(08-28-2019 07:13 PM)NMSUPistolPete Wrote:  

(08-28-2019 04:20 PM)gleadley Wrote:  I'm not sure it is accurate to say Majerle was "stock piling D1 transfers" like Croy was able to do. Majerle had about 5 months to cobble together a team that, to be fair, did include a couple of okay D1 transfers (even if D. Walker was dismissed from the team before the Lopes even made it to conference play). However, Croy and Judkin had/have an almost 2-year runway to get ready for the step up in competition. I'm sure DSU will be fine. They certainly couldn't be any worse than the worst the WAC has to offer.

Judkin still has a season to gear up Dixie State's roster for D1 play. GCU had a number of D1 transfers but I forgot Majerle htad to assemble a D1 capable team in such a short time. In GCU's first D1 season, Majerle built a roster with New Mexico transfer Demetrius Walker, Colorado transfer Jeremy Adams, Weber State transfer Blake Davis, and Texas A&M transfer Daniel Alexander.

I enjoyed watching both play, but Davis & Alexander were recruited to GCU by Russ Pennell. Blake Davis also kind of lucked his way back into D1, as he had dropped down to D2 at least a full season before GCU accepted the WAC invite. The Lopes also only had the services of Walker for a whopping 9 games in that first season before he was kicked off the team.

While there were D1 experienced players on that roster, the two biggest impact players for GCU in 2013-14 were Killian Larson & Jerome Garrison. In that regard, maybe Judkin already has the cornerstones in place to be successful from the jump. I haven't looked at their roster to know for sure, but we at least know it's possible. You don't last something like 14 years at one place if you don't have an idea of what you're doing, so I'm sure he and the program will be just fine.