I don't always post at halftime

[Rocktheworld]

But when I do, it's when we score 21 points.

The bigs have carried us for the most part thus far. BU has been abysmal with the ball. Nobody can shoot. But the staff actually coached them in to an offense that got good looks against the zone; it really came down to players not finishing at the rim and Purvis and Jalen shooting horrifically in general. I'm scared of the reality of the near future of having to have Purvis play 30+ minutes a game regardless of his performance

I don't know what it is about these players still making the same mistakes game after game and not showing up to start games. It can't be coaching. You can't tell me KO isn't reviewing the scouting report. You can't tell me KO isn't reviewing film. I don't think the players all have severe learning disabilities. So what is it? Are the players just lackadaisical in their preparation? What is so weird is that preparation is what KO is famous for. KD and LeBron are just two of many pros who have spoken to KO's preparation and leadership and ability to change entire team cultures for the better. If he can do that with the greatest players in the NBA, why can't he get this team to show up for BU at home?

WHY CAN'T HE REEEEEEECH THEESE KEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEDSSSSSS

 

[boog204]

Changing "team culture" has absolutely nothing to do with having any clue on how to coach. I think the players love KO and vice-versa. They just all, collectively, seem to be clueless.

 

[Rocktheworld]

Changing "team culture" has absolutely nothing to do with having any clue on how to coach. I think the players love KO and vice-versa. They just all, collectively, seem to be clueless.

I don't care who their players are. If a coach wins a NC, they have a clue on how to coach.

 

[boog204]

I don't care who their players are. If a coach wins a NC, they have a clue on how to coach.

KO is a vastly different coach 2014 versus now... Lots has to do with the players. But when jackasses in a chatroom can see the issue, why can't the coach? And if the players aren't doing what you ask, bench them.

 

[Rocktheworld]

KO is a vastly different coach 2014 versus now... Lots has to do with the players. But when jackasses in a chatroom can see the issue, why can't the coach? And if the players aren't doing what you ask, bench them.

There are only 8 players.

And thank you for proving my point. We saw KO make masterful adjustments to out-coach Jay Wright, Tom Izzo, and Billy Donovan (and Cal if you happen to care). He didn't suddenly forget how to coach. This is not coaching.

 

[jrazz12]

But when I do, it's when we score 21 points.

The bigs have carried us for the most part thus far. BU has been abysmal with the ball. Nobody can shoot. But the staff actually coached them in to an offense that got good looks against the zone; it really came down to players not finishing at the rim and Purvis and Jalen shooting horrifically in general. I'm scared of the reality of the near future of having to have Purvis play 30+ minutes a game regardless of his performance

I don't know what it is about these players still making the same mistakes game after game and not showing up to start games. It can't be coaching. You can't tell me KO isn't reviewing the scouting report. You can't tell me KO isn't reviewing film. I don't think the players all have severe learning disabilities. So what is it? Are the players just lackadaisical in their preparation? What is so weird is that preparation is what KO is famous for. KD and LeBron are just two of many pros who have spoken to KO's preparation and leadership and ability to change entire team cultures for the better. If he can do that with the greatest players in the NBA, why can't he get this team to show up for BU at home?

WHY CAN'T HE REEEEEEECH THEESE KEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEDSSSSSS

Did you post at halftime of the 2011 title game? Because we had 19 points then

 

[Rocktheworld]

Did you post at halftime of the 2011 title game? Because we had 19 points then

Sadly I actually barely remember anything from that night. I was a junior at UConn. All I really remember is climbing on top of the transformer on the Southwest corner of the Union during the rave they set up with the Women's team on stage shaking --- out of a huge pine tree to "All I Do Is Win", then a few hours later banging my ex's friend

 

[jrazz12]

Sadly I actually barely remember anything from that night. I was a junior at UConn. All I really remember is climbing on top of the transformer on the Southwest corner of the Union during the rave they set up with the Women's team on stage shaking --- out of a huge pine tree to "All I Do Is Win", then a few hours later banging my ex's friend

This is a high quality post

 

[Thirty Three]

There are only 8 players.

Our guys don't set decent screens the majority of the time (among many other simple, important, basic fundamentals). Think about that for a minute. Setting screens is the easiest thing to do, yet the most important part of running an efficient offense. It is also the easiest thing in the world to teach, you literally just stand there. Yet our guys don't even set decent screens, and KO obviously isn't holding them accountable. If they were held accountable in practice and were forced to screen correctly it would obviously carry over to games, and our offense would be more efficient. Really, really simple stuff. You have to start with a solid foundation, you cant build success off crappy fundamentals (of which we have a lot). What's scarier is that the terrible screening, as well as several other bad basic fundamentals, have been ongoing issues not new to this season.

 

[upstater]

I don't care who their players are. If a coach wins a NC, they have a clue on how to coach.

Especially when you are going against Hall of Fame coaches with players who are not as talented as the opposition. Florida, Michigan St., Kentucky, all these teams had more talent on the floor. They were coached by Izzo, Donovan and Calipari.

 

[Rocktheworld]

Our guys don't set decent screens the majority of the time (among many other simple, important, basic fundamentals). Think about that for a minute. Setting screens is the easiest thing to do, yet the most important part of running an efficient offense. It is also the easiest thing in the world to teach, you literally just stand there. Yet our guys don't even set decent screens, and KO obviously isn't holding them accountable. If they were held accountable in practice and practiced screening correctly it would obviously carry over to games, and our offense would be more efficient. Really, really simple stuff. You have to start with a solid foundation, you cant build success off crappy fundamentals (of which we have a lot).

Exactly. It's culture, not coaching. Which, as I said originally, is so odd that KO can get NBA players serious about fundamentals and preparation but can't get college kids to do it

 

[upstater]

Our guys don't set decent screens the majority of the time (among many other simple, important, basic fundamentals). Think about that for a minute. Setting screens is the easiest thing to do, yet the most important part of running an efficient offense. It is also the easiest thing in the world to teach, you literally just stand there. Yet our guys don't even set decent screens, and KO obviously isn't holding them accountable. If they were held accountable in practice and practiced screening correctly it would obviously carry over to games, and our offense would be more efficient. Really, really simple stuff. You have to start with a solid foundation, you cant build success off crappy fundamentals (of which we have a lot). What's scarier is that the terrible screening, as well as several other bad basic fundamentals, have been ongoing issues not new to this season.

Is it that he wants them running some kind of offense not meant for the college level? Does he have something in mind meant only for the NBA?

 

[HuskiesAllDay]

I don't care who their players are. If a coach wins a NC, they have a clue on how to coach.

KO is really testing that theory these days.

I still love and support KO and realize he is probably our best chance at remaining a relevant program. But I am absolutely convinced at this point that Jim Calhoun did all of the game planning and scouting during our 2014 NCAA tournament. And am starting to think that he had an earpiece and was directing ko during the games.

There's is no other explanation. With the exception of those 6 games, the entirety of Kevin ollies career here we've played like this. Same mistakes. Same crap offense. Same crap inbounds plays. Same crap screens. Same crap rebounding. Same lazy box outs. Same slow starts. Same lazy d.

Crap crap crap. It's all crap. honestly what are we any good at? What have we ever been good at since that title? Besides foul shooting.

This isn't championship level coaching. It isn't even mid major level coaching at this point.

I have no idea what's going. And I still believe in KO, but since that title, for years now, we have seen basically zero player development. We've tried 5th year seniors. Transfers. Nobody ever gets any better.

Brimah has shown some small improvements this year but he's more or less the exact same player he was as a freshman.

Rodney and Kentan are literally the exact same as when they came in. Rodney improved his shooting but that's it. Everything else is exactly the same. Omar Calhoun zero improvement (he actually got worse). The list goes on and on.

I watch all these other games and all these guys surprise me at how much better they look. And then I watch us....

We've been decimated by injuries this year. But there is no excuse for us to look this bad against teams like BU, chamimade, and Wagner.

It really sucks.

 

[UConnfan8]

As Hamidou Diallo watches from the tv (or stands?) and thinks....man, am I really gonna turn down UK for this?

 

[Huskyforlife]

As Hamidou Diallo watches from the tv (or stands?) and thinks....man, am I really gonna turn down UK for this?

He's already been sold by Ollie that he will be "The Man" his freshman year, maybe KO saw this coming?

 

[WrenchFan69]

Our guys don't set decent screens the majority of the time (among many other simple, important, basic fundamentals). Think about that for a minute. Setting screens is the easiest thing to do, yet the most important part of running an efficient offense. It is also the easiest thing in the world to teach, you literally just stand there. Yet our guys don't even set decent screens, and KO obviously isn't holding them accountable. If they were held accountable in practice and were forced to screen correctly it would obviously carry over to games, and our offense would be more efficient. Really, really simple stuff. You have to start with a solid foundation, you cant build success off crappy fundamentals (of which we have a lot). What's scarier is that the terrible screening, as well as several other bad basic fundamentals, have been ongoing issues not new to this season.

The two times we screen a game look really good though. It's so frustrating. Tonight I think we set two effective screens and got two very good looks out of them.

 

[rayrayfor3]

The two times we screen a game look really good though. It's so frustrating. Tonight I think we set two effective screens and got two very good looks out of them.

THIS. We are SO LAZY off the ball it is incredible; every screen set is half-a$$ed and nobody is able to get open. Because of this there is absolute no flow to the offense and we just rely on our guards to break down their man off the dribble, it's a joke how KO allows this.

 

[Waquoit]

These guys don't play very hard. Let's start there.

 

[BUConn10]

There are only 8 players.

And thank you for proving my point. We saw KO make masterful adjustments to out-coach Jay Wright, Tom Izzo, and Billy Donovan (and Cal if you happen to care). He didn't suddenly forget how to coach. This is not coaching.

You guys remember in the 2014 title game when Shabazz literally pushed Boatright out of the way and told him exactly where to go and what play to run? That's stuff you almost never see at the college level, that's the sign of an incredibly high IQ player and a leader that commands complete respect from his team. Having a concensus All American like that can make coaching easier, especially when your play book is NBA inspired and requires actual NBA level ball handling to be successful, which we had in Shabazz and Boat that year. Opposing fans were blown away by how dominan our guards were that year, moreso than the coaching adjustments. But the argument definitely holds merit, you don't win a title in that tourney format without having a basketball mind on your shoulders, so I have no idea what to think.

 

[Rocktheworld]

You guys remember in the 2014 title game when Shabazz literally pushed Boatright out of the way and told him exactly where to go and what play to run? That's stuff you almost never see at the college level, that's the sign of an incredibly high IQ player and a leader that commands complete respect from his team. Having a concensus All American like that can make coaching easier, especially when your play book is NBA inspired and requires actual NBA level ball handling to be successful, which we had in Shabazz and Boat that year. Opposing fans were blown away by how dominan our guards were that year, moreso than the coaching adjustments. But the argument definitely holds merit, you don't win a title in that tourney format without having a basketball mind on your shoulders, so I have no idea what to think.

I can definitely see Alterique getting there in four years.

Half-sad to say but I really like that we will have him through the 2021(!!!) season.

 

[nomar]

I refuse to blame KO for Brimah, Facey and Purvis showing no improvement. That's on them.

Not to say I don't have concerns about KO.

 

[Rocktheworld]

Is it that he wants them running some kind of offense not meant for the college level? Does he have something in mind meant only for the NBA?

That's the only coaching fault I can come up with KO's style. We have heard about his prolific NBA experience, deep knowledge of NBA offenses, and application of said knowledge to a game plan that aims to prepare UConn players (who are [should be] often considered prospective pros) for the next level.

Well, maybe KO hasn't recruited enough NBA-level caliber and he's still trying to force DHam-shaped blocks through a Rip-shaped holes. Let's see when he has a full line-up of serious talent the next two years.

 

[boog204]

There are only 8 players.

And thank you for proving my point. We saw KO make masterful adjustments to out-coach Jay Wright, Tom Izzo, and Billy Donovan (and Cal if you happen to care). He didn't suddenly forget how to coach. This is not coaching.

He absolutely outcoached all of them and he had players who knew how to play who he put in a great situation to succeed.

He now has players, who are talented but need to be coached on how to do things. We have not seen those things occur. Thirty-Three talked about basic screening that has been absent for essentially three years. Against the zone last night, we seemed to ignore the gaping hole in the middle of the zone 85% of the time. When we did have someone at the foul line, we got good shots. That is beating a 2-3 zone 101. If he is coaching them to do that, and they're not, then bench them and put in a walk-on to prove the point. I guarantee a walk-on would bare minimum do what you ask.

Back to the 8 player thing, we have played no different from when we had 10 players at the start of the season. Saying we are limited seems irrelevant to the same structural/organization problems we are seeing on the court. Our offense was, well, offensive last year and the year before too. But there are no changes ever made. Back to your original point. KO is a great guy. People seem to love him. I believe he works his butt off. But that does not mean that he is great game coach who can adjust to what another team does to him.

 

[Kitaman]

I don't care who their players are. If a coach wins a NC, they have a clue on how to coach.

Perhaps but the true test is when its his team, meaning his players and coaching staff. Not saying you are wrong but just that a 'new' clock has started and true results will be proven in say 5 years.

 

[Milo65]

Sadly I actually barely remember anything from that night. I was a junior at UConn. All I really remember is climbing on top of the transformer on the Southwest corner of the Union during the rave they set up with the Women's team on stage shaking --- out of a huge pine tree to "All I Do Is Win", then a few hours later banging my ex's friend

Sadly???? No, sounds glorious