Dylan Homenick - 2025 HS Commit

[RichmondNative]

I don’t know what team some of you are following. When did UR ever have a year 1 impact big under Mooney? I understand that now there is more player movement, but UR isn’t gong to be able to do anything other than what it has done which is get a player from a lower league. Then somehow this player has to be able to master the system that Mooney likes to run in a couple of months. I have never seen this happen.

In fact, the only example of a year 1 impact player is Jordan King. Replicating that recruiting success is also a tall order for the Spiders, but if I had to bet I would bet on the staff finding an impact guard long before a power forward or center.

Soulis was the perfect example of the Mooney 4-5 year plan. Unfortunately, it did not work out. Something is going to have to change because currently the “program” is going nowhere.

 

[GKiller]

Agree, it will not be as easy as some think to land a productive big. Again with Quinn. He was solid but not great in his first year here, but was getting some decent interest - Rutgers especially. I bet now, he would be getting pretty darn good NIL from a power conference school. I read on here we have "opted in" , but in this type of scenario still no idea if we can compete with a BE, SEC, B10, or ACC school for this type of big. It seems like it will give us more $, but SEC and B10 just print money. Heck Rodney Rice got 2.5 to 3 mill from a football school that barely seems to care about hoops - so I am dubious that we can compete for a big.

So looking for that plug n play Big will be hard. Quinn had an adjustment year, and Beagle too and we don't know if he will have an impact at all. If you go much higher profile than Beagle - you now better come with the NIL$.

Part of the NIL problem is right now it’s basically unlimited. Big teams paying fake NIL via collectives and also pending rev share themselves. We need to hope fake NIL goes away like they say once regulated after settlement. But yeah easy to be skeptical of that.

We’d be happy to get a Quinn but I agree right now it’s harder to land if the fake NIL doesn’t go away.

And Beagle arguably came in with better production than Quinn who had extra year. How we use big men we’ll get someone but a little bit hit & miss and we won’t be fishing in different waters.

 

[VT4700]

I agree. But you were banking on us being able to attract at least 2 and maybe 3 of them in the portal. Which I think is unrealistic. So I'm glad we went the Dylan route.

Never said 3. I said 2, and I still think we will add 2. Probably a very talented, proven starter and then more of an experienced reserve, back up type.

 

[VT4700]

Agree, it will not be as easy as some think to land a productive big. Again with Quinn. He was solid but not great in his first year here, but was getting some decent interest - Rutgers especially. I bet now, he would be getting pretty darn good NIL from a power conference school. I read on here we have "opted in" , but in this type of scenario still no idea if we can compete with a BE, SEC, B10, or ACC school for this type of big. It seems like it will give us more $, but SEC and B10 just print money. Heck Rodney Rice got 2.5 to 3 mill from a football school that barely seems to care about hoops - so I am dubious that we can compete for a big.

So looking for that plug n play Big will be hard. Quinn had an adjustment year, and Beagle too and we don't know if he will have an impact at all. If you go much higher profile than Beagle - you now better come with the NIL$.

Bigs don't need to be dominant, all A-10 type players. I would take Quinn type numbers, yes, even his 1st year here numbers, every year for our big. Just give me some size, play some D, rebound, and score a little. Nothing more needed. We will find that in the portal. It's a guards game, and that's where you need your all A-10 type players.

 

[SpiderGuy]

Agree, it will not be as easy as some think to land a productive big. Again with Quinn. He was solid but not great in his first year here, but was getting some decent interest - Rutgers especially. I bet now, he would be getting pretty darn good NIL from a power conference school. I read on here we have "opted in" , but in this type of scenario still no idea if we can compete with a BE, SEC, B10, or ACC school for this type of big. It seems like it will give us more $, but SEC and B10 just print money. Heck Rodney Rice got 2.5 to 3 mill from a football school that barely seems to care about hoops - so I am dubious that we can compete for a big.

So looking for that plug n play Big will be hard. Quinn had an adjustment year, and Beagle too and we don't know if he will have an impact at all. If you go much higher profile than Beagle - you now better come with the NIL$.

You reinforce my beliefs. Easier said than done just because we lose the starter at 5 & his backup. Available minutes are one thing. Wanting to come here & play Mooneyball is another thing. Then there's the entire money thing. No doubt we'll have $ to spend, but how much is a different matter, and P5 schools will probably dwarf us on $. Your "plug n play Big" line is perfect.

If we get a legit 5 in the portal it'll go a long way. If we get little more than serviceable or a developmental player, then we'll have real problems for the coming year(s).

 

[GKiller]

Just give me some size, play some D, rebound, and score a little. Nothing more needed.

No passing? Our bigs are often the leading asst guys in our O

 

[spiderman]

Let's remember Beagle was pretty highly regarded coming here. He was American East Rookie of the Year and put up good stats over 2 years. announcement linked.

Seemed like he struggled with Moon system & hopefully we'll see improvement. next portal season it's certainly reasonable to expect more production from the portal big than Beagle last year, but going in I think it's far from a certainty that we'll land a much better and much more wanted big. Rookie of the year is no joke. We recruit in portal basically exclusively from lower leagues. If u r confident Moon can close on someone w better accolades than Beagle that's a stretch imo.

Beagle was exactly the kind of big I wanted, but then we asked him to be a different type of center than what he was.
I think we'll see a better Beagle with a year under his belt. he's a talented big man. but there's a limit to what he'll show in 15 mpg behind Walz.

 

[plydogg]

I hear u, but we should land a much better and much more wanted big than Beagle next year. Walz was already here when Beagle came here. He obviously knew that and was okay coming here to compete with Walz. And, since he didn't transfer this spring, he is obviously fine being a back up again. So, Beagle had Walz in front of him and knew minutes would be there even if he didn't beat out Walz. With both Walz and Beagle here, the guaranteed minutes wouldn't be there for someone this year. Pretty much why Soulis left.

I’m with you re-Beagle here, but one thing I’m thinking is where would he have transferred? Backup on a 8-22 would have had to probably transfer lower than Albany or, at best, back to that level. Even as I type this though, I have absolutely no idea. It seems like every day I’m shocked at transfers around the sport.

 

[plydogg]

Bigs don't need to be dominant, all A-10 type players. I would take Quinn type numbers, yes, even his 1st year here numbers, every year for our big. Just give me some size, play some D, rebound, and score a little. Nothing more needed. We will find that in the portal. It's a guards game, and that's where you need your all A-10 type players.

It’s a guards game, but in the Princeton offense the 5 is either #1 or 2 in levels of importance (depending who you ask). If our 5 isn’t playing at an All-A10 caliber then we can forget about it.

We do need an all-A10 PG though too. Case in point is TJ playing at MVP level trying to get it done with Shawndre who was good, but not good enough.

 

[spider23]

It’s a guards game, but in the Princeton offense the 5 is either #1 or 2 in levels of importance (depending who you ask). If our 5 isn’t playing at an All-A10 caliber then we can forget about it.

We do need an all-A10 PG though too. Case in point is TJ playing at MVP level trying to get it done with Shawndre who was good, but not good enough.

Usually not a big Shawndre defender, but I do think he was good enough. Those guys had HUGE holes on the roster, that was pre portal and moon was very very light on using transfers. Obviously TJ was his big hit, but we had zero depth and not really 5 A10 level starters if I recall.

 

[VT4700]

I’m with you re-Beagle here, but one thing I’m thinking is where would he have transferred? Backup on a 8-22 would have had to probably transfer lower than Albany or, at best, back to that level. Even as I type this though, I have absolutely no idea. It seems like every day I’m shocked at transfers around the sport.

Yes, I was talking transferring down for more minutes.

 

[SpiderGuy]

Beagle was exactly the kind of big I wanted, but then we asked him to be a different type of center than what he was.
I think we'll see a better Beagle with a year under his belt. he's a talented big man. but there's a limit to what he'll show in 15 mpg behind Walz.

Re: Beagle - “We asked him to be a different type of center than what he was”.

In the article on Homenick he liked old school low post, and he likes attacking the glass getting offensive rebounds. So - here we go again. Another player with skills that aren’t really Mooneyball. Like all others before him he’ll be square peg round hole. One day I hope we have a chance to have a coach flexible enough to run systems that utilize skills rather than always force fit.

 

[spider23]

Re: Beagle - “We asked him to be a different type of center than what he was”.

In the article on Homenick he liked old school low post, and he likes attacking the glass getting offensive rebounds. So - here we go again. Another player with skills that aren’t really Mooneyball. Like all others before him he’ll be square peg round hole. One day I hope we have a chance to have a coach flexible enough to run systems that utilize skills rather than always force fit.

First thing I thought when saw his highlights. I'm pulling for the guy, but he seems polar opposite of the skillset fit for moons system. He's got time to adapt but will be a big change and not necessarily take advantage of his primary strengths.

 

[SpiderGuy]

First thing I thought when saw his highlights. I'm pulling for the guy, but he seems polar opposite of the skillset fit for moons system. He's got time to adapt but will be a big change and not necessarily take advantage of his primary strengths.

55 pct for 20 years and domination over VCU at 25 pct as well as 3 NCAA appearances tell us how successful the system is.😜 Time for a change? Beyond overdue for a change?

 

[plydogg]

Usually not a big Shawndre defender, but I do think he was good enough. Those guys had HUGE holes on the roster, that was pre portal and moon was very very light on using transfers. Obviously TJ was his big hit, but we had zero depth and not really 5 A10 level starters if I recall.

That’s true. I wrote this after a few mimosas and coffees in the AM here in Holland. Felt a bit frisky. That season I’m thinking of we still had Kendall running the point too. I think it was a couple years later though when it was TJ and Shawndre with Khwan, Buck, and JJ. That was the last season before I joined this board. Wish I had known about it when I was still at UR

 

[spider23]

Looks like Davidson found a nice center prospect.

 

[spiderman]

We do need an all-A10 PG though too. Case in point is TJ playing at MVP level trying to get it done with Shawndre who was good, but not good enough.

SDJ is probably a top 5 Spider PG of all time. 1600 points, 39% from 3 on volume, 2-1 assist to turnover ratio ...
he was good enough. won a lot of games here.

 

[spider23]

Yes, SDJ was good. A notch below all time greats IMO. Lack of big wins/carrying us on his back. Again, I think this may have been due in part to lack of supporting cast. Very crafty shot maker.

Short list:
1) Kevin Anderson
2a) Gilly
2b) Atkinson

 

[spiderman]

Yes, SDJ was good. A notch below all time greats IMO. Lack of big wins/carrying us on his back. Again, I think this may have been due in part to lack of supporting cast. Very crafty shot maker.

Short list:
1) Kevin Anderson
2a) Gilly
2b) Atkinson

agreed, clear top 3. SDJ is in the next group. heck of a player though.

 

[VT4700]

SDJ is probably a top 5 Spider PG of all time. 1600 points, 39% from 3 on volume, 2-1 assist to turnover ratio ...
he was good enough. won a lot of games here.

Yep, ShawnDre was great. We did have A-10 seasons of 12-6 and 13-5 with him and TJ. Just needed another win or two those years.