2024 Recruiting: Ahmad Nowell OV 6/8

[CL82]

Not doubt he improved each of those programs. But none of those skills allow a coach to demonstrate they can build a program at the highest level nationally competing fornxhampionships and getting in to the living of any recruit.

There's always a risk projecting if what a coach did at a smaller school works at the national championship level. It's different contacts, different approaches and different goals. It's a small club of coaches who can do it and UConn, for the second time, has a coach in thst club.

I think it was a combination of things. Yes, Connecticut offers a championship level of support, facilities, brand value etc., but it's not like Hurley could've come out of Saint Benedict's to Connecticut and won a championship. He needed to develop as a coach along the way. That's tough to do in the unforgiving spotlight of a high major college.

Heck, Hurley is still learning and getting better. We saw that this year with his adjusting to the big east officiating. I truly believe the best is yet to come with this guy.

 

[UCTitleTown]

Chief! I haven't seen you around these parts in a long time

Most don't see him because he's on ignore.

 

[Palatine]

Heck, Hurley is still learning and getting better. We saw that this year with his adjusting to the big east officiating. I truly believe the best is yet to come with this guy.

I think this is an excellent point. No question we were getting screwed by the BE refs. Hurley's approach wasn't working so he changed it. Very smart and it was a successful tactical change. It should continue paying dividends next year and beyond.

Hurley had never coached at this level before the Huskies. Growing pains were part of the process. His next big challenge willl be adjusting as his staff moves moves on. Glad he doesn't have to do it this coming year.

 

[Waquoit]

His next big challenge willl be adjusting as his staff moves moves on. Glad he doesn't have to do it this coming year.

Already handled one move with aplomb.

 

[NJHoops]

Already handled one move with aplomb.

It will be fine. The list of coaches his staff’s have lost and had to replace over the years contains a lot of talent (Bobby Hurley, Luke Murray x2, Preston Murphy, Bashir Mason, Antonio Reynolds-Dean, Kenya Hunter). Some things are a lot easier at UConn than at a lot of other schools, and recruiting and hiring are two important ones.

 

[NJHoops]

Not doubt he improved each of those programs. But none of those skills allow a coach to demonstrate they can build a program at the highest level nationally competing fornxhampionships and getting in to the living of any recruit.

There's always a risk projecting if what a coach did at a smaller school works at the national championship level. It's different contacts, different approaches and different goals. It's a small club of coaches who can do it and UConn, for the second time, has a coach in thst club.

Sure, there’s always a risk, and you can’t ever know for sure if a thing can be done until it is. Winning a championship is obviously the goal, but lesser accomplishments at other schools are their own kind of difficult.

 

[aburks41]

Most don't see him because he's on ignore.

Touche

 

[LStudfellow]

I think this is an excellent point. No question we were getting screwed by the BE refs. Hurley's approach wasn't working so he changed it. Very smart and it was a successful tactical change. It should continue paying dividends next year and beyond.

Hurley had never coached at this level before the Huskies. Growing pains were part of the process. His next big challenge willl be adjusting as his staff move

Actually, his next big challenge is to start winning close games more often than he loses them. That needs to start happening during this coming basketball season even before we find out who will be the first to leave this amazing coaching staff to go on to be a head coach.

As of right now his record in his 5 years as head coach in games decided by 6 points or less is an unsightly 13-29. And before you go to blame it all on the first couple of years, we went 1-5 last year. Sorry, but that is downright ugly.

Now that he has demonstrated the ability to make critical adjustments that led directly to our winning our 5th National Title in dominating fashion, his next big hurdle is to start consistently winning close games.

And before anyone jumps to his defense... even with this current weakness/opportunity, I still believe there is no one I would rather have as our head coach right now, heading into the next 5, 10 years and beyond... and yes, I also believe this is the best coaching staff in the country (I stated this in a thread a month ago) and he is the right man to be the leader at the helm of this staff.

Just like the rest of us, he is a work in progress too.

 

[huskyblooz]

Would love to see Hurley make a push for the Boozers. Just to piss Scheyer off.

 

[UCTitleTown]

Would love to see Hurley make a push for the Boozers. Just to piss Scheyer off.

I'll never understand this assumption that kids should play for their Dad's alma mater. I think that's the last thing kids should do. Make your own name somewhere. Don't be Dad 2.0, or in the Boozer's case, Dad 2.0 and 2.1. Actually, if you look at it, very few players go to their Dad's school.

 

[Huskyforlife]

I can’t believe people are still hung up on the close games thing after how last season ended. He can keep losing close games if we continue making E8s or better.

 

[Waquoit]

I can’t believe people are still hung up on the close games thing after how last season ended.

Don't waste any energy with it. The opinions of anyone still trying to make hay about that can be safely ignored going forward. Saves you time in the long run.

 

[uconngb]

Don't waste any energy with it. The opinions of anyone still trying to make hay about that can be safely ignored going forward. Saves you time in the long run.

I am firmly in the camp of “Hurley is completely absolved of all transgressions” with the way last season ended. We’ve gotten way too complacent with how hard it is to win a NC. Now just keep actually doing your job unlike the last coach did after his NC and all will be well.

 

[Huskyforlife]

Don't waste any energy with it. The opinions of anyone still trying to make hay about that can be safely ignored going forward. Saves you time in the long run.

I’m just dreading the first 2 point loss of next season. It’ll be much worse than this.

 

[jleves]

I can’t believe people are still hung up on the close games thing after how last season ended. He can keep losing close games if we continue making E8s or better.

Don't waste any energy with it. The opinions of anyone still trying to make hay about that can be safely ignored going forward. Saves you time in the long run.

I think it's a legitimate concern. JCs teams would will their way through tough close games. There are always going to be some/many in a season. Learning how to get your team to pull through is important.

It's great that he got the team to just dominate through the tournament. But you still want to find a way to win the +/- 5 point games. It helps with everything - seeding, winning the league, getting through a tough tourney game, etc.

That said, the final game got to within 5 points with 5 minutes to go, so he did figure out how to make that not a close game. Or Hawkins did with a dagger three.

It's just another growth thing like not pissing off the refs. I'm pretty sure it's something that will get better.

 

[Mike Honcho]

I think it's a legitimate concern. JCs teams would will their way through tough close games. There are always going to be some/many in a season. Learning how to get your team to pull through is important.

It's great that he got the team to just dominate through the tournament. But you still want to find a way to win the +/- 5 point games. It helps with everything - seeding, winning the league, getting through a tough tourney game, etc.

That said, the final game got to within 5 points with 5 minutes to go, so he did figure out how to make that not a close game. Or Hawkins did with a dagger three.

It's just another growth thing like not pissing off the refs. I'm pretty sure it's something that will get better.

Agree. Players feed off their coach's energy, especially in end game situations. There are coaches who are much more at ease than Danny in late game scenarios, and this calm is reflected within their team's performance over the course of many games.

His record in close games has been abysmal over the course of his career and I don't think we should be burned at the stake for pointing this out.

I'm pretty confident he'll continue to grow in this regard, and having a dynamic playmaker like Stephen Castle certainly won't hurt.

 

[aburks41]

@husky99 @Zionn Will July 23rd be a good day for us?

 

[Khal Drogo]

I can’t believe people are still hung up on the close games thing after how last season ended. He can keep losing close games if we continue making E8s or better.

I viewed it as even whet the team wasn’t playing great they kept all their games close.

 

[TheHorde]

We really need to learn to handle prosperity better, gang.

 

[Hoophound]

The close game issue had a lot to do with the makeup of the team. Certain guys are built for crunch time. Our guys were built for blowing people out.

 

[navery12]

I’m just dreading the first 2 point loss of next season. It’ll be much worse than this.

I'm sure they already have their posts all typed up and ready to go, it's the last string of hope they have to hang on to. They already can't help themselves in this thread

 

[NJHoops]

When I am president of the world (I think it’s coming soon, tbh), everyone will be required to take entry level classes on statistics (starting off strong with a lesson on sample size) and basic psychology (lesson number one: confirmation bias).

 

[Storrs South]

The close game shtick is overblown. They beat everyone in a route when it mattered most. This is fun. Enjoy the ride.

 

[Umami Zen]

Dan and his staff were exceptional last year in preparing the team for the ups and downs of the season.. Game prep.. Skill Development.. Belief and trust in each other.. Sharing the ball.. Energy on D/Boards.. Its hard for me to imagine an area where they were deficient as a staff or as a team last year. Close games don't happen when you've got your act together.

Dan continues to grow and mature as a coach/mentor/teacher.. Its all part of the arc of being a champion and staying on top of the game. Let's enjoy what we have/who we have in Storrs and act like we've been there before..

 

[TheHorde]

Sometimes I wonder how much of this issue is being driven by some folks salty because of online gambling losses and failure to cover lol. Not saying that is the case with posters on this thread but obsessing over close losses can’t help me wonder if that’s a factor for some now that it’s so easy to wager on one’s phone.