A couple things:
First, I have always supported Jamie Dixon and have always said he is like Bill Cowher, who won a LOT of regular season games and division titles, but took a long time to win his super bowl, and that JD was going to get his final four or NC one day. I also seriously followed the program from the days of Clyde Vaughn,and know the banal years of Evans/Williard, and have relished Howland/Dixon.
It looks good oow and there is a real sense that this team can continue to do really good things.
But, this time last year, this was one of the worst teams in JD's career. A real mess. Putrid defensively and limited offensively.
While some of what is being said is true, the biggest factor for this team's success is what it always has been - the development of JRob, Young and Artis into upperclassman who know how to win games and are making the plays to win game games. That isn't something new, that is what JD does, get kids and develop them into darn fine college basketball players. This includes to an extent Jones and also Jeter.
NOW, the fifth year thing ... Not sure that was some kind of grand plan. Yes, JD has spoke of an been really open to it. But, did he really go into the last recruiting cycle thinking, "I am going to bring in three fifth year seniors." I think he probably was going to bring in at least one, but in the end it was as much of an issue coming up empty on prep targets past Wilson as anything.
You can't keep a program at the level JD would have a program be taking in three fifth year seniors every year or two. It still is about getting solid three and four star, top 100ish preps like JRob, Young and Artis, getting them into the program, helping them to build up their bodies and mature as people and players.
This certainly is a unique team for JD with the shooting and FT shooting. What he is doing with Artis is what he did with Patterson, and had done with Wanny - point forward type play. He has been trying to have that kind of play for a long time, it just has been spotty with not getting the right guys and developmental time with the players. Young is the kind of big man he has been trying to develop since well back into the BE years, he just never really transitioned effectively in recruiting to getting a guy like that from his time of having more beefy power forwards. He did play Nas Robinson at PF for three years.
He's a good coach and he deserves to have things fall into place because he does bust his tail recruiting and few coaches compete harder on game day. Not saying there is no intention to it. Just saying that the core of it is what he has always done, and that where things are today are some things FINALLY breaking his way - specifically that the three senior transfers are all working out, and REALLY fill in the gaps between Young, Artis, Jones, JRob and Jeter.
But, the model for sustained success is what it was primarily - solid three, four star prep recruits and development.