Hurley talks about the transfer portal shuffle

[JustbrewitMan]

He will have to wipe all the eggs off before he comments on it. I’d love to know what Moore and Young are thinking.

Im the case of Diggins, who seems likely to end up at UMass or URI, if he plays (and plays well), it simply indicates that he turned out to be A-10 level talent. It will be a decision that was best for the player and for UConn.

This stuff happens all the time for 75-125 ranked talent. Some overachieve, some underachieve, some fall somewhere in the middle. What happens is a complex function of player effort, coaching, “fit” with the team/conference, etc. etc.

It’s complex and every coach will have hits/misses.

Gaff was an early AAC-era recruit when Hurley really had no choice to try and find diamonds in the rough. Anyone with an objective eye would admit that he’s shown flashes of having the potential to be a diamond but just couldn’t get to the next level.

Same with Akok, but unfortunately devastating injury has altered his improvement arc and ceiling. Love the kid but transferring makes sense when all is considered.

CFJ there’s just not enough info to make an educated comment.

 

[Doctor Hoop]

There’s a bit of a … not really a myth, but a firm belief, that the A-10 is so dramatically inferior to the Big East. It might be closer than many here believe. St. Bonaventure was very tough against us and went a long way in the NIT. We all recall the struggle with VCU. Richmond won a tourney game as an underdog 12 over B1G champ Iowa, the opposite of our performance. Davidson nearly beat Michigan St. Dayton and Davidson were moderately highly rated in kenpom, 45 and 40, higher than Creighton. This isn’t the Big East, but it’s not the MAAC or Horizon either.

 

[CONN78SEJ]

Im the case of Diggins, who seems likely to end up at UMass or URI, if he plays (and plays well), it simply indicates that he turned out to be A-10 level talent. It will be a decision that was best for the player and for UConn.

This stuff happens all the time for 75-125 ranked talent. Some overachieve, some underachieve, some fall somewhere in the middle. What happens is a complex function of player effort, coaching, “fit” with the team/conference, etc. etc.

It’s complex and every coach will have hits/misses.

Gaff was an early AAC-era recruit when Hurley really had no choice to try and find diamonds in the rough. Anyone with an objective eye would admit that he’s shown flashes of having the potential to be a diamond but just couldn’t get to the next level.

Same with Akok, but unfortunately devastating injury has altered his improvement arc and ceiling. Love the kid but transferring makes sense when all is considered.

CFJ there’s just not enough info to make an educated comment.

My opinion on Gaffney is not popular on the Boneyard. I understand that opposing opinions are based, and rightly so, on Gaffney coming off the bench, panicking when he’s double teamed in the back court or making a bad pass. However I think he is just one those kids who gets better and better and better the more he plays, meaning if he lands with a coach who will give the PT he needs his talents will emerge. At UConn, he needed a coach who could give him a lot of confidence AND the PT to attain that, Hurley was not the kind of coach who was willing to do that. In high school Gaffney played all the time, and what he did in those games was the reason for all the D1 offers. I’m not saying Hurley is a bad coach but I am saying he is the kind of coach who sometimes is not willing to give a kid what he needs to shine.

 

[aburks41]

There’s a bit of a … not really a myth, but a firm belief, that the A-10 is so dramatically inferior to the Big East. It might be closer than many here believe. St. Bonaventure was very tough against us and went a long way in the NIT. We all recall the struggle with VCU. Richmond won a tourney game as an underdog 12 over B1G champ Iowa, the opposite of our performance. Davidson nearly beat Michigan St. Dayton and Davidson were moderately highly rated in kenpom, 45 and 40, higher than Creighton. This isn’t the Big East, but it’s not the MAAC or Horizon either.

The A10 and AAC are the best mid major conferences and are way better than any of those 1 bid MAAC or Horizon leagues. But the A10 still isn't close to the BE level at all. The top 3 teams from the A10 any given year would probably compete in the top half of the BE, but the rest of the A10 would get wrecked. Look at the kenpom from the conferences:

BE:
10 Nova
22 UConn
32 PC
50 Creighton
52 SHU
53 Xavier
55 St Johns
56 Marquette
103 Depaul
175 Georgetown (yikes)

A10:
40 Davidson
45 Dayton
63 VCU
68 St Louis
78 Bonnies
86 Richmond
113 George Mason
132 URI
163 St Joes
173 Fordham
185 UMass
226 GW
229 LaSalle
280 Duquense

The 8th best team in the BE (Marquette) would be 3rd in the A10

 

[PAHusky]

Both were identified interests who were initially recruited within the regional footprint.

Both departed the region for the more distant and nationally-exposed IMG Academy in Florida.

Both raised concerns that other schools might outrecruited UConn. In the case of Achiuwa, that is what happened. In the case of Karaban, care was taken to ensure that he remained a UConn commit.

I was discussing Hurley's responsiveness to losses, not linking the players, except by certain circumstantial similarities. If my point had been focused linking the players, one could argue that Cockburn and Sanogo are even further apart.

You would seem to have distorted more than the pronunciation of the word "stretch."

I see where you’re coming from Hans, but Precious was a five star burger boy with all of the major programs after him. Besides being kids from the north who played some high school bball in Florida there’s not much of a comparison to be made between their recruitments.

 

[rip7774]

Re: A-10 - I’ve watched almost every Rhody game the past two years as we mentored one of their stars, it is not the Big East. A lot of the defenses aren’t that stringent. I remember how easy everything looked vs. Georgetown since their defense is awful. It’s not that bad, but more Georgetown than the intensity of the Big East.

Simply, it’s just not anywhere near as intense. The bottom of the league is really, really bad, too.

It’s a great league nonetheless, as good as the AAC in my (bad sometimes) memory.

 

[HuskyHawk]

There’s a bit of a … not really a myth, but a firm belief, that the A-10 is so dramatically inferior to the Big East. It might be closer than many here believe. St. Bonaventure was very tough against us and went a long way in the NIT. We all recall the struggle with VCU. Richmond won a tourney game as an underdog 12 over B1G champ Iowa, the opposite of our performance. Davidson nearly beat Michigan St. Dayton and Davidson were moderately highly rated in kenpom, 45 and 40, higher than Creighton. This isn’t the Big East, but it’s not the MAAC or Horizon either.

Yes. Lots of guys in the A10 would start for many teams in the Big East. Ever since UConn went back there's been a lot of arrogance on this board. You'd think the transfer portal would highlight this given how many P6 schools are trying to grab mid major players, including UConn.

 

[rip7774]

Yes. Lots of guys in the A10 would start for many teams in the Big East. Ever since UConn went back there's been a lot of arrogance on this board. You'd think the transfer portal would highlight this given how many P6 schools are trying to grab mid major players, including UConn.

To add to my prior post - I’d agree with you - Tons of really good players and especially guards That could play & excel in the Big East. Very guard-centric league, fun league to watch.

Don’t think the volume of quality bigs is Big East level.

 

[aburks41]

Yes. Lots of guys in the A10 would start for many teams in the Big East. Ever since UConn went back there's been a lot of arrogance on this board. You'd think the transfer portal would highlight this given how many P6 schools are trying to grab mid major players, including UConn.

It's not arrogance, it's just reality that the Big East is in an entirely different league top to bottom than any of the mid majors. The best 1-2 players on some of the A10 teams would probably be BE starters, but that's where the similarities end. The overall roster depth of a BE program is light years better than mid major roster

 

[rip7774]

It's not arrogance, it's just reality that the Big East is in an entirely different league top to bottom than any of the mid majors. The best 1-2 players on some of the A10 teams would probably be BE starters, but that's where the similarities end. The overall roster depth of a BE program is light years better than mid major roster

Well said. Depth of rosters/intensity just not the same.

 

[ctchamps]

My opinion on Gaffney is not popular on the Boneyard. I understand that opposing opinions are based, and rightly so, on Gaffney coming off the bench, panicking when he’s double teamed in the back court or making a bad pass. However I think he is just one those kids who gets better and better and better the more he plays, meaning if he lands with a coach who will give the PT he needs his talents will emerge. At UConn, he needed a coach who could give him a lot of confidence AND the PT to attain that, Hurley was not the kind of coach who was willing to do that. In high school Gaffney played all the time, and what he did in those games was the reason for all the D1 offers. I’m not saying Hurley is a bad coach but I am saying he is the kind of coach who sometimes is not willing to give a kid what he needs to shine.

My take is that Hurley wanted to play his bench more but the starters rarely built up a big enough lead to provide a cushion for that to happen or lacked the offensive firepower to take chances.

My observation was that Gaffney had a horrible +/- that necessitated reduced play.
Akok had only two games against better opponents that he had a decent offensive game. 18 of his 30 made shots were against cupcakes or bad teams. Was it because those teams lacked skilled defenders forcing them to leave him open in order to cover our better players? His best rebounding game was against WV (10) but he only had two points in 31 minutes. He had a .464 3pt shooting percentage compared to .350 for Tyler but Tyler was often faced guarded by the opposing teams best perimeter defenders while Akok did not get that type of attention.

 

[HuskyHawk]

It's not arrogance, it's just reality that the Big East is in an entirely different league top to bottom than any of the mid majors. The best 1-2 players on some of the A10 teams would probably be BE starters, but that's where the similarities end. The overall roster depth of a BE program is light years better than mid major roster

I agree with you that the depth is the difference. But there are some A10 teams that would certainly not finish last in the Big East. The point I think @Doctor Hoop was making is that saying somebody is "an A10 level player" doesn't mean what you may think. Because it could mean he could start at UConn. One did the last two years (and we were mad he wasn't all conference), alongside a guy from an even worse conference (who was BE all conference). Next year we get an AAC guy as a starter. So in the case of Sool, maybe he's not one or those guys and maybe he is. We have no idea.

 

[JustbrewitMan]

I agree with you that the depth is the difference. But there are some A10 teams that would certainly not finish last in the Big East. The point I think @Doctor Hoop was making is that saying somebody is "an A10 level player" doesn't mean what you may think. Because it could mean he could start at UConn. One did the last two years (and we were mad he wasn't all conference), alongside a guy from an even worse conference (who was BE all conference). Next year we get an AAC guy as a starter. So in the case of Sool, maybe he's not one or those guys and maybe he is. We have no idea.

I definitely agree with the commentary after my last post above. When I say a player is A 10 level that is not at all meant to belittle them. Since it is baseball season I consider it equivalent of somebody being an MLB player versus a strong AAA player.

 

[PNolanFan]

I would be very surprised if Diggins plays 4 years and isnt well above average in the A-10 by his senior year. I also think that if he stayed at UConn he would have been a good big east PG by his senior year. It seems as if this year he was not going to play much though. It probably is best that he go somewhere else where he can play this year

 

[aburks41]

I agree with you that the depth is the difference. But there are some A10 teams that would certainly not finish last in the Big East. The point I think @Doctor Hoop was making is that saying somebody is "an A10 level player" doesn't mean what you may think. Because it could mean he could start at UConn. One did the last two years (and we were mad he wasn't all conference), alongside a guy from an even worse conference (who was BE all conference). Next year we get an AAC guy as a starter. So in the case of Sool, maybe he's not one or those guys and maybe he is. We have no idea.

I understand what your saying. But when people refer to someone as an "A10 player" they mean someone (for example) like Brendan Adams who is clearly not a high major BE caliber player, but he is a pretty solid mid major guy. Just because you play in the A10 doesn't mean you are an "A10 player" though. Some guys can certainly compete and be great players in the power conferences. It's not meant as an insult

 

[CL82]

Just because you play in the A10 doesn't mean you are an "A10 player" though

It kind of seems like it does, definitionally.

 

[aburks41]

It kind of seems like it does, definitionally.

Lol, you know what I mean.

 

[Doctor Hoop]

The A10 and AAC are the best mid major conferences and are way better than any of those 1 bid MAAC or Horizon leagues. But the A10 still isn't close to the BE level at all. The top 3 teams from the A10 any given year would probably compete in the top half of the BE, but the rest of the A10 would get wrecked. Look at the kenpom from the conferences:

BE:
10 Nova
22 UConn
32 PC
50 Creighton
52 SHU
53 Xavier
55 St Johns
56 Marquette
103 Depaul
175 Georgetown (yikes)

A10:
40 Davidson
45 Dayton
63 VCU
68 St Louis
78 Bonnies
86 Richmond
113 George Mason
132 URI
163 St Joes
173 Fordham
185 UMass
226 GW
229 LaSalle
280 Duquense

The 8th best team in the BE (Marquette) would be 3rd in the A10

Yes, I noticed that a Big East horde is collected in the 50s. Look again, though, and you’ll see six A10 teams in the top 100, 8 BE. Also remember, a lot of ranking depends on who you play - look at the dreck at the bottom.

Note: I am NOT saying they’re neck and neck. I’m saying their upper echelon teams, say those top 6 or 7, would be competitive in the BE. That makes it a better league than some here give it credit for. Of the dreck lower down, some of those teams - LaSalle, St. Joe, URI, George Mason, have been pretty good in the past (as we should all remember).

 

[CONN78SEJ]

I would be very surprised if Diggins plays 4 years and isnt well above average in the A-10 by his senior year. I also think that if he stayed at UConn he would have been a good big east PG by his senior year. It seems as if this year he was not going to play much though. It probably is best that he go somewhere else where he can play this year

I hope both Diggins, Akok, and Gaffney get a chance to play against Hurley’s team either next year or the year after. Not sure how many years of eligibility all three players might have though. To my way of thinking that would be the acid test.

 

[Hans Sprungfeld]

I see where you’re coming from Hans, but Precious was a five star burger boy with all of the major programs after him. Besides being kids from the north who played some high school bball in Florida there’s not much of a comparison to be made between their recruitments.

The 3 anecdotal examples I offered were strictly for the purpose of demonstrating Hurley's response to losses of two valued recruits and one coach. In each case, UConn was thought to be in good shape, and then things changed.

The next time something similar came around, Dan Hurley was better prepared and better protected. My point is more about resilience and a resolve not to repeat a scenario.

In no way do I regard Achiuwa and Karaban as similar players who had similar recruitment, but they do share the characteristic of UConn having had an early track within its conveniently accessible regional footprint. And a relocation to where that inside track was vulnerable.

As soon as Achiuwa went to IMG, there was an 'Uh-oh, we' re done' feeling that was soon enough confirmed. I'm offering that an 'Uh-oh' was raised when Karaban transferred to IMG after a strong summer showing. In this second instsnce, the UConn coaching staff was focused on maintaining and strengthening the connection, and eventually made the further efforts to bring the player on board mid-season.

No disagreement that Achiuwa represented a talent that may have been impossible to close on, but if so, this was nonetheless the way in which a valuable lesson was learned for a future situation that posed risks.

 

[HuskyHawk]

Glad to see this. Hopefully he can hit 200 or so at some point.

 

[uconngb]

The 3 anecdotal examples I offered were strictly for the purpose of demonstrating Hurley's response to losses of two valued recruits and one coach. In each case, UConn was thought to be in good shape, and then things changed.

The next time something similar came around, Dan Hurley was better prepared and better protected. My point is more about resilience and a resolve not to repeat a scenario.

In no way do I regard Achiuwa and Karaban as similar players who had similar recruitment, but they do share the characteristic of UConn having had an early track within its conveniently accessible regional footprint. And a relocation to where that inside track was vulnerable.

As soon as Achiuwa went to IMG, there was an 'Uh-oh, we' re done' feeling that was soon enough confirmed. I'm offering that an 'Uh-oh' was raised when Karaban transferred to IMG after a strong summer showing. In this second instsnce, the UConn coaching staff was focused on maintaining and strengthening the connection, and eventually made the further efforts to bring the player on board mid-season.

No disagreement that Achiuwa represented a talent that may have been impossible to close on, but if so, this was nonetheless the way in which a valuable lesson was learned for a future situation that posed risks.

It’s a major reach. The only thing similar was geography. Karaban is/was nowhere close to where Precious was rated coming out of high school. Who knows if we were ever even in the mix with him. I’ll give you a B- for creativity but you missed the mark.

 

[Umami Zen]

Trust me.. I am not a Hurley apologist. He's got work to do in some critical areas to improve as a coach. Right now-He has to construct a competitive team for next year with portal upgrades/decommits/reclass(?).. At this stage-- I don't know what else the Yard wants Hurley to do. He has taken responsibility for some of his situation by "telling the truth".Some of what has happened is self-induced-- Some is the free agency-portal phase of CBB-Some is the impact of the extra Covid year of eligibility.

He's an old school coach(culture) who was blind-sided by the new normal. Pants around the ankles moment. Ever been there? I know-- I'm the only one. Adjust and move on

 

[bendm]

Pants around the ankles moment.

his pants are still around his waist, maybe there's nothing holding them up, but they won't fall down around his ankles unless he fails to bring in 2 more Gs that are better than floyd, which could include a castle reclass. they are the belt and suspenders hurley is shopping for.

 

[alphasigko]

i was just looking closer at corpus dannus, and a curious and repetitive fact hit me in the head - so far, for his entire coaching career, he's a 60% winner. matters not where he coached -wagner, rhody, here. 60%, 60%, 60%.
that's his career record. 12 years. odd, no?

Dan Hurley Coaching Record | College Basketball at Sports-Reference.com

Dan Hurley Coaching Record

www.sports-reference.com

we need more.
we want more.
one year. put up or shut up. (not you, him)

Good post... Stats generally tell a good story...

 

[MDHuskFan]

Good post... Stats generally tell a good story...

What about the stats that give him a .650 win percentage after year 1 taking over a program?

 

[Rocktheworld]

Give me a break. He’s a politician. He sounds like he’s selling something with every comment in this story. Losing more respect for him because he’s pathologically incapable of admitting his own mistakes.

I still hope he’s the right guy. I appreciate that the program wins again. But he’s got to cut this BS at some point. I sure don’t want him to fail. But this is a sales job and I’m not down for the Kool Aid either

I was gonna say

That message didn’t read exactly like Diaco

But it was Diacian

 

[Hans Sprungfeld]

It’s a major reach. The only thing similar was geography. Karaban is/was nowhere close to where Precious was rated coming out of high school. Who knows if we were ever even in the mix with him. I’ll give you a B- for creativity but you missed the mark.

For the third (likely futile) time, I fully acknowledge having missed the mark that has been incorrectly assumed each time.

My posts have been about Hurley and have contained no claims that Precious Achiuwa and Alex Karaban are equivalent basketball players.

I bet that Hurley's early good feelings about Achiuwa were rattled when he went south and attracted an enlarged set of interested schools.

I posit that Hurley likely had some concern when Karaban transferred south. I did. Others did. Didn't you perhaps wonder?

Hurley remained focused and involved. Karaban joined the team. That's the extent of it.

 

[superjohn]

I was gonna say

That message didn’t read exactly like Diaco

But it was Diacian

It was fine until he started talking about how great he's going to make this team and program, then it started sounding like a sales pitch. He's hyped us up since he got here with talk. His job now is to bring in more really good players before next season and then hopefully the results will get better. In the words of Captain Gene, "I don't want no scrubs."

 

[BigErnMcCracken]

It was fine until he started talking about how great he's going to make this team and program, then it started sounding like a sales pitch. He's hyped us up since he got here with talk. His job now is to bring in more really good players before next season and then hopefully the results will get better. In the words of Captain Gene, "I don't want no scrubs."

Let's hope we avoid manifesting another great Captain Gene quote: "Ain't too proud to beg."