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Originally Posted by GoshenGipper  I've been saying the same thing all year. You better get your shots in now because pretty soon ND will be at or near the top again. |
I remember saying this at some point this year. I am a Tarheel basketball fan. I have been since the day I was in my mom's womb. She's a Heels fan and so is my dad. Back in 2001-2002 I saw the Heels lose to teams I thought they would
never lose to. I watch them lose by margins that before that year were unfathomable (ie- +40 to Maryland). They set all kind of bad records and shattered every streak that had been built over the past 30yrs. They also looked horrible. Why did it happen? Bad recruiting or lack thereof during the whole Dean Smith/Bill Guthridge/Matt Doherty coaching change. By the time Matt came in, recruiting had taken a serious downward spiral. Of course, he looked good his first yr using the players who were already there. The next yr? Not so much. Carolina went through the same situation that ND is going through now in football where there were/are serious holes in the junior and senior classes. There was not enough depth, talent, and experience to compete against the tough schedule. It didn't change overnight. It took a couple of yrs. What changed it?
RECRUITING. Carolina struggled the next yr as well. We all know what happened w/ the coaching situation, but two yrs after going 8-20 they won the NC with a team dominated by juniors and seniors. That's why I think next yr will be more of a building block for '09 when ND will be loaded with experienced juniors and seniors(and sophomores for that matter) and the competition at each position will be fierce. Charlie is the guy that will turn it around. He has shown a willingness to adapt his approach and he and his coaching staff are burning up the recruiting trail. It doesn't look good now, but 2-3 yrs from now this yr will be an afterthought just like '01-'02 is an afterthought for Heels fans.