Crean vs Hurley

[Guapo]

So I was listening to the One Shining Podcast selection Sunday show and they had a brief aside about the UConn job and how everyone just assumes Hurley is the runaway favorite.

I thought they made an interesting point, though:

Tom Crean's best years run laps around Hurley's.

I think Hurley is still my number 1 choice because he's the "hot name" with northeastern recruiting connections, nonetheless I thought it was a good point.

What say you guys?

 

[djct1999]

Crean shouldn't even be on UConn's radar. I get he is a name coach but he offers little upside to the program. Hurley has most of the tangibles and upside we thought we were getting with Ollie, albeit with slightly different recruiting ties, plus he is a better coach.

 

[Stainmaster]

I mean, if they’re going to use that argument, Hurley hasn’t yet had a season as good as Ollie in 2013-14. That should tell you it’s not a very good argument.

 

[EROCK CONN]

Crean shouldn't even be on UConn's radar. I get he is a name coach but he offers little upside to the program. Hurley has most of the tangibles and upside we thought we were getting with Ollie, albeit with slightly different recruiting ties, plus he is a better coach.

This. Plus Crean is just a weird dude.

 

[djct1999]

I mean, if they’re going to use that argument, Hurley hasn’t yet had a season as good as Ollie in 2013-14. That should tell you it’s not a very good argument.

Most coaches haven't. And if your main point is 2013-14 for Ollie, it must be made that run was made with Calhoun's players. Hurley has brought two programs to conference championships and NCAA appearances and has a natural coaching trajectory.....low major(success) to mid-major(success).....to high major.

 

[uconnphil2016]

So I was listening to the One Shining Podcast selection Sunday show and they had a brief aside about the UConn job and how everyone just assumes Hurley is the runaway favorite.

I thought they made an interesting point, though:

Tom Crean's best years run laps around Hurley's.

I think Hurley is still my number 1 choice because he's the "hot name" with northeastern recruiting connections, nonetheless I thought it was a good point.

What say you guys?

Yeah, I mean it's much harder to be successful at URI than at IU, so I wouldn't put much stock in that. Hurley is connected in the northeast and in NJ/NYC through his high school coaching, and Crean has been in the midwest. That matters a lot--we've been successful when we've recruited well in NYC, and that has not happened in the past few years.

 

[djct1999]

I mean, if they’re going to use that argument, Hurley hasn’t yet had a season as good as Ollie in 2013-14. That should tell you it’s not a very good argument.

Oops. sorry. I thought this was in reference to Hurley.

 

[Fishy]

Who are two people who’ve never been in my kitchen?

 

[B1GEast]

I don't know what the fascination is regarding Crean. I really don't understand it. He would be a nightmare coach

 

[UConnStats]

I’ll give Crean this. His agent is doing a great job of getting him mentioned for just about every job opening up across the country, regardless of whether the schools have any mutual interest.

 

[Guapo]

No, I get the points that everyone is making.

Let me reiterate that Hurley is my number 1 choice.

But I saw someone say that Crean would be a nightmare hire. Why?

 

[LIuconn]

the weird dudeness does it for me. No Crean

 

[uconnphil2016]

No, I get the points that everyone is making.

Let me reiterate that Hurley is my number 1 choice.

But I saw someone say that Crean would be a nightmare hire. Why?

Crean did a fine job at Indiana. They were rarely great, but a pretty solid team and had several outstanding players like Yogi Farrell and Oladipo

 

[intlzncster]

But I saw someone say that Crean would be a nightmare hire. Why?

The optics are horrible.

 

[AntG168]

I don’t think anyone actually wants us to end up with Crean. But his reputation around here is not representative of how good a job he actually did at Indiana. If Ollie did as well the last 4 yrs as Crean did his last 4 yrs at IU Ollie would still have a job

 

[The Funster]

Crean has faults but I think he may have learned some lessons from his time at Indiana. He's not my first choice but we could do far worse.

 

[intlzncster]

Heard a lot of people at IU hated the guy. Pissed a lot of people off in the admin.

FWIW, Georgia has contacted him about the job.

 

[auror]

Crean did a decent job at Indiana. If he had more success in March, he'd still have a job.

On the heels of the Sampson fallout and NCAA violations, he had a bare cupboard and led teams to 209, 194, and 82 KenPom ranks.

Then the turnaround was complete and they finished 9th and 3rd with Zeller and Oladipo.

He wasn't able to sustain success year over year, and instead was more in traditional recruiting cycles like Calhoun had. Next 3 years: 63, 48, 11. The team was 44th the following year when they axed him, but he got unlucky with Anunoby's injury.

However, the 3 teams that finished in the top 12 all lost in the Sweet Sixteen. He did make the Final Four at Marquette thanks to Dwyane Wade. In genral he did a great job at Marquette, although he had early exits 3 years in a row at the end there.

 

[tentoes4rings]

I've met Crean at Vitale's annual dinner. It's not a reflection on his coaching ability but he was extremely down to earth and an impressive guy. Based on the 15 minutes or so I spent talking to him I'd be okay with him as our coach. I feel he'd at least run a competent program with a full roster of non graduate transfers.

 

[The Funster]

Crean did a decent job at Indiana. If he had more success in March, he'd still have a job.

On the heels of the Sampson fallout and NCAA violations, he had a bare cupboard and led teams to 209, 194, and 82 KenPom ranks.

Then the turnaround was complete and they finished 9th and 3rd with Zeller and Oladipo.

He wasn't able to sustain success year over year, and instead was more in traditional recruiting cycles like Calhoun had. Next 3 years: 63, 48, 11. The team was 44th the following year when they axed him, but he got unlucky with Anunoby's injury.

However, the 3 teams that finished in the top 12 all lost in the Sweet Sixteen.

This is kind of why I have a good feeling about him. He has experience running a program with huge expectations. He certainly made some mistakes at IU but maybe he learned from them.

 

[polycom]

Yeah, I mean it's much harder to be successful at URI than at IU, so I wouldn't put much stock in that. Hurley is connected in the northeast and in NJ/NYC through his high school coaching, and Crean has been in the midwest. That matters a lot--we've been successful when we've recruited well in NYC, and that has not happened in the past few years.

"I think Diaco is here as long as he wants to be. He has amazing energy and he does a great job as the face of the program" - Whaler 11 - 8/30/2016

I recently turned on signatures.... this is incredible. A whole new world.

 

[polycom]

The optics are horrible.

Are you saying you want an easy on the eyes coach? Might I interest you in a Mr. Diaco?

 

[Austin316]

To me, what sets them apart is Hurley’s years in high school/prep school coaching. His experience there is critical in connecting with recruits and more importantly developing players (something KO never learned). He’s seen these young men develop at high school and college stages in contrast to Crean. Hurley is on the rise similar to our old friend JC.

He’s Starting to peak in college and we look at him in comparison to how we looked at Calhoun when he was at Northeastern. The major difference is obviously the UConn expectations for Hurley is much higher.

I hope we get Hurley.

 

[Dream Jobbed 2.0]

If you wanna spend 10 uncomfortable minutes just google image source Tom Crean

 

[Stainmaster]

Heard a lot of people at IU hated the guy. Pissed a lot of people off in the admin.

FWIW, Georgia has contacted him about the job.

Not to mention he’s terrible at roster construction and routinely recruited players far below IU’s level.