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I know there have been quite a few posts about who you would want to take over when JC hangs 'em up. As I replied to that latest one wondering if I really had any strong convictions for any one or two attainable candidates, this topic popped into my head.
What I'm asking is, if you could have any active college coach, regardless if there was little to no chance of getting him, who would you want and why? I'm sure each of us will have a different criteria. Mine is to have a coach that would not only win here at UConn, but have a personality I like and a style of play that I enjoy watching. I don't want someone who's going to run a Princeton type offense. I don't want some arrogant SOB.
That last one might sound strange considering JC is out tough SOB and comes across abrasive to a lot of folks. He adds so much to the entire package such as an incredible contagious will to win and never back down attitude. He's loyal to his guys. Note that not all that come to UConn end up JC endeared, but the ones that aren't are the ones that can't handle his tough love. He's a great teacher of the game and has shown his ability to adapt to the personnel he has most years. I'm occasionally critical with him in this area on occasion. I thought the primary offense (dribble penetration) he ran last season didn't fit the team particularly well and a more motion offense would have been better, but the fact is he's won 3 NCs and I've never won a single college game. But all-in-all, he's done well at adapting on both ends of the floor and has even changed his recruiting profile as his coaching experience has developed.
Getting back to my criteria, I want a coach that cares a lot about UConn and his players. I prefer one that likes a transition style of offense and recruits for it, but also stresses both transition and half-court defense. I want a coach who has contagious toughness and will to win, something that I've respected JC throughout the years. I've seen way too many coaches that you can tell when they are broken on the side line when things aren't going well, where the team then tends to follow.
If there is one thing IMO that defines Husky hoops, it's toughness. It doesn't bother me nearly as much when a team beats us because they are more talented, as it does when a team beats us because the wanted it more and out-willed and out-hustled us.
I want a coach that holds his players accountable for the little things, such as boxing out, fighting over screens, diving for loose balls, squaring to the basket when shooting, especially inside. It drives me nuts when I see some post players never learn to square their shoulders to the basket when in the paint. Oriakhi is a perfect example of a kid who was here for 3 years and still continued to take off-balance shots where his body is often at poor angles to the basket. As boring as Tim Duncan often looks, he's a player who learned how to get his body in the right balance and angle. You'd think players would get this after a year or two...but I digress.
As to who I'd want regardless how attainable he might be...hum...I gotta put some thought into it. Oh, and picking JC, as much as many of us would like to, is not an option. One cannot replace oneself.
So any takers on this topic?
What I'm asking is, if you could have any active college coach, regardless if there was little to no chance of getting him, who would you want and why? I'm sure each of us will have a different criteria. Mine is to have a coach that would not only win here at UConn, but have a personality I like and a style of play that I enjoy watching. I don't want someone who's going to run a Princeton type offense. I don't want some arrogant SOB.
That last one might sound strange considering JC is out tough SOB and comes across abrasive to a lot of folks. He adds so much to the entire package such as an incredible contagious will to win and never back down attitude. He's loyal to his guys. Note that not all that come to UConn end up JC endeared, but the ones that aren't are the ones that can't handle his tough love. He's a great teacher of the game and has shown his ability to adapt to the personnel he has most years. I'm occasionally critical with him in this area on occasion. I thought the primary offense (dribble penetration) he ran last season didn't fit the team particularly well and a more motion offense would have been better, but the fact is he's won 3 NCs and I've never won a single college game. But all-in-all, he's done well at adapting on both ends of the floor and has even changed his recruiting profile as his coaching experience has developed.
Getting back to my criteria, I want a coach that cares a lot about UConn and his players. I prefer one that likes a transition style of offense and recruits for it, but also stresses both transition and half-court defense. I want a coach who has contagious toughness and will to win, something that I've respected JC throughout the years. I've seen way too many coaches that you can tell when they are broken on the side line when things aren't going well, where the team then tends to follow.
If there is one thing IMO that defines Husky hoops, it's toughness. It doesn't bother me nearly as much when a team beats us because they are more talented, as it does when a team beats us because the wanted it more and out-willed and out-hustled us.
I want a coach that holds his players accountable for the little things, such as boxing out, fighting over screens, diving for loose balls, squaring to the basket when shooting, especially inside. It drives me nuts when I see some post players never learn to square their shoulders to the basket when in the paint. Oriakhi is a perfect example of a kid who was here for 3 years and still continued to take off-balance shots where his body is often at poor angles to the basket. As boring as Tim Duncan often looks, he's a player who learned how to get his body in the right balance and angle. You'd think players would get this after a year or two...but I digress.
As to who I'd want regardless how attainable he might be...hum...I gotta put some thought into it. Oh, and picking JC, as much as many of us would like to, is not an option. One cannot replace oneself.
So any takers on this topic?
