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The Daily OrangeNational | The Citadel finding winning elusive with 14 freshmen
By Matt Ehalt
Posted: 2/20/08, 11:19 PM EST Section: Sports
Ed Conroy knows what it's like to be part of a large freshman class for a college basketball team. The Citadel head coach played for the military institution from 1985-89, and was part of a seven-man freshman class.
Conroy said he liked having a large class because the team was able to "lean" on each other and do everything together, which culminated in a successful senior campaign.
So when Conroy was selected as head coach of his alma mater in April of 2006 in the middle of recruiting season, he had the choice of trying to assemble a quick recruiting class, or holding some scholarships for a larger class the next year.
Conroy decided to hold onto those scholarships. Now he's experiencing what it's like to coach a large freshman class and one of the youngest teams in college basketball history.
The Citadel has 16 players on its squad, and 14 of those are freshmen, making it one of the most unique teams in college basketball. In addition, with lone senior Demetrius Nelson out for the season, it leaves just one upper-classman to guide the rookies.
"I like the idea of a big class going through it all as opposed to signing one or two in a class this particular year and not have as many people to lean on," Conroy said. "There was no grand plan to just wholesale start over, although as that was unfolding, I wasn't opposed to that."
Knowing he would have such a young class, Conroy set out to find players he knew he could retain. With The Citadel being a military institution, Conroy wanted to make sure the players he would sign would be with him through the long run.
Conroy signed eight players, but the team also added six walk-ons, all of whom were freshmen. In a day and age when recruiting classes often range from zero to five recruits, having 14 new players is unheard of, even to the Bulldogs' freshmen.
"The first that popped in my mind (when I heard the size of the class) was kind of shock," said freshman Austin Dahn, who just broke The Citadel's record for 3-pointers made in a season.
Conroy said he liked having a large class because the team was able to "lean" on each other and do everything together, which culminated in a successful senior campaign.
So when Conroy was selected as head coach of his alma mater in April of 2006 in the middle of recruiting season, he had the choice of trying to assemble a quick recruiting class, or holding some scholarships for a larger class the next year.
Conroy decided to hold onto those scholarships. Now he's experiencing what it's like to coach a large freshman class and one of the youngest teams in college basketball history.
The Citadel has 16 players on its squad, and 14 of those are freshmen, making it one of the most unique teams in college basketball. In addition, with lone senior Demetrius Nelson out for the season, it leaves just one upper-classman to guide the rookies.
"I like the idea of a big class going through it all as opposed to signing one or two in a class this particular year and not have as many people to lean on," Conroy said. "There was no grand plan to just wholesale start over, although as that was unfolding, I wasn't opposed to that."
Knowing he would have such a young class, Conroy set out to find players he knew he could retain. With The Citadel being a military institution, Conroy wanted to make sure the players he would sign would be with him through the long run.
Conroy signed eight players, but the team also added six walk-ons, all of whom were freshmen. In a day and age when recruiting classes often range from zero to five recruits, having 14 new players is unheard of, even to the Bulldogs' freshmen.
"The first that popped in my mind (when I heard the size of the class) was kind of shock," said freshman Austin Dahn, who just broke The Citadel's record for 3-pointers made in a season.
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