Article from Goodman

[intlzncster]

Disagree, but feel that's not an unreasonable take.


Disagree and it's an unreasonable take. Facey was a fringe top 100 player, and the only reason Brimah has had NBA interest is because of UConn. If he was at USF or something you'd never hear his name mentioned.

And you're mischaracterizing Adams. He was a combo guard/shooting guard in high school & AAU who never played as the primary PG on ANY team until Gilbert got injured this year. That is a hard transition to make -- Westbrook, for example, couldn't make it over two college seasons with any grace, and neither did Kemba. Neither did Terry Rozier. Neither did a whole host of combo guards who we only remember for their stellar final college seasons (and subsequent NBA careers to one extent or another) after they made the transition to fulltime PG.

Here is the bottom line with the Ollie era:

• Recruiting was hamstrung from 2012-2015, with 2016 being our first "complete" class
• We have lost our best player after each of the last three seasons (Bazz, Boat, DHam)
• We lost our THREE best players from last season
• We have not had a true PG since Bazz left, though Adams is very much on the verge
• We have been ravaged by injuries this year
• We have one upperclassman in the backcourt, and he is one of the most frustrating in UConn history
• Our upperclassmen project bigs have developed into serviceable players, but nothing more than that
• Recruiting has improved each season in spite of some big misses

Results-wise, this year is the bottom. In terms of stabilizing the program for the long haul, the bottom was the 2014 recruiting class and it's been steadily upward since then. Just have to have some patience and perspective.

Slam dunk. Dawkins stylee

 

[TheChamps990411]

Don't think I agree with this. Recruiting could have been better, but development has been the biggest problem. Maybe I'm misunderstanding you.

Development is a problem because the guys being developed dont have the ceiling you and many think they have. I mean seriously, do you think Enoch,Facey and Brimah have the talent to be all conference or even all american type players? You may say they dont have to be but how much better than would they be? How many minutes do you think those three would see on some of the powerhouse teams we`ve had in the past? The problem is lack of talent not development.

 

[TheChamps990411]

Here is the bottom line with the Ollie era:

• Recruiting was hamstrung from 2012-2015, with 2016 being our first "complete" class
• We have lost our best player after each of the last three seasons (Bazz, Boat, DHam)
• We lost our THREE best players from last season
• We have not had a true PG since Bazz left, though Adams is very much on the verge
• We have been ravaged by injuries this year
• We have one upperclassman in the backcourt, and he is one of the most frustrating in UConn history
• Our upperclassmen project bigs have developed into serviceable players, but nothing more than that
• Recruiting has improved each season in spite of some big misses

Results-wise, this year is the bottom. In terms of stabilizing the program for the long haul, the bottom was the 2014 recruiting class and it's been steadily upward since then. Just have to have some patience and perspective.

This pretty much sums it up. I have ZERO DOUBT about Ollie being our coach. This season is a result of all the bs we went through in the last few years. I guess many of us thought that winning a national title and sticking it to Emmert was the only effect the program would have from that time period. Nope! We`re paying the piper this season big time. I have no doubt this program will be back and do so with a vengeance very soon and by soon i mean starting next season. With what we have coming back,coming in and whos leaving this program should be on the upswing. Lets enjoy rock bottom become it wont last long and we`re likely not to see a season like this again for a very,very long time. I have NO DOUBT.

 

[intlzncster]

Please understand, though, that I'm using a high bar here. I didn't expect him to reach that bar by this point, and nobody should. That he is behind great, veteran coaches is kind of natural. Comparing him to other young coaches like Smart, Hurley, Pastner, etc., he is clearly ahead. It would be a big mistake to think that this isn't a process.

This is the perspective we want. This is the perspective we need.

KO is not remotely a finished product. There isn't one out there for UCONN.

 

[intlzncster]

He did not inherit a mess from Calhoun - look at who recruited the stars of the 2014 team.

If you honestly think UCONN as a program was in a good place post JC, you gotta put down the pipe. For a few, but not all reasons, see swags post:

Article from Goodman

 

[UConnSwag11]

I admittedly mischaracterized Facey as a top 50 recruit, but labeling him a "fringe" 100 recruit is probably steering things too far back the other way. He was relatively low on ESPN, but he was NYC POY and the consensus was that he was a legitimate four star prospect. Looking on rivals, he was 66th, and virtually every player ranked in that same vicinity who played for a reputable coach - Bronson Koenig, Kris Jenkins, Frank Mason, Josh Hart, Kennedy Meeks, V.J. Beachem, Nate Britt, Steve Vasturia, etc. - are currently playing big roles on top teams. That kid should be better by this point, especially considering how much promise he showed early in his sophomore year.

Adams, I think I characterized fairly. By no means am I under the illusion that he is a pure point, but he was recruited here to be a lead guard and actually, is well on his way to being an all-American type player. He's the least of our problems, just like I thought Bazz - despite the teams struggles - was the least of our problems in 2012. No complaints here. This kid is going to be the next great Husky.

There are plenty of places to cut Ollie slack. Nobody could have foreseen Omar's career being derailed by health problems in the manner that it was. Nobody could have expected the team to contend nationally in '15 with Cassell, Samuel, and Nolan playing big minutes. Some of the misses on the trail - Jordan Bell, Tyler Dorsey, Larrier the first time around, Briscoe, Stone, etc. - were purely random and there was probably nothing that could have been done to prevent them.

That in mind, the '14 recruiting class that brought in two five stars - Hamilton and Purvis - is only the disaster it is now in hindsight because neither of those guys made the impact that we hoped they would. Hell, Phil Nolan was a fairly coveted, albeit modest prospect who was the same player as a sophomore as he was as a senior. That has to fall on Ollie. Brimah is virtually an identical case study, though he has improved in some areas. The 2015 team started Boatright, Purvis, Hamilton, Facey, and Brimah and brought plenty of experienced, winning players off the bench. To not reach .500 in a league like the AAC is difficult to rationalize.

This year, you lost two games to low-majors with a full team. Then you got blown off the court by an ordinary Oklahoma State team before Larrier went down. Then you around with a team like Auburn, who, theoretically, should be way further behind in the building process. The injuries suck, but they could have been overcome if our seniors developed like they should have. It's too early to give up on Enoch, but he's half way through his sophomore year now and he's still a huge project. Jackson and Vital are freshman, but freshman who would have been capable of playing a role on a veteran-laden team.

He has routinely been handled by guys like Dunphy who take those same three star guys that we consider reaches and turn them into good players.

Please understand, though, that I'm using a high bar here. I didn't expect him to reach that bar by this point, and nobody should. That he is behind great, veteran coaches is kind of natural. Comparing him to other young coaches like Smart, Hurley, Pastner, etc., he is clearly ahead. It would be a big mistake to think that this isn't a process.

speaking of shaka, im still waiting for a goodman article on him. also does he run an offense?

 

[pj]

Hell, Phil Nolan was a fairly coveted, albeit modest prospect who was the same player as a sophomore as he was as a senior. That has to fall on Ollie.

You lost me here. Phil Nolan coveted? He was in nobody's top 100, and UConn was by far his best offer.

Please understand, though, that I'm using a high bar here. I didn't expect him to reach that bar by this point, and nobody should. That he is behind great, veteran coaches is kind of natural. Comparing him to other young coaches like Smart, Hurley, Pastner, etc., he is clearly ahead. It would be a big mistake to think that this isn't a process.

This is right. He's one of the best young coaches and he'll become one of the best coaches, period, as he matures. I think part of his development will be building up a coaching staff that is top-quality and complements him -- and we've already seen some evolution that way with the hiring of Killings. Another part of it will be settling on his own coaching style -- he has pulled a lot from Jim Calhoun, but we also see deference to assistants as in the Glen Miller zone defenses that Chief derides -- and some aspects he seems to want but hasn't been willing or able to fully commit to -- e.g. playing up-tempo and getting more fast-break baskets. Above all, recruiting has to be coordinated with style of play so that you the players match the style, and then you have to recruit well enough that you have five to seven top players filling five complementary roles.

It's hard to bring all those things together at the same time until you've become an outstanding coach and been an outstanding coach for at least one full recruitment and player maturation cycle (5-6 years from start of recruitment to senior year). I think Ollie may be rounding into that outstanding coach capability right now, but it may take 5-6 years before that is visible to casual fans and the likes of Goodman.

 

[James]

@UConnSwag11 indeed. shaka is seriously crapping the bed with a roster stacked with healthy talent. just lost to kent state @ home. if we had jarret allen we would have a much better record.

 

[intlzncster]

speaking of shaka, im still waiting for a goodman article on him. also does he run an offense?

Doesn't need one. Havoc.

 

[Letsgohuskies11]

I'm not really sure his point? He lists a bunch of other coaches who have earned their "get out of jail free card" but you could argue are in the same spot if not worse than Ollie.

Boeheim has been a consistent under achiever outside a few years, seems like the Cuse fans want him out. Yet why isnt goodman writing an article about that? Considering we have 4-5 players out for Medical Reasons.

Roy Williams has his team under the NCAA microscope and hasnt won a title since 09', I know they went to the Championship game last year but is a guy who refuses to take the blame for UNC's violations not someone who should draw some heat?

 

[Kitaman]

I've stated a couple of times Ollie can not be accurately evaluated for a few more years.

This is his first complete team, but even some of these players have an asterisk (recruiting under violations cloud). After this year the team will consist thoroughly of Ollie's players most notably prized recruit Jalen Adams. Albert G. (who I expect to be around for 4 years) could be Ollie's 'Chris Smith'.

Secondly he had a big coaching turnover with Hobbs and Blaney leaving. (It wasn't just Ollie who out-coached Izzo, Cal, JB and others.). So essentially we have a new staff including Ollie (sans Miller). Just saying that the staff is an important part of the evaluations, not just the head coach.

By the time our freshman class graduate we will have a more accurate picture of Ollie's coaching, development and recruiting. I think between now and then his first AA (not counting Bazz, but he should get partial credit) will emerge, with a couple more to follow. The minutes our 3 freshman are playing now will make them very good D1 ballers, so they have a head start already.

I really feel we will be return to prominence by the time Vance and the others graduate. UConn prominence to me is 25+ win seasons, with successive national rankings. Also I really feel recruiting will continue to improve. I really am confident our future looks bright.

 

[UconnFanNVa]

I've stated a couple of times Ollie can not be accurately evaluated for a few more years.

This is his first complete team, but even some of these players have an asterisk (recruiting under violations cloud). After this year the team will consist thoroughly of Ollie's players most notably prized recruit Jalen Adams. Albert G. (who I expect to be around for 4 years) could be Ollie's 'Chris Smith'.

Secondly he had a big coaching turnover with Hobbs and Blaney leaving. (It wasn't just Ollie who out-coached Izzo, Cal, JB and others.). So essentially we have a new staff including Ollie (sans Miller). Just saying that the staff is an important part of the evaluations, not just the head coach.

By the time our freshman class graduate we will have a more accurate picture of Ollie's coaching, development and recruiting. I think between now and then his first AA (not counting Bazz, but he should get partial credit) will emerge, with a couple more to follow. The minutes our 3 freshman are playing now will make them very good D1 ballers, so they have a head start already.

I really feel we will be return to prominence by the time Vance and the others graduate. UConn prominence to me is 25+ win seasons, with successive national rankings. Also I really feel recruiting will continue to improve. I really am confident our future looks bright.

I don't hear enough about the coaching changes. Those alone can throw things way out of whack.

 

[Chief00]

I've stated a couple of times Ollie can not be accurately evaluated for a few more years.

This is his first complete team, but even some of these players have an asterisk (recruiting under violations cloud). After this year the team will consist thoroughly of Ollie's players most notably prized recruit Jalen Adams. Albert G. (who I expect to be around for 4 years) could be Ollie's 'Chris Smith'.

Secondly he had a big coaching turnover with Hobbs and Blaney leaving. (It wasn't just Ollie who out-coached Izzo, Cal, JB and others.). So essentially we have a new staff including Ollie (sans Miller). Just saying that the staff is an important part of the evaluations, not just the head coach.

By the time our freshman class graduate we will have a more accurate picture of Ollie's coaching, development and recruiting. I think between now and then his first AA (not counting Bazz, but he should get partial credit) will emerge, with a couple more to follow. The minutes our 3 freshman are playing now will make them very good D1 ballers, so they have a head start already.

I really feel we will be return to prominence by the time Vance and the others graduate. UConn prominence to me is 25+ win seasons, with successive national rankings. Also I really feel recruiting will continue to improve. I really am confident our future looks bright.

Good post. People underestimate Blaney's basketball wisdom and yes I know I will be criticized for saying that - which is strange. Goodman is crazy - with the right talent KO will do fine - needs to change his recruiting profile by recruiting shooters and rebounders with some creators. We need a true Bigs coach yesterday and not let the zone nonsense take up too much practice time.

 

[UConnSwag11]

Good post. People underestimate Blaney's basketball wisdom and yes I know I will be criticized for saying that - which is strange. Goodman is crazy - with the right talent KO will do fine - needs to change his recruiting profile by recruiting shooters and rebounders with some creators. We need a true Bigs coach yesterday and not let the zone nonsense take up too much practice time.

he's proven he can get the great guards and i believe vance and vital can become good shooters... but yeah we need a kid to come in and not be a project but talented at the 4/5 and a kid that can come in and shoot. zone might be a necessity this year due to injuries though

 

[tower1]

This is BS for so many different reasons. First of all, if we didn't have all of these injuries, we have a much better record than 5-7 and nobody is talking about Ollie being on the hot seat. So now to acknowledge the fact that there are tons of injuries, but still proclaim Ollie is in a tenuous position due to "lack of development of the bigs" makes it seem like Goodman is really reaching to put things together.

Second, and more importantly, I have questioned the shaky development of UConn bigs for years. But right now, what I am seeing on the court out of Facey, Enoch, and Brimah, has actually been pretty impressive... WHEN THEY GET OPPORTUNITIES. If you want to blame Ollie for not getting them enough touches, that's fine. But all three of our big men have improved significantly, especially this year. (Within their own limitations as athletes, Brimah simply doesn't have good hand-eye coordination).

What games have you been watching? They had a couple of ok games these last few games. But by no means have they been impressive! Facey is the same player he was as a freshmen and Enoch has not improved at all. Brimah has been a shot blocker for four years and has not improved his offense and his fouling.

 

[King Husky]

What games have you been watching? They had a couple of ok games these last few games. But by no means have they been impressive! Facey is the same player he was as a freshmen and Enoch has not improved at all. Brimah has been a shot blocker for four years and has not improved his offense and his fouling.

They aren't utilized correctly, they don't get enough touches, they don't get the benefit of consistency, and finally, they too often receive the ball too far from the basket (Idk who to blame for this). If you focus in on the actual individual skill level, you see they have all improved within their own ceilings/limitations. Facey has shown what he is capable of in a couple games now this season, so if you ask "why doesn't he have games like this more often?" I think you'll see that my first sentence above has a lot to do with it. That's my two cents... keep an eye on it in tomorrow's game.

And again, regarding Brimah, I have long given up hope he will ever be an offensive talent. That is no one's fault. But that newly developed jump-hook he has isn't terrible.

 

[willie99]

Ollie is not on the hot seat, so any argument that begins with that premise doesn't get to first base

He has highly regarded kids coming in, he'll get a chance to work and win with them

Right now I want him to figure out how to turn 16/17 around

 

[donyell34]

Hard to turn around this season considering the hits we've had. One after another bam, bam, bam. So record wise we can throw that out the window, but there is a lot of BB to play. Seeing improvements in the young guys and how KO handles the hand he's been dealt. I do like that he doesn't whine about it. As long as the effort is there which it is and they give it all they got I'll be happy but Damm let's make this a one year deal. For the mental health of the boneyard. Happy new year. 2017

 

[Chief00]

My other issue with the article was how he threw away KO's first season: they were banned, so who cares.

The fact that KO coached that team to 20 wins -- despite defections and no light at the end of the tunnel -- was a very impressive feat, Sloth.*

*Goodman looks like Sloth. ROCKY ROAD!

I thought KO did a great coaching job in year 1 with Calhoun recruited players. We may be on to something?

 

[UConnSwag11]

He did not inherit a mess from Calhoun - look at who recruited the stars of the 2014 team.

what does 2009 have to do with Ollie?

The penalties currently being served by the Men's Basketball program include the suspension of the head coach for three conference games during the 2011-12 season, scholarship reductions for three academic years, recruiting restrictions, permanent disassociation of a booster and three years' probation (until February 21, 2014).

The verdict means UConn is ineligible not only for the 2013 Big East tournament, but also the NCAA tournament. Yes, really. This action isn't unprecedented -- the NCAA brought the hammer on SWAC schools last year -- but it has never been implemented on a program as powerful as Connecticut's until now.


UConn is willing to impose these penalties on itself because the basketball program would probably feel long-term competitive effects from tournament ineligibility. It might have already hurt the Huskies on the recruiting front. Anthony Bennett, a top-rated power forward in Nevada, excluded UConn from his list of schools. He told The Courant in January that the potential of tournament ineligibility in 2013 was "kind of a factor" in that decision. UConn men's basketball: UConn Proposes Own Penalties To NCAA Over APR Failures


Smith is the latest player to leave UConn after the Huskies received a 2013 postseason ban for low Academic Progress Rate scores. Because UConn is ineligible, Smith could play for the Rebels this season, though Rice could not confirm that Friday....Alex Oriakhi earlier announced he is transferring to Missouri for his senior season. Michael Bradley is transferring to Western Kentucky.


little bit of a mess he inherited... he had to reach for guys like evans, lubin, even facey and brimah... you can see his inexperience there... the guy never coached a team before in his life... the program was dragged through the mud from '09 on with bad publicity from the media just to take shots at the program. Ollie had to deal with negative media coverage of the program as well and constant rumors of him leaving the program for the nba

 

[UConnSwag11]

I thought KO did a great coaching job in year 1 with Calhoun recruited players. We may be on to something?

and im tired of people saying "those were calhouns recruits"... ollie was there from day one with them and even worked with kemba throughout his growth his junior year. Ollie had as much to do with developing bazz and them as calhoun did. calhoun wasn't there for the banned season, when he beat izzo twice, jay wright, donovan, the mayor, cal, or when ollie won the NC... We're struggling bc we cant rebound at all and get out and run or have a possession before teams get 2 or three. Ollie will fix this and like I said, once the seniors are gone we're going to be loaded with talent... Just need bigs as a priority, chemistry and leadership, and they have to put in work in the offseason

 

[Chief00]

It's not a knock on Ollie but reality - Calhoun selected recruits - were the labor KO used to have a 20 win season in year 1 and a NC in year 2. Calhoun had a recruiting formula to put together a team - in part the best players he could get - but also a creator scorer, a PG, a defensive stopper to put on the other team's best player, a shooter and a guy who can rebound and screen.

During that time KO out coached some elite coaches. Despite the early loses before the injuries I thought we would be good this year - but the boat has too many holes now.

I am holding out hope that we can still make a run in the conference tournament - but really we need to lay the ground work for next season. We have three injured guys, plus Durham - who we have no idea regarding how well they will recover - ACL is typically two years to play with confidence. A shoulder injury makes me wonder how a guy who needs to work on his shooting can do so? Larry Bird shot 500 practice shots daily in the summer. Basically, if nearly all went in - he would stop after 500. He might shoot a thousand if he was off a little until it got corrected. If he missed they went to the right. A good Bigs coach teaches rebounders such tendencies of the other team's most frequent shooters.

 

[Pudge]

I know we don't love the guy around here (and often for good reason) but Jeff Goodman on ESPN wrote this earlier today. I think it is a fair article for both the people who want to run Ollie out of town, and the people who want to be patient, especially with all the injuries this year.

Put in a healthy trio of Adams, Gilbert and Larrier -- with the addition of Ashton-Langford -- and the Huskies will almost certainly be a completely different team. But it has been the lack of development with UConn's big men that has hampered the program. Amidah Brimah hasn't become more than a one-dimensional defensive presence, Kentan Facey hasn't showed more than a reserve up front and Steven Enoch has been a non-factor for most of this season.

Ollie's future has been a source of speculation the past couple seasons, but it centered on questions whether an NBA team would pluck him. Now, despite the rash of injuries, it's more about whether he'll get another contract in Storrs.

He's still got that card. But is there an expiration date?

Can Kevin Ollie fix what ails UConn?

OF COURSE ...

I would point to Enoch and Facey in the last two games and UNDERLINE what I think of Goodman: He really isn't giving you his opinion. He talks to 5-20 others and filters this and then takes credit. This is a couple weeks ago POV ... and thus, really captures this uniquely.

If you saw our last 4 games, the major factor you are looking at (besides that we need Adams) is how Kentan Facey IS a force, that Enoch is thinking better. Goodman is a shrill compiler and not a analyst.

 

[David 76]

If we let Ollie go, I really hope we can get Chief to coach

 

[Hi-Low]

Johnny Jones got crushed last year for having No. 1 pick and not making NCAA tourney. Washington's Lorenzo Romar has potential No. 1 this year, Markelle Fultz, and just lost to Washington State at home. Huskies now 7-6 with two losses to TCU, one to Nevada, one to WSU, one to Yale and one to Gonzaga. Not pretty.

Does this jerk do anything besides rag on people.....doesn't have to be a cheerleader but does't have to be a tool either. Romar may not be a terrific coach but how often does a freshman carry an entire program, they have other good players but no other 5* top players.