The UConn Model

[newmexicuse]

Dismal news on the recruiting front again, two more potential targets going elsewhere.

We are in turmoil now, and I am afraid that we will have at least one more year of bad to worse before things would even have the potential to improve.

I think back to the early days of the Big East when the titans were St. John's, GTown, & us. At that point in time I was living in Connecticut & they were a lot closer to the dregs rather than the elite of the Big East.

I look at our present roster, comprised mostly of long. modestly skilled, but relatively unathletic players without great motors. It seems in the last year or two we have become more and more unattractive to the elite players.

I can't help to think how Jimmy C built up Uconn into the national power that it became. At the beginning there was no way a Top 50 kid would have even considered UConn. He started recruiting players that lacked size or skills or even both. However, they all had a few things in common - great motors, athleticism, a willingness to play D first, and a tremendous will to win. Gradually, with great coaching, UConn became more and more succesful with these types of kids until eventually they were good enough to recruit with anybody. Seems to me that there must be a bunch of these types of kids out there, and that they are exactly what is needed to supplement the current roster.

Jimmy B, take a lesson from your old friend Jimmy C & get it done.

 

[721Comstock]

The MAIN reason UConn improved, was because we got put on probation, and lost Donyell Marshall to them.

And, we're not trying to become a great program, but to remain one.

Sorry - your entire premise is flawed.

 

[orange79]

The MAIN reason UConn improved, was because we got put on probation, and lost Donyell Marshall to them.

And, we're not trying to become a great program, but to remain one.

Sorry - your entire premise is flawed.

So, you're saying we need UConn to go on probation?

 

[newmexicuse]

The MAIN reason UConn improved, was because we got put on probation, and lost Donyell Marshall to them.

And, we're not trying to become a great program, but to remain one.

Sorry - your entire premise is flawed.

UConn's program was on the rise per my OP well prior to the Donyell situation. Yes, they took advantage of our probation and got there a bit sooner by getting Donyell, but he was just one of several of their early big-time recruits that they were able to land. No one kid makes or breaks a program or a process. I think, back then, they were after exactly the type of kids that we snub our noses at now, but that nonetheless we badly need to supplement our current roster. Don't get me wrong, I don't think we need a roster full of those types of kids, but two or three who would bust butt and put playing D first would really help IMHO.

In actuality, if there was any one recruit who put them over the top & helped them to turn the corner, it was probably Chris Smith and not Donyell.

 

[two3zone]

The MAIN reason UConn improved, was because we got put on probation, and lost Donyell Marshall to them.

And, we're not trying to become a great program, but to remain one.

Sorry - your entire premise is flawed.

I thought his mom didn't want him to come here.

 

[DoubleDee]

Clicked hoping to see pictures of a UCONN "model".

 

[orange79]

Clicked hoping to see pictures of a UCONN "model".