts.


But I will say in UNC's defense, they won't sign anybody that they don't believe will help them....and all of the players they sign will get an opportunity to prove that they can.