Wyatt Lohaus

hawkdrummer1

hawkdrummer1

Well-Known Member
Before some of you immediately go on attack mode, this is just an honest question.

Lohaus had a pretty solid Freshman year at UNI (played in every game) and obviously can put up points (yes, it's just the PTL). Did we miss on this kid? Was he just not a good fit? Or did we just get a better player? What was the recruiting angle, I really didn't follow it.

Thanks in advance for reasoned replies.
 
MelroseHawkins said:
But he can really shoot them in practice.
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Reminds me of a Lou Holtz anecdote.

He had a kicker who was struggling. Every time Holtz went over to watch the kickers at practice, the kid would shank his kicks. Holtz says "What's going on?". Kicker says, "Coach, I was hitting everything a few minutes ago, I just get nervous when you come over and watch."

Holtz says, "That could be a problem, son. I plan on being at all the games".

 
Neither one were high end recruits. Wyatt was more a PG, and Ellingson more a SG. I think it was simply that Fran wasn't looking for a borderline PG recruit with 2 full years left of Sapp and Gesell.
 
Hawkfnntn said:
Maybe... I think I'd have rather had him than Ellingson so far so in that way yes I think so...
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This is exactly what I am referring to about Fran not being able to evaluate mental toughness. I don't care how well you shoot in practice. I want to know how you shoot when the pressure is on. When the game is on the line.
 
In fairness mental toughness is a tough thing to evaluate in a HS recruit that they barely get to spend much time with... I mean the level of play that they all have in HS is so different and most all of the kids that are being recruited D1 are the big man on campus in HS. Now I'm not totally writing off Ellingson yet. But this is probably his make or break season...
 
lightning1 said:
This is exactly what I am referring to about Fran not being able to evaluate mental toughness. I don't care how well you shoot in practice. I want to know how you shoot when the pressure is on. When the game is on the line.
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This type of player (go to guy, Mr. Clutch, ice in the veins, money guy) is all that has been lacking since Fran got here. It has been what's kept this program from going from GOOD to being one of the BEST in the country.
 
I think Lohaus could have been a rotation player for us. I don't know if he could start. I haven't seen enough of his game to know. If he was recruited by power 5 programs I'd say we should have recruited him. If he was recruited by mid majors I'm ok with not offering because it tells me he was an exception to the rule.
 
I am not a recruiting guy either. Honestly, I am not sure if he is better suited for the MVC I am still on the fence with that. What I do know they needed him at the end of that Texas A&M debacle. If he was on the court that game he is probably the difference maker.
 
docholihawk said:
I think Lohaus could have been a rotation player for us. I don't know if he could start. I haven't seen enough of his game to know. If he was recruited by power 5 programs I'd say we should have recruited him. If he was recruited by mid majors I'm ok with not offering because it tells me he was an exception to the rule.
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There is no less than one player on the roster who Wyatt is better than. Morgan too. Tough not to take them considering who we have. Plus they are legacy. Hindsight maybe? Either way, Fran is probably kicking himself for not taking one of them.
 
Fran's teams have been, for the most part, emotionally weak, lacking a solid leader...faltering...fading away...disappointing. I like some of the new talent and look forward to the future.
 
We only had one scholarship during Morgan's cycle and that went to Jok.

We did take a PG in Lohaus' class - Trey Dickerson.

In hindsight, that was a mistake. But at the time, I think many on here would have been up in arms had we taken a lightly recruited local kid ahead of a JUCO all-American.

Lohaus has always been tough as nails. And he's worked his tail off to become better every year. His offensive game has evolved tremendously and he's become a competent defender.

There's no doubt Morgan and Lohaus would look real good in black and gold this coming season. But circumstances at the time they were coming out of high school didnt work out for them being here.
 
RobHowe said:
We only had one scholarship during Morgan's cycle and that went to Jok.

We did take a PG in Lohaus' class - Trey Dickerson.

In hindsight, that was a mistake. But at the time, I think many on here would have been up in arms had we taken a lightly recruited local kid ahead of a JUCO all-American.

Lohaus has always been tough as nails. And he's worked his tail off to become better every year. His offensive game has evolved tremendously and he's become a competent defender.

There's no doubt Morgan and Lohaus would look real good in black and gold this coming season. But circumstances at the time they were coming out of high school didnt work out for them being here.
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That's going to be repeated in the future, where our PG situation is concerned. Conner better be tough as nails or we'll be right back here 4 years from now, wondering why there were better PGs from the state that went elsewhere.
 
I understand missing on kids from out of state but you should know everything about the kids in your own back yard. Especially the their work ethic and how they play when the pressure is on.
I have my own theories on it, obviously. I scratch my head on some of our recruiting strategies but Its not my job that's on the line.
 
lightning1 said:
That's going to be repeated in the future, where our PG situation is concerned. Conner better be tough as nails or we'll be right back here 4 years from now, wondering why there were better PGs from the state that went elsewhere.
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What in-state Class of '17 PG would you like them to recruit in place of Connor?
 
Wyatt committed early - fall of sophomore year, I think. The story from his dad was that he had written "UNI" as a goal for himself years prior.
Up here in Cedar Falls, he has been thought of as a SG since he started play. I don't know whether it was hoped he could be a PG, but at this point he is a SG. He has a lot of guts and mental toughness.
Fran might have "missed" on him, but he doesn't really seem to fit Fran's system as well as Jacobsen's. I think there are other players out there that are more properly called "misses." Every coach has a system and recruits for that system.
Fran has some good Iowa kids. Kriener, Pemsl, Wisecamp. Would he have them if he had other recruiting successes over the last few years?
 
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