Is Geno A Better Coach Now Than 15 Years Ago? | The Boneyard

Is Geno A Better Coach Now Than 15 Years Ago?

JoePgh

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Geno's first long winning streak was from 2001 to 2003 (72 games if I recall correctly). In more recent years, his teams have had two winning streaks of at least 90 games. Does this indicate that he is a more effective coach now than he was back then, or just that the WCBB talent is less evenly distributed now than it was in the early days of the 21st century?

My personal opinion is that Geno IS a better basketball coach now than he was then, and was better then than in the mid-1990's when the first NC was won.

I think the clearest indication of this is the greater emphasis in recent years on transition offense -- getting shots before the opponent's half court defense can set up. Since about 2005 when Ketia Swanier came to Storrs, UConn has never been without exceptionally fast guards, usually not just one but two or three. That was not the case in the earlier days -- before then, Sue Bird was the only UConn guard with conspicuous speed. Players like DT, Nicole Wolff, Maria Conlon, Jen Rizzotti, and the Valley sisters, whatever their other skills, were not quick or fast. It wasn't really possible to run a system based heavily on transition with those guards. Since then, not just Ketia but Renee, Tiffany Hayes, Lorin Dixon, Bria Hartley, and of course Moriah have been cut from an entirely different cloth -- and the offensive system has changed to take advantage of that.

The games that we have seen this year against ranked teams like DePaul and South Florida, where UConn built up a 20 to 30 point lead in the first quarter, would not have been possible with Geno's teams of an earlier era.

I think that up until Diana graduated, Geno taught a Princeton offense that was based largely on ball movement and deception in a half-court offense, and did not require unusual speed or quickness to execute. Since that time, I think he has taken his cues from NBA offensive schemes, with the San Antonio Spurs probably being his major source of guidance.

I suspect that he is nearly alone among WCBB coaches in growing his technical understanding of the game so much in this relatively late stage of his career. Frankly, I wonder if there are any other WCBB coaches who pay the slightest attention to the NBA or try to learn anything from it. I see no indication that is the case for anyone but Geno.
 

msf22b

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Interesting theory Joe:
I agree that he's a better coach in this era
But I would add other elements:

In the show today he spoke about the difference in recruits and recruiting these days.
He's managed to adjust his style (as has CD as per Sue) to the changes in society w/o lowering his basic standards. I think his other long-time rivals have been less successful in this regard.

Winning, of course, helps in this regard but then the argument become chicken or the egg, which is nearly unanswerable.

But what impresses me most, is his ability to adjust his schemes to the personnel he has on hand and to effectively teach fundamental technique in a manner even superior to his previous high standards.

He's always insisted on defense with your feet, switching, and that help quickly arrives to confront penetration. But w/o a dominant physical presence inside that approach has limitations. But, he's managed to largely disguise that shortcoming; first with speed, and second by improving the shot-altering technique of his three forwards...and with switches that are crisper than I can ever remember.... also in motivating Lou to extend her natural ability to include aggressive help play. And to improve the laggards... Look at Saniya, previously a defensive liability...He's transformed her into an adequate UConn-type defender and she may end up even better than that...All of the above the product of dedicated instruction by CD and him and his increasingly by his skilled assistants (one or more who may soon be tempted to a prestigious head coaching gig).

I don't want to go on but have to mention one offensive aspect noted by ESPN...the no-dribble transition play. UConn kids have been doing that for years; bigs were regularly praised for their ability to get down the court for easy buckets...With a no-true-center offense and 3 speedy forward types, the transition game has a new and devastating look that has (perhaps) less to do with the speed of just the guards and very much to do with the overall team quickness and conditioning of the entire five-some.

Five quick-witted, athletic and superbly conditioned and trained practitioners in the art of transition can put the fear of god and cut the heart out of most (all?) opposition.

Reminds me the of the Boston Celtics pre-Russell...Cousy, Sharman and Easy Ed. Now that was a transition game. Had the effect of destroying the will of many a team; including my beloved Knicks.
 

JordyG

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Yup.

Nope.

Maybe.

Can I get a 50/50.
 
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One big change is from insisting that his players fight over screens to keep with the player they are guarding, to switching. Is that new this year? I don't remember it last year.

It is very effective.
 

Bajan Best

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He better be a better coach :cool:
Can't really expect the players to improve every year while the coaches don't...
If he hasn't improved he needs benching... CD and Shea awaits...
 
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I think so. The first difference I noticed was defense, which took a quantum leap IMO in the late 2000s. Part of that was personnel, but it has seemed to me that he got 100% team buy-in on commitment to defense around that time and has been able to maintain it ever since.

The other difference I've noticed (or think I do!) is that Geno and CD seem to have figured out a way to make sure that certain aspects of Geno's personality, especially that feeling he always has that doom is around the corner (I'm basically paraphrasing Geno himself), don't impact the team negatively. I think part of that may be recruiting the right players, and part is just a wee bit of the edge coming off. In any case it's certainly been working well!!!
 

UcMiami

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Yes - I think he is much better than he was, and he is also recruiting better than he was, and the recruits generally are more ready for what is about to land on them when they arrive.

1. He is more patient, not softer, just more patient. He has learned that he cannot control everything in a game so he actually 'coaching' less in games, but more effectively. There were times through the mid 2000s when he was overreacting to every mistake that happened on the court. And yes he has expanded his knowledge of the game - it is constantly evolving.

2. The teams of the 90s were patched together with a few 'national recruits' and bits and pieces that national teams weren't that interested in. He landed his first big class TASSK in 1998 and followed that up with Taurasi two years later, but it was still pretty hit or miss, and the 'Uconn' reputation was just really starting to build. It wasn't really until Charles and then Moore that the freight train really picked up momentum. And a big part of that I think has been the endurance of the WNBA and Uconn's alums dominating the draft and the all stars and the USA NT. In 2004 the WNBA was still young and no one was really following the staying power of Uconn players, now it is hard to ignore.

3. The Uconn Way (like the Patriot Way) has become a national story over the past half dozen years - CPTV initially, but SNY specifically on a national level has taken recruits inside practice and the program, and ESPN and now HBO have followed suit. And the expansion of coverage for WNBA stars and USA National team stars with questions always referring back to Uconn and Geno and CD make the program and its demands and rewards a much more open book. Uconn type recruits who might not have know anything about Uconn in 2000, now know more about them than any other program - they may choose to go elsewhere, but they are going to listen to the pitch more than they would have in the past.

3.A. It takes years to build a culture, and years more to have it become self sustaining - Starting with the first recruits in the 80s, and building through the nineties and the early 2000s it became easier and easier on the coaches to sustain because the players were helping - Maya might have the first recruit that truly changed it in to a player dominated process - she taught Tina her senior by a year, and everyone else who came after her during those four years, and they have taught every incoming class since - EDD didn't have to wait to start working with the coaches in practice, one or two summer pick-up games proved to her that she was not at an emotional place where she could answer the call - she was already feeling trapped by other people's expectations and at Uconn there would be no escape. That isn't to say the players from 1990 weren't teaching the ropes to the Lobo's and Bird's that followed, just that it hadn't become so much of what every player ate and breathed. There wasn't the sense of looking at icons of WCBB and not wanting to let them down. There wasn't a Bird showing up at practice during a rehab stint because there hadn't been those players who had sustained national and international pro success prior to her class really. A freshman having to ask Bird or Taurasi or Moore for permission to wear their number... pretty heady stuff and that conversation is just one small iota of the responsibility being laid on the new players.
 

UcMiami

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One big change is from insisting that his players fight over screens to keep with the player they are guarding, to switching. Is that new this year? I don't remember it last year.

It is very effective.
It has been happening really since Dolson graduated - she was not fast enough to switch onto guards, so it was always hedge and cover - same for when Kiah got her minutes or they went to zone, same when Natalie plays now. Personnel driven but it really started three years ago, and it is devastating first time out for teams because no else is doing it and it completely destroys the standard offensive maneuvers.
 

RockyMTblue2

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He is still looking to grow and find new ideas, a point illustrated by his several day visit with Popovich after winning last year's championship. That was telling about his concerns for this year's team, because nobody seems better at taking new guys who aren't superstars and melding them into a killer team than Popovich.
 

UcMiami

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I think so. The first difference I noticed was defense, which took a quantum leap IMO in the late 2000s. Part of that was personnel, but it has seemed to me that he got 100% team buy-in on commitment to defense around that time and has been able to maintain it ever since.

The other difference I've noticed (or think I do!) is that Geno and CD seem to have figured out a way to make sure that certain aspects of Geno's personality, especially that feeling he always has that doom is around the corner (I'm basically paraphrasing Geno himself), don't impact the team negatively. I think part of that may be recruiting the right players, and part is just a wee bit of the edge coming off. In any case it's certainly been working well!!!
1995 is ranked around #7 for field goal percentage defense and 2002 is ranked around #10 - admittedly the top four teams in NCAA history are 2010, 2012, 2014, and 2015 but the last two also correspond to the AAC and a really weak conference schedule. I don't think you can really say defense hasn't always been a major focus of Uconn teams - and most of those Uconn teams are also notable for serious shot blocking prowess as well from Lobo and Kara, to Tina and Maya, to Stewart.
 
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Yes - I think he is much better than he was, and he is also recruiting better than he was, and the recruits generally are more ready for what is about to land on them when they arrive.

1. He is more patient, not softer, just more patient. He has learned that he cannot control everything in a game so he actually 'coaching' less in games, but more effectively. There were times through the mid 2000s when he was overreacting to every mistake that happened on the court. And yes he has expanded his knowledge of the game - it is constantly evolving.

2. The teams of the 90s were patched together with a few 'national recruits' and bits and pieces that national teams weren't that interested in. He landed his first big class TASSK in 1998 and followed that up with Taurasi two years later, but it was still pretty hit or miss, and the 'Uconn' reputation was just really starting to build. It wasn't really until Charles and then Moore that the freight train really picked up momentum. And a big part of that I think has been the endurance of the WNBA and Uconn's alums dominating the draft and the all stars and the USA NT. In 2004 the WNBA was still young and no one was really following the staying power of Uconn players, now it is hard to ignore.

3. The Uconn Way (like the Patriot Way) has become a national story over the past half dozen years - CPTV initially, but SNY specifically on a national level has taken recruits inside practice and the program, and ESPN and now HBO have followed suit. And the expansion of coverage for WNBA stars and USA National team stars with questions always referring back to Uconn and Geno and CD make the program and its demands and rewards a much more open book. Uconn type recruits who might not have know anything about Uconn in 2000, now know more about them than any other program - they may choose to go elsewhere, but they are going to listen to the pitch more than they would have in the past.

3.A. It takes years to build a culture, and years more to have it become self sustaining - Starting with the first recruits in the 80s, and building through the nineties and the early 2000s it became easier and easier on the coaches to sustain because the players were helping - Maya might have the first recruit that truly changed it in to a player dominated process - she taught Tina her senior by a year, and everyone else who came after her during those four years, and they have taught every incoming class since - EDD didn't have to wait to start working with the coaches in practice, one or two summer pick-up games proved to her that she was not at an emotional place where she could answer the call - she was already feeling trapped by other people's expectations and at Uconn there would be no escape. That isn't to say the players from 1990 weren't teaching the ropes to the Lobo's and Bird's that followed, just that it hadn't become so much of what every player ate and breathed. There wasn't the sense of looking at icons of WCBB and not wanting to let them down. There wasn't a Bird showing up at practice during a rehab stint because there hadn't been those players who had sustained national and international pro success prior to her class really. A freshman having to ask Bird or Taurasi or Moore for permission to wear their number... pretty heady stuff and that conversation is just one small iota of the responsibility being laid on the new players.

Hey Uc - great stuff as usual. Again, you go a few layers deeper into the onion and expose another part of UConn's magic system.
#3 A - was the insightful for me. Totally agree that the program took a transcendent leap when the players took ownership of the teaching/learning/leadership process put forth by the staff. (By the way, the staff should be the focus of the long, wide and deep analysis its own thread.) Back to the players-- as we know now-- the players help recruit, get a small say in the acceptance, reinforce policies and practices, show empathy needed, support when needed, leadership, understanding, share skills, share anxiety, etc. etc.
Again it has to be said, with UConn EVERY PLAYER is expected to develop all these traits, skills, and abilities. Of course, we all know that everyone will not get to that point of excellence expected by staff. However, the positive expectancy is there for every player, every day. In short, Geno/staff are much better because there is an unending search for something better. Relentlessly presented by the staff to the players, and reinforced by the older players to the young'uns. Who has that combo? Only UConn!!
 
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Yes - I think he is much better than he was, and he is also recruiting better than he was, and the recruits generally are more ready for what is about to land on them when they arrive.

1. He is more patient, not softer, just more patient. He has learned that he cannot control everything in a game so he actually 'coaching' less in games, but more effectively. There were times through the mid 2000s when he was overreacting to every mistake that happened on the court. And yes he has expanded his knowledge of the game - it is constantly evolving.

2. The teams of the 90s were patched together with a few 'national recruits' and bits and pieces that national teams weren't that interested in. He landed his first big class TASSK in 1998 and followed that up with Taurasi two years later, but it was still pretty hit or miss, and the 'Uconn' reputation was just really starting to build. It wasn't really until Charles and then Moore that the freight train really picked up momentum. And a big part of that I think has been the endurance of the WNBA and Uconn's alums dominating the draft and the all stars and the USA NT. In 2004 the WNBA was still young and no one was really following the staying power of Uconn players, now it is hard to ignore.

3. The Uconn Way (like the Patriot Way) has become a national story over the past half dozen years - CPTV initially, but SNY specifically on a national level has taken recruits inside practice and the program, and ESPN and now HBO have followed suit. And the expansion of coverage for WNBA stars and USA National team stars with questions always referring back to Uconn and Geno and CD make the program and its demands and rewards a much more open book. Uconn type recruits who might not have know anything about Uconn in 2000, now know more about them than any other program - they may choose to go elsewhere, but they are going to listen to the pitch more than they would have in the past.

3.A. It takes years to build a culture, and years more to have it become self sustaining - Starting with the first recruits in the 80s, and building through the nineties and the early 2000s it became easier and easier on the coaches to sustain because the players were helping - Maya might have the first recruit that truly changed it in to a player dominated process - she taught Tina her senior by a year, and everyone else who came after her during those four years, and they have taught every incoming class since - EDD didn't have to wait to start working with the coaches in practice, one or two summer pick-up games proved to her that she was not at an emotional place where she could answer the call - she was already feeling trapped by other people's expectations and at Uconn there would be no escape. That isn't to say the players from 1990 weren't teaching the ropes to the Lobo's and Bird's that followed, just that it hadn't become so much of what every player ate and breathed. There wasn't the sense of looking at icons of WCBB and not wanting to let them down. There wasn't a Bird showing up at practice during a rehab stint because there hadn't been those players who had sustained national and international pro success prior to her class really. A freshman having to ask Bird or Taurasi or Moore for permission to wear their number... pretty heady stuff and that conversation is just one small iota of the responsibility being laid on the new players.

Hey Uc - great stuff as usual. Again, you go a few layers deeper into the onion and expose another part of UConn's magic system.
#3 A - was the insightful for me. Totally agree that the program took a transcendent leap when the players took ownership of the teaching/learning/leadership process put forth by the staff. (By the way, the staff should be the focus of the long, wide and deep analysis its own thread.) Back to the players-- as we know now-- the players help recruit, get a small say in the acceptance, reinforce policies and practices, show empathy needed, support when needed, leadership, understanding, share skills, share anxiety, etc. etc.
Again it has to be said, with UConn EVERY PLAYER is expected to develop all these traits, skills, and abilities. Of course, we all know that everyone will not get to that point of excellence expected by staff. However, the positive expectancy is there for every player, every day. In short, Geno/staff are much better because there is an unending search for something better. Relentlessly presented by the staff to the players, and reinforced by the older players to the young'uns. Who has that combo? Only UConn!!
 
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JOE P: better without question. Easy to list a half-dozen or more important areas in which he is doing a much better job (not to say he was not impressive very early on....obviously he was). Great credit to him for not allowing himself to stagnate.
 
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Yes - I think he is much better than he was, and he is also recruiting better than he was, and the recruits generally are more ready for what is about to land on them when they arrive.

1. He is more patient, not softer, just more patient. He has learned that he cannot control everything in a game so he actually 'coaching' less in games, but more effectively. There were times through the mid 2000s when he was overreacting to every mistake that happened on the court. And yes he has expanded his knowledge of the game - it is constantly evolving.

2. The teams of the 90s were patched together with a few 'national recruits' and bits and pieces that national teams weren't that interested in. He landed his first big class TASSK in 1998 and followed that up with Taurasi two years later, but it was still pretty hit or miss, and the 'Uconn' reputation was just really starting to build. It wasn't really until Charles and then Moore that the freight train really picked up momentum. And a big part of that I think has been the endurance of the WNBA and Uconn's alums dominating the draft and the all stars and the USA NT. In 2004 the WNBA was still young and no one was really following the staying power of Uconn players, now it is hard to ignore.

3. The Uconn Way (like the Patriot Way) has become a national story over the past half dozen years - CPTV initially, but SNY specifically on a national level has taken recruits inside practice and the program, and ESPN and now HBO have followed suit. And the expansion of coverage for WNBA stars and USA National team stars with questions always referring back to Uconn and Geno and CD make the program and its demands and rewards a much more open book. Uconn type recruits who might not have know anything about Uconn in 2000, now know more about them than any other program - they may choose to go elsewhere, but they are going to listen to the pitch more than they would have in the past.

3.A. It takes years to build a culture, and years more to have it become self sustaining - Starting with the first recruits in the 80s, and building through the nineties and the early 2000s it became easier and easier on the coaches to sustain because the players were helping - Maya might have the first recruit that truly changed it in to a player dominated process - she taught Tina her senior by a year, and everyone else who came after her during those four years, and they have taught every incoming class since - EDD didn't have to wait to start working with the coaches in practice, one or two summer pick-up games proved to her that she was not at an emotional place where she could answer the call - she was already feeling trapped by other people's expectations and at Uconn there would be no escape. That isn't to say the players from 1990 weren't teaching the ropes to the Lobo's and Bird's that followed, just that it hadn't become so much of what every player ate and breathed. There wasn't the sense of looking at icons of WCBB and not wanting to let them down. There wasn't a Bird showing up at practice during a rehab stint because there hadn't been those players who had sustained national and international pro success prior to her class really. A freshman having to ask Bird or Taurasi or Moore for permission to wear their number... pretty heady stuff and that conversation is just one small iota of the responsibility being laid on the new players.
Another wonderful commentary! You made some wonderful points and the one that I was ready to submit was that he was finally getting the type recruits he wanted with more regularity starting after the TASSK class showed their stuff. I do agree that he's also mellowed and adapted his expectations, to a degree!
 

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