Recruiting has to get better

[superjohn]

A game like this just reinforces that we need better players. Granted MSU is most likely a top 5 team but there is such a clear disparity in size and talent from top to bottom. Our three big time recruits are our only players who look like they belong against this type of opponent. I think Ollie has a better handle on recruiting and what he needs right now but we simply need to land some studs, he has to break through with a couple of big timers.

 

[NielsisGood]

To be fair this is one of most loaded teams Izzo has ever had in terms of stud recruits and NBA level guys.

 

[Tenspro2002]

A game like this just reinforces that we need better players. Granted MSU is most likely a top 5 team but there is such a clear disparity is size and talent from top to bottom. Our three big time recruits are our only players who look like they belong against this type of opponent. I think Ollie has a better handle on recruiting and what he needs right now but we simply need to land some studs, he has to break through with a couple of big timers.

We would have been a lot more competitive with a Jessie Govan anchoring us in the post, not to mention others.

Grit and hustle go a long ways, and are certainly an improvement over last year, but size and skill can't continue to be an either/or proposition in our recruiting.

 

[Chief00]

A game like this just reinforces that we need better players. Granted MSU is most likely a top 5 team but there is such a clear disparity is size and talent from top to bottom. Our three big time recruits are our only players who look like they belong against this type of opponent. I think Ollie has a better handle on recruiting and what he needs right now but we simply need to land some studs, he has to break through with a couple of big timers.

Couldn’t agree more.

 

[EBonz30]

Yea obviously, last year with the injuries, poor season, & transfers obviously set us back.

I am not sure why this is brought up now after our first loss, I believe we all know our recruiting is not where it needs to be to compete with top 10 teams.

 

[Walker11]

I think recruiting is fine. We have elite guards and developmental bigs which is a fine strategy for success. The problem is the balance of the roster, i.e. all the developmental bigs are in their first year of development and there is no solution to that other than time. Unless you expect to land a top 15 bigman recruit, which I certainly am not even contemplating.

 

[superjohn]

Yea obviously, last year with the injuries, poor season, & transfers obviously set us back.

I am not sure why this is brought up now after our first loss, I believe we all know our recruiting is not where it needs to be to compete with top 10 teams.

I've seen a bunch of people here say we are fine in terms of recruiting and they would take a whole team of Polley's, Carlton's, and Akinjo's and take our chances against anyone in the future. Many of the guys we have recruited the past couple of years can be nice complimentary pieces but that's just what they are, players who are supposed to compliment your stud players. We need more stud players and less complimentary guys.

 

[AdamaNation]

We would have been a lot more competitive with a Jessie Govan anchoring us in the post, not to mention others.

Grit and hustle go a long ways, and are certainly an improvement over last year, but size and skill can't continue to be an either/or proposition in our recruiting.

Or diamond stone or etc....,

 

[AntG168]

I've seen a bunch of people here say we are fine in terms of recruiting and they would take a whole team of Polley's, Carlton's, and Akinjo's and take our chances against anyone in the future. Many of the guys we have recruited the past couple of years can be nice complimentary pieces but that's just what they are, players who are supposed to compliment your stud players. We need more stud players and less complimentary guys.

But talent wasn’t the issue tonight. Size was

 

[Tenspro2002]

I've seen a bunch of people here say we are fine in terms of recruiting and they would take a whole team of Polley's, Carlton's, and Akinjo's and take our chances against anyone in the future. Many of the guys we have recruited the past couple of years can be nice complimentary pieces but that's just what they are, players who are supposed to compliment your stud players. We need more stud players and less complimentary guys.

Or, importantly, the right stud and complementary guys.

Daniel Hamilton should have been a stud, but didn't have the right attitude.
Purvis was thought to be a stud ("ferrari in the garage", ugh), but wasn't.
Adams looks promising, but maturity may hold him back. Jury is out on Gilbert and Larrier.

Vance Jackson would have been a great complementary player, but thought he was a stud and didn't fit the team concept.

 

[sammydabiz]

A game like this just reinforces that we need better players. Granted MSU is most likely a top 5 team but there is such a clear disparity in size and talent from top to bottom. Our three big time recruits are our only players who look like they belong against this type of opponent. I think Ollie has a better handle on recruiting and what he needs right now but we simply need to land some studs, he has to break through with a couple of big timers.

Ehhh, maybe, I think we have some real talent on this squad. For all of Ollies faults, his recruiting is not one of them. It's his offensive philosophy that needs to get better.... our boys are playing with one arm tied behind their backs, hard to win that way

We honestly do have some real talent on this roster, in the past we accomplished ALOT more with less. More discipline and better offensive iq, that's what we're missing

 

[superjohn]

But talent wasn’t the issue tonight. Size was

That's a part of it, we haven't had a physical imposing team since the Calhoun days. Talent and size are a problem against any of the top tesms.

 

[AntG168]

That's a part of it, we haven't had a physical imposing team since the Calhoun days. Talent and size are a problem against any of the top tesms.

True. But it’s really hard to get guys with size and talent out the of the power 5.

 

[KodiacKemba]

I mean it ain’t like Izzo has to go far to find recruits , most his highly touted recruits came from the pipeline around Michigan ..

 

[Tenspro2002]

But talent wasn’t the issue tonight. Size was

They are intertwined. KO hasn't gotten a single highly-rated big to come and stay here.

Carlton looks like he will be serviceable and possibly very good in a few years, but he wasn't highly rated.

We need to start landing top 50 bigs, not just point guards and transfer wings.

 

[UChusky916]

Couldn’t agree more.

Couldn't disagree more.

We kept the game close for 36 minutes against a great team. They needed some kid playing out of his mind to pull away, while no one on UConn really had a great game.

Add Cobb to the front court tonight and defensively we're a different team... we played just well enough to compete until they started beating us on the boards.

We're not far off from a top team's skill-level. Recruiting is NOT the problem.

 

[sammydabiz]

They are intertwined. KO hasn't gotten a single highly-rated big to come and stay here.

Carlton looks like he will be serviceable and possibly very good in a few years, but he wasn't highly rated.

We need to start landing top 50 bigs, not just point guards and transfer wings.

True, but to do that, you can't finish in 5th place, especially in a water'd down conference. I call it "Trickle Down Ollie-nomics"

 

[Javjudah]

I believe before Gilbert leaves UCONN he will put our program back on the rise. I thought this would have been Adams but he hasn't shown the work ethic necessary yet. Ollie is looking for players to compliment his style and he will get them. It is important for him to win some games and make the tournament this season.

 

[Towney007]

If this was 1999, sure but it isn’t.

I mean how anyone can be mad tonight is beyond me.

 

[AdamaNation]

They are intertwined. KO hasn't gotten a single highly-rated big to come and stay here.

Carlton looks like he will be serviceable and possibly very good in a few years, but he wasn't highly rated.

We need to start landing top 50 bigs, not just point guards and transfer wings.

Wasn’t Carlton a 4*

 

[MadDogRevival]

A game like this just reinforces that we need better players.

Thank you, Captain Obvious.
So, to be clear, your opinion is that we need better players?
And you believe that that would help us win.
Wonderful.
Chief - please pass this on to KO. Not sure if he understands the causative effect between having better players and winning.

Your reactionary post, while great for likes from other disappointed fans, is uninformative.

This is a process. We're moving in the right direction from last year. The solution here isn't "TO LAND BIG STUDS."
That's silly, reactionary, and unlikely.
What we need to do is let this play out.
This year - have a solid season and make the tourni.
Next year. Build on that.
Not B and M every loss and lament our lack of recruiting "big studs."
Jeez.

 

[AdamaNation]

I believe before Gilbert leaves UCONN he will put our program back on the rise. I thought this would have been Adams but he hasn't shown the work ethic necessary yet. Ollie is looking for players to compliment his style and he will get them. It is important for him to win some games and make the tournament this season.

Not knocking you post. But everyone on this board said the same thing about junior year bazz and static with sophomore boat

 

[superjohn]

Thank you, Captain Obvious.
So, to be clear, your opinion is that we need better players?
And you believe that that would help us win.
Wonderful.
Chief - please pass this on to KO. Not sure if he understands the causative effect between having better players and winning.

Your reactionary post, while great for likes from other disappointed fans, is uninformative.

This is a process. We're moving in the right direction from last year. The solution here isn't "TO LAND BIG STUDS."
That's silly, reactionary, and unlikely.
What we need to do is let this play out.
This year - have a solid season and make the tourni.
Next year. Build on that.
Not B and M every loss and lament our lack of recruiting "big studs."
Jeez.

It's not at all reactionary, I've been harping on how our last several recruiting classes aren't cutting it for a long time. Any time we play any sort of contender the talent gap is greatly exposed. If Larrier and Jalen both leave after this season it will be Alteique and a bunch of compimentary players. We absolutely need to step up our recruiting game.

 

[August_West]

It's not at all reactionary, I've been harping on how our last several recruiting classes aren't cutting it for a long time. Any time we play any sort of contender the talent gap is greatly exposed. If Larrier and Jalen both leave after this season it will be Alteique and a bunch of compimentary players. We absolutely need to step up our recruiting game.

Yeah . Come play for UConn , in the juggernaut AAC in front of 5134 in the XL center. Quite frankly it’s a miracle KO gets the players he does.

 

[MadDogRevival]

We absolutely need to step up our recruiting game.

Look - we agree that, fundamentally, everything begins with recruiting. So we'll root together for landing top players in the next 12 months.
My point is really that discussing recruiting after a loss to the 4th best team in the country, by rankings, is counter productive. That's all.

I love this team. I haven't rooted for a UConn team this much in 3 years. I could give two tinkers woof woof about our recruiting right now. Just happy that we gave them heckfire for a half, and did reasonably well. Last year, this would have been over at the 10 minute mark. Not exaggerating.
I'm having fun as a fan. Great team. Easy loss to absorb. We were not embarrassed. We were simply overmatched. No shame in that.