Warde J. Manuel is the new athletic director at the University of Connecticut. The 44-year-old was introduced on Monday. Clearly UConn athletics has had its ups and downs recently, with problems like many other big-time Division I universities.
Husky fans know Husky athletics as well as any group of fans in the nation. So here’s your chance. If you were sitting across from Manuel at some point today and he asked you … “What should be my FIRST priority?” What would you tell him? Give us your thoughts in a post here. We’ll take a look at some of the best and run some in The Courant Tuesday.
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58 Responses to What Should Be The New UConn AD’s First Priority? Tell Us What You Think Here!
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Get into the ACC or Big 10!!!
That’s not going to happen – ever. It’s all about Football and the last couple of hirings shows me that UConn has resigned itself to second tier status. The ACC needs football cred and UConn does not bring any. UConn joining the Big 10 would damage theirs. New England is owned by the NFL (Giants and Pats and even the Jets); nobody really cares about Big Time College Football. Mr Manuel might just use his connections to get UConn an offer to join the MAC. It was a great ride, though.
the MAC? your kidding right
Yes…and no. Husky fans need to face reality. The new Big East football conference has become a running joke. Seriously, who is going to watch UConn vs Memphis? Or SMU? Half the conference games will be scheduled for Wednesday, Thursday and Friday nights as filler on ESPNU. And how long before the BCS rescinds the automatic bid? The chorus has gotten louder about that over the past couple of mediocre BE seasons. I would argue that the MAC is a better football conference and more deserving. Basketball will feature an unwieldy 17 teams in a seriously watered down conference with no natural rivalries. Sorry.
Make sure UConn is eligible for the 2013 NCAA Tournament.
First thing out the gate, address the APR issue. It looks like the NCAA wants Calhoun out even if it means ruining the basketball program so address that too. long term goal should be to spearhead a complete overhaul of the NCAA before that 100 ton monster completely ruins intercollegiate sports.
Establish an athlethic/academic program similar to Duke, USC, Alabama, Memphis, Oklahoma, Nebraska, Miami, LSU where athletes take “special” curriculums that ensure success and adherence to NCAA standards. Anyone who thinks that those institutions allow their athletes to take normal courses and meet the student body standards are kidding themselves.
I agree with Bob!, making sure that the Basketball team is eligible for the 2012-2013 post season tournaments, as this will have a direct effect on recruiting high quality players for next season, and along with this, I think the New AD should sit down with Coach Calhoun, and have a serious heart to heart with him about his Health with his back, as my wife suffers with this dreaded disease, and I can tell you with or without surgery, this is not cureable, and coach calhoun will alway’s suffer with a certain amount of pain irreguardless of what type of course of action he takes for his back. I think that the university really needs to start thinking about the post Jim Calhoun Era, and start thinking about what it is going to take to keep this program one of the Top College Programs in the country, as if we don’t , then I think we run the risk of losing our place in division -1 basketball, that we have all enjoyed these past 25 plus years. Coach Calhoun has nothing left to prove to anybody in this state or the country, he’s done it all, and he should start putting his health and his family life first, and should rethink his options for retirement in the off season. Having said that I also believe that the new AD should first consider a national search for a possible replacement fot jimmy, should he decide to retire, and not settle for someone locally here oir already in the program. This program is really struggling right now, and the new AD needs to get a handle on things sooner, rather then later.
FIRE CALHOUN !!!!!
Are you crazy he just took the team to a national championship and is one of the greatest coaches in the history of basketball
Warde Manuel will be judged on whether he gets UCONN into the ACC and who he selects to replace the legendary and iconic Jim Calhoun (better be a proven head coach with or without UCONN ties). His first priority should be to make secret trips to BC, VaTech, and Miami in order to bury the hatchet (with BC) and shepherd in a new era of ACC, which has a solid BC-UCONN rivalry anchoring the northern division.
Not worried about NCAA tourney next year — the NCAA will do the right thing and not punish the current conforming players. Maybe UCONN should consider declaring themselves ineligible this year (we stink anyway) as a self imposed sanction.
1. New Men’s Basketball Regime. Let’s face it Calhoun’s health is an issue and last year was a fluke. Walker carried the team getting the one and done recruits does not make long term sense. There are a lot of great young coaches in the mid majors and we need to get one in now before they are all gone.
2. Screw the ACC, bring me the Big 10. They want NY and we have SNY plus in roads in the NE market and along with Rutgers they could dominate the NYC market. Keep on their good side and ride out the new Big East.
3. Time to upgrade the Hockey Program. This relates to the Big Ten since they are starting their own Hockey League which would be a good fit, but in the mean time we need to go Hockey East. ND is already heading there and all the sports networks are grabbing up contracts for National TV college hockey. Time to strike while the Iron is hot and since they are already D1 it wouldn’t be much of a leap. Plus some Friday night hockey in Hartford that means something wouldn’t be a bad idea.
I agree with you about upgrading the hockey program however, I hope that games at the xl center didnt become the permanent solution. There would be a ton of empty seats and not alot of student support, upgrade the rink on campus.
I agree, but some of big games should be in Hartford, i.e. BU or BC or ND. There does need to be some sort of proper on campus rink. If Qu could it there is no reason UConn couldn’t do it.
Get a new football coach
I think one of the first things Mr. Manuel needs to do is make sure that there are solid, highly accessible means to help student athletes succeed in the classroom. I don’t know what exists now, but wherever they may be lacking, there clearly need to be resources available, whether it be material, personnel or both, to ensure that if a student fails to make the grade (literally), it is not because the university failed him/her. There needs to be a system that focuses on prevention rather than trying to clean up messes afterward.
Uconn’s men’s basketball program, under Coach Calhoun’s tenure, has achieved a level of success on the court that has set the standard for NCAA Division I college basketball. One of Mr. Manuel’s tasks should be to improve its reputation academically while continuing the established tradition of on-court excellence.
In my opinion, it is not time to jump ship to another athletic conference. With a number of quality programs committing to the Big East, I don’t believe it is beyond salvage or repair. I am still hopeful the tradition of excellence in Big East basketball can be preserved and that its football counterpart can make a big step forward.
1. Make sure the new basketball complex gets done ASAP. Break ground “yesterday” so it can be considered as Calhoun’s legacy, thus letting him retire gracefully regardless of 2013 tournament eligibility. And try to do this without getting Gino mad!
2. Fill in WVU’s slot in the football schedule with a big time opponent, not Akron (my alma mater) or some other schlub. Make it clear that UConn football is Go Big or Go Home and take your lumps if need be. The long-term idea is to do anything and everthing possible to upgrade the program to make it more attractive to the ACC or Big 10 – or become the class of the Big East year in and year out.
3. Do work on upgrading the baseball and secondary sport facilities – with fund raising and private money.
4. Work toward APR issues from both directions, by strengthening what’s been recently put in place and working toward a “special” academic program for athletes.
5. Play more games at Gample and fewer in Hartford. It’s bad enough that football is hampered by not being on campus.
Ed, I like your suggestion about playing more games on campus. There is an energy and enthusiasm generated by the students that is absent when they play in Hartford. The problem is Gampel Pavilion is too small, roughly two-thirds the capacity of the XL Center. In my opinion, it should have been built the same size or larger.
I also agree with playing many more games at Gampel Pavilion, it is a much better atmosphere! Build a new basketball arena on campus if size is an issue!
I really think the new AD should consider using George Blaney as the bridge to next Men’s Head basketball coach. Similar to what UNC did with Bill Guthridge and who knows maybe we even get a final four appearance out of it.
Regardless of the the fact that Calhoun’s time may have passed and the issues with the NCAA, I believe conference realignment is what will have the biggest impact on UConn athletics. We are stuck in the Big East for better or worse. No conference is taking a school that is banned from post season play due to academics. I just hope that we can beat Central Florida the next time we play them.
Bill Gutheridge’s success was on the back of Dean Smith recruits. He left the cupboard bare when he retired four years later. So bare Roy WIlliams wouldn’t leave Kansas until it was restocked. In fact, UNC went begging for a coach unitl Docerty took the gig.
First priority should be getting APR of men’s basketball up and into the tournament in 2013. Oh ya- then the ACC.
Welcome to UCONN, I am sure you will work with the administration to cure the current ills, lack of basketball practice facilities and academic issues which ban the Men’s basketball team from the 2013 post season. The latter seems particularly unfair to the current players. And finally, as I told Hathaway several years ago, UCONN athletics can be improved by adding Wrestling, Connecticut High Schools have some of the best in the country, balanced (Title 9) with women’s Golf.
Form a partnership with Rutgers. Apply together for membership in ACC, Big10, Big 12. Combined they bring the NY market. Upgrade marketing + promtion of Uconn sports in the entire northeast.
1. Clean up the APR issues w/NCAA. Start w/clean slate.
2. Stop the practice of being a farm team for the NBA or NFL. If recruits sign on to any athletic program under scholarship, they should agree to finish their 4 years or pay back the scholarship $ they have taken advantage of to UConn. No more 1 yr or 2 yrs and out!
3. Let Jim Calhoun save face and retire for health reasons at end of this season. He has earned it, and it’s now time to turn his job over to the next generation. No one ever gave him the title of “Coach For Life”. He deserves to be treated with compassion and respect.
1. Solidify stature and standing of Men’s Basketball Program, including Calhoun’s sucessor and APR issues.
2. Abandon the dying Big East. I feel ACC is best fit, but Big 10 would be solid #2. UCONN is already a dificult enough campus (location, size, etc.) to recruit to, so need to stay on National radar in a leading conference.
job 1 – a new basketball coach. “not one dime” is a coach who’s time has come. in fact, it’s well overdue.
HST
Kevin Ollie. done.
Terrible idea. UCONN has way too much name brand success to let this be ANYONE’s first rodeo. ONLY a proven head coach should be hired. The coaches graveyard is littered with mistakes like the this.
Fact is, Calhoun does not have an imprseeive list of coaches that he has sired. Tom Moore is getting some legs at Quinnipiac, but let’s see 2 tournaments out of a program like that.
The coach at Bucknell is perfect. He won national championships at D-III (Williams) and made the tourney at D1 (Bucknell). He is in the New England Bball hall of fame, but young enough to coach another 10-15 years.
Only PROVEN head coaches need apply.
I love KO, but he needs to go win at smaller program first and learn what it is like to run a program and recruit for himself – not someone else’s legend.
Make sure the Men’s team is able to play in the NCAA 2013!
The new AD should immediately seek out allies among the NCAA institutions to work together to clearly define the role of the NCAA and to strictly limit its authority. The current APR formula should not be applied retroactively. The students whose grades were retroactively applied were considered academically eligible at the time. Academic peformance is documented at the end of each semester. A student on a sports team can and should be dealt with under the same criteria as any other student in the school. This not an NCAA issue it is an institutional issue. A university has not failed the so called one and done “student” simply because they haven’t graduated. A university fails a student when they take their money or skills and sends them into the work place with no reasonable prospects of employment. I agree that it is part of the role of an AD to position its institution in the best possible conference circumstance. The new AD should also look to establish a coalition of member universities to restore sanity to the conference alignment situation. If the member organizations, the universities, don’t rein in the NCAA soon there will be little else the new AD can accomplish of great importance.
Agree with Elliott Donn on 1/2 year players. In fact that should be a NCAA policy which would then be fair for all programs, not just UCONN. If it were a school policy it would have a drastic affect on recruiting. Jim Calhoun’s time has come to step aside. Disagree with “special academic” program. While accommodations can be made for student athletes, they need to take an established major. Athletes must remember they are just one step away from disaster and should have a worth while college degree to fall back on, something that will provide them employablity.
The APR issue needs to be resolved for sure, irrespective of the 2013 decision by the NCAA.
Home games should be played at Gample. Would you rather have a packed house at Gample or a half empty XL Center?
Big East or elsewhere, stay put. It comes down to being a big fish in a little pond or a little fish in a big pond! Enough said!
When is the last time Uconn played at a “half full” XL Center? They nearly sell out every time they play there, with the exception being early season match ups against lesser opponents. Gampel Pavilion does have a great atmosphere, but seats sold = $. Maybe one of the things Mr. Manuel can look at it is making sure there are (enough) shuttle buses going from Storrs to Hartford when there are games if there aren’t already.
First priority is evaluating conference realignment and working to get UCONN into ACC.
Working on men’s basketball program and their Academics and transition to the eventual new head coach, whether that be in 1, 2, 5 or 10 years. In the large scheme of things getting in to the 2013 tournament would be nice, but it’s more important to solve the problem forever.
Other priority is Facilities, for Basketball and Olympic Sports, including upgrades or new fields for baseball and soccer.
Agree on comments regarding Gampel. XL should be for a few weekday games and when students are on break.
Forget about hockey. Way way too expensive and not a big draw — especially long term.
Think lacrosse. UCONN could build a premier program with Connecticut kids (Darien, NC, Greenwich, Glastonbury, Wilton) and Connecticut coaches. Would be a piece of cake to raise fairfield county money for any necessary facility (outdoor facility to share with soccer)(indoor football field for Jan/Feb practice). Natural rivalry with UMASS, and Yale. Natural fit with ACC (Syracuse, Duke, UNC, Md, UVa, and maybe ND). Hire Mike Pressler (Wilton Conn native; former coach at Duke). AD’s alma matter, Michigan, just added lax as varsity sport. We have better nearby talent (Conn and New York).
Did i mention Fairfield county $$?? Think lacrosse. Think more TV exposure than hockey; more facility cross over with soccer and women’s lax team. Think NCAA championship. Think $$.
Forget Hockey? More like forget lacrosse buddy. Try going to one Hockey East game in your lifetime and you’ll never go to another lacrosse game period. Besides we already have a great baseball team. Lacrosse is for those kids who couldn’t throw a baseball. Priority #1- get out of big east. Priority #2- Upgrade hockey. Priority #3- add 15,000 seats to the rent after we get accepted to ACC or Big 10.
agreed. Hockey is great to watch and could have great success at uconn. on the other hand, lacrosse doesn’t have as great as an appeal, and there are just better sports to focus on.
Been to tons of hockey games. It is a good sport, i don’t dispute that. But, it is VERY expensive and has little to no appeal for the ACC. Plus, the money from fairfield county will build a facility that will support soccer x2 in the fall and lacrosse x2 in the spring. I actually prefer baseball, but this is business and hockey is 10 times more expensive and the home state talent is FAR BETTER IN LAX. Not even close.
I have always been a baseball person and never really cared much for lacrosse but I think that this is a great idea. Connecticut is huge into lacrosse and UConn could benefit greatly by being able to recruit out of these wealthy gold-coast towns and the plethora of prep schools where lacrosse is booming
1. resolve the APR issue, hopefully resulting in 2013 postseason participation
2. get kevin ollie on an accelerated track to be head coach.
3. GET TO THE ACC
4. Schedule more games at Gampel
5. If you don’t join the ACC make sure Uconn and Cuse still play.
6. Play better teams than Maine and Coppin in November
7. Nerlens Noel! everything you can possibly do to get him!
1. APR. Review and tweak/overhaul existing support streams for student athletes.
2. Show your coaches your yacht of plans, get them on board and drown the ones that won’t conform.
3. ACC/B10 for football. Big East is becoming an elephant graveyard on a rickety carousel. We have too much invested to risk losing BCS status. Forge/utilize relationships with appropriate power ADs and presidents.
4. Do all that is reasonably possible to make the 2013 NCAA basketball tourney available to UConn. Recruiting will tank for 2 years without it and maybe more if Coach Calhoun leaves.
5. Live in Paul Prendergast’s office part of each day until you acquire his fund raising contacts, sense of his methods and vision.
6. Ensure media partners are well informed. Use the media to generate interest in the school from all kinds of angles.
7. Consider facility upgrades. Basketball, baseball, soccer all looking for $$$. Recruits do make decisions in part based upon facilities.
The FIRST thing he should do is take a pay cut. What is wrong with this state? Why dont you as a news channel ask that question, look at the financial situation in this state. All the mind numbed people who think this is a good idea should have their heads examined. At this point in our state/country there are more important things than the stature of your athletic programs. YOUR TAX DOLLARS AT WORK
Actually Chris, not for nothing, but do you have any idea how much of our economy is rooted to entertainment?? Do you realize ESPN is headquartered in blue-collar Bristol. Any clue, how many small businesses in the area benefit from them? Do you realize that NBC sports is relocating to Connecticut. I’m sticking with sports, but you can also imagine other entertainment industries in the state and area. Do you realize how much reveunue is generated for UCONN by the basketball program alone? Any clue to how much the facilities at the university have been upgraged (to include classrooms) on account of athletic success. Are you aware at how much the UCONN name brand has grown? Are you aware of the millions that Coach Calhoun has donated to his cardiac center, cancer research, and autism? Do you realize that the money generated by the men’s program under Calhoun far far far surpasses what he has been compensated. He never left for a bigger brighter star or more money. He is perhaps the most undercompensated (relative to value) citizen in the history of Connecticut. He is human, and has some flaws (Jeff Jacobs makes a living pointing at them), but being overpaid is not one of them.
Right on there, Paul. Obviously Chris has no idea what Calhoun and UConn athletics has done for this state.
Again we are fed more Calhoun Kool-Aid.Are there any professors that make even 20% of what Calhoun or Geno make? What Calhoun and Uconn athleteics have helped due for this state is HELP bury it in financial debt.Taxpayers subsidize so many elements of the athletic program that it is hard to quantify. Taxpayers built gampel and the football stadium. How about the school using some of its bankroll that the great calhoun/geno and their teams generated and reinvest in thier own school not turn to the taxpayer. How about local education if our kids are too dumb to graduate high school why will we need uconn.Sports wont pay the bills forever.How about troops coming home from war do they get a parade no thats only for championship teams.Head up your … thinking in this country is leading to its demise.And Paul your response to what Chris said puts you at the front of the line of people looking for their heads.
You made many great points Paul. One of the best post in a long time.
1. Fix apr
2. Build new basketball arena on campus or near I-84 and Rt 195
3. Lower the volume on the speakers at the rent by 50 percent
New AD should make sure all athletes—especially basketball players—go to class and get acceptable grades. NOT Happening now. Most of the basketball players do not belong in school as their grades are poor. Why should we the CT. tax payers have to be given this type of person?
We do not need a “rock star”. We need a “rock” that can not be pressured by politicians, administration officials, donors, fans, or the media. First order of business; lay down the law and adhere to academic achievement standards for all student athletes.
1. Try to get the last four semesters counted in the APR so UConn’s mens basketball team will be in 2013 NCAA tourney.
2. Get the new baskeball practice facility up as soon as possible to compete with other schools.
3. Better promotions to fill the Rent on Saturdays, attendence way down this year 36,500 average. Interest starting to wane. 2011 first year without any sellouts. Most years have 3-4.
Some great comments, I especially like Paul’s summation of what UCONN BB has done for CT through its Hall of Fame Coaches. If the NCAA ban for 2013 goes through, the #1 priority should be damage control for the benefit of current players and future recruits. To that end, getting the new practice facility underway ASAP would help tremendously. I would definitely look for help from all of those UCONN alums who went on to bigger and better things in the NBA…it’s payback time guys!
He should emphasize academics and ethics. I’d rather have a losing season than have dopes who steal laptops and point guns (even if they’re only pellet guns) at people, as has happened in UConn’s past. And either require athletes to be students first, athletes second, or maybe just skip the current hypocritical fantasy and don’t require them to attend classes at all; just pay them to play.
The men’s basketball program has been the problem that has opened the flood gates….clean house including coaching staff…it starts with them!
1.He needs to get those empty seats filled if Uconn is looking to go to another conference.
2. Need to budget more money for recruiting football players.
3. Need to recruit in high profile areas: Florida, Ohio, Penn., New Jersey.
4. Get that practice facility funded and built quickly.
5. Meet with all coaches, men and women sports, and develope an action plan leading towards acceptance in another conference.
6. Need to be visiable in CT by going out to schools, corporation and other places of business promoting UConn.
First and foremost take care of the APR problem and get into the 2013 tournament. Regardless of how that plays out however I would like to see UConn take the initiative for all colleges and take on the NCAA to put some types of bounds on their power and have their role clearly defined.
UConn also needs a new basketball arena on campus and the new training facility needs to get underway. This is going to be a major draw for recruits at a school that won’t have much of a draw after being banned from the tournament and even more so if Calhoun leaves.
UConn needs to put their money back into what brings in the profit, basketball. Build an arena and the new training facility.
They have had construction crews working on restoring a stone staircase outside of a little used engineering building on campus for 6 months now. Throw some of this kind of money back towards the basketball program and don’t make them rely entirely on private funds. It is after all what made uconn the top university that it is today.
1. Play more games at Gampel. XL center is like playing basketball in a morgue.
2. Re-arrange the seating, so the students line the court.
3. Don’t worry about the “VIP’s” who will be displaced by re-arranging the seating…the upgrade in atmosphere (think Cameron Indoor or the Phog) will be enough to keep people coming regardless of where their seats are.
Straighten up academics and make a case for us to be eligible for the 2013 NCAA Tournament.