Kevin Ollie, Future or Not?

[maineuconnfan]

Our inside game is a product of the NCAA suspension and early entry. In one year we lost drummond, oriakhi, smith(all 3 have potential for playing minutes in the NBA)...and of course Michael Bradley, we have had to scrape to find the pieces for big man these couple of years...not to mention, because of the suspension and uncertainty of things at the moment recruiting was extremely difficult. Now that the dust has settled, we will see an inside presence at Uconn, will it always be dominant, probably not, but those of you who really think that we are not going to be able to have any front court presence are crazy. Just like 3Uconn said, we have 1 guy coming in next year, along with three guys who will have another year of development, and probably daniels will be returning if he continues his mediocre play. Bottom line, we are a good team, not a great team...KO is 31 - 12 so far as a head coach. We probably will not be a top 5 team this year, but with the guard play we have we will have an opportunity to do well in the tourney. I think we play up to our competition too often this year, however, we can play up to some good competition as well. If this year is not a success, we will continue to be good. People on here have such an inability to really assess the situations holistically. Knee-jerk reactions are way too common....I enjoy coming on here an getting the scoop from some of the key bloggers, but man...relax a bit.

 

[Athlete94]

Every championship has had a dominant inside/outside threat - other than 1999 and 2011. But the rest of them, yes.

Check your facts, 99 team had Lock down Ricky Moore, Rip Hamilton, El-Amin oh and solid inside game from Voskul, Freeman, Saunders

2011 had oh wait, Lamb, Kemba, like him or not Oriakhi ( don't win it without him), Smith, believe it or not Ohkwandu solid contribution all season.

Um so yes, each UCONN championship team has had the inside out combo. I'm just saying, let's see what Ollie brings in as far as a big man at some point. Great guy/coach, but last I checked, he was a guard and his current staff doesn't have that guy on there to coach the big men. Can't count Freeman (whom I like) because as His role doesn't allow input or coaching in practice or games. GO HUSKIES!

 

[Gurleyman]

Check your facts, 99 team had Lock down Ricky Moore, Rip Hamilton, El-Amin oh and solid inside game from Voskul, Freeman, Saunders

2011 had oh wait, Lamb, Kemba, like him or not Oriakhi ( don't win it without him), Smith, believe it or not Ohkwandu solid contribution all season.

Um so yes, each UCONN championship team has had the inside out combo. I'm just saying, let's see what Ollie brings in as far as a big man at some point. Great guy/coach, but last I checked, he was a guard and his current staff doesn't have that guy on there to coach the big men. Can't count Freeman (whom I like) because as His role doesn't allow input or coaching in practice or games. GO HUSKIES!

You used the word "dominant" to describe our inside-outside combinations. There was nothing dominant about any of those guys. I love Free, Jake and Okwandu (and once loved Oriakhi), but those teams won with heavily guard-oriented attacks. Everyone else played their roles and played them well, but we were by no means balanced.

We don't win without Oriakhi yes, but that doesn't mean he was some sort of dominant player - he was just the only big we had. You could put Rod Sellers or Kirk King or Josh Boone or Eric Hayward or any number of other role playing big guys we've had in that spot and probably gotten the same production/results (and I'd love any of those guys on this year's team). Okafor was transcendent - that's another story entirely, and we had inside-outside balance in other years like 1994, 2006, and 2009. We just rode our guards to the 1999 and 2011 titles.

Your point about needing big men gong forward is very much true, and wouldn't get much debate here. The cupboard was bare on the interior last year when KO started, and we'll need some significant development from our current guys or successfully recruiting over them (or both).

 

[baldinghusky]

This isn't the first time we've scratched our heads at half time as we did it vs UMass (32-9) and Pitt (w/Ray down 21) among others under JC……it happens. This team gets off to slow starts but JC had many like that too….last night was TOO slow unfortunately.

Thank you for a dose of sanity.

 

[boog204]

This isn't the first time we've scratched our heads at half time as we did it vs UMass (32-9) and Pitt (w/Ray down 21) among others under JC……it happens. This team gets off to slow starts but JC had many like that too….last night was TOO slow unfortunately.

Agreed but there should be some concern that our slow starts and second half swoons have been fairly consistent all year. With JC you would have the occasional WTF game/half but it wasn't consistent. Game one we nearly blew a big second half lead and game 13 we go down by 20 against a bad team. In between you have games like a 13 point half against Stanford, a clunker versus BC, and others...

 

[Palatine]

I've been asking for a big man coach since he was hired. Our staff is all PGs and an undersized 4.

 

[Huskybass]

KO will be just fine. It was an off night against a team that played about as well as it could play. It happens.

That said, a legit big man coach would make this team 13-0 rather than 11-2.

 

[cohenzone]

No doubt strength in the middle would help a lot, but the one consistent characteristic of KO's teams has been the tendency to play games of 2 halves that are very different. Last year the team tended not to hold or build on leads even in wins and this year has had a lot of the same. I'd take 11-2 anytime, but realistically, Indiana isn't very good and we struggled to beat them, BC is horrible, and Florida was missing a key piece. Houston isn't a good team and they were missing major pieces. The bottom line is that the team does not seem to play with anything close to uniform intensity throughout the games. On top of that, I agree totally with negative comments regarding play design on O. Way too much dribbling. You'd think a team with 4 guards as coaches would have much better ball movement. The attack against Stanford's zone was really bad, as in little ball movement, and a ton of bad possessions in the second half. I'm not sure yet how I feel about KO as a coach. Some of the comments about him being a young coach, maybe without saying as much, are really pointing out that he is a coach without any head coaching experience, not to mention little assistant coaching experience, regardless of his NBA experience. I'm all for KO succeeding, what fan wouldn't be, but I always felt that the school made a mistake in not at least going through a national search even if KO was the ultimate hire. Anyway, winning is the main thing even if not artistic and maybe this season will continue with a lot more W's and a future with a team of KO's recruits on the horizon. Go Huskies.

 

[mauconnfan]

We've heard many times before "awful half court offense", "just throwing it around the top", "too much dribbling" with many good teams including JC's…….yet they just win. Not every team has every piece like '99 or '04 where it's all going to fall in place.

It is what it is, no inside outside because they have no "inside"…..a smooth offense needs all the pieces they don't have them all……all the pieces need to handle or at least pass to make the offense look real smooth, they don't have that. Wings who can handle, take their guy and penetrate kick, bigs who can stand on top and pass the ball efficiently while off ball picks are created…..this won't happen with this team. Not enough good ball handlers or passers besides the guards I'm afraid!

11-2 is fine. They will need to get tougher but anyone looking for the offense to run like a well oiled machine with the cards they are dealt better not hold their breath.

 

[jibsey]

If anyone noticed we have hung in rebounding as far as the overall numbers go but if you look closer Bazz had what 9 boards? So we have a severe underperformance down low in both scoring and rebounding and that is not likely to change this year. Most college teams do not get a skilled power big man like AD so KO needs another 6'8" banger to go with Lubin for next year. Avd it's not just size but muscle and toughness. Unfortunately every program is looking for the same thing, it's a challenge.

 

[freescooter]

I don't think that was a question last year.

I'm definitely taking a wait and see attitude on Ollie. I'm not overly confident, but he did fine last year and I'm willing to see what he does this year. I will say, though that last year was in some ways a unique set of circumstances that aren't in place this season. At least to some extent, he was able to motivate guys to play in part because some of those games "were there ncaa tournament" in part because a popular assistant was playing for his job, and in part because the schedule wasn't overly difficult. Except for the last one, those don't apply this season. So we'll see whether he can motivate a team under a more normal set of circumstances. To date he hasn't done a great job. This team plays to its opponent and that can and has resulted in losses to lesser opponents and close games against some very mediocre opponents. I would say this, though, if UConn misses the NCAA tournament or becomes a real bubble team in this league, I would expect him to have a very very short leash next season.

 

[DCUconnfan]

I generally would like to see this thread removed from the forum. Bash the game all you want, we deserve some criticism. But to call out Ollie and his future here is just asinine and ludicrous.

 

[cohenzone]

We've heard many times before "awful half court offense", "just throwing it around the top", "too much dribbling" with many good teams including JC's…….yet they just win. Not every team has every piece like '99 or '04 where it's all going to fall in place.

It is what it is, no inside outside because they have no "inside"…..a smooth offense needs all the pieces they don't have them all……all the pieces need to handle or at least pass to make the offense look real smooth, they don't have that. Wings who can handle, take their guy and penetrate kick, bigs who can stand on top and pass the ball efficiently while off ball picks are created…..this won't happen with this team. Not enough good ball handlers or passers besides the guards I'm afraid!

11-2 is fine. They will need to get tougher but anyone looking for the offense to run like a well oiled machine with the cards they are dealt better not hold their breath.

There's no doubt ball movement was not the hallmark of JC's teams. They relied mostly on guards who could break down a D and using screens. KO is Jimmy's guy, so maybe it was nuts to think that might change at least somewhat to more ball movement, certainly against zones. Frankly. I'm more disappointed with the lack of intensity throughout most of each game. I don't buy into the idea of players being disinterested or not trying. I think just about every player thinks they are trying their best. It's up to the coach to build the level of intensity and focus during practice so the players naturally focus and play as hard as possible during games. Again though, 11-2 is fine. so lets hope the ratio of Ws to Ls stays that way.

 

[Scot-e]

Nothing major will happen in terms of a big muscle guy this year. However, hopefully things can be changed for next year.

Lubin is going to bring instant muscle to this team. Already at 246lbs. and being 6'8" he will be a bruiser down low. He's currently averaging about 20pts. and 11-12rbs. a game.

Then Nolan, Brimah, and Facey will all be stronger next year.

For all of you guys to be saying this year is lost is absolutely crazy. WE ARE 11-2! We have had a rough stretch of games. It happens. We should be fine.

UCONN3 is 16 and has a higher basketball IQ then the college grads/students who posted this thread.
We could have had a disaster on our hands when JC left and when we got left behind in our new "wonderful" conference- but we had a 20 win season last year. We have 2 MC D AAs on the team next year and a good class of kids coming in- including a steal in Prince Ali in 2015. Things look pretty good. I really thought we could do a Kensucky or Indiana and fall off the map for several years when our Hall of Fame coach left.

IF you are not happy with where we are- your expectations are out of line.

 

[Hoophound]

A big man from Europe with some skill would work wonders for us. He can be a little slow and his shoes can be nailed to the floor, but if he can shoot and catch the ball in the post, this team will thrive around him. Just no beef and no skill in the post right now. I hope KO will look into it.

 

[ctchamps]

Brimah was KO's - and frankly a pretty good spring signing. He's shown some flashes and has contributed to some close wins early on, so he's given us something - definitely glad we got him. Whether he gets better from here or if he'll just be a guy who blocks a few shots here and there, that remains to be seen,

KO recruited Brimah while JC was a head coach. The level of recruiting had begun to deteriorate because of JC's history of health, his age and the possibility of retirement, and the apr issues. So technically Brimah is KO's recruit but the circumstances surrounding recruiting at the time of his recruitment were not the issues of KO.

 

[metsfan2323]

\UCONN needs championships to be relevant in conference realignment.

"Championship" cannot be the bar for success/failure, it's just unrealistic. Hall of Fame coaches only win one championship every 10 years if they are lucky.

We are a spoiled fan base.

 

[mcs333]

I believe AB was only recruited after JC left. AB is KO's first recruit.

 

[freescooter]

"Championship" cannot be the bar for success/failure, it's just unrealistic. Hall of Fame coaches only win one championship every 10 years if they are lucky.

We are a spoiled fan base.

If Championships aren't the goal UConn should just say screw it and join the NEC or better yet a recreational league at the Willimantic Y. I can't believe the levels some people are willing to go to to give Ollie cover. As I said, I'm willing to wait in evaluating him for at least another season but if we're not playing to win it all, we shouldn't bother playing at all

 

[Inyatkin]

If Championships aren't the goal UConn should just say screw it and join the NEC or better yet a recreational league at the Willimantic Y. I can't believe the levels some people are willing to go to to give Ollie cover. As I said, I'm willing to wait in evaluating him for at least another season but if we're not playing to win it all, we shouldn't bother playing at all

You heard him, KO. A title in a year or else.

 

[ctchamps]

I believe AB was only recruited after JC left. AB is KO's first recruit.

AB was already in house when JC announced his retirement.

 

[tcf15]

AB was already in house when JC announced his retirement.

Brimah committed during the Louisville game last year. Facey and Samuel were already in house when JC retired.

Only started watching him after the games in the Virgin Islands: http://articles.courant.com/2013-11...117-20131116_1_amida-brimah-noah-vonleh-ollie

 

[aboogieee]

This thread is asinine, asiten.. ass-eleven!

 

[ctchamps]

Brimah committed during the Louisville game last year. Facey and Samuel were already in house when JC retired.

Only started watching him after the games in the Virgin Islands: http://articles.courant.com/2013-11...117-20131116_1_amida-brimah-noah-vonleh-ollie

I stand corrected!

 

[freescooter]

You heard him, KO. A title in a year or else.

Not a title but we ought not be satisfied with 21 wins and a 12 seed either. We need to be one of the teams in the conversation every year.