Our Assistant Coaches

[upstater]

Upstater, no player developement by our current coaching staff. Wake up we need a change before we become the laughing stock of college Basketball. Look at our football program because they waited to long to replace bad coaches.

Ollie isn't on our current coaching staff?

He was on the one in 2011, and 2012, and 2013, and 2014.

 

[Clockshop]

Notre Dame has been to 2 straight Elite 8's and I heard their head coach Mike Brey on the Francesa Show 2 weeks ago asked about recruiting. He said the first characteristic he looks for in a recruit is high basketball IQ. Clearly Ollie does not as guys like Purvis standing out of bounds for 4 years are practically uncoachable. I mentioned this recently, and if Ollie can't coach them up he would be smart to recruit some intelligent players to do it for him like Shabazz and Giff. A strong coaching staff will do wonders and we certainly are paying top dollar.

Ollie recruited current ND players TJ Gibbs and Bonzie Colson

 

[tcf15]

Small sample, but what about Terry Larrier in terms of player development?

Prior to the injury, he was at 17 ppg, 6 rpg and shooting 49%.
At VCU, he was at 6.6 ppg, 3 rpg and shooting 34%.

 

[Dream Jobbed 2.0]

It's something I never thought I'd say but this team could really use Rakim Lubin LOL

 

[BUConn10]

Small sample, but what about Terry Larrier in terms of player development?

Prior to the injury, he was at 17 ppg, 6 rpg and shooting 49%.
At VCU, he was at 6.6 ppg, 3 rpg and shooting 34%.

He's was getting way more PT and shot attempts in his few games here than as a raw freshman on a tournament quality VCU team.

 

[mauconnfan]

I do hold Glen accountable for the total lack of Bigs development. It's not only basketball IQ it's shooting and strength - they have been overlooked in our recruiting.

Ok so Brimah can't shoot and he was weak. And even as he is stronger he is still Brimah right? Please Chief it's not shooting or strength it's jut NOT in this case and it's not coaching.

 

[mauconnfan]

Upstater, no player developement by our current coaching staff. Wake up we need a change before we become the laughing stock of college Basketball. Look at our football program because they waited to long to replace bad coaches.

The football program really? That's a hilarious comparison - oh crap forgot about their NC a couple years back my bad!

 

[boog204]

Amida, and Facey come with an asterisk (recruiting violations)

Why does everyone forget that Facey was a 4*, top 100 player and held offers from Louisville, Memphis, UCLA, and everyone in the Big East? He is not an asterisk. I think he is a player that the coaching staff totally failed as he has talent that has never (other than a brief period his sophomore year) been realized.

two-four-seven --> #92
ESPN --> #98
Rivals --> #66

 

[Pudge]

Why does everyone forget that Facey was a 4*, top 100 player and held offers from Louisville, Memphis, UCLA, and everyone in the Big East? He is not an asterisk. I think he is a player that the coaching staff totally failed as he has talent that has never (other than a brief period his sophomore year) been realized.

two-four-seven --> #92
ESPN --> #98
Rivals --> #66

I presume you have watched his entire four years. He is better than he was as Freshman. To my eye ... he was very thin and not very useful in either of his first two years; never got positioning and had limited offensive moves. Last year, he shrunk as Shonn Miller got the time. He is improved and moves decently. But, he did not give you the leap in development like we have gotten with some others.
I guess we hear that maybe a Eric Hayward or Jeff Adrien or other is a better pickup. I am not sure that is how we get to the top.

 

[selles]

That's a good point about Shonn and Gibbs being more polish than our seniors this year.

I remember this board using quite a few words to describe Gibbs last year. "Polished" was not one of them.

 

[HuskyHawk]

I don't know whether those guys are doing a good job or not. I don't see them in practice, and won't presume to know what they do or don't do. I have advocated some changes mostly because I feel that Ollie is a new HC, and needs an experienced bench coach, with experience in a system other than Calhoun's. He needs a voice saying..."why not try this?". We look like a team stuck in a rut. They look the same year after year. The same offensive and defensive problems over and over. I simply want him to be getting advice from people with a broader range of experience.

 

[SubbaBub]

At this poin the lack of inside scoring and rebounding is killing us. That's on Brimah, Enoch, and Facey.

 

[UConnfan8]

Extremely funny that there are some posters on here who think the coaching staff is just peaches. It's not. There needs to be a shake up. These former UConn star players, whom we love and appreciate, are just that- players. They are not coaches. And go ahead and say "they need to grow"....there is zero time to grow. If we let them grow, it will take years, in which our relevence on a national landscape will be none due to football, conference affiliation and scheduling. Recruits won't be coming to us anymore. The time is now. You wanna give Ollie a pass to grow, fine. But dammit find some coaches that can run X's and O's then. The staff needs a shake up as soon as this season ends. It is SILLY to think anything else.

 

[David 76]

There is space between " Fire Ollie" and things are practice. You should visit sometime.

 

[UConn_Top_Dog]

Clean house. I know this was brought up last year but can we please clean house with our assistant coaches? Maybe just keep on the new Temple guy because he's a good recruiter with connections. Ollie could sure use some help and the lack of player development and X and O's has to also fall on his staff. I want Ollie to succeed but his blind loyalty to his assistant coaches is only going to be a great disservice to himself if this continues. As far as I know Kevin Freeman and Ricky Moore's coaching resumes entirely entail that they went to UConn and were good players. And enough is enough with Miller. It's like a taking a sleeping pill listening to his SNY halftime interviews.

 

[boog204]

I presume you have watched his entire four years. He is better than he was as Freshman. To my eye ... he was very thin and not very useful in either of his first two years; never got positioning and had limited offensive moves. Last year, he shrunk as Shonn Miller got the time. He is improved and moves decently. But, he did not give you the leap in development like we have gotten with some others.
I guess we hear that maybe a Eric Hayward or Jeff Adrien or other is a better pickup. I am not sure that is how we get to the top.

Through the first 10 games of his soph year he was averaging 8 and 8 from PF position. And that wasn't all cupcakes; Duke, Temple, West Virginia, Texas, Dayton... Then something happened and he has never been as productive.

I just look at Facey and wonder what happened. He is very athletic, has a nice touch around the hoop, and has been a productive player before: 14 and 9 vs. Duke, 10 and 8 vs. WVU, 9 and 11 vs. Temple. He has skill but he has regressed since the beginning of his soph year.

 

[Pudge]

I don't know whether those guys are doing a good job or not. I don't see them in practice, and won't presume to know what they do or don't do. I have advocated some changes mostly because I feel that Ollie is a new HC, and needs an experienced bench coach, with experience in a system other than Calhoun's. He needs a voice saying..."why not try this?". We look like a team stuck in a rut. They look the same year after year. The same offensive and defensive problems over and over. I simply want him to be getting advice from people with a broader range of experience.

The PERNO years reference needs to stop.

I guess then we are saying replace Glen Miller.

We don't know the dynamic. We don't know what was lost by Karl Hobbs moving on. But ... even Calhoun ... a HC does need that voice. The total yearning, bleating, whining of the Fanbase is because we have been used to a standard play that won't happen too often this year. We should enjoy watching some guys develop and play that never have been in front of us. Still ... I read things that are quite astonishing.

Enoch can develop - he does move well and he DOES have good hands. Facey and Brimah are seniors and you will see them play a ton of minutes this year. Expectations? Brimah will play the same. Facey will marginally improve.

Kevin Ollie made a clear choice. After Shonn Miller, Sterling Gibbs, Lasan Kromah ... he bit hard to bring in a strong large group of talent. We are in year 2. Most of us were saying that recruiting - as a result of the Calhoun penalties - were down. KO made these last two years about getting far better kids and developing a roster. The fact that you have THREE scholarship athletes out of all of 2016-2017 is flukey. Just is. Whining gets you nowhere. But ... some of you jumped ship. You are on the Myron Metcalf - ESPN - ship of we have a diminished talent base. Some follow this far better than I. The 11 athletes of the last 2 years and next September are a top class. Certainly top 20 in all of CBB. We have seen Larrier and Gilbert. Are you really dismissing their talent after seeing them? You are going to have to wait and see some of these guys develop.

 

[HuskyHawk]

The PERNO years reference needs to stop.

I guess then we are saying replace Glen Miller.

We don't know the dynamic. We don't know what was lost by Karl Hobbs moving on. But ... even Calhoun ... a HC does need that voice. The total yearning, bleating, whining of the Fanbase is because we have been used to a standard play that won't happen too often this year. We should enjoy watching some guys develop and play that never have been in front of us. Still ... I read things that are quite astonishing.

Enoch can develop - he does move well and he DOES have good hands. Facey and Brimah are seniors and you will see them play a ton of minutes this year. Expectations? Brimah will play the same. Facey will marginally improve.

Kevin Ollie made a clear choice. After Shonn Miller, Sterling Gibbs, Lasan Kromah ... he bit hard to bring in a strong large group of talent. We are in year 2. Most of us were saying that recruiting - as a result of the Calhoun penalties - were down. KO made these last two years about getting far better kids and developing a roster. The fact that you have THREE scholarship athletes out of all of 2016-2017 is flukey. Just is. Whining gets you nowhere. But ... some of you jumped ship. You are on the Myron Metcalf - ESPN - ship of we have a diminished talent base. Some follow this far better than I. The 11 athletes of the last 2 years and next September are a top class. Certainly top 20 in all of CBB. We have seen Larrier and Gilbert. Are you really dismissing their talent after seeing them? You are going to have to wait and see some of these guys develop.

Pudge, why did you quote my post in front of this diatribe? I'm not talking about the Perno years. I don't think, aside from injuries, we have diminished talent. I think we are doing less with the talent we have. That's coaching. It isn't as good. Calhoun, coaching these same kids, would have 2-3 more wins.

I hate to draw comparisons to the football team, but Ollie isn't really any more experienced as a HC than Diaco is, and is less experienced as a coach generally. It shows. Both of them desperately need to get out of whatever echo-chamber they are in that is validating their decisions. They need to get an outside perspective and voice and they need to pay it some heed. Ollie isn't doing a good job. I think he has the potential to be a terrific coach...he just isn't one yet.

 

[Mr. French]

Somewhere on the site is the classic thread, "Shabazz Napier is the worst starting point guard in the Jim Calhoun Era." Pretty sure it was started by a very well known poster here. Shabazz really wasn't considered a "smart" player until his senior year. And Giffey after a promising freshman year, was not exactly a UConn legend until he was a senior. I certainly get your point, but those guys took four years to develop into something.

While I get the overall sentiment, and agree, I wouldn't agree with "Shabazz wasn't considered a smart player until senior year."

I think he was always a heady, instinctual player. Concerns were over whether his type of leadership or playing style is conducive to being the man to lead the team (general summary of the issue).

He was a bit flashy, a bit unconventional, so we weren't sure it would translate to him as a senior as we saw him. But I don't think the issue was ever his basketball IQ, which is IMO the MAIN issue with our most recent recruits/core players.

Ollie is waiting for guys to "get it" the way Shabazz, Kemba, Boat eventually got it.

 

[Chief00]

I remember this board using quite a few words to describe Gibbs last year. "Polished" was not one of them.

He made his foul shots and did not step out of bounds. Some casual fans expected him to average 16pts per game so they were disappointed.

 

[Chief00]

Ok so Brimah can't shoot and he was weak. And even as he is stronger he is still Brimah right? Please Chief it's not shooting or strength it's jut NOT in this case and it's not coaching.

So if coaching has nothing to do with results in Brimah's individual case - give me an example of a Big where it made a big difference?

 

[lange10]

So if coaching has nothing to do with results in Brimah's individual case - give me an example of a Big where it made a big difference?

Agreed. Perhaps Brimah just is what he is and it can't be blamed on Miller. But since Miller took over as bigs coach here are the bigs we have had:
-Michael Bradley
-Tyler Olander (legend)
-Enosch Wolf
-Drummond*
-Alex Oriakhi*
-Roscoe Smith**
-Leon Tolksdorf
-Phil Nolan
-Niels Giffey**
-Deandre Daniels*
-Amida
-Kentan Facey
-Steve Enoch
* = top 40 recruit
**= more of a 3 than a 4 IMO

Miller's track record is alarming. Not saying they should've turned into double double machines but when a guy like Facey (NYS player of the year, top 100 recruit, active on the boards) after 4 years looks so lost, insecure and inept on offense I can't blame anyone else but Miller.

 

[uconnfan68]

I presume you have watched his entire four years. He is better than he was as Freshman. To my eye ... he was very thin and not very useful in either of his first two years; never got positioning and had limited offensive moves. Last year, he shrunk as Shonn Miller got the time. He is improved and moves decently. But, he did not give you the leap in development like we have gotten with some others.
I guess we hear that maybe a Eric Hayward or Jeff Adrien or other is a better pickup. I am not sure that is how we get to the top.

And it was a great rebound he had against BU to save us. He also had a few nice baskets too.

 

[Chief00]

Agreed. Perhaps Brimah just is what he is and it can't be blamed on Miller. But since Miller took over as bigs coach here are the bigs we have had:
-Michael Bradley
-Tyler Olander (legend)
-Enosch Wolf
-Drummond*
-Alex Oriakhi*
-Roscoe Smith**
-Leon Tolksdorf
-Phil Nolan
-Niels Giffey**
-Deandre Daniels*
-Amida
-Kentan Facey
-Steve Enoch
* = top 40 recruit
**= more of a 3 than a 4 IMO

Miller's track record is alarming. Not saying they should've turned into double double machines but when a guy like Facey (NYS player of the year, top 100 recruit, active on the boards) after 4 years looks so lost, insecure and inept on offense I can't blame anyone else but Miller.

George worked 1x1 with Bigs with Alex and Dre.

 

[intlzncster]

The football program really? That's a hilarious comparison - oh crap forgot about their NC a couple years back my bad!

Look, I'm definitely worried about the program right now, but we are 2.5 friggin years from being National Champion. Mind boggling stuff.

We also have the pieces to turn the ship around as well (hopefully next yeaar). We'll see if it happens.