Newest Commit…...

[intlzncster]

No, I'm not, other people seem to be raving about recruits who wouldn't make the team at Wesleyan.

Well I'm not sure that could be more over the top, but OK.

 

[husky91]

As we've learned on the basketball side, recruits' rankings doesn't mean much. Talent evaluation is everything.

Oh really? Please list all the 10ppg scorers in the last 20 years @ UConn that were ranked outside the top 100. Have fun

 

[Fishy]

No, I'm not, other people seem to be raving about recruits who wouldn't make the team at Wesleyan.

You just had to know that this wouldn't be happy.

 

[husky91]

Hey Fish hack, the next time you post something insightful will be the first time. Your prattle and blabber is such noise. Go post Tour De France preview stories on Tumblr. That's something you'd actually be good at.

You just had to know that this wouldn't be happy.

 

[KennyD]

Didn't John Crisp play two sports until he got booted out of school because of the vending machine incident?

Keith Kraham played football and baseball and he was two years behind John. He was a solid wide receiver and I think he held the career home run record when he graduated. I played football and was fraternity brothers with both. Great guys!!! Tom Penders also played football & baseball.

 

[caw]

Oh really? Please list all the 10ppg scorers in the last 20 years @ UConn that were ranked outside the top 100. Have fun

Okafor was around 100, depended on the ranking I believe.

Armstrong wasn't ranked, he averaged a shade under 10, I think that's close enough.

Edwards wasn't ranked and averaged over 10.

That's off the top of my head.

 

[intlzncster]

Oh really? Please list all the 10ppg scorers in the last 20 years @ UConn that were ranked outside the top 100. Have fun

Shabazz, Lamb and others were ranked outside of the top 30. Kemba was like 25. Okafor was ranked about 100! Thabeet outside of 100. Those are 2 of the top 5 players ever, another of the top 10, and another 2 of the top 20 to ever play at UCONN. Top 25 is like top 100-150 in football.

Ranking doesn't matter.

 

[husky91]

I said top 100. Thabeet and Okafor were ranked top 100. Shabazz would have been top 35 if he was properly classified. Again, if rankings mean nothing go list the players outside top 100 that averaged 10ppg in any season in last 20 years.

Shabazz, Lamb and others were ranked outside of the top 30. Kemba was like 25. Okafor was ranked about 100! Thabeet outside of 100. Those are 2 of the top 5 players ever, another of the top 10, and another 2 of the top 20 to ever play at UCONN. Top 25 is like top 100-150 in football.

Ranking doesn't matter.

 

[Gurleyman]

I said top 100. Thabeet and Okafor were ranked top 100. Shabazz would have been top 35 if he was properly classified. Again, if rankings mean nothing go list the players outside top 100 that averaged 10ppg in any season in last 20 years.

Okafor was 99 in the final consensus rankings, but only after playing well in a senior year all star game in April. He was outside the top 100 in the whole process until then.

Voskuhl, Boone, Austrie, Okwandu, Edwards, Giffey, Brimah, Kromah and Nolan have all been key contributors on Final Four teams from outside the top 100, if not 10 ppg scorers. But if you went back to 1990, which is a more fair comparison to where the football program is in its stage of development (10 years into the Big East vs 10 years into FBS), Smith was the only top 100 guy on the team. And even that parallel isn't fair, since hoops was in the top conference in the country around then, and football is outside the BCS.

 

[intlzncster]

Okafor was 99 in the final consensus rankings, but only after playing well in a senior year all star game in April. He was outside the top 100 in the whole process until then.

Voskuhl, Boone, Austrie, Okwandu, Edwards, Giffey, Brimah, Kromah and Nolan have all been key contributors on Final Four teams from outside the top 100, if not 10 pig scorers. But if you went back to 1990, which is a more fair comparison to where the football program is in its stage of development (10 years into the Big East vs 10 years into FBS), Smith was the only top 100 guy on the team. And even that parallel isn't fair, since hoops was in the top conference in the country around then, and football is outside the BCS.

Yeah, you really have to be working hard to try to make that comparison. Real hard.

 

[intlzncster]

I said top 100. Thabeet and Okafor were ranked top 100. Shabazz would have been top 35 if he was properly classified. Again, if rankings mean nothing go list the players outside top 100 that averaged 10ppg in any season in last 20 years.

Yes, but you are not taking into account top 100 in football vs top 100 in basketball. There's 10 times as many football recruits as basketball.

 

[husky91]

Okafor was 99 in the final consensus rankings, but only after playing well in a senior year all star game in April. He was outside the top 100 in the whole process until then.

Voskuhl, Boone, Austrie, Okwandu, Edwards, Giffey, Brimah, Kromah and Nolan have all been key contributors on Final Four teams from outside the top 100, if not 10 ppg scorers. But if you went back to 1990, which is a more fair comparison to where the football program is in its stage of development (10 years into the Big East vs 10 years into FBS), Smith was the only top 100 guy on the team. And even that parallel isn't fair, since hoops was in the top conference in the country around then, and football is outside the BCS.

Voskul and Boone were top 100. None of these other guys except Edwards' 10.6 ppg one year on a lousy team averaged 10 ppg. Again, I didn't make the irresponsible statement that "rankings don't matter."

Lebron was ranked #1 coming out of HS. I guess the analysts got that one wrong too.

 

[dsturdy5]

Lebron was ranked #1 coming out of HS. I guess the analysts got that one wrong too.

Just wow...

Let's compare apples to apples here...What were the rankings of Donald Brown, Darius Butler, Donald Thomas, Dan Orlovsky, Alfred Fincher, Deon Anderson, Dwayne Gratz, Blidi Wreh-Wilson, Jordan Todman, Tyvon Branch, Marcus Easley, etc? You know, football players who played football at UConn and went on to NFL careers.

 

[BNich]

No, I'm not, other people seem to be raving about recruits who wouldn't make the team at Wesleyan.

Most of these kids haven't been evaluated yet by the big recruiting sites. They haven't been to nation wide camps or camped at p5 schools or been talked to by p5 programs because no one has heard of them yet. How does one first get noticed? You've got me. There are far too many HS football players for them all to be ranked adequately. As I mentioned, it's all a crap shoot. Who is to say one prospect going to Alabama is going to be better college player than a prospect going to Uconn. So much can happen in the summer leading up to their freshman year and the 5 years that follow. I don't believe a coach can recruit on talent alone. Sure it's a big part of it, but coaches must try to project/predict what a HS athlete COULD become.

 

[intlzncster]

Voskul and Boone were top 100. None of these other guys except Edwards' 10.6 ppg one year on a lousy team averaged 10 ppg. Again, I didn't make the irresponsible statement that "rankings don't matter."

Lebron was ranked #1 coming out of HS. I guess the analysts got that one wrong too.

So was Andrew Bynum. How did that work out? Kwame Brown? You can cherry pick data all you want, but grabbing the best player in the world as your example of rankings is silly at best.

 

[husky91]

I know we beat out Bucknell and Hofstra for the QB, so somehow their teams were following him.

Most of these kids haven't been evaluated yet by the big recruiting sites. They haven't been to nation wide camps or camped at p5 schools or been talked to by p5 programs because no one has heard of them yet. How does one first get noticed? You've got me. There are far too many HS football players for them all to be ranked adequately. As I mentioned, it's all a crap shoot. Who is to say one prospect going to Alabama is going to be better college player than a prospect going to Uconn. So much can happen in the summer leading up to their freshman year and the 5 years that follow. I don't believe a coach can recruit on talent alone. Sure it's a big part of it, but coaches must try to project/predict what a HS athlete COULD become.

 

[intlzncster]

Just wow...

Let's compare apples to apples here...What were the rankings of Donald Brown, Darius Butler, Donald Thomas, Dan Orlovsky, Alfred Fincher, Deon Anderson, Dwayne Gratz, Blidi Wreh-Wilson, Jordan Todman, Tyvon Branch, Marcus Easley, etc? You know, football players who played football at UConn and went on to NFL careers.

Add to that: as compared to Lebron James. Only the 2nd best basketball player to ever play the game. Very fair and natural comparison.

 

[Gurleyman]

Voskul and Boone were top 100. None of these other guys except Edwards' 10.6 ppg one year on a lousy team averaged 10 ppg. Again, I didn't make the irresponsible statement that "rankings don't matter." Lebron was ranked #1 coming out of HS. I guess the analysts got that one wrong too.

Voskuhl was nowhere near the top 100 when he committed. His high school teammate Mike LeBlanc was. Most people thought we took Voskuhl as a throw in to try to get LeBlanc. He was as lightly regarded as they come. Boone it depends on who you look at, but he was outside the top 100 in the consensus rankings before going to prep.

I'm sure you were one of those people mad that we signed Brimah because of the rankings, and we don't win a national title without him. You need some high level talent, yes, but the complementary pieces around them are significant as well. And with the right mix of under appreciated and overlooked talent, you can do great things as an up and coming team. Butler being exhibit A. That's where our football program is now - trying to find the right overlooked talent and leaving the 5 stars to the big fish.

 

[husky91]

What year did Voskuhl average 10 ppg? Why is he even listed here?

Not too easy is it. I'm not the one who makes irresponsible statements like "rankings don't matter."

Voskuhl was nowhere near the top 100 when he committed. His high school teammate Mike LeBlanc was. Most people thought we took Voskuhl as a throw in to try to get LeBlanc. He was as lightly regarded as they come. Boone it depends on who you look at, but he was outside the top 100 in the consensus rankings before going to prep.

I'm sure you were one of those people mad that we signed Brimah because of the rankings, and we don't win a national title without him. You need some high level talent, yes, but the complementary pieces around them are significant as well. And with the right mix of under appreciated and overlooked talent, you can do great things as an up and coming team. Butler being exhibit A. That's where our football program is now - trying to find the right overlooked talent and leaving the 5 stars to the big fish.

 

[Yonick]

What year did Voskuhl average 10 ppg? Why is he even listed here?

Not too easy is it. I'm not the one who makes irresponsible statements like "rankings don't matter."

Time will be the true evaluator of this recruiting class. From what I see, at this point, is It's a typical Edsall type recruiting class.
5 bowls, 3 wins. 2 BE titles, 1 BCS bowl appearance in UConn's 1st 10 years. Not Alabama, but it's pretty good for a northeastern FB program not named Penn State.

 

[selles]

What year did Voskuhl average 10 ppg? Why is he even listed here?

Probably because he was a quality starter and crucial contributor on a championship team, which is more relevant than some arbitrary ppg value you want to set. But never mind, carry on keeping it real.

 

[intlzncster]

Not too easy is it. I'm not the one who makes irresponsible statements like "rankings don't matter."

It's not irresponsible in the least. And, to any reasonable reader, the statement clearly implies "as much as people think". The fact that every single person person on the board disagrees with your perspective in this thread should tell you everything.

I'll tell you what, I'd take a 99th ranked Okafor ranked every single day of the year. Not one of the 98 ranked ahead were better college players than him that's for sure.

 

[husky91]

I love Okafor, he was a great Husky. He won a NC on a team that had Josh Boone, BG, CV and great role players Rashad, DB, Hilton and Taliek. That was a great team.

Okafor was top 100 in the final rankings. He was a great college player. I won't get into his NBA career, there are actually people on this board who still think he should have been #1 ahead of D12. Mind boggling.

It's not irresponsible in the least. And, to any reasonable reader, the statement clearly implies "as much as people think. The fact that every single person person on the board disagrees with your perspective in this thread should tell you everything.

I'll tell you what, I'd take a 99th ranked Okafor ranked every single day of the year. Not one of the 98 ranked ahead were better college players than him that's for sure.

 

[Walker11]

I won't get into his NBA career, there are actually people on this board who still think he should have been #1 ahead of D12. Mind boggling.

I'd love for you to expand on this.

What's your take on all NBA players like Curry, Westbrook, George, Lillard who were unranked?

 

[Gurleyman]

I love Okafor, he was a great Husky. He won a NC on a team that had Josh Boone, BG, CV and great role players Rashad, DB, Hilton and Taliek. That was a great team. Okafor was top 100 in the final rankings. He was a great college player. I won't get into his NBA career, there are actually people on this board who still think he should have been #1 ahead of D12. Mind boggling.

Okafor was not top 100 when we recruited him and signed him. He put up a triple double in a second-tier all-star game in Pittsburgh in April of his senior year and snuck in at 99 after that. JC was there in person looking for a diamond in the rough after an NIT year - ended up with Chad Wise and Okafor out of that game. That's a 1-for-2 we'll take every time.

Nobody here thinks he should have been taken over Howard any more. The last people clinging to that thought gave up in around 2007.

 

[Fishy]

Hey Fish hack, the next time you post something insightful will be the first time. Your prattle and blabber is such noise. Go post Tour De France preview stories on Tumblr. That's something you'd actually be good at.

I dunno...it seems to work for me.

You, on the other hand, not so much - do you ever wonder why people don't like you or are you simply incapable of introspection?

 

[sportsart]

Hey Husky91...you probably never heard of these guys, but do you know what they have in common? They all had no P5 offers and are or were on NFL rosters. There are more but hopefully you get the point. Probably not as many as Alabama but we're getting there.

Ryan Griffin
Blidi Wrey Wilson
Sio Moore
Nick Williams
Kashif Moore
Donald Thomas
Kendall Reyes
Scott Lutrus
Robert McClain
Lawrence Wilson
Will Beatty
Marcus Easley

 

[champs99and04]

Okafor was not top 100 when we recruited him and signed him. He put up a triple double in a second-tier all-star game in Pittsburgh in April of his senior year and snuck in at 99 after that. JC was there in person looking for a diamond in the rough after an NIT year - ended up with Chad Wise and Okafor out of that game. That's a 1-for-2 we'll take every time.

Nobody here thinks he should have been taken over Howard any more. The last people clinging to that thought gave up in around 2007.

Plus, it isn't as though it was unreasonable at the time to think Okafor should go ahead of Howard. Howard was an unknown coming out of high school while Okafor was a rapidly ascending player who had just dominated college basketball. Given Okafor won ROY in '05, I still maintain that 'Mek would have been a really good NBA player without the back injuries. Obviously in hindsight, Howard was the right pick.

 

[husky91]

He was 6-9 with no back to the basket skills or mid-range game

Back it no back he's a quasi bust as a #2 pick. But the fact that he's such a classy person goes a long way for how people think about him

Plus, it isn't as though it was unreasonable at the time to think Okafor should go ahead of Howard. Howard was an unknown coming out of high school while Okafor was a rapidly ascending player who had just dominated college basketball. Given Okafor won ROY in '05, I still maintain that 'Mek would have been a really good NBA player without the back injuries. Obviously in hindsight, Howard was the right pick.

 

[champs99and04]

He was 6-9 with no back to the basket skills or mid-range game

Back it no back he's a quasi bust as a #2 pick. But the fact that he's such a classy person goes a long way for how people think about him

I wouldn't say he had no back-to-the-basket game. He had that little fall-away jumper he would go to down there, the occasional drop-step over his left shoulder. I don't think anybody expected him to be a 20 point scorer, but coming out of college, he seemed capable of anchoring a defense and dominating the boards. Given he averaged 15 and 11 his first year in the league, he seemed headed in that direction until he got hurt his second season. As somebody who averaged 14, 11, and 2 his first five years in the league, "quasi bust" seems a bit harsh. There have been far worse picks at #2 - "moderate disappointment" would be as far as I'd go.