Will this year change Geno's approach to recruiting? Or not?

[Icebear]

Geno wanted Lauren and Michaela to leave. He did not have nice things to say about them.

Sorry, I disagree. I believe he was glad for them to pursue other opportunities and chase them if they weren't satisfied or happy with the present situation. Geno was simply frank about the reality. It is much like his comment of the realities of this season limiting what they are being able to do in practice and that people are slacking at times. That doesn't mean the sky is falling. That is not the same as glad to move them out the door.

 

[Sonny44]

I think the problem beyond the remainder of the current season is being grossly exaggerated.

Even if A'ja Wilson does not come to UConn, there will be 11 scholarship players including 3 front-court players next year (Stokes, Stewart, Tuck), and KML can certainly rebound well enough to play the 4 if need be. At 6-0, Ekmark and Nurse are big enough to play in the paint if theve to, and Courtney in particular may find it easier to get minutes that way than in the back court.

In 2015-2016, Stewart and Tuck will still be in Storrs, and in 2016-2017 Morgan will still be here. (Her injury has effectively doubled the size of this year's freshman class from 1 to 2.)

Can we all agree that for the next 4 years there will be absolutely NO shortage of uber-talented back court players? Geno isn't bad at playing a 4-guard or even 5-guard game if the need arises.

What other program can project out 2-3 years and see that many bases covered by existing committed players of comparable quality? Only Notre Dame comes to mind. Here too, the increasing separation of UConn and ND from the rest of the pack seems evident.

Lot's of good reasoning here. Some people are interpreting my comments as criticism, but I tried to make it clear: "if we are expecting an NC every year".
The main point several posters are missing is illustrated in comments like those in red above. We don't have Morgan, we have hope. Who knows what Kiah can accomplish and what happens if Breanna gets hurt or sick? All I'm basically saying is that we don't have enough insurance.

 

[Icebear]

Lot's of good reasoning here. Some people are interpreting my comments as criticism, but I tried to make it clear: "if we are expecting an NC every year".
The main point several posters are missing is illustrated in comments like those in red above. We don't have Morgan, we have hope. Who knows what Kiah can accomplish and what happens if Breanna gets hurt or sick? All I'm basically saying is that we don't have enough insurance.

There is never enough insurance in any absolute sense. Even in 2001 with the depth of that team losing Shea and Sveta was not to be overcome when several other things went astray. The in DT has a rookie night, Geno maybe mishandles halftime, etc. things happen. You deal with them and push on.

 

[Stinger92860]

I sure would like to see the links for those comments. Thanks so much.

I know both Michaela and Lauren.

http://courantblogs.com/uconn-women/geno-talks-about-departures-of-johnson-and-engeln/

 

[doggydaddy]

I know both Michaela and Lauren.

http://courantblogs.com/uconn-women/geno-talks-about-departures-of-johnson-and-engeln/

Thanks for the link.

As someone else said, Geno was being honest about their chances for playing time last year.

Because you know them, your feelings on how Geno treated them might be more emotional than logical.

I'm sure Geno is happy for their situations now.

 

[Icebear]

I know both Michaela and Lauren.

http://courantblogs.com/uconn-women/geno-talks-about-departures-of-johnson-and-engeln/

If true that you know them I'll take your words for it. I do not read Geno's words as terribly harsh or critical of them but rather honest as I said before. As I said not being able to keep up can mean many things from physical to mental toughness or simply understanding what is being asked. And yes, with a finite amount of time that can be a drain on everyone. It doesn't mean he didn't want them as recruits and didn't believe they would be able to contribute.

Sometimes reality stinks, just ask Kaleena.

 

[Icebear]

It should change. I think it already has. Look at the cadre of guards he already has on tap. Next season the team will effectively have 8 guards or wings. They will only have 3 forwards, but that's a whole different issue.

It appeared he cooled on Reimer, stopped recruiting Holmes, and who knows what other kids he pared down expecting he didn't want to have too many kids on scholarship. Now, with the losses of Walker, Engeln, and Johnson, coupled with putting all their eggs in the Deshields basket, Tuck out for the year, Banks recently day to day with ankle issues, and now KML, clearly they needed more bodies.

The program even went out and recruited 2 walk ons - something they would not have done if they weren't short so many bodies. And this isn't the first season UCONN has barely had 6 or 7 players to play in a big game. They allow 13 scholarships for a reason.

Geno learned in the past that you can't wait until the junior year to START recruiting kids. I'm sure he can learn to recruit a slightly larger team (numbers-wise).

Remember that following the Faris class we had 5 the following year just like we hope for next year. Only 2 remain. It really isn't a change.

 

[hjoerring]

Geno wanted Lauren and Michaela to leave. He did not have nice things to say about them.

I am in agreement here. He was indeed quoted as having said it which was something of a surprise for me- given that they were here for 2 years. He can be a rough guy, perhaps the reason

Geno wanted Lauren and Michaela to leave. He did not have nice things to say about them.

You are so right. He was quoted as having said it. I was shocked and a bit embarrassed to read it- not because it wasn't in their best interest, as it were the public making of a coach's desire.
As far as recruiting goes, I doubt that much will change. Our margin of error for holding our position is not as good as it were in the old BE. UconnFan said something about putting all our eggs in one basket-- Deshields, etc. I have have been curious about 2 ND recruits that we went silent on- Reimer and Brianna. Did we dropped Brianna for A'ja? If it were her decision- what was the acttration of ND over Uconn (not to take anything away from ND)? Had Muffet mentioned the ACC vs AAC? Or, was it a big gamble- a sort of clearing the table for A'ja. Is the latter a potential Deshields?

 

[RockyMTblue2]

I would love to hear Geno expound on center recruiting. While I have made no empirical study of this, I believe he is one of the stingier head coaches when it comes to offering centers. Given the nature of UConn's high speed, high pass offense, a mediocre center is a real liability.

 

[UcMiami]

I would love to hear Geno expound on center recruiting. While I have made no empirical study of this, I believe he is one of the stingier head coaches when it comes to offering centers. Given the nature of UConn's high speed, high pass offense, a mediocre center is a real liability.

I also think 'Centers' are a dying breed - there are very few tall players in men's or women's basketball that want to be back to the basket players. Even a player like Dolson wants to be a threat from the arc as well as a banger in the paint. And it is reflected in the recruit rankings - there are 6 players designated as posts in the top 50 and only two of them are 6'4" and two are 6'2". There are another 9 in the next 50, but you also sort of figure it is easier for a tall girl to get a ranking than for a shorter girl because 'you can't teach size.' In 2013 there were only 4 in the top 50 with again only two 6'4" or taller. So that means even if all of those posts sign with different top 25 teams each year, there are going to be at least 2 or 3 top 25 teams that miss out on a skilled post player for 4 years running.
I think it is more supply shortage than recruiting methodology.

 

[UcMiami]

I am in agreement here. He was indeed quoted as having said it which was something of a surprise for me- given that they were here for 2 years. He can be a rough guy, perhaps the reason


You are so right. He was quoted as having said it. I was shocked and a bit embarrassed to read it- not because it wasn't in their best interest, as it were the public making of a coach's desire.
As far as recruiting goes, I doubt that much will change. Our margin of error for holding our position is not as good as it were in the old BE. UconnFan said something about putting all our eggs in one basket-- Deshields, etc. I have have been curious about 2 ND recruits that we went silent on- Reimer and Brianna. Did we dropped Brianna for A'ja? If it were her decision- what was the acttration of ND over Uconn (not to take anything away from ND)? Had Muffet mentioned the ACC vs AAC? Or, was it a big gamble- a sort of clearing the table for A'ja. Is the latter a potential Deshields?

That is also an after the fact of them transferring quote - I never got the sense before or since they left that the two were treated anything but well, or that they were shown the door. After they made the decisions and left the program, Geno agreed that it was probably a good move for them. I got the sense he liked them just fine while they were here, which I did not sense with some of the other players that have left.

 

[uconnfan68]

I am in agreement here. He was indeed quoted as having said it which was something of a surprise for me- given that they were here for 2 years. He can be a rough guy, perhaps the reason


You are so right. He was quoted as having said it. I was shocked and a bit embarrassed to read it- not because it wasn't in their best interest, as it were the public making of a coach's desire.
As far as recruiting goes, I doubt that much will change. Our margin of error for holding our position is not as good as it were in the old BE. UconnFan said something about putting all our eggs in one basket-- Deshields, etc. I have have been curious about 2 ND recruits that we went silent on- Reimer and Brianna. Did we dropped Brianna for A'ja? If it were her decision- what was the acttration of ND over Uconn (not to take anything away from ND)? Had Muffet mentioned the ACC vs AAC? Or, was it a big gamble- a sort of clearing the table for A'ja. Is the latter a potential Deshields?

"If it were her decision- what was the acttration of ND over Uconn (not to take anything away from ND)? " Really? You don't know what might lead someone to choose a prominent national (and international) school over UConn? I am not an ND apologist, but it doesn't take much to see the value of ND to a great many people.

 

[Sonny44]

I also think 'Centers' are a dying breed - there are very few tall players in men's or women's basketball that want to be back to the basket players. Even a player like Dolson wants to be a threat from the arc as well as a banger in the paint. And it is reflected in the recruit rankings - there are 6 players designated as posts in the top 50 and only two of them are 6'4" and two are 6'2". There are another 9 in the next 50, but you also sort of figure it is easier for a tall girl to get a ranking than for a shorter girl because 'you can't teach size.' In 2013 there were only 4 in the top 50 with again only two 6'4" or taller. So that means even if all of those posts sign with different top 25 teams each year, there are going to be at least 2 or 3 top 25 teams that miss out on a skilled post player for 4 years running.
I think it is more supply shortage than recruiting methodology.

We've been at times deficient on the offensive boards.

 

[KnightBridgeAZ]

I also think 'Centers' are a dying breed - there are very few tall players in men's or women's basketball that want to be back to the basket players. Even a player like Dolson wants to be a threat from the arc as well as a banger in the paint. And it is reflected in the recruit rankings - there are 6 players designated as posts in the top 50 and only two of them are 6'4" and two are 6'2". There are another 9 in the next 50, but you also sort of figure it is easier for a tall girl to get a ranking than for a shorter girl because 'you can't teach size.' In 2013 there were only 4 in the top 50 with again only two 6'4" or taller. So that means even if all of those posts sign with different top 25 teams each year, there are going to be at least 2 or 3 top 25 teams that miss out on a skilled post player for 4 years running.
I think it is more supply shortage than recruiting methodology.

The long trend in international ball has always favored centers who can do more than just play back to the basket.

At the same time, as you note, you can't teach size. A solid, 6'5" or north center could be invaluable to most programs. Griner, anyone?

 

[hjoerring]

"If it were her decision- what was the acttration of ND over Uconn (not to take anything away from ND)? " Really? You don't know what might lead someone to choose a prominent national (and international) school over UConn? I am not an ND apologist, but it doesn't take much to see the value of ND to a great many people.

The reference was to wbb- not to the school(s) national and/or intl recognition. If you are right then she could have chosen UT, Stanford, Duke, or even closer to home- Waco. They have also natl & intl reputation! Samuelson may decide in favor of Uconn, but few would be totally surprise if Stanford beat out the others.