2020 C Ryan Kalkbrenner (Signed)

[AttyAlum]

We got the EYBL's defensive player of the year. I never thought we could say that in Mac's system.

Ummm...Khyri Thomas ring a bell?

[bluejayfan00]

We got the EYBL's defensive player of the year. I never thought we could say that in Mac's system.

Ummm...Khyri Thomas ring a bell?

Ummm.. Khyri played in the EYBL? News to me.

[AttyAlum]

We got the EYBL's defensive player of the year. I never thought we could say that in Mac's system.

Ummm...Khyri Thomas ring a bell?

Ummm.. Khyri played in the EYBL? News to me.

No, he was defensive player of the year in the Big East. A little more prestigious.

[bluejayfan00]

The poster said he can’t believe we got a DPOY from one of the best AAU circuits in the country. Think a lot of people would agree with that.

Khyri transformed himself into a DPOY of the Big East, wasn’t recruited or heralded as such.

[fritzpointer]

Khyri's Prep School Coach talked all the time about his defense. That's what got him his chance at CU. Go Jays!

[ZMagic30]

Kalkbrenner getting DPOY in the EYBL is a higher accolade than Khyri got in his high school career. That really isn’t even debatable. No one is diminishing what Khyri accomplished during his Creighton career, but it’s true that recruiting highly touted defensive players isn’t exactly Creighton’s MO.

[fritzpointer]

Shereef Mitchell says hello!

[bluejayfan00]

Jfc.

The point is, which clearly flew right over...
we haven’t landed a guy that has had the national attention as a defensive player at the level of Kalkbrenner. He was the DPOY of a massive AAU circuit with other big time schools wanting him. We haven’t had that. This is a GOOD thing.

[Chicagojayfan]

Jfc.

The point is, which clearly flew right over...
we haven’t landed a guy that has had the national attention as a defensive player at the level of Kalkbrenner. He was the DPOY of a massive AAU circuit with other big time schools wanting him. We haven’t had that. This is a GOOD thing.

Exactly. Khyri is a great defensive player and it looks like Mitchell will be as well, but we've never had someone with Kalkbrenner's raw ability and national attention as a defensive player.

I can't overstate what a bit recruiting win this is for us. We have done a really good job of stocking the roster with wings and shooters and have a top notch PG in Marcus to run the show. Adding a shot blocker and defensive presence like Kalkbrenner (imagine what Lusk can do with him in the defensive scheme!) is amazing, but that's not all he brings. He has really nice hands and touch and can pass. I see him as a guy who can fit right into the pick and roll offense while going to the hoop, but he can also step outside and knock down jumpers as well.

Think about a few of key things in this recruitment:

- He had a Kansas offer (and Purdue, Stanford, Cinci, Kansas State, Illinois, Missouri, Xavier, Pitt, Virginia Tech and more). We want the coaches to win recruiting battles against top teams (and blue bloods like Kansas) for top 100 players .. and they did here

- We needed big men for this roster. Even if Epperson stays healthy we need depth and someone after he graduates. Now we have him

- We want to improve our defense. We got one of the best defensive players in the senior class this year, and a center like Kalkbrenner can improve an entire defense almost immediately when he's on the floor. (someone said he had a 7-6 wingspan. Seems exaggerated, but this guy has physical tools that simply can't be coached)

[fritzpointer]

I am so happy with getting Ryan! My response was to one poster who has recently said our recruiting was "comical" . We have a Staff that is working very hard to bring good players into this program.