ER has not been going on for many years the way I define it. 10-15 years ago it was not unusual for a SELECT FEW kids to get the attention of college coaches. These coaches would monitor those players and incubate a recruiting relationship. Some players like Connor Gill and Danny Glading were known to coaches as ninth graders. However, this doesn't meet any rational definition for early recruiting as we see it now where kids go through an expedited review in a short time window and are then under duress to quickly decide or the spots evaporate. Sorry, I don't buy the arguments that many top programs can always make space later...only a few programs have the Title IX latitude to blow out a roster to 50, 60, 70... If a kid wants to take a year or two to decide as a ninth grader, his opportunity to go to a top program will foreclose. The coaches who recruit early know this and leverage it over the kids and families. Ten years ago the most aggressive representations being made to some select 9th graders -- fewer than 10 kids total in each class -- was "you are a player we intend to offer when you are a junior". Nothing more formal than that. Is it a promise or a pledge? Yes, as taken literally. But it wasn't like this where 200 kids who have a good enough talent level relative to other middle schoolers are all being courted and secured.

Maryland being an ER success is better story than fact. Yes, Maryland commits many 9th graders. But Maryland also has some more Title IX room and the program has a history of kids transferring out or quitting after their first year. Further, many of Maryland's top recent year players have been incoming transfers as well. If there is a game Maryland plays best, it is the high volume transfer market and not the early recruiting market.

UNC -- credit where due. They are talented and good this year. That written, is the recent track record of Hopkins, UVA anything but abysmal in recent years? Even Duke's lustre is fading fast in the recent couple years. Duke certainly recruits and commits very young kids, the same players and nearly the same timing as rivals in the recent few years. The only difference to stipulate is Duke holds back the public announcements of commits and lies when they deny doing it. Everyone knows this...I have to wonder why Dino even bothers to attempt to disguise it.