Uconn’s next coach

[SouthBayHusky]

For me, the perfect choice would be Hurley with Jim Calhoun taking a major role for the next couple years. That helps bring more credibility and experience and retaining/recruiting players

 

[intlzncster]

Yeah, she's a woman. If the guys she's recruiting can't handle it (usually men's basketball players can, it's the fans that can't), we don't really want them anyway.

They can? We're talking about macho 17-18 year old boys here. And those people talking in their ears. Not grown up professionals. It think the recruiting trail would be very, very tough going at first. You wouldn't want to hire someone with that kind of risk for a program on life support.

What experience does she have recruiting the MCBB game? None.

What experience does she have coaching in MCBB? None.

That wouldn't qualify her for a mid major position. If she was set on MCBB, she should go low major, build a program, and go from there. She should not be a candidate for the UCONN job.

 

[nomar]

I came across this video from early in Calhoun's tenure.



Notice how Jim mentioned the quality of the conference as a big reason he came to UConn. Can we imagine Hurley saying this today? Do we even know if he would want this job?

We had zero titles at this point. Now we have 4.

Come on.

 

[ivrytontusker]

We had zero titles at this point. Now we have 4.

Come on.

We'll have to see what Hurley does, I guess. I'd bet that he would go if Duke or UNC were open.

 

[The Viking]

That video was worth it just to see a young Mike Gorman...wow.

 

[blackbird]

What experience does she have recruiting the MCBB game? None.

.

Basketball players respect basketball players. Athletes respect Athletes. You see it across the board in sports. It's the fans and the commentators that have the problem. The fact that she coached Tony Parker and Kawhi Leonard will mean more to a kid.

She has experience coaching at the highest level of basketball, and being mentored by the best coach in the game for the past four years. Recruiting would be a new experience..but again..she's got NBA names and NBA coaching experience can throw around.

If you want a young coach, you aren't going to get much better than that.

Not that it matters, CSU will probably take her anyway.

 

[intlzncster]

Basketball players respect basketball players. Athletes respect Athletes. You see it across the board in sports. It's the fans and the commentators that have the problem. The fact that she coached Tony Parker and Kawhi Leonard will mean more to a kid.

She has experience coaching at the highest level of basketball, and being mentored by the best coach in the game for the past four years. Recruiting would be a new experience..but again..she's got NBA names and NBA coaching experience can throw around.

If you want a young coach, you aren't going to get much better than that.

Not that it matters, CSU will probably take her anyway.

KO had all those same qualities and then some (he actually played in the league). He also had MCBB recruiting and assistant coaching experience under JC. And he did not work out.

One of the big reasons is that he didn't have enough experience running a MCBB program. Too green.

 

[UConn_Top_Dog]

UConn coach next season: Kevin Ollie. JC or Billy Donavan won't happen and I don't see Hurley coming either.

He will win his arbitration and keep his job. The AD and the whole athletic department don't know what the hell they are doing. A bunch of idiots are running the athletic department at UConn.

 

[polycom]

He will win his arbitration and keep his job. The AD and the whole athletic department don't know what the hell they are doing. A bunch of idiots are running the athletic department at UConn.

Why do you hate UConn?

 

[UConn_Top_Dog]

Why do you hate UConn?

I love UConn. I hate the idiot big wigs running the show.

 

[SwingDog]

He will win his arbitration and keep his job.

He may win in terms of UConn having to buy out all or a portion of his contract but I don't see how he stays.

 

[Towney007]

Roy Williams and North Carolina used “ineligible” players for 15-20 years, way worse than Pitino.

My point is that at the elite levels - every single coach has a blemish. Even Calhoun. Some are worse than others. But this idea that to maintain elite status that we're going to be able to find a guy who's done that with a clean record is delusional. There's no such thing in today's college basketball landscape.

What I can't live with are coaches who get real politik about the state of the game and aren't accountable when they get caught. That's what I dislike intensely about Pitino. He thinks his you know what doesn't stink.

But he's also - clearly at that - the best possible, available coach we could get - and even affordably - out there. He's a slam dunk to turn around the program. You're stupid to not talk to him and kick tires. What people/how people react to him possibly getting the job or being here - i'm totally fine with. I wouldn't like it, but i'd get over it I feel when push comes to shove and I feel like that'd be the same for others. But I wouldn't blame - nor fault anyone for being done with the program after that. At all, really.

But he's worth a conversation and to boot - my secondary point is if we're going to talk Crean and not Pitino it's kind of silly. Pitino is a better option all the way around. Just him being available should make Crean an afterthought in my opinion.

That's me saying that all while feeling like Hurley is absolutely the best possible scenario for the program. If that all makes sense.

 

[Towney007]

And whoever said Becky Hammond.... she's a *monster*. And absolute, scary, terrifying axe murderer. Everyone I talk to in basketball talk about her like she's Summit+Geno+Coach K with more snarl. Her potential is that high.

She'll get a job eventually. Someone will do it. And they'll be better off for it. I just don't think UConn's at that point right now.

 

[TheChamps990411]

Donovan is a pipe dream.

Not likely but not as far fetched as you think.

 

[RedsoxCowboys]

What about Tim Cluess from Iona. The guy gets his teams to the tournament.

 

[IthacaMatt]

I want Pitino. Think of UCONN basketball as a patient dead on the guerney needing the paddles to jolt them back to life. Just listening this morning to sports radio WFAN describing the situation as not mattering who we hire because it will be many years if ever for us to come back to national relevence. This is the prevailing opinionout there, just listen. Even Pitino can’t do this in 1 season but he can probably get talent in here right away. Maybe get us at least back to being talked about. I admit it’s a huge risk that most don’t want to take but he coaches for a few years getting us back before a graceful retirement. It revives both us and him.

Just like when SMU hired Larry Brown.
How did that turn out?
Get a hungry young guy. That's the profile of who you need to hire.

 

[gioff23]

Just like when SMU hired Larry Brown.
How did that turn out?
Get a hungry young guy. That's the profile of who you need to hire.

I’m not advocating for Tricky Ricky, but you’re analogy is way off. Brown just wanted to keep coaching another few years. Pitino has to rehab his image. If he gets back, it’ll be guns a blazing

 

[pj]

Konkol has shown absolutely nothing in his three years at La Tech...I don't understand why so many are throwing his name out. In his time as HC they have finished 154, 93 and 153 in Kenpom. That is considered good or even solid nowadays?

It's Ollieish. Why would you fire Ollie to get that?

 

[Scrutiner]

If it can't be Donovan....

Hurley, Oats or Otzelberger

The first two there can bring in recruits to replenish the talent...the latter has a good recruiting background.

Nice writeup in Wikipedia about Oetzelberger. When not rooting for UConn the past couple years I've become a loyal fan of the Jackrabbits so I'd prefer him to Hurley who seems to be ending the year in a slide.

 

[Scrutiner]

Calhoun as HC. Glen Miller as Assistant. Glen takes over in 2 years. Hmmm.....

Miller's career record as a head coach is 138-151. Maybe he's a good bench coach, but not the head guy.

 

[whaler11]

Miller's career record as a head coach is 138-151. Maybe he's a good bench coach, but not the head guy.

Are you excluding Connecticut College?

Are you excluding that 99.9% of the people who know him hate his guts?

Are you being fair?

 

[Tenspro2002]

What about Tim Cluess from Iona. The guy gets his teams to the tournament.

How long would it take him to earn and be stuck with the moniker "Tim Clueless"?

 

[Scrutiner]

He doesn't have of a track record. Was he even a head coach before Louisiana Tech?

No, and after three years as an assistant at George Mason (2002-2005), he became an assistant at a high school for two years before going back to George Mason from 2007-2011, then four years as an assistant at Miami (followed Larranaga?) from 2011-2015, then the past three years as head coach at LaTech where he has gone 23-10, 23-10 and this year went 17-15. Doesn't sound like good recruiting and perhaps he won the first two years with White's players.

 

[Scrutiner]

So. If he is a good recruiter which I think he is, he will create new ties. Time for a clean break and a whole new look to UConn basketball. A young, dynamic coach can get us back to the pinnacle in men's bb. Hurley may be an improvement but there's more potential with this guy. This idea that we have to hire someone from the Northeast or with UConn connections is nonsense.

If you look at Konkol's record as head coach it doesn't look as if he's recruited well. He went 23-10, 23-10 and now 17-15. Looks like he won with White's players. Where have we seen that before?

 

[Scrutiner]

If KO


Why would Hobbs want to coach under Hurley when his resume is better? The better choice if KO is let go is Hobbs w/ Scott Burrell and retain Chillous.
Hobbs is proven already . Burrell has experience now and has a better pro resume
than KO with a ring. Plus he played with the
GOAT . Chillous gets time to actually recruit. That's a far better staff than the others that were mentioned.

Check Hobbs' record. Built up to three nice years in years 4 to 6 and then fell back to about .500 his last four years before being let go and coming back to UConn.