Two choices for the coaching situation

[nelsonmuntz]

1) Calhoun can run out his contract, or stay as long as he wants for that matter, and Kevin Ollie is named Coach-in-Waiting.

2) Calhoun needs to leave ASAP, no later than at the end of next season, with his successor announced as soon as possible at the end the season next year, which means the coaching search begins quietly right now.

Any other solution is a bad one for UConn. A 70 year old coach playing an annual "will he/won't he come back?" for the next two years will leave the program in shambles. Recruiting falls off with every old coach. Calhoun may be one of the greatest coaches in NCAA history, but he is not a magician. Players make their own decisions, and it is going to be very hard to attract talent for next year's class with the coaching situation the way it is.

UConn has 3 players: Daniels, Boatright, and Calhoun, that are not going to be Juniors or older next year. UConn may get a 6'11 project for next year, and Bradley technically has 3 years of eligibility left. UConn's 2013 class is looking promising right now, but I don't see it developing the way we want unless there is a more permanent coaching solution by the fall.

It is possible that Calhoun sees the same thing that I, and every rational person, sees, and is putting Manuel in a situation where he has to either announce Ollie is the CiW or fire Calhoun. I don't have the answer to that, but I am confident that this team will be lucky to win 14 games in 2 years unless the coaching situation is resolved.

 

[Waquoit]

It is possible that Calhoun sees the same thing that I, and every rational person, sees, and is putting Manuel in a situation where he has to either announce Ollie is the CiW or fire Calhoun.

Do ya think? Our rock star AD and superstar prez will have earned their reps if they can finesse this one.

 

[freescooter]

1) Calhoun can run out his contract, or stay as long as he wants for that matter, and Kevin Ollie is named Coach-in-Waiting.

2) Calhoun needs to leave ASAP, no later than at the end of next season, with his successor announced as soon as possible at the end the season next year, which means the coaching search begins quietly right now.

Any other solution is a bad one for UConn. A 70 year old coach playing an annual "will he/won't he come back?" for the next two years will leave the program in shambles. Recruiting falls off with every old coach. Calhoun may be one of the greatest coaches in NCAA history, but he is not a magician. Players make their own decisions, and it is going to be very hard to attract talent for next year's class with the coaching situation the way it is.

UConn has 3 players: Daniels, Boatright, and Calhoun, that are not going to be Juniors or older next year. UConn may get a 6'11 project for next year, and Bradley technically has 3 years of eligibility left. UConn's 2013 class is looking promising right now, but I don't see it developing the way we want unless there is a more permanent coaching solution by the fall.

It is possible that Calhoun sees the same thing that I, and every rational person, sees, and is putting Manuel in a situation where he has to either announce Ollie is the CiW or fire Calhoun. I don't have the answer to that, but I am confident that this team will be lucky to win 14 games in 2 years unless the coaching situation is resolved.

Nelson, You get it! I personally don't believe that the AD wants to name Ollie, and it wouldn't surprize me if Calhoun tries to force the issue. That, too will be horrilbe for his legacy.

 

[upstater]

Oh come on...

Calhoun was already up there in years when he recruited Andre Drummond (#2), Deandre Daniels (top 10), Omar Calhoun (top 30), Ryan Boatright (top 40), etc. How are they any different whatsoever than the players Calhoun used to recruit?

Recruiting has not fallen off, obviously. Neither have his coaching abilities.

 

[Inyatkin]

Hasn't it been established that naming a coach in waiting isn't legal at a state school? The job needs to be posted like any other.

 

[nelsonmuntz]

Oh come on...

Calhoun was already up there in years when he recruited Andre Drummond (#2), Deandre Daniels (top 10), Omar Calhoun (top 30), Ryan Boatright (top 40), etc. How are they any different whatsoever than the players Calhoun used to recruit?

Recruiting has not fallen off, obviously. Neither have his coaching abilities.

At some point the music stops with every coach. Calhoun is a great coach, he isn't a wizard.

Furthermore, Calhoun has health issues and has made it clear he won't coach for much longer. He almost retired in 2009. That is an impossible environment to recruit into. Arguing that he will be able to recruit "just because" is ridiculous. Every other coach in history has struggled in a similar situation, and in recent years, the "coach in waiting" moniker has been a way to work around this problem. UConn is not exceptional in this regard.

 

[nelsonmuntz]

Nelson, You get it! I personally don't believe that the AD wants to name Ollie, and it wouldn't surprize me if Calhoun tries to force the issue. That, too will be horrilbe for his legacy.

I don't think it would be horrible for his legacy at all. I trust Calhoun's judgment on the next coach more than I trust the AD from Buffalo's.

 

[DogMania]

Point #1 - As many have pointed out JC has earned the right to go out on his own terms.

Point #2 - Not being decisive with his yearly decision isn't helping matters. Some have argued the following: Some view it that he's under contract for another 2 years and he doesn't need to announce anything. The problem with that is he's already established the pattern of telling everyone his decision to honor that contract is a summer long endeavor. Some feel that he's already stated he's returning, but if he did, it doesn't seem his message was clear to everyone.

I'm fine with him staying however long he wishes. His health, his age and his impending end to his latest contract do seem to be things that are impacting recruiting, but if in the end he ends up adding a few solid 2012 pieces (considering the 2012 NCAA ineligibility issue has probably an even bigger impact on this class) and a very good 2013 class, one could argue that what he brings to the table simply outweighs those 3 factors.

I'm quite tired of these threads. My only issue with JC is his perceived lack of decisiveness. If he could only clearly state within about a week after each NCAA tournament, that he's returning for another year or hanging 'em up, I'd be just fine with that.

 

[freescooter]

I don't think it would be horrible for his legacy at all. I trust Calhoun's judgment on the next coach more than I trust the AD from Buffalo's.

That's one place where we do disagree. Calhoun hasn't exactly flooded the college basketball world with assistants who have been great head coaches. Maybe Howie, who was actually a holdover. Maybe Leitao, but he was at best ok struggling at Northeastern and Virginia and having some decent success at DePaul. Maybe the guy at Maine. Maybe Peikel. But none of them have been the guys who "can't miss." Or guys everyone knows will take the next step. In fact none really have. In part I think that's because Calhoun is the ultimate Alpha coach. He wants assistants who do as their told, not ones who create on their own...though I concede that is just an impression, nothing I can prove. Hobbs had some brief success at GW and might be the best of the lot, but its a slow race. Not sure there is any reason to think Ollie will be any different. the fact that he played in the NBA means he was a talented guy, not that he understands coaching. If you could point to a couple ofCalhoun assistants who people are talking about I might be inclined to go with his recommendation. But while the Oak itself is mighty, the coaching tree is pretty sickly.

I also think, nelson, that a public fight between Manuel and Calhoun over who gets to name a successor will be bad for Calhoun. If he wins, the national perception is he's a bully to the end, and frankly, he weakens Manuel for future actions. If as you speculate he is trying to force Manuel to fire him, he damages the AD and makes it harder to bring in the right kind of coach and assures that for at least a few years UCONN will struggle. And if he wins and his hand chosen successor turns out to be a bust, he gets at least part of the blame. And as I noted above, it isn't like Calhoun can point to 10, or even 3 highly successful former assistants.

 

[freescooter]

Dogmania,
While I've said that myself, the problem with it is that so many times we've seen coaches who stay too long and end up almost as carictures of their former selves. they simply can't or won't walk away. If Calhoun had left after the 2011 Championship think of the difference than if he leaves after back to back losing seasons and a depleted team for his successor. And if he leaves after that and a public and ugly fight over his successor, it will be even worse.

 

[Inyatkin]

Dogmania,
While I've said that myself, the problem with it is that so many times we've seen coaches who stay too long and end up almost as carictures of their former selves. they simply can't or won't walk away. If Calhoun had left after the 2011 Championship think of the difference than if he leaves after back to back losing seasons and a depleted team for his successor. And if he leaves after that and a public and ugly fight over his successor, it will be even worse.

Has it occurred to you that these back-to-back losing seasons have not actually happened? And likely won't, given his coaching history? Not to mention a "public fight over his successor" which appears only in the imaginations of those who expect the absolute worst.

 

[HuskyBandDad]

Stop Stop the Madness - We have about 5 threads with the same BS

 

[nelsonmuntz]

Leitao was ACC coach of the Year and very successful at Depaul. Hobbs had a good run at GW. Moore kind of jumped the gun in taking a Quinnipiac job that is very tough, although I think he thought it was his last chance to get a HC gig before the Miles situation blew up. None of them were Roy Williams, but I don't think all were busts.

 

[Kitaman]

A family is in a major crisis and some fans suggesting to replace the experienced and good father with some other unknown man (including Ollie) to head the 'reeling' household. The only coach in the world that is capable of keeping this program on the highest level right now and manage the turmoil that we are in, is Jim Calhoun, no one else. And we've got him!

Bringing anyone else to lead us through this mess is asking for failure and regression. We don't need Championships right now we need stability and a game plan for the future. I'll add we don't need a coach (so many out there) right now either we need a true leader. We are on shaky ground and do not need to start an earthquake in Storrs.​

For what it's worth his age is a blessing in our situation. I'll take experienced wisdom over unproven capability at this time.​

 

[DogMania]

Dogmania,
While I've said that myself, the problem with it is that so many times we've seen coaches who stay too long and end up almost as carictures of their former selves. they simply can't or won't walk away. If Calhoun had left after the 2011 Championship think of the difference than if he leaves after back to back losing seasons and a depleted team for his successor. And if he leaves after that and a public and ugly fight over his successor, it will be even worse.

As pointed out you are making so huge assumptions.

 

[Excalibur]

I trust Calhoun's judgment on the next coach more than I trust the AD from Buffalo's.

Why? The very traits that make Calhoun a great coach, IMO, would make him just about the worst person to decide his successor.

 

[freescooter]

Leitao was ACC coach of the Year and very successful at Depaul. Hobbs had a good run at GW. Moore kind of jumped the gun in taking a Quinnipiac job that is very tough, although I think he thought it was his last chance to get a HC gig before the Miles situation blew up. None of them were Roy Williams, but I don't think all were busts.

nelson you have a pretty interesting definition of "very successful." Leitao had 2 NIT trips sandwhiched around 1 NCAA trip in his 3 years at DePaul. Ok but hardly the stuff of legends. He wasn't awful by any means but he wasn't exactly Jim Calhoun either... He had 1 good season, his second at Virginia but after that it pretty much went to hell and his last year there was the worst in 30 years for Virginia. he now coaches the Maine Redclaws in the NBA d-league. Hobbs had a breif run at GW, where there was lots going on in terms of what the University was . I said I think it is possible he was the best of the bunch, which is not exactly a high standard. They weren't all busts, just average to slightly above average basketball coaches. that isn't what UCONN needs as its replacement for Jim Calhoun...

 

[Fishy]

My idea is that we let Calhoun coach until he retires

Then, and this is where it gets crazy, we hire a new coach.

 

[nelsonmuntz]

My idea is that we let Calhoun coach until he retires

Then, and this is where it gets crazy, we hire a new coach.

17 year old recruits are going to love that plan.

 

[partial]

It doesn't matter no one is going to fire Calhoun and no one in their right mind is making Ollie a head coach at UConn at least in the near future.

 

[Fishy]

17 year old recruits are going to love that plan.

Thankfully, there are grownups in charge who do not try to run an athletic department based on the whims of one class' worth of 17 year olds.

 

[Tenspro2002]

Thankfully, there are grownups in charge who do not try to run an athletic department based on the whims of one class' worth of 17 year olds.

I hate to disagree with you, Fishy, but didn't Kentucky just win a championship basically because Cal was the best at appealing to the whims of 17-year-olds?

 

[Rico444]

I hate to disagree with you, Fishy, but didn't Kentucky just win a championship basically because Cal was the best at appealing to the whims of 17-year-olds?

Do you think Calipari texts like a 17 year old?

"whutup nerlens u wanna com win natnl chmpnshp w/ me? i pay strght csh homie LOL "

 

[Fishy]

I hate to disagree with you, Fishy, but didn't Kentucky just win a championship basically because Cal was the best at appealing to the whims of 17-year-olds?

Someone wins a title every year - not sure what your point is.

 

[BigErnMcCracken]

My idea is that we let Calhoun coach until he retires

Then, and this is where it gets crazy, we hire a new coach.

Somebody ban this guy.