Transfer problem highlighted by the mass exodus at Texas Tech

Texas Tech finished with its fewest wins (eight) in 20 years last season. The reason: a new coach in Billy Gillispie, and so with that change at the top there was some expected wholesale swapping that had to come. Texas Tech is one of the toughest jobs in major-conference hoops, and when you mix in a coach like Gillispie, it was a given that the first year wouldn't be easy.

But will the second year be much better?

The situation in Lubbock is anything but in order at the moment. The offseason activity in the thick of west Texas hasn't blipped the national radar, but there's been plenty of shakeups within the program. On Wednesday, Tech lost a player, Kevin Wagner, to transfer. Instead of sitting a year in his wait to play at another D-I school, the freshman who saw time in 18 games last year -- and it would have been more if not for a left knee injury -- will play next season at McLennan Community College, which is located in Waco, Texas. (Baylor for Wagner in 2013?)

The thing that makes Wagner's release noteworthy: He was the sixth member of the team to leave Texas Tech since the end of the season. Six guys! There's debate over whether the national transfer number is too high or even an issue, but Tech's not doing its part to calm the conversation. Four of the six gentlemen who've left Gillispie's program are freshmen. The sophomore who jettisoned was Jaron Nash, who coincidentally was announced as having landed at North Dakota on Wednesday. The others who've left, having slingshot across the country: Cameron Forte (Northern Arizona); DeShon Minnis (Rhode Island); Terran Petteway (Nebraska); and Javarez Willis (Ohio).

There are seven scholarships open in all, since outgoing, 6.7-points-per-game senior Robert Lewandowski's time is up with the Red Raiders. According to the Avalanche-Journal, though, Gillispie has oversigned despite all these transfers. Was he expecting this? And if so, what does that say for the stability and long-term value of the program? This much swapping is not good for a team's rep.

Nick Kosmider reports there are nine freshmen -- nine; seriously, think about that: nine -- set to come aboard this fall. Obviously those numbers don't jive; you can't have nine players for seven spots, but there is uncertainty about the eligibility of one player right now, while another is expected to pay his way onto the team, so the situation may coagulate to some sort of resolution.

It's all very surprising, until you remember that this is a coda from Gillispie's first year at Tech, when he brought in 10 new guys to the program. And as you can see, half of that crop will survive to Year No. 2. How many of this class of nine do you expect to make it to next year? And how many will graduate? Something to keep an eye on.

The other side of it: credit to Gillispie for not blocking any of these players from transferring. The situation was untenable or undesirable, and the cord was cut. If Tech is going to suffer in the next few years, it's going to do it with a roster that is there entirely by choice. Playing for Gillispie takes a certain kind of player, and if this is how he's got to mix up the ingredients before settling on something that looks good, more power to him. Far as I can tell, no players are being held against their will from playing there. And Gillipsie's still bringing in a haul; he was always known as a very good recruiter.

By the way, Tech should be better next year, considering four of its five leading scorers from the team will be back (Willis the only exception). This is a lot of heavy turnover beneath the covers, so to speak, so a repeat of 2011-12 doesn't seem too likely. At the top, the team remains in tact and set up for what you'd think would be an improvement on a 1-17 conference record.