Hurley's X's and O's

[Doctor Hoop]

I thought his offense at URI sucked. It was isolation heavy. A marginal upgrade over what Ollie ran. His defense is better, once these guys learn how to play it.

That said, he clearly called for us to feed the post early, and we did. Those were bad passes to Carlton and our first turnovers of the game. Other passes inside also lead to turnovers. Cobb could have helped. Nova could extend their man as far as necessary because there were no players running backdoor or cutting. Watched them against KU and the Jayhawks killed them with those kinds of plays.

I think Dan is a very smart guy. I think he knows basketball and will, over time, run an offense that can adapt and score against any defense. He will need the right players to do that. Our guards can’t get free because there is no inside threat, and nobody like Polley moving enough to create openings. Polley needs to be running around like Rip out there. Instead he’s an absolute statue, acting like he’s Shaq or something.

I agree with you on the URI offense, and that's what has me concerned. That he could take a team with that offense so far is remarkable. Calhoun's offense didn't have a lot of flair or creativity, but he knew which players could butter his bread, and he worked plays to get them shots.

Polley doesn't move? Run a practice where all he does is run off screens and shoot jumpers until his heart is pounding and his arms fall off, he's the shooter on the team. Get him in spots to shoot.

 

[BFieldHusky]

Kimani is actually running the offense. Give them time. They don't have their ideal personnel yet. When u dont hit 3s consistently and have no reliable inside scoring you are easy to defend. You can only run so many plays.

 

[Edward Sargent]

Not sure what Hurley can do with this group. Perhaps Adams is fragile and Hurley knows it. The announcers talked about Hurley not happy with selfish, look at me play but then the players still were trying to put up highlights. These are Ollie's boys and all that comes with that. Remember Ollie rarely pulled his players when they were mistake proned or playing selfishly. If Hurley pushes the wrong buttons with this group he'll lose them 'forever'. I bet its delicate. He a new boss with a job to do, with old employees who didn't like to work and aren't used to working together.

Already thought, he's done a job on Vital who is nowhere near the player he was last year. Cobb 'was' looking better too. AG is new and still playing like he hasn't left high school, so to that end he's a freshman adjusting to D1 play. Hurley had to assign Jalen to the leadership role but Jalen is not that kind of leader. Carlton looks better this year when playing mid majors.

Just saying there is improvement, and maybe that should be enough this year. Forget NCAA Tourney and focus on the direction of the team. I'm more enthused and engaged this year, even looking forward to watching each game. Last year I would have my laptop out multi-tasking and sometimes even have the game on as background noise. Perhaps I will lower my expectations and just enjoy the transformation and hopefully the beginning of something special.

If we are better this year than last year and considering the past couple of years, then I will label this squad a success in spite of all of our pimples. In two years I expect all of us to be in a happy place. Our incoming freshman class will be exciting but they too will take a year or so to adjust.

Its a new chapter folks, the book isn't finished but its becoming an enjoyable read.

AG is not that new.

 

[Danzz]

Our 6’10 center(s) can’t stay on the floor, Jalen has digressed, etc. this is slightly better team from last year. And without Jalen improving you can’t get better than with what you have. Hurley is great with the players he has but it’s obvious new talent is needed.

Hurley never adjusted to Villanova's defense in the second half and that is on him.

 

[Edward Sargent]

What is frustrating to me is that ball movement looked better earlier this year. It sticks in one place too much and there too much purposeless dribbling on the perimeter. Hurley has to see that. He has to fix it.

Don't think the dribbling was the problem, the lazy passes were

 

[CL82]

Don't think the dribbling was the problem, the lazy passes were

Pointless dribbling on the perimeter just burns clock and allows the defense to set up. Swing the ball and it creates gaps. Driving and kicking creates open looks. Catching the ball, taking two stationary dribbles before passing does nothing.

 

[Kenny11]

He’s a good coach but he doesn’t run anything very complex. Most college coaches don’t.

He was outcoached today though. We still would’ve lost though since Adams simply is not showing up for big games.

 

[uconnbill]

Adams looks out if it it thinking about something else. Just not there today, which UConn needs if they are going to make the NCAA tournament

 

[Marat]

Hurley never adjusted to Villanova's defense in the second half and that is on him.

Dan will learn from this.

 

[Scrutineer]

That’s just not true. Look at Ohio state, look at Louisville, look at Florida, look at LSU.

You mean Mike White who's been at Florida for four years?

 

[zls44]

That’s just not true. Look at Ohio state, look at Louisville, look at Florida, look at LSU.

Suggesting this roster is at the level of any of those is hilariously ignorant

 

[tentoes4rings]

Kimani is actually running the offense. Give them time. They don't have their ideal personnel yet. When u dont hit 3s consistently and have no reliable inside scoring you are easy to defend. You can only run so many plays.

That’s exactly the issue, no reliable inside presence to open up things for shooters. Especially with Cobb buried deep in the doghouse.

 

[RayRay34]

This team has improved but it still has so far to go. When you have a lot of ground to make up even drastic improvements seem small as we see with this team. Plus The last coach, if he were with this team would be 7-6 at Best, with several close and/or overtimes wins.

 

[husky429]

Xs and Os: what would you all have done differently to beat the zone + when nova had bigs bringing the ball down the floor?

 

[Tex-Lager93]

While that's true, he should be showing more actual coaching with the players he's got this year. If we see some of that as the season progresses, fine. Though they're not his players, they are players, and some have some tools - a McDAA point guard, a 1st team all-conf. guard, a 6'8" 3 point threat, a 6'10 center with length, a junior sniper with a shooter's conscience, a highly recruited athletic freshman swingman, a couple of 5th year players who were quite productive on their prior Div. 1 teams. Etc.

There’s no question that we should show better than today. But the McD AA and the great swingman are essentially both Freshman - two years and a year removed respectively from competitive basketball trying to play at the highest level. It takes time. A lot of the other guys have improved but need more seasoning in big games against big teams. And we need leadership from JA, which we’re not getting. I’m not sure there’s offense sets that overcome that...but it shouldn’t have gotten that bad.

 

[Sportsfan71]

I know I'm in for a boatload of grief posting this, to the point that I almost titled the post "Sacrilege!". I like Hurley's fire, his passion, but I've yet to be impressed this year with the offense or defense in terms of creativity and/or tailoring it to the opponent. When we have more talent, we win, when we don't we lose. And regardless of the opponent our offense looks the same to me, and not much different from last year. On defense we still seem to make iffy plays that open the floor for the opponent.

I'm not seeing creativity, offensive patterns that play to players strengths, etc. We have three guys that can make a 3 more or less reliably - Vital, Polley, and Gilbert - and both Adams occasionally. And none of the plays are designed to get them a 3. We have two starters, Adams and Gilbert, who can drive and finish at the hoop reliably, and Smith and Vital occasionally can do it. But none of the plays open up the floor for them to take advantage of that They get to the hoop, or near it, surrounded and outmanned. There's way too much standing around, with guys watching one-on-one play.

Maybe this is just the players - bad habits, not enough time to work on it, not enough talent, etc. But particularly when your players aren't as talented as you'd like them to be, you've got to create more structure to put them in positions that work for them. Nova ran an NBA-style offense in the second half today, and it worked for them because they could seemingly all drive, and also shoot from 3. We ain't got that.

Same team as last year.. bound to expose itself sooner or later... help is on the way next year! This year is house money!

 

[QDOG5]

Jalen has digressed

I could go on and on about this quote but I won't.

 

[QDOG5]

Adams and Gilbert, who can drive and finish at the hoop reliably,

Adams can finish but Gilbert has been a turnover machine when he gets into the lane. He's a lousy finisher right now. He needs to drive and dish or work on a floater.

 

[GemParty]

Playing with guys you personally scouted and recruited is an excuse to a degree. When you take over an NBA team are you expected to win with the same guys, that the previous guy failed with? I thought we’d do better than, 1-4 vs OOC p5, but what do I know. I’m a fan.

 

[AdamaNation]

I'll be more specific - Hurley is going to need the time I mentioned. The talent we presently have is not good enough to compete with teams like Nova or Duke or others. Jalen is supposedly our best player. That should tell you all you need to know about talent level.

This team has way more talent than any team Hurley has ever had and the competition overall is similar at this point. Hurley has never been an offensive coach. Do remember the board talking about this past year? Guard oriented system. Looks familiar. Without a stud big it’s all irrelevant.

 

[Deepster]

URI wasn’t an isolation offense. It was guard oriented. And he needs his guards in there. Adams just isn’t an alpha as an offensive talent or as a leader on the court. His decisions. His demeanor. He makes no one else better.

 

[Chief00]

I know I'm in for a boatload of grief posting this, to the point that I almost titled the post "Sacrilege!". I like Hurley's fire, his passion, but I've yet to be impressed this year with the offense or defense in terms of creativity and/or tailoring it to the opponent. When we have more talent, we win, when we don't we lose. And regardless of the opponent our offense looks the same to me, and not much different from last year. On defense we still seem to make iffy plays that open the floor for the opponent.

I'm not seeing creativity, offensive patterns that play to players strengths, etc. We have three guys that can make a 3 more or less reliably - Vital, Polley, and Gilbert - and both Adams occasionally. And none of the plays are designed to get them a 3. We have two starters, Adams and Gilbert, who can drive and finish at the hoop reliably, and Smith and Vital occasionally can do it. But none of the plays open up the floor for them to take advantage of that They get to the hoop, or near it, surrounded and outmanned. There's way too much standing around, with guys watching one-on-one play.

Maybe this is just the players - bad habits, not enough time to work on it, not enough talent, etc. But particularly when your players aren't as talented as you'd like them to be, you've got to create more structure to put them in positions that work for them. Nova ran an NBA-style offense in the second half today, and it worked for them because they could seemingly all drive, and also shoot from 3. We ain't got that.

Fair criticisms.

 

[kemba]

When u dont hit 3s consistently and have no reliable inside scoring you are easy to defend. You can only run so many plays.

It's amazing how many people just gloss over those 2 points.

 

[gtcam]

That’s just not true. Look at Ohio state, look at Louisville, look at Florida, look at LSU.

Yes, its an easy excuse

 

[Towney007]

I don't mean to be a jerk, I really don't - but i'm gobsmacked with people's observations on this board in general when it comes to the talent levels on this team. There was some WILD stuff flying around Twitter today, people trying to find people to 'blame', etc - as if there was some actual expectation around this team and what they should be doing against 'better' competition, etc.

I hate to break it to people, but this team isn't good. They haven't been good, they're not good now and they're not gonna get better. The talent isn't there. They keep showing you that on a week to week basis and have basically done that for 2-3 years, now. Like at what point is that not impossible to accept?

Look at the other teams. Look at them side by side. Those teams have size. They have length. They have wingspan. Everyone on that VIllanova team could shoot a 3 and drive to the hole. All of them. Like it was a minimum expectation to put a warm up suit on today. They're bigger, stronger, they do literally everything better. It doesn't take effort or even that much casual observation to just SEE the difference standing on the floor next to our guys. And they're in a DOWN year!

They physically have a gear they can shift to where our guys - no matter what they do - they can't do what those guys do. They can't cover space as well, can't run as fast, jump as high, etc.

My point is - effort isn't enough. And getting on these kids for not caring or not having 'urgency'... is just so out of touch with the reality of what's happening in front of you. They're trying REALLY hard. But it's hard to look like you're trying hard when the other team just has the ability to barely break a sweat and manhandle you. Your best effort doesn't even look like effort. And there's the difference.

These kids are great guys. They work hard. We should support them and cheer them on. But guys - they can't compete at that level.

And I really don't want to hear about Gilbert being a MDAA or Jalen or any of that. For the actual talent on the team - Adams is a guy who is effort on his own agenda - which is symptomatic of just a lack of personal drive and probably bad guidance. You're not un-doing that after a year. If you're Hurley, it's not even worth un-doing because he's not going to be here. Gilbert and Wilson are and should be really good. But they're basically both first year players. The whole rest of the roster are guys who are mid-majorish guys, one tool types, bench fodder or juco orts. They can stay competitive in this conference with that - they can't get into the NCAA tournament with it, never mind beat teams like Villanova (even on a down year). I LIKE these kids a lot, but outside of Gilbert, Wilson and MAYBE Polley - there just isn't anyone on this roster i'd be like 'man I hope to god we don't lose them'.

Jim Calhoun wouldn't get 25 wins out of this group, never mind Hurley. So until there' actual talent on this roster again - discussions about his ability to game manage are probably best left on hold. He was subbing guys a ton today, but it didn't matter. Players aren't good enough to run the offense, players aren't good enough to keep up with the other team - I mean it's just whatever bullet sponge you feel like putting out on the floor.

I'm HOPING we can squeeze every bit of basketball out of these guys, but i'm skeptical. I'm gonna route for them knowing what they are, and being okay with that. The biggest difference will be made when we start getting guys in like Akok, Bouknight, etc. - and then over half to 2/3's of your roster are top 100 guys. Then you'll see the strides. Until then - woof. This is what you'll get.

Win 20 games, play some post season basketball in SOME tournament, get a good recruiting class in here. Do that - it's a really successful year-1.