Coaching

[Steelerone]

Omigosh..... How many national championships??? How many times finishing in the Final Four???? How many times finishing in the top 10 in the nation???? I've never seen so many Chicken Littles running around clucking. "Oh, we've lost two games. The sky is falling." Let me give you an example of what sometimes happens to teams we thought would never go into a decline. The New York Yankees, The New England Patriots, and, should I point out, the Tennessee Woman's team went into a period of decline. The fact that we have been in the running every year, even when we didn't win the National Championship, is pretty amazing in itself. And my final point is that this was done by the people who are in place now, not the "young bloods" that some people are calling for.

 

[BRS24]

However...were Geno whisper in Susie Bird's ear that if she were to be a UConn assistant coach for some indeterminate period of time, say for however long before he and CD call it quits, that he and CD would recommend her highly to the AD when the head coaching job opens up, I'd be OK with that. Sue has all the attributes of a successful coach with the exception of the experience thing. She's young, personable, famous, successful, and passionate about basketball. Convincing Sue's wife Megan that life in rural central CT is just peachy might be beyond even Geno's considerable charms.

Sue has said she doesn't want to coach. Although Sue has had a very successful pro playing career, I doubt that a program like UConn would hand the reins over to an unproven coach. MBB has seen a few alums come back to coach and the jury is still out - Ewing, Hardaway, etc. For the 30+ years of investment that Geno and Chris have put into the program, IMHO they wouldn't want an inexperienced person to take over.

If it stays in the UConn family, my money is still on Carla & Shea.

 

[reelfan]

Perhaps Geno could take a cue from the men's program, 2 bigs = success + National Championship.

 

[Gordo]

Sue Bird is hardly inexperienced and @and one wasn't suggesting she takeover without serving as an assistant first. However, Sue Bird has no present interest in coaching WCBB. It would be too limiting and confining and she wants more than that (as does her wife). However, should I be wrong, she would be an outstanding coach at any level of this game. Throughout her career, everything about her ... the way she acts, speaks, expresses herself in every way ... says head coach to me. Her talent on the court (at every level) speaks volumes! Noelle Quinn was the HC of the Seattle Storm in name only while Bird was there. Sue ran the team, called the plays, directed the traffic before her retirement. I'm quite sure if she had wanted to take over as HC at her retirement, Quinn would have been gone. However she didn't, and Quinn has grown into the job.

But I'm with you @BRS24, Shea would be my current pick. However, I don't think Geno is going to retire anytime soon ... and I'm happy about that.

 

[HuskyNan]

Perhaps Geno could take a cue from the men's program, 2 bigs = success + National Championship.

Have you seen who’s sitting on the bench, injured? 6-5 Jana, 6-2 Ayanna, and 6-2 Caroline.

 

[Gordo]

Have you seen who’s sitting on the bench, injured? 6-5 Jana, 6-2 Ayanna, and 6-2 Caroline.

And those who are playing without much current success. Some people just don't have a clue, but out of the blue think they do.

 

[MooseJaw]

And those who are playing without much current success. Some people just don't have a clue, but out of the blue think they do.

Are you one of them? Your post seems a little disjointed. What exactly are you trying to say.

 

[Gordo]

Are you one of them? Your post seems a little disjointed. What exactly are you trying to say.

There is nothing disjointed about my posts at all. Read the original post made by @reelfan, then read the reply to it from @HuskyNan, now apply my follow-up. Are you still confused???

 

[BRS24]

Sue Bird is hardly inexperienced and @and one wasn't suggesting she takeover without serving as an assistant first.

But I'm with you @BRS24, Shea would be my current pick. However, I don't think Geno is going to retire anytime soon ... and I'm happy about that.

Agree. Shea and Carla have different personalities, and it's a close call for me.

Although Sue has had a very successful pro playing career, I doubt that a program like UConn would hand the reins over to an unproven coach. For the 30+ years of investment that Geno and Chris have put into the program, IMHO they wouldn't want an inexperienced person to take over.

If it stays in the UConn family, my money is still on Carla & Shea.

To clarify my comment re Sue Bird, "inexperienced person" referenced any coaching experience. Sue has succeeded at every level, and yes, she was a great PG in Seattle running the plays, however there's so much more to being a college coach. That's what I was referring to, not so much her experience as a player.

 

[Gordo]

Agree. Shea and Carla have different personalities, and it's a close call for me.

To clarify my comment re Sue Bird, "inexperienced person" referenced any coaching experience. Sue has succeeded at every level, and yes, she was a great PG in Seattle running the plays, however there's so much more to being a college coach. That's what I was referring to, not so much her experience as a player.

I wasn't actually arguing with you or certainly didn't mean to have it come off that way. I'm quite well aware how much more it takes to being a college coach, especially at such a top level as UConn. I was simply trying to point out that Bird was more active in coaching the Storm than meets the eye. I think she would be a great college coach (with some experience as an assistant first), but she isn't interested. That's all.

 

[Jaydumo20]

Sometimes, you just got to know when to let go.

I think we need to let go of one major thing:
It's not Geno, it's not the age of the staff, it's not their knowledge of tik tok, it's definitely not location (I hate when people say that no body wants to come to storrs. If this were true UMiami and San Diego state would have 16 rings)
It's that we still expect to dominate and roll over every team. Even though we know this is no longer the same playing field, we all still hold this program to those standards for some reason

 

[stamfordhusky]

Perhaps Geno could take a cue from the men's program, 2 bigs = success + National Championship.

There are about 200 men's teams in the nation that had two bigs last year and didn't win the National Championship. Also tons of women's teams with two starting bigs that didn't win the National Championship.

Last time I looked Geno has done better over his tenure than the men have done during that same period.

 

[Ct Dog]

Perhaps Geno could take a cue from the men's program, 2 bigs = success + National Championship.

I’m confident Geno knows what he needs, my guess healthy bodies and to win some recruiting battles for top rated bigs………in that order

 

[Cuango]

Feeling a bit tense, are we? I’m pretty sure all of us want the best for our Huskies! Many of us have different ideas on how that may look or what it may entail but that’s OK! In the end, we all just want them to be healthy, happy, and successful!❤️

 

[Jibariqua]

you know that he is 67 years old? As long as Auriemma and this staff is together they’ll get their share but they’re not going to get them all because of home state appeal, NIL, PT assured etc.

Ok im pretty sure you googled his father.

 

[BobbyJ]

Ok im pretty sure you googled his father.

Looks like Wikipedia has it wrong in his Personal Life section.

Gary Redus - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

 

[npignatjr]

We had a younger assistant a couple of seasons ago who left early in her first year for personal reasons and never came back. I think this is how Jamelle came back.
Coaches spend a lot of time together and I think Geno likes people he knows and knows how things are done.
But yeah, your point is well taken and “new blood” could be inserted next time an opening occurs….

Unfortunately, maybe, but recently when there were openings he didn't go young he went older. Whatever reason Jasmine left that season her second , she worked with the guards, when she left the guard play suffered. Since then which guard has improved in their overall game year over year? The staff that year was Geno, CD, Shea and Jasmine. It has gotten years older. Look at the mens staff for comparison.

 

[Zarathustra]

Have you seen who’s sitting on the bench, injured? 6-5 Jana, 6-2 Ayanna, and 6-2 Caroline.

Not to mention someone called AZZI!

 

[Rowdy831]

UConn has recruited great players as long as Geno has been around. They have more talent on this roster than any other team in the country but some of that talent is out, some are playing at less than 100%, some have not developed much once they arrived and then you have the ones trying to overcome all of these challenges.

What is the answer? It has to be coaching. If it isn't coaching then what chance to they have of getting better or being more successful? It may be encouragement for some, it might be experience for some and it might be a change in attitude too. What ever it is will come directly from the coaches on the staff right now, not from some ghost of coaches past or wishes of future coaches. All are there because the greatest WBB coach of all time thought they were the right fit so they must be, right?

So the solution must be the coaches looking at the team and figuring out which coach matches up with which skillset individual players need to take the next step. Some solutions require team work, some require individual work and these coaches will figure out which is needed to make the next step. By the end of the year UConn will be in the tournament and they will compete. Until then we can continue to Monday QB for our own amusement.

 

[uconnfan68]

Just my 2 cents: when one of our current assistants moves on I think it would be appropriate for Geno to consider young replacements....among several other [more important] factors. Incoming players might be influenced by an 'older
sister' type...who has a great background of character and coaching abilities.

He's had 2 chances to do that in the past 3 years, and has brought back former players/coaches each time. He's comfortable with who he has on his staff, and they're all excellent coaches. The problems we have now are mostly due to the rash of injuries we've had. Have we had some recruiting misses? Yup, but every other team has misses too. Is our pool too small? That might be something to look at.

 

[Kat]

UConn is 4-2, ranked 11th, and it's still November. Quit pushing the panic button.

 

[Steelerone]

What has happened is what everybody wished for. The women's game is catching up to the men's game. This means the game is played faster, the 3 point shot is becoming more prevalent, and the players are getting chippier. It also means that we are getting to the point where, although Lindy's or some other basketball forecaster picks a school to finish number one there are about ten others who can easily fill that bill depending on injuries or some catastrophic event. Before Uconn there was Tennessee or USC, When Uconn came into the picture it was strictly Tennessee or Uconn. Then a couple of other teams like Notre Dame and Duke came on the scene but it was still a small, compact group. Now we have at least seven or eight teams who, legitimately, are capable of walking away with the trophy. And, ladies and gentlemen, this is now the norm and is not going to change. The important thing to remember is that we will always be in the fight for one of those spots and, as such, at some point we will win another.

 

[hoophuskee]

Perhaps Geno could take a cue from the men's program, 2 bigs = success + National Championship.

Or maybe a much simpler more effexctive alterantive of the 11 time champion that has worked for him these past 40+ years is don't change a thing and the injury issues will eventually go back to normal.

 

[Hoops66]

I have to admit that I don't know much about NIL and how it works. I do know that both LSU and SC are often mentioned when top players have lucrative contracts, but can teams recruit players using NIL as a lure? Under the table? I know that Paige and maybe others do, too, so it's everywhere. If the word is out that you can make more from "?U" than elsewhere, it has to significantly effect the future of WBB. Please help clarify this for me. Thanks.

 

[Cheddie]

Okay, here I go again, with maybe a controversial topic. Assistant coaching. When Shea became a UConn coach she was very young and did a great job, when Jamelle first coached for us (before Cincinnati job) she was pretty young and did a great job, Tonya very young, and Marisa, very young, the same. Now, we have an older Jemelle, older Tonya, backing up our older, but still great, CD and Geno. The question is, do we need younger assistant coaches, people who are not too removed from their playing days, people who understand today's young players, NIL, and the wants and needs of todays High School girls. Todays players identify with Geno because of his continued success, but they probably never heard of our assistant coaches. The game is changing, with more skilled and bigger girls coming out of high school. Do they still trust and believe our coaching staff? Are they up to date with the abilities of these new and improved recruits, can they still really help them to be the best in the country like they have in the past? As I said, controversial thread, but am I really out there with my Question?

Geno is likely extremely comfortable with his staff. They know him and he knows them. He can delegate and know they'll do exactly what he wants. I'm sure they also work very well together as a team. Having a tight team reduces the grind of coaching, recruiting, etc. for him.

Injuries also impact his pursuit of "more skilled and bigger girls." I'm sure last spring he assumed he'd have a very skilled big girl in Jana. He may have felt he didn't need to recruit over her and Aliyah.