Hurley breaks down the 21-22 roster

[tcf15]

UConn coach Dan Hurley breaks down the 2021-22 roster: ‘Sometimes they play like five stars’

In annual rite of fall, Dan Hurley broke down UConn men’s basketball team’s 2021-22...

www.ctinsider.com

PDF of article attached if you can't access link above.

 

[Fatroony5]

UConn coach Dan Hurley breaks down the 2021-22 roster: ‘Sometimes they play like five stars’

In annual rite of fall, Dan Hurley broke down UConn men’s basketball team’s 2021-22...

www.ctinsider.com

PDF of article attached if you can't access link above.

About what I expected. But he is really raving about Hawkins recently, even made the comment on a podcast that Hawkins is in the mix to start (seemingly competing against Gaff & Jackson for that spot). I’ve been saying for awhile, this team will go as far as those 3 guys can take them. If they can help replace Bouk production, this team can be really good.

 

[husky429]

He expects Johnson to be a 2-3 player and onto the league. This kid is improving SO FAST. Awesome to see.

His comments on Akok whenever I see them really seem to suggest tempering expectations.

Happy to see him say Rese had a good summer as well. If he gets more consistent and can play that 2-4 position for us, we are a much better team for it.

 

[auror]

Andrew Hurley: “I didn’t like his choice of music at First Night. I think it was Spice Girls? I didn’t love that for my son.”

lol

 

[navery12]

Reading all those comments it seems like the clear 9-10 man rotation has emerged and only thing TBD is whether it's Gaffney/Jackson/Hawkins to start at the 2 spot

 

[Sphinx]

DH is frankly admitting here that he has still a lot to find out about this team. Those secret scrimmages may be an eye-opener. In the meantime, there's a tendency to default to last year's names. It's strictly that --- until everyone gets a gander at Hawkins, Johnson, Akok in actual competition. And Jackson. There's a "stud" factor here -- guys with upsides that transcend what the known quantities can offer. They are all question marks at present.

 

[auror]

About what I expected. But he is really raving about Hawkins recently, even made the comment on a podcast that Hawkins is in the mix to start (seemingly competing against Gaff & Jackson for that spot). I’ve been saying for awhile, this team will go as far as those 3 guys can take them. If they can help replace Bouk production, this team can be really good.

Reading all those comments it seems like the clear 9-10 man rotation has emerged and only thing TBD is whether it's Gaffney/Jackson/Hawkins to start at the 2 spot

Based on reading 7 Hurley articles over the last few days, I think it'll be Hawkins, just from reading way too far into what he says. He's still waiting to see more from Gaffney and Jackson hasn't been getting the Hawkins/Johnson buzz and the focus has been mostly on praising his defense. Gaff can easily slide into the backup PG role since Diggins has been injured and won't be in game shape on top of being a freshman, leaving Hawkins/Martin/Jackson to essentially platoon the 2/3 and each play 25-30 minutes, sprinkling in some Polley (who also gets minutes at 4). Out of that threesome, you'd rather start Hawkins with Martin since Martin's shooting is suspect in order to open up the paint for Sanogo. And playing Jackson staggered bench minutes allows him to do more playmaking alongside Gaff (who is more of a combo) when Cole sits.

 

[bendm]

interesting.

cole, martin, whaley, and sanogo are locks. you cant play aj at the 2 with that lineup so it's gotta be gaff or hawk. i think gaff will begin the season as a starter with hawk earning more and more PT off the bench until he replaces gaff in the lineup before BE play in mid december at the latest.

 

[aburks41]

Jackson shooting the ball better than ever is music to my ears. He's already got freakish vision and passing abilities. Man if he can shoot the 3 at like a 36% clip and has a nice mid range, he's going to be hard to keep off the court.

 

[Jre2000]

Jackson shooting the ball better than ever is music to my ears. He's already got freakish vision and passing abilities. Man if he can shoot the 3 at like a 36% clip and has a nice mid range, he's going to be hard to keep off the court.

If he shoots 36% from 3 and has a solid midrange shot, it's gonna be hard to keep him on campus for a third season lol

 

[CTFAN4LIFE]

Without having a 2022 lottery pick in waiting and with having the depth/consistent talent level across the roster, it's going to be nice to be able to mix and match (it might be more like 2-3-4 player substitutions like hockey shift changes), play the hot shooting hand, make offense or defense minded substitutions more often, go with who plays better versus zones if we see them, etc.

The roster construction might make in-game strategy and substitution decisions this coaching staff's biggest challenge.

Should be interesting and fun!

 

[auror]

Without having a 2022 lottery pick in waiting and with having the depth/consistent talent level across the roster, it's going to be nice to be able to mix and match (it might be more like 2-3-4 player substitutions like hockey shift changes), play the hot shooting hand, make offense or defense minded substitutions more often, go with who plays better versus zones if we see them, etc.

The roster construction might make in-game strategy and substitution decisions this coaching staff's biggest challenge.

Should be interesting and fun!

I agree, we can run a lot of interesting/niche lineups. We have a sick zone-busting lineup (Cole, Hawkins, Jackson at the FT line, Polley, Whaley), a sick pressing lineup (Jackson, Hawkins, Martin, Johnson, Whaley), an overwhelming rebounding lineup (Cole, Jackson, Martin, Whaley, Sanogo).

Based on what Hurley has been saying about Whaley, I think we play a ton of 4 out + Sanogo lineups as our "base" offense, hoping that all of Whaley, Akok, Johnson, and Polley can shoot from the 4 spot.

 

[husky429]

Jackson shooting the ball better than ever is music to my ears. He's already got freakish vision and passing abilities. Man if he can shoot the 3 at like a 36% clip and has a nice mid range, he's going to be hard to keep off the court.

Mid-range shots are dunks for Jackson. Just jump over the defender at that point

 

[imno1]

Without having a 2022 lottery pick in waiting and with having the depth/consistent talent level across the roster, it's going to be nice to be able to mix and match (it might be more like 2-3-4 player substitutions like hockey shift changes), play the hot shooting hand, make offense or defense minded substitutions more often, go with who plays better versus zones if we see them, etc.

The roster construction might make in-game strategy and substitution decisions this coaching staff's biggest challenge.

Should be interesting and fun!

haha until the first hockey line change happens and posters start complaining about hockey line changes

 

[businesslawyer]

He expects Johnson to be a 2-3 player and onto the league. This kid is improving SO FAST. Awesome to see.

His comments on Akok whenever I see them really seem to suggest tempering expectations.

Happy to see him say Rese had a good summer as well. If he gets more consistent and can play that 2-4 position for us, we are a much better team for it.

It will be very sad if, two years out, Akok Akok has not recovered his pre-injury athleticism.

 

[JustbrewitMan]

My read on that article is that Hurley is trying his hardest to temper his enthusiasm for this year's squad.

It seems like he's absolutely giddy to unleash his hounds on CBB.

 

[Hoophound]

Akok is a gamer. I wouldn’t be surprised to see him come out and put his stamp on the game. He needs to hit open shots and make some defensive plays to get going. He may be a guy that needs a real game to show everyone he can be productive again. I always felt his composure in an actual game was one of his bigger assets.

 

[Hoophound]

My read on that article is that Hurley is trying his hardest to temper his enthusiasm for this year's squad.

It seems like he's absolutely giddy to unleash his hounds on CBB.

He likes this group, even with Bouk gone. It may be because he knows experience is critical in CBB and we have plenty.

 

[FreeKlaiber]

with the crazy depth i really want to see them play 94 ft pressing and lets go up and down, and beat others just through sheer attrition...we legit have 11/12 players....but hurley seems to want to play lockdown 1/2 court defense, which then makes us have to play half court offense, instead of running and getting easy hoops...as long as we are throwing it into sanogo im ok with that, but the x's and o's seem to be a weak spot if we are stuck in having to execute sets...id rather see us play like nolan richardson than john chaney with this years team

 

[bmayuc]

Ok so here's the starting lineup Game1

1. RJ Cole
2. Tyrese Martin
3. AJax
4. Wrench
5. Adama Sanogo

First Guard - Gaffney
First W - Hawk
First B - Akok


And Here's my ideal rotation

1. RJ Cole
2. Hawk
3. AJax
4. Tyrese
5. Sanogo

First G - Gaffney
First Wing - Polley
First B - Wrench or Samson

Notes: Wow. We are truly an injury proof team. Don't mean to jinx it but this team is quality deep 1-12. One thing I realized different than last year was how hard it was to find someone to take out of the starting 5. I mean if you think Hawk is going to start this year, either Tyrese/AJax has to be demoted or Wrench has to sit. Absent of injury it would be pretty surprising for Hawkins to "start" cuz it would mean benching one of the stalwarts.

 

[lange10]

I think Hawkins plays himself into starting role these next 2-3 weeks.
Cole
Hawkins
Martin
Whaley
Sanogo

Barring injuries my “bold” prediction is we have one starting lineup this year and this is it. Jackson as swiss-army 6th man.

 

[UconnU]

About what I expected. But he is really raving about Hawkins recently, even made the comment on a podcast that Hawkins is in the mix to start (seemingly competing against Gaff & Jackson for that spot). I’ve been saying for awhile, this team will go as far as those 3 guys can take them. If they can help replace Bouk production, this team can be really good.

Cole, Martin, Whaley, Sanogo + one of Jackson, Hawk, or Gaff seems to be way things are looking. I think Hawkins has the inside route because he has both the athleticism and shooting ability. If he’s starting that would put him in line to be the Bouk production replacement because most of the other guys are second chance type players or secondary players. Someone has to be the one to pull the trigger, very likely that’s Hawk.

 

[Fatroony5]

Based on reading 7 Hurley articles over the last few days, I think it'll be Hawkins, just from reading way too far into what he says. He's still waiting to see more from Gaffney and Jackson hasn't been getting the Hawkins/Johnson buzz and the focus has been mostly on praising his defense. Gaff can easily slide into the backup PG role since Diggins has been injured and won't be in game shape on top of being a freshman, leaving Hawkins/Martin/Jackson to essentially platoon the 2/3 and each play 25-30 minutes, sprinkling in some Polley (who also gets minutes at 4). Out of that threesome, you'd rather start Hawkins with Martin since Martin's shooting is suspect in order to open up the paint for Sanogo. And playing Jackson staggered bench minutes allows him to do more playmaking alongside Gaff (who is more of a combo) when Cole sits.

Cole, Martin, Whaley, Sanogo + one of Jackson, Hawk, or Gaff seems to be way things are looking. I think Hawkins has the inside route because he has both the athleticism and shooting ability. If he’s starting that would put him in line to be the Bouk production replacement because most of the other guys are second chance type players or secondary players. Someone has to be the one to pull the trigger, very likely that’s Hawk.

One thing I’ll be curious to see is how they use Gaffney. Will he be simply a backup PG or do we see line ups with him paired up with RJ, Rahsool, or even Andre running some point. From what we’ve seen so far, seems like Gaff is more comfortable and better utilized as a spot up shooter and guy that can attack off the bounce vs leading the offense. Excited to see how it all shakes out, they’ve got some good pieces to work with.

 

[McLovin]

Ok so here's the starting lineup Game1

1. RJ Cole
2. Tyrese Martin
3. AJax
4. Wrench
5. Adama Sanogo

First Guard - Gaffney
First W - Hawk
First B - Akok


And Here's my ideal rotation

1. RJ Cole
2. Hawk
3. AJax
4. Tyrese
5. Sanogo

First G - Gaffney
First Wing - Polley
First B - Wrench or Samson

Notes: Wow. We are truly an injury proof team. Don't mean to jinx it but this team is quality deep 1-12. One thing I realized different than last year was how hard it was to find someone to take out of the starting 5. I mean if you think Hawk is going to start this year, either Tyrese/AJax has to be demoted or Wrench has to sit. Absent of injury it would be pretty surprising for Hawkins to "start" cuz it would mean benching one of the stalwarts.

Dooooomed.

 

[HooperScooper]

Similar article from the Courant.

Dan Hurley breaks down UConn men’s basketball roster, sees big things from Samson Johnson, Jordan Hawkins

Dan Hurley is as comfortable and confident as he has been since coming to UConn in 2018. As the season draws near the Huskies men’s basketball coach knows his roster — an experienced gr…

www.courant.com

Free access link: Dan Hurley breaks down UConn men’s basketball roster, sees big things from Samson Johnson, Jordan Hawkins