Not good.

[3rdbass]

Let's stipulate that at this time, given this year's circumstances, I don't think anyone in their right mind would want Ollie out. I think, given a national championship and a strong history of March productivity, regardless of whose players you think they were, he's earned a chance to crawl out of this hole. That year demonstrated that he can motivate and take a capable group of players where he wants them to go.

OTOH, if you were going to replace him after a bad year with a healthy and (allegedly) talented team, you're right that you wouldn't get a coach with "recent final fours and top recruiting classes." Those guys already have stable jobs mostly in P5.

That's not what I'd want, or expect. I'd want a guy who has an eye for talent regardless of national rankings and who can close on those guys he wants (coffee is for closers!); I'd want a guy who can X & O with the best of them, identifying the advantages his team has and utilizing them while neutralizing their disadvantages, putting pressure on the opponent on both ends of the floor; I'd want a guy who can motivate the team to be cohesive and to perform above their expectations consistently, playing aggressively and with effort, particularly as the season progresses. And this may be a no-name guy at a smaller conference school.

Kinda like Calhoun.

I agree we might have to look at another up and coming coach to move UCONN basketball back to it's golden years. I'm willing to give KO next year with all his recruits.

 

[Athlete94]

Gregg Marshall isn't leaving WSU to coach at UConn.

Why not.. not like he would be leaving for SOUTH FLORIDA

 

[Huskybass]

lol how is ollie gone after next season? every year he has had a winning record/20 win season, he won a NC and conference tourney in 5 years, and is doing a great job recruiting. this year was done once alterique and larrier were gone. then enoch and durham kept missing games, then adams missed games and vital and jackson. Getting rid of Ollie will not end well for the program. Who's going to come to the program? Multiple recent final fours and top recruiting classes need to be the bare minimum then, where are you going to find that type of coach? you're not.

Because this team has won ONE NCAA tournament game in 3 seasons and is never ranked anymore. Is that really so hard for you to grasp?

 

[Fishy]

I think we could've beaten cinci and houston especially with gilbert

I think Gilbert was our biggest loss.

We really do not have a true point guard without him.

Adams is a volume turnover machine - getting him off the ball at times would have allowed UConn to rely less on Rodney's feast or famine game.

 

[DaveHuskiesFan]

Why not.. not like he would be leaving for SOUTH FLORIDA

He makes $3.3 million a year.

 

[BFieldHusky]

I think Gilbert was our biggest loss.

We really do not have a true point guard without him.

Adams is a volume turnover machine - getting him off the ball at times would have allowed UConn to rely less on Rodney's feast or famine game.

Agree. Hence the importance of having MAL next year. You could play all 3 of those guys at times next year, and they can all beat their guy off the dribble. The only guy that can do this now is Adams, and he isn't a natural PG. And he is playing on one leg right now.

 

[Athlete94]

He makes $3.3 million a year.

Seriously... he'd make that here and then some...

 

[Fishy]

I have been a fan since 1978 and the last few years have just been sad as far as UCONN basketball. I mean all fans should be a little bit concerned with the product we are putting out on the floor. 1 top 3 in 4 years in the AAC is just bad. I don't care about the excuses.

Me, neither.

This is not a sentimental game. We're in an awful spot relative to our conference and revenue and we cannot afford to have a coach who doesn't produce relative to expectations.

I like Kevin Ollie and thought he did a terrific job in his first two seasons, but the past couple of years have been rough and he doesn't have much runway left to get this thing moving back in the right direction.

I don't think he's getting fired next year if we go .500, but he'd be on double-secret probation.

 

[SouthBayHusky]

Fair assesment. If next season we don't compete for the regular season AAC Championship as a mainstay in the top 25 it may be time to look in a different direction.

Paying $3M for a basketball coach should have us in a position to bring in very qualified candidates.

And/or at least be competitive among the top 3 in this conference

 

[DaveHuskiesFan]

Seriously... he'd make that here and then some...

No he wouldn't.

 

[MilliniumPrince]

........Wow. just wow.

I lived in North Carolina during much of the 90's. I rember a two year block when a hack known as Coach K went:
1) 13 - 18, 2 - 14 in a weak ACC
2) 18 - 13, 8 - 8

I remember fans, hell I worked for a Duke Booster, the media, Students all calling for a coaching change. "K has lost it." "The game has passed him by." "He can't recruit (yes, credible people were saying that)!"
But, the powers that be were too stupid to make the obviously needed change. Just as they didn't make the change when he went a combined 21 - 34 in his second and third seasons.

And look at the mess that program has been since. If only the AD had heeded the call of the genius fan base and local sports writers. Alas, Duke has faded into bolivian..............

Damn we are a bunch of spoiled jackasses.

 

[Hurleyman216]

If we need a new coach after 3 sub-par years then I would argue we need a new fan base as well. We still have an opportunity to punch our ticket to the NCAA's on our home court, but guaranteed the place will be 3/4 empty unless we make it to the semis or finals. We have too many fair weather, entitled fans. The program needs us now more than ever. I sat in Gampel today watching half the fans leave with 8 minutes left in the game. We had 3 seniors out there playing (2 of which helped us win a National Championship) and you can't stay 8 minutes to give them a hand and see them play the last time at Gampel? I don't give a crap if we're down 50, stay in your seat and show the team you appreciate their contributions to the program. Shame on all those who left early...those are the same fans who will only show up at the XL if we make it far enough. The team needs our fans to show up EVERY game.

 

[Athlete94]

No he wouldn't.

Yeah he would...

 

[Travelman6]

Well the acc > aac even in a down year for the acc so he had that going for him, a good conference.

 

[Carrkus]

lol how is ollie gone after next season? every year he has had a winning record/20 win season, he won a NC and conference tourney in 5 years, and is doing a great job recruiting. this year was done once alterique and larrier were gone. then enoch and durham kept missing games, then adams missed games and vital and jackson. Getting rid of Ollie will not end well for the program. Who's going to come to the program? Multiple recent final fours and top recruiting classes need to be the bare minimum then, where are you going to find that type of coach? you're not.

I'm not huge on KO. Yes, he won a NC, but do you remember how precarious our position was down the stretch of that season? We were ALL questioning how far we'd go in the NCAA tournament. But they made a run and brought home the banner.

But, in 5 years, we have not been a dominant program in our conference... how many times during JC's tenure did you go into December thinking to yourself, "This year's team is stout. We are going to crush some people. We're an Elite 8 team at LEAST." I have not felt that way w any of KO's teams.

I grant you that the injuries have literally crippled this season, but we lost to two mid-majors at home with everybody on board. That's a disgrace. If Ollie doesn't produce from the get-go next year, he's on the hotseat, and if we muddle along, underachieve, and miss the tourney again, he'll probably be fired.

 

[superjohn]

There are exactly 2 good teams in our conference, it scares me to think of what our record would be in a good conference.

 

[Ewekon]

Some combination of KO and the ' AAC cost us Diallo but also Andrew White who would have been a huge get this year. Yeah I know squid and nose picker count but Jeezus, Diallo was gift wrapped and came undone watching this year's crapola. White was widely available and at some point you have to beat the SEC and ACC for recruits to survive and thrive. I know all about the '16 - '17 class' ranking. We had at least 3 open schollies for next year and we managed one top 40 and yet another big man "project". Nothing against MAL but that doesn't cut it in the re-load era of puke, KY, etc. 50/50 blame KO and conference? Just needs fixing now.

 

[huskymagic]

The fact is that Ollie has done nothing without Jim Calhoun's players. Finishing 6th in the AAC regular season multiple years in a row is a sign of success. Who knew. Going to the AAC title game 3 years in a row and winning one where SMU was banned is a sign of success at a place like UCONN? Who knew. Some people on the yard are having a hard time seeing what's really going on and can't come to grips that even the great Jim Calhoun can make a mistake(Ollie).

We all want what's best for UCONN, but next year is really put up or shut up time for Ollie. I don't care how many new pieces have to be incorporated or how young the team is supposedly. We can't afford yearly performances like this and not producing any NBA players and then expect UCONN basketball to return to greatness. There will not be a P-5 invite with basketball joining football in the gutters.

 

[Doctor Hoop]

...Wow. just wow.

I lived in North Carolina during much of the 90's. I rember a two year block when a hack known as Coach K...

And look at the mess that program has been since. If only the AD had heeded the call of the genius fan base and local sports writers. Alas, Duke has faded into bolivian....

He's in Bolivia now?

 

[BUConn10]

There are exactly 2 good teams in our conference, it scares me to think of what our record would be in a good conference.

Posters smarter than us have repeatedly told us conference affiliation doesn't matter, don't forget that.

The teams we have fielded the last 2-3 years would have been even further demoralized in real conferences.

 

[Mr. Wonderful]

Me, neither.

This is not a sentimental game. We're in an awful spot relative to our conference and revenue and we cannot afford to have a coach who doesn't produce relative to expectations.

I like Kevin Ollie and thought he did a terrific job in his first two seasons, but the past couple of years have been rough and he doesn't have much runway left to get this thing moving back in the right direction.

I don't think he's getting fired next year if we go .500, but he'd be on double-secret probation.

Basically you are saying he has two more years to turn it around.

But the style of your prose gives the impression the exit paperwork is already being drawn up.

Two years is an eternity in college basketball.

 

[Towney007]

Three good to excellent recruiting classes heading into next year. If he's .500 he's gone. No chance he's back. And he shouldn't be.

 

[3rdbass]

Three good to excellent recruiting classes heading into next year. If he's .500 he's gone. No chance he's back. And he shouldn't be.

If he doesn't make the tourney he is gone in my mind. Forget just getting over .500. We can't miss the tourney 3 out of 4 years. That is ugly.

 

[Fishy]

Basically you are saying he has two more years to turn it around.

But the style of your prose gives the impression the exit paperwork is already being drawn up.

Two years is an eternity in college basketball.

No - if he goes .500 next year, I think he eeks out another year. If he falls short of that, I think he's gone.

 

[3rdbass]

No - if he goes .500 next year, I think he eeks out another year. If he falls short of that, I think he's gone.

Not sure if .500 would do that. I definitely think they will keep around another year if he is above .500 and doesn't make the tourney. I feel he should go if he doesn't make the tourney but we will see.