Hurley, Martin, Matta, Crean

[ASweet3781]

Karl Hobbs is an experienced head and asst.
coach. He's a winning experienced head and asst. coach. Why scrape the bottom of the barrell just because he was here already. He's better than those bums. Period. Ok, if Hurley doesn't come , let's drag a bum into the mix just because we don't want anyone connected to the program. Silly.

Karl Hobbs? Jesus.

 

[Da_Aisijimo_Gou]

No. It’s not. No UConn people. It’s ridiculous to even list them. We have to stop thinking people are worthy based on having played here.

C'mon, after all Karl had a few good years with a rebuilt GW teams before things went sideways, recruits came from some non-existent high schools with UNC-like classes, and he was run out of Foggy Bottom. Yup, UConn should hire Hobbs!

 

[gtcam]

So is it your opinion that the problem was KO recruiting too many top 100 kids? How about just keep the ones we have signed and on campus...

If you are talking about Enoch or VJ - those issues have been addressed -
My opinion stands - he recruited the wrong kids
Beat him up all you want

 

[Dove]

There goes Crean

So much for having a desire to coach at UCONN.

#ficklefucker

 

[zls44]

C'mon, after all Karl had a few good years with a rebuilt GW teams before things went sideways, recruits came from some non-existent high schools with UNC-like classes, and he was run out of Foggy Bottom. Yup, UConn should hire Hobbs!

We are so close to someone starting a Dave Leiato thread

 

[Walker11]

If you are talking about Enoch or VJ - those issues have been addressed -
My opinion stands - he recruited the wrong kids
Beat him up all you want

Just a preposterous take by you. Recruit lesser talented players and recruit to the level of the other teams in the conference so that we can compete.

 

[Edward Sargent]

I haven't posted anything about our coaching change, but this list of candidates isn't very inspiring that we are improving our situation. We're going to spend millions of dollars to get rid of a coach who bleeds blue, won a national championship with a team few coaches would have won with, and who brought in a noted recruiter who hasn't had a chance to make an impact. Ollie's NBA credentials, reputation, and early NCAA title make a pretty good story. He parlayed his act to be a top 5 finalist on the list of numerous top 5 star talents and mostly swung and missed. Now we confirm he was likely up against a stacked deck with sneaker money and was still close selling a marginal conference to boot.

It's true that in the past couple of years he underachieved with the players he did have, we got our butts kicked solidly a bunch, a group of kids jumped ship, and, we slid towards the lower middle of a so/so conference. It's true that several players did not improve in their time at UConn. It's also true that the cupboard isn't bare, the team visibly improved over the last 10 games, individual players visibly improved, Ollie made many changes to improve strength and conditioning, hired the talent he felt would recruit, and, we had 2 top 100 recruits coming in. Ollie never got to coach the back court of Adams and Gilbert over a season, and improvements in recruiting, conditioning, and the on court performance of freshman are the type of things that improve gradually.

I don't know what the kids really think in the locker room, nor what the dirty laundry really is, and this might make a difference, but I personally would have given him another year. He's proven an upside and there is no reason I have seen so far that proves he is not capable of finding his way back.

With that said, my main complaint is that we are not turning to an obvious improvement. Watching URI since Hurley's name has been put forth has not been impressive in terms of likelihood of improvement. I see him coaching players who try to make an individual play, then pass it to the next guy who tries the same. Today some hero shots went in. Essentially I watched a guard oriented team required to play the same as UConn plays now because they haven't got a good enough front court just like UConn now. What makes anybody think he would do better than Ollie recruiting or coaching? The retreads mentioned have never recruited any more top kids to their programs than Ollie has, and are not with their recent schools because of their own shortcomings.

I think we are going to rue this change. Maybe that search firm might still come in handy. The program needs to have 2-3 kids on the roster with legitimate NBA talent. Find me somebody sitting on an NBA bench as an assistant that could excite prospects with NBA talent.

Just venting but I don't think the grass is greener and I think Ollie would make it back like Tiger because Ollie is a competitor.

Well said

 

[UC313]

Take ya all day to think that one up Jacobs?

 

[80shusky]

Weird list that is already down two. There were three high major proven coaches looking to restart their career and Hurley. Now down to Hurley and Matta. I'd pass on Matta. Hurley would be a good pick but he is unlike the other candidates. I wouldn't have had a big problem with Crean. You could do worse. Candidates more like Hurley if UConn is looking for an up and comer/mid-major coach would be more like Bennett, Schmidt, Keller from Stephen A Austin, Nagy from Wright State, Nathan Davis from Bucknell, Becker from VT etc. I haven't looked at P5 guys at middling programs that might consider it.

 

[WinnersCircle]

Has there been coaches that took a job with another school while still in the tourney? It happens in football, but that's a whole different monster.

 

[zls44]

Keller from Stephen A Austin

Nah, has only been HC for 2 years, has no experience in Northeast.

 

[zls44]

Has there been coaches that took a job with another school while still in the tourney? It happens in football, but that's a whole different monster.

Bill Frieder - Wikipedia

 

[Da_Aisijimo_Gou]

... I’d take a shot with Jay Larrañaga. He was a G league head coach and has worked under Stevens the last few years. Irish guy with connections to Boston ...

Hah, Larranaga's Irish in Boston despite his Cuban ancestor's Basque surname, Larrañaga (tilde included) and being born in Charlotte. Thanks to a native Irish mother or grandparents from Ireland enabling Irish citizenship to coach Ireland's national team, his old man was always Larranaga at George Mason before becoming Larrañaga with the University of Miami scumbags. Any port in a storm!

 

[intlzncster]

What a pass!

 

[80shusky]

Nah, has only been HC for 2 years, has no experience in Northeast.

I'm not as knowledgeable when it comes to some of these guys as others. I was just suggesting guys that have had success the last couple of years, who are relatively young and might be considered "up and coming" coaches. Thanks for the info though (I mean that, not being defensive).

 

[Uconnfanatic]

Hobbs w/ Burrell and retain Chillous is
better than Martin, Crean and Matta.

I would rather have Ollie than Hobbs. I hope we stay away from UConn alumni and go in a new direction.

 

[TopDogs]

Frank Martin responds to report linking him to open UConn job

 

[zls44]

I'm not as knowledgeable when it comes to some of these guys as others. I was just suggesting guys that have had success the last couple of years, who are relatively young and might be considered "up and coming" coaches. Thanks for the info though (I mean that, not being defensive).

I love the SFA program and think he's a good coach, just wouldn't be a good fit. All good.

 

[ScottBonz]

 

[Marat]

So that leaves Hurley.........

 

[uconnphil2016]

Who else is Pitt linked to besides Hurley?

 

[Marat]

Who else is Pitt linked to besides Hurley?

On their board they have given up on Hurley and now talking Sean Miller.

 

[Marbles90]

Question: Is the only issue with Thad Motta his health? Isn’t it back problems and didn’t he have surgery to correct his problems? I thought he was better unless he has other health issues. He is only 50. Not sure why everyone is so down on him. If he is healthy, he would be an awesome hire.

 

[Marty Jackson]

No old washouts.

Hurley
Musselman
Schmidt
Becker
Guys I am forgetting. I’d take Tommy Amaker over the other three.

very interesting. Haven't heard Amaker at all. he's made some noise at Harvard. Not sure what they've done recently, but the fact they even made noise is a huge testament.

 

[AntG168]

If we don’t get Hurley at this point, it will be the biggest kick in the nutts since Diallo