2020 Recruiting: Cam Thomas Update

[BackAftaThis]

So you weren't just asking. You were pretending you were asking when you want blood.

Yes, of course results matter. But the point is that statistical means and deviations are such that firing someone because they miss on one recruit, or even a few recruits in one year, is stupid because it doesn't tell you (absent combining it with Hurley's observations) about how he will do next year. It takes a few cycles to be able to judge based on numbers.

Lol disagree completely. But you're getting way too worked up about a forum post about the topic. So we're going to agree to disagree on this topic.

 

[superjohn]

Lol, Hardaway is hardly the norm.

So your point is essentially that if you want win you've got to be the first guy across the finish line, which is indisputably true. My point is before you can do that you have got to be in the race.

And my point is that's nonsense, plenty of programs that never win a thing bring in studs. I went through this the other day with a couple of posters.

 

[CL82]

I think the point is we've been in the race, if we just wanted to be in the race we never needed to move on and hire Hurley. In that sense nothing has changed, we need to start closing

Shrug. Inability to close wasn't KO's only problem.

We're in the hunt until we're not. For a lot of schools being named for these kids would be viewed as a positive. I view it a positive for 2nd year coach for a program that hasn't sniffed a tourney birth for three years.

I laugh at what a short memory this board has. Remember Bouknight, Gaffney and Akok? Somebody got them across the finish line. Way, way too early to be worried about this staff.

 

[CL82]

And my point is that's nonsense, plenty of programs that never win a thing bring in studs. I went through this the other day with a couple of posters.

Okay. Duly noted.

 

[navery12]

Shrug. Inability to close wasn't KO's only problem.

We're in the hunt until we're not. For a lot of schools being named for these kids would be viewed as a positive. I view it a positive for 2nd year coach for a program that hasn't sniffed a tourney birth for three years.

I laugh at what a short memory this board has. Remember Bouknight, Gaffney and Akok? Somebody got them across the finish line. Way, way too early to be worried about this staff.

Worried about the staff? Absolutely, way too early and by no means am I advocating firing anyone.

Way too early to be disappointed in this class? Right now, yes. 2 months from now if we still have nobody, not at all. You said it yourself, last year's class was tremendous, we should be building on that now

 

[JimHurley]

I think the point is we've been in the race, if we just wanted to be in the race we never needed to move on and hire Hurley. In that sense nothing has changed, we need to start closing

I wouldn’t go this far. We hired Hurley because we needed a head coach that was actually capable of coaching basketball. The recruits will come. Let’s not forget we’ve missed 3 tournaments in a row. We’re not exactly a hot name right now, but Hurley will get us there.

 

[UConnStats]

There more for Jaylen than Gray. Also its a short ride from Storrs and a good place to continue a good relationship. I wouldn't read too much into it.

That’s your assumption.

Cliff is basically a lost cause, so hopefully Gray is just a second option to Cardwell, who they really shouldn’t miss on.

 

[navery12]

I wouldn’t go this far. We hired Hurley because we needed a head coach that was actually capable of coaching basketball. The recruits will come. Let’s not forget we’ve missed 3 tournaments in a row. We’re not exactly a hot name right now, but Hurley will get us there.

I mean, yeah it was an exaggeration. Didn't want to derail the thread with tons of nuance, just saying we were in the mix before as well

 

[UCDaveD]

NOT GREAT!

 

[Dabutlerdidit]

There are no consequences in the NCAA payola program. Not now and likely not ever again for the P5. It's a checkers and chess thing when it comes to SEC money and non/low paying institutions. Kids are getting the message through their friends, coaches, and AAU network that "everyone's doing it!" and are jumping on board. And I don't blame them. It sucks but the playing field is now forever tilted.

This appears to be the issue.

 

[intlzncster]

No. Other schools got involved and muddy water. Heard staff is making another hard push to make up ground. Might come back in play, but at this moment outside looking in.

Seems our rep has taken way more of a hit than many here have given credence to.

 

[UConnTrumbull]

It’s getting to the point where it’s not even worth following recruiting. If we can’t get top 50 players over nouveau riche southern schools then we’re not competing for titles any time soon.

 

[HuskyHawk]

Seems our rep has taken way more of a hit than many here have given credence to.

Oh absolutely. We've been terrible and every school we recruit against is using that against us. Short memories? Sure, but these kids were in 6th or 7th grade when we last won a title. We need to crack the top 25, be seen at in the scrolling scores of top teams. That's relevance. The injuries kept us from the post-season last year, and I think that hurt Hurley's efforts.

I think we are being too quick to blame money, rather than acknowledge the hole we put ourselves in. A school like UConn cannot get away with losing in the way even an Oklahoma State can. We are more like Gonzaga in that regard. If we don't make some real noise with wins, right now in 19-20, we are going to make Hurley's job difficult.

We'll get some players. I have to believe we'll get a couple we like and need.

 

[auror]

Seems our rep has taken way more of a hit than many here have given credence to.

Then how did we get last year's class? This year's class should have built on that momentum + added the Big East move momentum (this year's class will never play in the AAC). Throw Carlton's improvement in there, we should be able to recruit a big into the infinite amount of playing time we'll have.

 

[Chief00]

Have to wonder if Dan Hurley's back issue and surgery inhibited our efforts a bit. Nothing we could do about that and if that's the case, I have to believe we'll get better news with him back out there.

#thegrind

Of course, it did not help but no one will ever admit it for some reason.

 

[Guapo]

It’s getting to the point where it’s not even worth following recruiting. If we can’t get top 50 players over nouveau riche southern schools then we’re not competing for titles any time soon.

Take a deep breath.

Rome wasn't built in a day. We do have to build back up to competing for championships. It’s not going to happen over night.

We are on the right path.

 

[kansashusky]

That’s your assumption.

Cliff is basically a lost cause, so hopefully Gray is just a second option to Cardwell, who they really shouldn’t miss on.

Not an assumption. Gray is plan D or E for our staff.

 

[intlzncster]

Then how did we get last year's class? This year's class should have built on that momentum + added the Big East move momentum (this year's class will never play in the AAC). Throw Carlton's improvement in there, we should be able to recruit a big into the infinite amount of playing time we'll have.

I don't have answer for you. But I'm seeing us get in early and then fading quickly when other schools get involved. And not even all that impressive schools at that.

I'd talk about cash, but apparently that's frowned upon here now. But that's definitely not the only reason.

 

[pj]

Who is Jaylen?

Presumably Jaylen Murray, Putnam Science Academy , Point Guard

 

[kansashusky]

Presumably Jaylen Murray, Putnam Science Academy , Point Guard

Yep that Jaylen. Kid is a stud.

 

[UConnStats]

Not an assumption. Gray is plan D or E for our staff.

They’ve only visited 2 centers in the past couple of months aside from him. If Omoruyi isn’t happening, and we visited him last night, he’s not plan D or E anymore like he was a few months ago.

 

[navery12]

They’ve only visited 2 centers in the past couple of months aside from him. If Omoruyi isn’t happening, and we visited him last night, he’s not plan D or E anymore like he was a few months ago.

Plan D sounds right. Cliff, Cardwell, Javonte Brown Ferguson, Gray

 

[navery12]

Presumably Jaylen Murray, Putnam Science Academy , Point Guard

Threw me off because I saw Borges refer to him as Juju Murray

 

[UConnStats]

Plan D sounds right. Cliff, Cardwell, Javonte Brown Ferguson, Gray

Outside looking in on the 2 highest rated in that group, so regardless of how you guys rank them, it’s not a good situation for the staff compared to expectations.

 

[baako1]

No. Other schools got involved and muddy water. Heard staff is making another hard push to make up ground. Might come back in play, but at this moment outside looking in.

Oye. Are we going to get any 2020 recruits?!

 

[navery12]

Outside looking in on the 2 highest rated in that group, so regardless of how you guys rank them, it’s not a good situation for the staff compared to expectations.

So you're saying we're out on Cardwell now too?

 

[UConnStats]

So you're saying we're out on Cardwell now too?

No... I’m saying they didn’t visit Gray for no reason.

They don’t lead for Cliff, Brown-Ferguson, or Jaylin Williams, so they’re just trying to solidify a backup to Cardwell and are picking things back up with Gray.

 

[Wordbomar]

JuJu and Hassan are going to be a problem in the same backcourt over there at PSA.

My PSA connect is raving about JuJu’s ability.

 

[Chasm64]

Is this the boneyard or the whineyard

 

[upstater]

That's some pretty crazy spin, if we whiff on this class there is nothing good about it.

Calhoun's classes in off years weren't great either. 2005, Jeff Adrien, Marcus Johnson, Robert Garrison, Craig Austrie. 2000, Tony Robertson, Marcus Cox, Doug Wrenn, Justin brown, Beau Archibald. 2008, Donnell Beverly, Jonathan Mandeldove. He had some classes like these.