Geno says 30-win seasons are coming to an end

[bschwartz]

Anyone else catch this in the presser? Oh the hardships of being a UConn and Pats fan

 

[cockhrnleghrn]

Only if they cut back the regular season significantly.

 

[MilfordHusky]

He’s giving notice to the bench.

 

[Sluconn Husky]

He's made it pretty clear he fears the post KLS/Collier/Stevens years.

Obviously, Walker and Coombs developing would make him feel better. And we'll see what CW and ONO look like next year.

 

[Bleed Blue-XY]

He's made it pretty clear he fears the post KLS/Collier/Stevens years.

Obviously, Walker and Coombs developing would make him feel better. And we'll see what CW and ONO look like next year.

He’s not the only one that fears those years, lol. Keeping my fingers crossed for talented newcomers and quality player development as the years go on.

 

[DefenseBB]

He's made it pretty clear he fears the post KLS/Collier/Stevens years.

Obviously, Walker and Coombs developing would make him feel better. And we'll see what CW and ONO look like next year.

...and Ezi next year

 

[Orangutan]

He's just getting next year's coach of the year campaign started early. You have to make coaching #1-ranked recruits look difficult somehow.

 

[cockhrnleghrn]

You guys don't need to fear anything until Geno retires.

 

[enigmatic]

You guys don't need to fear anything until Geno retires.

And I hope it's not anytime soon. Seeing the long tenures of Boeheim and Krzyzewski at their respective schools gives me a eyelash glimpse of hope

 

[bags27]

Maybe not so much holding up Boeheim as a model, huh?

 

[Mister2]

As great a coach as Geno is, he is not God; he cannot create something out of nothing. Don't forget that UCONN has in fact had stretches of lean years; they were of course few and far between, but they existed.

I posted the following in another thread, but it seems equally relevant here:

"A major reason why UCONN has been able to sustain its dominance over such a long period of time is because, with a few exceptions, it has always been successful in attracting at least a PAIR of recruits year after year who later become elite players. However, after KLS and Pheesa in 2015-16, UCONN had failed to do so in 2016-17, and again does not seem likely to be able to achieve that in 2017-18. I think Geno is genuinely frustrated with the bench (except Z) because he can see a serious crisis looming 2 years down the road after KLS, Pheesa, and Z graduate, unless a couple of current benchers step-up their development NOW.

In a way, UCONN has been bailed out by transfers in the recent 2 years: by Nat in 2016-17 (yes, without Nat, I think UCONN would have lost a couple of games in the regular season), and by Z in 2017-18. I know we will have a great pair of recruits next season, but even if they fully live up to their HS rankings, they won't be able to fully compensate for the lack of significant further development in the 1916-18 classes."

 

[Sonny44]

He’s giving notice to the bench.

I agree and well justified. Our bench sophs have shown little and our frosh have been nothing short of pathetic.
Transfers, we're open for business!

 

[Sifaka]

You have to make coaching #1-ranked recruits look difficult somehow.

Holly does. Why can't everybody? {/snarkasm}

 

[HuskyBandDad]

Welcome to the real world of college basketball.

 

[ctfjr]

If I'm not mistaken this conversation (or some variant of it) occurs about this time every year. So far so good.

 

[Junkaroo Jam]

Freshmen a disappointing bust. Don't see any real BB playing growth.

 

[JustinesGuy]

He’s not the only one that fears those years, lol. Keeping my fingers crossed for talented newcomers and quality player development as the years go on.

That's why 2 months ago I said I was nervous or concerned for the future of our program specifically two years from now and I got slaughtered and almost got my uconn fan card taken away.
I don't sound so stupid now eh.

 

[HoopsFan21]

That's why 2 months ago I said I was nervous or concerned for the future of our program specifically two years from now and I got slaughtered and almost got my uconn fan card taken away.
I don't sound so stupid now eh.

I am right there with you. Next year probably won't be as good as this year, and in a year from now KLS, Collier, and Z are out of here leaving a team of Crystal Dangerfield and ????

 

[Sluconn Husky]

I am right there with you. Next year probably won't be as good as this year, and in a year from now KLS, Collier, and Z are out of here leaving a team of Crystal Dangerfield and ????

They'll have weaknesses next year on paper. But they should also have four national POY candidates. That's a good start. Walker, Coombs, and perhaps a freshmen surprise will likely be the x-factors. Three brutal regular season matchups could mean losses, but I wouldn't want to be the poor teams who have to face them in the tourney.

 

[Centerstream]

Weren't some people saying the same things before and right after the Fla State game last season????

 

[Siestakeyfan]

He's made it pretty clear he fears the post KLS/Collier/Stevens years.

Obviously, Walker and Coombs developing would make him feel better. And we'll see what CW and ONO look like next year.

Bench seem little changes since fall ! Troubling !

 

[cohenzone]

As great a coach as Geno is, he is not God; he cannot create something out of nothing. Don't forget that UCONN has in fact had stretches of lean years; they were of course few and far between, but they existed.."

This made me chuckle a little. Almost all of Geno’s “lean years” are dream seasons for 99% of programs.

But I agree that outside of
Crystal, there isn’t much to write home about in the last two classes, if Stevens is discounted. I like Irwin, but she is what she is. Megan has easily had the weakest first year of all of our top recruits in the last 10 years. Crystal wasn’t fabulous last year, but she had decent glimmers. To be fair, MW has had a few bright spots and maybe she will blossom. it seems like the possibly most confident of the new kids, AEH, transferred. No surprises emerged and both Coombs and Gordon played in national all star games last year. I love this year’s team, but one thing is clear, the number of teams capable of beating us is growing. It might not happen this year, and our league definitely reduces the chances of losing league games. But we are darn spoiled.

 

[JustinesGuy]

Weren't some people saying the same things before and right after the Fla State game last season????

I personally "was" mildly concerned for next year with Kia graduating and Walker not playing like a number 1 rated player. Nothing has changed 2 plus months later.

I'm still concerned for two years from with KLS and crew leaving.

Of course kids will get better and new comers will come and make there mark.

I'm still uneasy about things after this year.
We will miss Kia more than we know

 

[RegisteredUconn]

He's just getting next year's coach of the year campaign started early. You have to make coaching #1-ranked recruits look difficult somehow.

Kara Lawson said it best (possibly first, possibly only). "Geno does more with more."

Much of the coaching accolades are given to those who do more with less. Those are the folks garnering the COY awards. Don't get me wrong, getting more with less is a difficult and laudable accomplishment. But the real challenge is in making the best better. Moving the 50th percentile to the 60th percentile is a far simpler task than moving the 98th percentile to the 99 percentile.

 

[BoomBoom]

Of course when the 2019-2020 season rolls around UCONN won't be the only team with significant personnel losses. A 2019-2020 Huskies team doesn't have to be as good as the current Huskies. It just has to be better than the teams it faces in 2019-2020. By 2019-2020 who among the elite programs won't have lost significant pieces from current teams?