Taylor Still Seeks Release

St. Anthony senior guard Tyshawn Taylor and head coach Bob Hurley met with new Marquette coach Buzz Williams for several hours on Friday.

The result?

The 6-foot-3 Taylor still wants to be released from his National Letter of Intent.

"We asked for his release again today," Hurley said Monday by phone. "We sent another letter to the school. I hope they don't stall it. (Taylor) would like to make another visit or two. I have about 12 schools that have called. We kind of think he'd like to visit two schools he has not visited yet, and then not eliminate Marquette yet but be able to look at a couple of other schools."

A first-team All-State selection, Taylor considered Virginia Tech and Georgia Tech the first time around.

In the wake of former coach Tom Crean's departure to Indiana, Marquette released two players from their Letters of Intent last week, but not Taylor.

"When it comes down to it, Coach Williams has only been a basketball coach for one year," Hurley said. "We sat down for a couple hours, he talked to Ty and he spoke to me for an hour and a half. And at the end of that, he still had only coached for one year."

"Looking at Marquette's roster, there's going to be a big logjam now in the backcourt but we kind of figured Tom Crean would be able to handle a situation like this," Hurley said. "But we are talking about a guy who coached at the University of New Orleans for one year, and that's his head coaching experience."

Click here for last week's Q & A with Taylor.

Comments

[George Weah]

As Marquette will see a few times over the next couple recruiting classes, when you hire an inexperienced coach you are fighting an uphill battle with the "old guard" of high school basketball. They like familiarity.

Zag--good job keeping on the story and we look forward to continuing the updates. At this point, it looks like a case of Taylor wanting to see what else is out there and if nothing blows him away, or even remotely attracts him, then he'd stay with MU (which I would think is doubtful at this point).

[1oldshu]

This local area kid needs to have the option of a local Big East school. Instead, he's locked into a school half-way across the country if he wants to stay Big East. Terrible rule for the kids when a coach leaves them hanging.

[TommyC]

I wish Tyshawn Taylor all the best even though it won't be at Marquette. I believe he's a solid you man who has a world of potential. Thanks for the update Zag. What are your thoughts about how Hurley handle this situation? I lost all respect for him, and I grew up idolizing him. He continues to paint Marquette in a bad light for no reason. "I hope they don't stall it???" I ask again what prompts that sly comment? It's been less than 2 weeks since Crean's sudden departure. Show me a major school that behaved any differently than Marquette did here. Stay classy, Hurley, and remember that recruiting is all about the young men and not about you.

FYI - Marquette gave an UNCONDITIONALLY release to Nick Williams, so the restrictions would come from the Big East conference not Marquette.

[jutaw22mu]

MU should give TT a conditional release...he can leave as long as he doesn't go to IU.

[jutaw22mu]

By the way, Hurley's comments about Buzz Williams were unfair. How many players of his have gone to Fred Hill @ Rutgers? The same Fred Hill who had NO previous coaching experience before coaching the Scarlet Knights.

I can tell you one thing, TT would have tons of playing time as a sophomore onward. And he would have seen the court as a freshman despite the fact that MU fields the best backcourt in the Big East.

[RUrising]

Hurley's approval of his All-American Mike Rosario committing to RU demonstrates the high esteem that legends of the game have for Fred Hill and the trust they have in him to build a winner in front of the greatest city in the world.

[mufansince72]

Hurley's hadling of this has been downright dispicable. No need to throw Marquette's new coach under the bus. It's not Buzz'z or MU's fault that Crean left without notice.

If Marquette grants a release to this young man, I'm sure it will be handled with much more class than Coach Hurley has shown.

Good luck to Tyshawn!

[jutaw22mu]

Typical East Coast snobbery.

[mufansince72]

"Looking at Marquette's roster, there's going to be a big logjam now in the backcourt but we kind of figured Tom Crean would be able to handle a situation like this," Hurley said.

This makes absolutely no sense. There are less guards on the roster now than when Tyshawn originally signed. No Christopherson, no Nick Williams and now apparenetly no Tyshawn.

McNeal, James and Mathews each have one more year. Tyshawn would probably be the next guy off the bench. He would probably get significant minutes as a freshman, and start the remainder of his career. Just think how much he would improve by the end of his first year playing against the likes of DJ, Wes and McSteal in practice everyday!

[Dre]

Marquette took a major gamble in hiring a recruiter with minimal head coaching experience who answers to "Buzz" in looking to replace one of the better head coaches in the country.

Hurley was wise to not lock his player into that situation. Taylor ought to go to more of a stable and proven coaching staff.

[TulsaWarrior]

First off let me make it clear that I am a life long Marquette fan.

After the talk with Coach Hurley -- Buzz just needed to pull the LOI release from his briefcase and wish all well.

Was it a Catch 22 situation with someone who was going to throw you under the bus no matter what? I don't know. What I do know is this is part of the legacy of how Crean left the program. We all know that the recruits needed to be contacted by the outgoing guy and some PR needed to be done as the Uhaul was being loaded.

Lets deal with it. The quicker the better.

Buzz must be smarting from the public comments. It always hurts when someone goes out of their way to try and embarass you.

Tyshawn has the right to go where he wants. Once it's established that, that place is not Marquette (and that is what Buzz was doing with the trip to Jersey) give Taylor the release.

While Tyshawn has a right to go through a process -- so does Marquette University. The process is now over. Did Hurley make that clear at the end of his meeting with Buzz? If so Taylor really should have been handed the release at that point.

Did Hurley not make himself clear in the meeting? If things were clear after their conversation it was the mistake of the Marquette coach.

I for the life of me don't understand the immediate public P%^$# contest mounted by Taylor's coach when word of Crean's departure was leaked. Coaches leave and 100% of the time recruits can get a release. Not always immediately if the school and new coach want the recruit. Less than two weeks is not an unreasonable delay to insure both sides get due process. Scholship offers will not disappear from other schools.

Perhaps Marquette's President,Father Wild could get in touch to make sure there is an understanding of the Jesuit Ethical philosophy. It's a good one and will insure that the right thing is done for this special young man.

Best wishes, the one thing that hasn't changed in all this is a hope that Tyshawn reaches the potential God has given him.

[Chilltown]

Some of you guys crack me up. Do you think Tyshawn didn't have a say in this? HE DOESN'T WANT TO BE THERE!! It's not that Hurley has a beef with Buzz, Marquette or Crean. The school's basketball situation changed so the player changed his mind. As far as letting Buzz know RIGHT after the meeting..that's doesn't make any sense...of course Tyshawn had the weekend to think about it! Again, Hurley is only being a voice for Tyshawn...If TY wanted to still go to Marquette he would.

[mufansince72]

Based on comments I have seen in the press in Milwaukee, all Hurley needs to do to secure a release would be to fill out the proper paperwork. I.E. have his parents or legal guardians signature. Instead of beating up on Marquette, (who by the way have done nothing wrong), why doesn't Hurley just follow the correct process. Surely a coach with his experience has some insight into the correct process to be followed.

[TulsaWarrior]

Some good journalism on this issue.

http://blogs.jsonline.com/muhoops/archive/2008/04/16/update-on-taylor-mu.aspx