I know you aren't replying to me, but you've just moved the bar from "not a B1G player" to "probably not a key player on a top 8 team in the standings this year". If your initial post had that nuance Dave would likely not have felt the need to reply as he did.
so the clarification is "contributor on a top-8 B1
. Four singles and a run is scored!
I am considering the context/circumstances for Pike with his recruiting so far. He came in taking over maybe THE WORST program in all of D1. He had no time to get his first class together. If you look at the ratings from (TOS since they have # rankings for these kids) of Thiam, Bullock, and Gene, (forget Sa) their ratings are in the 200s, 400s, and Gene doesn't even get a #!!! And yet 2 of the 3 are developing into quality players
In the 2017 class, Pike misses out on a PG (Alvarado) and Duke, Myles and Geo (forget Souf) get ratings of 150, 370 and 414! Give Pike credit for getting a 4* Duke (who will need development and show he is coachable, but he has potential to be a really solid big in his upperclassman years). And give coach credit for finding 2 sneaky good recruits. One proved his rating was BS with his play this year (Geo) and the word is the other (Myles) had an awesome redshirt and is ready to step up next year.
This is what you should have expected with Pike when we got him. How did a guy like him succeed at Stony Brook? He had to develop a good eye for underrated talent, coach em up on game night, and show talent as a coach at player development. So far, we have seen ALL of that in his first 2 seasons.
So far the 2018 class has Mathis, Carter and Harper. One is rated 110, Carter is hopefully a top notch Juco and had great offers. Harper doesn't even have a rating, but all of us are excited at his potential and pedigree...because we trust in Pike's ability to develop players. If we get Caleb Mc and Bandoo, I'm very satisfied in his recruiting class. It sucks that he lost out on 2 PGs in Maclung and Strickland, and is now 1-4 with PG targets (I'll count Geo as a "hit"). But I feel good about him getting a hit in 2019 with someone, whether a PG or CG.
Pike has made great inroads with kids in the 2019 class...You can use Duke, Carter and Mathis as evidence to support the claim that Pike will deliver on some solid players in his 4th recruiting class.
I hate to use the cliche, but the "process" is looking great with him so far.