THE WATERCOOLER

QUESTION: It was reported Tuesday that Missouri’s top football recruit, Sheldon Richardson, did not qualify academically for next season and will attend a junior college in California. Richardson has said he will be back at Mizzou in 2011, however, after a year in California, won’t the entire recruitment process start all over again for Richardson, with teams from that area working him hard while he’s on the West coast?

VAHE GREGORIAN
No question that recruiters will swarm anew to Richardson now that he’s essentially back on the market. And despite him telling the Post-Dispatch that he knows how to say “no,” he’s an outgoing guy who likes attention and engagement and will have a hard time at least not listening — especially if some of the glamour schools like USC enjoy dropping in on him from time-to-time. That said, I do believe he fully intends to go to Missouri, that he values his relationship enough with assistant Cornell Ford that he will feel duty-bound to please him and that he relishes the idea of being a home-state hero. Gut feeling is there will be some anxious moments for MU fans but that he ultimately will come to Mizzou.

STU DURANDO
Richardson is the one who decides if the process starts again. He said that he is firm in his commitment, which should mean that regardless of who contacts him, he will say no thank you and decline further discussion. But although programs around the country will read of what he said, he is sure to get plenty of attention and not just from schools on the West Coast (Illinois running back Daniel Dufrene went to the same JC). Recruiting players who are committed to other schools is far more rampant in college football than basketball, and if a coach thinks Richardson is giving him an opening, he’ll continue the pursuit. Richardson has to decide from the beginning how he is going to respond to future suitors and remain consistent.

JEFF GORDON
Recruiting is a tough business. Until a player actually signs a letter of intent, other coaches will work the kid. Mizzou has worked kids after they made verbal commitments to other schools. All is fair in love and recruiting. And when a player is forced to go JUCO for academic reasons, the sharks will circle again. That’s just the way it is. The Tigers will keep getting players who fall back into the pool for one reason or another, so it should more than even out.

BILL COATS
Sure, he’ll get attention from schools that feel they might have a chance at changing his mind. But Richardson has been pretty firm in his commitment to Mizzou. Bottom line: at this point, Gary Pinkel can only hope that Richardson’s word is good.

TOM TIMMERMANN
Well, if he plays well, other teams will be interested in him. If he doesn’t play well, other schools won’t be interested in him. And in two years, if Mizzou is 4-7, his interest in them won’t be as high as it is today. But Pac-10 schools don’t gobble up JC players. USC has just a few, UCLA has one, Washington has two. So barring a really great season there, Mizzou is probably safe. But they will have to re-recruit him, just so other schools, which aren’t necessarily on the West Coast, don’t make inroads.

KATHLEEN NELSON
If Richardson plays as well as everyone thinks he can play, some school — or several schools — will take a run at him. You’re taking a major leap of faith if you expect a 19- or 20-year-old to honor a commitment when coaches and pro athletes take contracts and promises so lightly.