If you were AD

[my2cents]

When KO goes is TBD, but its pretty obvious he HAS to.
JC always had big athletic players that rebounded and blocked shots that led to easy transition baskets. Those days are over. Its now a half court game where we are now scoring 60 points a game, and losing.
Half court games, you need outside shooting ...so you can get spacing on the floor for the drivers ie Jalen Adams. No spacing , clog fest.
KO recruited 4-5 players who are interchangeable...long, athletic....but little basketball skills, and NO shooters.
Wichita, ranked 8th in the nation...had shooters Shamet, Francamp and Reeves ( the last two, for sensitive reasons not to be mentioned) would never be recruited at UCONN)

We need a new coach who understands how to evaluate and recruit SHOOTING.

 

[Palatine]

I would get Calhoun involved.

 

[willie99]

Give Ollie this year AND next to see if the reset button he pushed 7 or 8 months ago is going to work. He has two good kids waiting in the wings NOW, and a decent start to next year's recruiting class. The program is in a much better place today than it was 7 or 8 months ago, have to see if that progress continues

The only way I let him go early is if there are too many more games like Auburn, that was an embarrassing performance. But if they play more like they did against AZ and Wichita St, then I give him this year and next

 

[UConnDad]

I’d be building a trebuchet large enough to fire a grown man clear off campus.

An awesome new addition to my vocabulary Fishy! I've often contemplated an ejection seat or the wood chipper but this is an interesting solution. I'm too optimistic by nature to consider this for Husky hoops however.

 

[CTBasketball]

If he’s willing to sit thru another year(s) like this, then keeping him is the best and cheapest option.

 

[Hugo]

I'll say the unpopular opinion.

If I'm the AD, I evaluate the situation after the season is over, whereby the main criteria is "are we better positioned for success now than prior to the season?"

That considers the final record and any post-season performance. That considers recruiting and roster health. That considers development of players. And that also considers expert opinions (no, not ones from the Boneyard). I would be talking to Calhoun, for sure, and other people in the field.

And thankfully, I suspect that Dave Benedict will do all of those things and behave accordingly...

Don't know why you would consider this an unpopular opinion. It is the reasonable and logical process to take. However I would add two items: understand the team's overall chemistry and their relationship with the staff and begin, if not already in process, an initial behind the scenes search on who might be available and interested in the head coaching job if the decision is to terminate KO.

 

[huskyrob1]

Give Ollie this year AND next to see if the reset button he pushed 7 or 8 months ago is going to work. He has two good kids waiting in the wings NOW, and a decent start to next year's recruiting class. The program is in a much better place today than it was 7 or 8 months ago, have to see if that progress continues

The only way I let him go early is if there are too many more games like Auburn, that was an embarrassing performance. But if they play more like they did against AZ and Wichita St, then I give him this year and next

Do we have even ONE kid waiting right now on a good chance for some interest from the NBA??? Like we had in prior years? The answer to that is definitely no, and that includes JA who can't make an open jump shot for his life, or go 5 min without a turnover, and sadly he is our best player. Lol. This is all on KO and his staff. One more year is one more year we fall farther into the abyss.

 

[Hugo]

I give KO this season and next with the recruits coming in for next season. If it is still the same, he is gone.

The decision needs to be made at the end of this season. No sense in waiting another year.

 

[Brochacho]

Dan Hurley, Tom Moore, Donyell Marshall, Glen Miller.

 

[willie99]

Do we have even ONE kid waiting right now on a good chance for some interest from the NBA??? Like we had in prior years? The answer to that is definitely no, and that includes JA who can't make an open jump shot for his life, or go 5 min without a turnover. This is all on KO and his staff. One more year is one more year we fall farther into the abyss.

I disagree with the premise of your argument, we shall see. We do have recruits ranked as high as any we have had under the coach I love as much as anybody, JC. So I'm going to suggest that your statement is categorically incorrect. And AG is actually one of a dozen or so burger boys we've ever had.

I will concede we have to see if KO can get these kids to the next level, and it's unlikely he'll be as successful as JC in doing such because JC was arguably the best of all time in developing players.

 

[Hugo]

Yes, house cleaning

Any new HC will demand to hire his own staff.

 

[Hugo]

You have no idea. I'm so glad you're not in charge. You know it would get worse with a new coach, right?

How could you possible know that ??????

 

[80shusky]

If I were the AD, I would have realistic expectations and trust the coaching staff and the process.

That's crazy! That's not what you are supposed to do. You are supposed to have wildly emotional reactions devoid of any actual thought.

 

[lange10]

Give Ollie this year AND next to see if the reset button he pushed 7 or 8 months ago is going to work. He has two good kids waiting in the wings NOW, and a decent start to next year's recruiting class. The program is in a much better place today than it was 7 or 8 months ago, have to see if that progress continues

The only way I let him go early is if there are too many more games like Auburn, that was an embarrassing performance. But if they play more like they did against AZ and Wichita St, then I give him this year and next

I’m not buying season tickets next year if Ollie is the coach. For years I’ve heard how hard I was on him. But the problems that exist now for Ollie have existed since he got here. Nothing changes.

 

[lange10]

Dan Hurley, Tom Moore, Donyell Marshall, Glen Miller.

Hurley is going to be picking his staff. David Cox is in his 4th year as a coach at URI, 2nd as associate HC so I'd expect him to be on the staff. Cox was the lead recruiter for 3 of the 4 recruits URI has coming in for 2018 - a top 25 recruiting class.

 

[UCweCONN]

Anyone who thinks Benedict is waiting until the end of the season to evaluate KO is reporting fake news. In fact he’s having weekly progress meetings with him right now. AD Dave is unbelievably forthcoming with fans and alums and he knows the current status quo is unacceptable....as does Ollie. At the end of day Ollie bleeds blue he’s just in so far over his head running every aspect of a big time blue blood program like UConn.

I also think he has a bunch of yes men on his staff. Kevin Freeman is director of basketball operations. How does he still have a job? I'd love to know what his typical day is like.

 

[willie99]

I’m not buying season tickets next year if Ollie is the coach. For years I’ve heard how hard I was on him. But the problems that exist now for Ollie have existed since he got here. Nothing changes.

If they play many more games this year like they played against Auburn and Arkansas, I'm with you.

But if their effort looks more like the games vs AZ and Wichita St, then they're going to win a bunch of games and we'll both be back

 

[lange10]

If they play many more games this year like they played against Auburn and Arkansas, I'm with you.

But if their effort looks more like the games vs AZ and Wichita St, then they're going to win a bunch of games and we'll both be back

You’re kidding right? They’re division 1 basketball players for UConn. The effort level should always be 110%. That even being an issue is alarming enough.

 

[ConnHuskBask]

If they play many more games this year like they played against Auburn and Arkansas, I'm with you.

But if their effort looks more like the games vs AZ and Wichita St, then they're going to win a bunch of games and we'll both be back

They got blown out by Arizona and Wichita won handily.

You wanna sit around and celebrate 15 and 10 point losses as good efforts?

 

[JMick]

If they play many more games this year like they played against Auburn and Arkansas, I'm with you.

But if their effort looks more like the games vs AZ and Wichita St, then they're going to win a bunch of games and we'll both be back

We're probably looking at a .500 season because of the up and down nature of the effort. That is on the coach. It means either he's not motivating them, demanding enough from them, or that he's recruiting the wrong guys.

 

[Tex-Lager93]

Outside of a scandal, give an example of a college coach who was relieved of their duties during the season for poor performance. It is just not done. KO gets at least until the end of the season to show some sort of progress. Everyone would like to stop the snowball, but firing him now screams panic, and there are buyouts, and kids who have committed to KO as coach, and if necessary, planning for finding a successor. By the way, if you get rid of KO now, those same players still will be offensively challenged, and that snowball won’t stop.

It’s already happened twice this year. And one was in our conference...Jeff Lebo at East Carolina. The other was Mark Price at UNCC. I don’t understand these trust the process comments. This is a sinking ship - a losing season followed by historic losses - the worst season and worst losses in the past 30 years. Yes - we will lose players and recruits - and it will be a rough ride. But, it’s better than watching this slow descent into oblivion.

 

[UCweCONN]

I hope all of you "Give him another year" posters don't invest in the stock market. Yikes.

 

[kemba]

Typically in alignment with you 95% of the time. I just don't understand the benefit of waiting. The body of work is a sufficiently large experience to know things are not going to change. Perhaps $$ are a factor, but at what cost to the program. The damage being inflicted is costing more than his buyout in lost national brand name recognition, free media presence, ticket sales, lost royalty from branding, general applicant appeal, etc.. We are killing the golden goose.

And whats the benefit of doing it now? You aren't hiring a permanent coach now, there's no logical assistant to take over, you lose the recruiting class, you can't go after any recruits we're looking at now. You just make a terrible situation worse for the next few months. At least if you wait to the end of the year, while gauging interest and preparing for the change in the background, there's a chance you can make a quick good hire and have a somewhat smooth transition. Maybe keep some recruits in the fold. Not saying its likely, just don't see the upside to doing it now.

 

[willie99]

You’re kidding right? They’re division 1 basketball players for UConn. The effort level should always be 110%. That even being an issue is alarming enough.

so what about by statement do you disagree with again? why am I kidding?

the only thing I see here is you begging the question

 

[willie99]

We're probably looking at a .500 season because of the up and down nature of the effort. That is on the coach. It means either he's not motivating them, demanding enough from them, or that he's recruiting the wrong guys.

long way to go, I expect to see a more consistent effort and better play going forward

others don't, we shall see