UCONN fires Kevin Ollie

[cheese ball chaser]

Maybe they should hire Stallings 

[GGGG]

UConn apparently wanted a reduced buy-out, and when Ollie refused, went the "fired for cause" route.  Trying to fight for your money is never a good idea.

[MU82]

Now THERE was a coach who was underachieving.

Ollie obviously deserved a longer leash because of the success he had with the players he inherited from Calhoun. But 2 straight years like that, in that meh conference, for a program that had lifted itself up to near-blueblood status?

Later!

[D'Lo Brown]

Their next hiring will say a lot about whether they want to recommit to Uconn as championship program, or just an average AAC team. They'll have some turnover with players/recruits but, this program has already hit rock bottom considering the expectations.

Goes to show that MU's neutral, comprehensive process of finding the best coaching candidate is far superior to simply installing somebody's favorite or someone from the team's lineage. I'm not saying Wojo is the best, at all, but at least we were able to avoid a total disaster with a coach like Ollie.

I am also a fan of Uconn (not as much as MU, but most of my family went to Uconn) and it was clear that Ollie was not qualified for this from the beginning. He was like the 6th assistant on the team for 1 season, I believe, before being thrust into the head coach spot. He was also extraordinarily awkward with his public speaking skills, although it improved somewhat over time, he was always seen as a crybaby and probably not the smartest guy. Always some excuse from this guy as to players that got hurt, arguing with the referees, those kinds of things. To be fair, this is just my opinion and I'm sure there are others who follow the team that thought differently.

Have to imagine they will be big players in the grad transfer game as well (perhaps competing with MU on some players) especially if they make a big splash hire.

[Frenns Liquor Depot]

Goes to show that MU's neutral, comprehensive process of finding the best coaching candidate is far superior to simply installing somebody's favorite or someone from the team's lineage.

Are you being serious here — we did the same thing as UCONN when our legend retired. 

[D'Lo Brown]

Are you being serious here — we did the same thing as UCONN when our legend retired.

Buzz retired/was a legend? I clearly was talking about the hiring of Wojo vs. Ollie, who were hired one year apart.

Reading comprehension.

[Frenns Liquor Depot]

Buzz retired/was a legend? I clearly was talking about the hiring of Wojo vs. Ollie, who were hired one year apart.

Reading comprehension.

Ok..so I guess your point is Marquette was supremely smart for not hiring anyone from the Buzz coaching tree.  Namely all the assistants they forced him to fire + wainwright + chew. 

I think these situations are just completely different and don’t really validate or invalidate what MU did. 

[WarriorDad]

Buzz retired/was a legend? I clearly was talking about the hiring of Wojo vs. Ollie, who were hired one year apart.

Reading comprehension.

He likely means Al McGuire retiring, and we stayed within to take Mr. Raymonds and then Coach Majerus.

[4everwarriors]

Da only legendary coach in MU's history was Al, aina?

[MU Fan in Connecticut]

From today's New Haven Register.Potential replacements and look who is on the list.

https://www.nhregister.com/sports/article/Who-s-next-A-look-at-potential-UConn-men-s-12743590.php

[GGGG]

Hiring back Calhoun to train another coach in waiting would be a terrible mistake.

[Eldon]

From today's New Haven Register.Potential replacements and look who is on the list.

https://www.nhregister.com/sports/article/Who-s-next-A-look-at-potential-UConn-men-s-12743590.php

Before I clicked the link I said to myself "please don't have Danny Hurley listed."  (I'd like him to be at the end of the bench in case MU needs him).

<click> 1.  Danny Hurley, URI

[forgetful]

Before I clicked the link I said to myself "please don't have Danny Hurley listed."  (I'd like him to be at the end of the bench in case MU needs him).

<click> 1.  Danny Hurley, URI

Danny Hurley should be option 1, 1a and 1b for them. 

Think Danny would be better off in the BE though.

UCONN is just not an attractive program in the AAC.  Not a Northeast friendly conference, really borderline mid-major conference. 

UCONN really screwed up the re-alignment.  Will be tough for them to regain footing as a program.

[Golden Avalanche]

The people who are in love with D Hurley clearly did not watch his brilliant coaching during the final 50 seconds of the A10 Championship.

[MU Fan in Connecticut]

I'm surprised no one has commented that Tom Crean seems to be up on the list.

[tower912]

Crean is going to be mentioned for any job this year.   Same with Matta.

[Spotcheck Billy]

Crean is going to be mentioned for any job this year.   Same with Matta.

Yup, both already mentioned for Pitt and GA.

[ChitownSpaceForRent]

Yup, both already mentioned for Pitt and GA.

Crean to Pitt would be phenomenal. Would really look forward to the Buzz/Crean showdown.

[D'Lo Brown]

Danny Hurley should be option 1, 1a and 1b for them. 

Think Danny would be better off in the BE though.

UCONN is just not an attractive program in the AAC.  Not a Northeast friendly conference, really borderline mid-major conference. 

UCONN really screwed up the re-alignment.  Will be tough for them to regain footing as a program.

If they hire a decent coach, I don't know how much the conference prestige will really play in recruits minds when it comes to choosing Uconn. Uconn's program history more than makes up for any "hit" in conference prestige. Obviously, borderline mid-major conference is really pushing it. We're not talking about the Horizon League here. That sounds to me more like a pitch Wojo or Stan would make to a prospect we're competing with Uconn on.

I'm also unsure how Uconn themselves screwed up the conference realignment. As we all know it was a numbers game, several strong athletic programs were left out. I don't think they made any crazy blunders during the realignment process. They just are what they are. I think from the MU perspective it's easy to monday morning QB-it and just assume they can go back a decade or two and not spend all that money trying to build up to a high major football program. Not that long ago they were a I-AA football program playing the likes of BU, Maine, Holy Cross, etc.

Anyways, I think they will get some good recruits, perhaps a good coach, and we'll see what happens in a few years.

[GGGG]

If they hire a decent coach, I don't know how much the conference prestige will really play in recruits minds when it comes to choosing Uconn. Uconn's program history more than makes up for any "hit" in conference prestige. Obviously, borderline mid-major conference is really pushing it. We're not talking about the Horizon League here. That sounds to me more like a pitch Wojo or Stan would make to a prospect we're competing with Uconn on.

I'm also unsure how Uconn themselves screwed up the conference realignment. As we all know it was a numbers game, several strong athletic programs were left out. I don't think they made any crazy blunders during the realignment process. They just are what they are. I think from the MU perspective it's easy to monday morning QB-it and just assume they can go back a decade or two and not spend all that money trying to build up to a high major football program. Not that long ago they were a I-AA football program playing the likes of BU, Maine, Holy Cross, etc.

Anyways, I think they will get some good recruits, perhaps a good coach, and we'll see what happens in a few years.

The biggest problem with the AAC IMO isn't that it's a "mid-major" conference...it's UConn and Temple are geographic outliers.  All the other schools are in the south, or in the case of Cincy, might as well be.  That's a tough sell to kids from the northeast IMO.

[D'Lo Brown]

The biggest problem with the AAC IMO isn't that it's a "mid-major" conference...it's UConn and Temple are geographic outliers.  All the other schools are in the south, or in the case of Cincy, might as well be.  That's a tough sell to kids from the northeast IMO.

Agree on that. But they have also always gotten national-level recruits.

Incidentally I also hope that the travel/etc is a tough sell for Calhoun, he should stay out of this.

[Juan Anderson's Mixtape]

The biggest problem with the AAC IMO isn't that it's a "mid-major" conference...it's UConn and Temple are geographic outliers.  All the other schools are in the south, or in the case of Cincy, might as well be.  That's a tough sell to kids from the northeast IMO.

Cincy very much has a southern vibe.

[D'Lo Brown]

Danny Hurley should be option 1, 1a and 1b for them. 

Think Danny would be better off in the BE though.

UCONN is just not an attractive program in the AAC.  Not a Northeast friendly conference, really borderline mid-major conference. 

UCONN really screwed up the re-alignment.  Will be tough for them to regain footing as a program.

Lol. So do you consider it a lateral move for him? Mid-major to mid-major

[GooooMarquette]

Agree on that. But they have also always gotten national-level recruits.

Incidentally I also hope that the travel/etc is a tough sell for Calhoun, he should stay out of this.

I think the continuation of national level recruits was more of a remnant of the Calhoun era...kind of like how MU got national level recruits for a few years after Al. Until we didn't for a number of years....

[D'Lo Brown]

I think the continuation of national level recruits was more of a remnant of the Calhoun era...kind of like how MU got national level recruits for a few years after Al. Until we didn't for a number of years....

You're right on that. Calhoun does = Uconn men's basketball, and it remains to be seen that they will recruit at the same level or win championships without him. In history, legendary coaches are usually associated with a rise and a fall afterwards.

I think we need a few Hurley years to assess whether things will ever be the same at Uconn.