Biggest Suprise in MVC Next Year

[uniftw]

MVC rules make Hawkins in ineligible since he signed a letter intent previously with WSU.

And the league ALWAYS enforces that...

See: McDermott, Doug

UNI didn't have the balls to say no to the MVC. I don't think WSU will have any problem saying "bite me" in a polite way. UNI should have at least required CU to give them a couple non-conference games for letting doogie play for daddy.

Elgin went on record stating the conference wouldn't enforce the rule regardless what UNI did BEFORE Dannen or Jacobson commented on the situation publicly....FWIW

[Aargh]

Marshall brought Dana Ford into the MVC after Ford had previously worked with Marshall. Marshall assigned Ford to be the lead recruiter for Hawkins.

Ford left WSU for another Valley team after only one year. A condition of Ford's employment at WSU was that he would stay at least 2 years. Marshall let Ford out of his 2-year commitment, but was one PO'd head coach - especially losing a coach who had worked with him to a Valley school.

Then, apparently, Ford kept recruiting Hawkins and Hawkins ended up at IlSU. Any questions about why Ford ducked the handshake line when IlSU visited WSU last year, and why there was a confrontation when WSU visited IlSU last year?

If a school expects another school to do them a favor, that school shouldn't poach coaches and recruits from the school they need a favor from.

Placing Hawkins in a JuCo?? How did that work out for the last school that placed Hawkins somewhere? Hawkins got kicked out of the prep school where WSU put him.

Hawkins has demonstrated over and over that he has some issues and baggage. Perhaps the greatest damage Marshall could do to IlSU would be to give Hawkins a waiver and let his ego, immaturity, and bad attitude run rampant on the Redbird program. I think Hawkins would make P'Allen Stinnet look like a poster child for Mother Theresa.

[Redbird Recon]

The situation is not nearly as cut and dry as the article indicates.
His initial ineligibility adds an unprecedented wrinkle that hasn't been ironed out yet.
Teddy is doing well, getting along with coaches and teammates, and might play in The Valley this year.

[Bmarq04]

Marshall brought Dana Ford into the MVC after Ford had previously worked with Marshall. Marshall assigned Ford to be the lead recruiter for Hawkins.

Ford left WSU for another Valley team after only one year. A condition of Ford's employment at WSU was that he would stay at least 2 years. Marshall let Ford out of his 2-year commitment, but was one PO'd head coach - especially losing a coach who had worked with him to a Valley school.

Then, apparently, Ford kept recruiting Hawkins and Hawkins ended up at IlSU. Any questions about why Ford ducked the handshake line when IlSU visited WSU last year, and why there was a confrontation when WSU visited IlSU last year?

If a school expects another school to do them a favor, that school shouldn't poach coaches and recruits from the school they need a favor from.

Placing Hawkins in a JuCo?? How did that work out for the last school that placed Hawkins somewhere? Hawkins got kicked out of the prep school where WSU put him.

Hawkins has demonstrated over and over that he has some issues and baggage. Perhaps the greatest damage Marshall could do to IlSU would be to give Hawkins a waiver and let his ego, immaturity, and bad attitude run rampant on the Redbird program. I think Hawkins would make P'Allen Stinnet look like a poster child for Mother Theresa.

I actually think it was a pretty stand up move from Gregg to let Ford go. Even though he had the 2 year agreement, Gregg recognized that this was a chance to move from a lower level assistant role to a 2nd in line asst role. And, it was a chance from him to return to his school. Most coaches would love to go back and make an impact at their school, even if it is only for a short bit before moving to bigger and better.

As an ISU fan, I've had issues with Gregg, but I've talked to several WSU fans offline and learned more about him as a person. Despite my feelings of how he has managed in game/post game situations (against ISU), I'd love to have a coach like that and hope that DM will bring in that type of talent and work the refs like that to gain every advantage possible.

As far as the take above about letting Hawkins go play now to provide a bad apple to ISU, its an interesting thought. I could even see him doing that. No matter when Hawkins plays, it will be one of two things....1) he is the same dude and has some issues, or 2) he's grown up and has something to prove. I hope its the second.

[agrinut]

MVC rules make Hawkins in ineligible since he signed a letter intent previously with WSU.

And the league ALWAYS enforces that...

See: McDermott, Doug

Doesn't that rule only apply if the player enrolled?

[uniftw]

MVC rules make Hawkins in ineligible since he signed a letter intent previously with WSU.

And the league ALWAYS enforces that...

See: McDermott, Doug

Doesn't that rule only apply if the player enrolled?

Once a player accepts a LOI it goes into play...

[bradley25]

If Hawkins has an attitude problem, it will just fit in on the team.

[CaliRdBrd]

If Hawkins has an attitude problem, it will just fit in on the team.

Sincerely,

Will Egolf

[rlh04d]

I actually think it was a pretty stand up move from Gregg to let Ford go. Even though he had the 2 year agreement, Gregg recognized that this was a chance to move from a lower level assistant role to a 2nd in line asst role. And, it was a chance from him to return to his school. Most coaches would love to go back and make an impact at their school, even if it is only for a short bit before moving to bigger and better.

As an ISU fan, I've had issues with Gregg, but I've talked to several WSU fans offline and learned more about him as a person. Despite my feelings of how he has managed in game/post game situations (against ISU), I'd love to have a coach like that and hope that DM will bring in that type of talent and work the refs like that to gain every advantage possible.

As far as the take above about letting Hawkins go play now to provide a bad apple to ISU, its an interesting thought. I could even see him doing that. No matter when Hawkins plays, it will be one of two things....1) he is the same dude and has some issues, or 2) he's grown up and has something to prove. I hope its the second.

[Aargh]

If Hawkins has an attitude problem, it will just fit in on the team.

If ??? I think it's past "if". His HS coach suspended him 2 games his Sr. year for "disciplinary reasons". His prep school coached benched him and then yanked his scholarship at semester break. He pretty much got kicked out of the prep school where WSU had arranged for him to get a scholarship.

He went to prep school because he had to get his gpa, and test scores up to meet NCAA requirements. He didn't finish prep school, which probably mens he didn't get his HS gpa up to the point where he can pass the clearinghouse. Courses he takes at IlSU will not affect his HS gpa, so he's going to have to SERIOUSLY raise his test scores to offset his academic record in HS.

He's taken the tests 6 or 7 times, so he should be getting better at it. I think he's absolutely wasting his money enrolling at IlSU. If he ever hopes to play D1 ball, he needs to find a JuCo NOW who wants to take a risk on a known flaky character.

The first clue about Hawkins was when his best buddy, and the guy he wanted to play with in D1 (Andrew Yates) committed to Creighton, a school that Yates probably knew Hawkins could never be admitted to. His "best buddy" picked a school where Hawkins could not possibly follow him.

That was his "best buddy" and Hawkins is outstanding at making enemies.