Fun Speculation

[Tuna]

Newsflash there is life beyond the boneyard. Tens of thousands of fans and alumni. We're the ones that pay the bills. Look at the attendance numbers:
2015 10,687
2016 10,413
2017 8,505

Do you see a trend there? Take a wild guess at what this year's numbers will look like. People aren't going to games - that spells doom for a program already running in the red. You want to pack XL and Gampel? you make the people happy. who is literally everyone clamoring for? Danny Hurley.

Further evidence that "literally" may be the most overused and least understood word in the English language.

 

[noeynox]

I get the feeling KO hates recruiting.

It could be that he has no interest in the shady side of it, or he simply has no interest in it.

The NBA may be better for him, but his line up management has always been a head scratcher.

 

[len0322]

Jeff Capel - didn't light the world on fire at Oklahoma:

Season Team Overall Conference Standing Postseason
VCU Rams (Colonial Athletic Association) (2002–2006)
2002–03 VCU 18–10 12–6 T–2nd
2003–04 VCU 23–8 14–4 1st NCAA Round of 64
2004–05 VCU 19–13 13–5 T–2nd NIT Opening Round
2005–06 VCU 19–10 11–7 5th
VCU: 79–41 (.658) 50–22 (.694)
Oklahoma Sooners (Big 12 Conference) (2006–2011)
2006–07 Oklahoma 16–15 6–10 T–7th
2007–08 Oklahoma 23–12 9–7 T–4th NCAA Round of 32
2008–09 Oklahoma 30–6 13–3 2nd NCAA Elite Eight
2009–10 Oklahoma 0–18* 0–12* T-11th
2010–11 Oklahoma 14–18 5–11 8th
Oklahoma: 83–69* (.546) 33-43* (.434)

Plus, there was speculation that it might be related to media reports that Tiny Gallon had received an impermissible extra benefit from Merrill Lynch employee and this was confirmed when subsequently released phone records tied him and Taliaferro and the NCAA confirmed it was investigating. In August 2011, Oklahoma admitted that Taliaferro had committed 2 NCAA violations in the Gallon case; Capel was not implicated in the violations. Now he's associate head coach at Duke and we find out that the FBI is looking into that program. I'd definitely ask for an explanation and have a get out of jail free card inserted into his contract in the event that he's implicated in the Duke scandal (just feels good to type that.)
​

Bill Coen - I'm not sure we capture lightening in a bottle again with an Northeastern coach. Record is meh:

Season Team Overall Conference Standing Postseason
Northeastern (Colonial Athletic Association) (2006–present)
2006–07 Northeastern 13–19 9–9 T–5th
2007–08 Northeastern 14–17 9–9 T–6th
2008–09 Northeastern 19–13 12–6 T–3rd CBI Quarterfinals
2009–10 Northeastern 20–13 14–4 2nd NIT First Round
2010–11 Northeastern 11–20 6–12 T–9th
2011–12 Northeastern 14–17 9–9 7th
2012–13 Northeastern 20–13 14-4 1st NIT First Round
2013–14 Northeastern 11–21 7–9 5th
2014–15 Northeastern 23–12 12–6 T–1st NCAA Second Round
2015–16 Northeastern 18–15 9–9 6th
2016–17 Northeastern 15–16 8–10 6th
2017–18 Northeastern 21–9 14-4 T-1st
Northeastern: 199–185 (.518) 123–91 (.575)​

Danny Hurley

Season Team Overall Conference Standing Postseason
Wagner Seahawks (Northeast Conference) (2010–2012)
2010–11 Wagner 13–17 9–9 6th
2011–12 Wagner 25–6 15–3 2nd
Wagner: 38–23 (.623) 24–12 (.667)
Rhode Island Rams (Atlantic 10 Conference) (2012–present)
2012–13 Rhode Island 8–21 3–13 T–14th
2013–14 Rhode Island 14–18 5–11 10th
2014–15 Rhode Island 23–10 13–5 T–2nd NIT Second Round
2015–16 Rhode Island 17–15 9–9 7th
2016–17 Rhode Island 25–10 13–5 T–3rd NCAA Round of 32
2017–18 Rhode Island 23-4 15-1 1st
Rhode Island: 109–78 (.576) 57–44 (.546)
​

Kevin Ollie

Connecticut Huskies (Big East Conference) (2012–2013)
2012–13 Connecticut 20–10 10–8 T–7th Ineligible
Connecticut Huskies (American Athletic Conference) (2013–present)
2013–14 Connecticut 32–8 12–6 T–3rd NCAA Champions
2014–15 Connecticut 20–15 10–8 T–5th NIT First Round
2015–16 Connecticut 25–11 11–7 6th NCAA Second Round
2016–17 Connecticut 16–17 9–9 T–5th
2017–18 Connecticut 14–16 7–10
Connecticut: 127–77 (.623) 59–48 (.551) ​

The accomplisments of this trio compares to the Thursday morning 1:00 am bomb shell that we've all tried to pick up at TED's or Huskies. I count up 30 coaching years between these three candidates with 5 NCAA appearances with the elite 8 being the highlight. If they do move on from KO, I hope they find better than this group.

 

[intlzncster]

Kevin will be back. If things change, I like tom crean.

Cuncel da porgram

 

[Captbluefin]

Ollie has the best winning percentage over all candidates ironically. He is the only one over .600

 

[CL82]

The accomplisments of this trio compares to the Thursday morning 1:00 am bomb shell that we've all tried to pick up at TED's or Huskies.

Avatar/post, lol.

 

[Huskyforlife]

I would bet anything capel is heavily involved in Dukes sudden resurgence. And we know Carter Jr. has already had his name thrown out there. I’ll pass on him. Give me Hurley first, Bekker second, Ollie third.

 

[Huskyforlife]

When I read Ollie stopped recruiting MAL after he committed, it was made clear to me he hates recruiting. He was billed as our best recruiter under Calhoun at the time, but I’m assuming after he won a championship, he felt it was beneath him. Just my guess.

 

[intlzncster]

When I read Ollie stopped recruiting MAL after he committed, it was made clear to me he hates recruiting. He was billed as our best recruiter under Calhoun at the time, but I’m assuming after he won a championship, he felt it was beneath him. Just my guess.

More likely he poorly judged the role of a head coach in recruiting. Inexperience.

 

[HuskyBoi]

I mean this is just my opinion on Shaka Smart. He's had a great, great tenure at VCU, but I just don't see what makes him better than Rick Barnes at this point in time at Texas. Also, keep Bill Coen out, please!

 

[AdamaNation]

Is it possible the fan base is willing Danny Hurley into the roll of our new head coach next year? We have no idea if Benedict is actually in talks with him, yet the narrative has become so mainstream it almost feels like it's going to happen because we have willed it into fruition. The AD is paid to make his own decisions but the input from the fan base is so overwhelmingly in favor of Hurley that AD Dave (probably) feels like he needs to acquiesce. I think his ass is on the hot seat- the pressure to please the fans is real. Give them what they want?

Wouldn’t we prefer capel on recruiting alone? And Ollie in California May be a good move at a smaller program.

 

[intlzncster]

Wouldn’t we prefer capel on recruiting alone? And Ollie in California May be a good move at a smaller program.

How he's getting those recruits is rumor mill central. Pass.

 

[djct1999]

One of the biggest challanges for the next head coach will be his ability to recruit and convince top 50 kids to come back to UConn. W-L record aside, Capel can recruit and he will at least succeed in that battle. Quite frankly, I feel UConn would be lucky(at this point) to get someone like Capel.

 

[AdamaNation]

How he's getting those recruits is rumor mill central. Pass.

Just a questy

 

[AZHuskiePop]

When I read Ollie stopped recruiting MAL after he committed, it was made clear to me he hates recruiting. He was billed as our best recruiter under Calhoun at the time, but I’m assuming after he won a championship, he felt it was beneath him. Just my guess.

He wasn’t billed he personally is responsible for the 4 -5 highest recruits since 2012.
The 5th is Drummond who technically wasn’r a recruit.

 

[Stainmaster]

The 5th is Drummond who technically wasn’r a recruit.

No, that was Chief.

 

[Jimmy Serrano]

I know I’m citing an anonymous Twitter account with ~5K followers here, but given the sheer volume of personal knowledge of college coaches they display on a regular basis, I’m inclined to believe that the people running it are very well connected.

Since they’re absolutely nuts, they decided to rank who they perceive as the top three candidates for all 351 DI jobs if any of them opened up this offseason.

Here is their top three for us:



Just for yuks, Ollie is listed as #2 for the Loyola Marymount job were he to leave - which they think has a 90% chance of happening per an earlier hot seat rundown.

Considering you think the best we could do is an assistant from St. Bonnie’s, this is quite a list. You should be thrilled.

 

[Stainmaster]

Considering you think the best we could do is an assistant from St. Bonnie’s, this is quite a list. You should be thrilled.

Weak, even by your standards.

 

[Yorkeez4]

The accomplisments of this trio compares to the Thursday morning 1:00 am bomb shell that we've all tried to pick up at TED's or Huskies. I count up 30 coaching years between these three candidates with 5 NCAA appearances with the elite 8 being the highlight. If they do move on from KO, I hope they find better than this group.

It's very tough to look at numbers like these and make many assumptions. What was in the cupboard when the coach was hired? When considering schools like Northeastern and VCU and Wagner you are usually talking about programs that develop players over 2-4 years. If things go well they have a couple of years that they have good records and then most likely a couple of down years. And of course to think they would get far in the tournament is unrealistic. Sure Smart did things at VCU but not many schools at their level get that far. So it's very hard to predict what a coach will do at a major level.

Capel is tough to evaluate because he was at a major and did not have any consistent success. Is it possible he learned from his Sooners experience and would be a good choice - why not, a number of coaches have had success the second time around.

In any case we will not know until they coach at UConn. Some cannot make the leap to higher levels and some excel at it - like Calhoun.

 

[Huskybass]

More likely he poorly judged the role of a head coach in recruiting. Inexperience.

KO wins a National Championship in year 2. Not hard to see how one might underestimate the role of the head coach in recruiting given instant success. Understandable I would say.

 

[Captbluefin]

There better be a much much better option for a hire than these guys if we are firing Ollie who’s winning percentage is higher in more difficult conferences...

The grass is not greener regarding these guys.. NEXT.

AD better find a real coach !!!

 

[selles]

Capel is tough to evaluate because he was at a major and did not have any consistent success. Is it possible he learned from his Sooners experience and would be a good choice - why not, a number of coaches have had success the second time around.

Good post. I don't like the idea of hiring Capel. His rise and fall at Oklahoma kind of mirrors KO's at UConn, except that Ollie's highs have been higher and Ollie's lows have been higher.

If you're going to hire Capel in the hope he's figured it out, you might as well stick with Ollie in the hope he'll figure it out. Both seem like a huge cr#pshoot.

I think we need someone with more evidence of the ability to build a sustainable program.

 

[selles]

There better be a much much better option for a hire than these guys if we are firing Ollie who’s winning percentage is higher in more difficult conferences...

The grass is not greener regarding these guys.. NEXT.

AD better find a real coach !!!

Just silly.

 

[Danzz]

''... you come here after a win as opposed to a loss and the tone is a lot different."
This board after a loss is ridiculous and it isn't just this year. The overreaction both ways is predictable and redundant and it has always been that way.

 

[Huskybass]

Ollie has the best winning percentage over all candidates ironically. He is the only one over .600

Ok, let's look at the trend for KO:

Years 1 and 2 combined: 52-18

Years 3 and 4 combined: 45-26

Years 5 and 6 combined to date: 30-33

It is the trend that is concerning, not the overall winning percentage. Also, of this season's 16 losses, HALF are by 20 or more points. To put things in perspective, the previous high in the history of the program was 5 losses that large in a single season.