Brandon Austin to PC

[Ricky1Moore]

Best of luck in the NBADL, or korea or Saudi Arabia

 

[caw]

This place will explode when Facey back out of pledge......

If the rumors are true about SJU trying to snipe another UConn verbal, yes it will. I thought they were more focused on Lawrence, but who knows.

 

[2Infinity]

+10000
Manuel is doing great harm by not doing anything.

I'm not aware of any recruits ever being denied who've asked to be released from their LOIs, or wanting to transfer from UConn, as in the APR issue. If Austin's ONLY issue was concern about Ollie's tenure here, I couldn't see Manuel holding him to the "Olllie LOI". In fact, it's been mentioned here before that recruits have signed LOIs with certain "release" conditions being agreed to in advance, such as a coaching change. Good luck to him. We'll be just fine!

 

[upstater]

I'm not aware of any recruits ever being denied who've asked to be released from their LOIs, or wanting to transfer from UConn, as in the APR issue. If Austin's ONLY issue was concern about Ollie's tenure here, I couldn't see Manuel holding him to the "Olllie LOI". In fact, it's been mentioned here before that recruits have signed LOIs with certain "release" conditions being agreed to in advance, such as a coaching change. Good luck to him. We'll be just fine!

Not many kids want to wait until April to start scrambling for another place to go to school and/or play for a few years. Sure, he'll find a spot, but is Cooley holding a scholarship for an April decommit? I doubt it.

 

[caw]

I'm not aware of any recruits ever being denied who've asked to be released from their LOIs, or wanting to transfer from UConn, as in the APR issue. If Austin's ONLY issue was concern about Ollie's tenure here, I couldn't see Manuel holding him to the "Olllie LOI". In fact, it's been mentioned here before that recruits have signed LOIs with certain "release" conditions being agreed to in advance, such as a coaching change. Good luck to him. We'll be just fine!

I'm not sure if the Manuel part holds up with Brandon but...

The truth is, why would a recruit sign with a school/coach knowing the coach may not be there and they may have to go look at schools again. In the meanwhile, the schools they liked could have filled scholarships and they are stuck with a school/coach they really don't know. I'm not saying UConn would have landed Austin if Ollie did have a long term contract, but it probably didn't help.

Very few recruits are going to go to a school because of the school these days. Austin didn't go to PC because it was PC, he went because he liked Cooley a lot. Most aren't like Samuels who just loves UConn.

 

[caw]

Not many kids want to wait until April to start scrambling for another place to go to school and/or play for a few years. Sure, he'll find a spot, but is Cooley holding a scholarship for an April decommit? I doubt it.

Beat me by seconds.

 

[8893]

I'm not aware of any recruits ever being denied who've asked to be released from their LOIs, or wanting to transfer from UConn, as in the APR issue. If Austin's ONLY issue was concern about Ollie's tenure here, I couldn't see Manuel holding him to the "Olllie LOI". In fact, it's been mentioned here before that recruits have signed LOIs with certain "release" conditions being agreed to in advance, such as a coaching change. Good luck to him. We'll be just fine!

Conditional commitments are not allowed. It does usually follow that the school will allow the recruit to back out of a commitment, but it is not a guarantee. In any event, I don't think you can view the likelihood of being released from a LOI as the same thing as security. At best, it gives him a chance to explore whatever possibilities, if any, are still available then. Much different scenario than choosing among several desirable schools that have offered.

 

[caw]

Conditional commitments are not allowed. It does usually follow that the school will allow the recruit to back out of a commitment, but it is not a guarantee. In any event, I don't think you can view the likelihood of being released from a LOI as the same thing as security. At best, it gives him a chance to explore whatever possibilities, if any, are still available then. Much different scenario than choosing among several desirable schools that have offered.

Correct, but recruits can sign (I forget what they are called) documents which tie the school to the recruit but not the recruit to the school.

BTW no recruit who went elsewhere is going to say it was because of Ollie's contract situation. Nobody's stupid enough to go on record that the school they chose was second choice because their first choice's coach's contract wasn't solid.

 

[8893]

Very few recruits are going to go to a school because of the school these days. Austin didn't go to PC because it was PC, he went because he liked Cooley a lot. Most aren't like Samuels who just loves UConn.

And even rarer still are the ones like Jordan Bell, who just loves UConn and chose to show it by committing to Oregon.

 

[8893]

BTW no recruit who went elsewhere is going to say it was because of Ollie's contract situation. Nobody's stupid enough to go on record that the school they chose was second choice because their first choice's coach's contract wasn't solid.

Agree 100%. And that's exactly why all of Manuel's minions here will continue to argue that we can't say that the head coaching vacancy is scaring off recruits. No recruit is ever going to say that.

But I've already said too much. Huskymaniac is going to be upset with me again for fomenting bad stories about UConn.

 

[2Infinity]

Not many kids want to wait until April to start scrambling for another place to go to school and/or play for a few years. Sure, he'll find a spot, but is Cooley holding a scholarship for an April decommit? I doubt it.

Understand your point, just think that if his reason is he's not buying into Ollie now, then he doesn't have the confidence in Ollie to be successful. I'd rather have a bunch of Omar Calhouns, who have the faith, than someone that has so little confidence.

The contract is secondary, it will take care of itself. I think it's more that he liked Cooley et al and how he has a chance to be part of a rejuvenation of the program there. There are going to be other talented kids for us to bring on...no worries here!

 

[upstater]

And even rarer still are the ones like Jordan Bell, who just loves UConn and chose to show it by committing to Oregon.

In all the other cases of losing a recruit, I didn't blame Manuel. Bell said he loved UConn and it was his top school, but he's a west coast kid who said a lot of things. Quincy Poindexter once said the same thing. XRM to father's alma mater at FSU. Vonleh to Indiana, the school is ranked #1 right now. Cameron to G'town is a good landing spot, especially for a Jersey Catholic school kid--they never come to UConn. Iverson to Memphis--a question if he was even offered.

With Austin you have a kid that wants to play guard being tutored by Kevin Ollie and Karl Hobbs at a school with a national presence and a record of putting kids in the NBA. The choice was down to UConn and PC. I can understand why he chose PC even if he has a couple good guards ahead of him there as well. PC has been abysmal this year, barely beating the New Jersey Institute of Tecmology (hat tip Da Ali G). Say what you will, but what tipped him over the edge is a simple question: "what do the UConn admin's know that I don't know? why haven't they locked things down?"

The lack of LOI from Facey reinforces the problems.

 

[Zionn]

Would I have liked to get him? Sure Do that I care that we swung and miss? Not at all.

I admit I got caught in the hype of this kid being the biggest target for this class left on the board, but not really concerned we lost him. My biggest concern is a BIG. We whiff here and it will not be good.

 

[upstater]

Understand your point, just think that if his reason is he's not buying into Ollie now, then he doesn't have the confidence in Ollie to be successful. I'd rather have a bunch of Omar Calhouns, who have the faith, than someone that has so little confidence.

The contract is secondary, it will take care of itself. I think it's more that he liked Cooley et al and how he has a chance to be part of a rejuvenation of the program there. There are going to be other talented kids for us to bring on...no worries here!

Omar Calhoun was here in Sept. already when Calhoun retired. Omar would have been dinged by the NCAA if he left. He was practically captive. Look at Facey: no LOI.

 

[caw]

Agree 100%. And that's exactly why all of Manuel's minions here will continue to argue that we can't say that the head coaching vacancy is scaring off recruits. No recruit is ever going to say that.

But I've already said too much. Huskymaniac is going to be upset with me again for fomenting bad stories about UConn.

All Ollie can do is win this year and develop the kids he can. Hope Facey remains committed/commits, or at least waits until spring (to see if Ollie gets a new contract) before committing elsewhere (if Ollie doesn't). Then assuming he gets a long contract, go after kids in the spring. There may be another Evans out there, or some other transfer who isn't happy at his school, or maybe some other kid like Lawrence.

I believe Ollie will prove to everyone he is the man for the job and he will succeed greatly once his contract is settled. 2014 recruiting could be huge for UConn.

 

[Rumrunner]

He wants/fancies himself to be be a one and done player.

So when he says

https://twitter.com/KevinMcNamara33
"I see myself as the point guard"

you can see why he doesn't want to ride the pine behind the Boatshow. Hard to showcase your skills that way.

This is just a business decision on Austin's part.

 

[8893]

Understand your point, just think that if his reason is he's not buying into Ollie now, then he doesn't have the confidence in Ollie to be successful. I'd rather have a bunch of Omar Calhouns, who have the faith, than someone that has so little confidence.

So you're saying that he should have more confidence in Ollie than Warde Manuel does?

What does Omar Calhoun have to do with this? What were his options when he learned that JC was retiring?

 

[upstater]

UThere are going to be other talented kids for us to bring on...no worries here!

I think this class is done, actually. There won't be other talented kids. They are all locked down. Other than Facey's LOI, it really doesn't matter what Manuel does at this point.

 

[upstater]

He wants/fancies himself to be be a one and done player.

So when he says

https://twitter.com/KevinMcNamara33
"I see myself as the point guard"

you can see why he doesn't want to ride the pine behind the Boatshow. Hard to showcase your skills that way.

This is just a business decision on Austin's part.

So, he's going to start in front of Kris Dunn, top 10 player from last year's class.

 

[caw]

In all the other cases of losing a recruit, I didn't blame Manuel. Bell said he loved UConn and it was his top school, but he's a west coast kid who said a lot of things. Quincy Poindexter once said the same thing. XRM to father's alma mater at FSU. Vonleh to Indiana, the school is ranked #1 right now. Cameron to G'town is a good landing spot, especially for a Jersey Catholic school kid--they never come to UConn. Iverson to Memphis--a question if he was even offered.

With Austin you have a kid that wants to play guard being tutored by Kevin Ollie and Karl Hobbs at a school with a national presence and a record of putting kids in the NBA. The choice was down to UConn and PC. I can understand why he chose PC even if he has a couple good guards ahead of him there as well. PC has been abysmal this year, barely beating the New Jersey Institute of Tecmology (hat tip Da Ali G). Say what you will, but what tipped him over the edge is a simple question: "what do the UConn admin's know that I don't know? why haven't they locked things down?"

The lack of LOI from Facey reinforces the problems.

XRM also wasn't allowed to visit due to SAT scores. Bell was the biggest drop though.

I don't think this class is closed. UConn will likely have scholarships for a kid like RJ Evans/Montrez Hazell/etc., when the coaching merry-go-round starts up again.

Facey is a big deal, because he likes UConn and Ollie. If he decommits and goes elsewhere, that is 100% on Manuel.

 

[caw]

So, he's going to start in front of Kris Dunn, top 10 player from last year's class.

No, Dunn is a better PG, IMO. He won't be behind two guys at PG though as he might be at UConn. Honestly, I don't think Austin is a PG, he's Jamal Crawfordish (no clue if that good) at best, which isn't a PG.

 

[2Infinity]

Omar Calhoun was here in Sept. already when Calhoun retired. Omar would have been dinged by the NCAA if he left. He was practically captive. Look at Facey: no LOI.

Omar Calhoun was not flying blind. There were articles all over the place suggesting last season might have been it for JC. He easily could, and I'm sure did, ask JC/UConn about it. But he still came even with the uncertainty or the knowledge that there would be a change! That's confidence...and commitment!!

Austin sounds like he's really looking to be "the guy". He can capture more credit by bringing PC back from the abyss, than by just keeping UConn near the top of the CBB world.

 

[8893]

In all the other cases of losing a recruit, I didn't blame Manuel. Bell said he loved UConn and it was his top school, but he's a west coast kid who said a lot of things. Quincy Poindexter once said the same thing. XRM to father's alma mater at FSU. Vonleh to Indiana, the school is ranked #1 right now. Cameron to G'town is a good landing spot, especially for a Jersey Catholic school kid--they never come to UConn. Iverson to Memphis--a question if he was even offered.

With Austin you have a kid that wants to play guard being tutored by Kevin Ollie and Karl Hobbs at a school with a national presence and a record of putting kids in the NBA. The choice was down to UConn and PC. I can understand why he chose PC even if he has a couple good guards ahead of him there as well. PC has been abysmal this year, barely beating the New Jersey Institute of Tecmology (hat tip Da Ali G). Say what you will, but what tipped him over the edge is a simple question: "what do the UConn admin's know that I don't know? why haven't they locked things down?"

The lack of LOI from Facey reinforces the problems.

I understand the extenuating circumstances with each one. I'm just being snarky, and I do enjoy getting Squidward's dander up.

I also agree that the damage done by the head coaching vacancy is largely already done. I'm not sanguine about the spring signing period. Next season will likely be another write-off, except that we'll be able to mollify ourselves through next December with delusions of NCAA tourney appearances, until our continued lack of a legitimate front court comes home to roost again.

 

[2Infinity]

I think this class is done, actually. There won't be other talented kids. They are all locked down. Other than Facey's LOI, it really doesn't matter what Manuel does at this point.

There usually are guys who develop significantly in their senior seasons. I'm sure this year will be no different...and a few BIGS will be in the mix.

 

[BLUEDOGHOUSE]

http://www.philly.com/philly/blogs/rally/Imhoteps-Austin-heads-to-Providence.html

Prolly already posted....