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UConn Huskies Basketball: What is going on up in Storrs?

By Daniel Benjamin

Mar 11, 2017; Hartford, CT, USA; Connecticut Huskies head coach Kevin Ollie talks to his team as they take on the Cincinnati Bearcats in the first half of the semifinals during the AAC Conference Tournament at XL Center. Mandatory Credit: David Butler II-USA TODAY Sports
Mar 11, 2017; Hartford, CT, USA; Connecticut Huskies head coach Kevin Ollie talks to his team as they take on the Cincinnati Bearcats in the first half of the semifinals during the AAC Conference Tournament at XL Center. Mandatory Credit: David Butler II-USA TODAY Sports /
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The UConn Huskies men’s basketball program has gone through a lot of roster turnover since Kevin Ollie took over the program in 2011. Is he the reason players are leaving the program?

The UConn Huskies have been one of the most successful college basketball programs over the last three decades. The Huskies have posted a winning record in 29 of the past 31 seasons.

Since the start of the 1986-87 season, UConn has captured 10 regular season titles and eight conference tournament titles. The Huskies have also made five Final Four appearances as well as claimed four National Championships.

A big reason for UConn’s success has been coaching stability. Jim Calhoun and Kevin Ollie are the only two coaches that the Huskies have had since the beginning of this run.

UConn struggled with injuries and consistent play this past season as they finished below .500 (16-17) for the first time since Calhoun’s inaugural season. Now, the Huskies are dealing with a plethora of departures.

Juwan Durham, who concluded his first season with the team this year, became the latest player to leave the program on April 3. The 6-foot-11 forward averaged 1.6 points along with 1.5 rebounds over 8.3 minutes in 28 appearances this past season.

Durham joins Steven Enoch and Vance Jackson Jr. as players transferring out of Storrs. In addition, top recruit Makai Ashton-Langford has been granted his release from the NLI that he signed in November.

Enoch was the first to decide to leave, as he requested his release a couple of weeks ago. The 6’11 sophomore forward contributed 3.4 points and 2.3 rebounds over 12.1 minutes a game in 2016-17.

Jackson was next and may be the toughest one of the bunch to replace. The 6’8 freshman forward averaged 8.1 points and 3.8 rebounds in 26.1 minutes a game this past season. The American Athletic Conference all-rookie selection was a four-star recruit last year.

The departures leave the Ollie in need of some players. The Huskies did get some good news with junior guard Jalen Adams deciding to return, but they only have eight scholarship players on the roster. The Huskies do currently have three recruits signed for the upcoming season.

Including the players that left the program this year, UConn has seen 11 players transfer with Ollie at the helm. Six other players have left Storrs before graduating. Five of those players departed early to start their pro careers, including Andre Drummond and Jeremy Lamb.

This past campaign was rough for Ollie and the Huskies. Not only did UConn fail to finish with a winning record, but the Huskies went 9-9 in AAC play — the first time they have not finished above .500 in conference play under Ollie. The Huskies began the season 2-4 as they dropped home games to Wagner and Northeastern. Their two wins came against Loyola Marymount and D-II Chaminade.

Following the season, Ollie fired associate head coach Glen Miller and strength and conditioning coach Travis Illian.

I’m sure letting Miller go had something to do with the departures, which Ashton-Langford kind of mentioned to ESPN.

"“At first, it was mainly because of Coach Miller leaving that made me think about it. But as I started to do that, I realized I kind of made my first decision spontaneously right after my visit.”"

But I have not ever heard any of the players say anything negative about Ollie, and the three players that are transferring have all said they talked to Ollie before deciding to leave.

“Kevin Ollie was wonderful, everybody was wonderful,” Vance  Jackson Sr. told the New Hampshire Register about why his son has decided to transfer. “We just didn’t see eye-to-eye with how he can be used.”

Ollie is a very good coach and the Huskies are in good hands with him leading the program. Ollie is very passionate and extremely intense on the sidelines and in practices, which probably rubs some players the wrong way. He is also very good at developing players and is a strong recruiter.

Next: Best college basketball transfers available for 2017-18

Ollie is 113-61, which includes four 20-win seasons, in his five seasons in Storrs. He has led the Huskies to three postseason bids, including two NCAA Tournaments and one AAC Tournament championship. The Huskies were ineligible for postseason play his first year.

UConn won the National Championship in 2014.