Many props to K Ollie

[scrappy2.0]

I think anyone can see he has done a great job over the last 12 months flushing out problem players. and restocking the team for the long term. I HOPE we do a 25 win season and gell at post season--but whatever the case I hope KO is the coach here a VERY long time.

 

[RayIsTheGOAT]

I love KO, but you can't say "anyone can see he has done a great job over the last 12 months".
It's been rocky, to put it lightly.

We've won 3 games against teams we should've beaten. Let's revisit this after the season...

 

[Rocktheworld]

Lol I sure hope we win 22 more games this year too

 

[Danzz]

The season has only begun and we will have our WTF losses but the new players seem to have a better understanding of our offense and defense. I'm not saying they are great players yet but they definitely seem more coachable. I don't think we miss the guys who left at all.

 

[pj]

KO is learning how to be a head coach, that's for sure.

We don't yet know his ceiling, but he's made significant progress. At least he's doing it his way and learning as he goes.

 

[hardcorehusky]

The pieces are there- now they have to develop individually and collectively. As the team improves, you will see offensive efficiency improve and the defensive force more turnovers. I do like the defensive rebounding- -Onorah and Cobb will make a huge difference on offense with their screen setting and off the boards.

 

[JCSuperstar]

During the hellish off-season, in-the-know posters were making nebulous comments and alluding to PMs about how KO wasn't demonstrating the commitment that he expected from the players, etc.

As someone with no claims to inside information, I don't need to know the details, but what I do want to know is if those same people have the impression that those issues are behind us...

 

[BFieldHusky]

During the hellish off-season, in-the-know posters were making nebulous comments and alluding to PMs about how KO wasn't demonstrating the commitment that he expected from the players, etc.

As someone with no claims to inside information, I don't need to know the details, but what I do want to know if those same people have the impression that those issues are behind us...

I will say having Coach Chills on the staff is making a huge difference. In a lot of ways. Including his relationship with the head coach.

 

[gtcam]

Boy did you open a hornets nest
I appreciate your comments
Lets see how this plays out!!!

 

[UofCT]

Props to KO? We haven't beaten a ranked team since March 1st of 2015.

 

[Pudge]

2 things have to be noted

He kept the Legacy elements from Calhoun. Karl Hobbs. George Blaney. Glen Miller. And a recruiting profile - I thought - that didn't quite fit his character. Plus players. It was kinda his ... but he hadn't put a stamp on it. With Killings. With Chillious. He's moved to his own structure. It's still got Calhoun components; but he's finally turned the page.

Some have said that he doesn't know how to place kids in roles ... and I'd say the 2014 NC was all about KO figuring that out. We should expect him to be great at this.

Second, with the early exits of Daniels and others; coaching turnover; his divorce; the strange past spring, KO got really tested. This isn't anything we saw with Calhoun - he was coaching 15 years of CBB before UConn paid attention.

Some kids didn't fit. And the last year was telling. Recruiting the top 60 kids won't work if they're narcissistic and won't play team ball.

 

[HawkHusky]

TBD.

Much better group of kids though. No prima donnas in a UCONN jersey this year.

 

[UofCT]

Good post by @Pudge.

 

[Stinger92860]

I'm hoping for 20 wins

 

[UConnRock]

I'm hoping for 20 wins

Lets assume - 1-2 in PK, lose to all ranked teams (6 losses) , lose to Syr, lose 2 other conference game and UConn is at 20 wins.

2-1 in PK, Go 2-4 against ranked teams, beat syracuse and they are at 24 wins. I always assume a couple of bad conference losses on the road.

 

[Whtdmd]

Kevin is doing alot better now because the lazy misfits departed. I was the first one to be happy with the transfers. I alway feel that it was an addition by subtraction. Now I know more then one of the departing players would not be reviewing films. They sometimes were so unprepared that they had no idea who is the other teams shooting guard or power forward.

 

[boog204]

I like the direction we are going, but aren't we being a little premature here? We lost three players who were not hugely important at the beginning of last season where we began 2-4 with one of the wins against Chaminade and were basically awful in most facets after that. While we have won our first three games and we have seen glimpses, we have also not been overly impressive and as is the norm, our offensive execution has been mediocre as a whole, we come out of the gates looking unprepared, and somehow/someway our best two players describe themselves as lethargic to begin games. As a longtime KO apologist, I've run out of excuses for why things have not really changed in four years. "Bad apples," recruiting hangover from the APR days, mediocre conference etc. There has been a good deal of talent here the last four years and we do not have much to show for it. There's enough here right now for us to win 20 games in this $$$tshow of a conference and that's what I expect. Then I will say that he has turned everything around.

 

[Austin316]

TBD.

Much better group of kids though. No prima donnas in a UCONN jersey this year.

Agreed. He needs to prove himself against higher competition. He needs the Ws. I five point loss to these ranked teams is no different than a 20 point loss. An L is and L IMO. As for the team.... they hungry. You can see it on their faces. This years competition will be good for us. The key is noooooo transferrrrrs!

 

[HooperScooper]

I like the direction we are going, but aren't we being a little premature here?

A little? LOL

I guess a lot of people jump to negative conclusions after just a few games so scrappy's positive post after just a few games is an attempt to balance things out around here.

 

[scrappy2.0]

A little? LOL

I guess a lot of people jump to negative conclusions after just a few games so scrappy's positive post after just a few games is an attempt to balance things out around here.

A lot to be positive about.

Let me add this to Jalen Adams--if youre out there Jalen--look at Shabazz Napier who stayed that 4th year--improved won a championship and got a 1st rd pick when he was destined to go rd2 or not at all. Not only did he get that guaranteed contract--it gave him the TIME in the NBA to "get it". Now Shabazz is playing like a mid level exception player and that means from 5-9mm a year. If someone says J we got you in rd 1--great--if not stay my friend and do what Shabazz did!!!!!

 

[jibsey]

My Butterball turkey thought it had a good future a few months ago. Turned out it was premature. Let's talk after this weekend.

 

[PAHusky]

I think anyone can see he has done a great job over the last 12 months flushing out problem players. and restocking the team for the long term. I HOPE we do a 25 win season and gell at post season--but whatever the case I hope KO is the coach here a VERY long time.

Next time can you chug the Ollie kool aid without denigrating a couple of college aged kids that played for us last year and didn't show many, if any, signs at all of being "problem players"? Ridiculous enough we're launching crusades for a coach coming off a losing season who has beaten three cupcakes in tight games, but to trash former players for absolutely no reason other than to change the offseason narrative from "KO lost the team" to "KO cleaned house" is borderline revolting.

 

[Travelman6]

I would not exactly call BU a tight game, lol. Up 8 at the half, had it to double digits within a minute and stretched it to 22 pretty quick.

Againt Colgate, the lead also went up to like 15 or 16 and the win was by 12. That is not close. Stony Brook was a legit close game for about 35 minutes before Uconn woke up and than it was over. But Stony Brook has played other P5 teams pretty close.

No excuses, a good Uconn team beats all of these teams by 20 to 30. But, it is better than a loss by 3 or 9.

 

[UConnStats]

It’s revisionist history to bash the guys who left and say that their character is what drove this team downward. Besides Jackson, none of those guys were even remotely divas while here. It’s messed up to disrespect them the way some people are in this thread.

In reality, we caught some tough breaks. Omar Calhoun was a budding star injured at a time where we had recruiting sanctions, Daniels left early, Hamilton left too early, and last year we lost two stars and another top 100 recruit within the first few games.

Still, Ollie had/has big issues beating the zone and frankly involving his front court players in the offense at all. Coaches need to grow and improve too. This is his first experience coaching. Hopefully it keeps getting better.

 

[Travelman6]

No divas last year, 'cept for maybe one. Just players with low bball IQ and poor awareness of time and situation, as well as positioning and movement. Talent, yes. Fundamentals, heck no.