UCONN is ahead of the curve with KO

[MexicoHusky]

I know people have been down on KO, but keep this in mind. We already made our transition from a HOF coach. Most of the other big programs have not.

Duke
UNC
Mich State
Cuse
Ville
Kentucky - kind of old, but certainly could be around another 10 yrs

There are some bigger programs with young coaches. Kansas and Nova are probably the most successful at the moment.
Kansas
Florida
Nova
UCLA
Wisconsin
Indiana
Maryland
Texas

So give it some time. History has shown that even the biggest programs will struggle with the wrong coach. Look at UNC and Kentucky. Both struggled in recent years with the wrong coach.

Our transition from JC to KO is ahead of the curve. We are already recruiting well (based on the last couple years work). KO relates to young kids and has an NBA pedigree. I like his chances. I really like his chances when the old guard of coaches starts to retire.

Give it time. I'm hoping KO is our coach 20 years from now.

 

[RayIsTheGOAT]

I agree, as long as we keep the recruiting up. Because as far as recruiting, we are exceeding expectations, or at least what I expected. Once recruiting is down, that's a sign that recruits don't trust Ollie as a coach and/or we are succumbing to the mediocrity of the AAC.

But if Ollie keeps bringing in highly rated guys, we are bound to hit gold at some point.

 

[UConnfan8]

No.

 

[Tenspro2002]

But if Ollie keeps bringing in highly rated guys, we are bound to hit gold at some point.

Only if he can develop them. We haven't seen any of that with the bigs, and while guys like Napier and Boatright have improved under his watch, we don't have much evidence of development among the guys KO has brought in himself.

 

[MexicoHusky]

No.

Do you have another coach in mind? Or just not KO.

 

[MexicoHusky]

Only if he can develop them. We haven't seen any of that with the bigs, and while guys like Napier and Boatright have improved under his watch, we don't have much evidence of development among the guys KO has brought in himself.

For the most part I agree with you. Most of our bigs have failed to develop. Everyone except Deandre Daniels. Obviously, he was recruited by JC, but he blossomed under KO.

 

[LIuconn]

UNC went from Dean Smith to Guthridge to Matty Doh (DOH!) before landing Roy. There were some dark times after Dean left prior to Roy's arrival

 

[tykurez]

Many of those programs have it easy. Their transition likely won't include a HOF coach retiring on "short" notice. Probably won't be after a sanction that placed significant recruiting limitations and loss of scholarships on the program while also banning them from the postseason in the new coach's first year. They could potentially lose both their leading scorer and leading rebounder to the draft, but unlikely to also lose two more to transfer. Most of all, there's almost zero chance their program will be left behind in realignment hell.

But if all of that does happen, I'd enjoy seeing what kind of success that next coach has.

 

[Mr. French]

No.

Sizzling take.

 

[UCweCONN]

UNC went from Dean Smith to Guthridge to Matty Doh (DOH!) before landing Roy. There were some dark times after Dean left prior to Roy's arrival

Guthridge (who passed away last year) was ACC Coach of the Year in 1998 and went to the Final Four twice in his three years as head coach. Won 34 games his first year, 24 his 2nd and 22 in his final season. Not bad for a stop gap coach.

 

[RayIsTheGOAT]

Only if he can develop them. We haven't seen any of that with the bigs, and while guys like Napier and Boatright have improved under his watch, we don't have much evidence of development among the guys KO has brought in himself.

Right, I'm just saying if we continue to bring in recruits like this year and last year, we are bound to hit on some guys over the course of their career. It's still been too small of a sample size to really blame KO for his guys not developing. Purvis was a transfer and Brimah was not highly rated out of high school. Some of these guys, especially out of this freshmen class, are going to turn out to be very good players under Ollie.

 

[methodology]

Many of those programs have it easy. Their transition likely won't include a HOF coach retiring on "short" notice. Probably won't be after a sanction that placed significant recruiting limitations and loss of scholarships on the program while also banning them from the postseason in the new coach's first year. They could potentially lose both their leading scorer and leading rebounder to the draft, but unlikely to also lose two more to transfer. Most of all, there's almost zero chance their program will be left behind in realignment hell.

But if all of that does happen, I'd enjoy seeing what kind of success that next coach has.

Indiana is exactly what you're describing. They had their ups and bottom of the barrel downs when knight was relieved of his duties