I don't know why you take everything I write to an extreme and take it out of context. I never said or implied that
all Geno had to do was to come calling and players would flock to UConn. I said players would consider coming to UConn if Geno did come calling. What I was saying that Geno seems to recruit mainly elite players. You also choose to take some of my words too literally to fit your agenda. I knew Geno was recruiting more then the literal definition of the word couple (2) My point which IMHO you knew was in 2013 Geno's primary emphasis was recruiting the elite players, which the list of players you named seemed to bear this out. Unfortunately for him and us fans, he didn't succeed in getting any of the Elite Ranked Players. IMHO it was unlikely that they would sign with UConn in 2013 because of the existing roster and the #1 ranked 2012 class. As it turns out that's what happened. Now I not saying Geno should not have made an effort to get these players as the result could have been different. However, if the reporting/blogging of the Horde is accurate, the coaching staff didn't have many fall back positions when these players said no.
Taya Reimer was willing to say Yes and if what has been written is accurate, Geno was the one that suggested she not give an early verbal and she kept looking. Ultimately choosing Notre Dame instead of UConn. You wouldn't believe the reason she gave some, as the reason why she chose Notre Dame over UConn. BTW, I'm not questioning Geno's decision to not accept Taya's verbal, I'm only writing what has been reported. Obviously if we compare Courtney Ekmark to Taya, Geno felt more comfortable accepting Courtney's early verbal and still had questions about Taya when she offered hers.
It was highly unlikely that UConn would have been able to get Karlie Samuelson away from Stanford because of family ties to Stanford. Just as I also believe that if a player is accepted by Stanford's admission process, it will be difficult for UConn to sign the player. Should Geno stop recruiting these players, of course not as most likely any player capable of fitting in and playing for Stanford, can play for Geno. Who knows they might say yes to UConn. As it has been reported UConn was very close to getting some players that decided to go to Stanford. I'm just being realistic and saying the odds don't favor UConn when it comes to players deciding between Stanford and UConn.
For whatever reasons, 2013 was not a successful recruiting year for UConn and IMHO Geno and the coaching staff's involvement with the Olympic team for two years was one of the reasons. The other being IMHO too much emphasis on the elite players instead of players that might not have the talent to start in their Freshmen/Sophomore year but still could significantly contribute coming off the bench for four years.
One of the common traits during game day threads for a number of years is how little contribution Geno receives from the bench players. We don't read about it as much this year in comparison to prior years, but I expect we will again next year. There has to be reasons why the players that Geno signs to be role players don't work out. Why is it that UConn doesn't develop the players that sit on the bench for two years and then contribute significant minutes and production in their Junior and Senior years? Jessica Moore & Maria Conlon might be the last players that weren't highly ranked that Geno signed that ended up contributing significant minutes and production in their Junior and Senior years.
I'll repeat what I've said previously I'm glad Geno's the coach at UConn and wouldn't want another. His success in recruiting elite players and coaching has given UConn 7 championships and have been in the running for others. However, I wish he was more successful in recruiting players that end up being players 8-12 on the depth chart. Too many times UConn role players are out performed by less talented teams and sometimes even by the opposing teams role players.
I asked a friend who knows a guy who's cousin works with the father of someone that might know Davis. He told me that Davis would have gone to UConn if Geno asked but he was too busy recruiting the other elite players.
I think Davis's exact quote was "Geeze, all he had to do was ask!".
