UConn Recruiting Podcast with Corey Evans

[gwhuskyfan]

Hi all,

Got some time with Corey Evans of rivals for my latest podcast episode. We talk about the incoming class, virtual visits, recruits thoughts on the UConn brand and coaching staff and more.

Check it out:

 

[bigknight3]

Javonte Brown Ferguson scouting report: "currently more talented than Sanogo. Higher upside but production might not be there as quickly as Sanogo"

Anyone else agree with this take?

 

[Hungryhusky99]

Javonte Brown Ferguson scouting report: "currently more talented than Sanogo. Higher upside but production might not be there as quickly as Sanogo"

Anyone else agree with this take?

Yes . I think many people on here have said this since Sanogo committed. Javonte Brown Ferguson has a long way to go before he reaches that ceiling though imo.

 

[HuskyFich]

Corey Evans basically says the AAC blows chunks. lmao

 

[bigknight3]

Yes . I think many people on here have said this since Sanogo committed. Javonte Brown Ferguson has a long way to go before he reaches that ceiling though imo.

Must have missed that. I know we've said he's a developmental guy and he's a year younger than most incoming freshman so it'll take time for him to come along slowly. And he has more height and length than Sanogo.

The currently more talented part surprised me but that's great to hear!

 

[Hungryhusky99]

Must have missed that. I know we've said he's a developmental guy and he's a year younger than most incoming freshman so it'll take time for him to come along slowly. And he has more height and length than Sanogo.

The currently more talented part surprised me but that's great to hear!

I just took that as him saying he has more long term potential , but I could be wrong .

 

[pj]

Javonte Brown Ferguson has a few inches on Sanogo but at the moment that's all he has. I think projecting who will be better long-term is pretty hard right now. Sanogo has great potential too. But Sanogo is already capable of holding his own as a Big East starter.

 

[FlippinCrazy!]

Listening to it now, but wanted to emphasize his comments that the recruiting class talents really aren’t all too different between Ollie and Hurley (at least so far). KO had a lot of tough luck with the injuries to Gilbert (really his premier recruit outside Jalen Adams and DHam) as well as the injury to Larrier. Then stacking the transfers that one year killed the program. And I do feel the transfers weren’t entirely KOs fault (outside of recruiting those kids in the first place, but who can blame him for bringing in top talent). Also DHam leaving too early didn’t help at all either.

I don’t think it’s said enough, sure KO had his personal issues which probably affected his drive, but I think he deserves a little more credit (especially as he won a national championship with a squad that didn’t have championship level talent)

 

[pj]

Listening to it now, but wanted to emphasize his comments that the recruiting class talents really aren’t all too different between Ollie and Hurley (at least so far). KO had a lot of tough luck with the injuries to Gilbert (really his premier recruit outside Jalen Adams and DHam) as well as the injury to Larrier. Then stacking the transfers that one year killed the program. And I do feel the transfers weren’t entirely KOs fault (outside of recruiting those kids in the first place, but who can blame him for bringing in top talent). Also DHam leaving too early didn’t help at all either.

I don’t think it’s said enough, sure KO had his personal issues which probably affected his drive, but I think he deserves a little more credit (especially as he won a national championship with a squad that didn’t have championship level talent)

Although the recruiting rankings weren't necessarily that different, KO recruited whoever was easiest to recruit, then tried to fit them together later - Dan Hurley goes after the players who will add the most value to the team, and gets them. Now, in 2020-21, Dan Hurley has a complete and deep roster which can throw diverse looks at opponents. KO never had that and was never going to build it with his recruiting approach.

 

[imno1]

Listening to it now, but wanted to emphasize his comments that the recruiting class talents really aren’t all too different between Ollie and Hurley (at least so far). KO had a lot of tough luck with the injuries to Gilbert (really his premier recruit outside Jalen Adams and DHam) as well as the injury to Larrier. Then stacking the transfers that one year killed the program. And I do feel the transfers weren’t entirely KOs fault (outside of recruiting those kids in the first place, but who can blame him for bringing in top talent). Also DHam leaving too early didn’t help at all either.

I don’t think it’s said enough, sure KO had his personal issues which probably affected his drive, but I think he deserves a little more credit (especially as he won a national championship with a squad that didn’t have championship level talent)

Handle/post

 

[MDHuskFan]

Listening to it now, but wanted to emphasize his comments that the recruiting class talents really aren’t all too different between Ollie and Hurley (at least so far). KO had a lot of tough luck with the injuries to Gilbert (really his premier recruit outside Jalen Adams and DHam) as well as the injury to Larrier. Then stacking the transfers that one year killed the program. And I do feel the transfers weren’t entirely KOs fault (outside of recruiting those kids in the first place, but who can blame him for bringing in top talent). Also DHam leaving too early didn’t help at all either.

I don’t think it’s said enough, sure KO had his personal issues which probably affected his drive, but I think he deserves a little more credit (especially as he won a national championship with a squad that didn’t have championship level talent)

Ollie showed that he was capable of recruiting, but he struggled developing guys when they were here. Beyond that, his classes continually were getting worse & worse. There is too much talk about 2014/15/16 classes, while overlooking his 2017 & what 2018 looked like it was going to be.

 

[Ajs120102]

I think what I’m most excited about is that we are still not consistently winning and a top 18 class. Now if we go to a sweet sixteen, win a big east championship, etc you could envision potentially top ten classes.

 

[navery12]

Most interesting comment to me was Evans saying he thinks Jackson's best position could be small ball 4

 

[rip7774]

I'm from Pa. Man Corey Evans sounds like someone from Western Pa, wow! I live in Fla. now. Really like him a lot, he's always been gracious with fans re UConn questions it seems.

Two points:
1) Re: Javonte and Sanogo...think of it as Jeff Adrien and Hilton. Hilton wasn't ready day one, even though he was pressed into service as a freshman. He was a bench player his sophomore year and boom as a senior I would argue he was more impressive than many of the higher-regarded seniors who were looking to the NBA. He had upside/athleticism that just takes time to catch up to itself. It sounds like Javonte is 6'11 and athletic and not a stick, so that's already rare. So his upside is enormous when he learns the college game, applies a consistent motor to his effort and gets with Sal in the weight room. The sky is the limit.

Sanogo is like Jeff Adrien in that he was ready to go day one and could muscle his way in the paint and finish. Jeff is one of my favorite Huskies because we've had so few like him as JC preferred the long lean upside 3/4 often. Plus, he showed out in that George Mason game when most of the squad was tight. He was a warrior. Sanogo appears to be a warrior.

Ultimately, does the NBA want a Jeff Adrien or a Sr. Year Hilton? Pretty easy question. As Husky fans, we want both!

2) He mentioned if Duke and Kentucky go down and get the next level kid it will take a kid from UConn & Louisville types. To be mentioned with them again shows how far we've rebounded from the days of taking mix tape guys under KO!!! It's such an exciting time to be a Husky fan again.

 

[FlippinCrazy!]

Ollie showed that he was capable of recruiting, but he struggled developing guys when they were here. Beyond that, his classes continually were getting worse & worse. There is too much talk about 2014/15/16 classes, while overlooking his 2017 & what 2018 looked like it was going to be.

Well to be fair, in 2017 we did have 2 top 50 recruits in MAL and “Zach Brown” (thank god both didn’t come). Agreed 2018 was looking down for UConn standards, but to me that boils down to the 2016 injuries to Gilbert and Larrier (who were expected to be 2 of the top 3 players on that team), leading to key transfers.

Yeah better coaches would recover from the bad luck, but I’m just saying KO deserves at least some credit. Especially as in game coach, he wasn’t bad by any means once he got his offense going (But as a counterpoint, he did a bad job adapting particularly in 2016 when he didn’t have guys that could play iso). Agreed though he was lacking in development particular the S&C.

 

[Waquoit]

(especially as he won a national championship with a squad that didn’t have championship level talent)

Can't let this go. I just rewatched that title run. The draw didn't open for them. They took out all the best teams themselves. By the second weekend, they were the best team in the country.