2018 Coach Chill expectations

[TitleTown]

Yeah I can't believe he didn't make Brimah or Facey into NBA players, he's awful. And Shabazz had him for years he didn't pan out to be anything. And Giffey, Daniels, Kromah these guys were all sure shot NBAers until they got on to campus. And Boat, he only won a championship overseas so far at 5'9" if he went somewhere else he'd be an NBA All Star damn.

What KO has developed and has done a really nice job is ignorant fans.

Seriously? You are bringing up overseas championships as an example of player development? This is where UConn basketball is at right now? What about Daniels, Hamilton, and Calhoun? All were top 45 recruits and none of them are even in the league.

 

[MSGSeven]

I am down 100% for this. But that is a wait and see game and doesn't mean we cant analyze the past/current.

This ^^^^^

Mau I'm not saying KO hasn't done some great things at UConn his first two seasons were tremendous. Yes he continued the development of Bazz, Daniels, Boat and Griffey after Calhoun retired but those were very talented players he inherited. Since 2014 and his own recruits it's been a different story. Purvis was a McD's AA and Calhoun was quoted as saying multiple times he would be in the NBA. Purvis showed little improvement if any in his four years at UConn. Brimah while not a highly ranked recruit showed a lot of promise freshman year with his ability to block shots and run the floor much like Thabeet. Expectations were very high for both players and their lack of development is a big reason why UConn struggled to win games in a weak conference the last few years. I like what KO's done with Adams and I think if Larrier and Gilbert can stay healthy they will be very good players as well as Vital.

 

[upstater]

Seriously? You are bringing up overseas championships as an example of player development? This is where UConn basketball is at right now? What about Daniels, Hamilton, and Calhoun? All were top 45 recruits and none of them are even in the league.

This is the year Daniels came out:

ESPN Basketball Recruiting - Player Rankings

How many top 50 players made the NBA?

Calhoun we know got hurt. He looked like a stud freshman year. His hip surgery robbed him of his explosiveness.

As for Hamilton, he repeated the pattern that his brothers did. He left school early and ended up in the D-League.

Daniels definitely improved greatly under Ollie. There can be no doubt. I would argue that he was unstoppable in that NCAA tourney. The fact that it didn't translate to the NBA makes him like 90% of the kids in the top 50 of that class.

Deandre was even drafted. Which is something only 20-25% of the top 100 accomplish. From 2003 to 2014, only 123 of the 867 4-star players (all of them top 100) were drafted.

Many fewer made the NBA.

Go back and look at Deandre Daniels' class. So few were drafted. So few made the NBA. So few became productive players.

 

[BlueMAB]

Daniels was drafted, then got injured, and is currently playing professionally in Italy.

Hamilton, who improved from freshman to sophomore year, left too early, and is in the NBA D League.

Cahoun had several well documented injuries, but is also playing professionally.

So despite leaving too early, or dealing with serious injuries, all three are playing professional basketball.

 

[HuskiesAllDay]

This ^^^^^

Mau I'm not saying KO hasn't done some great things at UConn his first two seasons were tremendous. Yes he continued the development of Bazz, Daniels, Boat and Griffey after Calhoun retired but those were very talented players he inherited. Since 2014 and his own recruits it's been a different story. Purvis was a McD's AA and Calhoun was quoted as saying multiple times he would be in the NBA. Purvis showed little improvement if any in his four years at UConn. Brimah while not a highly ranked recruit showed a lot of promise freshman year with his ability to block shots and run the floor much like Thabeet. Expectations were very high for both players and their lack of development is a big reason why UConn struggled to win games in a weak conference the last few years. I like what KO's done with Adams and I think if Larrier and Gilbert can stay healthy they will be very good players as well as Vital.

spot on. KO did a good job of continuing to develop those guys, but you cant just ignore the fact that the greatest cbb coach ever at player development spent 2/3 years with them. Nobody is saying KO shouldn't get any credit. But I imagine JC played a big part in their developments.

This topic has been discussed to death on this board and the discussion goes the same way every single time. Someone points out that the overall picture/ trend of player development has been underwhelming/pretty poor under KO.

And invariably someone will reply with some excuse and will then blame the players. And then someone will point to the one or two good examples as if they negate the actual point of the argument which is that the picture has been underwhelming.

 

[upstater]

spot on. KO did a good job of continuing to develop those guys, but you cant just ignore the fact that the greatest cbb coach ever at player development spent 2/3 years with them. Nobody is saying KO shouldn't get any credit. But I imagine JC played a big part in their developments.

This topic has been discussed to death on this board and the discussion goes the same way every single time. Someone points out that the overall picture/ trend of player development has been underwhelming/pretty poor under KO.

And invariably someone will reply with some excuse and will then blame the players. And then someone will point to the one or two good examples as if they negate the actual point of the argument which is that the picture has been underwhelming.

You're adding too many years.

Deandre had 1 year with Calhoun. He didn't get off the bench. Boatright had 1 year too. Calhoun was also gone ill or suspended for much of the year.

Calhoun had Napier for 2. but again, Napier had by most people's measure a bad year his sophomore year. I'm not saying this is Calhoun's fault. He's a proven developer. That being said, assistants also have a hand at developemtn. Karl Hobbs had been teaching UConn PGs for a long time. Of course, Hobbs just rejoined UConn for Ollie's first season, so he wasn't there for Bazz's first 2 years. Ollie was though.

When people make this argument about Daniels, Napier and Boatright, it just seems to me like an attempt to discredit Ollie. A good argument for opposing teams' fans.

 

[LStudfellow]

spot on. KO did a good job of continuing to develop those guys, but you cant just ignore the fact that the greatest cbb coach ever at player development spent 2/3 years with them. Nobody is saying KO shouldn't get any credit. But I imagine JC played a big part in their developments.

This topic has been discussed to death on this board and the discussion goes the same way every single time. Someone points out that the overall picture/ trend of player development has been underwhelming/pretty poor under KO.

And invariably someone will reply with some excuse and will then blame the players. And then someone will point to the one or two good examples as if they negate the actual point of the argument which is that the picture has been underwhelming.

You are right HuskiesAllDay - this point has been discussed to death. And you are also right that it goes the same way every time. And then you go on to craft the rest of your point as if your side is 100% fact and those who rebutt you are making "excuses." Which of course is your not so subtle way to say you are right and anyone who posts counter points is overlooking what is obvious to all of us - which is why you use the word "excuses" instead of some other term that gives the debate more legitimacy.

Except that you and others who make your point consistently do so as if the issues of the last 3 years are almost entirely KO's fault. No blame to Calhoun (which is patently false. The greatest men's college basketball program builder ever made several major mistakes in his last 5 years as head of the program that were going to negatively affect whomever succeeded him. Yet every time you make an argument about poor player development, you never once reference that aspect of it... ever. Because of course it weakens your point that the blame lies with KO). Also no blame to conference affiliation (a small part, but a part... and again that continuing debacle had nothing to do with KO either).

These views/points are not mutually exclusive or at opposite ends of the spectrum as you make them. Player development the last few years has been pretty poor. Last year in particular. You and everyone who feels that way are right. The people making "excuses" largely feel the same way as you do. But we also see a coach who has done some good things and a few great ones during his 5-year tenure. A coach who started his head coaching career with a legitimately serious handicap, thanks in significant part to his predecessor... and therefore deserves to have these legitimate, also factual counter points (not excuses) made on his behalf.


And, if you feel that makes me a "Pollyanna" or delusional, I offer you are comparison. I refer you to our own football discussion board. I have never once posted a single point in support of either Paul Pasqualoni or Bob Diaco in 6 1/2 years. Why? Because they were both lousy coaches, lousy at development, mostly lousy at recruiting (particularly Diaco), lousy at in-game coaching and in the 2nd case proved beyond a shadow of a doubt he was totally in over his head and unfit to be a head coach of a Division I college program. Diaco embarrassed himself and UConn on multiple occasions. Kevin Ollie has never embarrassed us or himself in that manner.

Bottom line: I do not offer support to anyone who has not earned it on some level.

 

[HuskiesAllDay]

You're adding too many years.

Deandre had 1 year with Calhoun. He didn't get off the bench. Boatright had 1 year too. Calhoun was also gone ill or suspended for much of the year.

Calhoun had Napier for 2. but again, Napier had by most people's measure a bad year his sophomore year. I'm not saying this is Calhoun's fault. He's a proven developer. That being said, assistants also have a hand at developemtn. Karl Hobbs had been teaching UConn PGs for a long time. Of course, Hobbs just rejoined UConn for Ollie's first season, so he wasn't there for Bazz's first 2 years. Ollie was though.

When people make this argument about Daniels, Napier and Boatright, it just seems to me like an attempt to discredit Ollie. A good argument for opposing teams' fans.

Ok. thank you for pointing that out and I apologize for generalizing to include everyone in the 2-3 years bucket. I admit it does make a difference between 1 year under JC and 2 or 3 (duh).

KO deserves credit for DD, bazz, boat etc. I have never tried to argue otherwise (cant speak for others). But you have to realize that right or wrong, this can easily be countered by an opposing coach pointing to the results for guys who played for him/his staff exclusively. And i would imagine they have been doing so.

 

[HuskiesAllDay]

You are right HuskiesAllDay - this point has been discussed to death. And you are also right that it goes the same way every time. And then you go on to craft the rest of your point as if your side is 100% fact and those who rebutt you are making "excuses." Which of course is your not so subtle way to say you are right and anyone who posts counter points is overlooking what is obvious to all of us - which is why you use the word "excuses" instead of some other term that gives the debate more legitimacy.

Except that you and others who make your point consistently do so as if the issues of the last 3 years are almost entirely KO's fault. No blame to Calhoun (which is patently false. The greatest men's college basketball program builder ever made several major mistakes in his last 5 years as head of the program that were going to negatively affect whomever succeeded him. Yet every time you make an argument about poor player development, you never once reference that aspect of it... ever. Because of course it weakens your point that the blame lies with KO). Also no blame to conference affiliation (a small part, but a part... and again that continuing debacle had nothing to do with KO either).

These views/points are not mutually exclusive or at opposite ends of the spectrum as you make them. Player development the last few years has been pretty poor. Last year in particular. You and everyone who feels that way are right. The people making "excuses" largely feel the same way as you do. But we also see a coach who has done some good things and a few great ones during his 5-year tenure. A coach who started his head coaching career with a legitimately serious handicap, thanks in significant part to his predecessor... and therefore deserves to have these legitimate, also factual counter points (not excuses) made on his behalf.


And, if you feel that makes me a "Pollyanna" or delusional, I offer you are comparison. I refer you to our own football discussion board. I have never once posted a single point in support of either Paul Pasqualoni or Bob Diaco in 6 1/2 years. Why? Because they were both lousy coaches, lousy at development, mostly lousy at recruiting (particularly Diaco), lousy at in-game coaching and in the 2nd case proved beyond a shadow of a doubt he was totally in over his head and unfit to be a head coach of a Division I college program. Diaco embarrassed himself and UConn on multiple occasions. Kevin Ollie has never embarrassed us or himself in that manner.

Bottom line: I do not offer support to anyone who has not earned it on some level.

I wouldn't call your take delusional at all. In fact, I agree with almost all of it. The "excuses" point was related to a variety of posts that I see on here where posters bash the players and act like they had zero skill sets to offer and were lost causes from the beginning. Which of course I disagree with.

Your following point sums up my entire argument: "Player development the last few years has been pretty poor. Last year in particular". That is all I have been trying to say. We can try to identify the reasons for this, but at the end of the day, KO is in charge. The bottom line results fall to him.

I am encouraged that he has been actively trying to change things (new S&D coach, new coaches with proven recruiting/ PD skills like killings and Chillious. So I would never say that I don't think the future can be bright. Or this trend will continue forever. But as I said before, this is a wait and see game. When these things hopefully improve, I will be extremely happy and willing to give KO and staff all the credit they deserve (as if they or anyone cares about my credit/ adulation). But that is to be determined, so as of now, all we can do is go off the track record, which you admit hasn't been very good lately.

 

[upstater]

Ok. thank you for pointing that out and I apologize for generalizing to include everyone in the 2-3 years bucket. I admit it does make a difference between 1 year under JC and 2 or 3 (duh).

KO deserves credit for DD, bazz, boat etc. I have never tried to argue otherwise (cant speak for others). But you have to realize that right or wrong, this can easily be countered by an opposing coach pointing to the results for guys who played for him/his staff exclusively. And i would imagine they have been doing so.

Opposing coaches will say anything, agreed. But when the opposing coach is, say, Ed Cooley, he hasn't put many guys into the NBA either. At best, he sells his conference more, or maybe outworks Ollie. But... it certainly isn't a matter of NBA stars coming out of PC.

 

[mauconnfan]

Then get better players Mau! Which he still hasn't been able to do despite a wide open front court.

Its his job to recruit. So either recruit better players or do a better job of developing the less heralded guys. Either way the blame falls at his feet.

And btw Facey was state poy and a top 100 recruit. guy was no slouch. Enoch Top 60. You act like hes gotten absolutely nothing.

Facey was all NYC did you watch him play? He was clueless until half way through his senior year and the light went on. He came in for 3 years so a flash or 2 but also got lost on D every time do you even watch the games? Some guys have the instincts others don't and some never get there, he and Brimah didn't. Enoch, he was awful at best on D, clueless and he was taught how to play D despite what some of you believe. No idea how and when to help and slow footed. Broken record crap on this board.

And in case you forgot to read my 1,ooo times I said if "anything it's on him to get better and smarter players", I did maybe more than 1.,000 times to people who have to keep saying "Ko can't develop".

 

[mauconnfan]

I am down 100% for this. But that is a wait and see game and doesn't mean we cant analyze the past/current.

Analyze away just make some damn sense or try something new.

 

[Hugo]

They won a national championship with that talent.

Since we're losing recruits to PC now, name a productive Providence player.

Dunn was a first round selection and Bentil went in the second round to the Celts. That appears to me to be productive players.

 

[upstater]

Dunn was a first round selection and Bentil went in the second round to the Celts. That appears to me to be productive players.

So they are productive but Shabazz Napier isn't? The poster made the point that Napier is not productive.

As for Bentil, he's not in the NBA.

Dunn and Napier both average 4 points and 2 assists. If Napier is unproductive, so is Dunn.

 

[LStudfellow]

Dunn was a first round selection and Bentil went in the second round to the Celts. That appears to me to be productive players.

Productive in the pros. That is the debate Upstater is referring to... and therefore you would be wrong about either Dunn or Bentil being productive in the NBA so far:

Kris Dunn's impact limited in rookie season with Minnesota Timberwolves

From this article: "This season’s Rookie of the Year race got blown up, more or less, when the Philadelphia 76ers shut down center Joel Embiid over a nagging knee injury a couple weeks ago.

Now, as the smoke clears and a debate revs up over various other candidates’ worthiness, one constant remains: Kris Dunn still is no factor."

Kris Dunn's first year NBA stats: 3.8 PPG, 2.4 APG, 37.7% shooting, 29% from 3

Ben Bentil's first year stats: in 5 games at the end of the year with the Dallas Mavericks (he was cut by the Celtics before the season started, in fact) he played a total of 10 minutes in 3 of those 5 games, did not score and had 2 rebounds total. He spent most of the year in the D-League with the Ft. Wayne Mad Ants, where he averaged 12.1 PPG and 4.5 RPG. Meanwhile, Daniel Hamilton averaged 15 points, 8 rebounds and 4.5 assists per game for the Oklahoma City Blue. He did even better in the playoffs, averaging 16 points, 7 rebounds and over 6 assists per game.

In other words, neither Kris Dunn nor Ben Bentil had a productive year in the NBA. So to this point, it is 100% true that Ed Cooley has yet to produce a player who has been productive in the NBA.

 

[Hugo]

So they are productive but Shabazz Napier isn't? The poster made the point that Napier is not productive.

As for Bentil, he's not in the NBA.

Dunn and Napier both average 4 points and 2 assists. If Napier is unproductive, so is Dunn.

I interpreted it as being productive in college. If it's in the pros then I agree that neither Dunn, Bentil or Bazz have been productive. In fact Dunn was a disappointment this past year. I for one expected more from him.

 

[Chief00]

You are right HuskiesAllDay - this point has been discussed to death. And you are also right that it goes the same way every time. And then you go on to craft the rest of your point as if your side is 100% fact and those who rebutt you are making "excuses." Which of course is your not so subtle way to say you are right and anyone who posts counter points is overlooking what is obvious to all of us - which is why you use the word "excuses" instead of some other term that gives the debate more legitimacy.

Except that you and others who make your point consistently do so as if the issues of the last 3 years are almost entirely KO's fault. No blame to Calhoun (which is patently false. The greatest men's college basketball program builder ever made several major mistakes in his last 5 years as head of the program that were going to negatively affect whomever succeeded him. Yet every time you make an argument about poor player development, you never once reference that aspect of it... ever. Because of course it weakens your point that the blame lies with KO). Also no blame to conference affiliation (a small part, but a part... and again that continuing debacle had nothing to do with KO either).

These views/points are not mutually exclusive or at opposite ends of the spectrum as you make them. Player development the last few years has been pretty poor. Last year in particular. You and everyone who feels that way are right. The people making "excuses" largely feel the same way as you do. But we also see a coach who has done some good things and a few great ones during his 5-year tenure. A coach who started his head coaching career with a legitimately serious handicap, thanks in significant part to his predecessor... and therefore deserves to have these legitimate, also factual counter points (not excuses) made on his behalf.


And, if you feel that makes me a "Pollyanna" or delusional, I offer you are comparison. I refer you to our own football discussion board. I have never once posted a single point in support of either Paul Pasqualoni or Bob Diaco in 6 1/2 years. Why? Because they were both lousy coaches, lousy at development, mostly lousy at recruiting (particularly Diaco), lousy at in-game coaching and in the 2nd case proved beyond a shadow of a doubt he was totally in over his head and unfit to be a head coach of a Division I college program. Diaco embarrassed himself and UConn on multiple occasions. Kevin Ollie has never embarrassed us or himself in that manner.

Bottom line: I do not offer support to anyone who has not earned it on some level.

I got to call this anti Calhoun BS out. In his last 8 years he went to 3 Final Fours - not bad, including winning it a year before he left. For his last season he got the number 1 player in the nation - not exactly a recruiting drop off.

 

[mauconnfan]

Seriously? You are bringing up overseas championships as an example of player development? This is where UConn basketball is at right now? What about Daniels, Hamilton, and Calhoun? All were top 45 recruits and none of them are even in the league.

My point is Boat was never considered a legit NBA player because of his size and early inability to play the point. He actually improved enough after Bazz left to be considered at least and had a nice run before being cut. If your only measurement on players is the NBA well then start telling me about every other program in college that isn't UK, Duke and UNC. People got better, some didn't, some left welcome to mens NCAA basketball.

All were top 45's? Brimah, Facey, Giffey? I don't even think Bazz was and Boat was in some not in others from what I remember. And I'd love to see how many Top 45's over the years never even sniffed the NBA. You do realize the % of how many actually make it don't you?

 

[pj]

My point is Boat was never considered a legit NBA player because of his size and early inability to play the point. He actually improved enough after Bazz left to be considered at least and had a nice run before being cut. If your only measurement on players is the NBA well then start telling me about every other program in college that isn't UK, Duke and UNC. People got better, some didn't, some left welcome to mens NCAA basketball.

All were top 45's? Brimah, Facey, Giffey? I don't even think Bazz was and Boat was in some not in others from what I remember. And I'd love to see how many Top 45's over the years never even sniffed the NBA. You do realize the % of how many actually make it don't you?

Ryan Boatright was #74 on ESPN, Ryan Boatright - Basketball Recruiting - Player Profiles - ESPN and #55 on 247 composite, Ryan Boatright, East, Point Guard

Shabazz was unranked 4* on ESPN, Shabazz Napier - Basketball Recruiting - Player Profiles - ESPN and #74 on 247 composite, Shabazz Napier, Lawrence Academy, Point Guard. I believe he was about #60 on the 2011 list before he reclassed to 2010.

Omar Calhoun was #44 on the 247 composite, Omar Calhoun, Christ The King Regional, Shooting Guard, but he was clearly over-rated and the injuries did him in. "top 45" is an interesting cutoff point to get Omar included.

In general, you wouldn't expect the #44 recruit to make the NBA, because #44 in US high schools makes him about #80 in the global NBA draft pool among his age, and they only draft 60 players per year, many of whom don't make the NBA.

 

[WrenchFan69]

Omar Calhoun was #44 on the 247 composite, Omar Calhoun, Christ The King Regional, Shooting Guard, but he was clearly over-rated and the injuries did him in. "top 45" is an interesting cutoff point to get Omar included.

Idk if "clearly overrated" is the right term for Omar. He was on the Big East all-rookie team and averaged 11 pts a game on a 20 win team as a freshman before having double knee surgery that summer. Then the hip and I believe a shoulder. It was nice to be a useful player again and get back to the tournament his senior year. That Ohio State game in 2015 was incredible.

 

[upstater]

I interpreted it as being productive in college. If it's in the pros then I agree that neither Dunn, Bentil or Bazz have been productive. In fact Dunn was a disappointment this past year. I for one expected more from him.

Yes, the standard was productive in the NBA.

 

[Allbite]

Silly thread, but I'll play along. We need to figure out a way to get back to our roots in terms of recruiting. We were consistently a team that got multiple top 40-75 guys and then we'd get lucky and would pluck a McD-AA every few years. Generally those top 40-75 guys would be 3-4 year players (Ricky, Rash, KFree, AJ, Dyson, Denham, JLamb, etc.) who were foundational guys and the top guy would be the star (Donyell, Rip, Khalid, Caron, CV, Rudy, Kemba). Sometimes, those top 40-75 guys would become stars in their own light (Ray, Gordon, Bazz, Boat) and we would have a complete team. Our last three years we have had very unbalanced teams. We would lack adequate ball handling, rebounding, shooting, whatever. The teams would have a lot of talent, but it was mismatched talent.

Those guys were all coached by Calhoun - the no-nonsense style he pounded into them helped them to overpower others who might be more talented or better coached from an Xs and Os perspective. Calhoun's style had become so rare that it became an X factor despite the opposing coach's best laid plans. Ollie is one to benefit from that style, not to adopt it.

 

[Allbite]

Brimah - no one's a magician. He wasn't even close to someone who cold've improved under anyone. Showed little to no understanding of the game 4 years later, most fans of the game could see that. He was a back up caliber player who was KO's only decent big, and the fact that happened for 4 years is on KO and the staff.

Rodney - love Rodney plays the game with passion, works on his game all the time. Is undersized at 6'2" but strong. Doesn't have the handle for the next level (oh that's on KO LOL, if you can't handle it well enough that's on you) and can't finish well enough. He is the size of PG's now but is nowhere near that and that's not on anyone just not in the books. Became a leader and a great kid under KO as I am sure he and his family are happy about.

Giffey - did little to nothing under JC, flourished and improved under KO.

Bazz - didn't have a good soph year under JC but improved in all facets under the tutelage of KO who by the way was his coach with JC too anyway.

Deandre - didn't play many minutes for JC but did for KO and improved.


People have improved under him. Some we can question but most have reasons. DHam? Not sure about all of that, maybe it's KO maybe it was a stubborn kid who wanted to go play for dollars. Ultimately the kids who improve are smarter basketball players, get the game and have the ability to learn and improve in game. Hey he needs to recruit better, then he will develop better. That's on him, it always has been.

True, people forget how much DHam screwed them. With him they have at least a winning record even with all the injuries, at the bare bones minimum.

 

[Huskyforlife]

True, people forget how much DHam screwed them. With him they have at least a winning record even with all the injuries, at the bare bones minimum.

It's a coaches job to be prepared for early departures.

 

[LStudfellow]

I got to call this anti Calhoun BS out. In his last 8 years he went to 3 Final Fours - not bad, including winning it a year before he left. For his last season he got the number 1 player in the nation - not exactly a recruiting drop off.

Chief - you are misrepresenting what I stated. I did not say nor have I ever said that recruiting directly under Calhoun dropped off. What I stated and absolutely stand behind is that the following things also happened during Coach Calhoun's last 5 years as the head of the program which directly and significantly negatively affected the recruiting efforts of Kevin Ollie and his staff for his first 2 to 3 years as the head coach.

This is not "anti-Calhoun" rhetoric, as you misconstrue it; only the truth of what happened. You can love and be thankful for what Coach Calhoun did at UConn for 25 years as a whole body of work (I in fact was always one of his biggest fans and most ardent supporters, and always will be) and also be honest about mistakes/poor judgement that happened that he played an integral part in causing. These truths are not mutually exclusive. I love the fact we went to 3 Final Fours in his last 8 years, and 4 total. I attended the first one in St. Petersburg. But those great facts do not change or wipe away an additional fact that he also left a pile of hot garbage for his successor to deal with. And my bet is if you really are that close with him and asked him that question, he would answer honestly and say that yes, he did.

The following all occurred that significantly hampered the recruiting efforts and the depth on the team for Kevin Ollie in his first 2 to 3 years:

1) a significant recruiting scandal (Nate Miles / Josh Nochimson)... which led to two assistants being fired, and significant restrictions on our scholarships and recruiting for two years.
2) the APR ban
3) 3 transfers, including 2 integral starters
4) Significant sanctions and a perception problem for his successor, who in this case would be Kevin Ollie.

All 4 of these are undeniable facts. Posters on this board talk about the negative recruiting against us recently... imagine what it was like once the APR ban was made official up through 2014.