Incoming UConn men’s basketball walk-on Andre Johnson Jr. ‘will make somebody better in practice’ | The Boneyard

Incoming UConn men’s basketball walk-on Andre Johnson Jr. ‘will make somebody better in practice’

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The two walk ons could have received scholarships to play elsewhere but gave that option up to come to UConn. It’s terrific we are getting two players who, with this decision, demonstrate they bleed blue and white. Given the angst this forum went through just a few months back over transfers I feel grateful to see this attitude.

Anything they provide is icing on the cake. We just graduated a player who worked hard and exceeded the expectations of his ranking. In line with the wrench concept I hope one of these two ultimately get the moniker “nail gun”.
 
bendm said:
sure but we dont have a full roster we only have 10 scholarship players
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10 scholarship players and 2 (possibly 3) walk ons is more than enough to go into the season with. 1 scholarship is reserved for Castle, 2 they are keeping open in case of other reclass scenarios. Obviously a Castle reclass would be ideal for this season but lets not act like they NEED to bring in 2 other scholarship players
 
NotADime89 said:
10 scholarship players and 2 (possibly 3) walk ons is more than enough to go into the season with. 1 scholarship is reserved for Castle, 2 they are keeping open in case of other reclass scenarios. Obviously a Castle reclass would be ideal for this season but lets not act like they NEED to bring in 2 other scholarship players
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They aren't going to go into the season with 3 open scholarships so I don't know what the point of this post is.
 
NotADime89 said:
10 scholarship players and 2 (possibly 3) walk ons is more than enough to go into the season with. 1 scholarship is reserved for Castle, 2 they are keeping open in case of other reclass scenarios. Obviously a Castle reclass would be ideal for this season but lets not act like they NEED to bring in 2 other scholarship players
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Except Dan Hurley has publicly stated otherwise. He said they're looking to fill 2 more scholarships and keep the 13th open
 
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navery12 said:
Except Dan Hurley has publicly stated otherwise. He said they're looking to fill 2 more scholarships and keep the 13th open
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That was before 2 preferred walk-ons that could've gotten scholarships to play college basketball (somewhere).

Could it be that Hurley was behind the curve on recruiting through the transfer portal, learned from his mistakes, and recruited 3 transfers this year.

And now he is now ahead of the curve in response to the new landscape by using preferred walk-ons to fill the end of the bench instead of 3/4 star recruits which may decide to transfer after a year
 
bigknight3 said:
That was before 2 preferred walk-ons that could've gotten scholarships to play college basketball (somewhere).

Could it be that Hurley was behind the curve on recruiting through the transfer portal, learned from his mistakes, and recruited 3 transfers this year.

And now he is now ahead of the curve in response to the new landscape by using preferred walk-ons to fill the end of the bench instead of 3/4 star recruits which may decide to transfer after a year
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Except they couldn't have gotten scholarships to play elsewhere. Andre Johnson Jr didn't get a single D1 scholarship offer. Emmett Hendry barely exists on the internet and doesn't even have a recruiting profile. They're walk ons who seem to have talent but these are not D1 players that are going to keep us from filling scholarships

The idea of going into next season with 10 scholarship players and 2 walk ons is patently absurd. I'm astounded anyone here is seriously suggesting that not only as a legitimate option but a good one.
 
I said elsewhere. I didn't say D1. Although it was reported that Johnson was getting D1 calls prior to the influx of extra players due to the COVID-19 extra year logjam and the transfer floodgates being opened.

You say it's absurd, but they same level players you want to recruit are the ones who were frustrated enough by something within the program (lack of playing time?) to transfer out after their first year.

I also didn't say this will definitely happening or that I think it's a good idea. I'm just saying it's possible that this decision was make to get through this year without reliving what happens when you bring on players that could become disgruntled and could potentiality damage program culture of on their way to the transfer portal next of season.

Your view point is based on the basketball landscape prior to the 1 year transfer role with the extra Covid option.

Hurley's decision could be bring on the two walk-ons to keep the flexibility open for a Castle reclass after he plays on the Under18 National team or the '23 PF that could reclassify to '22.

Or bank the scholarships for next year when he knows what his roster construction needs will be after Newton and Alleyne decide if they intend to stay for a second season at UConn.

Why don't we wait and see instead of making definitive statements.
 
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bigknight3 said:
I said elsewhere. I didn't say D1. Although it was reported that Johnson was getting D1 calls prior to the influx of extra players due to the COVID-19 extra year logjam and the transfer floodgates being opened.

You say it's absurd, but they same level players you want to recruit are the ones who were frustrated enough by something within the program (lack of playing time?) to transfer out after their first year.

I also didn't say this will definitely happening or that I think it's a good idea. I'm just saying it's possible that this decision was make to get through this year without reliving what happens when you bring on players that could become disgruntled and could potentiality damage program culture of on their way to the transfer portal next of season.

Your view point is based on the basketball landscape prior to the 1 year transfer role with the extra Covid option.

Hurley's decision could be bring on the two walk-ons to keep the flexibility open for a Castle reclass after he plays on the Under18 National team or the '23 PF that could reclassify to '22.

Or bank the scholarships for next year when he knows what his roster construction needs will be after Newton and Alleyne decide if they intend to stay for a second season at UConn.

Why don't we wait and see instead of making definitive statements.
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So then we should be taking D2 level players if these walk ons should be a part of our roster construction?

Because going into next season with a 10 man roster would be a complete disaster. Full stop. You're 1 guy needing to take a rest day during practice away from not even being able to run a real scrimmage

I don't care if the guys we bring on for spots 11 and 12 end up transferring after a year or 2. People here are so terrified of transfers out that they're actively looking to field a worse team next season. I don't get it
 
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Full maybe. That 1 guy slot in your disaster scenario could be filled by Johnson, maybe Castle, maybe Gapare, maybe someone else.
 
Hurley has 10 scholarship players who are all very good and 2 tall preferred walk-on guards who can shoot. I think he feels he could coach them into big east players. I think this is the team going into the fall. I don’t think another scholarship player would get minutes on this team
 
bigknight3 said:
Full maybe. That 1 guy slot in your disaster scenario could be filled by Johnson, maybe Castle, maybe Gapare, maybe someone else.
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Now you're getting it with Castle and Gapare. Filling the roster with D1 talent, what a crazy concept
 
navery12 said:
Now you're getting it with Castle and Gapare. Filling the roster with D1 talent, what a crazy concept
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No, now you're just acknowledging it... Such a crazy concept that it's the same thing I said in my previous post that you disliked!
 
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bigknight3 said:
That was before 2 preferred walk-ons that could've gotten scholarships to play college basketball (somewhere).

Could it be that Hurley was behind the curve on recruiting through the transfer portal, learned from his mistakes, and recruited 3 transfers this year.

And now he is now ahead of the curve in response to the new landscape by using preferred walk-ons to fill the end of the bench instead of 3/4 star recruits which may decide to transfer after a year
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if you dont think they aren't going to be filled then why didnt hurley just give the 2 walk ons the available schollys? he'd still have 1 open for a reclass
 
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bigknight3 said:
No, now you're just acknowledging it... Such a crazy concept that it's the same thing I said in my previous post that you disliked!
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I was disliking the other numerous insane things you said in that post. I agree saving a scholarship for midseason for Castle is smart. Saving one for Gafare to make his decision in the next month or so is smart too. Choosing to actively not recruit D1 basketball players in favor of walk ons is the insane idea I'm arguing against with you
 
NotADime89 said:
0 scholarship players and 2 (possibly 3) walk ons is more than enough to go into the season with. 1 scholarship is reserved for Castle, 2 they are keeping open in case of other reclass scenarios. Obviously a Castle reclass would be ideal for this season but lets not act like they NEED to bring in 2 other scholarship players
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10 scholarship players is not more than enough it's barely enough. i have been saying all along that due to the new transfer rule it's unrealistic to have a roster full of 4* guys but that means we get a couple 3* guys not D2 guys.

and yes i hope one of our '23 targets commits and reclasses either this summer or midyear. we dont have the PT for any more rotation guys but we still need to be able to practice effectively.
 
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bendm said:
if you dont think they aren't going to be filled then why didnt hurley just give the 2 walk ons the available schollys? he'd still have 1 open for a reclass
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bigknight3 said:
Or bank the scholarships for next year when he knows what his roster construction needs will be after Newton and Alleyne decide if they intend to stay for a second season at UConn.
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bigknight3 said:
Or bank the scholarships for next year when he knows what his roster construction needs will be after Newton and Alleyne decide if they intend to stay for a second season at UConn.
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that doesnt answer the question b/c hurley still coulda given the walk ons a scholarship for just this year. paying for 3 years is still better than 4.
 
bendm said:
that doesnt answer the question b/c hurley still coulda given the walk ons a scholarship for just this year. paying for 3 years is still better than 4.
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Giving a walk-on level player a scholarship year 1 and pulling it for the remaining years isn't the norm vs bringing them in no promises and they may earn a scholarship in their later years of the scholarship is available.

Also Hurley can award them a scholarship any time he wants. So I guess them getting an unused scholarship once the season starts or second semester could be possible. I just don't know why everyone feels the need to have a definitive answer right now.

Also as noted in the Andre Drummond thread there may be different compliance rules in offering a player a scholarship and bringing them in as a recruited scholarship player. Versus bringing them in as a walk-on that can be flipped to a scholarship later.

Them being walk-ons offers us the maximum flexibility in roster construction and gives them a slot to practice with the team without any commitments.
 
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