Our Defense

[king conn]

Just a question about this (charges). Haven't they changed the charge rule so it is next to impossible to get a charge called? I think I heard the announcers talking about this a few games back. Or is this only on banging into someone when "backing them down".
In any event you hardly see anyone trying to take charges like a few years back. It seems like it has to be set up and stationary when the ballhandler is like 10 feet away.
If the Big East is such a physical league why is defense so ticky tacky?

Actually they are saying it's extremely difficult for the help defender to get a charge call, the point of emphasis is to call it a blocking foul now in those situations

 

[mauconnfan]

Actually they are saying it's extremely difficult for the help defender to get a charge call, the point of emphasis is to call it a blocking foul now in those situations

Unless it’s Duke?

 

[uconnfan68]

Yeah there’s a lot not to like about our players on that end. Solo especially seems to have a bad defensive stance and plays way too up and down and plays his man straight up.

He has no leverage on his slides and doesn’t force his man to any side specifically. Those things are very coachable though as long as he’s willing to give the effort to do it.

The plan was to force his man to the left… every time he touched the ball. Maybe that needs more discussion.

 

[Woof 101]

Last year we had 2 elite level defenders in Castle and Clingan with Clingan making everyone better defensively.

 

[dennismenace]

The plan was to force his man to the left… every time he touched the ball. Maybe that needs more discussion.

Thanks. Too bad TV commentators don't seem to know this or are just thinking about something else.

 

[HuskyHawk]

It's not even that Hurley hates it, it's that every time he has tried it for a few possessions it's been an unmitigated disaster

Because he doesn't practice it. Put the time in and I think the guys can execute it. But that takes away from working on the man defense, which is challenging for us because of the high hedge.

 

[HuskyHawk]

Actually they are saying it's extremely difficult for the help defender to get a charge call, the point of emphasis is to call it a blocking foul now in those situations

Which I don't like at all. I get the need to stop flopping. On the other hand, the shoulder to the chest should just be called a charge even if the defender doesn't fall down. Those guys fall because otherwise it never gets called. Rules overly favor the offense.

 

[husky429]

I think we recruited a few too many guys we thought Hurley could coach up on defense and also just had some bad luck with recruiting misses.

I doubt that anyone thought with Solo's athleticism and length he would be a bottom 1% defender in all of high-major ball that can't rebound. He just isn't learning to process fast enough.

I don't think anyone realized Mahaney we were recruiting Joey California 2.0 when we signed Mahaney.

No one thought Samson would be a generationally bad rebounder for a 6'11 athletic freak.

And then, of course, Stewart and Ross are improving, but just not fast enough to make up for these other failures. Both are probably behind where we thought they'd be.

We play a defense that requires an extremely high IQ. We don't have the personnel.

 

[Icehawk]

I love these threads in which boneyarders talk like they know more than our coaches. These coaches eat, drink and sleep basketball. Don’t you think they actually discuss every possibility? They meet every day before practice and toss around different ideas

Based on the past few years and comments directly from Hurley? I do think we sometimes see things they don’t, or because we aren’t in the locker room are more willing to try some different things. Of course some of our ideas are bad or wouldn’t work but Hurley has come around to the Yard way of thinking more than once, to our success.

I feel like Dan Hurley tends to get stuck with a plan and can be slow to pivot when it’s not working, especially when it comes to players not fitting. Reed should not hedge, IMO, for example.

I have faith in our coaching but it doesn’t mean I always think they are foolproof either.

 

[king conn]

I don't think anyone realized Mahaney we were recruiting Joey California 2.0 when we signed Mahaney.

To this I would say we wish Mahaney was Joey California 2.0

 

[HooperScooper]

I think we recruited a few too many guys we thought Hurley could coach up on defense and also just had some bad luck with recruiting misses.

I doubt that anyone thought with Solo's athleticism and length he would be a bottom 1% defender in all of high-major ball that can't rebound. He just isn't learning to process fast enough.

I don't think anyone realized Mahaney we were recruiting Joey California 2.0 when we signed Mahaney.

No one thought Samson would be a generationally bad rebounder for a 6'11 athletic freak.

And then, of course, Stewart and Ross are improving, but just not fast enough to make up for these other failures. Both are probably behind where we thought they'd be.

We play a defense that requires an extremely high IQ. We don't have the personnel.

It is interesting that Hurley said recently, after the 4 recruits signed, that he recruits offense and teaches them to play defense and rebound. I worry about that for next year's class. Can everyone be taught to play good defense? Or do some players have physical limitations that limit their ability to play very good to great defense? Should Hurley recruit a less talented offensive player who is a great defender? Look at the 1999 team with Ricky Moore. Great defender but wasn't a great offensive player. He played his role well because the team had others around him who were gifted offensive players.

Interesting comments on Solo from yesterday's media availability.

"Jordan Hawkins his sophomore year, as we got to this point in the year, he really became sturdy defensively," coach Dan Hurley noted after practice on Monday evening. "I just think Solo's got great intentions. It's not like one of those guys that's like, 'Hey, I'm a bucket, and I'm one of the best shooters in the country, screw you guys.' That's not it with him. He feels distressed, pressure, to become a better defensive player for our team. It bothers him as much as it does any of the coaches when he has defensive struggles."

"I tell him he has to use his athletic ability," the grad point guard (Diarra) said. "He has a 40-inch vertical, the man can jump out of the gym. He's super-athletic, he has to use that to his advantage."

 

[UCONNFAN179]

It is interesting that Hurley said recently, after the 4 recruits signed, that he recruits offense and teaches them to play defense and rebound. I worry about that for next year's class. Can anyone be taught to play good defense? Or do some players have physical limitations that limit their ability to play very good to great defense? Should Hurley recruit a less talented offensive player who is a great defender? Look at the 1999 team with Ricky Moore. Great defender but wasn't a great offensive player. He played his role well because the team had others around him who were gifted offensive players.

Interesting comments on Solo from yesterday's media availability.

"Jordan Hawkins his sophomore year, as we got to this point in the year, he really became sturdy defensively," coach Dan Hurley noted after practice on Monday evening. "I just think Solo's got great intentions. It's not like one of those guys that's like, 'Hey, I'm a bucket, and I'm one of the best shooters in the country, screw you guys.' That's not it with him. He feels distressed, pressure, to become a better defensive player for our team. It bothers him as much as it does any of the coaches when he has defensive struggles."

"I tell him he has to use his athletic ability," the grad point guard (Diarra) said. "He has a 40-inch vertical, the man can jump out of the gym. He's super-athletic, he has to use that to his advantage."

I feel the same way about next year's class

 

[FreeKlaiber]

I think we recruited a few too many guys we thought Hurley could coach up on defense and also just had some bad luck with recruiting misses.

I doubt that anyone thought with Solo's athleticism and length he would be a bottom 1% defender in all of high-major ball that can't rebound. He just isn't learning to process fast enough.

I don't think anyone realized Mahaney we were recruiting Joey California 2.0 when we signed Mahaney.

No one thought Samson would be a generationally bad rebounder for a 6'11 athletic freak.

And then, of course, Stewart and Ross are improving, but just not fast enough to make up for these other failures. Both are probably behind where we thought they'd be.

We play a defense that requires an extremely high IQ. We don't have the personnel.

I think the guys we are bringing in have high bbiq. I just agree with many that I am concerned that Hurley is gonna have a hard time coaching them up on D, because of lack of athleticism/strength (other than Mullins hopefully). Watched Adams and Reibe and they both need the weight room. I Love Furphy. He's sturdy and strong so hoping his slow footedness will make him Cam-lite on D. But we really need better athletes if we want to play stifling D (or have a big to clean up at rim when we turnstile)

 

[husky429]

Can anyone be taught to play good defense?

Yes, for sure.

Steph Castle was as lazy as it gets on defense in high school and Hurley turned him into a beast. One example of many.

I think what you need to find is guys who still PROCESS the game quickly, but aren't putting in the effort because they don't need to in high school. You can teach that guy to play defense. Or guys that are successful at another program and want to transfer, and still demonstrate that processing speed and not just success in a certain system.

Easier said than done. It's not as if our staff doesn't know this.

 

[jibsey]

Calhoun: Ray Allen couldn’t guard a chair when he came go UConn.

 

[ucp990411]

Based on the past few years and comments directly from Hurley? I do think we sometimes see things they don’t, or because we aren’t in the locker room are more willing to try some different things. Of course some of our ideas are bad or wouldn’t work but Hurley has come around to the Yard way of thinking more than once, to our success.

I feel like Dan Hurley tends to get stuck with a plan and can be slow to pivot when it’s not working, especially when it comes to players not fitting. Reed should not hedge, IMO, for example.

I have faith in our coaching but it doesn’t mean I always think they are foolproof either.

You really think we see things they don’t? Are you joking?They watch and dissect film non stop.

 

[6Nattys4Us]

Defensively we obviously are at a deficit vs last year. We just don't have the defensive talent man-for-man we did.

This is why Hurley is harping on intensity and ferociousness not specifically defensive this or that. Sure we can get better on cutter coverage or slip screens, etc...a lot of that is what we implement offensively so sure, they are practicing how to defend that, but you cannot coach quickness, lateral movement speed into players. They have it or do not have it.

But miss Clingan? Sure...next year just spray a little Reibe on it! (for fans of PKD).

 

[mauconnfan]

Calhoun: Ray Allen couldn’t guard a chair when he came go UConn.

It think it was Rip but could’ve been both?

 

[HuskyHawk]

It think it was Rip but could’ve been both?

It's no secret that brilliant offensive players aren't really asked to do a lot on D in high school. I think the new prep super-teams may have changed that a bit. Flagg being so off the charts is probably mostly because in addition to his offense, he played incredible defense in HS.