Grading college basketball’s new coaching hires

[HooperScooper]

From The Comeback. Pretty much click bait but figured I'd post it. Hurley hire was the second best grade. Chris Mack at Louisville was first. Of course the writer of the article lives in Louisville.

Connecticut — Dan Hurley
Dan Hurley (113–82) knows tough jobs. He won at Wagner and Rhode Island. This will be a different kind of challenge. Hurley reportedly turned down a more lucrative deal from Pittsburgh. In terms of pedigree, Pitt (one Final Four appearance in 1941) and UConn (four national championships) are at opposite ends of the spectrum.

However, due to conference realignment, the UConn job isn’t what it used to be. The Huskies are in the American Athletic Conference and that has had a negative effect on its recruiting footprint. There are rumors that UConn is fighting to get back into the Big East. The would be a huge upgrade and help vault the Huskies back into being a national power.

Until that time comes, Hurley should be able to mine his East Coast connections to improve recruiting. The NYC area has a ton of talent. However, convincing city kids to go north to Storrs isn’t always an easy sell. That’s why Jim Calhoun was a miracle worker.

Grade: B+

Grading college basketball's new coaching hires

 

[WrenchFan69]

There is no such thing as "back into the Big East," but otherwise a decent write up

 

[CTGoonie]

"fighting to get back to the Big East"?
Ha! If and when the athletic department makes that decision I don't think they'll have to fight very hard to get the BE invite. What they'll have to fight for is allowing the AAC to keep UConn football without basketball.

 

[Huskyforlife]

My favorite line is New York kids not wanting to go to UConn. Guess all our recruits will be in state.

 

[jibsey]

Whatever doubts I once had about moving to the NBE are gone. Let football land where it lands. I hope the president and the athletic director are pushing for this because their statements about the AAC being a great conference ring hollow.

 

[intlzncster]

What they'll have to fight for is allowing the AAC to keep UConn football without basketball.

That won't be a fight. Neither conference would accept that scenario under any circumstance.

 

[Chuck]

An example of trying (but failing) to write a narrative to fit the predetermined grade (below Louisville). The negatives in the write-up are negatives about UConn, not Hurley. Regardless of weather we agree with those negatives, Uconn and Hurley he get an A+ since Hurley has a reputation that he can get kids to UConn despite being in the AAC and in Storrs.

If UConn gets back to form and is at the top of the AAC every year and making Sweet 16s, does that make UConn the best job around? Less pressure and competition than the P5+1 conferences, but all of the resources (including competitive coaching pay).

 

[RayIsTheGOAT]

There is no such thing as "back into the Big East," but otherwise a decent write up

The ACC is the only thing that would essentially be "back into the Big East".

 

[Huskybass]

I give the Hurley (and related assistants) hire a solid A. I honestly don't think UConn could have done any better.

 

[FlippinCrazy!]

The best, worst and most shocking moves in the college hoops coaching carousel

Goodman on UConn!:

Best hire
UConn replacing Kevin Ollie with Dan Hurley. Ollie could not keep the Huskies relevant the past few years. Hurley turned around programs at Wagner and Rhode Island. Hurley will bring some Jim Calhoun-like tenacity to Storrs, and he displayed both the ability to coach and recruit in his time at URI. He's also hired a quality staff with former UConn assistant Tom Moore, Kimani Young and Kenya Hunter. This may take some time and patience, since there's not much talent in Storrs right now. Hurley, though, should get the Huskies back to where people are talking about them again.

 

[Matrim55]

Whatever doubts I once had about moving to the NBE are gone. Let football land where it lands. I hope the president and the athletic director are pushing for this because their statements about the AAC being a great conference ring hollow.

Patience. Let the current TV contract play out.

If/when it does and we lose the conference realignment game of musical chairs yet again, my guess is we head back to the Big East and drop football. We'll see what happens in five short years.

 

[JMick]

Patience. Let the current TV contract play out.

If/when it does and we lose the conference realignment game of musical chairs yet again, my guess is we head back to the Big East and drop football. We'll see what happens in five short years.

I personally think the P5 becomes the P4 and then we end up in a slightly better conference with some of the Big XII leftovers

 

[tzznandrew]

The ACC is the only thing that would essentially be "back into the Big East".

You mean:

Syracuse
BC
Pitt
Miami
Notre Dame
Louisville
Virginia Tech

?

Can't imagine why you'd think that...

 

[BFieldHusky]

Goodman says we had the best hire fwiw.

Best hire
UConn replacing Kevin Ollie with Dan Hurley. Ollie could not keep the Huskies relevant the past few years. Hurley turned around programs at Wagner and Rhode Island. Hurley will bring some Jim Calhoun-like tenacity to Storrs, and he displayed both the ability to coach and recruit in his time at URI. He's also hired a quality staff with former UConn assistant Tom Moore, Kimani Young and Kenya Hunter. This may take some time and patience, since there's not much talent in Storrs right now. Hurley, though, should get the Huskies back to where people are talking about them again.

The best, worst and most shocking moves in the college hoops coaching carousel

 

[WrenchFan69]

Goodman says we had the best hire fwiw.

Best hire
This may take some time and patience, since there's not much talent in Storrs right now. Hurley, though, should get the Huskies back to where people are talking about them again.

The best, worst and most shocking moves in the college hoops coaching carousel

I think people are going to be astonished by our talent level with a real coach. Adams, Gilbert, Sid Wilson were bonafide great recruits; Vital, Carlton, Diarra, and Polley less polished but definitely have good potential. Jump and Whaley athletic glue guys. And who knows, Hurley turned Andre Berry and Gilvitus Biruta into quality bigs with some skill and finesse, maybe he can do a little something with Cobb

 

[RayIsTheGOAT]

You mean:

Syracuse
BC
Pitt
Miami
Notre Dame
Louisville
Virginia Tech

?

Can't imagine why you'd think that...

Plus playing Duke, North Carolina and Virginia 5 or 6 times a year wouldn't be so bad I guess.

 

[Matrim55]

I think people are going to be astonished by our talent level with a real coach. Adams, Gilbert, Sid Wilson were bonafide great recruits; Vital, Carlton, Diarra, and Polley less polished but definitely have good potential. Jump and Whaley athletic glue guys. And who knows, Hurley turned Andre Berry and Gilvitus Biruta into quality bigs with some skill and finesse, maybe he can do a little something with Cobb

Amen amen amen amen. I actually like this roster quite a bit provided we add two guards before September (and Jalen comes back).

 

[intlzncster]

Amen amen amen amen. I actually like this roster quite a bit provided we add two guards before September (and Jalen comes back).

Really want Jalen to come back, because (outside of our entire season depending on it) I'd love to see him under some solid coaching. It would be a great story if he somehow turned into a 1st rounder next year.

 

[RayIsTheGOAT]

I think people are going to be astonished by our talent level with a real coach. Adams, Gilbert, Sid Wilson were bonafide great recruits; Vital, Carlton, Diarra, and Polley less polished but definitely have good potential. Jump and Whaley athletic glue guys. And who knows, Hurley turned Andre Berry and Gilvitus Biruta into quality bigs with some skill and finesse, maybe he can do a little something with Cobb

I really don't understand the narrative, especially from Goodman today saying that "there's not much talent in Storrs right now". You certainly can argue that the frontcourt is sorely lacking in high end talent, but starting with a core of Jalen Adams, Alterique Gilbert, Christian Vital and Sid Wilson is far better than any new coach could hope for. There is HUGE potential in that group of four right there, and I have faith Hurley and the staff can tap into that.

 

[tcf15]

Really want Jalen to come back, because (outside of our entire season depending on it) I'd love to see him under some solid coaching. It would be a great story if he somehow turned into a 1st rounder next year.

I'm a sucker for the record book, and would love for Jalen to come back to see him hit the top 10 in scoring at UConn. Last two four year guards to come through UConn are in there (Shabazz and Boat).

Jalen has 1,267 career points (scored 264, 461, and 542 points in each of his seasons). He's currently 407 points from passing #10 Wes B (1,673 points).

Full top 10 list and points needed by Jalen to surpass
1.) Chris Smith - 2,145 points (Jalen needs 879 points to surpass Smith)
2.) Richard Hamilton - 2,036 points (770 points)
3.) Tony Hanson - 1,990 points (724 points)
4.) Shabazz Napier - 1,959 points (693 points)
5.) Ray Allen - 1,922 points (656 points)
6.) Corny Thompson - 1,810 points (544 points)
7.) Ben Gordon - 1,795 points (529 points)
8.) Ryan Boatright - 1,786 points (520 points)
9.) Kemba Walker - 1,783 points (516 points)
10.) Wes Bialosuknia - 1,673 points (407 points)

 

[champs99and04]

I think people are going to be astonished by our talent level with a real coach. Adams, Gilbert, Sid Wilson were bonafide great recruits; Vital, Carlton, Diarra, and Polley less polished but definitely have good potential. Jump and Whaley athletic glue guys. And who knows, Hurley turned Andre Berry and Gilvitus Biruta into quality bigs with some skill and finesse, maybe he can do a little something with Cobb

Gilbert and Wilson essentially did not play for Ollie. And I've been critical of Adams, but we're talking about somebody who finished 3rd in the conference in scoring and 4th in assists. It's not like he's a bad player.

The other players you listed were middling recruits, most of whom were freshman last year. I could take over the team tomorrow and they would get better because that's what's supposed to happen.

Again, Ollie was bad and pretty much lost control of the program. But people go overboard when they start talking about wanting to see Jalen under some "real coaching." How many guards has Dan Hurley sent to the NBA? It's easy to remember because it's the same amount of times he's been to the sweet sixteen: 0. You can talk for days about stuff Ollie didn't get, but don't tell me he couldn't coach lead guards. Every lead guard he ever coached here was a stud. Every. Single. One. It was the one position he actually coached with conviction. If Hurley's half as good in that department I'll be happy.

 

[Scrutiner]

Whatever doubts I once had about moving to the NBE are gone. Let football land where it lands. I hope the president and the athletic director are pushing for this because their statements about the AAC being a great conference ring hollow.

You're right about the AD and HairGirl's statements, especially after the disastrous league showing in this year's tournament. Should have won at least three more games and then the league could have shown itself to be on the upswing. Not. And now with so many of the better players leaving the league leaders it could be a one or two bid league next year.

 

[UConnNick]

"fighting to get back to the Big East"?
Ha! If and when the athletic department makes that decision I don't think they'll have to fight very hard to get the BE invite. What they'll have to fight for is allowing the AAC to keep UConn football without basketball.

The "new" Big East isn't the Big East as we knew it in the olden days. It's nine mostly small catholic schools and Butler. Despite Villanova's recent success, catholic schools, some of which are largely commuter oriented, are not big time draws. The games on FOX have pathetic ratings, sometimes losing to women's BB games in the same time slots.

Recently during a game somebody asked NBE commissioner Val Ackerman if they would admit UCONN as a member. She said it would depend on whether UCONN was giving up on the football program. She acted like they wouldn't consider it unless she personally witnesses the football stadium being demolished by a wrecking ball.

 

[Towney007]

I kind of agree with both sides of the argument tbh.

On the positive
-I think there's enough talent here to compete in the conference
-I think this group could be better than the sum of its part with better coaching
-There's a chance our back court is actually outstanding and that's good enough to make a run
-There's an actual buzz around us for the first time since 2014. That's undeniable.

On the negative
-It's hard to disagree with him when everyone on the team is a big, fat question mark. You can do the fill in the blank of "___________ will be ok next year IF __________" and then you add it up across the program and that's not a team to be excited about. It's just not, guys.
-We're a mess up front.
-We have significant depth issues.
-We still have a lot of holes to fill on the roster
-The answer to that in the short term will unfortuantely and most likely be grad transfers and transfers

I mean national commentators aren't wrong to dog the program a bit right now, and fans here aren't wrong to be really optimistic. It's just more of a matter of keeping an eye on the long term and not being consumed by the short term failings - 'cause guess what? There's going to be plenty of them.

My hope for next year is we compete, steal some games we shouldn't and hopefully we play a little post season basketball. I'm hopeful for a strong recruiting class and for some of the question marks to make a leap forward. Then to have optimism for the next season that we're taking a step forward. Nothing more, nothing less.

 

[Mokum]

"fighting to get back to the Big East"?
Ha! If and when the athletic department makes that decision I don't think they'll have to fight very hard to get the BE invite. What they'll have to fight for is allowing the AAC to keep UConn football without basketball.

Maybe A new thread for this would be appropriate, but what you said about AAC keeping us for FB only reminded me of something that I have been thinking about. Why do conferences have to include all sports? Why is it all or none? Why are there not seperate leagues for FB & BB . Why can't there be more local leagues for non revenue sports ? A lot of money could be saved. Sending the trans gender tiddlywinks team to Texas when they could be competing against schools a bus ride away? I hope no one is offended by my trans gender comment. If you are, tough $..t. It's a joke.