November 25, 2024: Dan Hurley dropped to his knees, earning a technical foul. The reason? UConn’s Liam McNeeley had earned a foul on an offensive rebound as the team was tied 92-92 with the Memphis Tigers, with 40.3 seconds remaining at the Maui Invitational. But that was just one of the instances when the HC’s outbursts were on full display. From berating and literally pointing fingers at officials, to being held back by his assistant coach, Hurley’s sideline antics that day was just another blemish on his already tarnished reputation as a hot-headed man, as per many.

The sixth-year UConn coach, though, has never been particularly apologetic about his behavior. “It’s all about extreme confidence on game night. If I’m yelling at my players on game night, I suck as a coach,” he had told ESPN last year.

“People love to watch my teams because of the passion. You don’t play with that type of passion if you are sitting on the bench like you’re in a board meeting. You could either fight or could coach with fright. And I go with fight.” Unfortunately, as much as UConn fans love their passionate head coach, Hurley’s antics are, at times, over the top, which is exactly what basketball analyst Jeff Goodman pointed out.

Talking on ‘The Field of 68: After Dark’ podcast on December 27, in an episode titled, “FIELD OF 68 NEW YEAR’S SPECIAL! What resolution will your team receive for 2025?? | AFTER DARK”, FOX Sports’ John Fanta asked, “Let’s get started with the back-to-back reigning national champions that have won six in a row…The UConn Huskies are 10 and three, they’re undefeated on the mainland when they’re not at the Maui Invitational. Jeff, heading into 2025, what would be your resolution for UConn?”

Besides pointing out how the coach should stop taking shots at podcasters, Goodman opined, “I love Dan Hurley’s enthusiasm. I love his personality. I do think he’s great for the game. I’ve said that over and over and over, and you’re not going to find a better basketball coach in the country right now than Dan Hurley.”

“And you’re not gonna find a better basketball coach in the country right now than Dan Hurley. However, I still will say this. I still think he needs to tone it back down with the refs. Because even he admitted it two years ago, when he did that he was a better basketball coach and when he did that they started to go on that run that culminated with their first national title. However, I still will say this…I still think he needs to tone it back down with the referees, So Dan Hurley, I love the emotion, I love the intensity, but harness it with the referees,” he added.  

Hurley’s behavior went far beyond the typical coach-ref interaction. It’s clear that Hurley’s fiery intensity is a double-edged sword. On one hand, it fuels his team’s passion, but on the other, officials are starting to take notice. According to the rulebook, there are clear guidelines regarding coach conduct, specifically with bench decorum and the enforcement of the coaching box. 

In a section titled Major Officiating Concerns section of the 2024-25 NCAA Men’s Basketball Rules Book, it reads:

Top Comment by Urbanlegend

In close games especially, he’d be well-advised to adhere to R Pitino’s strategy of basically keaving the refs alone @...more

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Additional focus/attention should be given to:

2. The consistent enforcement of bench decorum, the coaching box and unsporting conduct rules for both players and bench personnel.”

As a coach who’s hardly confined to the coaching box, that’s definitely a problem. And then there was another section in the rulebook that clearly mentioned,

Art. 2. Bench personnel committing an unsportsmanlike act including, but not limited to, the following:

a. Disrespectfully addressing an official.

b. Attempting to influence an official’s decision.

c. Using profanity or language that is abusive, vulgar or obscene, or using derogatory remarks or personal comments during the game relating to race, ethnicity, national origin, religion, gender, gender expression, gender identity, sexual orientation or disability.

d. Taunting or baiting an opponent.

e. Objecting to an official’s decision by rising from the bench or using gestures.

f. Inciting undesirable crowd reactions.

g. Fighting by bench personnel as in Rule 10-5.

h. Disrespectfully contacts an official or makes a threat of physical intimidation or harm to include pushing, shoving, spitting, or attempting to make physical contact with an official.

i. Causing contact that is unnecessary, unacceptable, excessive or extreme during a live or dead ball.

The rules are strict. But it’s hard to reconcile this behavior with the ‘mild-mannered’ coach who led UConn to its first national title. Back in those days, the Huskies HC was praised for his calm demeanor.

Fast forward two years, and with the pressure of a possible third championship, Hurley seems to have lost his cool more frequently. Can this affect their long-term goal? Jeff Goodman certainly thinks so.

Referees see Dan Hurley as a problem?

The analyst has previously raised concerns about the impact Hurley’s actions could have on UConn’s long-term success. Goodman pointed out that many referees are now talking about Hurley and agreeing that his approach needs to change.

 “A ton of refs reached out to me, and I talked to a bunch. They’re all on the same page,” Goodman shared. The question now is whether Hurley will adjust his approach before it costs his team. The situation is becoming a bit of a ticking time bomb. 

Goodman has suggested that during Big East play (although they have won both Big East games for now), referees may start banding together to clamp down on Hurley’s behavior. As he put it, “If Dan Hurley is still at this level… does the crew of Big East officials band together and say, ‘You know what? We’re not gonna take this anymore?’”

For the time being, UConn remains ranked 11th with their young roster. They’ve clinched key wins over tough opponents like Baylor and Gonzaga after Maui horrors. But with Hurley still holding his fiery demeanor, the question remains: Can they keep it together and secure that elusive third consecutive title? Only time will tell!