Hey KO

[upstater]

I'll say this again. UConn plays well when it has point guards running the team. When it doesn't, it's like a chicken with its head cut off. This probably applies to a lot of teams as well. While 2012 wasn't anywhere near as bad as this season, that team was a much more talented team (Oriakhi, Drummond, Roscoe Smith, Jeremy Lamb, Napier, Boatright, Daniels). The loss to UCF in Atlantis was particularly ugly. While anyone would take that season's 20-14 record over this season, I think you might instead compare 2012 to last year's 25-11. These are two very similar years. We have seen a level of dysfunction before.

I would also argue that last year's team came together in the tourney and was playing well at the very end (Colorado) but they ran into a much more talented team in Kansas.

 

[mauconnfan]

I didn't feel like you directed it at me. I will say that two things really piss me off. One is the guy that is never happy, and one is the guy that ALWAYS thinks it is ok. They are both wrong. I have seen this at other programs, hell I saw it first hand down here in Miami when Larry Coker was the football coach. The argument was "he won a title" vs "the program is clearly sinking and he isn't the guy". There are problems here and it feels like the latter to me. We will see after another season what the case is.

That is fair no doubt and I agree. Tough times need patience though. Does KO do some things that me go crazy, hell yeah he does...is he a top 10 or even 20 coach right now? Doubt it. Is there better guys out there for the UConn program who would come here? I doubt that one too. He has proven himself to get things done with players who are motivated and smart. Now it's up to him to those those same types and we will be successful. For those who believe UConn will get to where they will be 17-1, 16-2 in their conference and 28-2, 26-4 overall heading to the tourney's it's going to be a whining time in your life, it will almost always be a fight since the Big east departure. But they will be in it come March/April again that I have no doubt. Ways to go, I'm a believer.

 

[Paesano]

An open-market hire who can only attract 2 and 3-star talent will kill the program a lot quicker.

Does it really matter how fast the program dies? If it is dieing anyways, why not try to save it? If it dies faster as a result, so be it. Dieing is dieing. Dead is dead.

And I love how you guys assume we can't find a better coach. You really don't see ANY good coaches at other mid-major colleges right now? If we have a fourth bad to mediocre year next year, a change needs to be made. UConn still has street cred and is still a desirable job. This notion that we can't possibly find a better or at least an equivalent coach to someone that puts up four bad seasons in a row is total BS. I like KO and I think he would definitely make a great assistant or head coach in the NBA. But you guys are letting your hearts cloud your minds. If he doesn't turn this around big time next year, we need to move on. And, honestly, it could be the best thing for Ollie, as well, if his best place really is in the NBA.

 

[upstater]

Does it really matter how fast the program dies? If it is dieing anyways, why not try to save it? If it dies faster as a result, so be it. Dieing is dieing. Dead is dead.

And I love how you guys assume we can't find a better coach. You really don't see ANY good coaches at other mid-major colleges right now? If we have a fourth bad to mediocre year next year, a change needs to be made. UConn still has street cred and is still a desirable job. This notion that we can't possibly find a better or at least an equivalent coach to someone that puts up four bad seasons in a row is total BS. I like KO and I think he would definitely make a great assistant or head coach in the NBA. But you guys are letting your hearts cloud your minds. If he doesn't turn this around big time next year, we need to move on. And, honestly, it could be the best thing for Ollie, as well, if his best place really is in the NBA.

Last year is now called a bad season. But the mid-major coaches who end up at at mid level P5 schools would call it a success. We are now in the AAC. Newsflash. Top 100 kids aren't coming to UConn to play for Mr. Mid-Major coach.

 

[ctchamps]

I didn't feel like you directed it at me. I will say that two things really piss me off. One is the guy that is never happy, and one is the guy that ALWAYS thinks it is ok. They are both wrong. I have seen this at other programs, hell I saw it first hand down here in Miami when Larry Coker was the football coach. The argument was "he won a title" vs "the program is clearly sinking and he isn't the guy". There are problems here and it feels like the latter to me. We will see after another season what the case is.

Reasonable take on things. I'm just curious. What's your take on the impact the APR sanctions had on Uconn?

 

[Sonova]

Last year is now called a bad season. But the mid-major coaches who end up at at mid level P5 schools would call it a success. We are now in the AAC. Newsflash. Top 100 kids aren't coming to UConn to play for Mr. Mid-Major coach.

I wouldn't necessarily call it a bad year, but for good (never mind top) programs, it's a bare minimum season, especially when bookended by years of missing the tournament. Nice that we won the conf tournament, and Jalen's shot was indeed a part of the month's highlight reel. But if we are satisfied by being a mid level AAC team (at best) with our facilities, tradition and Ollie's recruited talent, we deserve this misery.

Newsflash back at you - top players aren't coming to play for a program that isn't making the tournament or a coach who isn't putting guys into the league. And in the circles that matter, the whispers are starting that he is a guy who isn't developing talent. Whether that changes or not remains to be seen. But top 100 talent will come to UConn for the near term because it's UConn. They really don't give a about said coach's label or whether they came from a mid level program. Kevin Ollie is a "name" (for now) because he's at UConn.

And if you don't think that there are more than a few who are better college coaches at programs lower than UConn (heck look around the AAC and youll see a few) you're more daft than I thought. And that's saying something.

 

[Paesano]

Last year is now called a bad season. But the mid-major coaches who end up at at mid level P5 schools would call it a success. We are now in the AAC. Newsflash. Top 100 kids aren't coming to UConn to play for Mr. Mid-Major coach.

Last year was, AT BEST, mediocre by UCONN STANDARDS. We ended up middle of the pack in the AAC and got bounced in round 2 of the tournament. We won the AAC tournament so that was a positive and maybe the only thing keeping it from being a bad year. Were we a Top 25 team when all was said and done? No. Mediocre. Barring a miracle, we won't be this year either. That will be three years in a row. If it happens again next year it will be four in a row. Sorry but that is unacceptable.

Newsflash, this is UConn and there are some really good coaches at other mid-major schools right now. If those coaches came to UConn they wouldn't be viewed as simply "Mr. Mid-Major coach." Nice try though. Hypothetically speaking, if the Wichita State coach came to UConn, you don't think he could recruit Top 100 kids? Did you see what Pastner did at Memphis? He is awful and Memphis is mid-major more than UConn is. Please, just stop being so damned argumentative.

 

[Hi-Low]

KO is true blue UConn and deserves a long rope. Remember he chose to come play for UConn as a kid from LA.....then he chose to keep coaching at UConn after the 2014 title when he easily could have jumped to the NBA....he was a very hot commodity.

I understand KO is paid very well and this is not lifetime job security but it's way too premature to be talking about replacing him.

 

[James]

Last year was, AT BEST, mediocre by UCONN STANDARDS. We ended up middle of the pack in the AAC and got bounced in round 2 of the tournament. We won the AAC tournament so that was a positive and maybe the only thing keeping it from being a bad year. Were we a Top 25 team when all was said and done? No. Mediocre. Barring a miracle, we won't be this year either. That will be three years in a row. If it happens again next year it will be four in a row. Sorry but that is unacceptable.

Newsflash, this is UConn and there are some really good coaches at other mid-major schools right now. If those coaches came to UConn they wouldn't be viewed as simply "Mr. Mid-Major coach." Nice try though. Hypothetically speaking, if the Wichita State coach came to UConn, you don't think he could recruit Top 100 kids? Did you see what Pastner did at Memphis? He is awful and Memphis is mid-major more than UConn is. Please, just stop being so damned argumentative.

He makes more money per year than ollie @ wichita state, he isn't coming here. what other candidates do you have? hint; there are none.

Uconn just has to sit tight and hope KO progresses @ player development and coaching offense. Hes a great recruiter and a great defensive coach.

 

[Sonova]

He makes more money per year than ollie @ wichita state, he isn't coming here. what other candidates do you have? hint; there are none.

Uconn just has to sit tight and hope KO progresses @ player development and coaching offense. Hes a great recruiter and a great defensive coach.

What an ignorant statement. You really don't think there are better coaches out there that would take the UConn job? How about I keep it just in New England? I'm not saying that I want any of these guys, but you have to be both blind and ignorant to think that we couldn't do better. Danny Hurley is doing a better job at URI than Ollie is at UConn. Ed Cooley might be a better coach - he's done a pretty nice job at PC with a far more challenging situation. And I think Bill Coen is a terrific coach. Tommy Amaker has been better too. Again, I'm not huge fans of these guys, but at least a couple of them would walk to Storrs for the job.

Kevin Ollie is in the process of making the UConn job an easier job to take too - based on this message board, expectations have lowered and the next coach isn't the guy who has to follow Jim Calhoun. As for hoping that he progresses at player development and coaching offense, those are two of the keys to being successful/employed. He's had (going on) 5 years and it's reasonable to think that some of those questions are starting to look like answers.

 

[mauconnfan]

What an ignorant statement. You really don't think there are better coaches out there that would take the UConn job? How about I keep it just in New England? I'm not saying that I want any of these guys, but you have to be both blind and ignorant to think that we couldn't do better. Danny Hurley is doing a better job at URI than Ollie is at UConn. Ed Cooley might be a better coach - he's done a pretty nice job at PC with a far more challenging situation. And I think Bill Coen is a terrific coach. Tommy Amaker has been better too. Again, I'm not huge fans of these guys, but at least a couple of them would walk to Storrs for the job.

Kevin Ollie is in the process of making the UConn job an easier job to take too - based on this message board, expectations have lowered and the next coach isn't the guy who has to follow Jim Calhoun. As for hoping that he progresses at player development and coaching offense, those are two of the keys to being successful/employed. He's had (going on) 5 years and it's reasonable to think that some of those questions are starting to look like answers.

Wow you called somebody ignorant with the names you throw out there. That's hilarious Sonoma. Danny Hurley? Tommy Amaker? Cooley? and then you truly become ignorant with Bill Coen. yeah they're all nice coaches and they coach at schools with no pressure on winning anything. Check out their boards and the expectations. if they have one. Just need to know how many NC's any of those guys even sniffed never mind won? How many tournament games total have they won? You are truly out of your league calling someone else ignorant, please stop!

 

[Gurleyman]

Ollie gets another year to fix this, but you have to be a blind optimist not be very concerned. The losses to Wagner and BU were with a full roster.

There have been some questionable recruiting decisions (on the surface I think passing on a scorer like Issac Vann was a huge mistake) and for 3 years Ollie has struggled to motivate his team when playing inferior competition. Everyone can see that we tend to play to the level of our competition which is a clear coaching problem.

Bottom line: Ollie gets paid enough money for the fans to expect a better product and it needs to be fixed next year IMO.

Sort of full. Diarra was out. Gilbert lost almost all of preseason going back to the summer, significantly stunting his growth curve to get ready for the college level. Durham had pretty much lost the last two years and in an ideal world would have redshirted this year to get his legs back. Larrier was healthy, but shaking off some rust.

It was going to take a little time for it all to gel. I felt pretty good about how things were setting up for this year and next year. I'm in KO's corner (you don't go on the run we did in 2014 without being able to coach and get the most out of your guys - and the last two years we did peak in the postseason), but next year is going to be important. Gilbert-Adams-Larrier-MAL-Durham-Enoch are all top 50 recruits and Adams should be an All-America candidate with some more refining. With a nucleus like that and a league like this, we need to crawl out of this hole.

 

[James]

What an ignorant statement. You really don't think there are better coaches out there that would take the UConn job? How about I keep it just in New England? I'm not saying that I want any of these guys, but you have to be both blind and ignorant to think that we couldn't do better. Danny Hurley is doing a better job at URI than Ollie is at UConn. Ed Cooley might be a better coach - he's done a pretty nice job at PC with a far more challenging situation. And I think Bill Coen is a terrific coach. Tommy Amaker has been better too. Again, I'm not huge fans of these guys, but at least a couple of them would walk to Storrs for the job.

Kevin Ollie is in the process of making the UConn job an easier job to take too - based on this message board, expectations have lowered and the next coach isn't the guy who has to follow Jim Calhoun. As for hoping that he progresses at player development and coaching offense, those are two of the keys to being successful/employed. He's had (going on) 5 years and it's reasonable to think that some of those questions are starting to look like answers.

yeah tommy amaker, its not like he was 14-16 last year! ed cooley, really?

 

[Sonova]

Wow you called somebody ignorant with the names you throw out there. That's hilarious Sonoma. Danny Hurley? Tommy Amaker? Cooley? and then you truly become ignorant with Bill Coen. yeah they're all nice coaches and they coach at schools with no pressure on winning anything. Check out their boards and the expectations. if they have one. Just need to know how many NC's any of those guys even sniffed never mind won? How many tournament games total have they won? You are truly out of your league calling someone else ignorant, please stop!

Piss off. Steve Fisher won a title too and I wouldn't consider him a great coach by any means. In the coaching profession, Kevin Ollie got put on third as a pinch runner and you think he hit a triple. Yes - those coaches are doing a better job than Kevin has these last few years. You disagree. Fine. But I think you're wrong. Andthe ignorant comment was directed at the statement that there are no good candidates out there who would take the UConn job.If you don't think it's harder for Bill Coen to win at Northeastern than it is for Kevin Ollie to win at UConn, you don't know much about coaching college basketball.

 

[Sonova]

yeah tommy amaker, its not like he was 14-16 last year! ed cooley, really?

You mind want to hold off dumping on a 14-16 record...and as much as I'm not a Cooley guy, he's done a very good job at Providence.

 

[James]

You mind want to hold off dumping on a 14-16 record...and as much as I'm not a Cooley guy, he's done a very good job at Providence.

hasn't won a single game in the ncaas. hurley hasn't even been the ncaas. You just have blind hate towards KO its ok, we get it. Constructive criticism of his coaching and pd is one thing, but suggesting all these mediocre coaches and claiming we would be better off with them is insanity.

 

[mauconnfan]

Piss off. Steve Fisher won a title too and I wouldn't consider him a great coach by any means. In the coaching profession, Kevin Ollie got put on third as a pinch runner and you think he hit a triple. Yes - those coaches are doing a better job than Kevin has these last few years. You disagree. Fine. But I think you're wrong. Andthe ignorant comment was directed at the statement that there are no good candidates out there who would take the UConn job.If you don't think it's harder for Bill Coen to win at Northeastern than it is for Kevin Ollie to win at UConn, you don't know much about coaching college basketball.

Piss off? lol. Bill Coen, you're off you're rocker. I admit I don't know much about "coaching" college basketball but I can see what's going on and think I know our program pretty well. Install any of those names and we become UMass, simple. To not see that proves you know nothing about the coaching landscape but feel free to continue you are very entertaining in your rookie posts.

 

[mauconnfan]

You mind want to hold off dumping on a 14-16 record...and as much as I'm not a Cooley guy, he's done a very good job at Providence.

It can happen anywhere - Duke, Indiana, UNC do you know anything or are you just a whining dope? Bad year, injuries quit piling on like a whiny little bi*ch.

 

[Paesano]

He makes more money per year than ollie @ wichita state, he isn't coming here. what other candidates do you have? hint; there are none.

Uconn just has to sit tight and hope KO progresses @ player development and coaching offense. Hes a great recruiter and a great defensive coach.

Good god, some of you guys are either hopelessly dense or intentionally intellectually dishonest. It doesn't matter if you think the Wichita state coach would come to UConn or not. Upstater claimed no mid-major coach COULD come to UConn and recruit top 100 guys. I gave one example of someone that COULD. Hint; there are more.

And this notion that we HAVE to sit tight is just total BS too. First of all, you have no proof that a guy like the Wichita State coach wouldn't come to UConn. That is your OPINION. I disagree. If you want to argue that we SHOULD sit tight, I would entertain that argument and ask you for how long.

Let me ask people one question. If you go back to 1985 and watched that Calhoun guy coaching at Northeastern. Would you think he could do a better job than today's KO? If you say yes you are either delusional or a liar!

 

[Sonova]

Piss off? lol. Bill Coen, you're off you're rocker. I admit I don't know much about "coaching" college basketball but I can see what's going on and think I know our program pretty well. Install any of those names and we become UMass, simple. To not see that proves you know nothing about the coaching landscape but feel free to continue you are very entertaining in your rookie posts.

Ah the cagey veteran of an internet message board who calls people "rookies." You go old fella. Good one. I know one helluva lot more about the entire situation with UConn and college basketball than you could ever hope to. Im cool with that. And really, my point isn't that any of them should be the next UConn head coach - I said as much. My point is that they're doing a better job than Kevin Oillie. And that's scary.

 

[James]

Good god, some of you guys are either hopelessly dense or intentionally intellectually dishonest. It doesn't matter if you think the Wichita state coach would come to UConn or not. Upstater claimed no mid-major coach COULD come to UConn and recruit top 100 guys. I gave one example of someone that COULD. Hint; there are more.

And this notion that we HAVE to sit tight is just total BS too. First of all, you have no proof that a guy like the Wichita State coach wouldn't come to UConn. That is your OPINION. I disagree. If you want to argue that we SHOULD sit tight, I would entertain that argument and ask you for how long.

Let me ask people one question. If you go back to 1985 and watched that Calhoun guy coaching at Northeastern. Would you think he could do a better job than today's KO? If you say yes you are either delusional or a liar!

Yeah theres just a bunch of jim calhouns coaching mid majors. you're being unrealistic and living in the past.

 

[champs99and04]

hasn't won a single game in the ncaas. hurley hasn't even been the ncaas. You just have blind hate towards KO its ok, we get it. Constructive criticism of his coaching and pd is one thing, but suggesting all these mediocre coaches and claiming we would be better off with them is insanity.

I think Cooley is better than mediocre, but your point is correct. There isn't anybody out there that is an obvious upgrade over Ollie that would be willing to take the job, and even if there was, I'm not sure how we pay him. Funny thing is that if we had ended up with Shaka Smart people would be running him out of town right now, too.

It's easier to get better at coaching than it is to get better at recruiting. Ollie's proven he can do both, just not at once yet. I'm pretty sure he'll get there, even if that process might have been delayed a bit by the injuries. Gilbert and Durham being hurt were just killers - five star kids who would have been studs in 2017-18 along with Adams, Larrier, and Hami (still think he comes if this season wasn't such a disaster).

 

[Paesano]

Yeah theres just a bunch of jim calhouns coaching mid majors. you're being unrealistic and living in the past.

Hmm, well, I have to conclude that you are just intellectually dishonest. I never said there were a bunch of Calhouns coaching mid-majors. Nice strawman. My point was, if there is one, you wouldn't recognize him as such. You really have no idea if there is one. It is not unrealistic to say there might be. It is cynical to say there definitely isn't. And there are probably several guys that are at least as good as Ollie, if not better, while still falling short of Calhoun.

Look, I am willing to give the guy one more year. All I am saying is that four straight bad and/or mediocre years is unacceptable. If this season was an isolated bad season, fine, no problem, Calhoun had them too. But it isn't. It is the third one IN A ROW. But, even given that, I am OK with seeing what happens next year. I am just not afraid to test the coaching waters if we see a fourth in a row. Sure, the AD and Herbst could screw up and hire someone even worse. Or, they could assemble a good search committee and find that next coaching diamond in the rough. Or, something in between.

Let me ask you something, which I doubt you will answer but just dodge by presenting another strawman. What would it take for you to say, enough, we need to let KO go and look for another coach?

 

[upstater]

I wouldn't necessarily call it a bad year, but for good (never mind top) programs, it's a bare minimum season, especially when bookended by years of missing the tournament. Nice that we won the conf tournament, and Jalen's shot was indeed a part of the month's highlight reel. But if we are satisfied by being a mid level AAC team (at best) with our facilities, tradition and Ollie's recruited talent, we deserve this misery.

Newsflash back at you - top players aren't coming to play for a program that isn't making the tournament or a coach who isn't putting guys into the league. And in the circles that matter, the whispers are starting that he is a guy who isn't developing talent. Whether that changes or not remains to be seen. But top 100 talent will come to UConn for the near term because it's UConn. They really don't give a about said coach's label or whether they came from a mid level program. Kevin Ollie is a "name" (for now) because he's at UConn.

And if you don't think that there are more than a few who are better college coaches at programs lower than UConn (heck look around the AAC and youll see a few) you're more daft than I thought. And that's saying something.

Kevin Ollie spent 13 years in the NBA and won a national championship at UConn with players he largely developed.

That is why they come to UConn.

How is Florida recruiting these days without Donovan?

2017: #96, #150, 204, #233
2016: #124, #194, #283

This is a P5 school with multiple luxuries UConn doesn't have.

1. Warm weather
2. A much-remarked upon student body
3. P5
4. Two games against Kentucky each year.

Their recent history ain't bad either with 2 NCs, and they even have a good OOC schedule: Duke, Gonzaga, Florida, St.

Look at those recruiting numbers once again. They ain't pretty.

That's reality.

 

[James]

@Paesano if he struggles for a few more seasons and we don't see the tourney. I have a hard time believing we will miss the tourney next season. Also, last season was not bad or mediocre, no matter what asterisk you add, we still won a tourney game. year before that we lost three pros. Its not as simple as going and getting a random mid major coach, your recruiting will take a major hit and the brand will diminish.