Pastner loves to tell the story of how nobody wanted the job because nobody wanted to follow Cal etc etc. Its complete BS
The Memphis brand was strong. So what if Cal took the best recruiting class ever, minus Xavier Henry who bailed for Kansas
We added the #1 Juco in the country AND a McDAA transfer from Duke in Elliot Williams. Pastner added those two to a team loaded with seniors with deep NCAA experience. Willie Kemp was a former top 50 recruit senior who started for the 2007 team that finished 33-4. Doneal Mack was a senior guard and one of the best 3 pt shooters in Tiger History, as was former Juco #1 Robert Sallie. We had Wesley Witherspoon, an extremely talented top 75 recruit from Atlanta area, as well as Angel Garcia, a top 25 recruit center. No, we didnt have the preseason #1 team we would have if Cal stayed, but we had more talent than 95% of the country, and the Memphis brand lured players like Will Barton and a loaded Memphis class in Pastners second year.
All that talent gave Pastner a 17 and 54 record vs top 50 in 7 years