Hurley Apologistas

[F101Voodoo]

Does anyone want Dannys Head? I doubt that at all. He just needs to get better on game day. He’s a great recruiter and runs a tight ship. The kids play hard on both ends that’s coming from him. But our offense needs improvement no doubt it’s not working. And if he actually thinks the defense needed to tighten up the other day he wasn’t paying attention. They gave up 57 you should win 90% of your games when doing that.

Just needs to get better during the game, use his assistants to help with substitutions as well. Again, the Polley for 24 minutes and Gaff at the end of the game at crunch time is beyond questionable.

I have to agree!

 

[Kolumbo]

Does anyone want Dannys Head? I doubt that at all. He just needs to get better on game day. He’s a great recruiter and runs a tight ship. The kids play hard on both ends that’s coming from him. But our offense needs improvement no doubt it’s not working. And if he actually thinks the defense needed to tighten up the other day he wasn’t paying attention. They gave up 57 you should win 90% of your games when doing that.

Just needs to get better during the game, use his assistants to help with substitutions as well. Again, the Polley for 24 minutes and Gaff at the end of the game at crunch time is beyond questionable.

There is that, and people have pointed out many questionable decisions, A. Meanwhile, we don't have a Rip or Ray or any number of other Huskies of Honor players who can score whenever they want to, B. If we do, they are on the bench, see A.

 

[UConn990411]

With Hurley, I think two things are true at the same time.

First off, he’s done a really good job re-building the program, where talent is coming in every year and players actually improve under him. It’s night and day where this program is right now compared to when he took over.

At the same time, his in-game coaching leaves a bit to be desired and his rotations this year have been dreadful. Some of it looks fixable, but only if he realizes it’s a problem in the first place.

 

[Kathy]

Of course I remember the NIT win and yes that was the turning point. But over the years when I had mentioned the NIT I was criticized for bringing up the NIT. Most self styled UConn BB fans act as if the NIT is alllways a failure. Hell do those of us old even to remember when fans of UCONN opponent would chant “NIT” during games when UCONN was not doing well. Again I am not saying that Hurley is a Calhoun ( there are not many Calhoun). I will say that Hurley did have a bigger mess to clean up after Ollie while Calhoun had mediocrity to overcome and CAlhoun did a masterful job doing it.

As for the NIT that at times for certain teams is a great way onto the road for success.

Calhoun had more than mediocrity to overcome - no national reputation to fall back on, no national recruiting footprint, no Gampel, no training facility, we couldn't even keep CT players in state under Perno. To say Calhoun had an easier road than Hurley just isn't so.

 

[tzznandrew]

Calhoun's first 4 years
86-87 9-19; 3-13
87-88 20-14; 4-12 NIT Champs
88-89 18-13; 6-10
89-90 31-6; 12-4 NCAA Regional Final

UCONN won the NIT in JCs 2nd year, 1988. Then Chris Smith came to campus. Then Scott Burrell. Calhoun made an IMMEDIATE impact on a program floundering in mediocrity. Hurley is coming into a program with 4 NCAAs to its credit.

To be fair, Hurley's second year looked like it was going to be a 20 win season until Covid.

2016-17: 16-17, KenPom 96
2017-18: 14-18, KenPom 179
HURLEY
2018-19: 16-17, KenPom 98
2019-20: 19-12, KenPom 52 (AAC Tournament cancelled...they had just beaten AAC Regular Season Champ)
2020-21: 15-8, KenPom 21 NCAA First Round (they got a 7 seed and would have gotten a higher one without injuries)

The reality is twofold:

Hurley could have—potentially—turned things around a bit earlier if he got rid of some kids from the KO era. Instead, he kept them and recruited to solve their issues (largely athleticism). That comes at a short-term cost but can come with long-term gains as a program.

He does need to become a better in-game coach. But this isn't even January yet and they've only lost with key players—including their best—not playing. But this is college basketball and I never thought this team this year was going to be a title contender. And nothing they've done has led me to change my belief that they'll make the tournament and, if they get a good draw, maybe get into the second weekend. Losing a lottery pick, having your oldest, most experienced players be high level A10 talent, and having your most talented players be coming off injuries or freshmen, leads to this type of season.

 

[tzznandrew]

Calhoun had more than mediocrity to overcome - no national reputation to fall back on, no national recruiting footprint, no Gampel, no training facility, we couldn't even keep CT players in state under Perno. To say Calhoun had an easier road than Hurley just isn't so.

Calhoun had a much harder job in front of him, but a much better conference to recruit into (especially initially). He was just also a better coach—it's not a reasonable thing to compare Hurley to Calhoun.

Hurley's done a lot well, but has a great deal to grow. But he's also had opportunities for growth taken away from him, had teams peaking that then couldn't play (2020), and just in general damaging injuries at terrible moments. The string of injuries this program has endured since the Boatright injury in the 2015 AAC finals is nearly unfathomable.

 

[Pudge]

The Boneyard is suddenly immersed in idiocy

 

[Durks07]

The Boneyard is suddenly immersed in idiocy

Suddenly?

 

[HuskyHawk]

Does anyone want Dannys Head? I doubt that at all. He just needs to get better on game day. He’s a great recruiter and runs a tight ship. The kids play hard on both ends that’s coming from him. But our offense needs improvement no doubt it’s not working. And if he actually thinks the defense needed to tighten up the other day he wasn’t paying attention. They gave up 57 you should win 90% of your games when doing that.

Just needs to get better during the game, use his assistants to help with substitutions as well. Again, the Polley for 24 minutes and Gaff at the end of the game at crunch time is beyond questionable.

Agree. I think he’s the right guy for the job. I’d say he has done a really good job overall. It’s funny that some people here think that should make him immune to criticism. I don’t think even he thinks that. I’m sure he disagrees with some of the criticism. The huskies are currently stuck in the same rut they were in last year, playing the same slow, offensively challenged low scoring games. Then we turned it on and started scoring and winning.

This PC game is the St, Johns game last year where Hurley went small and got out coached. Guy gets hot outside for the other team and he abandons interior defense. If he hasn’t figured out that he cannot consider Polley a 4 and cannot play without a 4, then I don’t know what will convince him. He has some weird aversion to the other team making 3s. He will sell out to stop it, even if it means giving them layups. Sanogo will solve some of this for him, but I never want to see us play without 2 of Sanogo, Whaley, Akok, Johnson, Springs except maybe with a big lead late for FT shooting.

 

[tzznandrew]

The huskies are currently stuck in the same rut they were in last year, playing the same slow, offensively challenged low scoring games. Then we turned it on and started scoring and winning.

Offense always takes longer to develop, and we don't have an offensive identity. It's what happens when your offense was centered around a lottery pick who left, and as you worked to establish a new one around Sanogo, he gets hurt. Just as in the beginning of the year, we aren't going to go far with Cole as our best perimeter scorer: Jackson or Hawkins needs to step up.

The good news is that the defense will essentially keep us in every game.

 

[tentoes4rings]

To be fair, Hurley's second year looked like it was going to be a 20 win season until Covid.

2016-17: 16-17, KenPom 96
2017-18: 14-18, KenPom 179
HURLEY
2018-19: 16-17, KenPom 98
2019-20: 19-12, KenPom 52 (AAC Tournament cancelled...they had just beaten AAC Regular Season Champ)
2020-21: 15-8, KenPom 21 NCAA First Round (they got a 7 seed and would have gotten a higher one without injuries)

The reality is twofold:

Hurley could have—potentially—turned things around a bit earlier if he got rid of some kids from the KO era. Instead, he kept them and recruited to solve their issues (largely athleticism). That comes at a short-term cost but can come with long-term gains as a program.

He does need to become a better in-game coach. But this isn't even January yet and they've only lost with key players—including their best—not playing. But this is college basketball and I never thought this team this year was going to be a title contender. And nothing they've done has led me to change my belief that they'll make the tournament and, if they get a good draw, maybe get into the second weekend. Losing a lottery pick, having your oldest, most experienced players be high level A10 talent, and having your most talented players be coming off injuries or freshmen, leads to this type of season.

Right, but you can’t come away 0-2 vs West Virginia and Providence. Neither opponent was great, you need to find a way to get at least one win in those two games.

 

[Hungryhusky99]

Offense always takes longer to develop, and we don't have an offensive identity. It's what happens when your offense was centered around a lottery pick who left, and as you worked to establish a new one around Sanogo, he gets hurt. Just as in the beginning of the year, we aren't going to go far with Cole as our best perimeter scorer: Jackson or Hawkins needs to step up.

The good news is that the defense will essentially keep us in every game.

Cole is always going to be our best perimeter scorer this year though. No one else is even close.

 

[husky429]

Does anyone want Dannys Head? I doubt that at all. He just needs to get better on game day. He’s a great recruiter and runs a tight ship. The kids play hard on both ends that’s coming from him. But our offense needs improvement no doubt it’s not working. And if he actually thinks the defense needed to tighten up the other day he wasn’t paying attention. They gave up 57 you should win 90% of your games when doing that.

Just needs to get better during the game, use his assistants to help with substitutions as well. Again, the Polley for 24 minutes and Gaff at the end of the game at crunch time is beyond questionable.

This is the fair take. The "fire Hurley" crown and "nothing is wrong" crowd are equally insufferable. No one with half a brain cell wants the guy fired yet, and it's idiotic to think he doesn't have problems right now.

Offense always takes longer to develop, and we don't have an offensive identity. It's what happens when your offense was centered around a lottery pick who left, and as you worked to establish a new one around Sanogo, he gets hurt. Just as in the beginning of the year, we aren't going to go far with Cole as our best perimeter scorer: Jackson or Hawkins needs to step up.

The good news is that the defense will essentially keep us in every game.

Jackson isn't the answer--Rese may be.

We didn't have an offensive identity with Bouk either--or with Sanogo in the game. One player isn't an identity. Great teams--even on nights they look terrible shooting the ball--still have movement, flow, and chemistry on the court. We have none of that. I am not exaggerating when I say plenty of HS JV coaches have a better motion offense to rely on when plays break down than us.

 

[AntG168]

Does anyone want Dannys Head? I doubt that at all. He just needs to get better on game day. He’s a great recruiter and runs a tight ship. The kids play hard on both ends that’s coming from him. But our offense needs improvement no doubt it’s not working. And if he actually thinks the defense needed to tighten up the other day he wasn’t paying attention. They gave up 57 you should win 90% of your games when doing that.

Just needs to get better during the game, use his assistants to help with substitutions as well. Again, the Polley for 24 minutes and Gaff at the end of the game at crunch time is beyond questionable.

I think we'd all agree the offense has been rather abysmal, for some time now. Where some, or at least myself is pushing back is all the definitive statements about Hurley's ceiling at UConn. Saying we'll never be better than sweet 16 good is damn near calling for his head. It's a massive overreaction in my opinion. And it shows that most of this fansbase has never actually seen or been apart of a collegiate rebuild. Most of us were born into dominance and are spoiled. Dan Hurley is not a finished product as a 40 something year old coach. Comparing him to Izzo, Pearl, Wright who have been coaching high d-1 basketball for 20-30 years is insane. None of them got there over night. Hurley is our guy. And we should be ecstatic that he is. If it weren't for him we'd be Pitt. Gain some perspective(not aimed at you but the fanbase), let's get healthy, and let the season play out. The dooms day posters need to chill out a bit. This season is FAR from over, we're still in a really good spot. And Hurley's potential is far from reached or fulfilled.

 

[Umami Zen]

Make free throws at a reasonable rate--Preferably at closing time

The coach doesn't shoot the ball

 

[Waquoit]

Just a reminder, JC's first Big East game of his 4th season was played at the XL in mid-December and his team was booed off the court.

 

[BGesus4]

Does anyone want Dannys Head? I doubt that at all. He just needs to get better on game day. He’s a great recruiter and runs a tight ship. The kids play hard on both ends that’s coming from him. But our offense needs improvement no doubt it’s not working. And if he actually thinks the defense needed to tighten up the other day he wasn’t paying attention. They gave up 57 you should win 90% of your games when doing that.

Just needs to get better during the game, use his assistants to help with substitutions as well. Again, the Polley for 24 minutes and Gaff at the end of the game at crunch time is beyond questionable.

@mauconnfan you might want to check the “is Hurley the guy thread” before feeling so confident that our fans all have such a measured take on Hurley

 

[Banta55]

When he is gone use the exorbitant money spent on basketball and spend it on football. I’m guessing if he continues to underperform he is gone after next season? Or is his contract too much of an albatross to fire him?

What ? You have no idea not going to fire him..

 

[CaptainRon]

Calhoun's first 4 years
86-87 9-19; 3-13
87-88 20-14; 4-12 NIT Champs
88-89 18-13; 6-10
89-90 31-6; 12-4 NCAA Regional Final

UCONN won the NIT in JCs 2nd year, 1988. Then Chris Smith came to campus. Then Scott Burrell. Calhoun made an IMMEDIATE impact on a program floundering in mediocrity. Hurley is coming into a program with 4 NCAAs to its credit.

That’s impressive, but what were his SAT scores?

 

[tennmike]

There has been a bunch of very rational opinions questioning Hurley's decisions with managing personnel and games. They are not extreme points of view - as some have stated. Seven for thirty-one is an unflattering 22.3%. While this could very well represent some shooting metric for Polley or Gaffney, it is actually Coach Hurley's winning percentage against ranked teams. It would be a little worse if Providence and West Virginia snuck in a few weeks earlier.

With a Hall of Fame coach father, access to another Hall of Fame coach, and having played point guard at a D1 Big East school, it would be hard to find someone more groomed to be a coach. That's what makes this all so troubling. When we should play fast, we go with Mr. Contemplative, Gaffney. We were lucky to pull close with Providence. They missed several front end of one-and-one's.

We have the personnel to be better than we have shown. I respect the process, but not to the extent that ignore adapting when it is needed.

 

[giddyup]

I’m never going to complain about the fact that Hurley has brought life back to the program. He’s a high energy guy and a great recruiter. I had concerns about his X’s and O’s at URI when it looked like we were about to hire him. I assumed (a) he was forced into it somewhat by the players he had and (b) he could learn and adapt.

So far I’m not seeing much adaptation. He forces square pegs into round holes over and over and just pounds on them expecting a fit. He strikes me as unusually arrogant. Either the assistants are telling him what he wants to hear or are afraid to speak freely. I don’t know we can expect Clingan to ever play for this team if he simply will not adjust his defense to fit his players. The big problem this causes is that every decent coach we face, like yesterday, knows what Hurley will do and exploits it. He never shows them anything different.

This is a very good articulation of the real problem.

 

[AntG168]

Agree. I think he’s the right guy for the job. I’d say he has done a really good job overall. It’s funny that some people here think that should make him immune to criticism. I don’t think even he thinks that. I’m sure he disagrees with some of the criticism. The huskies are currently stuck in the same rut they were in last year, playing the same slow, offensively challenged low scoring games. Then we turned it on and started scoring and winning.

This PC game is the St, Johns game last year where Hurley went small and got out coached. Guy gets hot outside for the other team and he abandons interior defense. If he hasn’t figured out that he cannot consider Polley a 4 and cannot play without a 4, then I don’t know what will convince him. He has some weird aversion to the other team making 3s. He will sell out to stop it, even if it means giving them layups. Sanogo will solve some of this for him, but I never want to see us play without 2 of Sanogo, Whaley, Akok, Johnson, Springs except maybe with a big lead late for FT shooting.

I think Hurley is used to being the hunter and not the hunted. He's used to having to rely on upperclassmen because in the A-10 you have to. You aren't consistenly getting top 50 players. Hurley has developed a way of doing things and has been successful with it. Sometimes the hardest people to convince to change are the ones who have experienced success. I don't doubt Hurley's basketball IQ or ability. I think the issue is he still trusts his way. Defensively he's fine or even elite. On offense he needs to incorporate more movement off the ball. It isn't rocket science, he knows how to do it. And I trust he will. If this is Hurley at his worst, i can't wait to see him at his best.

 

[huskysupporter]

What ? You have no idea not going to fire him..

Never said they were. Asked when they would if he continued to have mediocre seasons. Rooting for them to do well - a good basketball team is good for UCONN.

 

[dennismenace]

I have no problem with the coaching. The players need to step up and make shots and defend not the coach. College basketball isn’t a video game.

Coach's are responsible for game plans and then in game decisions which are practiced in advance. Players execute the plans and backup plans. Players need confidence in the plans. No planning, no confidence. I vividly remember the earlier Calhoun teams with depth. They very often initially fell behind but continued running, pressing and basically wearing out the opponents. Their depth and conditioning gave them the confidence to KNOW they were going to own the last 10 minutes of the game. And guess what? So did the opponents. Relentless, confident, no quit, no hesitation play. It became a matter of enforcing their will. JC didn't have to hype up the players. He expected them to demonstrate the execution of plans from practice. Forget that in game? TO and screaming. Call it conditioning. He was predictable to the players. Said what he meant and wanted and meant what he said.

 

[HuskyHawk]

Offense always takes longer to develop, and we don't have an offensive identity. It's what happens when your offense was centered around a lottery pick who left, and as you worked to establish a new one around Sanogo, he gets hurt. Just as in the beginning of the year, we aren't going to go far with Cole as our best perimeter scorer: Jackson or Hawkins needs to step up.

The good news is that the defense will essentially keep us in every game.

The offensive identity, even if he doesn’t know it, is to score off of defensive rebounds. Cooley knew it. Early game when PC shot all the players went back, nobody crashed the boards because it’s what Cooley wanted to shut down the break.

Then, Hurley pulled too many rebounders and PC could actually dominate the offensive glass in the 2nd half. Our identity needs to be that of a long, athletic team that will own the boards and run on you. Jacking more than 20 3s, that can’t happen if we want to win games. We are taking them because the defense is giving them, hoping we will. Sanogo changes that some, but still we have to rebound and run to score.