Iowa's Fran McCaffery doesn't intend to sign 4 players in November

IOWA CITY - Iowa Coach Fran McCaffery said he has no intention of signing four players next month for the 2011-2012 basketball season.

"It was never the plan," McCaffery said. "What we thought we would do is sign three. If we could get three, we'd carry one. I'm comfortable with, we've still got some guys on the board, but I was comfortable with signing two and bringing in two."

Guard Josh Oglesby of Cedar Rapids Washington and forward Aaron White of Strongsville, Ohio have verbally committed to Iowa and will sign letters of intent on Nov. 11. Iowa still has offers out to other players who have visited the campus. McCaffery is not allowed to discuss any prospects until they sign letters of intent.

"We could sign (more players) in the spring, we could get a late, like a transfer, and a late player or we could get a junior-college kid," McCaffery said. "Those kids are more inclined to sign late because they haven't been recruited yet. There's a number of ways that this can go."

McCaffery did openly discuss his recruiting principles.

"We look for, first and foremost, character," McCaffery said. "I want good kids. We're not short-cutting, taking a talented player who's going to get in trouble  and be a poor reflection on the program, the institution.

"Of course we're looking for talent, athletic ability. We're looking for a particular skill set, a great shooter, a great shot blocker, a phenomenal defender, or a complete skill set.

"Then we look for need - what do we lose; let's try to replace what we lost."

McCaffery also plans to evaluate his team during the season to see what needs it might have in the future.

"In this case we've got four scholarships, so you're pretty much looking for everything because we have openings in all the different positions," he said. "We do have two point guards that are back for the next two years at least, so that would be less of a priority for this class. But it may become a situation where we want another handle."