Mizzou basketball recruiting is boring. That’s OK.

In November, Missouri signed their two-man recruiting class of Mario McKinney and Tray Jackson, and we’ve barely mentioned recruiting since. Here’s why: there’s been no new information to talk about. With roster solidarity, even with the recent transfer of Christian Guess, things are... well, kind of boring.

There are still a couple scholarships to fill this spring, but the book on the 2019 class is largely closed. From what we’ve been able to tell, there hasn’t been much movement on any potential late 2019 recruits. As it stands, the potential for adding another freshman seems slim.

Mizzou could also get involved late with any players who might become available during the usually turbulent spring as coaching moves take place. There’s also the transfer market. But the list of names is short right now.

Meanwhile, Cuonzo Martin and his staff are pouring their energy into the 2020 class. The funny thing about the 2020 class is we’ve known these guys for the past couple of years. At the top of the list: Caleb Love, Josh Christopher, and Cam’Ron Fletcher. Recently they’ve added Davion Bradford to the interest list, but outside of that move, the board has been static.

Over the last few weeks, Martin has spent his time headhunting a lot in the St. Louis area by following around Fletcher, Love, and Bradford. The staff also made time to check out Christopher in California, and, of course, Cornell Mann spent some time in Michigan.

It does appear, however, the Tigers are going to need to add something of an interior presence in the 2020 class, which explains venturing to Cleveland to check in with four-star post John Hugley. The 6-foot-8 junior hasn’t received an offer but is on the rise.

So we’re sitting around and waiting for something to happen.

This is what a stable program looks like.

By and large, the nature of recruiting has shifted away from prep seasons to grassroots circuits that unfold in the spring and summer. College staffs hit the road and watch prospects in bulk, while recruits have more flexibility — school is out — to visit campuses. If MU coaches are inside a high school gym, it’s a diplomatic mission to give a coveted target face time.

The number of offers a school tosses out varies, but the process is easy to understand.

At least so far, Mizzou’s high-priority prospects pick up offers in the spring of their sophomore season. Next, the staff diligently attends games and tracks those prospects as they start up their grassroots seasons in April and May. While some of those players may have already visited campus, MU tries to get them down to Columbia in June, when there’s a break in circuit schedules. During the fall, coaches make time to see those same players during open gyms and early practices at their high schools.

But by the time October and November roll around, the regular season has started in earnest, which brings a natural break point. Starting mid-March, efforts will begin ramping up again as Martin and Co. try to use the spring and summer to set up commitments.

For years, even those predating the debacle of Kim Anderson’s tenure, Missouri has been less than a stable program. From the tail end of Mike Anderson’s tenure through the early stages of Cuonzo Martin’s time, the amount of turnover on the roster has been nothing short of extreme. (We’ll have more on that in another piece that’s in the works.)

Martin is working to change that.

There will always be a nominal amount of roster turnover. Recruit too well and players leave for the NBA. Over-recruit, and you get a higher rate of transfer out. If you lose too many young guys to transfer, you patch holes by taking more transfers, JUCO players, or graduate transfers. For Missouri, it became a vicious cycle — one Martin is close to halting.

So while the offer list has only reached 13 for the 2020 class, Missouri has put in place sturdy foundations with key pieces. The list should probably grow up to around 15 or 20 by the time the summer rolls around, but Martin and his staff have proven to be almost excruciatingly meticulous when it comes to their approach to roster building.

It’s clear the priority, and going after an elite threesome like Love, Fletcher, and Christopher has Mizzou going up against blue blood schools like Michigan State, Arizona, Indiana and others. And Martin may not pull off all three of the dream class, but it’s clear he’s going to do everything possible to make it happen.