Roster issues over the next 4 years

[Charliebball]

It is a nice sort of problem to have. It might not be too much of an overstatement to say that UConn will be close to having the two best teams in the US next season. Although it is always shaky to make predictions, especially about the future, it seems likely, bar injury, that next year's starting five for the first game will be ONO, Paige, Edwards, Westbrook (if she stays), Williams and Muhl (if Westbrook leaves). First off the bench will of course be Azzi and Anna, if Anna is OK, and Aubrey. THEN, as deep reserves, we have DeBerry, McClean, Poffenbarger, Caroline and Gabriel. As the season progresses, both the starting lineups and the most called upon reserves may change and probably will. You could easily imagine a team made up of the non-starters (as imagined above) that would not only win the Big East but probably go undefeated in league play and be very competitive at the Dance. We should all have such problems!! Practices next year may well be more competitive than all but a few games.

ummmmmm..........didn't we have this same discussion last year where many had a certain skinny blonde freshman coming in off the bench? Azzi Fudd starts from day one and will remain a starter as long as she plays the game of basketball.......

 

[Zorro]

My Yogi-ism seems to have fallen on deaf ears, to mix a metaphor.

 

[Charliebball]

Let’s just say I’m from Missouri on that last point. I hope it’s true, and (I guess) it’s conceivable, but I’m going to have to see it to believe it. Shooters like Paige are unbelievably rare. I’ve been following women’s basketball (specifically UConn) since early 90s and I don’t remember ever seeing anyone shoot better than Paige! Now we’re to believe that we are getting the two best shooters (possibly ever) who just happen to be best friends and who both commit to the same school in consecutive years? Like I said, possible, but I’ll wait til I actually see it for myself. As John Candy said in “Splash” when told that a naked Daryl Hannah had been observed walking out of the sea, “I’m for it, of course” but common sense tells me it’s pretty unlikely. Of course, she doesn’t have to be better than Paige to make a huge impact. We know for sure she’s very good. It’s the “better than Paige” that gives me pause. Let’s say Azzi comes in and shoots 47% from three and 50% overall and averages 17 points, 4 assists, 2 steals, and 4 rebounds. Is anyone going to complain about that? Actually, scratch that! I’m sure some will. Finally, if she really is better, I will be the first to acknowledge and celebrate it!

I'll be somewhat surprised if Azzi Fudd doesn't prove to be the best shooter in UConn history.... ...........even PB would admit that Azzi's the better shooter while she is the better passer and dancer..............what a great problem to have......

 

[oldude]

I'll be somewhat surprised if Azzi Fudd doesn't prove to be the best shooter in UConn history.... ...........even PB would admit that Azzi's the better shooter while she is the better passer and dancer..............what a great problem to have......

I think there may be some dispute over who the best dancer is.......

 

[mbr33ct]

She's not a High School Kid. She's enrolled at Uconn, therefore she is a college kid.

Ok

 

[Charliebball]

I think there may be some dispute over who the best dancer is.......

not in PB's opinion..........

 

[HuskyNan]

Can you explain the difference between TRANSFER SPECULATION and LEAVE EARLY FOR THE PROS SPECULATION. It seems like a very fine line to me.

Not the same thing. Transfers are moves to other schools.

 

[01Neaggrad02]

Back when I was a student there Geno had such a horrible situation that he had to deal with. He had on his team
Sveta, Shea, T A S S, Shuey, Ashley Battle, Diana, Maria.... that is 10 players he had in the rotation regularly. Then there was Morgan Valley, Marci Czel, Christine "Big Rigs" Rigby.... and I feel like I am missing someone. I think Jess Moore was redshirting.... Anyways... If I am not mistaken Geno was able to keep their playing time around 20-25 minutes for the starters, then 10-15 for those off the bench, and then the end of the game minutes for those who he felt should get in the game if they had enough of a lead. How bad would it be to have our starting five play 20-25 minutes instead of 30-35 minutes? As long as the people coming in are realistic about their playing time... this should not be an issue...

 

[UcMiami]

Just a note on the OP - while the number of players is correct, the number of scholarships is off by one as Chassion is a walk-on.

As far as scholarships are concerned, we had this discussion before the season when the NCAA first announced this was going to be a non-official year of eligibility. It is conceivable that some schools will run out of scholarships if some of their players desire to play a fifth year, and the most likely players to do so will be the ones that do not see a professional future as being a serious consideration. The NCAA has not provided any guidance as to adjustments they may allow. If nothing is done, we may see a serious increase in graduate transfers around the country.

As far as minutes are concerned - people seem to have an idea that if you are not playing 35 minutes a game you are going to be unhappy. There may be some players that have that attitude (more on the men's side than the women's) but getting 15 minutes of serious playing time and hours of very serious teaching and coaching time can be very satisfying for properly motivated players. These women aren't stupid and if they can see their own progression as ball players and recognize that people getting 20+ minutes are clearly more deserving then happiness is still possible.

Autumn is a special case - she chose Uconn and being a walk-on over a full scholarship elsewhere. That she is at the end of the bench was a choice she made specifically to be able to practice and learn from Geno and the staff. It is the same choice others have made before her.

Interesting to note - arguably the best Uconn PG ever started her career playing 17 minutes a game as a freshman, Gabby Williams started her career playing 16 and then 18 minutes a game in her first two years (numbers very similar to Griffins to date.) And Asjha Jones, an Olympian, only broke 20 minutes a game as a senior with 24 mpg and she was drafted 4th that year.

 

[oldhusky]

It is a nice sort of problem to have. It might not be too much of an overstatement to say that UConn will be close to having the two best teams in the US next season. Although it is always shaky to make predictions, especially about the future, it seems likely, bar injury, that next year's starting five for the first game will be ONO, Paige, Edwards, Westbrook (if she stays), Williams and Muhl (if Westbrook leaves). First off the bench will of course be Azzi and Anna, if Anna is OK, and Aubrey. THEN, as deep reserves, we have DeBerry, McClean, Poffenbarger, Caroline and Gabriel. As the season progresses, both the starting lineups and the most called upon reserves may change and probably will. You could easily imagine a team made up of the non-starters (as imagined above) that would not only win the Big East but probably go undefeated in league play and be very competitive at the Dance. We should all have such problems!! Practices next year may well be more competitive than all but a few games.

I agree, the second unit could probably win the Big East next year, and if Evina comes back and we have 15 players, the third unit could probably have a winning record in the Big East.

 

[Zorro]

As to Saylor´s shootin eye, nine shots by a (probably) quite nervous freshman is hardly enough to form a judgement on. May I once again remind y´all that Dead-eye Maria Conlon once missed 31 threes in a row. She has not gone down in Husky History as a bad shooter. (And it was NOT her freshman year, either!)

 

[Aluminny69]

Not the same thing. Transfers are moves to other schools.

And declaring for the draft early is a move to another team also. Both involve leaving the team they are on. But hey, it's your board, and I have never posted about any individual leaving UConn for any reason. Although in some cases, you must admit, it is the elephant in the room.

 

[oldude]

And declaring for the draft early is a move to another team also. Both involve leaving the team they are on. But hey, it's your board, and I have never posted about any individual leaving UConn for any reason. Although in some cases, you must admit, it is the elephant in the room.

My understanding is that the elephant is transferring to Alabama......😉

 

[jaundicedeye]

Double Click on the UCONN_Years.gif to expand:

To me the title of the post "Roster Issues.." wreaks of negative speculation.
Bro' how can you be worried when things are looking better than they've been in a long time?

 

[BRS24]

Here's my infamous color coded roster. I redid it when Saylor joined the team and vacillated on how to note her status, so here's my quirky attempt:

 

[Zanzman]

And declaring for the draft early is a move to another team also. Both involve leaving the team they are on. But hey, it's your board, and I have never posted about any individual leaving UConn for any reason. Although in some cases, you must admit, it is the elephant in the room.

Are you 10 years old

 

[CocoHusky]

To me the title of the post "Roster Issues.." wreaks of negative speculation.
Bro' how can you be worried when things are looking better than they've been in a long time?

Yea I was getting to ask this question: Is it really an issue if it is something most people are looking forward to?

 

[BobbyJ]

And declaring for the draft early is a move to another team also. Both involve leaving the team they are on. But hey, it's your board, and I have never posted about any individual leaving UConn for any reason. Although in some cases, you must admit, it is the elephant in the room.

I believe her key word was “schools”.

 

[donalddoowop]

Let’s just say I’m from Missouri on that last point. I hope it’s true, and (I guess) it’s conceivable, but I’m going to have to see it to believe it. Shooters like Paige are unbelievably rare. I’ve been following women’s basketball (specifically UConn) since early 90s and I don’t remember ever seeing anyone shoot better than Paige! Now we’re to believe that we are getting the two best shooters (possibly ever) who just happen to be best friends and who both commit to the same school in consecutive years? Like I said, possible, but I’ll wait til I actually see it for myself. As John Candy said in “Splash” when told that a naked Daryl Hannah had been observed walking out of the sea, “I’m for it, of course” but common sense tells me it’s pretty unlikely. Of course, she doesn’t have to be better than Paige to make a huge impact. We know for sure she’s very good. It’s the “better than Paige” that gives me pause. Let’s say Azzi comes in and shoots 47% from three and 50% overall and averages 17 points, 4 assists, 2 steals, and 4 rebounds. Is anyone going to complain about that? Actually, scratch that! I’m sure some will. Finally, if she really is better, I will be the first to acknowledge and celebrate it!

Man, are you going to be surprised!

 

[AgStatesman]

Yea I was getting to ask this question: Is it really an issue if it is something most people are looking forward to?

IT IS AN ISSUE! Do you see the last year listed? We only have five players! If anyone gets injured we won't be able to play any games. How many times are we going to finish a game with three or four players if someone fouls out? A five person roster in D1 basketball is going to be a disaster!

 

[UcMiami]

Here's my infamous color coded roster. I redid it when Saylor joined the team and vacillated on how to note her status, so here's my quirky attempt:View attachment 64888

Love the chart but your seasons are out of sync - we are currently in the 21-22 season which is what the first column should be labeled and the current Juniors are class of 2023 not 2022, etc as the labels in the second section.

EDIT: Please ignore, seem to have skipped a year: 2020 was such a bummer and 2021 isn't looking all that great so figured I would just get a jump and switch my calendar to 2022 already! Oops!

 

[Cuango]

Man, are you going to be surprised!

We’ll see.

 

[Bald Husky]

IT IS AN ISSUE! Do you see the last year listed? We only have five players! If anyone gets injured we won't be able to play any games. How many times are we going to finish a game with three or four players if someone fouls out? A five person roster in D1 basketball is going to be a disaster!

Yeah, but they are pretty good players

 

[BobbyJ]

Love the chart but your seasons are out of sync - we are currently in the 21-22 season which is what the first column should be labeled and the current Juniors are class of 2023 not 2022, etc as the labels in the second section.

???? Doesn't the '21-'22 season start this coming fall? Ice Brady is class of '22 and is currently a JR. I believe this is the '20-'21 season or am I missing something?

 

[Charliebball]

I figure one or two of the players are always going to be in Geno's dog house and unfortunately one or two will have some kind of injury so perhaps it will be a bit less of an issue then first thought........

 

[donalddoowop]

Love the chart but your seasons are out of sync - we are currently in the 21-22 season which is what the first column should be labeled and the current Juniors are class of 2023 not 2022, etc as the labels in the second section.

Your first sentence is not true.

 

[Big Mick]

Let's assume that they all use their 5th year of eligibility,

Several issues...these two are interesting.

Season 22-23
16 rostered players. I thought the max was 15.

Season 24-25
10 Seniors leaving after this season.

My post was not intended as negative, rather that an interesting discussion could actually happen. However, we can scrap that thought...

 

[HuskyNan]

Let's assume that they all use their 5th year of eligibility,

Several issues...these two are interesting.

Season 22-23
16 rostered players. I thought the max was 15.

Season 24-25
10 Seniors leaving after this season.

My post was not intended as negative, rather that an interesting discussion could actually happen. However, we can scrap that thought...

The cap is 15 scholarship players. A team can have as many walk ons as they want.

 

[VidNick]

My son was a heavily recruited baseball player out of HS. We visited 6 schools that are perennial contenders for a National Championship as well as some others in our State. With only one exception we found coaches will tell you anything to sign with them. Once you get there, those promises are forgotten, with the exception for players such as a Bueckers, Fudd, etc. Recruits are well advised to pay attention not to what the recruiter says, but what they have done in the past.

I do not have any idea what Geno (Chris) tells kids when they are recruited. However, I have observed only 6-8 players get meaningful playing time. With a normal spacing of classes this has worked out OK in that a Gabby Williams sits in 1st year and gradually gets more playing time. However, with this lower class (Fr, So) scenario shaping up, some very good players may languish on the bench all four years. This is why having to sit out a year after transferring is a bad rule for the athletes.

As for me, I would much prefer a larger rotation of players getting real playing time.

 

[Tonyc]

IMO you can thorough out much of what has happened in the past. We are loaded next season and it will take time for the freshman to learn Genos system and they will get play time. IMO Azzi will start. For who I dont know but shes to good and didnt come here to sit and from many reports she shoots better then Paige and with that said think about Paige setting her up with passes. Yeah thats gonna be somethin else. We have a bunch of number 1 HS players on the roster next season Evina was 2 and many of the rest are top 10 and top 20. Theyre gonna play when theyre ready and Geno has to get them ready of the following season when Evina Liv and Christyn graduate and most likely turn pro. I wouldnt worry too much about next season we need to win a NC this season and we need our bigs to play big over the next 4-5 weeks.