How can UConn's deep, talented roster eliminate weaknesses during practice?

[husky429]

Taller than Samson?

Taller than Samson?

Nope. Good call on that

 

[navery12]

I don't think Akok being an over 30% three point shooter is hard at all to envision. He's a 27% three point shooter for his short injury plagued career. He has really nice form. I think a finally healthy season and a tick over 30% is inevitable, it also doesn't mean he's getting drafted after this seaon.

Depends how high over 30% he goes, if he's shooting mid 30s then yeah I think he's gone. I'm not talking an early pick, but I don't think his plan was ever to be here this long. Injuries really changed the whole trajectory of his career

 

[husky429]

Depends how high over 30% he goes, if he's shooting mid 30s then yeah I think he's gone. I'm not talking an early pick, but I don't think his plan was ever to be here this long. Injuries really changed the whole trajectory of his career

Not sure he was ever a two and done regardless of the injury with the lack of offensive skill he showed his freshman year. Gonna be tough at his age and with an achilles tear in his history now too unless he's really developed his ballhandling and shooting.

Hurley's comments about Johnson and Akok fighting for that backup 4 spot doesn't have me thrilled about how Akok has recovered. Johnson is a super athlete, probably taller and faster than Akok at the same age... but VERY low skill right now. Low than Akok was coming out of hs and he wasn't known for being a skilled player.

 

[NJHusky]

Potential other hiccup is that Jackson's fast-paced, dynamic play style is kind of opposed to Sanogo's who is a slow-it-down in the frontcourt kind of player.... curious to see how we balance that.

If we are mostly playing slow half court offense, our team isn't going to be very good.

I think u guys have isolated the keystone-Pace of play. Hurley hasn’t shown an interest in being a fast paced team. Guys like AJ and Akok would flourish in that style, but not sure about guys like Cole and Sanogo.
Do we have one group that runs and another that plays more half court? Or does it need to be one or the other.

 

[superjohn]

Not sure he was ever a two and done regardless of the injury with the lack of offensive skill he showed his freshman year. Gonna be tough at his age and with an achilles tear in his history now too unless he's really developed his ballhandling and shooting.

Hurley's comments about Johnson and Akok fighting for that backup 4 spot doesn't have me thrilled about how Akok has recovered. Johnson is a super athlete, probably taller and faster than Akok at the same age... but VERY low skill right now. Low than Akok was coming out of hs and he wasn't known for being a skilled player.

I would also like to hear more about Akok but fighting for minutes with Samson probably doesn't mean he hasn't recovered well. Samson is the 8th ranked center in his class and has immense talent.

 

[husky429]

I think u guys have isolated the keystone-Pace of play. Hurley hasn’t shown an interest in being a fast paced team. Guys like AJ and Akok would flourish in that style, but not sure about guys like Cole and Sanogo.
Do we have one group that runs and another that plays more half court? Or does it need to be one or the other.

It's all talk, no action. It sounds good for recruiting and coaches know the #s usually support playing fast. Everybody says they want to play fast, but it's really hard as a coach to give up the control that playing fast requires. You have to accept more TOs and easy buckets for the other team at times, and judge the risk/reward of hopefully getting MORE easy points for yourself. It's not easy. Coaches are control freaks.

I'd be perfectly fine with being a mid-slower paced team if we continue to recruit high levels of skill and shooting that slower pace requires. Houston and Nova are both very successful teams that can play both an aggressive defensive style, but still tend to play slower.

 

[MTBingNinja]

Potential other hiccup is that Jackson's fast-paced, dynamic play style is kind of opposed to Sanogo's who is a slow-it-down in the frontcourt kind of player.... curious to see how we balance that.

excellent point

 

[Kenny11]

I think Polley might actually be the tallest guy on the team.

Man, if Polley could rebound a lot of coaches would play him at center.

 

[husky429]

Man, if Polley could rebound a lot of coaches would play him at center.

I mean he's too skinny to defend the position. But if he could rebound he could be a decent 4

 

[CL82]

Also... a lot of the stuff with Jackson depends on how much license coach gives the guys to play fast. Jackson will do much better if he can run, run, run. Coach likes to talk about running a lot, but it never translated to games except for that one season at URI. I think he's only had 1 season being top 100 in pace ever.

Potential other hiccup is that Jackson's fast-paced, dynamic play style is kind of opposed to Sanogo's who is a slow-it-down in the frontcourt kind of player.... curious to see how we balance that.

If there ever was a team built to run, it’s this year‘s team, with the exception of Sanogo. Then again he just needs to rebound and outlet the ball. Let the other guys fill the lanes. I think we’ll run this year, out of a necessity. Because if we don’t, it’s going to be a long tough slog. We will have to create opportunities off our defense.

 

[ClifSpliffy]

Man, if Polley could rebound a lot of coaches would play him at center.

'Man, if Polley could rebound a lot of coaches would play him at center.'
if?
'Wenn meine Oma Räder hätte, wäre sie ein Trolleywagen'
(classic german saying: ''if my grandma had wheels she would be a trolley car')
lol.

 

[auror]

Also... a lot of the stuff with Jackson depends on how much license coach gives the guys to play fast. Jackson will do much better if he can run, run, run. Coach likes to talk about running a lot, but it never translated to games except for that one season at URI. I think he's only had 1 season being top 100 in pace ever.

Potential other hiccup is that Jackson's fast-paced, dynamic play style is kind of opposed to Sanogo's who is a slow-it-down in the frontcourt kind of player.... curious to see how we balance that.

It's all talk, no action. It sounds good for recruiting and coaches know the #s usually support playing fast. Everybody says they want to play fast, but it's really hard as a coach to give up the control that playing fast requires. You have to accept more TOs and easy buckets for the other team at times, and judge the risk/reward of hopefully getting MORE easy points for yourself. It's not easy. Coaches are control freaks.

I'd be perfectly fine with being a mid-slower paced team if we continue to recruit high levels of skill and shooting that slower pace requires. Houston and Nova are both very successful teams that can play both an aggressive defensive style, but still tend to play slower.

Hurley has 3 years in top third (1-115) of pace. 4 years in the middle (116-230). And 4 years quite slow (230-345). He's adaptable.

We played extremely slow on offense last year, but hopefully that was just because Bouknight could get his own shot in halfcourt (and/or we had nobody to get a shot when he was hurt until Sanogo emerged).

Sanogo has apparently slimmed, so might be able to get up and down better.

 

[Chin Diesel]

If there ever was a team built to run, it’s this year‘s team, with the exception of Sanogo. Then again he just needs to rebound and outlet the ball. Let the other guys fill the lanes. I think we’ll run this year, out of a necessity. Because if we don’t, it’s going to be a long tough slog. We will have to create opportunities off our defense.

I expect way more 62-60 games than 83-81 games. It's in Hurley's nature to dig in and claw it out. I'll go on a limb and say UConn has more games against their top 150 opponents where the winning score is less than 70 than there will be games where the winner is over 70.

I hope I'm wrong. As others have said, I'd love to see this team defensive rebounding, outlets and quick transition baskets and halfcourt sets which are brisk and quick. I just don't see that with Hurley saying Sanogo is a big part of the offense and primary low post option. Even if we allow for a bunch of transition buckets where they don't need Sanogo down low, if they want to get him good looks in halfcourt sets, it's going to take a lot of motion and movement to get him isolated in a good spot to receive the ball and get the ball in the hoop.

 

[husky429]

Hurley has 3 years in top third (1-115) of pace. 4 years in the middle (116-230). And 4 years quite slow (230-345). He's adaptable.

We played extremely slow on offense last year, but hopefully that was just because Bouknight could get his own shot in halfcourt (and/or we had nobody to get a shot when he was hurt until Sanogo emerged).

Sanogo has apparently slimmed, so might be able to get up and down better.

His fastest season was what, 85 at URI?

It's a stretch to call him adaptable on offense IMO

 

[Get a Job]

'Man, if Polley could rebound a lot of coaches would play him at center.'
if?
'Wenn meine Oma Räder hätte, wäre sie ein Trolleywagen'
(classic german saying: ''if my grandma had wheels she would be a trolley car')
lol.

My favorite is "hätte, hätte, Fahrradkette." It's synonymous to our "woulda, coulda, shoulda" but translates to something like "woulda coulda bicycle chain."

 

[auror]

His fastest season was what, 85 at URI?

It's a stretch to call him adaptable on offense IMO

What would you call equal numbers in each third? He's either adaptable or random.

 

[Chief00]

It's all talk, no action. It sounds good for recruiting and coaches know the #s usually support playing fast. Everybody says they want to play fast, but it's really hard as a coach to give up the control that playing fast requires. You have to accept more TOs and easy buckets for the other team at times, and judge the risk/reward of hopefully getting MORE easy points for yourself. It's not easy. Coaches are control freaks.

I'd be perfectly fine with being a mid-slower paced team if we continue to recruit high levels of skill and shooting that slower pace requires. Houston and Nova are both very successful teams that can play both an aggressive defensive style, but still tend to play slower.

I agree, if you have the athletes and we do, it really comes down to a coach not being a control freak. That’s a struggle for Danny. Sometimes your best qualities can also be your worst.