Matt:

Do you have any sense that Maryland's continued search for another front court player is a reflection of the program's belief that Jordan Williams will remain in the NBA draft or simply its way of "covering its bases" should he decide to leave? While I don't pretend to know too much about any of these players, with the exception of Judge who would have to sit out a season before suiting up anyway, it seems to me that, at this point, the "pickins' are slim" and would, perhaps, justify saving the scholarship for 2012. Likewise, do we have any season stats for the JUCO player, Goff?

Terp'nTexas: I think it's not that farfetched to assume either scenario. The pickins' are definitely slim, but for what it's worth, my colleague Chris Korman, who used to work for the paper in Bloomington, saw Goff play several times in high school and was impressed. He's an enforcer type. His JUCO stats were fairly underwhelming (something like 9-10 points per game). -- Matt

Reportedly Jordan Williams has hired an agent. Matt, have you heard this news?

terps55: I saw the original report, but as far as I know nobody has confirmed it. -- Matt

1. Is the interest in a JUCO big man a sign about Jordan Williams? Another big man doesn't hurt and maybe this is just insurance, but it makes you wonder whether JW is already gone.

2. That being said, Hutchinson CC is a perennial top-tier JUCO program, and this guy is one of the top JUCO players in the country. Gary has done well with JUCO big men over the years - Jabar Smith, Ryan Randle, Boom Osby etc. A talented JUCO player probably has a chip on his shoulder and is ready to come in and compete.

3. I suspect that Mike Williams would have received more attention from big-time programs if they knew he has some legit speed, power and athleticism -- has anyone ever stood next to a hurdle? Surprisingly high, and I'm taller than him. And his time beats pure track guys who are getting scholarships to run track at places like Miss. State, where they actually care about that stuff. His brother was clearly way underrated. Obviously time will tell, but this has to be exciting news for the coaching staff.

Skin: 1.) Quite possibly. I don't think it would be a huge surprise if JW stays in the draft. 2.) Good point on HCC. It's also the JUCO alma mater of the great Bobby Maze! 3.) Williams' rep in high school was as a track star developing into a football player. He's definitely got a high ceiling. -- Matt

trolling the bottom of the river floor for whatever is left? lovely. nothing like the last minute.

Maryland is no longer a top 25 program-because reasons like this. They missed on all their big man targets this year and now are scrambling to fill a scholarship with a player who will probably transfer. Remember the name Steve Goins. Md had missed all their big man and just gave him a scholarship to have someone. Gary better get two quality big man next year-2012-or I think his days are numbered. It is embarrassing losing out to UNC on Desmond Hubert-who will sit the bench at UNC and would have been a 35 minute starter for Terps.

What ever happend to Padgett? He was the big name/highly heralded freshman coming in with JW but he has played sparingly and when he is on the floor looks like a deer in headlights. I would be fine if he came in and gave the starters a break and played some great D or got a bucket here and there but that guy just looks lost every time he hits the floor. What was his rep in high school? Scorer, slasher, post player? He hasn't done any of that since coming to CP. Not sure why there was so much hype.

Hopefully the program has already hit the bottom and is on it's way back up unless JW jumps...

Matt, how often do you speak with Bino and Booth about the pipeline?

Now that we have a couple decades of history with Gary Williams, I think it's pretty clear that when people complain about recruiting, what we really should be complaining about is the program's inability to sign, or maybe develop, quality big men, year after year.

Sure, Gary stumbles on over-achievers every few years, like a Lonnie Baxter, or Chris WIlcox, Jordan Williams, or Joe Smith, but by and large he seems to recruit about ten quality guards for every quality above-the-rim player.

Why is that?

Is it just a reflection of how rare the latter group is, nationally? Is it because Gary was a guard, and focuses on it? Or is it a style of play issue -- such as Gary's emphasis on defense, running the floor, or the role of the big man in the flex offense? Does he devalue that style of play?

Regardless, it seems odd that under Lefty, the Terps used to regularly turn out big men like Buck Williams, Len Bias, Albert King, Tom McMillen Len Elmore -- and this group overshadowed Maryland guards, like an occasional John Lucas, under Lefty.

Why the contrast?

shas— i read what you're saying, but that's an unfair contrast. the bigman is coveted even in the nba. gary does lean toward signing wingmen and tweeners, but look at georgetown for example: in the last decade there's only been monroe, hibbert and green. its always harder to get the bigman. but don't forget terrence morris, james gist, ibekwe. even goins had potential but didn't quite work out.
--and you could tell that jordan williams was going to be a productive acc player before he stepped on the court.

Regarding Mitch McGary list there's no way he'd pick MD over Marquette, Purdue, or Illinois, Cinn, Fla or Tx.

potential Terps forward target Jared Guest. VCU! How things have changed.

Why would JW want to stay if he has a choice?