How often is Geno disappointed by a likely recruit?

[bags27]

Although I've rooted for UConn for ages, I haven't followed the recruiting process, and am amazed by how knowledgeable many BYers are. So I ask this out of even greater than customary ignorance.

When Megan Walker declared, there was little fanfare out of UConn; ditto today about Charli Collier. I assume that Geno was confident or even certain for some time about both of them. How many times has he felt crossed-up by a recruit he was confident he would get? I vaguely recall a case where he (allegedly) tried on the phone to talk a recruit into changing her mind after she had decided against UConn.

As well, a couple of weeks ago Geno remarked that they only invite potential recruits to campus whom they feel they have a good chance of getting. Is that a more recent trend? Has Geno gotten more selective in how he recruits players, even while accepting that "kids today" are more self-involved and that therefore he has to more flexible in what he considers a Uconn-coachable kid?

 

[BobbyJ]

Not sure what you mean by "little fanfare out of UConn". If you mean reaction by the coaches, they can't even comment about any recruit until that NLI is signed and faxed. So you won't hear anything from them about Collier until Nov. of 2017.

 

[EricLA]

Not sure which question you are asking...

1. How often has Geno recruited a kid who ended up not being quite the player he anticipated or...
2. How often has Geno really wanted a kid and not gotten her?

The list for question 2 is obviously a lot longer - kids going back to Catchings (I think Geno recruited her but not sure) and Boo Randall - who Geno recruited pretty hard IIRC. Kids like Pondexter, Vaughn, Harper, Hunter, Ogwumike, Liz Williams, Bone, Reimer, Wilson, Cox, etc etc.

However, I think most UCONN fans can point to kids who came to UCONN - and either transferred, or stayed and didn't quite work out as anticipated. Kids like Charde Houston, Lorin Dixon, Caroline Doty, Nicole Wolf, Heather Buck - who either from injuries, or something between the ears, or something else, just didn't turn into what most UCONN fans thought/hoped for, and probably Geno felt similarly.

 

[bags27]

Not sure which question you are asking...

1. How often has Geno recruited a kid who ended up not being quite the player he anticipated or...
2. How often has Geno really wanted a kid and not gotten her?

The list for question 2 is obviously a lot longer - kids going back to Catchings (I think Geno recruited her but not sure) and Boo Randall - who Geno recruited pretty hard IIRC. Kids like Pondexter, Vaughn, Harper, Hunter, Ogwumike, Liz Williams, Bone, Reimer, Wilson, Cox, etc etc.

However, I think most UCONN fans can point to kids who came to UCONN - and either transferred, or stayed and didn't quite work out as anticipated. Kids like Charde Houston, Lorin Dixon, Caroline Doty, Nicole Wolf, Heather Buck - who either from injuries, or something between the ears, or something else, just didn't turn into what most UCONN fans thought/hoped for, and probably Geno felt similarly.

Thanks, Ericsandiego. The 2nd, actually. And a subset of that. Of course, there are lots and lots of kids that have gone elsewhere, but I'm wondering how often Geno THOUGHT he had a kid and quite surprisingly didn't. Sorry for the ambiguity.

 

[Charliebball]

You're going to have to wait until Geno writes his next book to get an answer to that question..............

 

[huskyd]

Although I've rooted for UConn for ages, I haven't followed the recruiting process, and am amazed by how knowledgeable many BYers are. So I ask this out of even greater than customary ignorance.

When Megan Walker declared, there was little fanfare out of UConn; ditto today about Charli Collier. I assume that Geno was confident or even certain for some time about both of them. How many times has he felt crossed-up by a recruit he was confident he would get? I vaguely recall a case where he (allegedly) tried on the phone to talk a recruit into changing her mind after she had decided against UConn.

As well, a couple of weeks ago Geno remarked that they only invite potential recruits to campus whom they feel they have a good chance of getting. Is that a more recent trend? Has Geno gotten more selective in how he recruits players, even while accepting that "kids today" are more self-involved and that therefore he has to more flexible in what he considers a Uconn-coachable kid?

One thing I noted in reading about CC was that she had given her commitment to UConn during her last visit to campus but chose not to make it public at that time. I think Walker was more of a mystery. All's well that ends well.

 

[Vowelguy]

The list for question 2 is obviously a lot longer - kids going back to Catchings (I think Geno recruited her but not sure) and Boo Randall - who Geno recruited pretty hard IIRC. Kids like Pondexter, Vaughn, Harper, Hunter, Ogwumike, Liz Williams, Bone, Reimer, Wilson, Cox, etc etc.

Nikki Blue, Stephanie Jones, Jackie Stiles, Angie Bjorklund, Jacki Gemelos, ...

 

[RockyMTblue2]

Caroline Doty

I would not put her in the middle of that list. Sure, for her it was injury, but Caroline still pulled her weight and more it a lot of ways. And I love her trick shot videos.

 

[Tonyc]

I think we all need to think how disappointed are those recruits who went elsewhere knowing that their chances of winning of a NC continue to look impossible when you see UConn getting top recruits and transfers.

 

[RockyMTblue2]

I think we all need to think how disappointed are those recruits who went elsewhere knowing that their chances of winning of a NC continue to look impossible when you see UConn getting top recruits and transfers.

It was that or Cry Me A River

 

[Vowelguy]

I think we all need to think how disappointed are those recruits who went elsewhere knowing that their chances of winning of a NC continue to look impossible when you see UConn getting top recruits and transfers.

I think we all need to think that UConn isn't for everyone, and that winning an NC is not the sole reason to pick a school.

 

[BobbyJ]

One thing I noted in reading about CC was that she had given her commitment to UConn during her last visit to campus but chose not to make it public at that time. I think Walker was more of a mystery. All's well that ends well.

That's what's known as a silent commitment. It's fairly common in CFB where a lot of the guys love to be pursued and like to stretch that pursuit out as long as possible while reserving their spot with a school. Also with MBB to a lesser extent. Not so common with the girls BB where the kids tend to be more realistic about their place in the universe. Collier obviously went about it the right way just making sure of her choice with her family before going public.

 

[BroadwayVa]

I would not put her in the middle of that list. Sure, for her it was injury, but Caroline still pulled her weight and more it a lot of ways. And I love her trick shot videos.

if you are pulling Doty, injured or not, out of that list ---I'm taking Charde--Charde was a problem child in some ways--she was a born scorer--with a penchant to 'travel' before the shot. Geno wanted to sit her --but he had no one who could score or play the point on his trapping zone. Charde was excellent in that--in her San Diego HS she scored 3000 or more points. I won't go into her homelessness.

I think we all need to think that UConn isn't for everyone, and that winning an NC is not the sole reason to pick a school.

Why would you put that out---it ruins all the fun. From what you say --players go to ND,Duke, or Stanford to not win NC's???

 

[BroadwayVa]

Not sure which question you are asking...

1. How often has Geno recruited a kid who ended up not being quite the player he anticipated or...
2. How often has Geno really wanted a kid and not gotten her?

The list for question 2 is obviously a lot longer - kids going back to Catchings (I think Geno recruited her but not sure) and Boo Randall - who Geno recruited pretty hard IIRC. Kids like Pondexter, Vaughn, Harper, Hunter, Ogwumike, Liz Williams, Bone, Reimer, Wilson, Cox, etc etc.

However, I think most UCONN fans can point to kids who came to UCONN - and either transferred, or stayed and didn't quite work out as anticipated. Kids like Charde Houston, Lorin Dixon, Caroline Doty, Nicole Wolf, Heather Buck - who either from injuries, or something between the ears, or something else, just didn't turn into what most UCONN fans thought/hoped for, and probably Geno felt similarly.[/QUO

Eric---I can agree some kids didn't work out as expected for injuries Doty, Wolf but he got good time from both while they were healthy
Lorin Dixon--I think he got exactly as expected from her. She was quick and she was fast and she was smart. She came essentially as a package deal. She more than earned her keep. While Lorin had size limitation--so did Heather Buck (she has been beaten into submission elsewhere). Charde I answered elsewhere in this thread--the kid could score and a darn good defender. My IMPRESSION was that Charde was a love hate relationship--Geno loved her game---exactly what he hated I'm not sure. (Tina and Lorin played on the same Christ the King HS team--different years.)

 

[UcMiami]

Bags27 - your question covers a whole lot of territory and you have some pretty good answers already. I think it comes down to:
1. There are a bunch of players that Geno would have liked to coach, that never showed any interest or tepid interest in uconn and so don't even get onto our radar.
2. There are a bunch of kids that Geno recruits hard but choose other schools - Jane Appel, Paris twins going back aways, the O sisters, etc. etc.
3. There are a few kids that Geno really thought were coming and did not. A few of them really annoyed him - Jackie G. who committed early leading Uconn to drop other guards, and then changed her mind, Hunter and a few others who were influenced away, Kia Vaughn heading to Rutgers, etc.
4. EDD - got her and lost her before he ever had a chance to coach her - really, really wanted to work with her - finally got a chance with the NT.
5. There are a few kids that are recruited hard and then shut out by the coaching staff for one reason or another - I can think of a couple who had a bad visit, and a few who took too much convincing.

The coaching staff is pretty good at reading the tea leaves, but there are always going to be some recruits where the final choice is unknown and unreadable - I think Walker and Aj'a Wilson are two that fall into that category.

And Uconn is much more careful in complying with the 'no comments until the LOI is in hand than some other programs that skirt the issue with less carefully regulated twitter comments. That is also true with the information about who is on campus, or is being visited or recruited. Stuff gets out from the recruit's side, but seldom any indication from the Uconn side.

 

[BroadwayVa]

Bags27 - your question covers a whole lot of territory and you have some pretty good answers already. I think it comes down to:
1. There are a bunch of players that Geno would have liked to coach, that never showed any interest or tepid interest in uconn and so don't even get onto our radar.
2. There are a bunch of kids that Geno recruits hard but choose other schools - Jane Appel, Paris twins going back aways, the O sisters, etc. etc.
3. There are a few kids that Geno really thought were coming and did not. A few of them really annoyed him - Jackie G. who committed early leading Uconn to drop other guards, and then changed her mind, Hunter and a few others who were influenced away, Kia Vaughn heading to Rutgers, etc.
4. EDD - got her and lost her before he ever had a chance to coach her - really, really wanted to work with her - finally got a chance with the NT.
5. There are a few kids that are recruited hard and then shut out by the coaching staff for one reason or another - I can think of a couple who had a bad visit, and a few who took too much convincing.

The coaching staff is pretty good at reading the tea leaves, but there are always going to be some recruits where the final choice is unknown and unreadable - I think Walker and Aj'a Wilson are two that fall into that category.

And Uconn is much more careful in complying with the 'no comments until the LOI is in hand than some other programs that skirt the issue with less carefully regulated twitter comments. That is also true with the information about who is on campus, or is being visited or recruited. Stuff gets out from the recruit's side, but seldom any indication from the Uconn side.

Wow

 

[RockyMTblue2]

Bags27 - your question covers a whole lot of territory and you have some pretty good answers already. I think it comes down to:
1. There are a bunch of players that Geno would have liked to coach, that never showed any interest or tepid interest in uconn and so don't even get onto our radar.
2. There are a bunch of kids that Geno recruits hard but choose other schools - Jane Appel, Paris twins going back aways, the O sisters, etc. etc.
3. There are a few kids that Geno really thought were coming and did not. A few of them really annoyed him - Jackie G. who committed early leading Uconn to drop other guards, and then changed her mind, Hunter and a few others who were influenced away, Kia Vaughn heading to Rutgers, etc.
4. EDD - got her and lost her before he ever had a chance to coach her - really, really wanted to work with her - finally got a chance with the NT.
5. There are a few kids that are recruited hard and then shut out by the coaching staff for one reason or another - I can think of a couple who had a bad visit, and a few who took too much convincing.

The coaching staff is pretty good at reading the tea leaves, but there are always going to be some recruits where the final choice is unknown and unreadable - I think Walker and Aj'a Wilson are two that fall into that category.

And Uconn is much more careful in complying with the 'no comments until the LOI is in hand than some other programs that skirt the issue with less carefully regulated twitter comments. That is also true with the information about who is on campus, or is being visited or recruited. Stuff gets out from the recruit's side, but seldom any indication from the Uconn side.

I forgot about Jackie G. Now there was a bullet dodged actually. Shea had knees of steel compared to her.

 

[bags27]

Bags27 - your question covers a whole lot of territory and you have some pretty good answers already. I think it comes down to:
1. There are a bunch of players that Geno would have liked to coach, that never showed any interest or tepid interest in uconn and so don't even get onto our radar.
2. There are a bunch of kids that Geno recruits hard but choose other schools - Jane Appel, Paris twins going back aways, the O sisters, etc. etc.
3. There are a few kids that Geno really thought were coming and did not. A few of them really annoyed him - Jackie G. who committed early leading Uconn to drop other guards, and then changed her mind, Hunter and a few others who were influenced away, Kia Vaughn heading to Rutgers, etc.
4. EDD - got her and lost her before he ever had a chance to coach her - really, really wanted to work with her - finally got a chance with the NT.
5. There are a few kids that are recruited hard and then shut out by the coaching staff for one reason or another - I can think of a couple who had a bad visit, and a few who took too much convincing.

The coaching staff is pretty good at reading the tea leaves, but there are always going to be some recruits where the final choice is unknown and unreadable - I think Walker and Aj'a Wilson are two that fall into that category.

And Uconn is much more careful in complying with the 'no comments until the LOI is in hand than some other programs that skirt the issue with less carefully regulated twitter comments. That is also true with the information about who is on campus, or is being visited or recruited. Stuff gets out from the recruit's side, but seldom any indication from the Uconn side.

Thanks so much for this! It was #3 that I was most interested in, and this allows me to appreciate the cost of getting it wrong: that Geno might not recruit other players whom he might have otherwise got.

It's interesting that colleges have tried to game this uncertainty when it comes to general admission through the use of "early decision." You get preferential consideration if you're willing to commit absolutely should you be accepted. Early "action" admits you early but is non-binding (usually), while early "decision" is (usually) binding on the applicant's part.

 

[Wbbfan1]

Wondering if Geno sees a young player with above average talents and based on talent alone he's interested. Then the research begins and Geno/Coaching Staff become disappointed in what they find out. Could be the player's attitude, family or other reasons that makes Geno, say on talent alone she would help my team, but I just can't recruit her.

Won't mention any names but I was at a an AAU event, Geno was there recruiting one of the Top players in the class. He watched her team play for a couple of games, which were blow outs. The player was a primadonna and let all around her know that she was the best and wasn't paying attention to her team when she was on the bench. You knew by watching Geno's reaction to her antics that she would never become a UConn player. The team was in the Championship game and Geno was talking to those around her, instead of paying attention to the game. IMHO Geno Stopped recruiting her after that weekend. Player ended up as an All American and is still in the WNBA. Elite Players have to fit in the UConn System, otherwise Geno won't recruit them regardless of their talent level. Some in AAU Circles say UConn's coaching staff is arrogant and its the UConn way or the highway and it does turn off many players and their families. Fortunately because of Geno and UConn's successes they're still able to get Elite Players who want to be the best and win National Championships. UConn is not for everbody and there are many players who would fit in at UConn and be the player/teammate that Geno wants, but they want nothing to do with UConn for any number of reasons.

 

[Shorty Dee]

There was a player who went to Notre Dame. Geno and the player's parents thought she was committing to UConn, and on the last day to sign the NLI, she changed and went to Notre Dame.

 

[UcMiami]

Thanks so much for this! It was #3 that I was most interested in, and this allows me to appreciate the cost of getting it wrong: that Geno might not recruit other players whom he might have otherwise got.

It's interesting that colleges have tried to game this uncertainty when it comes to general admission through the use of "early decision." You get preferential consideration if you're willing to commit absolutely should you be accepted. Early "action" admits you early but is non-binding (usually), while early "decision" is (usually) binding on the applicant's part.

It is one of the reason Geno is leery of both offering a scholarship and accepting a verbal commitment as early as many schools do. The 'must have visited campus before an offer is made' meme was disproved with the offer and acceptance by Tiffany Hayes who had never been to the state much less the school, but he must have had an excellent visit with her and her family and felt confident of her serious desire to play at Uconn. It still remains a rare occurrence.

Someone posted a Christmas wish list of commitments on here, and I didn't post there but felt fall of Junior year is really early for kids to make this momentous a decision - I think it speaks to the seriousness of Collier and her family that it appears Geno was very glad she could commit at this point. If he had doubts that she was truly ready for it, he probably would have suggested she wait until the spring to make it public.

 

[bags27]

Didn't Collier "commit" (can't be the right word!) to TX at an absurdly young age--7th or 8th grade--but then "reopen" recruitment? Sounds to me that this is someone who doesn't particularly enjoy the wooing process and wants to make a public declaration and move on with her life. Maybe that's part of the reason why Geno took her commitment to UConn so seriously.

 

[UcMiami]

Wondering if Geno sees a young player with above average talents and based on talent alone he's interested. Then the research begins and Geno/Coaching Staff become disappointed in what they find out. Could be the player's attitude, family or other reasons that makes Geno, say on talent alone she would help my team, but I just can't recruit her.

It probably happens most of the time - and it isn't just the reasons you listed, but also the simple problem that a lot of kids are just not interested in Uconn for any of a wide range of reasons. They may feel flattered by the contact, but it just isn't something they want. I think the coaching staff probably has very well tuned radar, to detect that 'I'm flattered' response from the I'm flattered, and I am really interested' one - saves wasting a lot of time on both sides.

 

[UcMiami]

Didn't Collier "commit" (can't be the right word!) to TX at an absurdly young age--7th or 8th grade--but then "reopen" recruitment? Sounds to me that this is someone who doesn't particularly enjoy the wooing process and wants to make a public declaration and move on with her life. Maybe that's part of the reason why Geno took her commitment to UConn so seriously.

Yes - but I think those really early commitments are usually about something other than basketball - a strong family connection, the first actual scholarship offer, etc.

I think it was DT who spoke about getting her first scholarship offer at a very young age from some minor California school and being really excited and telling her parents that she knew where she was going to college and had her life all planned out - her parents tempered her excitement and she never made a public announcement and things worked out very differently.

 

[HGN]

I forgot about Jackie G. Now there was a bullet dodged actually. Shea had knees of steel compared to her.

Rocky , you got that right...........Talk about knees of glass.