Ill be honest with you guys. I think one reason UConn has always "underperformed" statistically speaking in recruiting is in large part due to UConn's campus itself. These guys are top athletes in their states and have hopes and dreams of living a great college life that they will remember forever. I went to UConn for four years and love the school and tradition, but the campus and social life are laughable, I had such bad cabin fever during the winter of my freshman year I almost transferred out despite half my high school class and entire social group being at UConn with me. All there is to do at UConn besides trying not to freeze to death are the three mediocre bars on campus, or go to off campus housing developments for parties, which in the last 5 years the administration has seriously stifled due to the Jasper Howard incident and associated bad press.
These guys want to play basketball, but they are also living here for four years of their lives, so it makes sense for them to want to enjoy those years. In that regard its very difficult for UConn to compete with southern schools or Big10 schools, even if their basketball traditions are a fraction of ours. This also explains why we were successful with the guys we DID get. Calhoun brought in hard nosed kids who in many cases had few other options. These guys who came to UConn only had one focus in mind, which was playing basketball, nothing else mattered, thats why the campus life wasnt really an issue. In my eyes, top recruits see this and it impacts their decision, moreso than the staff issues, I mean who doesnt want to play for Kevin Ollies, especially after a title win (apparently many kids...).
