New Hurley

[Palatine]

Calhoun, K, Bobby Knight, lots of the best ones where very hard on the refs.

 

[Iluvsuebird]

I feel like it’s worth mentioning that Hurley has demonstrated tremendous growth as a coach even compared to a year ago. I was pleasantly surprised that given how bad the officiating was last night, that Hurley didn’t get T’d up even once. A year ago I feel like he might have gotten tossed in a game like that.

Great comment. I thought the same thing last night. I would have acted differently on some of those calls. Great on Hurley. But by the way, is it just me or do we consistently have terrible ref's? Some of those calls are made up. The T on Spencer was preposterous.

 

[sledog]

DH and the team seem to shmooze well with the refs well this year.

 

[AntG168]

He was fishing for a T last night. I’m surprised he didn’t get one

 

[BigFanCT]

He changed after the January swoon last year- almost immediately. Give him credit for seriously cooling off in a short amount of time. That’s hard to do. Won a title and I’m sure his attitude adjustment had something to do with it.

Our playbook is insanely large and it’s impressive that the guys can run what they run with 0 mistakes- I feel like Luke should be getting a ton of credit for this. His offensive coordinating is truly impressive.

 

[RichZ]

The motion offense yesterday was outstanding. With a capital O. They missed shots, but they got lots of open shots against a talented, athletic UNC team, everyone from the center to the point guard spotted backdoor cuts, PNR opportunities, mismatches and open shooters, and hit them at the right time. It was impressive. This is not the offensive proficiency of 2 years ago, or even last year. This is a very NBA style offense.

I've had to readjust the way I interpret what we're doing out there. When we start that weave in the half court, I used to think we were getting forced farther out away from the basket. Now I see it as us enticing the defenders to come farther and farther out, leaving a lot of room for whichever two players aren't currently involved in the weave to operate unmolested closer to the rim.

 

[HuskyFich]

Also surprised he didn't get one last night.
He's definitely still a psycho, but he seems to let the pace of play dictate his outburst. He's much harder on the refs in the half court muck than when we're in transition, and that seems to be strategic.

I will say, I don't love the consistent berating of the officials from across the court, I wish DH would hold off until the ref comes back down the floor. It would soften the disrespect that the ref probably feels.

 

[ctchamps]

I actually respectfully disagree with this. I actually think the opposite. Hurley did a great job changing his behavior during the season last year, and it paid off. Coming into this season, I was worried that the natty would go to his head with his behavior towards the refs and it has. He's back to his old self.

The fact that he didn't get T'd up last night was a credit to the refs to understand the situation. There was a ton of chippiness, and they were trying to keep that under control. All the calls can get frustrating with the coaches and they understood that. From just what I saw on camera, they could easily have T'd him up, but didn't.

I think his behavior is going to be a problem going forward if he doesn't adjust it. It's EVERY game. That gets old quickly. Even for a National championship coach.

He has changed. By this time last season he was thrown out of a game.

Hurley is someone who is conscious of who he is and what things he has to work on to improve and make himself a better person. That type of introspection is rare. It's difficult for any of us to switch off/change years of a personality trait. If you have a role model that you love and admire who you want to emulate it makes it all that much harder. Let's give him some more time.

Upside to his demonstrative intensity is it probably helped with getting Cam.

 

[Doctor Hoop]

I've had to readjust the way I interpret what we're doing out there. When we start that weave in the half court, I used to think we were getting forced farther out away from the basket. Now I see it as us enticing the defenders to come farther and farther out, leaving a lot of room for whichever two players aren't currently involved in the weave to operate unmolested closer to the rim.

Previously I’d watch that weave and none of the players out high were looking to the hoop, and the away from the ball action was non-existent. And then 23 seconds had lapsed.

Now players out high handling the ball are looking for cutters, backdoor opportunities, defense sloughing from a shooter, and driving lanes. And finding them. The ball movement and player actions are much sharper.

 

[Spaceman213J]

The offense is impressive. Imagine if they had finished after breaking the press. They could have embarrassed NC.

I do think it's different for Hurley. There was some pressure for him to get the tourney and win a few games. Not only did that, but they got 6 wins in a row, which takes off a lot of pressure, whether its coming from the fanbase, perceived to be coming from the fanbase or you put it on yourself.
I'm impress at how hungry he and the team are to win again. The new faces will help with that, but the returning guys have a lot of pride, too.

 

[auror]

He was out of his mind last night. The announcers pointed out one time that he was at center court lol. The refs decided not give him a tech, so that worked out well for us. We'll never know what he said/says, so maybe he's changed his vocabulary or targets, but he was definitely not a calm man last night. It was clear from his actions how little he wanted to go on a 2 game losing streak, and the team likely did feed off that energy.

 

[Madmannsucks]

I was clearly a Hurley detractor. Last year he turned the corner in a big way. winning a tile adds confidence and swagger.His detractors weren't wrong. He just finally brought his game to the next level.

 

[B1GEast]

I feel like it’s worth mentioning that Hurley has demonstrated tremendous growth as a coach even compared to a year ago. I was pleasantly surprised that given how bad the officiating was last night, that Hurley didn’t get T’d up even once. A year ago I feel like he might have gotten tossed in a game like that.

Winning a title will do that for you. The monkey off his back.

 

[HuskyWarrior611]

I actually respectfully disagree with this. I actually think the opposite. Hurley did a great job changing his behavior during the season last year, and it paid off. Coming into this season, I was worried that the natty would go to his head with his behavior towards the refs and it has. He's back to his old self.

The fact that he didn't get T'd up last night was a credit to the refs to understand the situation. There was a ton of chippiness, and they were trying to keep that under control. All the calls can get frustrating with the coaches and they understood that. From just what I saw on camera, they could easily have T'd him up, but didn't.

I think his behavior is going to be a problem going forward if he doesn't adjust it. It's EVERY game. That gets old quickly. Even for a National championship coach.

Yeah he seemed very aggressive after most calls yesterday but maybe he doesn’t exactly say to the refs “you’re a b#+ch” which may help avoid the techs. Last year he actually tried to be friends with them which is probably how it should be mixed with defending your guys.

The motion offense yesterday was outstanding. With a capital O. They missed shots, but they got lots of open shots against a talented, athletic UNC team, everyone from the center to the point guard spotted backdoor cuts, PNR opportunities, mismatches and open shooters, and hit them at the right time. It was impressive. This is not the offensive proficiency of 2 years ago, or even last year. This is a very NBA style offense.

That’s another thing that’s improved from last years offense. I swear Hawkins wouldn’t even think about a backdoor cut to the rim despite guys going all out to overplay him overthetop.

All the players on this year’s team just have very well rounded games though and it shows. Gives our offense so much flexibility. It’s honestly hard to imagine a team slowing us down at full strength.

 

[gtcam]

How he coached during the tournament run shows what DH could become. Before that span and again vs UNC, he shows what he seems to resort.
The results the past 10 months are impressive so it’s hard to find negatives.
I feel that the team plays better when DH’s attention is 100% on his team and ignore ref baiting. Sometimes the negative reactionary language/actions rub off on certain players and TFs follow.

 

[Kembacity]

I agree that the man has gained some control which will be needed, but he was wild during the Big East season because we were legitimately getting jobbed on the calls almost every game. Once the tourney started, the refs treated us fine so he had very little to be angry about.

I don’t know about the rest of you but I’m a bit nervous that as soon as the ball is tipped for BE Season “angry” Hurley will be back…

 

[Fan1978]

He definitely deserved a tech last night, and probably spent more time physically on the court than Castle did. He’s still a psycho, but he’s our psycho and we love him for it

Big difference starting last year is that now he doesn’t let it control him and spread to the players. UNC went on multiple runs to get it to 5-6, and we always had a counterpunch schemed through our elite sets

Hubert davis was animated at same level. So hurleys behavior was on par. Did anyone else notice how bacot travel’s almost every time he touched the ball outside the paint. Shuffle step

 

[Waquoit]

I was clearly a Hurley detractor. Last year he turned the corner in a big way. winning a tile adds confidence and swagger.His detractors weren't wrong. He just finally brought his game to the next level.

His detractors were 100% wrong. He didn't make a quantum leap in his coaching. It was continuous improvement as he got more good players into the program.

 

[Madmannsucks]

His detractors were 100% wrong. He didn't make a quantum leap in his coaching. It was continuous improvement as he got more good players into the program.

If you say so...upset 2 years in a row by lower rated/seeded teams. People had a reason to be skeptical. Either way, that was then and this is now.

 

[Hoopcrazee]

He's more controlled on the sideline and has revolutionized his offensive approach in the past 2 years. Being able to coach an offense was a big question mark a few years ago, but not any more.

Certainly helps to have players with legit basketball IQ

 

[gsmooth]

Calhoun, K, Bobby Knight, lots of the best ones where very hard on the refs.

Calhoun flat out intimidated the refs and I think it worked in UConn's favor. And Bobby Knight, RIP, we know how much of a lunatic he could be.

 

[Hunt for 7]

New Hurley, old Hurley, the Hurley to be makes no matter, I take every version and don’t look back. Over the next five years by the time he is in his mid 50’s he will have at least two chips. He will be coveted by every school. Kind of already is. So is he going to be our coach until he is 65-67 and ready to call it a career. Can you imagine 15 more years of Danny it will be like watching Calhoun all over again. JC is the program architect, Hurley is the team architect.

 

[nomar]

He's still getting jobbed on calls, but is getting a little more rope from the officials or, at least, has a better sense of where the boundary is.

I think this is right: it’s both. I think refs don’t T up a championship coach as quickly as they T up, say, an A-10 coach giving them the same kind of business. But I also think Hurley has learned how to (mostly) stay on the right side of the line.

 

[AllHusky]

He definitely deserved a tech last night, and probably spent more time physically on the court than Castle did. He’s still a psycho, but he’s our psycho and we love him for it

Big difference starting last year is that now he doesn’t let it control him and spread to the players. UNC went on multiple runs to get it to 5-6, and we always had a counterpunch schemed through our elite sets

Do you remember what he was like as a player at Seton Hall? . Love it!!