Is the UConn System Still Relevant going forward?

[Bajan Best]

Known for fostering some of the greatest talents we have witnessed over the last couple of decades, The University of Connecticut Women's Basketball Program has a system that typically over a (4-5) year period, recruits some of the best unselfish individual talents in the world and further develop them into complete Professional Athletes who learn to play together as one unit with arguably a better understanding of the game than most. This system was very effective in dethroning the Late Pat Summit's reign as the dominant program of years past, in WCBB.

But times are swiftly changing. We have seen the impact of quality transfers with immediate eligibility to programs that were just a player or two away from becoming or remaining an impactful team. The question becomes, can any program still rely on the 4-year development of its players? Will players have the patience to be broken down in year one and then built back up in years two and three etc? Or will this new generation of players opt to take advantage of the new Transfer Portal instead?

More so than ever these are very challenging times to be a coach who is not flexible. I for one am looking forward to seeing how the most successful and respected coaching team in WCBB will handle this new era before them. Hopefully, I will remain on this earth long enough to find out.

The next three years should be quite an experience to behold. These are exciting times to be a fan. Let's Go Huskies!!!

 

[rvwsleep]

I'm not enamored with the title.

 

[augustaTC]

Silly title, and anyone who thinks Geno & staff have not have demonstrated flexibility isn't paying attention.

 

[mbr33ct]

 

[HuskylnSC]

YAWN!

 

[veryolddog]

Well........ this year Geno took a bunch of Freshwomen, 1 Sophomore, and 3 Juniors to the Final Four. Most would say, that this was not possible even with the Paige Phenom. Looks like this seems to work. Maybe Geno modifies his approach to the new young people but it looks like the process is the same: passing, defense, advantage of turnovers, working the ball inside, and extreme effort during play and practice.

 

[huskeynut]

It's going to be a long, long summer with these types of posts.

 

[BRS24]

IMHO, the UConn coaching staff prepares players for life after college basketball. There, I said it.

Yes, the goals are to win conference title, conference tourney, NCAA tourney every year, however if you read about former players that discuss current successes and relate it to their UConn experience, it is almost always more than basketball. How they carry themselves in public, sign autographs, get training on how to handle media interviews, etc, etc. Geno said that DT would not be allowed back on campus until she got her degree, and that's what she did. IMBO (biased opinion), UConn players better prepared for the WNBA and overseas leagues. Certain HS players that have that goal in mind know they will be as prepared as can be for the next level after UConn and that's why they go there, regardless of AA honors or playing time.

Renee leaving the game and becoming an owner, Maya working on civil justice, Swin becoming a NBA exec, former players becoming coaches, Rebecca on ESPN, Kara & Meghan on SNY, etc, etc. And yes, there are many more, however these are the first to mind before finishing am coffee.

So, when anyone speaks about the UConn "system", it's more than what we see during games. Unless the transfer system completely takes over women's basketball, I don't see Geno & Chris changing their value system and goals for short term gain. When all the talking heads (some that don't pay attention to WBB until the tourney, or at all) complain that UConn is bad for the game, to me it says they don't know how and why UConn is consistently in the running for the NCAA title every year.

From a personal POV, I coached youth travel soccer with my hub for 8 years, two different girls teams. Started in middle school, took one all the way to senior year, the other through 8th grade. We made it clear to parents and players that we were preparing them for high school, and yes, we knew some of them wouldn't play in HS, however we wanted them to be ready for whatever they chose to do. With our first team, 9 of them as sophomores made varsity. With the second team, I'm guessing at least 6 made varsity. Some switched to other sports. Nonetheless, they were all ready for something at the HS level.

 

[pvdoggy]

I believe Geno has said many times during this past year that he is adapting to coaching this young team beyond just the fundamental of basketball. He obviously understands times are changing but I am also pretty sure that he was not coaching the 2015 team as he did the 2000 team. He is the greatest wbb coach for a reason, he understands how to adapt to different players' strengths and weaknesses.

 

[topogigio]

Interesting title to say the least, but you do raise some very interesting points. Times are indeed changing for college athletics, and I don't think for the better. The concept of a student-athlete in major men's sports has become a joke. Sport programs have become a training ground for top talent to bide time while waiting to go pro. There is no loyalty to school/team/program - just what can you do for me! The women's game has already caught up to this concept in a few areas; transfers and leaving school early to turn pro. NIL will destroy amateur athletics. I know it is too late to turn back, but I pine for the days when kids went to 4 years of college, got a legitimate degree, and honored the generous scholarship they were offered.

 

[Bajan Best]

I'm guessing some of you are blind to the fact if you watched the progression of the men's game, you might have noticed some of the coaches who were relatively successful 15 or more years ago are/were no longer as dominant mostly due to the uncertainty of their players staying for more than a year in their programs..

The women are progressively heading in a similar path, due to the current transferring policy.. IF this trend continues, which it most likely will... I think it will be silly to expect coaches to approach player development and recruitment in the same manner as they do now... This will have an impact on programs like UCONN, like it or not.

The coaches who are able to get the most out of a player or a team in one year will more likely to be successful in winning championships.

I'm sure Pat Summit thought she would be able to use the same approach due to her previous success as well and how did that pan out for her?

 

[Twolf]

Women’s Basketball Transfers: Fall 2020–Summer 2021 - WBB Blog

Continuously updated rundown of women's basketball transfers and potential transfers (transfer portal) from D-I schools, from fall 2020 to summer 2021

wbbblog.com

No team’s system is going to remain the same over the next few years, with the transfer and play immediately environment going forward. Every coach is going to have to recruit their whole team each year, knowing that not everyone is always going to be happy since there are only 200 minutes of playing time available every game, and only 1 ball. A coaching staff will need someone constantly monitoring the portal, someone keeping up on a daily basis on recruits, and who is in charge of evaluation of foreign players?
UConn’s system has had record rate of success because they have all the right people in the right spots, obviously the coaching staff, but also from nutrition, film breakdown, to strength and conditioning (remember CD’s guns?). Everything in the program has to be coordinated.
As long as these things stay stable, there’s no doubt UConn’s system will not only adjust and survive, but continue to be the program others are trying to emulate. Enjoy it, it won’t last forever.

 

[Cuango]

When we start losing 3-6 games in the BE, finish third-fifth in the conference championship, (regular season and/or tournament) only make the elite eight or sweet sixteen, and bring in a recruiting class in the teens, then we can begin to worry that “something” has gone awry! Til then, this kind of talk is like changing your grocery store after shopping there for 30 years because you got a slightly bruised avocado! The truly ridiculous (illustrative) thing is, that the “awful, unthinkable” levels of performance above are actually an improvement for most teams.

 

[AmeriConn]

Known for fostering some of the greatest talents we have witnessed over the last couple of decades, The University of Connecticut Women's Basketball Program has a system that typically over a (4-5) year period, recruits some of the best unselfish individual talents in the world and further develop them into complete Professional Athletes who learn to play together as one unit with arguably a better understanding of the game than most. This system was very effective in dethroning the Late Pat Summit's reign as the dominant program of years past, in WCBB.

But times are swiftly changing. We have seen the impact of quality transfers with immediate eligibility to programs that were just a player or two away from becoming or remaining an impactful team. The question becomes, can any program still rely on the 4-year development of its players? Will players have the patience to be broken down in year one and then built back up in years two and three etc? Or will this new generation of players opt to take advantage of the new Transfer Portal instead?

More so than ever these are very challenging times to be a coach who is not flexible. I for one am looking forward to seeing how the most successful and respected coaching team in WCBB will handle this new era before them. Hopefully, I will remain on this earth long enough to find out.

The next three years should be quite an experience to behold. These are exciting times to be a fan. Let's Go Huskies!!!

Really?

 

[BRS24]

I'm sure Pat Summit thought she would be able to use the same approach due to her previous success as well and how did that pan out for her?

To me, there's a considerable difference of Pat's style of play - the ol' chuck it up, crash the boards, and what Geno does year to year. He's stated that he has to change things based on the personnel, skill level, and understanding the style of play he wants to implement. For instance, he has made similar comments regarding Mir's frosh year as he did with Napheesa ... doesn't always know where/what/how, but is in the right place. Napheesa was a solid player as a sophomore. So, sometimes it takes time for players to absorb and implement what the staff is trying to teach.

 

[BobbyJ]

It's going to be a long, long summer with these types of posts.

The Ignore Thread button is always the summer MVP.

 

[pvdoggy]

I'm guessing some of you are blind to the fact if you watched the progression of the men's game, you might have noticed some of the coaches who were relatively successful 15 or more years ago are/were no longer as dominant mostly due to the uncertainty of their players staying for more than a year in their programs..

The women are progressively heading in a similar path, due to the current transferring policy.. IF this trend continues, which it most likely will... I think it will be silly to expect coaches to approach player development and recruitment in the same manner as they do now... This will have an impact on programs like UCONN, like it or not.

The coaches who are able to get the most out of a player or a team in one year will more likely to be successful in winning championships.

I'm sure Pat Summit thought she would be able to use the same approach due to her previous success as well and how did that pan out for her?

Until the one-and-done comes to the women's game or a much more relaxed rule allowing people to leave for the pros early, I don't think wbb landscape will change that much despite the transfer rule changes, if it becomes permanent. It will still be top-heavy until then.

 

[Redux]

Is the UConn system still relevant going forward?

Yes.

It would be helpful in dealing with the question to understand that system, but the answer is "yes."

 

[bluedevil]

Interesting title to say the least, but you do raise some very interesting points. Times are indeed changing for college athletics, and I don't think for the better. The concept of a student-athlete in major men's sports has become a joke. Sport programs have become a training ground for top talent to bide time while waiting to go pro. There is no loyalty to school/team/program - just what can you do for me! The women's game has already caught up to this concept in a few areas; transfers and leaving school early to turn pro. NIL will destroy amateur athletics. I know it is too late to turn back, but I pine for the days when kids went to 4 years of college, got a legitimate degree, and honored the generous scholarship they were offered.

You are describing the Ivy League for the most part in the things you would like to still see.

 

[Bajan Best]

The beauty of a discussion board is that people with varying point of views, Intellect, Insight, etc can share a thought, and those who want to contribute to that post have every right to do so... The problem is, there are always a few gems on here who feel it is their role to suggest to others what content has meaning or value to everyone else...
I see plenty of other posts on here to which I may think is of no value to me or that I totally disagree with.. You know what I do when I see them, I politely move on to another post that interests me..
If you have nothing nice or meaningful to say, it is probably best to say nothing.

 

[LoboDays]

Relevance is in the eye of the beholder. There will be transfers throughout the sport. The NCAA will continue to change their rules for women to come on par for the men. So, sometime there will be the stars leaving early for the pros. This will be the new way of life for all the programs. But it will hurt the schools with a super star and marginal supporting cast more than schools that re-load every year ..not re- build.

 

[Urshurak]

It continuously baffles me how many of these ridiculous posts people throw up at the end of the season. Just because we didn't win the Natty doesn't mean Geno doesn't know what he is doing. Some people don't seem to understand, at all, how ridiculously hard it is to maintain greatness year after year. What Geno has done is almost God Like. Perspective!!!!!! What you have seen over these last 5 years is parity. Geno is a big part of that and it's good for Women's basketball. Period.

I think there is another thread on here about what "mistakes" Geno has made.

SMH

 

[Bajan Best]

Silly title, and anyone who thinks Geno & staff have not have demonstrated flexibility isn't paying attention.

Many here may agree with your thoughts regarding the title, But I'm willing to bet even Geno takes some introspection at the end of each season. If I can remember correctly he once said that he is always looking for little things here and there to incorporate into his program.... So if someone else asks a question along similar lines, why would that be silly?

A system that is setup to develop players over a four-year period can mostly be successful only if the players stay for the full 4 years. My concern is that players having the ability to leave without sitting out for a year may now opt to do so when the going gets tough. How many former players have later gone on record saying they contemplated leaving the program at one time or the other? Plus don't forget that Coach is always reminding us that kids these days are harder to coach.

And just to be clear, I don't believe I ever said that Geno specifically has not demonstrated flexibility...
my statement was a general statement to coaching in these times.

 

[Bajan Best]

IMHO, the UConn coaching staff prepares players for life after college basketball. There, I said it.

Yes, the goals are to win conference title, conference tourney, NCAA tourney every year, however if you read about former players that discuss current successes and relate it to their UConn experience, it is almost always more than basketball. How they carry themselves in public, sign autographs, get training on how to handle media interviews, etc, etc. Geno said that DT would not be allowed back on campus until she got her degree, and that's what she did. IMBO (biased opinion), UConn players better prepared for the WNBA and overseas leagues. Certain HS players that have that goal in mind know they will be as prepared as can be for the next level after UConn and that's why they go there, regardless of AA honors or playing time.

Renee leaving the game and becoming an owner, Maya working on civil justice, Swin becoming a NBA exec, former players becoming coaches, Rebecca on ESPN, Kara & Meghan on SNY, etc, etc. And yes, there are many more, however these are the first to mind before finishing am coffee.

So, when anyone speaks about the UConn "system", it's more than what we see during games. Unless the transfer system completely takes over women's basketball, I don't see Geno & Chris changing their value system and goals for short term gain. When all the talking heads (some that don't pay attention to WBB until the tourney, or at all) complain that UConn is bad for the game, to me it says they don't know how and why UConn is consistently in the running for the NCAA title every year.

From a personal POV, I coached youth travel soccer with my hub for 8 years, two different girls teams. Started in middle school, took one all the way to senior year, the other through 8th grade. We made it clear to parents and players that we were preparing them for high school, and yes, we knew some of them wouldn't play in HS, however we wanted them to be ready for whatever they chose to do. With our first team, 9 of them as sophomores made varsity. With the second team, I'm guessing at least 6 made varsity. Some switched to other sports. Nonetheless, they were all ready for something at the HS level.

I'm in total agreement with you...
I personally think UConn's system is designed to get the best results both on and off the court, but unfortunately, a lot of these kids may not be as wise or patient as us... We are living in different times, and different times bring different challenges... Only time will tell..

 

[Bajan Best]

Until the one-and-done comes to the women's game or a much more relaxed rule allowing people to leave for the pros early, I don't think wbb landscape will change that much despite the transfer rule changes, if it becomes permanent. It will still be top-heavy until then.

Guess we'll see...
Just this year alone the Transfer portal has been overactive, and not just with the usually disgruntled players?

Hopefully, you are right.. But the more players see other players leaving one school and contributing at another, the more we shall see other players leaving programs in the future.

 

[Redux]

A system that is setup to develop players over a four-year period

I think that's a basic flaw in your view of the "system." Any overview is going to fall short but as I see it (on this limited point only): his system is to develop a player to be productive within his framework, however long it takes. In the past this has probably ranged from a few months of practice and a half-dozen games to most of a first season to two seasons (maybe the norm) to four years to never. Many of the players who never completely got it were still major contributors and starters for years.

Looking at a theoretical four year process you are exaggerating the effect of changes such as transfers and pro-exits. If the pressures from those factors increase it dos not necessarily need to impact the way Geno works. He's still looking for his kind of raw characteristics, he's still helping that individual player develop as fast as she can, he's still (in games) using the best combination of those players he has at hand. On this limited point you raise, nothing really needs to change.

 

[BostonBay]

IMO, Geno needs to simplify his "system", especially when he is recruiting top talent & not winning titles. It's very complex & based on a finesse passing game. More than 1 top player has struggled (& stated so publicly) in learning their "role".

 

[ed4ourgirls]

I'm guessing that the reason kids come to UConn is to be coached by Geno and
be a part of the "UConn System" (whatever that is). There are other factors, sure,
but Geno is the principal draw.

I don't see that changing, portals or no portals.

 

[pvdoggy]

Guess we'll see...
Just this year alone the Transfer portal has been overactive, and not just with the usually disgruntled players?

Hopefully, you are right.. But the more players see other players leaving one school and contributing at another, the more we shall see other players leaving programs in the future.

Have they approved the new transfer rule going forward yet? Even if they do next week, wouldn't it only be a one-time transfer w/o penalty so it's not like a free-agent market where you can change your mind every year? As far as the overactive transfer portal this year, you can count on at most 2 hands the number of players who are game-changer from what I understand, but I understand your point, time are changing, and I am sure Uconn will adapt.

 

[BRS24]

IMO, Geno needs to simplify his "system", especially when he is recruiting top talent & not winning titles. It's very complex & based on a finesse passing game. More than 1 top player has struggled (& stated so publicly) in learning their "role".

Geno's goal is to teach the players how to play basketball, not run set plays for 40 minutes. Read and react, sometimes react quickly before your opponent does. Geno has said numerous times, if you cannot pass and aren't willing to learn, or will not pass the ball, you cannot play at UConn. And yes, this is vague paraphrasing from past articles and interviews.