I agree that Floyd looks like he should be a better player. He looked like a warrior in high school. My fear about him was that he dominated because he was physically mature but didn't show a great outside shot. But in games I've seen him play at Providence he seems to have an okay shot, but he seems disinterested against teams not UConn. He's really the only guy in that transfer class that I rooted against since he came to UConn knowing he was going to sit and then went to a conference foe and I continue to root against his success. I thought Akok Akok was wrong for going to G'Town but he at least needed to move on.
If Hopkins doesn't play against UConn, and can count this year as a redshirt, I wouldn't be surprised if he shuts it down for the year. It's selfish, but playing could only hurt him. The team is bad, he isn't looking like a big NBA prospect this year, and he could save a year of NIL from another program (and he probably already got a bunch from Providence this year).
People talk about how NIL and transfers no longer needing to sit out a year has made it much easier for a new coach to turn around a program. They don't talk as much about how those same developments can derail a program (and its coach) just as quickly. Kim English could be headed for trouble.
Yeah you have a pretty good take on that. Im not sure Hopkins is able to redshirt, hard to sort out what any rules actually are these days. But if he can, I don't think you see him at PC next year no matter what. You're not wrong about English, he preached getting "13 dudes" after having obvious depth issues last year past Carter and Oduro, and from all accounts was given a pretty fat checkbook to get some players out of the portal. It seems that they are all misses to varying degrees.
Essandoko is a disaster and is pretty much benched and was supposed to be their starting center. Abdur-Rahim not getting much run now, was supposed to be a lights out three guy but hes not making them at a good clip and is so soft in other aspects of the game he is virtually unplayable. Wes Cardet was talked up as a big scorer that they were looking to maybe be a lead scorer, but his overall floor game is wildly inconsistent. He has some good flashes but overall has been disappointing to this point. However his style of play is one that fits the Memphis/Colorado mode of attack against us, so he possibly could cause some issues Sunday. Hard to keep from the rim one on one. Bensley Joseph is the 4th portal guy and to my eye the only one who has delivered anything to PC from the portal, been decent, but its not like hes setting the world on fire either, just more or less a serviceable guard along with Pierre.
That's a lot of swings and misses, and while that can happen and does happen (not every portal player turns out like Cam Spencer as we well know) , that is when floor coaching gets put in the spotlight, and thus far English, while taking accountability for the poor play, has looked like a deer in the headlights at times, and doesn't seem to be adjusting the team away from what they are failing at and making adjustments. THAT is where a coach butters his bread. I won't entirely write off their season yet, it is almost a annual Providence tradition that they are pretty bad OOC and in early season and then amass some wins in the middle of conference season. This year feels different and its hard to see them turning around something this bad (losing 7 of 9) but things happen. Nova seems to be turning it around a bit this season. English is a young guy with a good energy and seems to be a good recruiter, so he can afford a bad year, but he will definitely be under a microscope next season if this season plays out how it's feeling.
