Thoughts from Coach Calhoun

[upstater]

Once we lost Cole, we slowed things down. You could see Hurley tell Gaffney to start running the clock. It was also right after Creighton started to close the gap and we were out of control going fast. Took some bad shots, Gaffney's drive, Whaley's jumper.

 

[DayDayTFS]

The drive looked like a designed play, the jumper was awful and both results just came at the wrong time. We got the look we wanted at the end, didn’t go down.

 

[ZenConn]

JC has always said it wasnt the first rookie contract that mattered but the second. Bouk will get drafted and possibly in the lottery but is he ready and play enough to warrant the second contract? I think so but may depend on the situation. I think practicing and playing in the NBA will make him better and more suited to his game.

 

[MexicoHusky]

To be honest, this seems like a criticism of DH as much as anyone. It may be the biggest flaw of the team. They don't push the ball a great deal.

 

[polycom]

I am fully convinced the Boneyard crashing every other day is collective karma from all the idiots that say Bouk isn't ready for the NBA on here. FFS you guys suck.

Boneyard should just rename it's "The gathering for people who don't watch sports outside of UConn" In what world is He not an NBA player.

 

[BlueDogs]

I think some of you are reading into this too much. Nobody is saying he isn’t NBA talent level or won’t be drafted. This issue is physical and mental maturity. There are 82 games plus playoffs over the course of essentially 6 months, Bouk can’t make it through 20 games without an injury. The game is more wide open, but these are strong elite level dudes and it doesn’t take much to put him on the floor. Also, missing big time shots doesn’t work for long in the NBA. He’ll take his contract and God bless him. But, many (like JC) don’t think it serves his long term career success odds given where he is in his development. Conversely, sticking around another would really help as long as he doesn’t get injured again...and there is the rub.

 

[SportsFan88]

Its truly astonishing and honestly sad that people on this board really think James Bouknight isn’t a NBA player. When you a lottery pick, or mid 1st round at the worst, you leave, plain and simple smh

 

[superjohn]

I think some of you are reading into this too much. Nobody is saying he isn’t NBA talent level or won’t be drafted. This issue is physical and mental maturity. There are 82 games plus playoffs over the course of essentially 6 months, Bouk can’t make it through 20 games without an injury. The game is more wide open, but these are strong elite level dudes and it doesn’t take much to put him on the floor. Also, missing big time shots doesn’t work for long in the NBA. He’ll take his contract and God bless him. But, many (like JC) don’t think it serves his long term career success odds given where he is in his development. Conversely, sticking around another would really help as long as he doesn’t get injured again...and there is the rub.

Everything you said is nonsense, if that's what you think "the rub" is that's cool.

 

[McLovin]

To be honest, this seems like a criticism of DH as much as anyone. It may be the biggest flaw of the team. They don't push the ball a great deal.

Which is just so weird, because I swear when we got Hurley he said he wanted to build an athletic team that defended and got out in transition. We are athletic. We defend. We do not, however, do a great job at getting out in transition.

 

[MexicoHusky]

There's nothing (or almost nothing) that JB will learn in another year at UCONN that he cannot learn in the NBA. In fact, he'll likely learn a magnitude of order more sitting on an NBA bench (if that's what he does) than he will in another year at UCONN.

 

[MexicoHusky]

Which is just so weird, because I swear when we got Hurley he said he wanted to build an athletic team that defended and got out in transition. We are athletic. We defend. We do not, however, do a great job at getting out in transition.

I'm giving DH a pass on this for a year. The timing is not right to get into details, but it still may be a personnel issue.

 

[husky429]

I'm giving DH a pass on this for a year. The timing is not right to get into details, but it still may be a personnel issue.

I think it has as much to do with his coaching as the players. It's both.

When you play fast, as a coach you have to recognize that you're going to turn the ball over and give up layups sometimes. It's just part of the game. You do a cost-benefit analysis... I don't think Hurley early in the season (and in close games) is willing to take the risks necessary to play that style. He sees a TO or a missed transition 3 and gets clammed up. His PERSONAL style of play is slow and methodical grind it out type games, so that's what he reverts to when the going gets tough with his teams.

On the other hand, Gaff and Cole have a tendency to play too slow... definitely Cole. And when your two best athletes in Bouk/Jackson are down for extended periods of time, it is much harder to get out and run.

Just my 2 cents

 

[Giddyup5]

I think it has as much to do with his coaching as the players. It's both.

When you play fast, as a coach you have to recognize that you're going to turn the ball over and give up layups sometimes. It's just part of the game. You do a cost-benefit analysis... I don't think Hurley early in the season (and in close games) is willing to take the risks necessary to play that style. He sees a TO or a missed transition 3 and gets clammed up. His PERSONAL style of play is slow and methodical grind it out type games, so that's what he reverts to when the going gets tough with his teams.

On the other hand, Gaff and Cole have a tendency to play too slow... definitely Cole. And when your two best athletes in Bouk/Jackson are down for extended periods of time, it is much harder to get out and run.

Just my 2 cents

I’ll take a increase in turnovers for a increased pace of play.

It’s by far the easiest way to get Polley involved on secondary transition 3s.

Bouk and Jackson are obviously good in transition. And Whaley can get out and beat bigs down the court.

We need to defensive rebound. So we can then run.

 

[husky429]

I’ll take a increase in turnovers for a increased pace of play.

It’s by far the easiest way to get Polley involved on secondary transition 3s.

Bouk and Jackson are obviously good in transition. And Whaley can get out and beat bigs down the court.

We need to defensive rebound. So we can then run.

Oddly enough, despite being elite at offensive rebounding, I think we're ranked close to 300 in defensive rebounding. Probably another factor impacting our pace

 

[jibsey]

Would Hurley mind if JC just stepped in for a month?

 

[BuffaloHusky]

Cole and Gaffney are not your typical Calhoun guards either. Kemba, Price, Boatright, Ollie, Taliek etc. were all legitimately “fast”. Perhaps Sool has that end to end speed but we haven’t seen it yet in Hurley’s tenure.

 

[ZackB05]

JC is the GOAT for a reason. Still spot on at the ripe old age of 78. Bouk not ready physically or mentally for NBA. But with talent like his and projecting to be a top 10 pick theres no decision to be made, he needs to go. Hopeful he shows some growth in both areas in the tourney as its still very early in his college career. Love the comment on dictating pace as well. With a team this deep and with the amounts of athletes we have, theres no reason we shouldn't be pushing the ball every chance we get.

I'd also like to see the offense flow through non Bouk players at the beginning of games. The opponent always focuses on Bouk. At the beginning of the Creighton game we focused on playing through Bouk. It seems our other players lose interest when the focus is first on Bouk and its harder to get them going. If we did the opposite i feel like Book could turn it on when he needs to. Think about 2014 when Shabazz always had a slow first half and then crushed it second half.

 

[JakeTheDog]

No. And they have no idea that the NBA drafts on potential, not ability. This isn't 1992.

Bouk is going to make somewhere in the range of 3-5 million dollars next year. NO ONE would stay in school with that kind of guarantee. I would quit my job yesterday for that kind of cash. That's not even considering the fame, world-class healthcare, coaching, endorsements, etc.

It’s like these posters think Bouk will get drafted and stop developing. NBA GMs correctly recognize a player will develop more when in their pro system opposed to whatever development they will get in college. On top of that the dude will be making millions of dollars.

 

[Waquoit]

Would Hurley mind if JC just stepped in for a month?

I would. I'll stay off his lawn and he can coach his own team.

 

[HuskyHawk]

Oddly enough, despite being elite at offensive rebounding, I think we're ranked close to 300 in defensive rebounding. Probably another factor impacting our pace

This happens when teams lure your big from the paint. It kills us in so many ways. We give up layups, Our D rebounding is hurt, we give up offensive rebounds, we also don’t get into transition. Teams that scout us run a soft press to slow us down further.

This team really misses an Akok/Johnson type at the 4. We are best with rebounding machine Martin at the 3. Bouk is a good rebounder too. We scored nearly 100 in our recent wins because we played teams who kept 2-3 bigs in, so we did as well. And that lead to dominating the boards and getting out in transition. We are much worse and much slower paced when forced to play small.

 

[jibsey]

I would. I'll stay off his lawn and he can coach his own team.

More scared of stepping on Calhoun’s lawn than Clint Eastwood’s.

 

[BigErnMcCracken]

Reading Calhoun's thoughts brings back memories. Love that pure Jimmy C stream of consciousness. "My point being, [complete non sequitur]." Love the guy. I wonder how much interaction he has with the current team these days.

 

[Lefty2one]

Cole and Gaffney are not your typical Calhoun guards either. Kemba, Price, Boatright, Ollie, Taliek etc. were all legitimately “fast”. Perhaps Sool has that end to end speed but we haven’t seen it yet in Hurley’s tenure.

Right. You need the horses to run. Hopefully we get back there soon but we're not there yet.

 

[BlueDogs]

Everything you said is nonsense, if that's what you think "the rub" is that's cool.

I’m not sure, but I don’t think Calhoun is clueless. He would be served by another year of maturity. So, why would he do it? Because he can’t afford tonWhy would risk injury if you can bank $5-$10 Million now.

 

[BlueDogs]

It’s like these posters think Bouk will get drafted and stop developing. NBA GMs correctly recognize a player will develop more when in their pro system opposed to whatever development they will get in college. On top of that the dude will be making millions of dollars.

Really good point that shouldn’t be lost.