UConn still has four open scholarships for next season but likely won’t fill all of them.

[bazzgoated]

 

[bazzgoated]

great timing

 

[DaveHuskiesFan]

Guessing it’s Diarra reading the tea leaves

What tea leaves?

As I was saying

 

[bendm]

We're not going to go 10 deep in the rotation but this idea that we don't need to fill our scholarships is so weird. Nobody but UConn fans seems to worry about all these players being scared off as players 10-12 on the bench

i cant tell if we agree. i never ever said we shouldnt fill them, i just dont think we will get 2 players that would need to play as much as castle and diarra. we have the PT for 1 of them and then 3 richie springs types that wont expect to play at all.

Also to answer your question, from the final AP Poll Tennessee, Purdue, Texas Tech, Wisconsin, Iowa, Colorado State, Texas all had 10 guys average 10 minutes (a few had a 10th guy around 9.5+ so I rounded up)

thanks for checking that but it proves my point. 7 of 25 means it's the very limited exception not the rule

if we are indeed getting diarra based on the posts above i think we can get 2 more warm bodies and keep the last spot open for a reclass RS whether it's caslte or someone else. i'd LOVE to be proven wrong. just tempering my expectations.

 

[navery12]

i cant tell if we agree. i never ever said we shouldnt fill them, i just dont think we will get 2 players that would need to play as much as castle and diarra. we have the PT for 1 of them and then 3 richie springs types that wont expect to play at all.

thanks for checking that but it proves my point. 7 of 25 means it's the very limited exception not the rule

if we are indeed getting diarra based on the posts above i think we can get 2 more warm bodies and keep the last spot open for a reclass RS whether it's caslte or someone else. i'd LOVE to be proven wrong. just tempering my expectations.

I think we do agree, not gonna be minutes to keep adding rotation guys but as long as we fill them with someone just as injury insurance I'm fine. Preferably some grad transfers just looking to come along for an NCAA tournament ride

 

[Improviser]

Injury insurance?

Why not?

 

[Umami Zen]

May 20 is when the grades come in for Castle. All of the vibes I've seen in his words and quotes suggest no reclass.. Maybe we get surprised. We just have to keep building the roster with quality adds.. Case closed. .End of story.

This staff moves very quietly with their targets/recruitments.. Stay tuned.

 

[Carduccib]

Honest question (I have no opinion here):

Would you rather Corey Floyd, Sool Diggins, Jalen Gaffney OR Tristen Newton, Alleyne, Diarra

Did the staff run in circles or is the backcourt situation improved?

 

[MJKI]

I would rather have the new group by a billion. It’s not even close. It’s not even a question. The backcourt is absurdly improved lmao. Anyone who says otherwise is being intentionally obtuse

 

[navery12]

Honest question (I have no opinion here):

Would you rather Corey Floyd, Sool Diggins, Jalen Gaffney OR Tristen Newton, Alleyne, Diarra

Did the staff run in circles or is the backcourt situation improved?

Floyd and Diarra are close enough that I could be convinced either way on that, but the trio we have is a massive upgrade

 

[Umami Zen]

Honest question (I have no opinion here):

Would you rather Corey Floyd, Sool Diggins, Jalen Gaffney OR Tristen Newton, Alleyne, Diarra

Did the staff run in circles or is the backcourt situation improved?

IMO.. Not even close. Substantial upgrades with tough/two way players that are great teammates.

Just need to get Diarra on campus for "formal" OV and tour by his brother.

 

[lange10]

I’m sure Alleyne will be a nice piece, but if we were only going to be able to add two transfers to get starter minutes, then I wish we had done a little better.

It’s certainly an improved backcourt from what we had lined up, but I’m not convinced at all that (even with Diarra) next year’s team is better than this year’s team.

Really hoping the Castle reclass is still in the cards.

 

[businesslawyer]

I’m sure Alleyne will be a nice piece, but if we were only going to be able to add two transfers to get starter minutes, then I wish we had done a little better.

It’s certainly an improved backcourt from what we had lined up, but I’m not convinced at all that (even with Diarra) next year’s team is better than this year’s team.

Really hoping the Castle reclass is still in the cards.

This is the right analysis. The staff has dealt with replacing the players transferring out and improved the club with replacements who have already proven that they are high level players. But that masks the question of whether we’ve replaced the four rotation players who graduated and moved on. We have not replaced those players’ production with the transfers. If we’re going to be better next year than we were last year, it will take huge improvements from Hawkins and Jackson and real contributions from Karaban and one of Donovan or Samson. Will that happen? The potential is there, but it’s a long way from a sure thing.

 

[navery12]

I’m sure Alleyne will be a nice piece, but if we were only going to be able to add two transfers to get starter minutes, then I wish we had done a little better.

It’s certainly an improved backcourt from what we had lined up, but I’m not convinced at all that (even with Diarra) next year’s team is better than this year’s team.

Really hoping the Castle reclass is still in the cards.

We're better, we have players who can co-exist on the court and not just a mix of talented players who don't fit

 

[Jbirdp5]

I’m sure Alleyne will be a nice piece, but if we were only going to be able to add two transfers to get starter minutes, then I wish we had done a little better.

It’s certainly an improved backcourt from what we had lined up, but I’m not convinced at all that (even with Diarra) next year’s team is better than this year’s team.

Really hoping the Castle reclass is still in the cards.

Next years team was always going to rely on the improvements of our 3 returning rotation players. We weren’t going to recruit over those 3. We got better pieces that fit around them, I think it’s a bit unrealistic to expect the staff to do better than they did in the transfer market to improve the team. Now it’s all about player development and guys fitting their roles.

 

[amishboy]

Next years team was always going to rely on the improvements of our 3 returning rotation players. We weren’t going to recruit over those 3. We got better pieces that fit around them, I think it’s a bit unrealistic to expect the staff to do better than they did in the transfer market to improve the team. Now it’s all about player development and guys fitting their roles.

So when exactly is next year’s roster “set,” definitely no more transfers, no guys 10-13, etc.?

 

[businesslawyer]

So when exactly is next year’s roster “set,” definitely no more transfers, no guys 10-13, etc.?

When the fall semester starts. And even that doesn’t tell you that someone won’t reclass in the day the fall semester ends.

 

[HuskyHawk]

We have no idea how much all the players will play and how the minutes will be allocated. What I do know is posters were talking about us being too deep heading into last season and we ended up having no depth.

We haven't won a tournament game in 5 seasons yet I always hear that we're too stacked and it's scaring kids off. It doesn't make any sense.

The counter argument is that we were deep, and Dan didn’t play the guys. So if you are coming here in a bench role, you may wonder whether Hurley will do that to you. I’m not arguing that is what happened (although in some respects I think it did) just the perception. Other coaches could easily point to how limited Hurley’s use of his bench was.

I agree we are all just spitballing about who will play, how much and in what role. Aside from Sanogo and Newton who are the only legit options at 5 and 1, everything else should be up for grabs.

 

[Jbirdp5]

So when exactly is next year’s roster “set,” definitely no more transfers, no guys 10-13, etc.?

I don’t think anyone has a timetable at this point. The portal closing should make the transfers out not a chief concern anymore. Would assume we are only getting to 12 not 13 to save room for a reclass.

 

[bendm]

We have not replaced those players’ production with the transfers. If we’re going to be better next year than we were last year, it will take huge improvements from Hawkins and Jackson and real contributions from Karaban and one of Donovan or Samson. Will that happen? The potential is there, but it’s a long way from a sure thing.

we will have replaced any offensive production we lost simply by swapping the whaley/sanogo pairing for a four-out offense. and IMO we should be relying on returning player development more than just bringing in new talent. we should have a nice balance of both next season but nothing is ever a given either way.

Newton, Sanogo, Alleyne, and Diarra will set our floor. The other five guys, AJ and Hawk in particular, will define our ceiling.

AJ would start on any team in the country and Hawk is an NBA talent. Relying on these two guys is a plan most would ride or die with.

 

[gtcam]

Other coaches could easily point to how limited Hurley’s use of his bench was.

I agree and this will hurt both with portal decisions as well as recruiting HS/Prep players until proven otherwise (especially if Sool and Floyd prove they are successful in D1 play).

 

[JustbrewitMan]

Other coaches could easily point to how limited Hurley’s use of his bench was.

I agree and this will hurt both with portal decisions as well as recruiting HS/Prep players until proven otherwise (especially if Sool and Floyd prove they are successful in D1 play).

I am so fricken sick of this narrative!

Hurley came here to rebuild the program & I’m sure an implied goal is to have improvements each year with no significant steps back.

With that being said, the last 2 years have presented unique situations, primarily driven by COVID (significantly altered recruiting, super seniors, etc)

This past season, I’m sure the retention of Whaley & Polley had a huge impact on the ability to provide “in-game” growth arcs for all but the most talented of the new recruits. Samson & Sool clearly weren’t ready for the rigors of the BE, and playing them this year for the sake of playing them (vs Whaley & Polley) would have undoubtedly resulted in at least couple more BE losses. Many on the BY would have gone apoplectic about that!

Too many variables to list with the early season games, but ultimately it meant that there weren’t going to be many opportunities for them to play lots of minutes in those either.

Samson needed at least 1.5 seasons of college S&C and a season of practice to really be a legit starter/sub. It was pretty obvious to anyone paying attention. I expect him to make a big leap this season & am excited to see it.

Sool ended up at an A-10 school. Even if he progresses and portals up to a P5 school in 1-2 years, that means nothing. Hurley had all year to eval him and the programs improvement arc can’t afford to possibly regress this year with him learning the ropes of being a BE point guard.

People can whisper whatever they want into potential recruits ears about Hurley not playing his bench, but this staff will tell the recruits that are worth us getting how you get PT and UConn and how the process works. There’s been nothing factual ever presented in public that the philosophy of “you earn PT based on how you practice” isn’t true.

Hawkins got more and more PT as the season went on because he’s got inherently more talent than those that sat the bench for his position & I’m sure he earned it with his practice performance. His defense and ball handling both got notably better in-game until he got his concussion.

 

[businesslawyer]

The counter argument is that we were deep, and Dan didn’t play the guys. So if you are coming here in a bench role, you may wonder whether Hurley will do that to you. I’m not arguing that is what happened (although in some respects I think it did) just the perception. Other coaches could easily point to how limited Hurley’s use of his bench was.

I agree we are all just spitballing about who will play, how much and in what role. Aside from Sanogo and Newton who are the only legit options at 5 and 1, everything else should be up for grabs.

LOL. And if you play 11 guys, coaches tell recruits he only plays the best guys 27 minutes a game and I’ll play you more.

Sorry, but so much of this imagined effect that not playing Floyd or Diggins had on anyone other than Floyd or Diggins (or, in Edwards case, a teammate), is utter nonsense.

 

[Hey Adrien!]

A sampling of teams that did not fill all of their scholarships:

Duke (10)
Virginia (11)
Virginia Tech (11)
Kentucky (11)
Michigan State (11)
Gonzaga (11)
Purdue (12)
Houston (12)
Baylor (12)
Villanova (12)
Texas (12)

 

[bendm]

A sampling of teams that did not fill all of their scholarships:

kinda shocking. we got 10 guys so i'd like 1 more player whether it's another transfer or a 3* 2022 recruit. but more than happy to keep 2 schollys open this year for a 2023 reclass or two

 

[Mooch82]

kinda shocking. we got 10 guys so i'd like 1 more player whether it's another transfer or a 3* 2022 recruit. but more than happy to keep 2 schollys open this year for a 2023 reclass or two

9 right now unless you're already counting Diarra.

 

[gtcam]

I am so fricken sick of this narrative!

Hurley came here to rebuild the program & I’m sure an implied goal is to have improvements each year with no significant steps back.

With that being said, the last 2 years have presented unique situations, primarily driven by COVID (significantly altered recruiting, super seniors, etc)

This past season, I’m sure the retention of Whaley & Polley had a huge impact on the ability to provide “in-game” growth arcs for all but the most talented of the new recruits. Samson & Sool clearly weren’t ready for the rigors of the BE, and playing them this year for the sake of playing them (vs Whaley & Polley) would have undoubtedly resulted in at least couple more BE losses. Many on the BY would have gone apoplectic about that!

Too many variables to list with the early season games, but ultimately it meant that there weren’t going to be many opportunities for them to play lots of minutes in those either.

Samson needed at least 1.5 seasons of college S&C and a season of practice to really be a legit starter/sub. It was pretty obvious to anyone paying attention. I expect him to make a big leap this season & am excited to see it.

Sool ended up at an A-10 school. Even if he progresses and portals up to a P5 school in 1-2 years, that means nothing. Hurley had all year to eval him and the programs improvement arc can’t afford to possibly regress this year with him learning the ropes of being a BE point guard.

People can whisper whatever they want into potential recruits ears about Hurley not playing his bench, but this staff will tell the recruits that are worth us getting how you get PT and UConn and how the process works. There’s been nothing factual ever presented in public that the philosophy of “you earn PT based on how you practice” isn’t true.

Hawkins got more and more PT as the season went on because he’s got inherently more talent than those that sat the bench for his position & I’m sure he earned it with his practice performance. His defense and ball handling both got notably better in-game until he got his concussion.

So sorry you got sick - hope you feel better soon - wasn't my intention.
I credit you in speaking so strongly on subjects that are speculative at best to those outside the team inner circle
There are usually two sides to most every situation
No harm in bringing up some ramifications in all that has occurred since that NMSU dolt was ranting good bye to a blueblood.
I have been on the Hawkins bus before you even knew who he was but please tell me what makes you so sure that his performance in practice dramatically improved from day 1 to mid season. Hawkins will be fine with P/T. Are you 100% sure Sool and Floyd were underwhelming in practice? I've addressed what I saw and what I've heard. Hurley had his reasons (right or wrong) to play who he did and we can all guess what those could be.
He is the coach and he is doing what he thinks will produce a winner. I am fine with that and I really hope it works out. The fact that there was a decision by more than one player to walk away from Hurley's close knit team family is sure to raise questions and there is a possibility it could have a consequence in recruiting. My opinion is that it will come into play.
Don't worry, Hurley isn't going anywhere now but if there is another NMSU next season..................................

 

[HuskyHawk]

LOL. And if you play 11 guys, coaches tell recruits he only plays the best guys 27 minutes a game and I’ll play you more.

Sorry, but so much of this imagined effect that not playing Floyd or Diggins had on anyone other than Floyd or Diggins (or, in Edwards case, a teammate), is utter nonsense.

I’m not talking about Floyd (who was redshirted) or Diggins. More Akok and Johnson. The two guys he played too much were Whaley and Polley. Diggins was worse than Matt Garry in his limited minutes. But it doesn’t matter. The super senior/extra year thing is about over. It was bad for the game, especially coinciding with the portal.