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Development of incoming freshman

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Pmac923

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This freshman class has underwhelmed because of the "lessons" Geno tries to teach. He is making a mistake with how he uses his top recruits. Sure, winning by 30+ ppg is nice, but seeing the development of the players that will carry the torch for your program is more important. We will see more transfers in large bunches if Geno does not relax with this approach. Quite frankly it's obnoxious.

Breaking down your players for your own benefit is dangerous to the long term future of the program. The fans came to see the teamwork, camraderie, and effortless flow. They did not go to watch Geno. Or better yet hear about their deficiencies. Teach them and let them play, who cares if they fail. But let them play basketball and show their natural skillsets over National TV.


Play your Freshman, Geno.
 
Pmac923 said:
This freshman class has underwhelmed because of the "lessons" Geno tries to teach. He is making a mistake with how he uses his top recruits. Sure, winning by 30+ ppg is nice, but seeing the development of the players that will carry the torch for your program is more important. We will see more transfers in large bunches if Geno does not relax with this approach. Quite frankly it's obnoxious.

Breaking down your players for your own benefit is dangerous to the long term future of the program. The fans came to see the teamwork, camraderie, and effortless flow. They did not go to watch Geno. Or better yet hear about their deficiencies. Teach them and let them play, who cares if they fail. But let them play basketball and show their natural skillsets over National TV.


Play your Freshman, Geno.
Expand ...
He’ll play them when they perform to his satisfaction in practice. Period.
 
Pmac923 said:
This freshman class has underwhelmed because of the "lessons" Geno tries to teach. He is making a mistake with how he uses his top recruits. Sure, winning by 30+ ppg is nice, but seeing the development of the players that will carry the torch for your program is more important. We will see more transfers in large bunches if Geno does not relax with this approach. Quite frankly it's obnoxious.

Breaking down your players for your own benefit is dangerous to the long term future of the program. The fans came to see the teamwork, camraderie, and effortless flow. They did not go to watch Geno. Or better yet hear about their deficiencies. Teach them and let them play, who cares if they fail. But let them play basketball and show their natural skillsets over National TV.


Play your Freshman, Geno.
Expand ...
Geno has been doing this ever since he came to UConn and does it for a reason. He wants his freshman to learn to play basketball, not just shoot the ball. Most kids now days don't even know how to play defense or play motion offense like UConn does. If you can't OR won't do it in practice which is harder then game conditions, then what to say you can do it in the games. Almost all of the players that have gone through UConn have experienced the same thing. The one that didn't almost from the start was Kia Nurse and the only reason for that was SHE could play defense BEFORE she got there. When you get to coach you go ahead and do it your way, I'll go with Geno and his winning ways of doing things.
 
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HuskyNan said:
He’ll play them when they perform to his satisfaction in practice. Period.
Expand ...

That’s true. But he did play Walker and Coombs relatively early yesterday, so their practice must have been acceptable It seems as though when they didn’t do some things he wanted, they were benched. It might have been possible for him to tell them what they needed to correct and put them back in. Of course he has his history that makes us look ridiculous to suggest other choices he can make. It is kind of interesting, though, to see other much less heralded frosh come in against us and seem to be more relaxed than our kids.
 
Pmac923 said:
You don't learn from practicing all day. You learn from playing the sport 5 on 5 vs. real competition.
Expand ...
Actually I disagree. Practice makes perfect - maybe a silly saying, but it's true. Did you watch the last few games where the bench got in and got some serious minutes? Molly continues to be tentative and is a turnover waiting to happen. Mikayla looks lost out there. Megan has regressed. Lexi can't make a basket and is shooting under a FG% under 18%. Kyla is the only one who is consistently productive, but she lacks the athleticism to be more effective. Batouly is coming back from serious injuries.

While I wish it was different, the reality is that it's not. When our reserves get into games - the last 6-8 minutes of blowouts, more often than not, we are outscored and outplayed by the worst teams in the American. While I'd love to see Coombs or Walker get more minutes with the starters, the fact is that when Coombs is in, she plays poorly, and Megan has played terrible the past 2 games. Frankly, Kyla is the only one who looks like she knows what she's doing out there when in with most of the core 6, and that's sad given how highly rated Walker and Coombs were coming out of HS.

I'm just gonna say it - I get that freshmen struggle, but Mikayla and Megan so far are 2 of the more disappointing top 15 freshmen I can remember seeing at UCONN. There is still time for them to get it, but that time (and Geno's patience) is running out.
 
Pmac923 said:
This freshman class has underwhelmed because of the "lessons" Geno tries to teach. He is making a mistake with how he uses his top recruits. Sure, winning by 30+ ppg is nice, but seeing the development of the players that will carry the torch for your program is more important. We will see more transfers in large bunches if Geno does not relax with this approach. Quite frankly it's obnoxious.

Breaking down your players for your own benefit is dangerous to the long term future of the program. The fans came to see the teamwork, camraderie, and effortless flow. They did not go to watch Geno. Or better yet hear about their deficiencies. Teach them and let them play, who cares if they fail. But let them play basketball and show their natural skillsets over National TV.


Play your Freshman, Geno.
Expand ...
In my opinion, Geno does not play certain freshmen because he wants to win games by 30+ ppg but rather precisely because he wishes to further the development of those freshmen so that they will continue to carry and uphold the program he and others have so painstakingly built over 30+ years. My opinion in this respect is based directly on statements Geno has made to the effect that, if he continues to play individuals when they fail to follow principles of play long established at UConn, he will lose those individuals and they will conclude said principles are not critical. Moreover, and again this is just my opinion, I believe Geno, the other coaches and the vast majority of both current and former UConn players are comfortable and will accept "more transfers in large bunches if Geno does not relax with this approach." I would argue that this is the same approach that has been followed at the UConn Women basketball program from the moment Geno arrived in Storrs, that it has served the University, the team and its players incredibly well, and that to criticize this method of awarding playing time as "obnoxious" misses the point totally.
 
cohenzone said:
That’s true. But he did play Walker and Coombs relatively early yesterday, so their practice must have been acceptable It seems as though when they didn’t do some things he wanted, they were benched. It might have been possible for him to tell them what they needed to correct and put them back in. Of course he has his history that makes us look ridiculous to suggest other choices he can make. It is kind of interesting, though, to see other much less heralded frosh come in against us and seem to be more relaxed than our kids.
Expand ...
I think the reason for that is that those other ladies are not playing at UConn, BUT against UConn.
 
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cohenzone said:
That’s true. But he did play Walker and Coombs relatively early yesterday, so their practice must have been acceptable It seems as though when they didn’t do some things he wanted, they were benched. It might have been possible for him to tell them what they needed to correct and put them back in. Of course he has his history that makes us look ridiculous to suggest other choices he can make. It is kind of interesting, though, to see other much less heralded frosh come in against us and seem to be more relaxed than our kids.
Expand ...
Megan Walker, who averages 16.1 minutes, played six and Mikayla Coombs, who averaged 6.8, played three, neither playing in the second half. “It wasn’t a decision at all,” Auriemma said. “They weren’t ready to go. I don’t know whether they were ill or sick, I don’t know, but they weren’t ready to play. It’s not a mystery.” UConn coaches appeared unhappy with fundamental lapses, such as not calling out screens

From the Courant. https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct...5-story.html&usg=AOvVaw0Q--bw4aUSV01gTFYOq1sM
 
Pmac923 said:
Teach them and let them play, who cares if they fail. But let them play basketball and show their natural skillsets over National TV.


Play your Freshman, Geno.
Expand ...

Thank you for the heartfelt expression of philosophy, Coach Warlick.

Think I'll just continue to appreciate UConn WBB.
 
Pmac923 said:
This freshman class has underwhelmed because of the "lessons" Geno tries to teach. He is making a mistake with how he uses his top recruits. Sure, winning by 30+ ppg is nice, but seeing the development of the players that will carry the torch for your program is more important. We will see more transfers in large bunches if Geno does not relax with this approach. Quite frankly it's obnoxious.

Breaking down your players for your own benefit is dangerous to the long term future of the program. The fans came to see the teamwork, camraderie, and effortless flow. They did not go to watch Geno. Or better yet hear about their deficiencies. Teach them and let them play, who cares if they fail. But let them play basketball and show their natural skillsets over National TV.
Play your Freshman, Geno.
Expand ...
 
Pmac923 said:
You don't learn from practicing all day. You learn from playing the sport 5 on 5 vs. real competition.
Expand ...
I think Geno would argue otherwise.
I have heard many former players argue otherwise too.

And as an aside, I really don't want my surgeon to learn while working on me, I'd prefer if the learning took place PRACTICING beforehand.
 
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VillageHusky said:
In my opinion, Geno does not play certain freshmen because he wants to win games by 30+ ppg but rather precisely because he wishes to further the development of those freshmen so that they will continue to carry and uphold the program he and others have so painstakingly built over 30+ years. My opinion in this respect is based directly on statements Geno has made to the effect that, if he continues to play individuals when they fail to follow principles of play long established at UConn, he will lose those individuals and they will conclude said principles are not critical. Moreover, and again this is just my opinion, I believe Geno, the other coaches and the vast majority of both current and former UConn players are comfortable and will accept "more transfers in large bunches if Geno does not relax with this approach." I would argue that this is the same approach that has been followed at the UConn Women basketball program from the moment Geno arrived in Storrs, that it has served the University, the team and its players incredibly well, and that to criticize this method of awarding playing time as "obnoxious" misses the point totally.
Expand ...

You recruited them to play.
 
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In watching my game replay, Megan was benched after Kia almost got whiplash when she was blindsided by a pick that Megan apparently did not warn her of. Geno then "talked" to Megan so maybe she said that she wasn't feeling well (my speculation based upon Nan's post) either at that point or at the half.
 
trisailin said:
I think Geno would argue otherwise.
I have heard many former players argue otherwise too.

And as an aside, I really don't want my surgeon to learn while working on me, I'd prefer if the learning took place PRACTICING beforehand.
Expand ...


Comparing amateur athletics to a surgeon seems a bit irresponsible.
 
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wile-e-coyote.jpg
 
Something tells me that the OP is an unhappy parent or relative of one of the freshmen. I also don't think that the original poster realizes that on this board, that Geno, because of his history gets the benefit of the doubt in all personnel decisions. One more thing, there is tons of media access available that clearly provides Geno's philosophy on the topic of playing time. It has remained unchanged for almost his entire tenure.
 
Geno has said time and again... If he "rewards" players who do not perform to the level expected in practice, with Playing Time in Games, then they become "un-coachable"... or words to that effect.... Let him do his job.

I saw the same thing when coaching youth baseball... Some players think they are "all it"... and don't come to practice for something other than a "valid reason" (illness, family obligation/emergency, etc) and others come out to every practice and work hard to improve their game. The "All It" players think they are going to start regardless of their presence at practice. When they sit to start the next game, they normally get the message. Just sharing personal experience.
 
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"The fans came to see the teamwork, camraderie, and effortless flow."

"But let them play basketball and show their natural skillsets over National TV. "

- - - - - - - -

The natural skillsets of freshmen do not typically include teamwork and effortless flow, much less defense.

The desire of most freshmen (and even their frinds and family?) to be seen on National (sic) TV is not in dispute.
 
I respect Geno's decisions. As a supervisor myself, nothing is more frustrating than providing the same feedback to an employee and then they turn around in the next meeting and completely ignore my feedback. It's about following directions. They need to follow directions or suffer the consequences. They need to be held accountable and he is doing that. In this current culture, he may be the first person who has ever held them accountable.
 
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