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First, the biggest news of the week is the Chillious hire, it trumps everything else.
As someone who screamed from the mountaintops when we were signing Darius Smith and Jamaal Trice (maybe I coined the phrase staff shakeup needed - probably not) that we needed change, I have been clamoring for a year or two now that it was needed. Killings is new, has contacts in NBA and college and should be given time. I'm very excited about his prospects of identifying upside which he had to do at Temple. So that left Ricky or Glenn. Ricky seems to be on the uptick, getting Alterique and being mentioned a lot more. Glenn was the point man on Diallo and in 22-years of following Husky recruiting (admittedly less intense on the recruiting end than 5-15 years ago) it was one of the biggest misses due to waste of resources and not inking a guy many of us on the Yard liked a ton in Bruce Brown (who looked very "tough" and out of the athletic Dyson mold) and the Beatty kid who also looked talented (less than Brown I'd say) and also tough in the vids. Let's not digress on that point in this thread. Plus, Ricky is young and hungry while Glenn has been in coaching a long time. This is pure speculation but many of us older guys could put to how much hungrier we were younger in life without families and bigger bank accounts/responsibilities, etc. I know everyone was fawning over last year's class but with Diallo not coming was Diarra worth it, VJax is gone and will Rique ever be healthy (please Lord!) it was a good class but the DHam and Jalen classes were not deep enough. We needed a grand slam recruiter, it seemed too much fell on KO sometimes and now he has that guy in Chillious.
Second, while we all liked Steve and his offensive abilities, it was a steep drop off defensively when he came in and it would have been difficult to trust him at the 5 next year. A grad transfer center can come in and protect the rim and rebound with our abundance of talent at the guard position and hopefully Larrier back to top 15-20 pick in the draft type ability. There are guys available and will continue to be. East Carolina got that Washington kid fromWake Forest last year so it's very doable. I don't know why the staff didn't fill the scholarships with an additional big or sniper last year, but I would be shocked to see them bank ships this year. I don't see this as a big loss for next year. Two years out, Steve could be very good but I trust this staff to recruit much better in the post with KO getting a hand from Chillious and Killings. Carlton does come from an excellent program so maybe he will be ready more quickly.
Third, re: Vance. Obviously he did some good things this year. But those of us who can remember Sticks and Rudy Gay and Rip and Caron, he really didn't have much athleticism of a typical UConn 3/4. Couldn't jump at all and foot speed is really below average. As many said, the jury's out on his shooting. At worst, he's a solid shooter. But I agree some with the critics saying he's a 65% FT shooter and airballed a lot of looks that pure shooters just don't do. So what you have is a solid to very good shooter who can't guard at all or do much else. ***To me, this is the key spot we need to fill correctly**** There are big minutes available just like to Steve's replacement. But I want a wing that can battle with the Gary Clarks some and run the floor like a UConn wing should. This is where Coach Chill can perhaps fill this spot. Obviously the JUCO kid Juiston would be an amazing get here but I don't know how hard we are pursuing. A lot of coaching changes so some recruits are certainly available and I believe good wings are readily available, like RBs in college or the NFL. If he was going to play a lot of 4, I just don't think he could rebound well enough to play there a lot.
Fourth, and probably most important overall has been this program's ***lack of toughness (especially mentally)****.
Moving on from Travis (no ill will to him) was a good move and a sign KO is getting some maturity/learning some lessons of being the CEO. I began rooting for UConn in 1994 (never lived in Ct. or close by) and I have noticed a real lot of guys hanging there heads at the first sign of trouble the last 2-3 years. We need that leadership from mentally tough guys. Our guards have often led but our bigs have been willing and able to mix it up and that has been lacking. I do think some of the departures of the last two years will absolutely be addition by subtraction. Those of us wanting UConn to get back to levels we are accustomed to I think KO has ***absolutely*** got to better recognize mentally weak kids on the recruiting trail better. We have to get back to the toughness that made us all love UConn and especially JC. My kids are young so they don't remember the JC era much but they know he's like my favorite sports person ever and I recount the stories of the quick hook and meeting the players at half court to "coach them up". Tough kids could handle that. You don't need all 5-stars, you need some great ones with toughness mixed with other tough kids.
I have been pretty positive on KO but the bloom has been coming off lately for sure for all of us. These moves were necessary and if you can step back from the emotion, SE and VJ are very replaceable (JA, CV, AG, TL are not): a post that can't defend and a waaay below average athlete on the wing in VJ. We do need to find a wing and a post-grad Center. And in general, we have to recruit deeper classes not just a stud (Dham and Jalen and then dreck). But most of all, I implore KO and staff to return the toughness that has been missing. That's why we all love CV so much!!! We added a 5-star recruiter and will add a new strength coach: a culture change was needed and we are getting one. It's not comfortable, but it was NEEDED!
As someone who screamed from the mountaintops when we were signing Darius Smith and Jamaal Trice (maybe I coined the phrase staff shakeup needed - probably not) that we needed change, I have been clamoring for a year or two now that it was needed. Killings is new, has contacts in NBA and college and should be given time. I'm very excited about his prospects of identifying upside which he had to do at Temple. So that left Ricky or Glenn. Ricky seems to be on the uptick, getting Alterique and being mentioned a lot more. Glenn was the point man on Diallo and in 22-years of following Husky recruiting (admittedly less intense on the recruiting end than 5-15 years ago) it was one of the biggest misses due to waste of resources and not inking a guy many of us on the Yard liked a ton in Bruce Brown (who looked very "tough" and out of the athletic Dyson mold) and the Beatty kid who also looked talented (less than Brown I'd say) and also tough in the vids. Let's not digress on that point in this thread. Plus, Ricky is young and hungry while Glenn has been in coaching a long time. This is pure speculation but many of us older guys could put to how much hungrier we were younger in life without families and bigger bank accounts/responsibilities, etc. I know everyone was fawning over last year's class but with Diallo not coming was Diarra worth it, VJax is gone and will Rique ever be healthy (please Lord!) it was a good class but the DHam and Jalen classes were not deep enough. We needed a grand slam recruiter, it seemed too much fell on KO sometimes and now he has that guy in Chillious.
Second, while we all liked Steve and his offensive abilities, it was a steep drop off defensively when he came in and it would have been difficult to trust him at the 5 next year. A grad transfer center can come in and protect the rim and rebound with our abundance of talent at the guard position and hopefully Larrier back to top 15-20 pick in the draft type ability. There are guys available and will continue to be. East Carolina got that Washington kid fromWake Forest last year so it's very doable. I don't know why the staff didn't fill the scholarships with an additional big or sniper last year, but I would be shocked to see them bank ships this year. I don't see this as a big loss for next year. Two years out, Steve could be very good but I trust this staff to recruit much better in the post with KO getting a hand from Chillious and Killings. Carlton does come from an excellent program so maybe he will be ready more quickly.
Third, re: Vance. Obviously he did some good things this year. But those of us who can remember Sticks and Rudy Gay and Rip and Caron, he really didn't have much athleticism of a typical UConn 3/4. Couldn't jump at all and foot speed is really below average. As many said, the jury's out on his shooting. At worst, he's a solid shooter. But I agree some with the critics saying he's a 65% FT shooter and airballed a lot of looks that pure shooters just don't do. So what you have is a solid to very good shooter who can't guard at all or do much else. ***To me, this is the key spot we need to fill correctly**** There are big minutes available just like to Steve's replacement. But I want a wing that can battle with the Gary Clarks some and run the floor like a UConn wing should. This is where Coach Chill can perhaps fill this spot. Obviously the JUCO kid Juiston would be an amazing get here but I don't know how hard we are pursuing. A lot of coaching changes so some recruits are certainly available and I believe good wings are readily available, like RBs in college or the NFL. If he was going to play a lot of 4, I just don't think he could rebound well enough to play there a lot.
Fourth, and probably most important overall has been this program's ***lack of toughness (especially mentally)****.
Moving on from Travis (no ill will to him) was a good move and a sign KO is getting some maturity/learning some lessons of being the CEO. I began rooting for UConn in 1994 (never lived in Ct. or close by) and I have noticed a real lot of guys hanging there heads at the first sign of trouble the last 2-3 years. We need that leadership from mentally tough guys. Our guards have often led but our bigs have been willing and able to mix it up and that has been lacking. I do think some of the departures of the last two years will absolutely be addition by subtraction. Those of us wanting UConn to get back to levels we are accustomed to I think KO has ***absolutely*** got to better recognize mentally weak kids on the recruiting trail better. We have to get back to the toughness that made us all love UConn and especially JC. My kids are young so they don't remember the JC era much but they know he's like my favorite sports person ever and I recount the stories of the quick hook and meeting the players at half court to "coach them up". Tough kids could handle that. You don't need all 5-stars, you need some great ones with toughness mixed with other tough kids.
I have been pretty positive on KO but the bloom has been coming off lately for sure for all of us. These moves were necessary and if you can step back from the emotion, SE and VJ are very replaceable (JA, CV, AG, TL are not): a post that can't defend and a waaay below average athlete on the wing in VJ. We do need to find a wing and a post-grad Center. And in general, we have to recruit deeper classes not just a stud (Dham and Jalen and then dreck). But most of all, I implore KO and staff to return the toughness that has been missing. That's why we all love CV so much!!! We added a 5-star recruiter and will add a new strength coach: a culture change was needed and we are getting one. It's not comfortable, but it was NEEDED!
