Why Hurley may change the team's offensive philosophy this season

[RuffRuff]

Actually, the interesting thing is that with Silas, we do actually have the Tristen Newton archetype who can run the 2024 offense, which we basically didn't have last year.

That roster had 3 big guards, a defensive stopper amongst, effectively 2 big PGs with high IQ passing abilities. And Cam, who was do it all.

Solo alone doesn’t really bring any of that as he’s primarily a sharp shooter to this point, and not a big guard. Maybe Silas is lights out and that solves for some of it but a big ask. This team is going to hinge on how good he and Mullins are. I still don’t think Stew is a 3 on any level.

 

[HooperScooper]

UConn's adjusted offense rank the last three years: 3rd, 1st, 15th

I can't really say I understand the rush to change things, especially when accounting for the level of roster turnover they've endured following both title runs. Last year they didn't guard a soul and still came within one shot of knocking off the eventual champ.

Trying to get from 15th back to top 3 again.

 

[BigErnMcCracken]

UConn's adjusted offense rank the last three years: 3rd, 1st, 15th

I can't really say I understand the rush to change things, especially when accounting for the level of roster turnover they've endured following both title runs. Last year they didn't guard a soul and still came within one shot of knocking off the eventual champ.

Same. Work on not being a sieve defensively. Offense is fine.

 

[Lafayette]

Nice to see and clearly with Silas and Malachi we have true floor generals and other players mentioned that can help if a play breaks down or a mismatch opportunity is developing on a screen.

However our team should be fixing its weaknesses not polishing its strength - we need defense to return to top 20 where it languished > 100 for most of last season.

We win when our Offense and Defense is top 20.

 

[Son of Robert]

Furphy is going to fit nicely into this offense. We had the trio of guards, Newton, Castle, Spencer, that kept our offense moving. Dynamic and secure ball handling, finding the pass, making the cut, being aggressive and creating their shot, rebounding. Too early to tell, but Furphy may fit this role as well.

 

[jibsey]

Offense I ain’t worried about. And honestly by season end last year we hung with and had a lead on Florida. How will we shape up defensively?

 

[Iluvsuebird]

Offense I ain’t worried about. And honestly by season end last year we hung with and had a lead on Florida. How will we shape up defensively?

THIS. For all the talk about lacking a pg, last year's kryptonite was on the defensive end. Great comment.

 

[StllH8L8ner]

THIS. For all the talk about lacking a pg, last year's kryptonite was on the defensive end. Great comment.

We were spoiled for two years having a guy 7’2” standing there waiting for anyone who came into the paint. Last year was obviously gross but before Donovan came to town, we weren’t exactly defensive stalwarts either. Very good, but not elite. Would love to get back to elite but I’ll settle for very good this season.

 

[Spaceman213J]

I understand the change Hurley wants on offense. In 2024, they had numerous guys who were comfortable with the ball in a late shot clock situation.
You can become a slave to the offensive philosophy, especially when you have a bunch of guys playing and competing for minutes they haven't seen yet. You create a team of guys afraid to make the mistake rather than a team of guys be aggressive at the end of the shot clock. You could see with some players at times last year. The would give the ball up to a teammate with 3 or less on the shot clock to a teammate who has a guy right in their face or in a really bad position on the floor.
I didn't love Diarra's shot selection at times, but he at least tried to get it up on the rim most of the time when the clock was about to hit zero, and he hit a few of them as well.
If Reibe can handle himself defensively and stay out of foul trouble, I think when he's in, he will help spread the floor and by the end of the season be a really big part of what they are doing.

 

[ucp990411]

This is great and all, but when will he ever get rid of that dastardly high hedge?

Only when he admits defeat on that will I be ready to state that Coach Hurley can adapt to the times.

Is that you Chief? I love the high hedge if done with the proper rotations. Totally disrupts an offense

 

[champs99and04]

Trying to get from 15th back to top 3 again.

I think that can be accomplished through the personnel changes alone. Johnson and Diarra were good players that probably got asked to do a bit too much last year. I expect the presence of Demary plus the added Reed minutes (he'll probably play 25-27 as opposed to 20) to vault them back towards that territory.

The tempo part of it is more interesting to me because of how different the approach is from one coach to another around the country. Guys like Sampson, Painter, Hurley, Wright, etc. have enjoyed a lot of success slowing it down whereas the Pearl's, Pitino's, Few's and Oats' seem committed to doing it the opposite way. It might be the best big picture team-building debate going in the sport right now. I don't necessarily believe Hurley when he says they're going to play faster (lots of coaches say this every offseason and most don't follow though), but if they do it'd be a big change.

 

[Lafayette]

We were spoiled for two years having a guy 7’2” standing there waiting for anyone who came into the paint. Last year was obviously gross but before Donovan came to town, we weren’t exactly defensive stalwarts either. Very good, but not elite. Would love to get back to elite but I’ll settle for very good this season.

Last year, it was Samson Johnson leaving the paint like he was allergic to it, and teams used that to screen and send their guys to the hoop so Liam or AK had to quickly abandon their man and it costs us. Only once did I see Johnson come back for a block from behind.

Our backcourt was somewhat porous so a change to PG and Solo working on his D will help.

 

[Waquoit]

Giving the players more leeway to create helps development, increases their value. I trust the staff to find a way combine the freedom with their precision sets. Like that PGA commercial said "These guys are good."

 

[HooperScooper]

Similar article from the Hartford Courant with some other quotes from Hurley.

“I think we did a bad job last year of trying to fit a square peg in a round hole and then not being more flexible with adapting the way we play to the talent of those guys,” Hurley said. “We’re trying to work more on transition offense and getting better in one-on-one situations, getting our players to not be as reliant on the system.”

UConn men’s basketball won’t be so reliant on its complex offensive script for 2025-26 season

The UConn men’s basketball team has been working on playing more off-script this summer as two new ‘quarterbacks’ learn their role in directing offense.

www.courant.com

Alternate access:
UConn men’s basketball won’t be so reliant on its complex offensive script for 2025-26 season

 

[UconnU]

Not a fan of this. You should have a set system and recruit pieces for the system. With a 35 second shot clock you should be running sets every half court possession. I suspect the feedback they’re getting from recruits is that they don’t offer enough freedom but there’s freedom within the sets, e.g., Cam Spencer. It would have worked last year if we weren’t featuring an injured LM who couldn’t make an open shot.