Very ahead of themselves actually.
Otherwise it will be hard NOT to improve over last year.
Still, we will likely be predicted last to start the season.
Danny Hurley
- Thread starter zucca
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Otherwise it will be hard NOT to improve over last year.
Still, we will likely be predicted last to start the season.
Much will depend on how improved some of the leftover guys are. In particular Terrell Brown, Peace and Samson. If Pitt can get some inside game from those guys the season could be pretty interesting. Pitt won't be winning the ACC anytime soon for sure, but they could climb to the middle of the pack with some great leaps forward by a few holdovers.
I said for months I preferred a top assistant to a low HC because of existing recruiting connections. Capel is the absolute best case scenario for that.
I personally think Hurley might have a longer, more successful HC career than Capel, but I think it’s going to take him longer to transition to the big stage, and it probably would’ve been even harder for him to do that at Pitt than UConn.
I honestly think Pitt needed a fast return to stability and success more than it needs a long, slow, sustained return to excellence. If Hurley had faltered out of the gate here, we might never have recovered. If Capel gives us even five years of above average basketball, we’ll be well positioned to hire another good coach after him.
I personally think Hurley might have a longer, more successful HC career than Capel, but I think it’s going to take him longer to transition to the big stage, and it probably would’ve been even harder for him to do that at Pitt than UConn.
I honestly think Pitt needed a fast return to stability and success more than it needs a long, slow, sustained return to excellence. If Hurley had faltered out of the gate here, we might never have recovered. If Capel gives us even five years of above average basketball, we’ll be well positioned to hire another good coach after him.
So far Capel has won the recruiting battle, next step is who'll improve their team the fastest! I'll say games won from last season and over the next 2-4 seasons!
And Capel is in a situation like Hurley has been before with much improvement to be made between where we were and where we hope to be.
I wouldn't exactly call Hurley a low HC. The A10 obviously isn't the ACC, but it's a league that always gets multiple bids, and whose top teams are frequently ranked. You might note how Xavier stepped out of the A10 into the BE, and had absolutely no trouble competing with those teams from day one. It's not like he's coming out of the MAAC, or AE. Also, while Capel was an asisstant, he's also been a head coach at a school that most would consider a step above Pitt. It's not the same situation as Wojo leaving Duke to go to Marquette with no head coaching experience.
I’m in the camp that thinks Pitt got the best man for them . Everything being equal I believe it will be easier to win and recruit at UConn , but things aren’t equal . It’s a lot easier to win in UConns conference so judging solely on W/L records won’t truly reflect on whose the better coach . Early results show that JC is the better recruiter of the two , but it’s early and can he assemble a complete roster and then develop them into a cohesive unit .
Unless they start playing a series the best way to judge whose the better coach will be long term success in the Big Dance .
Ps ... not really sure why this is important , it’s not like Pitt had a choice of the two . Hurley was never really interested in Pitt and used them as only a bargaining chip . Pitt got the best coach who wanted to be their coach !
Unless they start playing a series the best way to judge whose the better coach will be long term success in the Big Dance .
Ps ... not really sure why this is important , it’s not like Pitt had a choice of the two . Hurley was never really interested in Pitt and used them as only a bargaining chip . Pitt got the best coach who wanted to be their coach !
Exactly! Pitt hit a home run with Capel. Doesn't mean that Hurley wouldn't also have been a home run. Also doesn't mean that 5-6 years from now, we won't be kicking ourselves for not going hard after Nate Oats, or that we won't be relieved that we didn't. Time will tell.
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Like I said, in theory I agree with you...BUT, the fact still remains that Hurley hasn't coached with any big boys yet. He could be a rock star or he could get exposed. We just don't know. And I'm not sold nor am I buying your notion that the bad was all Capel's fault either. All anyone can really agree on is, it's a mixed bag and no one can really say what Capel will be, coaching wise. He's excelled - evidenced by the 30+ win season and he's failed.
