UConn, Kevin Ollie no longer have excuses.

[kansashusky]

Really fair article.

http://collegebasketball.nbcsports.com/2017/12/06/uconn-kevin-ollie-no-longer-have-excuses-for-their-struggles/

Also here is a scary thought, in our 22 remaining games, we are only favored in 8.

This is the make it or break it year for KO. UConn nation cannot afford to keep waiting.....

 

[CardiffGiant]

Really fair article.

http://collegebasketball.nbcsports.com/2017/12/06/uconn-kevin-ollie-no-longer-have-excuses-for-their-struggles/

Also here is a scary thought, in our 22 remaining games, we are only favored in 8.

This is the make it or break it year for KO. UConn nation cannot afford to keep waiting.....

Can't open the link....

 

[gwhuskyfan]

"The UConn head coach and the handpicked successor to Jim Calhoun, a Hall of Famer and the man that put Storrs, Conn., on the college basketball map, is not even four years removed from winning a national title in just his second season as a head coach and he’s damn near managed to run the UConn program into the ground."

That is just brutal

 

[gwhuskyfan]

Can't open the link....

This work?

UConn, Kevin Ollie no longer have excuses for their struggles

 

[kansashusky]

This work?

UConn, Kevin Ollie no longer have excuses for their struggles

Yep, my apologies.

 

[uconngb]

But it's only us on the Boneyard that are over-reacting

 

[tykurez]

"The UConn head coach and the handpicked successor to Jim Calhoun, a Hall of Famer and the man that put Storrs, Conn., on the college basketball map, is not even four years removed from winning a national title in just his second season as a head coach and he’s damn near managed to run the UConn program into the ground."

That is just brutal

The brutal world of sports really. There's almost no perspective on the mitigating circumstances outside of the injuries and transfers (which are valid excuses, especially the first.) No mention of a program once surrounded by other healthy (and regional) programs with decades long traditions and rivalries now relegated to playing directional and forget-me-not schools. No mention of recruiting with your hands tied by behind your back (not including a reduction of scholarships) until the start of just a couple short years ago. Those things don't exist in a vacuum. They have lasting effects that are imperceivable to the casual fans™ - and seemingly national writers.

Also, “It was like we never, you know, seen a zone before,” is a quote frequently heard out of Lord Calhoun's mouth so that part is not new to the program.

 

[huskiesnyc]

Ouch

“What about this: A member of a coaching staff that has scouted UConn this season told me that, “in terms of the actions they run and the game plan, probably the simplest scout I’ve seen.”

 

[kansashusky]

But it's only us on the Boneyard that are over-reacting[/QUO

The brutal world of sports really. There's almost no perspective on the mitigating circumstances outside of the injuries and transfers (which are valid excuses, especially the first.) No mention of a program once surrounded by other healthy (and regional) programs with decades long traditions and rivalries now relegated to playing directional and forget-me-not schools. No mention of recruiting with your hands tied by behind your back (not including a reduction of scholarships) until the start of just a couple short years ago. Those things don't exist in a vacuum. They have lasting effects that are imperceivable to the casual fans™ - and seemingly national writers.

Also, “It was like we never, you know, seen a zone before,” is a quote frequently heard out of Lord Calhoun's mouth so that part is not new to the program.

So are you just suggesting we are screwed no matter what, and we should just accept mediocrity?

 

[Tenspro2002]

Ouch

“What about this: A member of a coaching staff that has scouted UConn this season told me that, “in terms of the actions they run and the game plan, probably the simplest scout I’ve seen.”

I said in the game thread last night that KO's problems can be summarized in one word: respect.

His players don't respect him. Effort is inconsistent, adhering to game plans (if they exist) is inconsistent. Guys either don't buy into KO on a personal level, or don't believe that he knows what he's doing as a coach.

The refs don't respect him. How many times does he get walked all over without getting in their ear and earning a makeup call? No ref is nervous about making sure KO isn't unhappy.

Opposing coaches don't respect him, as evidenced by the line you quoted.

And with it, respect for this program nationally, among commentators, recruits, etc., is evaporating.

 

[tykurez]

So are you just suggesting we are screwed no matter what, and we should just accept mediocrity?

You can do whatever you want. I'm just simply stating that some aren't looking at the entire picture.

 

[huskiesnyc]

I said in the game thread last night that KO's problems can be summarized in one word: respect.

His players don't respect him. Effort is inconsistent, adhering to game plans (if they exist) is inconsistent. Guys either don't buy into KO on a personal level, or don't believe that he knows what he's doing as a coach.

The refs don't respect him. How many times does he get walked all over without getting in their ear and earning a makeup call? No ref is nervous about making sure KO isn't unhappy.

Opposing coaches don't respect him, as evidenced by the line you quoted.

And with it, respect for this program nationally, among commentators, recruits, etc., is evaporating.

The fact that the two best players on the team (Jalen and Terry) barely play defense should tell us a lot.

 

[freescooter]

Someone gets it!

 

[RJScootin]

“It was like we never, you know, seen a zone before,” Ollie told reporters after Tuesday’s loss, which is not exactly high-praise coming from the man in charge of ensuring that his team sees a zone before facing Syracuse.

 

[HooperScooper]

Ouch

“What about this: A member of a coaching staff that has scouted UConn this season told me that, “in terms of the actions they run and the game plan, probably the simplest scout I’ve seen.”

Yes, that was in the podcast from Dauster and Aaron Torres that someone posted the other day.

Rob Dauster/Aaron Torres on KO

 

[Travelman6]

The brutal world of sports really. There's almost no perspective on the mitigating circumstances outside of the injuries and transfers (which are valid excuses, especially the first.) No mention of a program once surrounded by other healthy (and regional) programs with decades long traditions and rivalries now relegated to playing directional and forget-me-not schools. No mention of recruiting with your hands tied by behind your back (not including a reduction of scholarships) until the start of just a couple short years ago. Those things don't exist in a vacuum. They have lasting effects that are imperceivable to the casual fans™ - and seemingly national writers.

Also, “It was like we never, you know, seen a zone before,” is a quote frequently heard out of Lord Calhoun's mouth so that part is not new to the program.

This is what happens when a once proud program surrounded by other regional powers and rivals is left in the dust via bad luck, bad timing and black balling. And after that, left in a hodge podge conference of other P5 cast aways with no previous history or rivalries to speak of (other than MAYBE Cincy). I don’t for a second think Uconn would be in this position if they had been, rightfully so, offered a spot in the ACC INSTEAD OF constant basement dweller BC or the B10 instead of constant basement dweller Rutgers. Uconn has the history, the academics and the athletic prowess to be a P5 and it is very hard to deny that. They just aren’t part of the exclusive club of self appointed elite schools (for seemingly no real reason other than greed and money). The reduction in scholarships due to the APR issue, which pales in comparison to what UNC did by the way, a few years ago were basically new rules being applied to old data. Just the same, those sanctions will indeed have lasting impacts on the program beyond what most casual fans could comprehend.

That article is not a well thought out article. In no way do I defend Ollie, but it is not like Uconn was left with a fair shake in all of this buddy-buddy D1 restructuring. In fact they are the biggest losers (Cincy being second, Memphis being third), at almost no fault of their own other than lack of foresight, in all of this reshuffling.

 

[Towney007]

A member of a coaching staff that has scouted UConn this season told me that, “in terms of the actions they run and the game plan, probably the simplest scout I’ve seen.”

That's the worst quote in the article. Because it's right.

 

[nycorange]

As a 'cuse fan, you have to fire KO. Sure you've had bad luck with both injuries and conference re-alignment. But even if your conference isn't exactly elite, there's no reason why, with the passionate fanbase and program tradition you guys have, you shouldn't be up with the Gonzaga's and Wichita State's of the world. The biggest difference between you and them by far is coaching. You really think if Mark Few or Greg Marshall had a couple of good players get injuries that their teams wouldn't still be tough, disciplined, and ultimately really good by March? If you threw enough money around, you can definitely get a rising young coach. Keep doing that until a good one sticks and UCONN is a big enough name to keep him.

 

[TopDogs]

We keep blaming our conference and the AAC is a convenient scapegoat but really, I'd just like to see us win against anyone. Conference is important and all, but we all expect UConn to be at the top of the conference every season, and if the conference is as bad as everyone always says why aren't we at the top? The conference didn't make us unable to run a play or put the ball in the basket or force us to continuously turnover the ball. I'll give you circumstances (post-season ban, scholarship limits, transfers, injuries, decommits, new players) but this conference argument is getting tiresome. There is zero reason a team can't be balls the walls fantastic and play in the worst conference ever created. For the last few years I've felt like we've played TO our opponent instead of just playing UConn basketball. If the opposing team was bad, we played to their level. If they were good, we'd attempt to play to their level as well.

I will say the article is a little bit unfair but I think some of the expectations for this season have also been unfair. I'm not an Ollie apologist, and I'm awfully sick of his sitting-on-the-sidelines-making-a-who-farted-face schtick but we've got a roster straight from the land of misfit toys. A bunch of guys who didn't play last year and a bunch of last minute recruits to fill in all the holes created by transfers and a decommit. That's a handicapped roster - a bunch of wings and guards with little to no college experience. Even Larrier, yeah the dude has been here now for three years and is technically (class wise) a senior but he's played what? a couple of hours of college ball? He plays like a freshman because he may as well be one. Anyway, my point here is it's not like we've got a team of superstars who are underachieving. We've got a ragtag pack of miscellaneous pieces with a couple of pieces that are a little brighter than others. And we all knew that before the first tip off (and if not, who's wearing National Flag Blue glasses now?) Is this a UConn worthy team? Maybe not. But is it the team we have? Yup.

And finally, I will say that if the ship doesn't right itself, I'll be awfully disappointed if the school doesn't do something to rectify the lack of of leadership and development and UConn basketball that we've been treated to. No, KO can't go out there and shoot, defend, or rebound the ball for these guys but he can coach them. And judging by the product we've been seeing on the court, I have no idea what they do during a practice. It can't possibly be offensive or defensive drills. And if it is...YIKES.

 

[my2cents]

In the famous words of Michael Ray Richardson, " The Ship be Sinking"

 

[tykurez]

As a 'cuse fan, you have to fire KO. Sure you've had bad luck with both injuries and conference re-alignment. But even if your conference isn't exactly elite, there's no reason why, with the passionate fanbase and program tradition you guys have, you shouldn't be up with the Gonzaga's and Wichita State's of the world. The biggest difference between you and them by far is coaching. You really think if Mark Few or Greg Marshall had a couple of good players get injuries that their teams wouldn't still be tough, disciplined, and ultimately really good by March? If you threw enough money around, you can definitely get a rising young coach. Keep doing that until a good one sticks and UCONN is a big enough name to keep him.

It's possible Cuse will see what kind of impact recruiting sanctions have on a program (particularly limiting contact with recruits and a reduction in scholarships) - but you won't also compound that with a new coach* and a new conference. UConn was hit in the balls, mouth and knees at all once.

Gregg Marshall and Mark Few have also been building their programs for a while (give Few credit, the guy has just been a homrun from the get-go, albeit without ever cashing in on the big one.) I would also love to see the alternate reality where one of those guys gets handed the same exact situation that Ollie was handed and see how they fare. In today's recruiting climate, you limit the contact your coach and program can have while also trying to convince kids to play home and homes with ECU and Tulsa. It's a recipe for a coaching nightmare.


*4>1

 

[CTFAN4LIFE]

at the very least, the assistant coaches should have been cleaned out a year or two ago - there is no real coaching going on from the head on down...

 

[nycorange]

*4>1

I see what you did there... Lol. Anyhow, tough for sure. But KO can't have it both ways. Sure recruiting against ECU and SMU may be tough, but beating them shouldn't be. We've had other problems, mainly mass unanticipated defections to the NBA, a tougher conference, and uncertainty at the head coaching position that has hurt our recruiting. But a good coach succeeds in spite of it. Maybe not every year but most years. And the trajectory of the program has to be positive. UCONNs trajectory is NOT positive right now.

 

[RJScootin]

This is what happens when a once proud program surrounded by other regional powers and rivals is left in the dust via bad luck, bad timing and black balling. And after that, left in a hodge podge conference of other P5 cast aways with no previous history or rivalries to speak of (other than MAYBE Cincy). I don’t for a second think Uconn would be in this position if they had been, rightfully so, offered a spot in the ACC INSTEAD OF constant basement dweller BC or the B10 instead of constant basement dweller Rutgers. Uconn has the history, the academics and the athletic prowess to be a P5 and it is very hard to deny that. They just aren’t part of the exclusive club of self appointed elite schools (for seemingly no real reason other than greed and money). The reduction in scholarships due to the APR issue, which pales in comparison to what UNC did by the way, a few years ago were basically new rules being applied to old data. Just the same, those sanctions will indeed have lasting impacts on the program beyond what most casual fans could comprehend.

That article is not a well thought out article. In no way do I defend Ollie, but it is not like Uconn was left with a fair shake in all of this buddy-buddy D1 restructuring. In fact they are the biggest losers (Cincy being second, Memphis being third), at almost no fault of their own other than lack of foresight, in all of this reshuffling.

I don't believe those P5 conferences wanted UConn football. Basketball paid the price.

 

[Travelman6]

The p5 already has football teams that, in many years, are even worse than Uconn. I mean, Kansas, for real?

BC was good this year but most years they are lucky to be slightly better than Uconn.

etc.