You guys have gone off the deep end!

[mauconnfan]

Two more years.

I actually expect us to take a step backwards next year, then a big step forward in '23-24. If we're not a Sweet 16 team that year, then he's on the hot seat for 24-25.

This is a fair time for judgement I agree! And the assessment is spot on without some amazing gifts in the portal the fire will get hotter for the following year. Time will tell.

 

[Umami Zen]

Roster construction next year will be young and talented.. Dan Hurley has a blank canvas next season without the senior/super senior leadership that he had this year. Unless or if he populates next year's team with some veteran players from the portal-- It will be on him/them to navigate through the challenges of the BE.

PT is available and the next 45-60 days should give us an idea of who we go to war with. It won't be dull.

The only thing that's constant is change.

 

[sledog]

IS this it?

 

[GotNets?]

My analogy would be very different. I say the Hurley Haters remind me of

Cronin at Cincinnati
Dixon at Pittsburgh
Barnes at Texas

Where successful coaches were run out of town by people who didn't what they had

I find the hate for Hurley appalling, mind-blowing, unfathomable.... some combination thereof

PS: And I think we need to remember that we were playing great at the end of year two. The only reason he may not have won a post season game that year was because there were no post season games played that year

I respect all those coaches and they may have been run out of town to a degree, but UConn should have much better results than any of those guys delivered at those schools.

We can all agree they’re very good coaches, and they fielded very good teams at their respective schools, but they never got it down in March. Cronins a great coach, for example, but it wasn’t until he took that prowess and combined with the UCLA platform that he really made waves. The combination of great coach + great program should yield similar results at UConn.

If you’re comfortable with that kind of outcome, where you’re making the tourney and maybe winning a game or two, which most would consider fine, then it’s just a difference of opinion.

 

[GotNets?]

My analogy would be very different. I say the Hurley Haters remind me of

Cronin at Cincinnati
Dixon at Pittsburgh
Barnes at Texas

Where successful coaches were run out of town by people who didn't what they had

I find the hate for Hurley appalling, mind-blowing, unfathomable.... some combination thereof

PS: And I think we need to remember that we were playing great at the end of year two. The only reason he may not have won a post season game that year was because there were no post season games played that year

Per the PS, thats fair about year 2. It’s the great unknown unfortunately for Hurley. It’s like a bad whistle — we’ll never know and it’s gone.

 

[kemba]

I respect all those coaches and they may have been run out of town to a degree, but UConn should have much better results than any of those guys delivered at those schools.

We can all agree they’re very good coaches, and they fielded very good teams at their respective schools, but they never got it down in March. Cronins a great coach, for example, but it wasn’t until he took that prowess and combined with the UCLA platform that he really made waves. The combination of great coach + great program should yield similar results at UConn.

If you’re comfortable with that kind of outcome, where you’re making the tourney and maybe winning a game or two, which most would consider fine, then it’s just a difference of opinion.

I’m not fine with that outcome as a ceiling for the program under Hurley but considering that we’ve improved every year he’s been here, we’ve recruited at a high level, and the recruiting only seems to be going up, I have no reason to think that we’re there. Tournament success will come. If those things change, then I’ll re-evaluate.

 

[UCSouth]

IS this it?

View attachment 74677

Great albums...better than the takes on here for sure

 

[Meego1963]

Coach C is a tuff act to follow UConn basketball will never get back to top until UConn start recruiting the type of player coach C did there's no NBA players on the roster yet one or two maybe in a couple of years if they developed blaming a coach who has been gone four years for a lost is insane until UConn get the players they use to get the program will be just going to march madness not cutting down the nets not keeping the coach is crazy talk

 

[98Uconn]

We’ve improved every year.. in my humble opinion, I think Hurley got these players up to the peak of their individual ceilings for the most part.
And for those saying, Calhoun had more success at this point yadayadayada… I don’t think we can underestimate the role of Covid in bringing the younger guys into the mix more ant creating more depth…. As far as saying that Hurley always allows one player to go off against is.. yes that happens, but to me that’s a UConn thing, not just a Hurley thing. I remember that happening often even under JC. Someone always has a career night against us.
Of course Dan Hurley has room to improve X’s and O’s And even his temperament, but I believe he’ll get there.
We missed more bunnies this year than any team I’ve ever seen.. that’s not on the coach.. his job his to get them those looks.. and those misses literally cost us pretty much every kids this season.
I’m as disappointed as anyone in the way we ended.. but not surprised.. given our makeup we had the potential to play perfectly and put together a nice run.. or drop a stinker and go out just as we did.
But alas, I am optimistic. I am thrilled we are relevant again and I thoroughly enjoyed this season.

 

[giddyup]

I understand your frustration. I for one never thought that this team was talent laden, though. Did you?

Isaiah whaley became a legit player under Hurley. His growth was tangible. Also, you don't think Cole and Tyrese benefited from playing under Hurley? I don't think he ran them into the ground. He actually increased their stock 10fold

So, the cupboard is bare after 4 years of recruiting. That’s a bit tough to believe.

 

[PAHusky]

Two more years.

I actually expect us to take a step backwards next year, then a big step forward in '23-24. If we're not a Sweet 16 team that year, then he's on the hot seat for 24-25.

I agree with everything you say, but that’s year 7 he’d be on the hot seat. 5 years with no tournament wins and 7 years before a sweet sixteen -assuming success in this timeline- frankly isn’t amazing. I like Dan Hurley but when you spell it out like this it’s pretty stark

 

[Travelman6]

My analogy would be very different. I say the Hurley Haters remind me of

Cronin at Cincinnati
Dixon at Pittsburgh
Barnes at Texas

Where successful coaches were run out of town by people who didn't what they had

I find the hate for Hurley appalling, mind-blowing, unfathomable.... some combination thereof

PS: And I think we need to remember that we were playing great at the end of year two. The only reason he may not have won a post season game that year was because there were no post season games played that year

Rick Barnes is notorious for choking. I hope Hurley stays for a good long time and he 100% should be fine now. But, if after 10 years he has a similar track record to Barnes...Yah, no.

12 losses in the first round (Calhoun had 2 if I recall, San Diego and Iowa St, as a comparison)
7 losses in the 2nd round.
19 times he did not make it to the second weekend, how many of those were top-seeded teams?
Just 3 sweet 16 and an elite 8 to show for all of that, and just one FF (where of course the one time he did break through it was to knock off UConn on the way, because, of course).

Seeds at Providence = 12, 8, 8 for an 0-3 record
Seeds at Clemson = 9, 4, 6 for a 2-3 record
Seeds at Texas = 7, 5, 6, 6, 1, 3, 8, 2, 4, 2, 7, 8, 4, 11, 7, 11 for a 19-16 record
Seeds at Tenn = 3, 2, 5, 3 for a 4-4 record

25-26 overall despite 12 times getting a top 5 seed!

7-10 since 2008-2009 in the tourney.

 

[Hankster]

I needed a shovel just to get through this Wow if he is such a great motivator where was that Thursday night. Highly regarded Xs and Os guys are plentiful. He coached against one and he didn’t even know it. Of all those in the Dance Dan Hurley most likely was at the bottom of the list. No Dan Hurley isn’t going to get fired but if he doesn’t get past the 1st weekend next year at minimum AD David Benedict can start growing a pair and put a real search team out.

My disappointment was we had the talent to go farther. Many fans including myself thought this was something special. It was in a way. During the year many posters mentioned about poor game management. Did we actually score coming out of a timeout? Did we actually score a basket with seconds on the shot clock coming out of a time out? Why is Sonogo 30 feet from the basket? I could go on and on. I have to admit there were valid concerns kin the Yard. Was Dan Hurley animated during the game like during the year? I didn't see any. You can't call for a coaches job who goes to the dance twice. However, getting beat in the first round twice is concerning.

 

[Matrim55]

I agree with everything you say, but that’s year 7 he’d be on the hot seat. 5 years with no tournament wins and 7 years before a sweet sixteen -assuming success in this timeline- frankly isn’t amazing. I like Dan Hurley but when you spell it out like this it’s pretty stark

Yup, but as long as the trendline is good and the high-level recruits keep coming in, he's got my trust that things will continue to improve.

 

[TJT]

What should the take be on this?

 

[JMick]

I agree with everything you say, but that’s year 7 he’d be on the hot seat. 5 years with no tournament wins and 7 years before a sweet sixteen -assuming success in this timeline- frankly isn’t amazing. I like Dan Hurley but when you spell it out like this it’s pretty stark

I'm expecting us to be a bubble team next year. He'll be on the hot seat going into the 2023/2024 season. The problem is that he's under contract through 2026/2027. So he's not going anywhere for a while.

 

[JMick]

What should the take be on this?

They can't afford his buyout

 

[navery12]

What should the take be on this?

It's a poor attempt at trolling, it's all that guy does on Twitter. He'd fit in well here

 

[JMick]

It's a poor attempt at trolling, it's all that guy does on Twitter. He'd fit in well here

It would cost them $15mm to hire him, plus the contract. Idk how much they're getting paid by Maryland but I doubt it's $15mm

 

[TJT]

It's a poor attempt at trolling, it's all that guy does on Twitter. He'd fit in well here

Makes sense now. I at first did not notice the account is JP and not PJ.

 

[CaptainRon]

Who the hell is JP Carlesimo? PJs dyslexic cousin?

 

[navery12]

It would cost them $15mm to hire him, plus the contract. Idk how much they're getting paid by Maryland but I doubt it's $15mm

His buyout is $15M? I thought it was around $5-6M now

 

[JMick]

His buyout is $15M? I thought it was around $5-6M now

I thought it reset with the extension. But they never posted details so I could be wrong.

 

[Tenspro2002]

We finished 21st in KenPom last year and are currently in 21st (could drop a bit based upon how the rest of March Madness plays out). The last time we had back-to-back Top 25 KenPom finishes was 2005 (15) and 2006 (4).

Winning % trend:

View attachment 74615

Efficiency trend:

View attachment 74616

Hurley's not a great in-game coach, and his inability to develop more ball-handlers/playmakers/shooters is a legitimate concern -- we've gone out in the first game twice in a row because of that. He needs to have a come-to-Jesus moment and realize the game has changed a ton in the past 35 years in some ways (shooting rules), but in other ways it's still the same (college hoops will always be a guard's game).

I don't know if he can/will do that. But the classes he's brought in this year and for next year, as well as the guys he's recruiting for 2023 says he recognizes the problem and is working to fix it.

So yes, the people who want him fired are nuts. But there are very, very legit concerns, and next year he needs to show progress in addressing them.

I think Hurley very clearly and concertedly went with a high-floor but low-ish ceiling strategy by bringing in guys like Cole and Martin, and retaining veterans like Whaley and Polley, to get us back to respectability quickly, even if it meant we would have a lower chance of getting lucky on some players and maybe making a deep run quickly.

But what that respectability bought us was credibility among recruits that the program was back, and that's clearly paying dividends in the last few recruiting classes.

The next step, yes, is to make good on those high-ceiling recruits and piece together a coherent roster with skills that mesh.

 

[navery12]

I thought it reset with the extension. But they never posted details so I could be wrong.

Looks like it's pretty low starting soon

Protection against a Hurley departure is built into the contract. The coach would owe UConn $10 million if he left before April 1, 2022; $6 million before April 2023; $4.5 million before April 2024; $3.5 million before April 2025; and $2 million before April 2026.

 

[KingAG]

I think Hurley very clearly and concertedly went with a high-floor but low-ish ceiling strategy by bringing in guys like Cole and Martin, and retaining veterans like Whaley and Polley, to get us back to respectability quickly, even if it meant we would have a lower chance of getting lucky on some players and maybe making a deep run quickly.

But what that respectability bought us was credibility among recruits that the program was back, and that's clearly paying dividends in the last few recruiting classes.

The next step, yes, is to make good on those high-ceiling recruits and piece together a coherent roster with skills that mesh.

He took the long approach. Where his plan sort of fell short was Gaffney being a bust. Gaffney slowed down the timeline

 

[OkaForPrez]

He took the long approach. Where his plan sort of fell short was Gaffney being a bust. Gaffney slowed down the timeline

I’m not ready to write gaff off yet. We’ve seen players become more from less in their senior years.

A surprise senior year from him could become a hell of a story, and that’s why we watch.

I don’t expect him to be great next year, I just accept it as possible. He’s shown the ability to hit open shots, to attack off the dribble. His decision making and ball protection have been considerably poor given his experience level but those things are more fixable than other sins.

I’m going to hold out hope for the young man.

His late season interview revealed a heartbreaking struggle to stay positive and keep pushing to better himself. A mental reset with the off-season and a little healthy job battle might be just what the doctor ordered.

It would feel good if he can make the right corrections.

 

[cullaville]

If you love Hurley, that's fine...with the players he has he should have won 20 plus games...taken the team to a spot in March Madness. But don't expect him to win in the NCAA's when you are eight men deep at most and rarely can put two players on the court that can put the ball in the basket. You know why they led the Big East in offensive rebounding? Because they miss so many shots! Forget about height get some kids that can score!

My thoughts exactly on the Offensive Rebounding staa

 

[JMick]

Looks like it's pretty low starting soon

Protection against a Hurley departure is built into the contract. The coach would owe UConn $10 million if he left before April 1, 2022; $6 million before April 2023; $4.5 million before April 2024; $3.5 million before April 2025; and $2 million before April 2026.

Never understood why the buyouts don't match on both sides.

 

[ThabeetDown]

I stayed away from The Yard until now b/c I knew this place would be on fire, I'm assuming I'm right. I want to preface this that losing to NM State is inexcusable and Hurley needs to make adjustments. This could have been a S16 team and it was fair to make that our expectations. But this team was flawed still and it showed on Thursday. We need to have a better go-to-scorer/a true PG (and that is no knock on RJ, he was the only guy who showed up second half vs NM State). No doubt about that. However, Hurely deserves to keep his job through at least the next two seasons.

I just wanted to point out some positives from this year:

• First time Preseason Top 25 since 2016-17
• First time being ranked 15 or higher since 2013-14
• First time being ranked in the final AP Poll since 2013-14
• First time being a 5-seed or higher since 2010-11
• First time making back-to-back tournaments since 2010-11/2011-12

All this was accomplished losing your top scorer to the NBA Draft Lottery and navigating a mid-season COVID stoppage. If we happened to beat NM State and then lose to Arkansas in a close one, how many of you are still mad? Yes, it's 2 seasons in a row we lost as the higher seed. But you have to take a look at where we were 2, 3, 4, 5 years ago! That is what drives me insane about calling for Hurley's job.

Next year will be a tough year. Losing Polley/Whaley. Most likely losing Cole/Martin. Potentially losing Sanogo (I am sure he will test the waters to a degree). You'll be starting a lot of underclass who were talented in HS but have not proved it at this level, so it will be some growing pains. No UConn team has went to 3-straight NCAATs since 05-06 mind you, so lets just manage our expectations going forward. The 23-24 team very well could be special if Hurley is able to develop the talent that's coming in. We've seen him do it with most (not all) of the guys he's brought in.