If you can't can't get 4 or 5 star recruits after winning the National Championship, how do you expect to get any after what looks like poor play in a poor conference for a few years. We always seem to be on the list of top recruits but hardly ever get chosen by them. Often times, I'm incredulous in regards to the schools they choose over us. How many big time recruits have come to Uconn in the last twenty years. It's going to be difficult to compete with schools who have 3 or 4 top recruits with a collection of players such as we have now.
Samuel
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It's not the last twenty years that are the problem.
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Let's be honest here and try to look at this with a dose of reality. Just a couple years back we were trying to keep kids at UConn because of an awful job by the NCAA on the APR. This was a great opportunity for the negative recruiters from every school we were going head to head with. Now when we talk of the kids deciding this year we have to remember, especially with the 4/5 star kids, they were being recruited by their soph/jr years so favorites were being played into their heads during our tough times and KO's first year. This particular class is a tough one still despite the NC because the momentum for other schools was already put in place. I'm not saying don't be worried at all, I am a bit too. But to me the real huge year would next years where the sophs/jrs were watching the NC run...jury is still out.
UConnNick
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I agree for the most part, but your characterization of the mid-1970's Tony Hanson UCONN teams is a bit off. We went to the NIT twice and the NCAA Sweet 16 once when Tony was playing. By no means were we a national juggernaut, but "low level" is going too far in the other direction when remembering those teams. Real low level hit in the very late 1960's during the regrettable Burr Carlson coaching regime...two seasons of pure hell. The latter years of Perno's tenure were no picnic, either.
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Dom was a great guy but an awful coach. Took him half a year or more to realize Cliffy was pretty decent.
UConnNick
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Yes, but in fairness, Dom didn't get a whole lot of support from the administration during his coaching tenure. I'm biased because I know Dom personally. His weakness was trying to please everybody all the time. That doesn't work when you're a major conference college BB coach, something we may only enjoy fond memories of if we remain in this dumpster fire of a conference.
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A winning college coach has to evaluate, choose, recruit, teach, motivate, engender collaboration, game plan, react to in game situations, and do media, public relations, etc.
Fran Dunphy didn't stink last year and then remember how to win this year. Ollie has not forgotten. He doesn't need to be told to tell the players to pay hard all game long.
I am sure he knows who he wants to bring to Storrs and had many alternatives for when he inevitably was disappointed by some of the kids he coveted.
I also believe that he is no less clever in designing individual plays or full game plans than he was in the Final 4. Players have to execute.
The guy has improved the strength and conditioning, brought in sports psychologists, and taken a lot of midlevel recruits a long way. Last year he made opponents play games where Brimah's shout blocking was of great impact, but his weaknesses were protects. I'm sure the team did not abandon the free throw drill everyone talked about last spring. But players have not done as well. Samuel couldn't play a tick early in his freshman year, but emerged as a complimentary player. The players around him expose weaknesses now, where as last year's hid them. But, he is generally improving, even if here is much less effective on this team.
I believe the truth is that there are chemistry issues. They pride themselves on being a family, but something is up.
Drummond's year we couldn't get it done, same now I think. Next year is also about who leads and who will follow. I remember some body contact Bazz on Boat, was it in the Kentucky game? Boat subjugated himself in 2013-14 and that he deserved to lead this year. Not sure it had played out the way he dreamed it up.
Fran Dunphy didn't stink last year and then remember how to win this year. Ollie has not forgotten. He doesn't need to be told to tell the players to pay hard all game long.
I am sure he knows who he wants to bring to Storrs and had many alternatives for when he inevitably was disappointed by some of the kids he coveted.
I also believe that he is no less clever in designing individual plays or full game plans than he was in the Final 4. Players have to execute.
The guy has improved the strength and conditioning, brought in sports psychologists, and taken a lot of midlevel recruits a long way. Last year he made opponents play games where Brimah's shout blocking was of great impact, but his weaknesses were protects. I'm sure the team did not abandon the free throw drill everyone talked about last spring. But players have not done as well. Samuel couldn't play a tick early in his freshman year, but emerged as a complimentary player. The players around him expose weaknesses now, where as last year's hid them. But, he is generally improving, even if here is much less effective on this team.
I believe the truth is that there are chemistry issues. They pride themselves on being a family, but something is up.
Drummond's year we couldn't get it done, same now I think. Next year is also about who leads and who will follow. I remember some body contact Bazz on Boat, was it in the Kentucky game? Boat subjugated himself in 2013-14 and that he deserved to lead this year. Not sure it had played out the way he dreamed it up.
huskyharry
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Sam Jr. was undeniably a focus of criticism but the jury should still be out...he didn't have one acute injury but was playing hurt from nearly the beginning of the season. Leg injuries can adversely affect all aspects of a player's game.
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No one's bashing him just saying he's playing too much and he is. He's been dreadful with the ball and making decisions and if you deny that you aren't watching. He makes some FT's and that's about it. His defense has gone on the dumpster and his offense, well there's hardly any. He needs to improve to be the 3rd guard next year otherwise if he's any more than 4th the expectations go down again.
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So for his next 3 years we should praise him incesssantly? He plays hard, but he has zero skills. Another example of where UConn recruiting has hit the skids.
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Maybe not Danzz but the fact he played over 20 minutes quite often is one of the major reasons.
Stainmaster
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Do you have any idea what a happy medium is? The two options aren't "constantly bashing" and "incessantly praising". Sheesh.
CTBasketball
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Blaming Samuel's jumper on coaching is idiotic. If you want to improve your jumper, you spend your life in the gym and get better. He clearly isn't spending time in the gym on anything.
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Brimah had the big play against St Joe's and T Sam had some good minutes in the tourney, but we're seeing the reality of their actual talent.
But he's not the issue, the issue is the 4-5s. 3 of them are terrible and 1 (Lubin) we have no idea on yet, but how often do guys ranked > 250 become factors? Name 1 in the last 20 years @ UConn.
But he's not the issue, the issue is the 4-5s. 3 of them are terrible and 1 (Lubin) we have no idea on yet, but how often do guys ranked > 250 become factors? Name 1 in the last 20 years @ UConn.
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Yes, we did lose Dunn. We did have a scholarship available to him, and offered him one:
"GUARD KRIS DUNN CHOOSES PROVIDENCE OVER UCONN
August 24, 2011|By DOM AMORE, damore@courant.com, The Hartford Courant
Guard Kris Dunn, who led New London High to a state championship last season, has given Providence College an oral commitment for 2012.
"Providence is a special place for me," Dunn said told ESPN. "I have a great connection with the coaches but most importantly with [new head coach Ed Cooley]. He made my family and I feel at home and like we were wanted."
Dunn, who averaged 26 points for the No.1 ranked Whalers last season, had announced his intention to attend Wilbraham-Monson prep school in Massachusetts next year. But he changed his mind and said he will instead return to New London High for his senior season.
Meanwhile, playing on the Connecticut Basketball Club's travel team this summer, Dunn's stock rose dramatically and he was considered one of the top point guard prospects in the country. He was mentioned in connection with UConn, Louisville and Kentucky among other top programs. Reports were that his final two teams were Providence and UConn"
Please STOP making stuff up or rewriting history to fit into your narrative... why do guys like you feel compelled to do this? Coach Calhoun came in 2nd on this particular recruitment. Deal with it! Don't make stuff up...
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Do you have a reason to be here? He didn't come in 2nd he chose to have someone else as his #1 choice. Deal with that!
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I don't know if this has been mentioned in the thread, but can we pause and take a second to talk about TS shooting 3 pointers...this kid has NEVER hit a college 3!! Can someone explain to me why he takes them/why Ollie or an assistant doesn't rip him apart when doing so? He is 0/16 this year from behind the arc. I know that isn't a ton of looks but every shot matters, especially in close games. Give me a Boat contested shot from basically anywhere within 30 feet over a TS 3 pointer. It needs to stop.
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LOL! Exactly that always boggles my mind when he does it. Normally he has no one within 10 feet of him also which begs the question of why not dribble in a little and try to make a manageable 2 pointer. TSAM is a slashing 2 guard who can't shoot. He is fine for a bench player to come in and give decent defense and slash to the basket when it is available but nothing else. He was used perfectly in that position last year. Unfortunately he is being asked to be a point guard and create offense for other people and that isn't his game. I also wonder what he worked on in the off season as his dribbling and shooting are just as bad as they were last year.
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kids shoot those half court contest shots at half time with better accuracy than a TS 3.
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