Eric Cobb commits to UConn

[BUConn10]

Did we definitively lose to Wagner and NEU because we didn't have a big body/fat guy down low? I cant really remember, but it seems like a stretch. If so why didn't we just throw Enoch in there.

People keep saying that we will no longer lose games like that because we have this kid.

What does it say about the state of the program that we are relying on a big man who averaged 10 and 8 at Juco to ensure that we can beat Wagner and Northeastern?



edit: I'm ok with the signing btw. Lets see what he can do. but my point still stands

Yea that's pretty much my same reaction when I read that.
If you think Cobb is the piece that will prevent Wagner and Northeastern type results then you are out of your mind.

 

[boog204]

People love to forget the past especially when JC was bringing in bigs like Eric Hayward, Travis Knight, Jake Voskul, Toraino Walker, and Rod Sellers. It wasn't until we got EO, CV, JB and HT people thought we were a big man college. We always have been built more on Wings and Guards with decent people upfront. I think the position that KO has been missing at the most is Small Forward. I hope TL and VJ turn into studs. This kid is going to be used as a big body. It is going to be the center by committee that we had in the 90's under Calhoun. We need to be more successful under KO and add a big man coach before we start getting the better bigs. Hopefully KO can be successful next year but I think it will be with a smaller line-up of either 3 guards and TL or TL and VJ at the forwards.

To be fair, Hayward and Travis were top 100 recruits so let's not make them sound like some sort of reach. In fact, Knight was ranked #38 at one point and was a pretty big get. There has always been this narrative that JC was some sort of miracle recruiter finding these guys no one knew about. People always throw Jeff Adrien in that category, too. Jeff was a consensus top 50 guy.

Hayward Commits, With An Asterisk

 

[superjohn]

People love to forget the past especially when JC was bringing in bigs like Eric Hayward, Travis Knight, Jake Voskul, Toraino Walker, and Rod Sellers. It wasn't until we got EO, CV, JB and HT people thought we were a big man college. We always have been built more on Wings and Guards with decent people upfront. I think the position that KO has been missing at the most is Small Forward. I hope TL and VJ turn into studs. This kid is going to be used as a big body. It is going to be the center by committee that we had in the 90's under Calhoun. We need to be more successful under KO and add a big man coach before we start getting the better bigs. Hopefully KO can be successful next year but I think it will be with a smaller line-up of either 3 guards and TL or TL and VJ at the forwards.

I would give anything to have Voskuhl, Sellers, Knight or Toraino here right now. Any one of those guy's would destroy our current frontcourt.

 

[UConnStats]

Did we definitively lose to Wagner and NEU because we didn't have a big body/fat guy down low? I cant really remember, but it seems like a stretch. If so why didn't we just throw Enoch in there.

People keep saying that we will no longer lose games like that because we have this kid.

What does it say about the state of the program that we are relying on a big man who averaged 10 and 8 at Juco to ensure that we can beat Wagner and Northeastern?



edit: I'm ok with the signing btw. Lets see what he can do. but my point still stands

Aaman murdered us inside in the loss to Wagner, that's for sure.

 

[HuskiesAllDay]

A number of us watched game film (it's available on youtube) when our interest in this kid became public knowledge two months ago.

As @Fishy mentioned elsewhere, he has quicker feet in traffic than you seem to realize, and knows how to box out. He hits his free throws and can pass the ball (though sometimes he thinks he's Bill Walton, to his team's detriment). He's not a program-changer but he's a P5 player.


In the last 3 classes he signed two 5-stars (Durham & Brown), four 4-stars (Carlton, Polley, Diarra, Enoch), and one elite postgrad (Miller). In the previous three classes he signed zero 5-stars, one 4-star (Kentan), and had zero significant big-man transfers. So I think you're using the wrong tense wrt his ability to recruit bigs.

I also disagree w/ your assessment about big-man development, with Facey as the most obvious example. I can't imagine how it's possible to look at that kid's season and say "Ollie hasn't developed him!"

What is your point regarding the big men recruiting? That KO can recruit well, but the staff has been terrible at developing them? Because we have done absolutely nothing to date with any of those players.

I will also add,( and this isn't just for you,) but overall, everyone on here is overstating Facey's development to an incredible degree. People on this board repeatedly point to his development as a beacon of KO's (and staff) player development abilities.

It's absolutely true that Kentan has improved a ton this year. (His post game and finishing have improved dramatically. His d still isnt great, but its much better than where it was).

But its also true that he was able to improve so much, because he did absolutely nothing in his first 3 years here.

If you look at where he is now based on expectations 4 years ago, I would say this is more or less the expectation.

9 ppg and 7.5rpg in the AAC for a former top 100 recruit and NY state POY seems reasonable but is certainly not exceptional. If you told us 4 years ago this is what we would sign up for we would all take it for sure, but I don't think we would be jumping up and down.

Hes been worth the scholarship for sure and has been a great kid. But I wonder why we couldn't get anything out of him for 3 years when clearly the potential was there.

 

[The Funster]

Looks like KO pulled the trigger quick so he must like what he sees. A good space-eating option for down low.

 

[Mr. French]

What is your point regarding the big men recruiting? That KO can recruit well, but the staff has been terrible at developing them? Because we have done absolutely nothing to date with any of those players.

I will also add,( and this isn't just for you,) but overall, everyone on here is overstating Facey's development to an incredible degree. People on this board repeatedly point to his development as a beacon of KO's (and staff) player development abilities.

It's absolutely true that Kentan has improved a ton this year. (His post game and finishing have improved dramatically. His d still isnt great, but its much better than where it was).

But its also true that he was able to improve so much, because he did absolutely nothing in his first 3 years here.

If you look at where he is now based on expectations 4 years ago, I would say this is more or less the expectation.

9 ppg and 7.5rpg in the AAC for a former top 100 recruit and NY state POY seems reasonable but is certainly not exceptional. If you told us 4 years ago this is what we would sign up for we would all take it for sure, but I don't think we would be jumping up and down.

Hes been worth the scholarship for sure and has been a great kid. But I wonder why we couldn't get anything out of him for 3 years when clearly the potential was there.

(a) most people only argue his development for KO when others say he has zero ability to develop a big.

And (b) Facey was known as a raw athlete who picked up the game late, but had potential. He could have NEVER gotten a double double in his career with that scouting report and it wouldn't be crazy. The fact that, after 3 years, he is showing pretty big signs of improvement is way bigger than you're making it out to be, because you're leaving out context that affects your argument.

 

[Jluc]

I trust KO more than boneyard posters. If he thinks he can play and help at this level then I'm sure there's a reason he gave him a scholarship this early before the offseason.

 

[UConnSportsGuy]

I would give anything to have Voskuhl, Sellers, Knight or Toraino here right now. Any one of those guy's would destroy our current frontcourt.

Heck, I'd take Eric Hayward at this point!

 

[RichZ]

Hopefully he can become the thumper weve sorely missed since Selvie. A lil attitude would help too.

Looks to have a lot more muscle than Johnnytime, but from two game vids I skimmed through, does seem to share Selvie's attitude on passing.

 

[HuskiesAllDay]

(a) most people only argue his development for KO when others say he has zero ability to develop a big.

And (b) Facey was known as a raw athlete who picked up the game late, but had potential. He could have NEVER gotten a double double in his career with that scouting report and it wouldn't be crazy. The fact that, after 3 years, he is showing pretty big signs of improvement is way bigger than you're making it out to be, because you're leaving out context that affects your argument.

That's kind of my point though. Is it really justification of his/ the coaches ability to develop a big? a guy who did nothing for 3 years?

He was definitely raw. But anybody could see he had potential. Why did it take 4 years for the staff to figure out how to use him?

And even looking at his massive jump this year (which I agree he made) the end result is within a baseline range of expectations for what we all reasonably expected 4 years later. He certainly hasn't gone above and beyond expectations in any way (expectations 4 years ago at least.) The only reason he exceeded them so much this year is because they were so low to begin with!

Kentan has been a fine player this year. I'm not arguing that. But people are acting like hes averaging 18 and 10 this year.

He remains the best example that we have for developing bigs. But that is a pretty big indictment on the coaching staff rather than a supportive argument.

 

[RichZ]

You should basically never bank scholarships.

Because the scholarship bank pays no interest at all for at least the first year.

 

[Husky25]

Hopefully he can become the thumper weve sorely missed since Selvie. A lil attitude would help too.

Yeah, Adrien and Oriaki were soft.

 

[USNA90]

Two Ollie criticisms making the round over the past two days --

1) He saved scholarships when he should have anticipated injuries and brought in more players for depth, and

2) He's wasting a scholarship by bringing in a player for depth.

These two aren't mutually exclusive. Leaving scholarships on the table usually isn't a good practice, and neither is wasting multi-year scholarships on projects with little up-side. The solution to that is to use the remaining scholarships on grad transfers who fill a specific need for the upcoming year. As it stands, Cobb is using one of the two remaining 2018 scholarships, which a grad transfer with the same skill set (assuming one wouldn't be that difficult to find) wouldn't use.

 

[Hungryhusky99]

 

[KingAG]

These two aren't mutually exclusive. Leaving scholarships on the table usually isn't a good practice, and neither is wasting multi-year scholarships on projects with little up-side. The solution to that is to use the remaining scholarships on grad transfers who fill a specific need for the upcoming year. As it stands, Cobb is using one of the two remaining 2018 scholarships, which a grad transfer with the same skill set (assuming one wouldn't be that difficult to find) wouldn't use.

Maybe KO doesn't view him as "a project with little upside". I mean just maybe...

 

[UC313]

Yeah, Adrien and Oriaki were soft.

Thanks for the update on previous #4 players in UConn history. Some people will make an argument out of anything. Take the anger the cesspool would ya.

 

[Mr. Hand]

Not who I was hoping to sign.

I wish him a lot of luck. Maybe he works hard, becomes a gym rat, and learns how to set a mean screen.

 

[tykurez]

I trust KO more than boneyard posters.

See this is where you're very wrong.

 

[KingAG]

See this is where you're very wrong.

Technically no one is wrong seeing as the kid hasn't played a second yet for us

 

[Huskybass]

Looks to have a lot more muscle than Johnnytime, but from two game vids I skimmed through, does seem to share Selvie's attitude on passing.

No. I distinctly temember an assist by Cobb.

 

[Husky25]

Thanks for the update on previous #4 players in UConn history. Some people will make an argument out of anything. Take the anger the cesspool would ya.

Who's angry? Make a point that is factually correct. Where Adrien and/or Oriaki not thumpers?

 

[Confident Carl]

Looks like KO pulled the trigger quick so he must like what he sees. A good space-eating option for down low.[/QUOTE

Ollie had better watch out, I am sure JD Grimes took notice of Eric's size and quickness! LOL

 

[Matrim55]

What is your point regarding the big men recruiting? That KO can recruit well, but the staff has been terrible at developing them?

That he didn't start recruiting well until 2015.

Because we have done absolutely nothing to date with any of those players.

I named eight players, and only two (Enoch & Durham) played a game this year. One of those was after two years of not playing because his knees exploded.

Please do keep being shrill and avoiding all context, though. That gives your argument much more weight.

 

[UC313]

Who's angry? Make a point that is factually correct. Where Adrien and/or Oriaki not thumpers?

I argue enough with the old lady I don't need it in my fantasy internet world. But to answer your question .... Adrien, yes. Oriakhi, not so much in my opinion, but that's my opinion. I suppose that I meant a guy that played angry. Adrien might have been the toughest SOB ive seen play but he wasn't the guy that would lay down a Toraino Walker elbow (from what I remember). I want a guy that will step on your foot and give you a hip check after Gary Clark drops two 3's.

 

[Fishy]

"I haven't even bothered to click the YouTube link and I don't know what in the blue hell I'm talking about, but someone tell me what I'm missing because I think this kid sucks."

Hey, thanks for taking the time to post anyway!

 

[Husky25]

I argue enough with the old lady I don't need it in my fantasy internet world. But to answer your question .... Adrien, yes. Oriakhi, not so much in my opinion, but that's my opinion. I suppose that I meant a guy that played angry. Adrien might have been the toughest SOB ive seen play but he wasn't the guy that would lay down a Toraino Walker elbow (from what I remember). I want a guy that will step on your foot and give you a hip check after Gary Clark drops two 3's.

That is a personal problem, which I care not to get in the middle, but if you think that UConn has not had a tough inside presence since 2001, you are going to get some pushback in a forum that fosters argument.

Personally, I was not a huge fan of Selvie. On the other hand he was following perhaps my favorite non-elite superstar at the PF position and could not live up to the bar set by Kevin Freeman.

Finally, while I want aggressiveness out of the two primary front court positions, IMHO what you describe above are cheap shots, fit for the early-mid 00s Pittsburgh Panthers.

 

[UC313]

Cool. Im glad we talked this one out. E-hug?

 

[superjohn]

That he didn't start recruiting well until 2015.


I named eight players, and only two (Enoch & Durham) played a game this year. One of those was after two years of not playing because his knees exploded.

Please do keep being shrill and avoiding all context, though. That gives your argument much more weight.

You named 8 players and all we've gotten out of it was 1 good season from Miller and 1 pretty good season from Facey. Our frontcourt has been a nightmare.

 

[HuskiesAllDay]

That he didn't start recruiting well until 2015.


I named eight players, and only two (Enoch & Durham) played a game this year. One of those was after two years of not playing because his knees exploded.

Please do keep being shrill and avoiding all context, though. That gives your argument much more weight.

Is that even true though? Enoch and facey were both higher rated than Polley or Carlton.


And on your second point. Fair enough. I should have paid closer attention in that you were referring to classes since 2015. Apologies on that.

Either way, our big men development is less than stellar. I will obviously leave Durham out of it (I never included him in the first place) and its not a long history of bigs, (AB, Kelis Fisher, SE, Nolan) but the results haven't been there so far.

Enoch is basically the perfect guy to develop; skilled offensively, has good hands and touch, but is extremely limited in his positioning and reading/understand the game. All we need to do is teach him where to be and when and he will immediately be much better. Its the coaches job to teach him that stuff.

2 years later and hes done next to nothing. This doesn't prove KO cant develop bigs, or that Enoch will be a total bust and never amount to anything.

But we have to go by the track record available so far, and it isn't that great. At least Im trying to look at the record at hand. I dont really see what pointing to recruiting does.

If weve had such trouble developing the bigs weve had, then why should we think we can develop the ones in the future?