Need to get so much better

[ASweet3781]

I mean the recruiting that everyone is praising him for is wildly inconsistent. It's Year 4 and where is the stud PG? "The man"? Don't say Cole because while better than Gaffney, he isn't it. A lot of his recruits also apparently can't contribute until they are of drinking age.

 

[SubbaBub]

Not ready to challenge for a championship yet. So many little things missed that cost us. The guys are talented but not championship efficient on either end. We also have no #1 option, but 3 or 4 #1a's and 2's.

 

[JMick]

Good recruiter, OK roster builder, OK in game.

I wouldnt even say he's OK in game. It's a huge weakness and a net negative.

 

[Drfla]

That's the storyline right there.

Someone always seems to have a career day against us. So much for our vaunted D

Actually the team went one better today. Dixon and Archidichino both had career highs..

 

[Rico444]

I wouldnt even say he's OK in game. It's a huge weakness and a net negative.

Yeah I was being generous there. He's got a long way to go that's for sure.

 

[UCfor3]

I think Hurley is better than an OK recruiter. I think he is a good recruiter. UConn has not recruited at this level in probably 10 years.

Agreed. With that said, his roster construction needs to improve. More skilled, offensively versatile players, less raw devlopmental players with high ceilings but low floors. Also, more guards and wings with guard skills. You can never have too many in college basketball.

 

[freescooter]

I think Hurley is better than an OK recruiter. I think he is a good recruiter. UConn has not recruited at this level in probably 10 years.

You mean because he got one guy who plays limited minutes, one who he says isn’t that good, and a couple who rarely see the floor. He is an over rated recruiter, a bad game coach and clearly he is in year 4 without a 3 point threat.

My view is he is a young guy on the make with a very limited upside. He got a big contract, but didn’t really earn it. And if his name was Danny Jones, he’d still be at URI.

 

[ASweet3781]

You mean because he got one guy who plays limited minutes, one who he says isn’t that good, and a couple who rarely see the floor. He is an over rated recruiter, a bad game coach and clearly he is in year 4 without a 3 point threat.

My view is he is a young guy on the make with a very limited upside. He got a big contract, but didn’t really earn it. And if his name was Danny Jones, he’d still be at URI.

Big contract but didn’t earn it is becoming the new school alma mater.

 

[AntG168]

You mean because he got one guy who plays limited minutes, one who he says isn’t that good, and a couple who rarely see the floor. He is an over rated recruiter, a bad game coach and clearly he is in year 4 without a 3 point threat.

My view is he is a young guy on the make with a very limited upside. He got a big contract, but didn’t really earn it. And if his name was Danny Jones, he’d still be at URI.

I mean he recruited and produced a lottery pick in his first couple of seasons. He recruited a top 10 finalist for the big man award and he’s only a sophomore

 

[Tenspro2002]

To me, there are three pillars that make a great coach: 1) be a great recruiter, 2) build a complementary roster, and 3) be a great in-game coach. Hurley is OK at all three, but we're a limited program if he's not great at any one of those pillars.

I don't see how you can say he's not already great at #1.

I think the problem is you need to be great at two of those, and so far we've had an imperfectly fit roster and can't paper over it with exceptional in-game coaching.

 

[Ts5034]

Agreed. With that said, his roster construction needs to improve. More skilled, offensively versatile players, less raw devlopmental players with high ceilings but low floors. Also, more guards and wings with guard skills. You can never have too many in college basketball.

More shooters as well. Hawkins was advertised as a shooter, Karaban is supposed to be a shooter. I think Hurley was expecting more from Polley this season, as we all were. That has been a little bit of a let down. Not to beat a dead horse either, but I think the entire staff thought Diggins was going to be further along in his development at this point as well. Im not going to try to make sense of that. Regardless, recruiting has been solid, and that must continue.

 

[UCfor3]

More shooters as well. Hawkins was advertised as a shooter, Karaban is supposed to be a shooter. I think Hurley was expecting more from Polley this season, as we all were. That has been a little bit of a let down. Not to beat a dead horse either, but I think the entire staff thought Diggins was going to be further along in his development at this point as well. Im not going to try to make sense of that. Regardless, recruiting has been solid, and that must continue.

We are like a football team that tries to manage the game because we lack firepower and try to win low scoring games with defense and ball control. It's unpleasing and ugly to watch at times and seldom works against the better teams. I want to win more than anything but I'm also sick of having a team that is so ugly to watch offensively from a pure entertainment standpoint. It predates Hurley and has been going on for eight years.

 

[Ts5034]

We are like a football team that tries to manage the game because we lack firepower and try to win low scoring games with defense and ball control. It's unpleasing and ugly to watch at times and seldom works against the better teams. I want to win more than anything but I'm also sick of having a team that is so ugly to watch offensively from a pure entertainment standpoint. It predates Hurley and has been going on for eight years.

I understand what you are saying, but today was the first time where we played bad to the point where we just didnt have a chance to win. We played poorly in the Creighton loss, but we were in that game until the end. Im trying to see this glass half full.

The most frustrating part is It feels like we are just one player away, and It’s felt like that for the last few years now. That is the best way to describe how my outlook is on things.

 

[CheshireCat]

To me, there are three pillars that make a great coach: 1) be a great recruiter, 2) build a complementary roster, and 3) be a great in-game coach. Hurley is OK at all three, but we're a limited program if he's not great at any one of those pillars.

“And that is why you fail”
- Yoda

Try again. Glad you’re not the AD.

 

[Chin Diesel]

I don't see how you can say he's not already great at #1.

I think the problem is you need to be great at two of those, and so far we've had an imperfectly fit roster and can't paper over it with exceptional in-game coaching.

Part of #1 bleeds in to #2. Part of being a great recruiter is getting the players you want to build up a roster. As others have said, there are at least 3 top-75 players who can't get off the bench. That's not great for ID'ing talent. It's okay to get high ceiling players but a few who are ready from day one are also good to have on the roster.

 

[Tenspro2002]

Part of #1 bleeds in to #2. Part of being a great recruiter is getting the players you want to build up a roster. As others have said, there are at least 3 top-75 players who can't get off the bench. That's not great for ID'ing talent. It's okay to get high ceiling players but a few who are ready from day one are also good to have on the roster.

Yeah, the boundaries between #1 and #2 are fuzzy.

I took #1 to mean "can you get the guy you want to come here?". And Hurley has been exceptionally successful at that.

I took #2 to mean "do the guys who come here fit together into a coherent team with complementary strengths and weaknesses?" That has been more of a problem.

 

[rip7774]

We are like a football team that tries to manage the game because we lack firepower and try to win low scoring games with defense and ball control. It's unpleasing and ugly to watch at times and seldom works against the better teams. I want to win more than anything but I'm also sick of having a team that is so ugly to watch offensively from a pure entertainment standpoint. It predates Hurley and has been going on for eight years.

I was saying this exact thing to my kids during the game. It’s like going back in time & trying to win a FB game 13-10.

A lot has to go right to work & never gonna happen against the greats like Mahomes or likely a Nova (they’re good not great this year). #RockFightHurley

 

[UCTitleTown]

This wash a measuring stick game. This team just isn't that good. Expectations have been substantially lowered for this season. The talent is there, but not gelling and the lack of ball handlers is glaring.

 

[Banta55]

I am a broken record, but this is what I was concerned about after the Bahamas tournament-it was how poor Gaffney was. I was hoping it was just a 3 game slump, but I said on this board, if he can't provide anything, Cole is going to get burned out. Cole wasn't good today, but every shot and every pass and every defensive play he makes has that more pressure on it because no other guard can step in and do it nor can they spell him for 5-10 minutes.

I by no means am scapegoating Gaff for today's loss or other losses for that matter as there are plenty of other factors and players that contributed to those losses, but Gaff's non-productive play is taking it's toll, but now we are seeing the tangible effects.

Great post, some rationale thoughts..Not signing a transfer guard was obviously a mistake..

 

[ConnEd]

Our starting lineup has 3 guys in It that don't need to be guarded outside the paint. That puts a ton of pressure on Sanogo since two different guys can sag on him. And with our 4-out offense, two of those defenders also have the option to slide under all of the screens and motion. Putting Polley/Hawkins in for IW or AJ creates other issues because neither of those guys can guard at this level yet.

 

[ConnHuskBask]

Two seasons in a row where our high water mark best win was at the very beginning of the season. Other teams are getting a lot better as the season progresses, we're getting a lot worse.

Not sure I totally agree with that sentiment.

Last year we had won 7 of 8 heading into the Creighton game and while it's not that we were world beaters, it seemed like we were poised to maybe contend for the BE title or make the 2nd weekend of the NCAAs.

Season before that we closed out winning 8 of 10, including beating a ranked Houston team at Gampel.

Hurley hasnt done himself any favors with his antics and today sucked but I'm going to withhold judgment until this season plays out.

 

[djct1999]

To me, there are three pillars that make a great coach: 1) be a great recruiter, 2) build a complementary roster, and 3) be a great in-game coach. Hurley is OK at all three, but we're a limited program if he's not great at any one of those pillars.

He is pretty close to great at one of those three!

 

[kobebeanbryant]

To me, there are three pillars that make a great coach: 1) be a great recruiter, 2) build a complementary roster, and 3) be a great in-game coach. Hurley is OK at all three, but we're a limited program if he's not great at any one of those pillars.

1. Great
2. Bad
3. Terrible

 

[Hoopcrazee]

We are pretenders...ugh!

 

[UCLJ0211]

I am a broken record, but this is what I was concerned about after the Bahamas tournament-it was how poor Gaffney was. I was hoping it was just a 3 game slump, but I said on this board, if he can't provide anything, Cole is going to get burned out. Cole wasn't good today, but every shot and every pass and every defensive play he makes has that more pressure on it because no other guard can step in and do it nor can they spell him for 5-10 minutes.

I by no means am scapegoating Gaff for today's loss or other losses for that matter as there are plenty of other factors and players that contributed to those losses, but Gaff's non-productive play is taking it's toll, but now we are seeing the tangible effects.

At least he has a nice haircut