Is it too late to pick up any new players this spring?

[Gobbler Guru]

If I were coach, I'd be looking to bring in 2 JUCO players if possible- 1 backcourt, 1 frontcourt. We need some warm bodies to steal some minutes for the starters, if nothing else. I can understand not wanting to blow a 4 year scholarship on spring leftovers at this point but it would seem that getting some experienced players in here for 1-2 years wouldn't be a bad thing.

Even more discouraging than the loss of specific players is the fact that next season, yet again, VT will be taking the court with a very thin roster. If there is one thing I am hoping Coach J will change from the Greenberg era, it's the practice of going into battle each fall with less than a full complement of scholarship players.

[Root4tech]

No, but there aren't a whole lot of players out there right now.

[Chris Coleman]

If I were coach, I'd be looking to bring in 2 JUCO players if possible- 1 backcourt, 1 frontcourt. We need some warm bodies to steal some minutes for the starters, if nothing else. I can understand not wanting to blow a 4 year scholarship on spring leftovers at this point but it would seem that getting some experienced players in here for 1-2 years wouldn't be a bad thing.

Even more discouraging than the loss of specific players is the fact that next season, yet again, VT will be taking the court with a very thin roster. If there is one thing I am hoping Coach J will change from the Greenberg era, it's the practice of going into battle each fall with less than a full complement of scholarship players.

I suppose I should sticky this on the top of all boards, haha, but VT isn't getting JUCO guys. Very, very rare. VT will only take JUCO guys if they were originally qualifiers out of high school. Most guys go to JUCO because they were not qualifiers out of high school, so our pool of JUCO recruits is very, very small.

[ME Hokie 07]

I suppose I should sticky this on the top of all boards, haha, but VT isn't getting JUCO guys. Very, very rare. VT will only take JUCO guys if they were originally qualifiers out of high school. Most guys go to JUCO because they were not qualifiers out of high school, so our pool of JUCO recruits is very, very small.

Hey Chris,

I've seen that posted here multiple times but not sure I've seen the rationale behind it. Is that official VT athletics policy or just a general rule because we've been burned in the past? Do other ACC schools have the same unwritten or written policy?

Just curious, because, while I don't wish for VT to compromise our integrity, the reality here is that we're going to be short warm bodies, much less capable ACC talent on the bench. If we were willing to take a risk on a kid, within the rules of course, I think this would be as reasonable an opportunity as ever to do so.

Comparing it to the regular student body, don't we have plenty of students at tech who didn't get accepted out of high school but transfer in? I get that its a risk and we want to minimize it but its certainly not without precedent.

[Chris Coleman]

Hey Chris,

I've seen that posted here multiple times but not sure I've seen the rationale behind it. Is that official VT athletics policy or just a general rule because we've been burned in the past? Do other ACC schools have the same unwritten or written policy?

Just curious, because, while I don't wish for VT to compromise our integrity, the reality here is that we're going to be short warm bodies, much less capable ACC talent on the bench. If we were willing to take a risk on a kid, within the rules of course, I think this would be as reasonable an opportunity as ever to do so.

Comparing it to the regular student body, don't we have plenty of students at tech who didn't get accepted out of high school but transfer in? I get that its a risk and we want to minimize it but its certainly not without precedent.

It depends on the school. I think most ACC schools are the same way, though I don't think FSU is. They've been able to recruit guys like Derwin Kitchen, Jon Kreft, etc.

And there's a big difference between a regular student not being accepted (but being eligible to be accepted) and an athlete who isn't even eligible to be accepted.

Bottom line, JUCO's just aren't going to happen for us very often. Not often at all. Don't think we've taken a single JUCO since joining the ACC, except for Justin Holt, who was a nutjob.

[ME Hokie 07]

It depends on the school. I think most ACC schools are the same way, though I don't think FSU is. They've been able to recruit guys like Derwin Kitchen, Jon Kreft, etc.

And there's a big difference between a regular student not being accepted (but being eligible to be accepted) and an athlete who isn't even eligible to be accepted.

Bottom line, JUCO's just aren't going to happen for us very often. Not often at all. Don't think we've taken a single JUCO since joining the ACC, except for Justin Holt, who was a nutjob.

Thanks. Good clarification on the accepted vs qualified.

I'd look long and hard at it this year if I'm the VT admin. I count 6 ACC level players on the current roster (Brown, Raines, Rankin, Green, Eddie and Barksdale). Adding Wood, maybe Harrell, and possibly losing another player if these rumors are true (assuming its one of those 6). So somewhere between 6 and 8 when the dust settles....ouch

[Chris Coleman]

Thanks. Good clarification on the accepted vs qualified.

I'd look long and hard at it this year if I'm the VT admin. I count 6 ACC level players on the current roster (Brown, Raines, Rankin, Green, Eddie and Barksdale). Adding Wood, maybe Harrell, and possibly losing another player if these rumors are true (assuming its one of those 6). So somewhere between 6 and 8 when the dust settles....ouch

I agree, if such a player is available this late. I doubt one is, however.

[nc_hokie87]

It depends on the school. I think most ACC schools are the same way, though I don't think FSU is. They've been able to recruit guys like Derwin Kitchen, Jon Kreft, etc.

And there's a big difference between a regular student not being accepted (but being eligible to be accepted) and an athlete who isn't even eligible to be accepted.

Bottom line, JUCO's just aren't going to happen for us very often. Not often at all. Don't think we've taken a single JUCO since joining the ACC, except for Justin Holt, who was a nutjob.

I don't know if you only were referring to basketball.... but I am almost positive UNC has accepted at least one, if not several, JUCO football players over the past few years. Could be wrong here, but I have many UNC friends and unless they were misled (and thus misled me).... they are allowed to and do take JUCO's

[thrhokie]

It depends on the school. I think most ACC schools are the same way, though I don't think FSU is. They've been able to recruit guys like Derwin Kitchen, Jon Kreft, etc.

And there's a big difference between a regular student not being accepted (but being eligible to be accepted) and an athlete who isn't even eligible to be accepted.

Bottom line, JUCO's just aren't going to happen for us very often. Not often at all. Don't think we've taken a single JUCO since joining the ACC, except for Justin Holt, who was a nutjob.

The fact that FSU has benefited from JUCO basketball players indicates that the ACC will allow it to happen. So who makes this policy at VT? VT admissions office? Athletic Department?

I know examples of non athletes who did not have the grades or did not have all of the requirements out of high school to get into VT. They went to a community college and did well - took the missing courses and transferred into VT. Why would athletes be any different? Maybe Rev Zeke or Hokie 83 can shed some light on this question.

[Lakeridgehokie]

Didn't the girls team just sign a JUCO?