Howard considering UConn?

[oldude]

I was actually talking about the 14-15 team that rebounded better.

I get that Baylor doesn't face the same competition that UConn does but they were still an incredible rebounding team, not just against lesser opponents.

That was a pretty fair rebounding team as well with Stewie, Tuck healthy again & Stokes having her best year. They played 13 ranked teams, beating only 12.

IMO, Steph made the prior year’s team a better rebounding team, but it was close.

 

[01Neaggrad02]

any word on this and the other player?

 

[Charliebball]

any word on this and the other player?

they are making the rounds.......Miss State, South Carolina........didn't seem to be in a hurry but who knows...........

 

[MilfordHusky]

Don’t expect anything re the TAMU kids. If there was mutual interest, we would have heard. Staff are focused on 2019-21.

 

[biobioprof]

they are making the rounds..Miss State, South Carolina...didn't seem to be in a hurry but who knows......

Miss State people reported that Anriel and Promise Taylor from Ole Miss were visiting this weekend. Which struck me as odd timing because Vic was around A&M for Aggie Muster on Saturday night.

Mississippi State coach, Aggie Vic Schaefer addresses Brazos County A&M Club Muster

 

[Charliebball]

Don’t expect anything re the TAMU kids. If there was mutual interest, we would have heard. Staff are focused on 2019-21.

I think Howard has one more visit but I agree the odds aren't in UConn's favor on those two transfers...........going to have to go with what they got next year...........Geno may finally have to play what's left of his bench whether they practice well or not.....

 

[Charliebball]

Miss State people reported that Anriel and Promise Taylor from Ole Miss were visiting this weekend. Which struck me as odd timing because Vic was around A&M for Aggie Muster on Saturday night.

Mississippi State coach, Aggie Vic Schaefer addresses Brazos County A&M Club Muster

Vic is really looking to collect additional big people.........if I'm not mistaken, he already has two big recruits coming in next year

 

[UConnCat]

The poster bbballfan23 correctly posted earlier today that no UConn offer was extended to Howard. Not a good fit. I do think Williams would be welcomed at UConn but I'm guessing she stays in Texas.

 

[Charliebball]

Word is, we didn’t offer Howard. Time to move on. Not sure about Williams. I’m sure Geno is skeptical to mess up chemistry at this point. Plenty of talent to win, still. More defined roles. Sounds like he’s comfortable with what he has.

I'm not sure I'd use the word "comfortable" with what he has.....................based on his comments/actions regarding his bench last year, I'd say a better word would be "resigned" to work with much of what he has......................of course things can still change between now and the fall...........

 

[oldude]

I'm not sure I'd use the word "comfortable" with what he has......based on his comments/actions regarding his bench last year, I'd say a better word would be "resigned" to work with much of what he has.......of course things can still change between now and the fall......

So here's the way I would look at the potential transfer of Howard & Williams if I were Geno. I know what I'm going to get from Lou, Pheesa & Crystal, and that will be a lot. MW likely starts at the spot vacated by Gabby/Z, hopefully Touly steps up and ONO develops quickly enough to be a Z-type replacement off the bench. Kia's 2-guard spot is certainly a concern. But if I'm convinced that Mikayla should be healthy, and somewhere in the Mikayla/Molly/CW trio, I can find a solid starter as well as a capable reserve, I now have a 7-8 player rotation that will undoubtedly be better by the end of the season than the beginning.

In looking at Howard and/or Williams, the first thing I ask myself is are either of them substantially better than what we will have when the Big Dance rolls around next March? I think the answer to that question may well be no. If that's so, while Howard & Williams will provide some depth and experience early on, they have to learn the system and while they are getting PT, to some degree they will delay the development of younger players who may well be better in the long run.

Particularly if Geno is convinced that MW, Mikayla, CW & ONO have solid to star potential, he may well be inclined to play the hand he was dealt. It would send a very strong message to the returning bench players as well as the 2 incoming freshmen that Geno believes in them. The Huskies may take some lumps early on while they are figuring things out, but in the long run they just might have a team that is starting to peak at the right time.

 

[HopJim]

Should also be mentioned, those two aren’t that close so it’s certainly not a package deal. I think williams could be a fit as we need to replace Kia’s shooting.

Agree. Personal assessment is a case could be made that we need a strong ball handling guard more than another rebounder (although I would take both-never have enough rebounds).

 

[Charliebball]

So here's the way I would look at the potential transfer of Howard & Williams if I were Geno. I know what I'm going to get from Lou, Pheesa & Crystal, and that will be a lot. MW likely starts at the spot vacated by Gabby/Z, hopefully Touly steps up and ONO develops quickly enough to be a Z-type replacement off the bench. Kia's 2-guard spot is certainly a concern. But if I'm convinced that Mikayla should be healthy, and somewhere in the Mikayla/Molly/CW trio, I can find a solid starter as well as a capable reserve, I now have a 7-8 player rotation that will undoubtedly be better by the end of the season than the beginning.

In looking at Howard and/or Williams, the first thing I ask myself is are either of them substantially better than what we will have when the Big Dance rolls around next March? I think the answer to that question may well be no. If that's so, while Howard & Williams will provide some depth and experience early on, they have to learn the system and while they are getting PT, to some degree they will delay the development of younger players who may well be better in the long run.

Particularly if Geno is convinced that MW, Mikayla, CW & ONO have solid to star potential, he may well be inclined to play the hand he was dealt. It would send a very strong message to the returning bench players as well as the 2 incoming freshmen that Geno believes in them. The Huskies may take some lumps early on while they are figuring things out, but in the long run they just might have a team that is starting to peak at the right time.[/QUOTE

I think you have it right except that depth is still a major concern.............KLS is coming off of foot surgery...........who knows whether she can deal with a season that should be even more physically challenging then last year..........Crystal's shin splints most likely will return to some degree especially since she will be counted on for more minutes next year..........Camara's nee situation is still a mystery to me and Mikayla Coombs may or may not be playing basketball next season.........the two freshmen, while extremely talented can't be expected to come in and contribute 30 minutes a game.......at least not for an entire season...............be ready for a bumpy but exciting ride........

 

[NewCorn]

My guess is that Howard would have been offered if UConn did not have Touly. I see Touly and Howard as similar type players. The message in Geno not offering Howard is that he expects much from Touly next season. And I think he's right. Williams can help, and I hope she comes.

 

[Vowelguy]

My guess is that Howard would have been offered if UConn did not have Touly. I see Touly and Howard as similar type players. The message in Geno not offering Howard is that he expects much from Touly next season. And I think he's right.

Sorry, but that doesnt seem consistent with everything (or really anything) we know about Geno. If Howard were a fit, he would've offered her. Camara, or any other player, could get injured tomorrow.
And Geno has had quite a bit of success with players who seem to play the same position (eg, Cash-Williams-Jones).

 

[Charliebball]

Sorry, but that doesnt seem consistent with everything (or really anything) we know about Geno. If Howard were a fit, he would've offered her. Camara, or any other player, could get injured tomorrow.
And Geno has had quite a bit of success with players who seem to play the same position (eg, Cash-Williams-Jones).

a total assumption on my part.............he told her that she would have to earn her minutes like everybody else and she only had the one year to do it...........

 

[Vowelguy]

a total assumption on my part...he told her that she would have to earn her minutes like everybody else and she only had the one year to do it......

You really think she went to Storrs expecting to be guaranteed minutes?

Uhhh, unless Ms Howard is dumber than dirt, I highly doubt that.

 

[Charliebball]

You really think she went to Storrs expecting to be guaranteed minutes?

Uhhh, unless Ms Howard is dumber than dirt, I highly doubt that.

I think the way that it was explained to her might have painted a slightly different picture then what she might have imagined...........

 

[donalddoowop]

Or possibly he saw what Pheesa is capable as a sophomore & how much of her rhythm was broken with implementing Z. He has enough talent to win and it’s clear he knows that. No reason to start taking risks with rhythm and team chemistry just because you might be the 2nd or 3rd favorite to win it all.

Why consider any tall player for 2018 if inserting her in the lineup causes rhythm and team chemistry issues? It's the coaches job to make sure that does not happen. Any new recruit could cause rhythm and team chemistry problems if not resolved quickly. It should not have happened with Collier and Z, imo.

 

[ocoandasoc]

I wouldn't read too much into whether either of the A&M ladies received UConn offers or not. They aren't high school students being recruited.

Geno might have told either or both of them "Hey, look around and, when you're done, if you still have an interest in UConn give me a call and we'll talk."

If they were expecting Geno to offer them the moon -- well, they probably wouldn't do well at UConn with that attitude.

But if an honest "When you're ready we can get serious" approach appeals to either of them, well, then all parties might want to explore things further down the road.

It's certain that both will get a strong pitch from every school they visit. They could help ANY team, even just playing a single year. And any talk to the contrary is just rationalizing to ease the disappointment if we don't get either.

 

[HopJim]

I wouldn't read too much into whether either of the A&M ladies received UConn offers or not. They aren't high school students being recruited.

Geno might have told either or both of them "Hey, look around and, when you're done, if you still have an interest in UConn give me a call and we'll talk."

If they were expecting Geno to offer them the moon -- well, they probably wouldn't do well at UConn with that attitude.

But if an honest "When you're ready we can get serious" approach appeals to either of them, well, then all parties might want to explore things further down the road.

It's certain that both will get a strong pitch from every school they visit. They could help ANY team, even just playing a single year. And any talk to the contrary is just rationalizing to ease the disappointment if we don't get either.

All interesting speculation but we will never know. Not sure the space all these guesses take up worth the effort. Geno too professional to comment.

 

[biobioprof]

SIAP:

Article is paywalled but an A&M fan posted some excerpts on TexAgs:

"I think that the comradery that (the coaches) have amongst each other, it highlights each one's strengths. They have a really good coaching staff and that's why they're so successful. Instead of one person doing everything, they're all pulling their own weight."

"She said the reason she might choose them is (Schaefer's) plan for her. He executed a plan for her that falls in line with what she wants. She wants to correct her weaknesses and she wants to go to the WNBA and be a top pick. He believes in her."

"Coach (Johnnie) Harris and I had a conversation and I was saying how a staff should be able to show it and not just talk it. They showed their professionalism and that's how it should be."

One consequence of this is that some A&M fans may be getting over their desire to have Schaefer back when Blair retires. Recruiting players from your mentor's team is one thing. Rushing back to Starkville to do it right after being a keynote for Aggie Muster has bridge burning qualities. Personally I thought he'd be nuts to leave MSU, though.

His kids are supposed to be coming back to TAMU for grad school.

 

[Charliebball]

SIAP:

Article is paywalled but an A&M fan posted some excerpts on TexAgs:

One consequence of this is that some A&M fans may be getting over their desire to have Schaefer back when Blair retires. Recruiting players from your mentor's team is one thing. Rushing back to Starkville to do it right after being a keynote for Aggie Muster has bridge burning qualities. Personally I thought he'd be nuts to leave MSU, though.

His kids are supposed to be coming back to TAMU for grad school.

I think it's always been between South Carolina and Miss State...............the odds of her leaving the south were always small...........many would say worth a shot I suppose

 

[CocoHusky]

I think it's always been between South Carolina and Miss State.....the odds of her leaving the south were always small......many would say worth a shot I suppose

I would say it was NOT worth a shot based on this one single statement form Howard's mother:
" He (Vic) executed a plan for her that falls in line with what she (Howard) wants. She wants to correct her weaknesses and she wants to go to the WNBA and be a top pick."
Geno is not about that life of making plans based on what recruits want. Sure Geno correct players weaknesses but the objective is to make for a stronger team not so individual players can be top WNBA picks. Being a top WNBA pick from UCONN is a byproduct of buying into team and I did not get a sense of "what can I do to help this team" from Howard.
I can't wait for someone to chime in and suggest that Geno change that part of his coaching philosophy also.

 

[Charliebball]

I would say it was NOT worth a shot based on this one single statement form Howard's mother:
" He (Vic) executed a plan for her that falls in line with what she (Howard) wants. She wants to correct her weaknesses and she wants to go to the WNBA and be a top pick."
Geno is not about that life of making plans based on what recruits want. Sure Geno correct players weaknesses but the objective is to make for a stronger team not so individual players can be top WNBA picks. Being a top WNBA pick from UCONN is a byproduct of buying into team and I did not get a sense of "what can I do to help this team" from Howard.
I can't wait for someone to chime in and suggest that Geno change that part of his coaching philosophy also.

I guess that attitude comes with the territory when you only have a single year left to play...........I'm not sure what Vic can teach her that Blair couldn't so it was mostly about escaping A&M............

 

[Vowelguy]

Sure Geno correct players weaknesses but the objective is to make for a stronger team not so individual players can be top WNBA picks.

I think you're being far too generous.
Of course Geno knows that players want to go to the WNBA, and he understands that part of his job is to help get them there.

Being a good teammate and a WNBA prospect are intertwined for Geno.