I agree that we need to get players who are capable of winning in the Big Sky regardless of where they come from. It is ironic, however, that Earlywine was constantly being pressured ("badgered" was actually how he stated it to me on a couple of occasions) by the administration to get in-state guys because an in-state scholarship costs less than an out-of-state schollie. Again I will pose the question of whether we're Division 1 or not??? This was a point I didnt get to in any of my previous posts regarding an administration that doesnt understand D1 athletics - and especially recruiting. I have heard from several of our current and former coaches who've moved on that the biggest problem is our athletic department is that the people making the policies and decisions have never recruited a student-athlete, have never coached, and never even participated in sports at any level.
Maybe the administration has seen the light??? Maybe it's just that this AD feels like Coach Hayford is "his" hire and is invested in his success in a way that he never was with Earlywine, and Hamilton/Westphal never were with Burns. Whatever the reason, it seems like a good sign to me - and certainly a good sign for Coach Hayford.