Current Huskies Talk About AEH & Geno Explains His Recruiting Philosophy

[BroadwayVa]

To answer your question about why certain players choose to transfer out of a NC-winning program, I would say, first of all, that EDD and Samarie Walker are sui generic -- completely unique situations. The other recent transfers all followed a common theme of being too low on the depth chart and not having any prospects of earning significant minutes: Courtney Ekmark, Brianna Banks, the player who transferred to USC (Courtney's classmate), and two players in the Stef/Bria class: Michala Johnson and the player from California who transferred to Boston College. (Sorry I'm forgetting some of these names.)

I don't find it difficult to understand why players who were big stars in high school and AAU, and highly ranked nationally, would not look forward to "riding the pine" for four years even if the result were four national championships. Any good player is going to want to use her skills and develop them further, even if she recognizes that a WNBA career is probably not in the cards.

Why does Geno recruit players if he knows that their reasonable expectations for playing time are not likely to be satisfied? I doubt that he does. He is playing a betting game just as much as the players are, because he cannot be certain who else he is going to get in a particular class. For example, in this year, would he have recruited both AEH and Lexi Gordon if he knew he was going to get Megan Walker? I think probably not. Would he have recruited Courtney Ekmark if he knew that he was going to get both Kia and Gabby, and that Gabby's knees would hold up as well as they have so far? Would he have recruited Brianna Banks if he knew that he would land Moriah Jefferson a year later?

There is just too much uncertainty in the whole process to be able to prevent situations where you have more players than you need at certain positions, without taking a risk that you won't have enough.

Samarie Walker and Edd are true exceptions from the list of transfers. Courtney never achieved to be the level of player or scorer she was reported to have been in High School, an d then the injury dropped her further.
Johnson and Englen were about the same (Johnson injuries stopped any development at uconn).
Banks--as many on the Boneyard misjudged the potential playing time--so she transferred. Had she stayed she may have been the point guard of choice, until another arose out of the new guys.

As Banks should have done--any concern over PT for the coming (next, next year) the logical thing to do is to ask Geno where they stand (I believe Johnson and Englen did that) and how they may fit in the rotation chart.
Naive as I am--I believe if the kids truly buy into the Geno system/method, practice and live up to their potential they shall get representative playing time--equal to effort, practice and talent. Geno has a long streak down his back of Loyalty --you give to him --he'll give to you. My case in point--Doty. Her injuries limited her big time in her final 2 years--yet Geno used her in big games over Freshman Moriah LOYALITY.

 

[BroadwayVa]

I did an analysis of the recent transfers in another thread which I'll copy in here - but in the last few years that transfers have either stayed for at least one NC or left in their first semester - the ones leaving in the first semester I read as realizing they made a serious mistake in their choice of school either because of personal reasons, or not feeling comfortable with the actual coaching they were receiving. To think that minutes had something to do with it that early in the process seems unlikely. For the others ... realizing you don't have what it takes to crack the meaningful minutes and having already experienced an NC, the choice seems to be pretty logical.

I don't really think that is a valid generalization:
Boykin - left for personal reasons after starting her freshman year injured
Ekmark - left for playing time after not playing well enough in the system to get meaningful minutes
Edwards - left for personal reasons in her freshman year (two months into a season is not about minutes.)
Banks - left for personal reasons after an injury plagued career.
Engeln - Left for playing time after not playing well enough to get meaningful minutes
Johnson - Left for a variety of reasons including playing with her sister after struggling with injuries
Walker - Left for personal reasons

So of the last 7 transfers out four left for personal reasons, while the other three may well have left primarily because of playing time, but the playing time was tied into their ability to perform at the level of their surrounding teammates - in each case there were minutes available on the team the years they left if they had the ability to earn it.
On the current team, we have no idea about our three freshman in terms of their ability nor are we really sure about Butler and I suppose we could say there are questions about our two transfers in, though the general assumption is they have a lot of talent and will thrive. And we of course don't now how the adjustment to Uconn and college will go for our four signees.

On the other side of the 'playing time' issue is a pretty long list of players who have stayed while never cracking the significant playing time equation or not cracking it in their first few years. of the recruited players in the recent past - Chong and Kiah stand out, but Gabby also struggled as a freshman to see meaningful minutes and the jury is out on Butler after an injury plagued first year.

I said similar things --your words are more effective. Also in quoting you:

I don't really think that is a valid generalization:
Boykin - left for personal reasons after starting her freshman year injured
Ekmark - left for playing time after not playing well enough in the system to get meaningful minutes
Edwards - left for personal reasons in her freshman year (two months into a season is not about minutes.)
Banks - left for personal reasons after an injury plagued career.
Engeln - Left for playing time after not playing well enough to get meaningful minutes
Johnson - Left for a variety of reasons including playing with her sister after struggling with injuries
Walker - Left for personal reasons

the list and reason again are more effective than mine. However the final conclusion is essentially the same.

Super great analysis, --I only which I had written it.

 

[cbraarj]

Edwards left because she wasnt playing any meaningful minutes. She also played for 3 or 4 different HS with a couple tough coaches that were making the players earn playing time. Walker had a hard time with the offense at Uconn and it was frustrating her and the coaches were telling her the same things over and over. She played good defense and rebounded well. I wish she stayed the whole year maybe she would have stayed. In 2014 Banks was playing a lot in the early part of the year. Even starting in KML spot but by the end she wasnt. Played last 2 minutes in NC game and scored Uconn last basket. She could have played alot in 2015 maybe even started. She played fearless. HS AAs means nothing when you get to a top program in D-1. Some of the teams they play against are awful and shouldnt be playing each other at all. Especially in Connecticut. In Ct. Private Schools recruit from all over the state while public schools cant. Recuiting is not allowed by CIAC rules for anyone but it is done an awful lot. With this comes the coddling of players and the me first attitude that doesnt fit with Uconn. Two of the best players left the state to play elsewhere. Not because they turned the Huskies down but because they werent recruited to play for Uconn. One of them a HS AA. How many players on Scholarship have played at Ct. since 2000. Geno and CD just do an incredible job of being honest and going after who they want. They developed it over the years and it works.