Innocent question: How would this team look under Calhoun?

[ARIDE]

First and foremost, really like what Hurley is doing and in no way at all is this post meant as an indictment of him. We fans have our guy IMO. Simply curious, how do you think Calhoun would approach this team, and in what ways would they look different on the court and starting lineup/substitutions? I'd imagine he'd also have these guys at 10-0 with a similar ranking.

(And please, just asking about Calhoun.)

Really...this is what u r thinking about..?

 

[FfldCntyFan]

What I really want to know is how would the 1998-1999 team have looked if Red Auerbach was the coach.

 

[Travelman6]

Really...this is what u r thinking about..?

So what

 

[giddyup]

I don’t think there would be much difference other than a whole lot more screaming and quick hooks of the guards until they get it through their head he doesn’t want turn overs. But, it would be the same

 

[Improviser]

Who cares? How we would do under Burr Carlson is what I want to know.

With these players, they would not have a 5-19 record even with him as the coach.

Though, he did not have by a mile, anything close to the players on this team.

 

[Huskyforlife]

Not sure about the team, but I’d love to see some recycled ray and rip sets taught by the goat to Hawkins.

 

[pj]

Calhoun must be admiring the job Hurley is doing with this team. Happy days for him to see the program well settled.

 

[Travelman6]

Calhoun must be admiring the job Hurley is doing with this team. Happy days for him to see the program well settled.

That was my initial thought that then led me to think, how would he do with this team? I think through 10 games, the results would be the same, but how he would arrive at 10-0, as others have said, would look different.

 

[jayteeman]

I could see JC, with this team, at the ending moment of the championship game lifting both arms jumping for joy, and a second later composing himself to shake hands with the losing coach

 

[HuskyWarrior611]

I could see Hawkins' confidence crushed with how delicate mentally he seemed last year. Especially final-stage crusty Calhoun

I disagree here. Still think he was crushed because Hurley didn’t give him any rope.

While Calhoun had a quick hook, it was so he can have a teaching moment. Not because he didn’t trust you. He’d get you back in the game and it’s why his hooks worked so well.

Think Hurley is doing a much better job of letting guys play through mistakes this year. Hawkins makes some of the same mistakes he did last year still while playing better defense but is allowed to play through them now.

 

[NJHoops]

I thought the problem was that Hurley was too much a player’s coach and didn’t pull guys or get on them when they messed up? And then he had too quick of a hook? Have some of you ever considered that you already have what your end belief is, facts be darned, and then you throw out any old piece of info, right or wrong, that makes it fit?

Jordan has improved his ability to have a shorter memory. You mess up? It’s over, move on and don’t let it impact the next play.

And, to answer the question, I imagine he would have them at 14-0 after 10 games.

 

[HuskyWarrior611]

I thought the problem was that Hurley was too much a player’s coach and didn’t pull guys or get on them when they messed up? And then he had too quick of a hook? Have some of you ever considered that you already have what your end belief is, facts be darned, and then you throw out any old piece of info, right or wrong, that makes it fit?

Jordan has improved his ability to have a shorter memory. You mess up? It’s over, move on and don’t let it impact the next play.

And, to answer the question, I imagine he would have them at 14-0 after 10 games.

He moves on because he’s on the court to do so. If he played like he is now last year he’d get pulled for his cold starts and turnovers. He’s on the court long enough now to play through them. That’s the only difference and his defense.

 

[Husky25]

I think he would start both Clingan and Sanogo.

Would brings back memories of Thabeet and Adrien. Come to think of it, Am I crazy to think how it's uncanny how the personnel on this year's team match up to 2008-'09.

Sanogo ≅ Adrien
Clingan ≅ Thabeet
Karaban ≅ Edwards
Jackson ≅ Robinson
Hawkins ≅ Dyson
Joey C. ≅ Kemba

Jackson is a much better ball handler than Robinson was, but Austrie, Price, and Beverly, collectively have a leg up on Newton, Alleyne, and Diarra. At least at the moment.

No.

Why not?

 

[WhereistheDove?]

Why not?

Because I think Calhoun was smart enough to adapt with the times and not try to force a style that doesn't work today. Defensively, it would be a disaster with Sanogo trying to keep up with perimeter fours (and immediately getting into foul trouble) and offensively, it would really handicap the spacing of the team.

 

[Husky25]

Because I think Calhoun was smart enough to adapt with the times and not try to force a style that doesn't work today. Defensively, it would be a disaster with Sanogo trying to keep up with perimeter fours (and immediately getting into foul trouble) and offensively, it would really handicap the spacing of the team.

Makes sense in that case. Thanks for your POV.

On the other hand, I recall Calhoun being stubborn at times, particularly in terms of half-court offense. Hurley's offense has more motion and less isolation...entry passes to Sanogo notwithstanding.

If not start, I do think he would play Sanogo and Clingan together a few times for a few minutes/game, matchup dependent. Not everyone has the quality perimeter 4..

 

[dennismenace]

Calhoun is still around, around more now giving his pointers. Hurley hired Tom Moore look at the recruiting since he’s been hired. This does actually have a Calhoun team feel to it. Hurley has taken great advantage of the coaches he has to talk to at his disposal.

Especially the racehorse basketball runouts. Love it!

 

[Leebo]

Is this the hypothetical 80-year-old never-stopped-being-the-UConn-head-coach Calhoun?

Have a feeling the roster would be different to begin with.

 

[UofCT]

Because I think Calhoun was smart enough to adapt with the times and not try to force a style that doesn't work today. Defensively, it would be a disaster with Sanogo trying to keep up with perimeter fours (and immediately getting into foul trouble) and offensively, it would really handicap the spacing of the team.

I wouldn't call Sanogo defending a perimeter four a disaster. A perimeter four trying to guard Sanogo would be a disaster.

 

[Steve UConn72]

Who cares? How we would do under Burr Carlson is what I want to know.

Burr Carlson - coach my freshman year. 5-19. Enter Dee Rowe....

 

[WhereistheDove?]

I wouldn't call Sanogo defending a perimeter four a disaster. A perimeter four trying to guard Sanogo would be a disaster.

He’d be on the bench with foul trouble almost immediately. Imagine him trying to D up Kaluma against Creighton. It would go very poorly. And then on offense you’d just clog up the paint with the two bigs. Outside of VERY specific circumstances, it’s just a bad idea in the modern game and I think Calhoun (as Hurley clearly is) is smarter than that.

 

[Drumguy]

What would this team look like under Jim Calhoun? Like talented 9 to 12 year olds since that’s what they were back in 2013.

And if you take their 2020 bodies - they'd look tall.

 

[HuskyHawk]

Whenever I see "Innocent Question" in a Boneyard thread title, what I really think it means is:

 

[Waquoit]

Whenever I see "Innocent Question" in a Boneyard thread title, what I really think it means is:

Maybe we should have an "IQ" prefix now.

 

[UofCT]

He’d be on the bench with foul trouble almost immediately. Imagine him trying to D up Kaluma against Creighton. It would go very poorly. And then on offense you’d just clog up the paint with the two bigs. Outside of VERY specific circumstances, it’s just a bad idea in the modern game and I think Calhoun (as Hurley clearly is) is smarter than that.

You do bring up a good point about the foul trouble and I guess Calhoun usually had a third & fourth big on the bench who could come in if one of his two starting bigs got in foul trouble.

I keep thinking back to 2006 when Calhoun started Boone and Armstrong but he also had Adrien & Ed Nelson off the bench or a 6'9 Rudy Gay could slide over. I don't think we have that kind of depth this year but Samson could change that.

 

[HuskyHawk]

Maybe we should have an "IQ" prefix now.

Perhaps. The OP is the guy handing out the wiffle bat, for anybody unsure of this.