This is something that I've been wondering about for years & I still don't have it figured out. but I think that just like every other college town in America, it is what ever a recruit makes of it.
Here is what Coney Durr (recruit from Louisiana) had to say about Manhattan: "When I flew in, I was like, 'Hold up, this is the middle of no where', but when we got into the town, I didn't expect what I saw."
I think that too many people have adopted good ol Bobby Elliott's mindset that "it's too hard to recruit to Manhattan". Give me a break. It's not any easier recruiting to Stillwater, yet those coaches are able to do that. Do you think that it is easier to recruit to Manhattan now, or back in 1998?
Let's look at the changes to Manhattan since 1998, shall we?
1. From 3rd street to 24 highway is much more modern & a lot cleaner now than it was in 1998.
2. There are actual businesses on Seth Child's now.
3. Most of the trash houses on the east side of campus are torn down & replaced with new apartments.
4. Campus had improved drastically, so has the rec complex & obviously football facilities.
If you remember what Manhattan looked like in 1998, it is completely different now. Every facet of the town has improved. Now, is Manhattan like Atlanta (GTECH), Columbia, SC (USC), Austin, (UT), Knoxville (Tenn), obviously not. But the coaches in 1996, 97, & 98 were able to recruit at a VERY HIGH level & get some top-flight talent to KSU & Manhattan and that was when Manhattan looked like a very run down town.
Look at the recruits that KSU was able to get back then & look at the recruits that KSU is getting now. Why? Why is KSU settling for players when they used to be able to go down to Texas & Oklahoma & get the players they wanted? To me, it is all about how lazy the coaches have become in regards to recruiting to KSU. Andre Coleman is the only coach that reminds me of how good KSU's coaches used to recruit & how hard they used to recruit. I keep going back to the example of Venables driving down to Oklahoma so that Jeff Kelly wouldn't switch his commit from KSU to OU. Most of us remember how good of a player Kelly was at KSU. Do you think that any of the coaches now would do that? Coleman is the only one that I can think of that would.
Let's look at Josh Buhl. He was the 5A Defensive Play of the Year in Texas!!! He was in the same recruiting class as Roberson & Hickman (may he rest in peace). I have very little doubt in my mind that this coaching staff (except Coleman) would even come close to getting either of those players to commit & sign at KSU.
Here is what Coney Durr (recruit from Louisiana) had to say about Manhattan: "When I flew in, I was like, 'Hold up, this is the middle of no where', but when we got into the town, I didn't expect what I saw."
I think that too many people have adopted good ol Bobby Elliott's mindset that "it's too hard to recruit to Manhattan". Give me a break. It's not any easier recruiting to Stillwater, yet those coaches are able to do that. Do you think that it is easier to recruit to Manhattan now, or back in 1998?
Let's look at the changes to Manhattan since 1998, shall we?
1. From 3rd street to 24 highway is much more modern & a lot cleaner now than it was in 1998.
2. There are actual businesses on Seth Child's now.
3. Most of the trash houses on the east side of campus are torn down & replaced with new apartments.
4. Campus had improved drastically, so has the rec complex & obviously football facilities.
If you remember what Manhattan looked like in 1998, it is completely different now. Every facet of the town has improved. Now, is Manhattan like Atlanta (GTECH), Columbia, SC (USC), Austin, (UT), Knoxville (Tenn), obviously not. But the coaches in 1996, 97, & 98 were able to recruit at a VERY HIGH level & get some top-flight talent to KSU & Manhattan and that was when Manhattan looked like a very run down town.
Look at the recruits that KSU was able to get back then & look at the recruits that KSU is getting now. Why? Why is KSU settling for players when they used to be able to go down to Texas & Oklahoma & get the players they wanted? To me, it is all about how lazy the coaches have become in regards to recruiting to KSU. Andre Coleman is the only coach that reminds me of how good KSU's coaches used to recruit & how hard they used to recruit. I keep going back to the example of Venables driving down to Oklahoma so that Jeff Kelly wouldn't switch his commit from KSU to OU. Most of us remember how good of a player Kelly was at KSU. Do you think that any of the coaches now would do that? Coleman is the only one that I can think of that would.
Let's look at Josh Buhl. He was the 5A Defensive Play of the Year in Texas!!! He was in the same recruiting class as Roberson & Hickman (may he rest in peace). I have very little doubt in my mind that this coaching staff (except Coleman) would even come close to getting either of those players to commit & sign at KSU.
