Grading college basketball’s new coaching hires

[Mokum]

I kind of agree with both sides of the argument tbh.

On the positive
-I think there's enough talent here to compete in the conference
-I think this group could be better than the sum of its part with better coaching
-There's a chance our back court is actually outstanding and that's good enough to make a run
-There's an actual buzz around us for the first time since 2014. That's undeniable.

On the negative
-It's hard to disagree with him when everyone on the team is a big, fat question mark. You can do the fill in the blank of "___________ will be ok next year IF __________" and then you add it up across the program and that's not a team to be excited about. It's just not, guys.
-We're a mess up front.
-We have significant depth issues.
-We still have a lot of holes to fill on the roster
-The answer to that in the short term will unfortuantely and most likely be grad transfers and transfers

I mean national commentators aren't wrong to dog the program a bit right now, and fans here aren't wrong to be really optimistic. It's just more of a matter of keeping an eye on the long term and not being consumed by the short term failings - 'cause guess what? There's going to be plenty of them.

My hope for next year is we compete, steal some games we shouldn't and hopefully we play a little post season basketball. I'm hopeful for a strong recruiting class and for some of the question marks to make a leap forward. Then to have optimism for the next season that we're taking a step forward. Nothing more, nothing less.

Well said. I agree

 

[fatlucy]

I think we get one big fish this year and maybe a decent grad transfer. We have an improved season +5-6 wins and then a top 10 recruiting class next year.

 

[freescooter]

I really don't understand the narrative, especially from Goodman today saying that "there's not much talent in Storrs right now". You certainly can argue that the frontcourt is sorely lacking in high end talent, but starting with a core of Jalen Adams, Alterique Gilbert, Christian Vital and Sid Wilson is far better than any new coach could hope for. There is HUGE potential in that group of four right there, and I have faith Hurley and the staff can tap into that.

You don’t understand the narrative? Let’s see...we just finished a terrible season that resulted in a coach getting fired. There is exactly 1 player who has demonstrated in an actual college season that he is a high level guy, Adams, and one, Vital, who is a role player. Gilbert is damaged goods. Maybe he is AJ Price when he comes back but maybe he never quite recovers and is a role player and maybe he remains injury prone and rarely sees action. Sid Wilson has played zero games. When Majok was playing against chairs people had him as the next Michael Jordan. When Anjou Deng has played zero games he was anointed the best freshman in the country and got a story in SI. He was so good he ended his career coming off the bench at Fairfield. Until a guy plays an actual game he is what he is.

Carlton Polley et al are, to be charitable, works in progress. Maybe new coaching makes then serviceable.

This could be a decent team if all the maybes break our way. If not .500 could be a stretch

 

[RayIsTheGOAT]

You don’t understand the narrative? Let’s see...we just finished a terrible season that resulted in a coach getting fired. There is exactly 1 player who has demonstrated in an actual college season that he is a high level guy, Adams, and one, Vital, who is a role player. Gilbert is damaged goods. Maybe he is AJ Price when he comes back but maybe he never quite recovers and is a role player and maybe he remains injury prone and rarely sees action. Sid Wilson has played zero games. When Majok was playing against chairs people had him as the next Michael Jordan. When Anjou Deng has played zero games he was anointed the best freshman in the country and got a story in SI. He was so good he ended his career coming off the bench at Fairfield. Until a guy plays an actual game he is what he is.

Carlton Polley et al are, to be charitable, works in progress. Maybe new coaching makes then serviceable.

This could be a decent team if all the maybes break our way. If not .500 could be a stretch

I don't think you understand the definition of the words I used- talent and potential. Neither of which, alone, equate to wins or championships.

There is talent in Storrs because, as you said, Jalen Adams is a high level guy.
Also, "Sid Wilson hasn't played a minute of college basketball=he doesn't have talent" is a terrible rebuttal to what I said. That's like saying Duke has no talent next year because Zion Willamson, Barrett, Reddish and Jones haven't played a minute of college basketball yet. If you are going to argue that Sid Wilson isn't talented, then I don't know how to help you. Or that Gilbert isn't talented as a former McDonald's All American.

I don't know if this team will go 15-17 next year or 26-6. I don't know if Alterique Gilbert will have his shoulder attached to his body next year. But I do know that there is talent in Storrs, unlike Goodman has said.

You are arguing something completely different to what I said.

 

[intlzncster]

I think we get one big fish this year and maybe a decent grad transfer. We have an improved season +5-6 wins and then a top 10 recruiting class next year.

There will have to be results on the court before (strong if) you will see a Top 10 class. It would likely take a post season run at least.

 

[intlzncster]

You don’t understand the narrative? Let’s see...we just finished a terrible season that resulted in a coach getting fired. There is exactly 1 player who has demonstrated in an actual college season that he is a high level guy, Adams, and one, Vital, who is a role player. Gilbert is damaged goods. Maybe he is AJ Price when he comes back but maybe he never quite recovers and is a role player and maybe he remains injury prone and rarely sees action. Sid Wilson has played zero games. When Majok was playing against chairs people had him as the next Michael Jordan. When Anjou Deng has played zero games he was anointed the best freshman in the country and got a story in SI. He was so good he ended his career coming off the bench at Fairfield. Until a guy plays an actual game he is what he is.

Carlton Polley et al are, to be charitable, works in progress. Maybe new coaching makes then serviceable.

This could be a decent team if all the maybes break our way. If not .500 could be a stretch

I'm not as high as most on next year because of so many "ifs" involved. My evaluation will depend on how many of those are resolved.

But we should at minimum be a .500 team next year. It's pretty much the same club back, and that team was 14-18. I'd argue that last years team would have been .500 or better with a proper coach.

And They'll be some new additions, and some growth/development.

 

[BFieldHusky]

I'm not as high as most on next year because of so many "ifs" involved. My evaluation will depend on how many of those are resolved.

But we should at minimum be a .500 team next year. It's pretty much the same club back, and that team was 14-18. I'd argue that last years team would have been .500 or better with a proper coach.

And They'll be some new additions, and some growth/development.

Except you add Wilson (a 4 star redshirt freshman) hopefully a healthy Gilbert (a big if) and a real coach and coaching staff.

 

[Mokum]

I don't think you understand the definition of the words I used- talent and potential. Neither of which, alone, equate to wins or championships.

There is talent in Storrs because, as you said, Jalen Adams is a high level guy.
Also, "Sid Wilson hasn't played a minute of college basketball=he doesn't have talent" is a terrible rebuttal to what I said. That's like saying Duke has no talent next year because Zion Willamson, Barrett, Reddish and Jones haven't played a minute of college basketball yet. If you are going to argue that Sid Wilson isn't talented, then I don't know how to help you. Or that Gilbert isn't talented as a former McDonald's All American.

I don't know if this team will go 15-17 next year or 26-6. I don't know if Alterique Gilbert will have his shoulder attached to his body next year. But I do know that there is talent in Storrs, unlike Goodman has said.

You are arguing something completely different to what I said.

You're right, there is talent. The problem was the coaching. Not saying this is a championship team, but not bums either. With good coaching I see a decent season next year.

 

[intlzncster]

Except you add Wilson (a 4 star redshirt freshman) hopefully a healthy Gilbert (a big if) and a real coach and coaching staff.

Totally agree with you. I was just trying to compare in some fashion with last year using the following (extremely rough) assumptions:

1. Get Wilson, but lose Larrier. Now people hate on TL, but he was good for 14pt 5rbs and 1assist per game. Wilson might replace that (hopefully at much better efficiency) but he hasn't played a minute of college ball yet. My conservative verdict was: that's a wash.
2. I can't count on AG until I see it. He may be perfectly healthy and balling, but we don't know yet. Subtract AA, and add some sort of AG.

So, with a (very roughly) similar roster construction, plus improved players and coaching, sub .500 record shouldn't even be considered.

I was just determining a bare minimum floor. Admittedly, not the most well thought out post.

In sum: if Jalen is back, we will be north of .500. If not, we very well might not.