After Josh Carlton beefed up for this season, UConn will look for him to become more lean and athletic in the offseason

[HooperScooper]

Bulking up didn’t work out for Josh Carlton, not the way he nor UConn hoped. So next spring and summer, he will try to go in the other direction.

"There are some things where he can’t address until the offseason,” coach Dan Hurley said, “the physical stuff, get himself lighter, leaner and being more athletic. The muscle he’s put on has maybe worked against him this year.”

I'm curious why they thought bulking up that much in one offseason would work for Carlton. Why does it work for some basketball players and not others?

After Josh Carlton beefed up for this season, UConn will look for him to become more lean and athletic in the offseason

Bulking up didn’t work out for Josh Carlton, not the way he or UConn hoped. So next spring and summer, he will try to go in the other direction. “There are some things where he can&#821…

www.courant.com

 

[amidagoat]

Josh was never that quick to begin with.

 

[CL82]

Vital, who will be honored Thursday on Senior Day, has played in 98 consecutive games and, after scoring 27 at ECU, has 1,681, which is 11th in program history. He needs 27 to catch Jalen Adams (1,706), 102 to catch Kemba Walker (1,783), 105 to catch Ryan Boatright (1,786).

Hmm, do we know if Alterique will be honored as well?

 

[HooperScooper]

Hmm, do we know if Alterique will be honored as well?

“He’ll either participate in Senior Day, or he won’t,” UConn men’s basketball coach Dan Hurley said after the victory over UCF on Wednesday. “Al is very important to me, Al’s very important to the program, Al’s been an incredible pleasure to coach to this point.

“He’s got to weigh some options at the end of the year for himself. He’s been through a lot, but he’s such a selfless guy, such a warrior, that he’s not thinking about senior day, he’s thinking about how he can best help the team.”

 

[Huskyforlife]

I really hope he doesn't drop that much weight, it's his only advantage over most bigs.

 

[HooperScooper]

I really hope he doesn't drop that much weight, it's his only advantage over most bigs.

Would you say he was better last year or this year?

 

[Mooch82]

I really hope he doesn't drop that much weight, it's his only advantage over most bigs.

Last year he was 235. This year he came in at 265. I think 240-245 is a good in between sweet spot for him.

 

[Chief00]

Bulking up didn’t work out for Josh Carlton, not the way he nor UConn hoped. So next spring and summer, he will try to go in the other direction.

"There are some things where he can’t address until the offseason,” coach Dan Hurley said, “the physical stuff, get himself lighter, leaner and being more athletic. The muscle he’s put on has maybe worked against him this year.”

I'm curious why they thought bulking up that much in one offseason would work for Carlton. Why does it work for some basketball players and not others?

After Josh Carlton beefed up for this season, UConn will look for him to become more lean and athletic in the offseason

Bulking up didn’t work out for Josh Carlton, not the way he or UConn hoped. So next spring and summer, he will try to go in the other direction. “There are some things where he can&#821…

www.courant.com

So I will let others chime in - Is that a criticism of Sal?
This and two significant injuries is not a good launching pad to promote your S&C program.

 

[Mooch82]

So I will let others chime in - Is that a criticism of Sal?
This and two significant injuries is not a good launching pad to promote your S&C program.

Tough to say. The injuries very well could just be bad luck. I’d argue he did a great job with Whaley from a S&C standpoint. Maybe we just overdid it with Josh and take it as a learning experience. Is this the first time Sal has coached a hoops team?

 

[pj]

So I will let others chime in - Is that a criticism of Sal?
This and two significant injuries is not a good launching pad to promote your S&C program.

If Carlton did lose quickness, and the S&C program was measuring all aspects of performance including quickness, and they had made a strategic decision with participation of Josh and the coach to sacrifice quickness for strength, and that decision didn't work out, then it's not a criticism of Sal.

If quickness wasn't being measured or assessed, and Sal didn't know how his program was affecting a key factor in basketball performance, then it's a criticism of Sal.

 

[awfuldan]

If you watch highlights of Carlton from last season, it's alarming how much quicker and more explosive he looks. I mean, he was never a particularly quick or explosive player, but it's much worse this year.

I'm looking forward to Carlton putting in the work necessary to become a more effective player next year. He is obviously a dedicated guy in the gym.

For example, check the second jump here on the rebound put-back. Have we seen any move this quick all year? I feel like he had way more dunks last year as well.

 

[LIuconn]

Do we not view BA as a S&C success?

 

[87Xfer]

I feel like he had way more dunks last year as well.

Agreed. It's as if someone's going to punish the guy if he dunks this year.

Thanks for the vid. He really did look like a different player last season.

 

[Captbluefin]

Whats odd is how many people said the team needed to bulk up and we need a BIG guy not a stick figure last year.
Now complaining.

 

[imno1]

Do we not view BA as a S&C success?

CV also.

 

[Fatroony5]

If Carlton did lose quickness, and the S&C program was measuring all aspects of performance including quickness, and they had made a strategic decision with participation of Josh and the coach to sacrifice quickness for strength, and that decision didn't work out, then it's not a criticism of Sal.

If quickness wasn't being measured or assessed, and Sal didn't know how his program was affecting a key factor in basketball performance, then it's a criticism of Sal.

He’s worked with some of the most elite athletes in the world, I think it’s safe to assume he knew Carlton wasn’t improving his quickness. My gut tells me it was a staff decision to get him big and try to turn him into a “bully” while giving up some quickness, but who knows. I’m just basing that off of Sals history and what he has said about developing players in the weight room.

He’s had a lot of success with the players on the roster tho. Can’t blame him for a non contact ACL injury, those things happen all of the time, Polley looked like he was turning the corner. S & C takes time for most guys. I feel for Akok, he was run down towards the end but idk if it’s fair to blame Sal. I think you can question what they could’ve done better there but I promise you, Sal took that injury personal and was probably devastated by it.

From what I’ve seen thus far, I’m still encouraged. Especially given what the old regime did in that department. It’s evident they are putting a premium on performance and strength training.

 

[uchusky32]

My thought is it wont make much of a difference. He's not athletic. Didn't move well last year and most importantly it didn't stop him from making bunnies. But if they want to put it on that OK.

 

[MDHuskFan]

“Bulking up didn’t work out for Josh Carlton, not the way he nor UConn hoped”

Water is wet

 

[bendm]

I really hope he doesn't drop that much weight, it's his only advantage over most bigs.

what about the skill he demonstrated last year as an advantage? his extra size this year was only an advantage against the cupcake teams with cupcakes bigs. he went from most improved honorable mention last season to most disappointing this season and the extra size is the variable.

on a different note sounds like Carlton is coming back whether or not we get another center this summer

 

[Doctor Hoop]

There are posts every year about how much weight so-and-so needs to put on, etc. But different players are different. Being 6’5” and 280 lb. worked for Barkley, but I don’t think there are many players who can pull that off. Adding upper body strength helps, but not necessarily upper body bulk. That is, those aren’t the same thing. And for lower body you need core hip strength to hold position, but don’t sacrifice quickness, explosiveness and lateral movement.

Carlton can get himself both stronger and lighter with the right programs.

 

[imno1]

Not all of Josh's problems were because of the extra weight but adding 30 -40 lb in 6 months can take it's toll

 

[Hamms30]

Needs to take dance lessons or ballet or something a la Herschel Walker. He seems a bit Herman Munstery this year on his feet. When is the next season of dancing with the stars?

 

[BackAftaThis]

So I will let others chime in - Is that a criticism of Sal?
This and two significant injuries is not a good launching pad to promote your S&C program.

Also possible Josh couldn’t keep his mouth shut and put on too much bad weight.

 

[joober jones]

Didn't the same thing happen with Phil Nolan?

 

[RichZ]

Josh was never that quick to begin with.

Never fast horizontally, but he was much quicker off his feet last season. I think it took about 2 games for me to see that the bulk and muscle was hurting way more than t helped.