OT: BC vs. UHart-- Can Jen Recover?

[Sargassoc]

UHart lost yesterday to BC by a score of 62-28.

My question is can Jen recover from a coaching career at a mid-major that has not played out as we (she?) imagined? Does she look like Geno's replacement any longer?

One LINK to the game, including highlights (lowlights).

 

[Blakeon18]

Her [rather lengthy] resume with USA Basketball helps her. I figure Geno's influence got her the first gig with them but the gold medals she won kept her coming back. FWIW: way down the road when Geno leaves, I hope they have a national search....and simply hire the best of the applicants...UConn connection or not.

My impression is that Tenn took Pat's recommendation and went with it...without looking around.
How has that worked out?

 

[TRest]

She hasn't looked like Geno's replacement for several years. I expected UHa to dominate that league and it just hasn't happened.

 

[sarals24]

I think Shea would be a great choice. Young, ambitious, good rapport with the kids, knows how to win....

But that's a lot of pressure.

 

[Harry Mangurian]

I think Shea would be a great choice. Young, ambitious, good rapport with the kids, knows how to win....

But that's a lot of pressure.

If Carla Berube moved to a mid major and had continued success, she might be a good candidate.
Someone "with no heartbeat" could be a good follow on to Geno.

 

[vtcwbuff]

Berube will not leave Tuft's - even for the UConn job.

My dream coaching scenario -
UTenn fires Warlick
UTenn hires Ralph as HC
Ralph turns the team around
Auriemma retires
UConn hires Ralph away from UTenn
Ralph's UConn team beats UTenn in the NC

 

[Sonny44]

Tartamella.

 

[meyers7]

Berube will not leave Tuft's - even for the UConn job.

My dream coaching scenario -
UTenn fires Warlick
UTenn hires Ralph as HC
Ralph turns the team around
Auriemma retires
UConn hires Ralph away from UTenn
Ralph's UConn team beats UTenn in the NC

Major problems with your dream.
1. TN fires Warlick. They should keep on on indefinitely.
2. Ralph turns TN around. How can TN doing well be any UCONN fan's dream?????
3. Auriemma retires. WTH? That's in your dream? Maybe nightmare, but no dream of anybody who considers themselves a UCONN fan.

 

[Blueballer]

Jen is an excellent coach. She just can't win any recruiting wars. I've often thought the same thing of Harry Perretta. If he had some real talent it would be interesting to see how far he could go.

 

[Carnac]

Jen is an excellent coach. She just can't win any recruiting wars. I've often thought the same thing of Harry Perretta. If he had some real talent it would be interesting to see how far he could go.

Jen had better do something, and fast. Last night's game was embarrassing. A few more performances like that, and her program may begin to circle the drain.

 

[sarals24]

Major problems with your dream.
1. TN fires Warlick. They should keep on on indefinitely.
2. Ralph turns TN around. How can TN doing well be any UCONN fan's dream?????
3. Auriemma retires. WTH? That's in your dream? Maybe nightmare, but no dream of anybody who considers themselves a UCONN fan.

I simultaneously want this to happen and never want this to happen. Tennessee returning to prominence because of a UConn player would be so delicious. But then again...Tennessee returning to prominence would be awful. So I can't decide if I love it or hate it.

 

[meyers7]

I simultaneously want this to happen and never want this to happen. Tennessee returning to prominence because of a UConn player would be so delicious. But then again...Tennessee returning to prominence would be awful. So I can't decide if I love it or hate it.

Go with hate. It feels so much better.

 

[ChicagoGG]

Go with hate. It feels so much better.

and it burns more calories....

 

[EricLA]

Jen is an excellent coach. She just can't win any recruiting wars. I've often thought the same thing of Harry Perretta. If he had some real talent it would be interesting to see how far he could go.

And yet programs like Dayton, GB-Wisc, Marist, South Dakota State, Chattanooga, St. Mary's, Seton Hall, Princeton, Idaho and VCU are all programs that have recently been ranked in the top 30-35 or have been in the recent past.

I could understand Jen not making Hartford a national power, but to be unable to do so in your own league against the likes of Albany, New Hampshire, Maine, Stony Brook, etc - she's actually taken that program in the opposite direction. I would be horrified if she were to be seriously considered for the next UCONN HC, never mind if she actually got the job.

 

[KnightBridgeAZ]

Jen is an excellent coach. She just can't win any recruiting wars. I've often thought the same thing of Harry Perretta. If he had some real talent it would be interesting to see how far he could go.

Elite 8 as he did IIRC?

Don't mean to be smart-ass, but the truth is Harry has a system. He needs someone to be successful ("a star") in his system and some reasonable talent around her, but then he can go a decent distance. But after 35+? years, he isn't changing his system now.

Had he been somewhere else, or gone somewhere else, yes, I think he could have been scary - then again, maybe he likes the Villanova level pressure (similar to Borseth returning to Green Bay).

I don't question that Jen is a good coach. I have absolutely no reason to comment on UConn's next coach, and I won't. I think Jen will be in the pool, regardless. I have literally no idea if she could or would be successful at UConn or other P5 school.

 

[Buckaroobanzai]

Jen Rizzotti has been unable to recruit sufficiently to make U of H consistently competitive in its own league. Without a record of success as a coach, how can she possibly be considered to succeed Geno?

 

[RockyMTblue2]

Jen has a cozy arrangement at Hartford that gives her time for life outside of basketball and I get the impression that is exactly what she wants.

 

[trb123]

I have never been a Rizzotti fan for UCONN coach.
I have pointed out several times (long ago) that she has experience neither of recruiting top talent nor of mentoring top talent.
I have read a large number of posts that Rizzotti would turn down offers to go elsewhere because she has strong New England roots.
I never believed this. I thought she did not want to be involved in the pressure, the hassle and the scrutiny that would come if she accepted these jobs.
Building a successful program requires a lot of drive, a lot of sacrifice and a lot of fire in the belly.
So far I have not seen any of these from her. I am not watching her every move and if I have missed something, I apologize.

 

[BroadwayVa]

UHart lost yesterday to BC by a score of 62-28.

My question is can Jen recover from a coaching career at a mid-major that has not played out as we (she?) imagined? Does she look like Geno's replacement any longer?

One LINK to the game, including highlights (lowlights).

Jen a Uconn Fan and Connecticut favorite WILL Survive!! Because U of Hart won't pop for the facilities and coaching staff needed. Big time recruits go to big time programs or one that can become big time--U of H won't pop for what it takes to be bi g time, that isn't Jen's fault. Jen provides just enough wins to keep it reasonable for the U of Hart Admin to keep her. She wouldn't have survived at Uconn--but there she would have had what she needed to survive, if she wins.

 

[BroadwayVa]

Elite 8 as he did IIRC?

Don't mean to be smart-ass, but the truth is Harry has a system. He needs someone to be successful ("a star") in his system and some reasonable talent around her, but then he can go a decent distance. But after 35+? years, he isn't changing his system now.

Had he been somewhere else, or gone somewhere else, yes, I think he could have been scary - then again, maybe he likes the Villanova level pressure (similar to Borseth returning to Green Bay).

I don't question that Jen is a good coach. I have absolutely no reason to comment on UConn's next coach, and I won't. I think Jen will be in the pool, regardless. I have literally no idea if she could or would be successful at UConn or other P5 school.

Excellent point--no one knows whether she would be great at Uconn until she gets to Uconn or a P5 school . You win the award for
intelligence in posting.

 

[Northeast86]

She is another example of how difficult sustained success is at a university, especially for mid majors.

I harp on this a lot, but take a look at talented mid major teams.

Xavier used to be a great mid major, now they are down.

Marist is having a down year.

George Washington has been good then bad and now good again.

Maine was a strong mid major in the 90s and early 2000s then was terrible for about 7-8 years but made the WNIT last year.

Her problem is her offense has never been great. When she was at her best she had one decent shooter from the arc hitting in the 35-40% range and great post players (was it Beverly who was drafted)? Her teams are similar to Rutgers, defensively sound, but ugly on offense. The good news is that in a league like America East one really or two really good recruits can put you back on top.

 

[mudcat]

Jen is an excellent coach. She just can't win any recruiting wars. I've often thought the same thing of Harry Perretta. If he had some real talent it would be interesting to see how far he could go.

Perretta will have good talent starting next year as Tucker will be eligible, he's picked up some size, and he has that little guard from Delaware. He could challenge DePaul, Seton Hall and St. Johns in the Big East.

 

[ed4ourgirls]

I have often felt that, during the early years of Jen's tenure at Hartford, her fame as a
player helped her land some decent recruits. But as that fame has faded (or was never
there in the minds of a younger generation) that recruiting edge has gone.

 

[KnightBridgeAZ]

Excellent point--no one knows whether she would be great at Uconn until she gets to Uconn or a P5 school . You win the award for
intelligence in posting.

What I was saying, more accurately, is that I wouldn't get involved in predicting how she would do, because I will not become involved in discussing the next head coach of a program which I don't have a rooting interest. Other folks seem to be divided as to whether they think she could have success at a better school than UHart or not. I'm not commenting, hence what I was trying to say.

 

[DaddyChoc]

she doesnt want quality local talent... or quality local talent think they're better than playing for UHart