The Tigers took today off, which means recruiting time for the coaching staff. This is certainly a big week, since St. George’s guard Elliot Williams is apparently going to announce on Friday. As I wrote on this blog several weeks ago, any information out there about Williams was pure speculation and innuendo and that it should essentially be ignored. In this business, there is a difference between rumor and informed commentary. When I wrote in August that Angel Garcia was going to commit to Memphis, it was because every piece of information I could gather pointed to that commitment. With Williams, it has been clear for a long time that that neither he nor his family has shared any information about his situation. Even the coaches recruiting him have often been left wondering where they stand.

No matter which way it goes for Memphis, the 2008 recruiting dominoes will start to fall shortly thereafter. Clearly, the Tigers are in very good shape with Tyreke Evans, but it’s hard to say at this point whether he’d still be interested in Memphis if the Tigers get Williams. After that, it’s possible not much will happen for awhile. Recruiting decisions may have to be made as the season goes on and it becomes clearer which players off the current team might be candidates to turn pro early. At the wing position, the Tigers are in strong position with Wesley Witherspoon out of Georgia, who will likely be a spring signee. In the frontcourt, Memphis has been recruiting players like Edgar Garibay, a 6-10 forward out of Compton, Calif.

But as most serious Tiger fans understand by now, the 2008 recruiting efforts are merely a warm-up for 2009. At this point, Memphis is in strong position with literally dozens of the top players in the country, including Renardo Sidney (No. 1 on Rivals.com), Xavier Henry (No. 2), Derrick Favors (No. 3), Lance Stephenson (No. 4), DeMarcus Cousins (No. 5), Leslie McDonald (No. 17), Nolan Dennis (No. 21) and Noel Johnson (No. 30).