SGreenwell wrote: ↑2 years ago
McRam wrote: ↑2 years ago
Whoever we hire, must have the ability and connections to utilize the transfer portal effectively. This is a MUST HAVE quality. Clearly, recruiting quality high school players who can easily leave after the freshman year, is likely a losing strategy in today's environment.,
In our situation, a coach well connected and familiar with our level players should be the top priority. I am skeptical of any lower level head coach has the knowledge and connections with the 3 and 4 star players we need to go after. After all, he likely has been concentrating on 2 star players and likely does not have the kind of AAU connections or the basketball Prep Schools connections.
So, there would be a major learning curve and his coaching qualities could easily be lost without the talent.
That is the reason that I am skeptical of a Towson or Vermont type head coach. Frankly, I consider an experienced assistant at a major program (eg Kyle Neptune) would be more successful on the transfer portal that the experienced small school and knowledgeable small school competent head coach.
To me, success on the transfer portal is really "the green fees" for success. Without that quality, we would likely be redoing this thread in a few years.
I actually don't think that Cox has done horrible with the transfer portal. The Mitchells can play, Carey has obvious talent, Betrand wasn't great, but still. It's more that players haven't improved once they're on our roster, and outside of Ish Leggett's freshman year, he hasn't brought in high school talent for the A-10 level.
I'm not especially impressed with the job Skerry has done at Towson, but with Vermont, it's not like Becker is running some weird system there that won't work at a higher level. Vermont wins some games OOC every year - it's not an Iona with Cluess situation.
By the way, Vermont should make certain posters here ecstatic. They have two high school players from Rhode Island, and they shoot 75 percent from the line, good for 61st in the nation.
Transfer Portal. Judging how a coach does in the Portal should include both who he loses and who he brings in.
Makhi, Makhel, El-Amin, Betrand, Carey do not offset the losses of Tyrese Martin, Jacob Toppin and Fatts Russell. Give me a choice between the incoming and the outgoing and I take Martin, Toppin and Russell hands down. And I wouldn't call Carey an obvious talent. Struggled with turnovers at Syracuse led to his removal as starter and ultimate transfer and he still struggles with turnovers. Carey looks good at times compared to who we have at the guards.
Overall Transfer Portal recruiting and retention - below average.
Freshmen. Cox has lost players to graduation highlighted by Jeff Dowtin who is doing great in the G-League, could be in the NBA one day. Incoming freshmen Samb. Illeri, Berry...........instead of Mathews, Dowtin, Russell, Terrell, Robinson, Langevine, Tyrese Martin, Toppin, Iverson caliber players we are now getting excited about Brafford and Stephens - 2 star players and look at the other schools they have offers from. We are fishing in a different pond from 4,5,6 years ago.
Overall Freshmen recruiting - well below average.
Development. Jermaine Harris didn't develop in fact regressed. Why was he out at the 3 point line defending guards and picking up fouls? Why was he shooting 3 point shots on offense? He had some games like vs St Bonaventure that were solid, but many games that were not and he didn't improve. Makhi and Makhel show skills in rebounding, blocking shots, passing, shooting yet they are also out at the 3 point line playing defense, playing out of control at times. Both do not block out well on defensive and especially on eh important offensive boards - fundamentals are lacking. Imagine how they would rebound if they had better coaching that emphasized playing within themselves and boxing out on the boards?
Overall player development - below average.
Overall Recruiting. Cox may get credit for being a great recruiter by some here. I could agree if we are talking about the Hurley years but even then I now have my own greater doubts that it might have been more Hurley bringing that talent than it was Cox. I have been underwhelmed with the recruiting here the past 4 years. Even many of the players we whiffed on have not been ver impressive where they ultimately chose to go. I could name many who I said glad we didn't end up with hm. We just do not have the horses we had under Harrick or Hurley - not in the starting line up and not on th bench. Under Baron, maybe, but the talent level has dropped a lot.
Overall recruiting - well below average.
Playing time management, discipline consistency and confidence building. Playing a 9 man rotation in March is too many. Look at St Bonaventure, Davidson, Dayton, Richmond, VCU, UCONN, URI WBB....they narrow the rotation down to 5 (as in St Bonaventure and Davidson) or 6 or 7. Here we are still with a rotation of 9. Guys are pulled when they make a mistake and someone takes their place (not for all 9 players but for most of the 9). Some players get yelled at and disciplined some don't. Warm up drills look like a country club, joking around, taking shots from half court (been that way for 4 years). Many teams are now playing their best players 37-40 minutes per game. Our top minutes per game guys are 27-29. Too many guys (9) sharing minutes as we go into Tournament - "1 loss and go home" - "do or die time". It's like we still have not decided who the best 5 players are in March. Guys can't get comfortable or confident because nobody gets 38 minutes per game - not even the best 2 or 3 - whoever those 2 or 3 are which is part of the problem - we don't know.
Time management - well below average.
Becker. As for Vermont I was not impressed with Justin Mazzulla at GW. He couldn't keep a starting spot at GW and went to Vermont. Wasn't too impressed with him when I saw him play at Hendricken. I don't know who you mean by a 2nd RI player on Vermont - I only know of Mazzula. I would want to aim higher than Becker - I don't want him at URI. Vermont plays in a glorified High School Gym on campus. I was at a game there this year and they didn't even serve concessions because of Covid. Nothing. You could only get drinks out of a vending machine. We need a HC from a high level program, even if an assistant like Kyle Neptune or Kim English. No Beckers, no Grassos. This program needs a complete overhaul. I'd expect huge turnover in personnel by September.