Holton recruits

All this academic ineligibility has really got me thinking. And I found it kind of wierd that Holton's recruiting absolutely plummetted as his years went on. And, the later players really juts never panned out in the classroom. Holton went from having some successes:

Gahlman, Geddis, Karl, Galos, Pooh, Donald, Coop, Soderburg

To a whole bunch of failures:

Porter Troupe, Devin Peal, Samario Clancy, Dreshawn Vance, Marcus Lewis, Dominguez


I know I'm forgetting people on both sides of this equation, but sheesh, it sure seems like a lot of guys never panned out in the classroom. I hope that's not normal.

What the root issue was with Holton's recruits... was it recruiting the wrong kids to begin with? Was it not providing an environment for them to focus on academics?

My guess would be that as the pressure increased to turn the program around (ironically, most of that pressure came directly from him & his statements), he had to lower the academic standards in the kids he recruited to get the athletes he wanted. At UCLA and OSU, Holton would not have had to worry as much about academics and could focus on the athlete... maybe he just couldnt relate to the type of student athlete necessary for UP, so they werent interested in coming here?

Whatever the cause, I sure hope the ship is righted now with Rev (and my gut feeling is good...)

I here the both of you especially since I was a former player and Holton was or is my uncle. I just think all the stipulations, as far as academics, recruiting, and the relating to these kids got the best of him. If he would of had say maybe a former player on his staff, and I am definitely not talking about me, but a player who was there when we were actually a program that would of helped. Some of those assistants were corny and by the book. You have to relate to the players..... bottom line in college. D.Holton

No way, no way, no way!!!

Dionn... let me be the first to say that you are awesome and thanks for your four years on The Bluff. You led the Pilots to some of their best seasons ever, and I for one will always remember you blazing past defenders and driving to the hole. And those 13 assists in the first half against Southern Oregon. You know... I think the Pilots could use you this year. Got any eligibilty left?

As for your point about assistant coaches, I totally agree. I thought LeMont Daniels had come in to help coach for a little bit, but other than that I don't remember any young guys that were on the bench. Eric Jackson is filling that role on the current staff... played at Wisconsin-Milwaukee in the 90s... is a very cool guy that I think relates with the players well. But it would be nice to see a former Pilot on the bench too.

I think I will always have mixed feelings about the Holton era. I think he did a great job in injecting life into the program after the abyssmal end to the Chavez regime, and he really did bring in some of the best players in recent memory in Pooh, Donald and Coop. You couldn't help but be impressed whenever you saw him or spoke to him, and I love how he stepped up the expectations. But in the end, like you said, the details did him in. Whether it was X's and O's or making sure about academics and all of that, by the end I think it just kind of all blew up. But still, if I had to pick one guy to go into a recruits house and meet with their parents and him and convince him to come to UP, Holton would be my guy.

Man I appreciate the memories and the complements. It is going to be hard for a coach to win in a conference where you have a Gonzaga, and the schools from California are tough to compete with. I felt for my uncle because it was hard to win in a situation like that. The new athletic director went his own way, and he probably had to. It is going to take PAL's best to bring UP back to the good ole days. I just wish we could get the old gang back together. Where is Kasey Flicker, Greg Klosterman...