Nebraska Pre-Game Presser With Coach and Players

[JavaMan]

​

​

 

[JavaMan]

​

 

[mdakota]

Nothing but respect... that's awesome...

 

[RockyMTblue2]

Thanks for the link java. She comes across as a great representative of the sport.

 

[Swishball]

Coach Williams seems really promising. Led South Dakota to the NIT championship last year. Hopefully she gets Nebraska level of play up as they've had good fan support the past few years. I believe they've been top 10 for a while.

 

[CocoHusky]

It's official, Coco has a new crush!

 

[dtbtbtb]

It was a pleasure listening to this coach (and players)

 

[cferraro04]

What a well-spoken woman. She epitomizes what women's basketball is all about...respect, wholesome, competitive.

 

[DaddyChoc]

haven't listened yet but I'm guessing she didn't do a Muffett-type interview "about UConn"

 

[Dennygrnn]

I found the question to Williams about transfers curious - "They (Geno) like to keep a small roster every year - they recruit from a pool of the 11 or 12 best players and then 3 or 4 leave every year - is that good for women's basketball?" "Should WCBB reduce the # of scholarships to prevent that from happening?"
Is that really a perception of the UConn recruiting strategy?

 

[CajunHusky]

I found the question to Williams about transfers curious - "They (Geno) like to keep a small roster every year - they recruit from a pool of the 11 or 12 best players and then 3 or 4 leave every year - is that good for women's basketball?" "Should WCBB reduce the # of scholarships to prevent that from happening?"
Is that really a perception of the UConn recruiting strategy?

Hadn't really thought about it but yeah, UConn lost six players from their roster last year: Stewie, Mo, Tuck, Polly, Courtney and DeJanae.

 

[CajunHusky]

I found the question to Williams about transfers curious - "They (Geno) like to keep a small roster every year - they recruit from a pool of the 11 or 12 best players and then 3 or 4 leave every year - is that good for women's basketball?" "Should WCBB reduce the # of scholarships to prevent that from happening?"
Is that really a perception of the UConn recruiting strategy?

The journalist's question while initially was about UConn it kind of morphed into the question about top WBB teams in general. Williams answered the question about the "transfer epidemic" in WBB in general.

 

[j66kicker]

I found the question to Williams about transfers curious - "They (Geno) like to keep a small roster every year - they recruit from a pool of the 11 or 12 best players and then 3 or 4 leave every year - is that good for women's basketball?" "Should WCBB reduce the # of scholarships to prevent that from happening?"
Is that really a perception of the UConn recruiting strategy?

She danced around it with her answer, (paraphrasing) "There are a lot of other reasons for the transfer epidemic." She didn't address reducing the # of scholarships at all - to support that would have been sort of anti-Title IX, I guess.

I never got the sense that Geno overloads his roster figuring the bottom few will leave. But I can see how you could think that about next year.

 

[RockyMTblue2]

She danced around it with her answer, (paraphrasing) "There are a lot of other reasons for the transfer epidemic." She didn't address reducing the # of scholarships at all - to support that would have been sort of anti-Title IX, I guess.

I never got the sense that Geno overloads his roster figuring the bottom few will leave. But I can see how you could think that about next year.

Me neither. The questioner started off with the false premise that UConn uses all its scholarships. A general sports writer looking for an angle. As transfers go I think UConn has been pretty lucky/fortunate. Next year we could need a turn style next to the court. It will take a lot of human relations skill to keep things on an even keel. Of course, dominating the sport could go a long way. Could be a lot of magic seen in UConn's performances next year.

 

[Frodo]

I found the question to Williams about transfers curious - "They (Geno) like to keep a small roster every year - they recruit from a pool of the 11 or 12 best players and then 3 or 4 leave every year - is that good for women's basketball?" "Should WCBB reduce the # of scholarships to prevent that from happening?"
Is that really a perception of the UConn recruiting strategy?

I also found that question really curious and, frankly, misinformed. What that reporter was describing was more like what some other well-known coaches have done routinely over the years...stockpiling players not so they could play them, but so others couldn't. Auriemma has never recruited that way. I assumed it was well known that he only targets a select few players every year and seldom has more than 10-12 players on the roster...and that usually includes at least 1 walkon...it's also one of the reasons that so many of his rosters in recent years have been a little bit short and he's been forced to use at most a 7 or 8 player rotation. The reporter also asked about the number of scholarships being reduced from 15 to prevent coaches from stockpiling...Auriemma has advocated that for years, and I don't remember a year where he used all of his available scholarships. Even next year the team won't have a full 15 complement. I did a quick check of the last 12 years and only once during that time (2007-2008) did UConn have a roster with as many as 14 players and that included 1 walkon. The most likely case given recent history is 11, again, usually including 1 or 2 walkons.

 

[UcMiami]

It is an interesting question about transfers and I am not sure what Uconn's perception is out there in those terms, but there is a definite perception that Uconn recruits and gets the best players and to some degree that is true. I haven't heard the idea that Uconn 'stockpiles' players and that certainly would not be true - there are a lot of good teams that have consistently been at full scholarship rosters much more than Uconn. Next year is the first in a very long time that Uconn has come close to 15 scholarships.

On transfers - Uconn has averaged one per year for the last decade which I am sure puts it pretty close to the top. When you look individually at the transfers, about 40% (4 off the top of my head) transferred because they made a mistake - left before the second semester their freshman year - Edwards, Boykin, EDD, Walker. Another 20% left because injuries stunted their development - Banks, Johnson. And the rest I would say left because they discovered after a few years they just were not going to break into the rotation. I don't see any of that as a serious recruiting issue - the mistakes happen, the injuries are a fact of WCBB life, and the last group I think made the right choice based on desire and commitment but found that was not quite enough.

(You can fudge some of those individual reasons - Ekmark was injured but also wasn't cracking the rotation for example. Banks was complicated by issues beyond her injury, etc.)

 

[Schoup]

I also found that question really curious and, frankly, misinformed. What that reporter was describing was more like what some other well-known coaches have done routinely over the years...stockpiling players not so they could play them, but so others couldn't. Auriemma has never recruited that way. I assumed it was well known that he only targets a select few players every year and seldom has more than 10-12 players on the roster...and that usually includes at least 1 walkon...it's also one of the reasons that so many of his rosters in recent years have been a little bit short and he's been forced to use at most a 7 or 8 player rotation. The reporter also asked about the number of scholarships being reduced from 15 to prevent coaches from stockpiling...Auriemma has advocated that for years, and I don't remember a year where he used all of his available scholarships. Even next year the team won't have a full 15 complement. I did a quick check of the last 12 years and only once during that time (2007-2008) did UConn have a roster with as many as 14 players and that included 1 walkon. The most likely case given recent history is 11, again, usually including 1 or 2 walkons.

Next year UConn will be at 14 scholarship players which is very high for them. The following year they will be at least at 12(adding C.Collier) and assume the income class will be at least so at 14 again. That all assumes no transfers out. UConn seem to be bulking the roster up. These aren't the days when Stewie was sending messages on social media b/c they were short and thus how they got Pullido as a walk on.

 

[j66kicker]

One thing the Title IX-driven 15-player roster has done, IMO, is slow down any advancement toward "parity" in WCBB. The larger rosters just concentrate more top talent with fewer teams.

 

[eebmg]

It is an interesting question about transfers and I am not sure what Uconn's perception is out there in those terms, but there is a definite perception that Uconn recruits and gets the best players and to some degree that is true. I haven't heard the idea that Uconn 'stockpiles' players and that certainly would not be true - there are a lot of good teams that have consistently been at full scholarship rosters much more than Uconn. Next year is the first in a very long time that Uconn has come close to 15 scholarships.

On transfers - Uconn has averaged one per year for the last decade which I am sure puts it pretty close to the top. When you look individually at the transfers, about 40% (4 off the top of my head) transferred because they made a mistake - left before the second semester their freshman year - Edwards, Boykin, EDD, Walker. Another 20% left because injuries stunted their development - Banks, Johnson. And the rest I would say left because they discovered after a few years they just were not going to break into the rotation. I don't see any of that as a serious recruiting issue - the mistakes happen, the injuries are a fact of WCBB life, and the last group I think made the right choice based on desire and commitment but found that was not quite enough.

(You can fudge some of those individual reasons - Ekmark was injured but also wasn't cracking the rotation for example. Banks was complicated by issues beyond her injury, etc.)

I find it hard to believe that other coaches would recruit players so other teams can't get them and then let them sit on the bench.
Such a practice would destroy a program from within. On the other hand, I think all the top programs have to recruit hard every year and try to improve as much as possible the level of talent since you are never sure of long term recruiting targets. Some coaches do it with far less thought on how the final product might fit together and may look for talent over other very important intangibles.

Geno is also different in that he sees in some less talented players special qualities that can help a team even with limited playing time.
I also think he is unique in not giving false promises such as playing time to anyone. Basically, his selling point is you earn every minute you get and you get to compete and get better in practice against the best. Listening to many UConn Alumni interviews, that is what convinced them to go to UConn

Not every player can handle this so they may want to transfer but this is healthy. Turnover is a sign of high competition and the
transferring players ultimately gain many intangible skills while not losing any real playing time (just redshirt 1 year but still practice)

 

[Schoup]

One thing the Title IX-driven 15-player roster has done, IMO, is slow down any advancement toward "parity" in WCBB. The larger rosters just concentrate more top talent with fewer teams.

Scholarship reductions would help some, like it helped in college football to an extent. The real problem is coaching. Geno can go on rants about the poor level of coaching at youth and HS level. Many players come with just raw ability that has gotten them by at youth level, yet lack sound fundamentals. What makes great college coaches is the progression players make over 4 years. That's why some programs have stock pile of top 15 recruits year after year and don't win NC. The players don't progress much year to year b/c of the coaching. Many coaches just let star players freelance, Mitchell (Ohio State) IMO is an example of that. Poor shot selection, out of control often, not making the pass to teammate for easier shot, etc... She puts up big numbers but plays like a one man band. That doesn't work against most top 25 teams, thus OSU is 1-4 vs top 25 this year. Their record was also poor against the top 25 last year.

 

[j66kicker]

I find it hard to believe that other coaches would recruit players so other teams can't get them and then let them sit on the bench.
Such a practice would destroy a program from within. On the other hand, I think all the top programs have to recruit hard every year and try to improve as much as possible the level of talent since you are never sure of long term recruiting targets. Some coaches do it with far less thought on how the final product might fit together and may look for talent over other very important intangibles.

Geno is also different in that he sees in some less talented players special qualities that can help a team even with limited playing time.
I also think he is unique in not giving false promises such as playing time to anyone. Basically, his selling point is you earn every minute you get and you get to compete and get better in practice against the best. Listening to many UConn Alumni interviews, that is what convinced them to go to UConn

Not every player can handle this so they may want to transfer but this is healthy. Turnover is a sign of high competition and the
transferring players ultimately gain many intangible skills while not losing any real playing time (just redshirt 1 year but still practice)

Does seem a bit far-fetched for small rosters like basketball. Not so in football. Back in the 120-scholarship days Barry Switzer would recruit every quarterback he could out of Texas, just to keep the Texas schools from getting them. Since high school quarterbacks are usually very good athletes, many of them made fine OU defensive backs.

 

[CocoHusky]

I found the question to Williams about transfers curious - "They (Geno) like to keep a small roster every year - they recruit from a pool of the 11 or 12 best players and then 3 or 4 leave every year - is that good for women's basketball?" "Should WCBB reduce the # of scholarships to prevent that from happening?"
Is that really a perception of the UConn recruiting strategy?

No, the perceptions out there are much worse, as in UCONN gets the best 3 or 4 HS AA every year. Williams answer to the question was a much better refection of what UCONN does: "They (UCONN) target and get the players that best fit their system".

 

[Schoup]

Does seem a bit far-fetched for small rosters like basketball. Not so in football. Back in the 120-scholarship days Barry Switzer would recruit every quarterback he could out of Texas, just to keep the Texas schools from getting them. Since high school quarterbacks are usually very good athletes, many of them made fine OU defensive backs.

Cutting scholarship is one of the times NCAA actually made a good rule change. I also think tv helped. The number of games on tv involving schools other than the OSU, OU, Tx, Mich, etc...meant players could get a high profile and be a top drat pick at more non power schools. Back in the day of 120 scholarships there were only games on a handful of networks (abc, cbs, nbc and espn was fledgling) and not wall to wall coverage of televised games on wed,thurs, friday nights and saturday(all day and night)

 

[CajunHusky]

She danced around it with her answer, (paraphrasing) "There are a lot of other reasons for the transfer epidemic." She didn't address reducing the # of scholarships at all - to support that would have been sort of anti-Title IX, I guess.

I never got the sense that Geno overloads his roster figuring the bottom few will leave. But I can see how you could think that about next year.

Blame the question on the journalist .... he had a question in mind and he used the UConn hook to ask the question. Williams answered the real question that is the transfer epidemic in WBB in general. Personally I think what we see now with all the transfers is the maturation process of WBB programs throughout Div 1. UConn does it right picking the right person for their system now everybody else has to figure out how to do that.

 

[Dennygrnn]

No, the perceptions out there are much worse, as in UCONN gets the best 3 or 4 HS AA every year. Williams answer to the question was a much better refection of what UCONN does: "They (UCONN) target and get the players that best fit their system".

It is the fiction of a lazy, envious, or biased mind that needs to believe that the success of the UConn program is based exclusively on the number of HS AA it recruits. It is the same mind that is convinced that the Patriots success is only a result of their ability to cheat.