Reports: UConn locks up Hurley

[the Blades]

 

[KhalidShockedTheWorld]

I remember the general move by Chris Smith which he describes although not that specific move. I think Hurley’s assessment of himself as a player is accurate. He was heady but not physically gifted.

 

[the Blades]

 

[the Blades]

I remember the general move by Chris Smith which he describes although not that specific move. I think Hurley’s assessment of himself as a player is accurate. He was heady but not physically gifted.

He told a good Ray Allen story in the full presser too, said he was guarded by Ray and shot about 3-15...."And then said...."Ray being the nice guy that he was says, you all right ?"
But I did noticed he has one thing on KO already.... he was a better scorer in college that KO was... averaged about 14 pts a game his last 2 year in the Big East:
Dan Hurley College Stats

 

[the Blades]

 

[the Blades]

 

[the Blades]

 

[the Blades]

 

[KhalidShockedTheWorld]

I watched the entire presser and what interested me most about it is that Hurley stated, flat out, that this is not the same category of rebuild project he had at Wagner or at Rhode Island. He doesn't see a bare cupboard and he is ready to win, now.

 

[dbaum_]

Very very happy that we were able to land Dan Hurley as our basketball coach. He has been a model of consistency and comes from a coaching family. He is the right fit for us and could not ask for a better candidate. After all the struggles over the past few seasons, it is a breath of fresh air to have a coach of his pedigree and integrity. He will make an immediate impact on the program and will take pride in representing the university the right way.

Welcome to the UConn family coach!

 

[CaNOLEE]

I was dreaming of Donovan, but it was just that, a dream.

But in reality, this is a grand slam hire because I expect him to be here 10+ years and have us back where we belong, playing Late in March and early April.

He's a humble basketball lifer, that is obsessed with winning.

As for the roster, we've seen glimpses from Vitale, Whaley, Carlton, Diarra, Polley, Williams and Wilson could be better than all of them. There just was never any consistency and that is on the former staff for not developing them or teaching winning bAsketball. Can't kill them for Gilbert, that is bad luck. But you wonder if he was rushed back to be the savior.

Hope Adams comes back. He can finally turn into the superstar he should be with better/more demanding coaching.

 

[KhalidShockedTheWorld]

I look at the roster and although it's not great talent coming back, the guard talent is very good if Jalen comes back, the wings are solid players, and all that is really needed is a stellar big man who can preferably play D, rebound and be a modest scoring threat to compliment Carlton. Then perhaps the potential is there for an NCAA tournament team. Hurley will need a few years to bring in his own players. I feel a lot better about the Hurley hire after listening to his press conference. If all players return and a solid big man recruit is brought in, the team can be good. It's not a major rebuild.

Another thing is that I don't think Hurley buys into all the negativity surrounding the AAC. If he did, he would be at Pitt. He does not buy the "P5 or bust" mentality. He believes UConn can be a big fish in the small AAC pond and carry the league. If he didn't, he would not be here. So from that standpoint and the feelings he made clear at his presser, I feel much better about his hire and officially putting the Ollie Era in the rear view mirror.

 

[the Blades]

Another thing is that I don't think Hurley buys into all the negativity surrounding the AAC.

+1...... The bottom line is do your job, skip all the BS and win. The narrative that was being put out there by way to many media types, like Vitale, etc. is Uconn being in the AAC ( you know... where they won a NC) is what created all KO's problems. I even remember Donny Marshall making excuses for him that " this wasn't what KO signed up for " in a telecast....I call BS...Did KO mind taking the $3.4 million to coach here? Was it the AAC that had him dissin' his entire "Uconn family" coaching staff ? And for all the media experts that say you can't recruit in the AAC what happened to the #8 Recruiting Class (2016 Team Rankings) in the country, that he had just 2 years ago ? Was it the AAC's fault that KO was bleeding players to the NBA who weren't ready, while he ran 4 star recruits off the team? One an All-AAC freshman ( that the dumb ass played Larrier, who was a dud, in front of ) and 2 bigs that he never developed who had no problem finding homes at high level BB schools .

So the excuses are all BS..... these were KO's problems, winning cures all and you need a guy who believes he can get it done, who will work and that can take on any OOC schedule that is put in front of him, like Geno does. The P-5 ( fit & financially ) is the only goal you need as far as CR, but unless that happens..Winning !

 

[the Blades]

Maybe Uconn finally has a coach who will make use out of the new $40 million practice facility:
UConn Men Will Have To Train Hard To Please Dan Hurley

Very telling:
It was not Dan Hurley, but his father, Bob Sr., the coach of St. Anthony’s in Jersey City, who put a finger on the task ahead.
“I looked today, they’re not as physically strong,” Bob Hurley Sr. said. “I thought I would see some bigger, kids a little bit thicker. The Rhode Island kids, an older team, they looked very strong, they had worked very hard on the conditioning and training.”

 

[KhalidShockedTheWorld]

Bob Hurley Sr. is right. A common theme the past 4 years for UConn has been weak or substandard rebounding. It’s been a consistent problem area and it prevented the team from competing with better competition. A game that epitomized this was when UConn last played Duke. It was right after Brimah had dropped 40 on Coppin State. Against Duke Brimah immediately got in foul trouble and had zero points and was a nonfactor. Except for one breakout game against SMU Brimah was a nonfactor most of his career. He was a microcosm of all the big men under Ollie. They were all deficient rebounders. I thought Cobb and Onuorah might at least board, but neither one was anything close to a horse on the boards. Horses are needed. This year in the Villanova game UConn was smoked on the boards. Never used to see this happen until the last 4 years.