Jacobs Q+A with KO

[UConnSwag11]

Jacobs could have done better. The one thing he admitted that was decent was that he's specifically looking for more basketball IQ in players but you don't come away from the interview with much that we didn't know IMO. In the next one I expect "ten toes in" and "UConn basketball."

yeah that coaches are recruiting players while they're at other schools

 

[Whtdmd]

The three transfers feed off one another. Probably sharing how it sucks here stories. I am surprised with Steve, him n Diarra were well spoken individuals who always were cheerful. They had the confident walk. I am not surprised with Durham, he never looked comfortable here. Hopefully last yr was our 2010 team that had a lot of talent n did not produce. The 2011 team was unranked and I was just hoping for a tournament berth back then. I remember then trailing vermont at halftime, thinking it was going to be a long yr. I hope Ollie name 2 captains ( Adams n Larrier) fast. Kemba would never tolerate the BS with the 3 parting amigoes from last yr.

 

[intlzncster]

ten toes in with a team first attitude. That is the one thing that Purvis really displayed to me over time. He sat on the bench at times and fought his way back to the court appearing to have the right attitude.

I respect the hell out of that dude. I wish he could have put it all together consistently, but I've no complaints about him coming to and playing at UCONN.

 

[intlzncster]

It's obvious that KO is learning and changing his approach, which obviously hasn't been working. That's good.

The question is, why did it take 5 years to figure out that you can't just recruit for talent and that you need to have a feel for who actually wants to be here, who's actually willing to buy in and work hard?

It's especially surprising given that KO was a "lunch pail" sort of player himself, and that his success in 2013-2014 was largely predicated on that sort of buy-in and toughness (Bazz, Boat, Giffey, etc.). He should have had an appreciation for this from the outset.

He didn't have a whole lot of choices when he started, given that he was handicapped recruiting wise. This brought in some subpar players, and he probably over compensated by looking for absolute studs to fill out the team.

I think too that he was dealing with all sorts of 'firsts' HC-wise. Learning how to manage all facets of a program can't be that easy. So that takes time away, from focusing on the absolute correct way to do something like recruit. The default was 'get the best talent', and he's learned that's not the way to go.

It's tough in a way that he won a NC his second year, because that probably validated a lot of his thinking going into his career. Why would he think of changing what he was doing when he just won it all? He needed to fail, before recognizing there was a problem.

Also, he had the echo chamber of UCONN assistants with no outsider perspective. Notice that he's starting to change his tune now that new blood (and voice) has come into the program.

 

[uconnphil2016]

Kind of a hardo move to quote Art of War

 

[Marty Jackson]

Jalen Adams was a top guard. UConn recruited him almost exclusively. UConn has always had success by recruiting one or two real talents to feature.

UConn should not ignore that.

Think of how key players like Kemba Walker and Deandre Daniels have been. These were high level 5 star recruits.

Daniel Hamilton and Jalen Adams are in the same category.

Of course, yes, what makes UConn special is the Jeremy Lambs, Emeka Okafors, Shabazz Napiers, etc. that did not have that very high pedigree. But Ollie has already reeled in two such players in Adams and Hamilton. Also a McD All-American in Alterique Gilbert. It would be preposterous to say Ollie should not recruit these types of players anymore just because of Diallo.

I thought Bazz was a very high recruit.... But for the following year.
Didn't Calhoun bring him in for an earlier recruiting class in the 12th hour to fill an open scholarship?

 

[rip7774]

I thought Bazz was a very high recruit.... But for the following year.
Didn't Calhoun bring him in for an earlier recruiting class in the 12th hour to fill an open scholarship?

Seemed like Shabazz was in the 50s or so but you could see he was a shotmaker on the vids. Yes, he came a year early. He may have been the right age to reclassify I recall (meaning older for that jr. class so a reclass made sense).

I remember where I was when Shabazz committed. Maybe I should be committed!!!!

 

[Dogdeacon]

Kind of a hardo move to quote Art of War

I'm fine with quoting the Art of War, but (nitpicking) I find it a little precious to cite it.