Kevin Ollie

[Hitman Hart]

So, is his seat warming up? UConn is #171 on kenpom right now. That isn't a down year. That is absolutely horrible. They also weren't very good last year.

A lot of people like to blame the AAC, but the AAC hasn't hurt Cincy. Ollie had a great 2016 recruiting class that featured 3 top 100 players and a 4th 4* that was ranked #126. Two of those guys transferred out after one year. His 2017 recruiting class is looking awful. His '18 class looks passable, as long as Matthews Jr does well.

Really looks like a program that is trending down, and potentially headed for disaster and irrelevance under Ollie.

Posters on the Boneyard think Ollie is lazy (assuming they mean on the recruiting trail) and that is a trait you can't have as a CBB coach.

Identifying talent, landing talent, developing them and building relationships are the most important traits for a coach in CBB. Ollie looks like he's subpar at that right now. Weird, b/c he'll go down as a coach that won a NC.

 

[Ickey Shuffle]

So, is his seat warming up?

It is with the UConn fans I know...

 

[Ojb81]

Ollie ollie oxen-freeeee

 

[Ickey Shuffle]

A lot of people like to blame the AAC, but the AAC hasn't hurt Cincy. Ollie had a great 2016 recruiting class that featured 3 top 100 players and a 4th 4* that was ranked #126. Two of those guys transferred out after one year. His 2017 recruiting class is looking awful. His '18 class looks passable, as long as Matthews Jr does well.

Really looks like a program that is trending down, and potentially headed for disaster and irrelevance under Ollie.

Posters on the Boneyard think Ollie is lazy (assuming they mean on the recruiting trail) and that is a trait you can't have as a CBB coach.

Identifying talent, landing talent, developing them and building relationships are the most important traits for a coach in CBB. Ollie looks like he's subpar at that right now. Weird, b/c he'll go down as a coach that won a NC.

I mean, Cincy is not use to getting those top 100 kids. That's UConn's territory. They're the rich person who expects glamor. Cincy is the grinder in a poor neighborhood. We just recruit kids who meet our criteria. Defense and toughness. That's all we asked for. No matter what conference we're in, that travels with you anywhere. Whether it's in the C-USA, Big East, or AAC.

UConn has no foundation right now. They just trotting out kids and wing it.

 

[Hitman Hart]

I mean, Cincy is not use to getting those top 100 kids. That's UConn's territory. They're the rich person who expects glamor. Cincy is the grinder in a poor neighborhood. We just recruit kids who meet our criteria. Defense and toughness. That's all we asked for. No matter what conference we're in, that travels with you anywhere. Whether it's in the C-USA, Big East, or AAC.

UConn has no foundation right now. They just trotting out kids and wing it.

eh, Cincy's top four scorers were 4* recruits coming out of HS.

you're right though, Cincy's recruiting profile isn't what I thought it would be.

 

[Ickey Shuffle]

eh, Cincy's top four scorers were 4* recruits coming out of HS.

you're right though, Cincy's recruiting profile isn't what I thought it would be.

Yeah. But you know what I mean.

I can't remember the last time we got a McDonald's All-American. Think it was Lance Stephenson. Or Yancy Gates was !? Eh...

 

[Hitman Hart]

Yeah. But you know what I mean.

I can't remember the last time we got a McDonald's All-American. Think it was Lance Stephenson. Or Yancy Gates was !? Eh...

Yeah, I hear you. fwiw, I think there's very little difference between someone that is ranked #75 and someone that is ranked #130, when it comes to skill. All cases are different, but man, I've seen so many busts from the bottom half of the top 100. While at the same time, I've seen so many players ranked anywhere from #101-150 blossom into some pretty great players.

 

[podsox]

He got a gift with boatright and Napier. Not so great since

 

[jontaejones]

The downfall is a combination of bad luck whiffing on recruits , injuries to recruits, flat out bad recruiting, and being in the AAC.

Make no mistake. The Creightons and Xaviers of the world recruit at a higher level because they are in the Big East. All the teams in the Big East sell the Big East. The AAC is a little bit harder to sell ... at least for now.

That said, UConn is still UConn. They have $$ and deep, deep booster support. There's no pro sports in Conn.

Ollie has maybe one year left. The right coach can bring in the right players. So, if Ollie can't get it done, they'll bring in someone who will.

 

[Hitman Hart]

The downfall is a combination of bad luck whiffing on recruits , injuries to recruits, flat out bad recruiting, and being in the AAC.

Make no mistake. The Creightons and Xaviers of the world recruit at a higher level because they are in the Big East. All the teams in the Big East sell the Big East. The AAC is a little bit harder to sell ... at least for now.

That said, UConn is still UConn. They have $$ and deep, deep booster support. There's no pro sports in Conn.

Ollie has maybe one year left. The right coach can bring in the right players. So, if Ollie can't get it done, they'll bring in someone who will.

Xavier's recruiting profile has not changed since they joined the Big East. They were getting solid classes while in the A-10.

Creighton's has, but Creighton moved up about two tiers in conferences when they moved from the MVC to the Big East.

Also, there's a Jeff Goodman article out there that was posted about a week ago. Really sounds like Ollie is straight up lazy on the recruiting trail.

 

[BoiseStateFan27]

Is he the worst coach to ever win a Natty??? I can't think of one worse

they've been awful since then, I think he will get canned this year

 

[Hitman Hart]

Is he the worst coach to ever win a Natty??? I can't think of one worse

they've been awful since then, I think he will get canned this year

NCAA tournament didn't really become the premier tournament in CBB until sometime in the 1950s. So, there were a couple of coaches in the 1940s that won it that had pretty meh records overall. Ollie is definitely the worst in the modern era.

 

[wildturkey]

I don't see how he survives. UConn is total afterthought. You know that doesn't sit well at all

 

[Hitman Hart]

I don't see how he survives. UConn is total afterthought. You know that doesn't sit well at all

Just lost at home to Tulsa on Thursday. My biggest thing if I was a UConn fan is that there isn't a light at the end of the tunnel. Recruiting is pretty bad. Only one top 150 player in the past two recruiting cycles. Relationships with players appears to be questionable. Can't really comment on player development as I don't follow the program closely enough.

 

[Hitman Hart]

Dan Hurley is doing a pretty solid job at Rhode Island. He'd be a great hire for UConn.

 

[BoiseStateFan27]

Dan Hurley is doing a pretty solid job at Rhode Island. He'd be a great hire for UConn.

He would be an excellent hire there, of course he has things going pretty well at Rhode Island right now

I think UConn can definitely get a solid coach in there...the American's basketball profile definitely was improved thanks to adding Wichita State but the conference needs UConn good again

 

[Hitman Hart]

He would be an excellent hire there, of course he has things going pretty well at Rhode Island right now

I think UConn can definitely get a solid coach in there...the American's basketball profile definitely was improved thanks to adding Wichita State but the conference needs UConn good again

His URI team this year is loaded with seniors. Could be an ideal time to make a move.

 

[BoiseStateFan27]

His URI team this year is loaded with seniors. Could be an ideal time to make a move.

They are, aren't they? Yeah if he's moving this year might be the year then.

 

[Hitman Hart]

They are, aren't they? Yeah if he's moving this year might be the year then.

Five of their six leading scorers are seniors.

 

[rmilia1]

UConn is the new Georgetown . Program that comes out of nowhere. Has a great 2 decade run and then disappears back into obscurity