The Athletic: Dan Hurley on the challenges of returning UConn to glory

[Magic32]

"I'm a coach first and a recruiter second...I know guys will get better in my program...We're going to be able to go 10-deep, which is the way I like to play it. Because we get after people."

Saw an ad for the Athletic for 40% off today. Less than $3 per month.

60% off $1.99/month

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[TheChamps990411]

"I'm a coach first and a recruiter second...I know guys will get better in my program...We're going to be able to go 10-deep, which is the way I like to play it. Because we get after people."
This guy always manages to say the right thing. Man im so hyped for this programs future under DHs leadership.

 

[tentoes4rings]

Fwiw--the athletic is easily the best site to have a subscription to imo. If you follow a few teams along with ucmbb especially.

Very well-written and informative compared to most sites recycling year old quotes (looking at you zags).

100 %. The Athletic is hands down the best $50 I pay each year. The amount of coverage of your favorite teams, the depth and quality of the writers, and the app interface make it a no brainer in my opinion. They have a ton of Sox features, so I imagine there’s a lot on The Yankees and all other prominent teams. It’s awesome, try the trial for sure.

 

[ctchamps]

Last year's roster was not better nor more experienced than 2016-17, and to the extent that it may have been better it was because of player development under Hurley (i.e. Carlton's emergence).

Hurley did try to change the defensive scheme last year -- several times, in fact. He went away from the hard hedge about 12-15 games in when he realized we couldn't pull it off, and modified it again at the end of the season.

On paper that 2016-2017 team should have given us high expectations.

On paper the front court of Brimah, Enoch, Durham, Facey, Larrier would have destroyed last seasons group. Not playing Steve and Durham is a head scratcher. Brimah certainly missed Hamilton on offense and his savant blocking ability suffered from the coaches attempt to improve his ability to rebound and reduce his fouling. Larrier was out for most of the season. That leaves Kentan whose jump from junior to senior year is downplayed. Playing him (and Vance) makes me believe Steve was dogging it in practice. I’m upset with what happened in the last two KO seasons but not enough to overlook Kentan’s development.

It’s the guard and wing situation, based on circumstances in the 16-17 season, that I maintain last years team was far and away superior. Five guards where Jalen is a senior and CV a junior as compared to a sophomore and freshman. The inverse amount of playing time Hurley got from Al versus KO. The relatively injury free season for Jalen and CV relative to the lost time to CV from concussions and Jalen in the last third of the 16-17 season with the ankle injury. Even Rodney was out a week with an ankle injury and suffered the dislocated ring finger on his shooting hand in the AAC playoffs after a hot start. Dan had a fifth year guard which afforded him the luxury of having a more aggressive defensive team just with the additional fouls Smith provided. Five guards with relatively more experience that had a relatively normal injury free season versus three guards with only one being experienced and an extraordinarily injury riddled season goes a long way imo to support my statement because I weigh guard play more than front court play.

Imo KO got more out of freshmen CV both in development and contributions than Hurley got out of freshman Adams even allocating for the increased need for playing time. IMO KO got more out of Vance than Hurley got of Sid, a higher rated recruit.

The benefit of doubt I have for Hurley is predicated on his taking over a team with little time to observe his players. Nonetheless I feel he should have abandoned his schemes earlier than 12-15 games into the season. With that said he lost Whaley early to an ankle injury and Whaley seemed to be integral to Dan’s plans before that injury. Same with Yakwe. Obviously he didn’t expect much from Kwintin and most likely was not counting on Diarra.

 

[tentoes4rings]

On paper that 2016-2017 team should have given us high expectations.

On paper the front court of Brimah, Enoch, Durham, Facey, Larrier would have destroyed last seasons group. Not playing Steve and Durham is a head scratcher. Brimah certainly missed Hamilton on offense and his savant blocking ability suffered from the coaches attempt to improve his ability to rebound and reduce his fouling. Larrier was out for most of the season. That leaves Kentan whose jump from junior to senior year is downplayed. Playing him (and Vance) makes me believe Steve was dogging it in practice. I’m upset with what happened in the last two KO seasons but not enough to overlook Kentan’s development.

It’s the guard and wing situation, based on circumstances in the 16-17 season, that I maintain last years team was far and away superior. Five guards where Jalen is a senior and CV a junior as compared to a sophomore and freshman. The inverse amount of playing time Hurley got from Al versus KO. The relatively injury free season for Jalen and CV relative to the lost time to CV from concussions and Jalen in the last third of the 16-17 season with the ankle injury. Even Rodney was out a week with an ankle injury and suffered the dislocated ring finger on his shooting hand in the AAC playoffs after a hot start. Dan had a fifth year guard which afforded him the luxury of having a more aggressive defensive team just with the additional fouls Smith provided. Five guards with relatively more experience that had a relatively normal injury free season versus three guards with only one being experienced and an extraordinarily injury riddled season goes a long way imo to support my statement because I weigh guard play more than front court play.

Imo KO got more out of freshmen CV both in development and contributions than Hurley got out of freshman Adams even allocating for the increased need for playing time. IMO KO got more out of Vance than Hurley got of Sid, a higher rated recruit.

The benefit of doubt I have for Hurley is predicated on his taking over a team with little time to observe his players. Nonetheless I feel he should have abandoned his schemes earlier than 12-15 games into the season. With that said he lost Whaley early to an ankle injury and Whaley seemed to be integral to Dan’s plans before that injury. Same with Yakwe. Obviously he didn’t expect much from Kwintin and most likely was not counting on Diarra.

It was Enoch’s defense that kept him off the court. My friend is related to Hobbs, Hobbs told him they’d go over things with Enoch over and over defensively and he was just lost,

 

[ctchamps]

It was Enoch’s defense that kept him off the court. My friend is related to Hobbs, Hobbs told him they’d go over things with Enoch over and over defensively and he was just lost,

This confirms my suspicion. The tapes I watched of his games at prep school also support this.

Any information about Durham? Medical caution?

 

[tentoes4rings]

This confirms my suspicion. The tapes I watched of his games at prep school also support this.

Any information about Durham? Medical caution?

Nothing. Seemed to me that they were holding him back while he got stronger, but you have to wonder where the big disconnect was that forced him to transfer? Maybe another guy who saw SS Ollie was sinking and didn’t want to go down with the ship.

 

[ctchamps]

This confirms my suspicion and the tapes I watched of his games at prep school.

Any information about Durham? Medical caution?

Nothing. Seemed to me that they were holding him back while he got stronger, but you have to wonder where the big disconnect was that forced him to transfer? Maybe another guy who saw SS Ollie was sinking and didn’t want to go down with the ship.

Early KO related to his players. Bazz went to the mat for him.

During and post divorce KO probably took out his anger on the players. Most likely the cause of the animosity between Glen and KO whereby Glen tried to intercede on behalf of the players and KO felt Glen was undermining him.

 

[AZHuskiePop]

Jim had a blind spot about Jerome until very late in his senior season.

The NIT loss was a microcosm of the season with JD wanting the ball at crunch time in close games. That cost us dearly especially when you consider who the other guard was . Jerome had his place and was a fine player but lacked ,a great handle, decision making skills, or even passing skills all required to close out games along with FT’s .

 

[tentoes4rings]

Early KO related to his players. Bazz went to the mat for him.

During and post divorce KO probably took out his anger on the players. Most likely the cause of the animosity between Glen and KO whereby Glen tried to intercede on behalf of the players and KO felt Glen was undermining him.

This all sounds likely. Many of the newer players in 16-17 didn’t seem to be big fans of KO at the end. The alleged KO Miller fight in the locker room speaks to just how bad things got.

 

[nomar]

100 %. The Athletic is hands down the best $50 I pay each year. The amount of coverage of your favorite teams, the depth and quality of the writers, and the app interface make it a no brainer in my opinion. They have a ton of Sox features, so I imagine there’s a lot on The Yankees and all other prominent teams. It’s awesome, try the trial for sure.

I have a subscription, too. I don't read it enough but whenever I do, it's high quality.

There was an article on the former goalie Ray Emery a few months ago that was Pulitzer worthy.