Some really thoughtful self reflection and comments by Hurley.

[ecasadoSBU]

This is an odd statement by Hurley given how much he touted these guys earlier. He came into this season knowing he only had 1 returning starter and a bunch of developing sophomores and freshmen. He could have saved himself and the alumni/fan base a lot of angst if he pumped the brakes on a 3 peat before the season started.

He has to hype his program and keep the fan base excited $$$.

With that said - It's only December. We have to enjoy the development process.

 

[NewBlood]

Hurley will figure it out, this team will figure it out and find its OWN IDENTITY and not try to be either of the back to back title teams. I have no doubt and have had no doubt. Sure there will be more bumps in the road but im simply not worried about this team nevermind having any concerns about the coach. After two consecutive national titles this season is absolute gravy and im enjoying every single second of it.

This. Right here.

 

[Mr. French]

I'm not so sure about the "head in your butt" thing - I think people in his circle probably discussed the idea of allowing yourself to coach differently based on the kids, the group, the expectations.

He was still in attack mode from the last 2 years, and it's more about stepping back and allowing him to see the big picture.

 

[uh-no]

I'm not so sure about the "head in your butt" thing - I think people in his circle probably discussed the idea of allowing yourself to coach differently based on the kids, the group, the expectations.

He was still in attack mode from the last 2 years, and it's more about stepping back and allowing him to see the big picture.

andrea has been very clear in interviews she spares no words when she thinks her husband is being a. "you're a glorified gym teacher" is a direct quote.

 

[Mr. French]

andrea has been very clear in interviews she spares no words when she thinks her husband is being a. "you're a glorified gym teacher" is a direct quote.

I have no doubt about that. My point is more about the context and tone of the conversations, and from whom. But I’m just guessing too.

 

[rich1122]

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tenor.com

Andrea
Calhoun
Bob
Geno
Radenka
Ned Lamont
Bret Just
Billy Donavan
Steve Fulop
Coach K
...

Andrew

 

[uconnyankee]

You think he makes the team‘s ceiling higher by setting lower expectations? That would be a strange conclusion. Or you mean it’s less important that he manage his players and more important that he manages your expectations.

No matter what came out of his mouth, at no point in the offseason did I think this was a team that would be winning a national championship. I saw a team that could compete for the Big East conference title, and then we’d have to see what the postseason brought.

Reality is, it’s incredibly difficult to win a NC. Winning two back to back in the fashion UConn and Dan Hurley have done made it look very easy.
If I’m being honest, I was drinking the Kool-Aid and thinking this staff will do it again. I’m still bullish but maybe a little more realistic that this team has some work to do. But
I’m not sure why Dan Hurley is being scrutinized by some for what he’s said or done. The guy owes us nothing. He’s recruiting, selling the program and getting his players to buy in to the goal: winning a 3rd Natty.
this team got a little exposed in Maui. It was humbling for the team, humbling for Hurley, and for the fan base. But it was freaking November.
There is too much talent on this team and I am certain we have the best staff in CBB, so I think Maui was a learning not the new norm.
There are a lot of new parts to this squad. On top of that, you are banking on other players taking a step forward in their development.
I don’t know where this season lands. The odds would say not to expect a 3rd Natty. But as a fan I’m certainly hoping that’s the outcome. Right or wrong, that’s the bar for this year and probably the next few years.

 

[98Uconn]

One of my favorite things about Dan Hurley; is that he’s a flawed human.. just like the rest of us.. but he’s not afraid to admit and be open and honest about it on an enormous platform . I give him enormous credit for that and feel it has definitely helped people to feel more confident in being open about their own personal situations.

 

[Deleted at users request]

Cade McNamara might be breaking new ground in football, but 50 will be pushing it. Maybe he can head to UConn and the 7th time will prove the charm.

As a Michigan fan, UConn does not want that crybaby. He lost his job at Iowa. The worst offense in CFB.

 

[HCCForever]

One of my favorite things about Dan Hurley; is that he’s a flawed human.. just like the rest of us.. but he’s not afraid to admit and be open and honest about it on an enormous platform. I give him enormous credit for that and feel it has definitely helped people to feel more confident in being open about their own personal situations.

Tom Izzo responded to a reporter at the Maui tournament as saying what he liked about Dan is "what you see is what you get". And Izzo went on to say that is not always the case in coaching. No pretense or BS. That can be uncomfortable for fans at times but I can live with that.

 

[brihman]

This is welcomed. He needs to find peace with the officiating. I’m not saying he can’t complain but I feel like when Hurley is at his worst he’s spending most of the game on the refs.

 

[Waquoit]

I'm not so sure about the "head in your butt" thing

Me either. Dan is in rarified air, finding his way. Neither JC, Izzo and his old man have ever reached his peak. They can advise but they're not talking from experience.

 

[Deleted at users request]

Me either. Dan is in rarified air, finding his way. Neither JC, Izzo and his old man have ever reached his peak. They can advise but they're not talking from experience.

Alright this is where we have to pump the breaks some.

JC has 3 rings, owned legends like Coach K, led unlikely runs like 2011, and produced HOF players. At one point UConn had a strong case for having the best NBA talent in the league.

Back to back is incredible, but it’s still 2 rings to 3 at the end of the day and Hurley has to do a lot more outside of that to catch up with Calhoun.

 

[temery]

Me either. Dan is in rarified air, finding his way. Neither JC, Izzo and his old man have ever reached his peak. They can advise but they're not talking from experience.

I assume you're joking. If not, you are out of your freakin' mind. Hurley needs at a minimum ten consecutive years of dominance, with at least eight deep runs in the dance, to be considered a peer of JC, Izzo, and the old man.

 

[Inyatkin]

I assume you're joking. If not, you are out of your freakin' mind.

Jim Calhoun never won back-to-back national titles, at least as far as I recall. Maybe you remember differently

 

[gsmooth]

This is welcomed. He needs to find peace with the officiating. I’m not saying he can’t complain but I feel like when Hurley is at his worst he’s spending most of the game on the refs.

That is exactly what he was doing in the games against Memphis and Colorado. You guys on TV did not even see most of it. During the game he was speed walking and yapping at the officials as they ran by him almost on every trip down the court. He was constantly yapping at them during TV timeouts and team called timeouts.

I am not saying the officiating was great, it was lousy (i.e. Memphis constantly getting away with reaching and putting their forearms across UConn players), but with his behavior in Maui it only exacerbated the problem.

 

[ctchamps]

Hurley is an unusual individual who recognizes the mistakes he makes, admits to them publicly and tries to learn from them.

He put too much pressure on himself going into this season. He bought into the concept that failure of a 3 peat would primarily be the result of him developing an attitude of superiority which would reduce his work ethic and drive. He overcompensated. He was stressed out about failure and drove himself, his staff and his players harder than ever. This was the wrong way to coach this group of players.

 

[temery]

Jim Calhoun never won back-to-back national titles, at least as far as I recall. Maybe you remember differently

That's an incredibly stupid, beyond laughable standard.

I have to ask: who defines blue blood better, Calhoun or Hurley.

Edit: I was about to delete this post as a personal attack until I saw it was my post and had been replied to. Sorry @Inyatkin

 

[Waquoit]

I assume you're joking. If not, you are out of your freakin' mind. Hurley needs at a minimum ten consecutive years of dominance, with at least eight deep runs in the dance, to be considered a peer of JC, Izzo, and the old man.

Never JC or his program were ever at the heights Hurley and his program are today.

 

[temery]

Never JC or his program were ever at the heights Hurley and his program are today.

You are out of your freaking mind. Do you think Hurley is a blue blood coach after two championships??

JC had dominant teams for many years, if not decades.

Hurley had two consecutive teams that won it all. That's pretty much his entire resume at this point. What % of his starting five played a part in the second championship? What part of the 2024 starting five have returned for a third?

Calhoun slowly built a team that won a national title in '99. He rebuilt a team five years later, with different players, and won a 2nd national title. He then rebuilt another team, with new players, and made the Final Four in 2009. and won again in 2011.

I love Hurley, and in his two best years he won two national titles. Comparing this short lived success to Calhoun's entire career, is embarrassingly laughable.

I loathe comparing a fairly new coach to a legend. Give Hurley time, without distraction, and he could pass the HOF legends who came before him.

But until a coach wins multiple championships with entirely different players, he's 'just' a great coach, but should not be in any conversation to be considered the Greatest of All Time.

 

[Mr. French]

Me either. Dan is in rarified air, finding his way. Neither JC, Izzo and his old man have ever reached his peak. They can advise but they're not talking from experience.

To me, it wasn’t about them not being in a position to critique - I guarantee Danny would still be heeding advice from the big boys.

It was more the tone to me seems like “some people gave me advice on realizing this team is different” versus “I was being a huge jerk and had to be put in my place.”

 

[Waquoit]

That's an incredibly stupid, beyond laughable standard.

I have to ask: who defines blue blood better, Calhoun or Hurley.

Hurley. He's the standard of a modern college basketball coach. He has taken the belt from K. Best in class. JC in his day was lumped in with Olson and Izzo.

And Boeheim.

 

[ctchamps]

That's an incredibly stupid, beyond laughable standard.

I have to ask: who defines blue blood better, Calhoun or Hurley.

In spite of all JCs accomplishments it took back to back NCs by Hurley to break down the barrier of blue blood status. The program has never received the hype that UConn is currently getting under Hurley.

Living out of state wearing UConn gear out of staters would come up to me and say UConn has a great women's bb program. Since the back to back they come up to me and talk about how great the mens program is. And I am in Duke and North Carolina territory.

This is not a comparison or a competition of resumes. It can never reduce the resume of JC. Winning one national championship puts coaches in rarified air. Winning multiple even more so. Winning back to back is historic. The focus on UConn has never been greater. Now UConn has won NCs under three head coaches and two of them have multiple championships.

So Hurley has built upon the legacy of JC and he's done something JC didn't. These two things have elevated the program well beyond where it was at the end of JCs tenure. With that elevation of status comes an increase of pressure to sustain it. The magnifying glass and the pressure it creates is greater on Hurley than that which JC had to deal with. I would say that the only coaches who could relate to Hurley's pressure would be Geno or Mike Krzyzewski.

 

[StllH8L8ner]

I'm not sure she would have been that polite,


I know for a fact he wouldn't have been that polite,


I have no doubt he wouldn't have been that polite,

Maybe the greatest closer of all-time, Andrew Hurley, also gave him some team feedback.

 

[Deleted at users request]

2004-2006 was a pretty epic run too.

National Championship
Round of 32
Elite 8

2 top 5 draft picks
4 top 10
7 first roundsrs

If it wasn’t for Bynum he would’ve brought in a 5* in 3 straight recruiting classes as well.

Crazy to say Calhoun hasn’t been there and done that.

 

[temery]

In spite of all JCs accomplishments it took back to back NCs by Hurley to break down the barrier of blue blood status. The program has never received the hype that UConn is currently getting under Hurley.

Living out of state wearing UConn gear out of staters would come up to me and say UConn has a great women's bb program. Since the back to back they come up to me and talk about how great the mens program is. And I am in Duke and North Carolina territory.

This is not a comparison or a competition of resumes. It can never reduce the resume of JC. Winning one national championship puts coaches in rarified air. Winning multiple even more so. Winning back to back is historic. The focus on UConn has never been greater. Now UConn has won NCs under three head coaches and two of them have multiple championships.

So Hurley has built upon the legacy of JC and he's done something JC didn't. These two things have elevated the program well beyond where it was at the end of JCs tenure. With that elevation of status comes an increase of pressure to sustain it. The magnifying glass and the pressure it creates is greater on Hurley than that which JC had to deal with. I would say that the only coaches who could relate to Hurley's pressure would be Geno or Mike Krzyzewski.

So having a below average career, then taking over a team with a history of dominance, have a crap record for two years, lose twice in the first round, then win two championships, and you're the GOAT on par with Jim Calhoun?

My god your bar is so low I'd need a shovel to find it.

Im on record: Hurley is the coach in the future, and he's off to a great start. But we all need to stop this bullshit that he is already the greatest of all freakin' time.

It's not fair to him; It's not fair to the team; It's not fair to the school, and makes everyone look foolish who believes he is on par with Calhoun, Coach K, and any number of successful longtime coaches.

I highly doubt even Hurley disagrees with me. It's a dangerous, counterproductive fantasy.

 

[metsfan2323]

I assume you're joking. If not, you are out of your freakin' mind. Hurley needs at a minimum ten consecutive years of dominance, with at least eight deep runs in the dance, to be considered a peer of JC, Izzo, and the old man.

His accomplishments at 3 stops already give him that 10 years. He is a peer with those men.

BTW Calhoun never had "10 consecutive years of dominance", it was usually 2-3 years of dominance followed by a rebuilding year. Also, the 2011/2012 UConn team featured 3 NBA players and a HOF coach and got bounced in the first round.

10 years of consecutive dominance is an absurd bar to set for anyone, but the Boneyard is often absurd.

 

[Waquoit]

So having a below average career, then taking over a team with a history of dominance, have a crap record for two years, lose twice in the first round, then win two championships, and you're the GOAT on par with Jim Calhoun?

I used to think no way Kemba was better than KEA. I wised up. And if he had a "below average career", how the hell did he get the job at a blue blood?

 

[temery]

I used to think no way Kemba was better than KEA. I wised up. And if he had a "below average career", how the hell did he get the job at a blue blood?

What?

 

[BigErnMcCracken]

So having a below average career, then taking over a team with a history of dominance, have a crap record for two years, lose twice in the first round, then win two championships, and you're the GOAT on par with Jim Calhoun?

My god your bar is so low I'd need a shovel to find it.

Im on record: Hurley is the coach in the future, and he's off to a great start. But we all need to stop this bullshit that he is already the greatest of all freakin' time.

It's not fair to him; It's not fair to the team; It's not fair to the school, and makes everyone look foolish who believes he is on par with Calhoun, Coach K, and any number of successful longtime coaches.

I highly doubt even Hurley disagrees with me. It's a dangerous, counterproductive fantasy.

Jesus what is going on here?