Early picks for Coach of the Year

[HooperScooper]

From CBSSports.com. Hurley in the mix.

Dan Hurley, UConn​

What Hurley has done this season at UConn is so magical and special that even a magician may be a smidge envious. UConn was unranked in the preseason and an afterthought among considered contenders in the Big East. They've proven that wrong with a bullet and in a hurry to start the year, though, opening 14-1 and pushing to as high as No. 2 in the rankings before its first loss of the season this past weekend to Xavier.

Hurley deserves the nod not just because UConn has been a surprise contender - but also because of the way in which it has emerged as one. It brandishes an in-your-face style that can score with any team in the country - it has won 13 of its games by double figures - but also like its fiery coach takes pride in completely disrupting the game with prideful defense. This team has an edge that embodies its coach and has the goods to go from unranked to title winner because of it. -- Kyle Boone

Dribble Handoff: Missouri's Dennis Gates, New Mexico's Richard Pitino among early picks for Coach of the Year

If the season ended today, here's who our writers would pick for Coach of the Year

www.cbssports.com

 

[Dove]

I also vote for Dan Hurley.

 

[runner11]

Sam Vecenie is a guy who seems to watch more tape than anyone and he thinks we are the best coached team in the country.

 

[HuskyHawk]

I suppose it looks like a masterful coaching job, because people so badly misjudged the talent on the team. If Hurley wins this, it comes more from the offseason than the in-season coaching. He did an amazing job building the roster. That is award worthy.

 

[Huskybass]

I suppose it looks like a masterful coaching job, because people so badly misjudged the talent on the team. If Hurley wins this, it comes more from the offseason than the in-season coaching. He did an amazing job building the roster. That is award worthy.

While there is some truth to what you are saying, I think overall the in-game coaching has also been better this year. Recency bias aside.

 

[HuskyHawk]

While there is some truth to what you are saying, I think overall the in-game coaching has also been better this year. Recency bias aside.

Sure. But the article acts like "he took an unranked team to #2!". No, he took a team that would have been preseason top 10 had anyone been really paying attention to it and got it to top 5. He has been good, but not for the reasons they listed. In game has been fine.

 

[YearoftheHusky]

Sure. But the article acts like "he took an unranked team to #2!". No, he took a team that would have been preseason top 10 had anyone been really paying attention to it and got it to top 5. He has been good, but not for the reasons they listed. In game has been fine.

It’s not an act. He literally took an unranked team to #2.

 

[Waquoit]

It’s not an act. He literally took an unranked team to #2.

Yeah, and he's the only guy in the country paying attention. The haters need to give it up.

 

[HeGotGame]

Sure. But the article acts like "he took an unranked team to #2!". No, he took a team that would have been preseason top 10 had anyone been really paying attention to it and got it to top 5. He has been good, but not for the reasons they listed. In game has been fine.

No, he literally took an unranked team to #2!

 

[Luna]

He’s the best coach in the country by far… we are lucky to have him

 

[HuskyHawk]

It’s not an act. He literally took an unranked team to #2.

No, he literally took an unranked team to #2!

Anybody who thought UConn should be unranked to start the season was a moron. It was a team that clearly had top ten talent. Massively underrated pre-season. I'm not down on Hurley, he brought in great players, many improved dramatically. But he isn't better because pre-season rankers are so terrible.

 

[CardiacAndre7]

He’s the best coach in the country by far… we are lucky to have him

This is a crazy statement.

 

[gtcam]

Pat Kelsey of U of Charleston deserves a real close look- the guy flat out knows how to coach during the game and get the most out of little known talent - look at what he did at Belmont.
Calling what Hurley has done as magical is high hyperbole - a really good job label is warranted but there are still questions of his in-game coaching and to think UConn didn't come into the season with a high level of talent is being dishonest - they should have been preseason top 20.
IF DH delivers a NBE title and a minimum of Elite Eight this season- he deserves all the accolades

 

[bendm]

depending on what happens to Beard, hurley might one of the top 3 coaches under 50:

1. Tommy Lloyd
2. Nate Oats
3. Hurley?
4. Shaka?
5. Juwan Howard?
6. Mike Boynton?
7. Todd Golden?

my buddy that's a UK fan wants him to replace calamari

 

[uconngb]

depending on what happens to Beard, hurley might one of the top 3 coaches under 50:

1. Tommy Lloyd
2. Nate Oats
3. Hurley?
4. Shaka?
5. Juwan Howard?
6. Mike Boynton?
7. Todd Golden?

my buddy that's a UK fan wants him to replace calamari

Would definitely not have Juwan Howard on that list. Hurley's on court antics may be troubling, but they don't include fighting with the other team and/or their fans. I'm guessing he's gone by end of next year.

 

[EnochRoot]

Sean Miller gets my vote.

 

[McLovin]

Yup, it's going to be Miller (at least would be, as of today, IMO).

 

[AntG168]

Pat Kelsey of U of Charleston deserves a real close look- the guy flat out knows how to coach during the game and get the most out of little known talent - look at what he did at Belmont.
Calling what Hurley has done as magical is high hyperbole - a really good job label is warranted but there are still questions of his in-game coaching and to think UConn didn't come into the season with a high level of talent is being dishonest - they should have been preseason top 20.
IF DH delivers a NBE title and a minimum of Elite Eight this season- he deserves all the accolades

Any other coach took an unranked team to #2 and we’d be on their sack. We devour our own.

 

[EnochRoot]

Any other coach took an unranked team to #2 and we’d be on their sack. We devour our own.

The fact UConn wasn't ranked really shows how much of a joke the preseason rankings have become, given the volatility of the portal, etc. I mean, freakin North Carolina was the preseason #1 and boom, two weeks of losses and they were out of the top 25. But oh wait, they win a couple more games and they're ranked again. It's stupid.

 

[slepers]

The fact UConn wasn't ranked really shows how much of a joke the preseason rankings have become, given the volatility of the portal, etc. I mean, freakin North Carolina was the preseason #1 and boom, two weeks of losses and they were out of the top 25. But oh wait, they win a couple more games and they're ranked again. It's stupid.

Sounds like this discussion

 

[YearoftheHusky]

Anybody who thought UConn should be unranked to start the season was a moron. It was a team that clearly had top ten talent. Massively underrated pre-season. I'm not down on Hurley, he brought in great players, many improved dramatically. But he isn't better because pre-season rankers are so terrible.

Having top 10 talent doesn’t mean everything. As Kentucky fans. The indisputable fact is that Hurley coached an unranked team up to #2. The end.