The unknowns ahead of us..

[Captbluefin]

First of all this is not a save Ollie thread. I just wanted to see what peoples thoughts are. Please try to not make every response a negative one.


To me it seems many want anyone but KO coaching this team anyone. But if the AD cant get the right guy the repercussions are catastrophic, much worse than KO

Will a new coach be able to even get a full team of players after transfers and recruits bailing out ? Especially if the no wait after coaching change rule goes in effect.
This year did not work out so great trying to find players in April/May. Ollie had to take what he could get.
Next season could very well be Gilbert with the unknown shoulder and a complete skeleton crew for a team..

Is it the opinion of most that a new coach will be able to recruit 7-8 scholarships in April/May and put a decent team on the floor?

What if everyone’s favorites are not interested in coming? What happens then? We end up with a washed up coach and no players?

I am truly interested in people’s thoughts on this. I know everything has to change but the “unknowns” are very very concerning to me..

A failure in a hire will be the end of UCONN Basketball and we will be in a hole we cant get out of.

 

[CL82]

To me it seems many want anyone but KO coaching this team anyone. But if the AD cant get the right guy the repercussions are catastrophic, much worse than KO

Will a new coach be able to even get a full team of players after transfers and recruits bailing out ? Especially if the no wait after coaching change rule goes in effect.
This year did not work out so great trying to find players in April/May. Ollie had to take what he could get.
Next season could very well be Gilbert with the unknown shoulder and a complete skeleton crew for a team..

Is it the opinion of most that a new coach will be able to recruit 7-8 scholarships in April/May and put a decent team on the floor?

What if everyone’s favorites are not interested in coming? What happens then? We end up with a washed up coach and no players?

I am truly interested in people’s thoughts on this. I know everything has to change but the “unknowns” are very very concerning to me..

A failure in a hire will be the end of UCONN Basketball and we will be in a hole we cant get out of.

I don't think anyone wants to make a hire just to make a hire Capt, but I see no sign, none, that there is a light at the end of tunnel. We won't make a change just to change. We may hire a up and comer, which risks the Peter Principal, or an old hand with a limited upside who can right the ship and put a competent product back on the court. Which one we choose will be based upon who is available and who is interested.

Yes there is always the risk of a bad hire, but doing nothing is a near certain disaster.

 

[Lefty2one]

You're suggesting cutting off our nose to spite our face. This decision is about the long-term health of the program. I'm of the belief that KO cannot turn this around and, as absurd as it may be, can dig us a deeper hole. We can't be afraid of the unknown because the known is more frightening.

We're going to suck next year regardless of who is coaching the team; you can't let the short-term future of the program dictate this decision. I do believe that the AD has put out feelers and will do his due diligence, this won't be a "fire KO and toss up a Hail Mary" situation. Also, the most important thing to remember is that money talks. We'll get a decent coach in here.

 

[uchusky32]

Unfortunately, this team assembled by KO isn't high D1 talent. Some individuals, yep. He is responsible. Hasn't been proven this administration will hire the right coach. AD David Benedict career will been defined here.

We shall see.

 

[boog204]

This... I believe that the hole has been dug too deep for KO to ever escape. His name is tarnished immensely on the recruiting trail, our national rep is dying, scouts (and opposing players) are openly ridiculing our style of play and execution. It's over.

We are still UConn and while that does not hold the same weight as it used to (Billy freaking Donovan is not coming here), it still means we can find a legit coach. It is possible that we will struggle mightily for a year or so (see JC 86-87) as players enter and leave and a new culture is established. But we HAVE to take that chance to right the ship.

 

[QDOG5]

First of all this is not a save Ollie thread. I just wanted to see what peoples thoughts are. Please try to not make every response a negative one.


To me it seems many want anyone but KO coaching this team anyone. But if the AD cant get the right guy the repercussions are catastrophic, much worse than KO

Will a new coach be able to even get a full team of players after transfers and recruits bailing out ? Especially if the no wait after coaching change rule goes in effect.
This year did not work out so great trying to find players in April/May. Ollie had to take what he could get.
Next season could very well be Gilbert with the unknown shoulder and a complete skeleton crew for a team..

Is it the opinion of most that a new coach will be able to recruit 7-8 scholarships in April/May and put a decent team on the floor?

What if everyone’s favorites are not interested in coming? What happens then? We end up with a washed up coach and no players?

I am truly interested in people’s thoughts on this. I know everything has to change but the “unknowns” are very very concerning to me..

A failure in a hire will be the end of UCONN Basketball and we will be in a hole we cant get out of.

In a best case scenario UConn does what Ohio State did this year.

 

[Matrim55]

What if everyone’s favorites are not interested in coming? What happens then? We end up with a washed up coach and no players?

Urban Dictionary: JAQing off

 

[UConnNick]

In a best case scenario UConn does what Ohio State did this year.

Love the optimism, but when it comes to financial resources, Ohio State is a Ferrari. UCONN has become an Edsel. (pardon the pun)

 

[Stainmaster]

In a best case scenario UConn does what Ohio State did this year.

I'd be absolutely shocked if the 2018-19 UConn Huskies crack the AP Top 10 at any point in the season. Very happy, yes, but shocked.

 

[Travelman6]

Especially if the no wait after coaching change rule goes in effect.

This is why Uconn needs to have a new coach in place ASAP, early April. Beat the rule because next year could be too late.

Not hiring a new coach will likely result in a loss of money via ticket sales and merchandise, etc., etc. if the last two years have anything to say for it. Even if firing will also result in a loss of money. Just have to figure out (estimate) what leads to a larger loss of money but IMO even if firing equals a greater loss in money it has to be done.

 

[QDOG5]

I'd be absolutely shocked if the 2018-19 UConn Huskies crack the AP Top 10 at any point in the season. Very happy, yes, but shocked.

Love the optimism, but when it comes to financial resources, Ohio State is a Ferrari. UCONN has become an Edsel. (pardon the pun)

I agree with both of you. There are people putting out the proposition that we can't fire KO because that will lead to 40 years in the wilderness. Some believe all the recruits will de-commit and many of our current players will transfer out. It doesn't have to be that way. I wrote in another thread that OSU changed coaches and kept their two highest ranked recruits and did not have a mass transfer situation. I don't know how the next coach for UConn will do but keeping KO on for the fear of the unknown is not an option. If KO is coaching here next year because of his contract we truly have become an Edsel.

 

[Robertelamin]

I'd be absolutely shocked if the 2018-19 UConn Huskies crack the AP Top 10 at any point in the season. Very happy, yes, but shocked.

They won't but that's okay. I think we are just looking for a pulse at this point and some momentum going into 2019-2020.

 

[Kemba429]

Yall act like if we hire a coach that doesnt live up to expectations that well become horrible forever. That will never happen, sure well be irrelevant for the time being but its not like the program will never improve.

 

[Travelman6]

They won't but that's okay. I think we are just looking for a pulse at this point and some momentum going into 2019-2020.

Agreed, just finishing over .500 will be cause for MINOR celebration next year. Not many people have wild expectations...Just a decent record (18-15 or 17-16 or there abouts will be fine by me in year one) and not getting stomped by 20 like 8 times in 29 games while at the same time, eking out wins agains the basement of D1 in OT or final minutes of the 2nd half. Hard to get all that much worse than this year (though Pitt is the absolute bottom IMO), so it is a risk worth taking to go in a new direction.

 

[HuskyHawk]

First of all this is not a save Ollie thread. I just wanted to see what peoples thoughts are. Please try to not make every response a negative one.


To me it seems many want anyone but KO coaching this team anyone. But if the AD cant get the right guy the repercussions are catastrophic, much worse than KO

Will a new coach be able to even get a full team of players after transfers and recruits bailing out ? Especially if the no wait after coaching change rule goes in effect.
This year did not work out so great trying to find players in April/May. Ollie had to take what he could get.
Next season could very well be Gilbert with the unknown shoulder and a complete skeleton crew for a team..

Is it the opinion of most that a new coach will be able to recruit 7-8 scholarships in April/May and put a decent team on the floor?

What if everyone’s favorites are not interested in coming? What happens then? We end up with a washed up coach and no players?

I am truly interested in people’s thoughts on this. I know everything has to change but the “unknowns” are very very concerning to me..

A failure in a hire will be the end of UCONN Basketball and we will be in a hole we cant get out of.

I actually think anyone but Ollie would be a short term improvement. Clearly not the long term solution. But Kevin is simply not working here, and given who he is, the pressure is higher for him. I'm sure they will get it right. If not Hurley, the guy at Vermont would be an instant upgrade.

Now what will happen? I don't know which players will stay, or transfer or honor commitments, or decommit. Neither does anyone else here. It's just as likely that any of those players would be excited about the new coach as it is that they'd be upset with Ollie being gone. So it is pointless to speculate on whether we win or lose with players and recruits by letting him go.

If we lose lots of players, we'd be in the situation Tubby Smith was in at Memphis. Having to build an entire roster on the fly. That's what he did. His team beat ours by over 20 points...twice. Look at the roster.
Memphis Tigers 2017-18 men's basketball roster preview

They returned a total of two players who appeared in more than 15 games from the prior season. The rest are freshmen and transfers. They lost 8 guys to transfer or graduation from 2016-17. They brought in five JUCOs. Yes, the team that kicked our asses twice had five JUCO transfers. None of the new freshman are higher than 3 stars. Yet people think UConn stinks because of a lack of talent. We have vastly more talent than Memphis. It isn't close.

 

[Vancat]

Next season could very well be Gilbert with the unknown shoulder and a complete skeleton crew for a team..

The Tomb of the Unknown Shoulder

 

[BFieldHusky]

The Tomb of the Unknown Shoulder

Or a majority of the guys could be excited by a new coach and stay, especially with the prospect of having to sit out a year to transfer.

 

[gtcam]

Agreed, just finishing over .500 will be cause for MINOR celebration next year. Not many people have wild expectations...Just a decent record (18-15 or 17-16 or there abouts will be fine by me in year one) and not getting stomped by 20 like 8 times in 29 games while at the same time, eking out wins agains the basement of D1 in OT or final minutes of the 2nd half. Hard to get all that much worse than this year (though Pitt is the absolute bottom IMO), so it is a risk worth taking to go in a new direction.

Hypocritical in some ways. If KO finished this year at 17-16 people here would still hang him.
If you finish with 16 losses they are going to be stomped by some and eked out wins
Assuming a new coach have the same kids KO would have next year you still want to say : Not many people have wild expectations...Just a decent record (18-15 or 17-16 or there abouts will be fine by me in year one)

 

[Stainmaster]

Agreed, just finishing over .500 will be cause for MINOR celebration next year. Not many people have wild expectations...Just a decent record (18-15 or 17-16 or there abouts will be fine by me in year one) and not getting stomped by 20 like 8 times in 29 games while at the same time, eking out wins agains the basement of D1 in OT or final minutes of the 2nd half. Hard to get all that much worse than this year (though Pitt is the absolute bottom IMO), so it is a risk worth taking to go in a new direction.

Wrong, this is the 5th or 6th time I’ve seen Ohio State mentioned here as a template for next year.

 

[gtcam]

Yes, the team that kicked our asses twice had five JUCO transfers.

Do you think JUCO transfers, especially those who play the 4 or 5 are going to better acclimated and perhaps bigger and stronger than incoming freshmen?
There is a difference

 

[Son of Robert]

I am agreeing here with BFieldHusky and a couple of others.

If KO leaves, I'm thinking we will get an impressive coach to replace him. Most players and recruits will stay on course. There may be some turnover, but it won't be a disaster, and these spots will be filled.

As long as there is a wise choice to replace KO. Cannot underestimate the impact of this. It is the #1 most important factor in how fast and how far the program turns around.

All in on the best coach possible.

 

[Captbluefin]

The subject of the “ The Unknown Shoulder”

Could be a topic for the next 3 years

 

[AntG168]

You're suggesting cutting off our nose to spite our face. This decision is about the long-term health of the program. I'm of the belief that KO cannot turn this around and, as absurd as it may be, can dig us a deeper hole. We can't be afraid of the unknown because the known is more frightening.

We're going to suck next year regardless of who is coaching the team; you can't let the short-term future of the program dictate this decision. I do believe that the AD has put out feelers and will do his due diligence, this won't be a "fire KO and toss up a Hail Mary" situation. Also, the most important thing to remember is that money talks. We'll get a decent coach in here.

Idk why people seem to think “we’ll suck next yr regardless”. I’ve seen this posted a couple times and it isn’t remotely true. We can absolutely be competitive with a good coach next yr

 

[JMick]

Idk why people seem to think “we’ll suck next yr regardless”. I’ve seen this posted a couple times and it isn’t remotely true. We can absolutely be competitive with a good coach next yr

If he stays we know we're going to be bad. If he leaves were probably going to still be bad unless a new coach and bring some recruits with him and retain some of the bigger pieces

 

[AntG168]

If he stays we know we're going to be bad. If he leaves were probably going to still be bad unless a new coach and bring some recruits with him and retain some of the bigger pieces

I think if guys like Adams, CV, Polley, Carlton, Akinjo, AG stay on board for next yr a good coach would have them well over .500 and competing every night