To anyone criticizing Hurley:

[whaler11]

Counter-counterpoint - it means less than nothing.

Not for nothing - but if you don’t think recruiting rankings matter - you are so far off the reservation you should probably call for help.

 

[zepfan]

I know the BY is all about arm chair coaching... but there is way too much arm chair coaching going on here. You can't get blood from a stone. Our current players are limited in many respects, period. Their limitations have been discussed repeatedly (size, strength, moxie, shooting, etc.). Ollie was not a terrible coach, Christ, he won pretty well his first 3 years. Ollie was a sub-par recruiter. The change in personnel from when he took over recruiting compared to the Calhoun days was profound. The quality of players went down considerably over the past several years. Any coach knows you can only go so far against superior talent. No matter what Xs and 0s you draw up, it will not overcome size, strength talent... particularly when the opposing coach is no slouch. People need to stop with the "yeah, Hurley... get a better rotation, change to a zone, etc. If Hurley is going to have an impact, it will be over time. He appears to be off to a good start with recruiting... a couple even moderately talented big men and we will be way better than now. Our front line is barely division 1 caliber. We had our hopes up that things would get better quickly (the Syracuse win, and 90 point games). But this is reality and it's not on Hurley. JC or the wizard of Westwood are not getting these guys to beat far superior teams. Only option is to be patient and hopefully enjoy a few good wins. (IMHO).

 

[djct1999]

Just pointing out that last year's rolling disaster was 1-0 against USF and split 1-1 with UCF (beat them at home on 1/9). Again, these are not good teams we're talking about.

USF is significantly better than last year. But I agree they are not good teams.

 

[auror]

Just pointing out that last year's rolling disaster was 1-0 against USF and split 1-1 with UCF (beat them at home on 1/9). Again, these are not good teams we're talking about.

Have to nip this in the bud before it becomes a meme around these parts:

Context matters a bit. Both teams have essentially all new best players.

BJ Taylor and Aubrey Dawkins didn't play for UCF when we beat them and Yetna and Rideau didn't for USF.

The USF game was also at home and we won by 3.

 

[Walker11]

I actually credit you for finding this, considering it perfectly contradicts what I’m saying now. But yeah I realize that was dumb

Wasn't too hard to find. I was browsing preseason prediction threads. Hint - people didn't expect a team that may struggle to reach the NIT. Most people who say they are not disappointed are either lying or radically and immediately adjusted their expectations.

 

[djct1999]

To me this isn't complicated. For us to have success this year, we needed Jalen to step up and have a big year. He isn't. Tough to win games with him struggling.

We don't have any post play. We aren't a good shooting team. That makes us easy to defend.

We also needed Carlton and/or Cobb to improve.

 

[whaler11]

USF is not good. Stop. They have a decent record because they beat teams that are beyond terrible.

You want to tell me UConn had no talent? Fine. You want to tell me they don’t have talent to beat USF? Stop. Board up Gampel and just quit sports.

 

[BLUEDOGHOUSE]

He refuses to go two bigs. Didn't even experiment with it against the low-majors. Don't know what ya got if you don't try. T Smith giving you virtually nothing right now. Couldn't try bumping Wilson or Polley to the 3 and one at the 4? Why is Carlton still starting over Eric Cobb? USF ripped our on ball defense to shreds. No consideration of a 2-3 against a mediocre 3 point shooting team?

I think Hurley is struggling on all counts right now as a coach. You would have to have a detached retina not to see it. Your moniker though is hilarious and what makes the Boneyard great. When it was created last year ect ect ect...Geez you must even laugh at yourself every time you click the send button with a negative Hurley post....KOFanClub (LOL)

but ok we all know how objective you are!

 

[Deadrody]

I get that you don’t think anything matters for three years... but I’d also not at one time you thought it made sense to put Ollie in your handle - so you aren’t exactly batting 1.000.

That's possibly the most ridiculous thing I've ever seen on this board. Without even knowing WHEN he put "Ollie" in his handle, despite what he did the last 3 years, he was the head coach of a National Championship team at UConn. That alone would be worthy of someone putting his name in their handle - at the time. I don't even think that's remotely controversial. Regrettable in 2019 ? Sure. But those two things are not the same.

 

[JimHurley]

Wasn't too hard to find. I was browsing preseason prediction threads. Hint - people didn't expect a team that may struggle to reach the NIT. Most people who say they are not disappointed are either lying or radically and immediately adjusted their expectations.

Again, I’ll be the first to tell you I expected more. But now I see the talent just isn’t there.

 

[auror]

USF is not good. Stop. They have a decent record because they beat teams that are beyond terrible.

Quote me someone who said this. Easy to strawman when you don't quote.

 

[uconnphil2016]

Wrong. The facts are he hasn’t done sqadoosh with this team.

I wouldn’t have bothered to point that out - but the entire premise that he can’t be criticized is ridiculous.

He can be criticized; of course he’s not immune. But many are placing the onus of the blame on him when we have a team who can’t shoot from outside, has zero post presence, and a clear lack of leadership from its most talented player. Find a coach who will win under those conditions.

 

[BigErnMcCracken]

Quote me someone who said this. Easy to strawman when you don't quote.

I'm definitely not going to do this work for you but scroll through this thread and half the posts are about how UConn just doesn't have the talent to win these games.

 

[mauconnfan]

Have to nip this in the bud before it becomes a meme around these parts:

Context matters a bit. Both teams have essentially all new best players.

BJ Taylor and Aubrey Dawkins didn't play for UCF when we beat them and Yetna and Rideau didn't for USF.

The USF game was also at home and we won by 3.

Gilbert, Wilson and Smith didn’t play for UConn either. And Vital wasn’t as good as he is now. And Jalen wasn’t as bad as he is now.

Let’s stop the “you can’t get blood from a stone” crap ...... let’s play better basketball in the 2nd half somehow that’s all.

 

[Excalibur]

That’s actually just want you want to be true. It’s actually some of the opposite. The ones who stuck with Ollie on blind faith ignoring what was unfolding in front of them are some that are loudest on ignoring how pathetic this team is right now.

Laughable assertion.

 

[Deadrody]

Not for nothing - but if you don’t think recruiting rankings matter - you are so far off the reservation you should probably call for help.

I'm not sure where you glean something meaningful about recruiting from my tongue-in-cheek response to another tongue-in-cheek meaningless response, but run with it, I guess.

 

[superjohn]

To me this isn't complicated. For us to have success this year, we needed Jalen to step up and have a big year. He isn't. Tough to win games with him struggling.

We don't have any post play. We aren't a good shooting team. That makes us easy to defend.

He's 98% of the problem. Hurley knew he was walking into a badly damaged culture with little talent but the one thing he knew he could count on was his senior. When he walked in he legit thought he had the future AAC player of the year and one of the best guards in the country in Jalen which would bridge the gap until he brought in his own players.

There is no fixing this frontocurt until other players come in but there was supposed to be one thing to count on. Sucks to put so much on one kid but it's the reality of the situation and what happens when you sign up to play here and are a top 25 recruit.

 

[HuskyHawk]

Call me crazy, but I want a great X's & O's guy. I'll be patient, but let's see some of that going forward.

Me too, but let’s be honest, Calhoun wasn’t one either. Above average probably. But that was not his strength as a coach. Hurley has similar strengths and weaknesses. Let’s see how he adapts.

This team is fundamentally hamstrung by a lack of physicality. It’s two most physical players are hurt. Jalen has to be better, in particular at getting fouled. He’s soft, that’s his main problem. We get manhandled over and over. The correct approach to Tacko is not a fancy and near impossible reverse layup, it’s to hit him in the chin with your head. He’s standing inside the no charge ring most of the time. Go straight at him, It’s going to hurt. Too bad.

 

[Robertelamin]

Finally a thread where everyone agrees. Mission accomplished.

 

[Excalibur]

Just pointing out that last year's rolling disaster was 1-0 against USF and split 1-1 with UCF (beat them at home on 1/9). Again, these are not good teams we're talking about.

That win was against a BJ Taylor-less roster. You know, because rosters matter.

 

[auror]

I'm definitely not going to do this work for you but scroll through this thread and half the posts are about how UConn just doesn't have the talent to win these games.

Referring to anybody saying USF is good. I edited to clarify but not quickly enough. Nobody said that. There's a difference between pointing out that USF and UCF got new, better players and saying USF is good.

They're not good. We're also not good. But they were extremely awful when we beat them, and we were regular awful last year. It matters in a discussion.

 

[djct1999]

I'm definitely not going to do this work for you but scroll through this thread and half the posts are about how UConn just doesn't have the talent to win these games.

People are saying that UConn doesn't have the talent to blame this season on its coach. Big difference.

 

[BigErnMcCracken]

People are saying that UConn doesn't have the talent to blame this season on its coach. Big difference.

Christ almighty, no one is "blaming the season on the coach." Aside from Huskymagic no one thinks this team is going to the Final Four. People are pushing back against the idea that Hurley is powerless to do anything whatsoever until he completely replaces everyone on the roster.

 

[Danzz]

What you’re watching is Hurley trying to coach players who aren’t good enough to be UConn caliber. I know the past few years have been frustrating but you can’t tell me you expected Hurley to turn this program around in year 1. Let him bring in his guys and infuse his culture into the program. That won’t happen overnight

It is Hurley's job to get the most out of the talent he has. So far he hasn't been able to do it despite improvements in some areas. There is no getting around that.
No question that it will take time and fans should be patient but can't ignore the fact that we look much the same as last year with Jalen taking a step back and Vital taking a step forward.

 

[Doctor Hoop]

Christ almighty, no one is "blaming the season on the coach." Aside from Huskymagic no one thinks this team is going to the Final Four. People are pushing back against the idea that Hurley is powerless to do anything whatsoever until he completely replaces everyone on the roster.

I think what we all would like to see is a team with fire, discipline, and a plan on offense and defense, regardless of the talent level. Hurley hasn't produced that yet but game by game you want to see it developing. They've had that competitive fire, some players consistently. But the other three not so much.

 

[whaler11]

Laughable assertion.

Other than Kathy liking posts you are 100% wrong.

If you are making a comment on me lambasting the administration for their lame attempts to fire Ollie for cause - you’ll be disappointed when you find I was way ahead of y’all in calling for Ollie to go. Just like Diaco. Just like Pasqaloni. Bad coaches are easy to identify.

The people that rant and rave loudest about Ollie are the ones who supported him the longest and the hardest because he burned them.

 

[whaler11]

That's possibly the most ridiculous thing I've ever seen on this board. Without even knowing WHEN he put "Ollie" in his handle, despite what he did the last 3 years, he was the head coach of a National Championship team at UConn. That alone would be worthy of someone putting his name in their handle - at the time. I don't even think that's remotely controversial. Regrettable in 2019 ? Sure. But those two things are not the same.

That’s sort of the point. He was wrong about Ollie but is telling me to ignore what is going on because this time he KNOWS he is right about Hurley.

Maybe you should bet Nosticals football picks for a while or go take conference realignment advice to those who were certain UConn was headed to the Big Ten.

 

[djct1999]

Christ almighty, no one is "blaming the season on the coach." Aside from Huskymagic no one thinks this team is going to the Final Four. People are pushing back against the idea that Hurley is powerless to do anything whatsoever until he completely replaces everyone on the roster.

Again, people are saying you shouldn't judge a coach until a full cycle of his recruits. You seem to be doing that this week. Do you not think Hurley is not trying to make adjustments? Becuase I do. He has done more in 2 months than Ollie has done in two years(on the court and off). You don't start a rebuild with wins and losses. A rebuild begins with culture. Hurley has made a ton of adjustments. You just choose to ignore them because they lost to USF. Thats on you, not Hurley.

 

[whaler11]

Quote me someone who said this. Easy to strawman when you don't quote.

You are kidding right? Do you have everyone but me in this thread on ignore?

 

[Kathy]

This is the second rebuild I am.living through. Calhoun's 1st year he went 9-19, so the losses don't concern me. But with Cslhoun there were little things he would do during a game that made you look up and say, that's what Perno should have done - you just knew he was building. He turned Gerry Besselink into the nation's leading rebounder in 1 year. He was good at game strategy and in game adjustments.
I am watching each game and waiting to see the little things, instead I see regression in Jalen, Polley. Hurley talks about them 'losing confidence in themselves' why is that? Jalen used to carry this team on his shoulders, for some reason he's not doing that this year. Most want to blame him for that, but maybe Hurley needs to take some responsibility for that too. He took a player that was the PG on this team, very comfortable with the ball in his hands and is playing as a SG. Maybe try switching him back and see if that helps him regain his game confidence.

I know I'm 'Ollie's Mom' to a lot of you, but I came into this season ready to support this team and it's new coach, I'm just not sold on him yet. Still waiting for the little things that we tell me we are headed in the right direction. Recruiting is great, but you also need to coach the games and adjust to your opponent. I don't like the way nothing changes in the 2nd half, we get worse. Is that because the opposing coaches adjust to what we do in the 1st half, I think that is some of it - but that tells me we need to adjust also.