UConn Basketball: Dan Hurley is a perfect fit for the Huskies
Dan Hurley was the hot name in the coaching market, with a big decision to make. On Thursday morning, he elected to go to UConn. What does that mean for the Huskies?
When the University of Rhode Island ended the team’s season in the Round of 32 of the NCAA Tournament, it was all but expected that Dan Hurley, the coach of the Rams would be leaving.
It made sense, as the team was losing the key contributors of the best run in program history, and would be going through a rebuilding phase in the near future.
There were two teams in hot pursuit of his signature – Connecticut, and Pittsburgh. The Panthers ended the disastrous Kevin Stallings era, while the Huskies parted ways with Kevin Ollie, after several bad years despite having decent talent.
There were pros and cons to both situations, and Pittsburgh’s offer of at least three million dollars a year multi deal was hard to give up. But according to ESPN’s Jeff Goodman, Hurley reached a decision.
BREAKING: Dan Hurley is headed to UConn, multiple sources told ESPN. Chose the Huskies over a more-lucrative offer from Pittsburgh, and also a long-term deal from URI. 6-year deal with UConn.
— Jeff Goodman (@GoodmanHoops) March 22, 2018
This was absolutely the right move for the former Rams head coach. Pittsburgh just went 0-19 in the ACC, and has already lost up to 10 players. It would’ve been a rebuild that might not pay off for at least five years.
UConn, on the other hand, has some good players, including Jalen Adams and Alterique Gilbert (if he can stay healthy).
With the exception of the surprising title run in 2014, the program has struggled in the AAC, not getting the recruits they once were able to in the Big East. But with UConn having a football program needing to have a home, there’s not much else they can do.
That’s why hiring a coach with a reputation for developing talent like Hurley is crucial, as the Huskies can now focus on making three-star recruits turn into quality players, rather than hoping pure athletes would develop into something they clearly weren’t.
That was the difference in watching both Rhode Island and UConn this season, as there was a clear identity with the Rams in how they play. There’s also going to be a name-ID factor with the Hurley name that will help the program recruit outside of the Northeast.
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There weren’t too many top coaching names UConn could get, so getting Hurley is a big splash that should turn the program around. And considering that the AAC will be more vulnerable at the top, he can make an immediate impact. It’s been awhile since the Huskies have been to the Big Dance, and the hire of Hurley will be ending the streak soon.