Nearly a decade since recruiting a true center, why?

[*Deleted Account*]

This is getting so pathetic that I am beginning to seriously doubt Tim Miles and his ability to manage a roster. Super frustrated as a fan. Any thoughts?

[uneblinstu]

I mean, it's not like they haven't tried. For whatever reason, they just haven't been able to get one to sign.

[49r]

Are there any thoughts that anyone could have that would make you feel better?

 

Jake Hammond is listed on ESPN as a Center:  http://espn.go.com/college-sports/basketball/recruiting/player/_/id/146294/jacob-hammond

 

And, we beat out a number of high majors for him.  Doesn't he qualify as a "true center"?

 

Furthermore, who do you consider the last true center we have recruited and gotten to commit to NU?  Alex Maric?  Brian Diaz?  Brandon Ubel?  Any of those guys qualify?

 

What about the ones we were hard after that didn't commit?  Atewe?  Agau?  Elbert Robinson?  Dusan Ristic?  ESPN also says we were recruiting Semir Sehic (Vanderbilt) Brison Gresham (UMass).

 

Seems to me like we have been and continue to be going hard after big men, just haven't closed on many.

[HuskerCager]

I don't think you can call this a recruiting issue that is unique to the Miles era:
- 65-66 - ironically - one of the program's best teams in history had no one taller starting than 6'5" Tom Baack

- 75-76 team - started 6'6" Larry Cox at center

- three consecutive teams - from 79/80 to 81/82 - never had a starter taller than 6'7" Andre Smith

- the 93/94 team's center was 6-8 Bruce Chubick

- Doc had 6-5 Ade Dangendaro starting after Maric left.

[jimmykc]

I think Andre Almeida would probably qualify as a big center. Niemann was certainly big. Vooch was plenty big. Maybe you should amend the title of the thread and substitute "good" for "true". Those are harder dudes to find.

[Norm Peterson]

This is getting so pathetic that I am beginning to seriously doubt Tim Miles and his ability to manage a roster. Super frustrated as a fan. Any thoughts?

Yeah.  I think you're over-reacting to one game.

[Handy Johnson]

Good Centers are a rare commodity, and I still think Hammonds will become a serviceable player for us, maybe even better than Van Polgeist. 

[49r]

What about Leslee Smith?  Moses Abraham?

 

Were those true centers?

[Fullbacksympathy]

Hammond is a true center, and highly recruited.  He's a sophomore, and he's been serviceable--decent for a soph.  He'll be a good senior.