Kevin Ollie Could "Get the Dog Out" of Quentin Snider if he Chooses UConn, Says Snider's Dad

Quentin Snider had a phone conversation with Kevin Ollie last night, and he liked what he heard, according to his father, Scott.

"We both like Coach Ollie," Scott Snider said by phone on Monday. "We watched (UConn) last year a couple of times on TV, he really lets his guards go. That's kind of what we're looking for."

Snider added that his son got to know Ryan Boatright and Shabazz Napier at a couple of camps (CP3 and LeBron James) this summer.

Quentin will make an official visit to UConn on Sept. 21. He'll also take an official to UCLA on Labor Day Weekend and make unofficials to Memphis (Sept. 7) and Illinois (Sept. 28). Basically, the family is saving their officials for visits that require a bit more travel from their Louisville home.

Quentin Snider de-committed from Louisville a few weeks ago. He had committed to the Cardinals as a high school freshman, but since then Louisville had added a bunch of other guard recruits. So, Snider felt it was better to look elsewhere.

Should Snider, a Class of 2014 point guard, elect UConn, he knows he may not see a lot of minutes right off the bat, with Rodney Purvis and possibly Terrence Samuel and even Boatright still there for the 2014-15 season.

"There's gonna be some guys to compete with," Scott said. "It was a little different at Louisville, where he'd have to compete with five or six guys. At UConn, Rodney Purvis will be eligible, Boatright and Terrence Samuel -- if he makes it he'll be there, we don't know what's going on with that. We know there'll be some competition. Hopefully he'll be able to play by his sophomore year. We think he can get a few minutes as a freshman, if he works hard."

(According to a source, Samuel should find out over the next day or two whether he can enroll in classes at UConn next week.)

And hard work is a cornerstone of Ollie's program, something Scott Snider noted in saying Ollie should be able to "get the dog out of him."

That doesn't mean Quentin dogs it or coasts from time to time.

"Quentin doesn't coast," Scott said, "but he won't start off real aggressive. He'll feel the game out and get more aggressive as the game goes on. I think Coach Ollie can bring the dog out of him on the defensive end of the floor and make him a great defensive player."

Scott said Quentin will definitely make all his visits before deciding, and will save his three other officials for now, though he may not use any of them. He's talked to Indiana but hasn't received an offer from them yet. Cincinnati coach Mick Cronin, who's known Quentin since working with him at Louisville basketball camps several years ago, has suggested Quentin visit campus when the team gets back. Michigan State has also shown interest, but hasn't offered.

"There are a lot of schools that have called, and maybe 7-8 that he likes," Scott said. "There's no favorite. I know we both really like Coach Ollie. He's the kind of coach that can get the most out of Quentin."

*** UConn got some more good news on the recruiting front Monday: Terry Larrier has UConn as one of his final six schools, and is reportedly set to visit Storrs next week.

And UConn has also made the top five of Paul White, a 6-8 forward out of Chicago who broke his arm in July at the Peach Jam. White will make an official visit to UConn Sept. 27-28, the weekend after Snider's visit.