Jonathon Nwanko Given Release from His Letter Of Intent

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Maybe Pitino got interest from a different recruit? I have no idea. I hope this isn't an example of Creaning, was looking forward to JN next year. Stinks to lose him. But. Next man up I guess.
 


I think this is a bigger loss than people are making it out to be in this thread.
 

Sad to see him go. Looked like he could play some minutes this year.
 


Per Matt Jessen-Howard-

Nwankwo's not completely set with NCAA Clearinghouse but should be, per the Nwankwo party. UMN admissions may be to blame. #Gophers
 

scher215 said:
Per Matt Jessen-Howard-

Nwankwo's not completely set with NCAA Clearinghouse but should be, per the Nwankwo party. UMN admissions may be to blame. #Gophers
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Are we ever going to play in the big kids' sandbox? Seriously?!?!
 

From Marcus

Heard #Gophers could still fill Nwankwo's scholarship to add another player to the 2015 class.
 

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If they end up adding another 2015 I have to think they knew there was a decent possibility this situation might be happening.
 

Jonathan Nwankwo's release from his NLI was in the works for quite some time. It's a NCAA issue, not a University of Minnesota one.
 

golfing18now said:
Are we ever going to play in the big kids' sandbox? Seriously?!?!
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I don't agree with this mentality at all. I'd rather have the U of MN raise standards to Stanford levels than to drop them down to North Carolina levels. Time for kids to spend more time in the books and come to college prepared for the academic rigors. No one to blame but the high school and the kid for not rising to the academic levels necessary.
 

tinyarch said:
I don't agree with this mentality at all. I'd rather have the U of MN raise standards to Stanford levels than to drop them down to North Carolina levels. Time for kids to spend more time in the books and come to college prepared for the academic rigors. No one to blame but the high school and the kid for not rising to the academic levels necessary.
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Depending on who you believe in this thread, it very well may not have been an issue with the University admissions.

I'm not advocating we should cheat to keep players eligible. I would just like to see us be on par with other universities from an admissions standpoint. We already have some of the well-documented challenges to recruit here. Why should I feel good about then rising to a Stanford level of academic achievement? Once a recruit signs an LOI, I'd prefer not to need to hold my breath on whether or not he gets admitted. Within reason.....providing an academic opportunity for somebody that wouldn't get it otherwise isn't a bad thing, in my opinion. Not trying to be Kentucky, but also not pretending to be Stanford.
 



The crowd who said he would probably redshirt have now decided we are in big trouble at the five spot next year. lol Lofton may still be in play.
 

tinyarch said:
I don't agree with this mentality at all. I'd rather have the U of MN raise standards to Stanford levels than to drop them down to North Carolina levels. Time for kids to spend more time in the books and come to college prepared for the academic rigors. No one to blame but the high school and the kid for not rising to the academic levels necessary.
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If they're bungling things, that's different. Agree with you, though.
 

BBQ Platypus said:
Dear Lord. Can we feel good about this program for even ONE day?
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The Ghost of Gangelhoff knows no rest. One step forward, one step back.

I'm sorry but I can't join in thinking we're 'fine' with Konate and Gaston at center. We're liable to see Buggs or one of the other 4's there if (when) both have foul trouble. That's not something to be fine with, IMO.

Best of luck to him. He seemed like a good kid.
 

golfing18now said:
Are we ever going to play in the big kids' sandbox? Seriously?!?!
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There's a difference between having higher standards and being completely arbitrary. It appears the U admissions office is the later.
 

Dr.Don said:
I will defer comment until Nadine checks in.
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Nadine is in Hawaii- recruiting the next Marcus Mariota for Coach Kill. Hawaiian kids love to see snow for the first time

I wish Matt and Marcus wouldn't be contradicting each other on the reason- in theory, they are both in the loop enough that we should be able to read the real reason.
 

Minnesconsin fan said:
Nadine is in Hawaii- recruiting the next Marcus Mariota for Coach Kill. Hawaiian kids love to see snow for the first time

I wish Matt and Marcus wouldn't be contradicting each other on the reason- in theory, they are both in the loop enough that we should be able to read the real reason.
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Okay, to clear things up...

Nwankwo party says that he will likely be a NCAA qualifier, so that's why I tweeted out what I did. I'm assuming that's why Marcus tweeted it out too (both tweets posted on page three of this thread).

Then others say that although Nwankwo technically hasn't been declared academically ineligible yet and is still going through the Clearinghouse, it's reasonably unlikely he'll be a qualifier and regardless won't be getting through UMN admissions.

So we both take our tweets down.
 

If he was good enough I don't think a release would have happened.
 

The Gopher Report said:
although Nwankwo technically hasn't been declared academically ineligible yet and is still going through the Clearinghouse, it's reasonably unlikely he'll be a qualifier and regardless won't be getting through UMN admissions.
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I wonder whether we knew in the fall that there could be difficulties, or if his grades cratered or something this spring. Certainly he seemed like an articulate and likeable guy during that brief time he was posting on GH. Feel bad that this happened to him... seems like a loss for both parties.
 

Blackhammer said:
If he was good enough I don't think a release would have happened.
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I agree. He has size but his skills are in the project category. And we must have a plan for his scholarship. It says in several places this has been hanging there for a long time...it's not a surprise to Pitino.
 

WanderingGopher said:
I wonder whether we knew in the fall that there could be difficulties, or if his grades cratered or something this spring. Certainly he seemed like an articulate and likeable guy during that brief time he was posting on GH. Feel bad that this happened to him... seems like a loss for both parties.
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Totally guessing on what I'm reading...it's not his grades...it's his lack of core classes to meet NCAA requirements.
 


Teague mentioned (correct me if I'm wrong) yesterday on Sid that yes it was an outstanding recruiting class and it may not be complete or words to that effect. I was listening out of one ear and just thought "Hmmmm..."
 

Go4 said:
nwankwo committed to the u just a week or two before illikainen commited to wisconsin.

sigh.
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And I'm totally guessing but Pitino met with Illikanen before that. My guess Illikainen told Pitino he was going to Wisconsin which is why we accepted Nwankwo. Not buying we closed out Illikainen.
 

60's Guy said:
Totally guessing on what I'm reading...it's not his grades...it's his lack of core classes to meet NCAA requirements.
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Or it could be a Grades + ACT/SAT scores issue. It used to be(I don't know it anymore if it has changed) That if you got a high enough score on your tests your grade requirements were different. could it be a combination problem. I have a hard time believing that the prep school he was at was so inadequate to get him the right core classes... but it wouldn't be the first time for this to happen.
 

tinyarch said:
I don't agree with this mentality at all. I'd rather have the U of MN raise standards to Stanford levels than to drop them down to North Carolina levels. Time for kids to spend more time in the books and come to college prepared for the academic rigors. No one to blame but the high school and the kid for not rising to the academic levels necessary.
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You have no idea what the situation is. Quit pointing fingers when you don't know the facts. It's not very Christian of you.
 

Tim1406 said:
Or it could be a Grades + ACT/SAT scores issue. It used to be(I don't know it anymore if it has changed) That if you got a high enough score on your tests your grade requirements were different. could it be a combination problem. I have a hard time believing that the prep school he was at was so inadequate to get him the right core classes... but it wouldn't be the first time for this to happen.
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I have no info...but it starts in 9th grade and if you get behind in requirements it's tough to get on track. Usually Honor Society kids get pretty good grades is all I'm going by. You can get good grades and not score well on entrance tests but if it was that simple they'd say so, I'm thinking. Obviously you could be right...we are all guessing.
 

60's Guy said:
And I'm totally guessing but Pitino met with Illikanen before that. My guess Illikainen told Pitino he was going to Wisconsin which is why we accepted Nwankwo. Not buying we closed out Illikainen.
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Either that or he told Pitino he was leaning heavily towards W. I think the idea that we choose Nwankwo over Illikanen is preposterous.
 

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