Q&A: Rhode Island coach Dan Hurley
Rhode Island coach Dan Hurley is the older brother of Arizona State coach Bobby Hurley and the son of legendary New Jersey high school coach Bob Hurley. Dan Hurley’s Rams play OU on Thursday in the NCAA Tournament.
Q. Are you aware of how much your name has been connected to the Pitt coaching vacancy?
Hurley: “Social media age, for me to sit up here and say I have no awareness … wouldn't be truthful. But I haven't thought one second about any other team or program or what city I'm playing in, relative to who has a coaching vacancy. This is a special group of players … this program has become special. It's our second straight trip to the NCAA Tournament after not being in one for a long time, and we built an amazing thing at Rhode Island. So that's really the only thing I've ever thought about during the course of this season. This team and our goals and trying to reach them. Coaching rumors with me is a great reflection for the University, our program, and these players have made me, I guess, attractive to other schools.”
Q. How do you approach the rumors with your players?
Hurley: “Earlier in the year, I think during one of our conference games, the student section was yelling at our bench, ‘hey, your coach is going to X school.’ In fact, (Daron) Russell asked me after the game, was I coaching the next game. Yeah, I had a conversation with him. The players -- internally everyone knows where my head is at. And they're used to it. It's been like that every offseason. It's happened a little bit sooner for them than it normally would, but this isn't the first time that my name has been connected to jobs. They understand the situation. And they're used to it, I'm used to it, and it's not a distraction at all.”
Q. You had a pretty visceral reaction to Bobby's selection into this tournament. Can you explain the emotions?
Hurley: “It was tremendous joy, and because of the format, I would like to thank CBS, or whoever decided to do it that way, alphabetically, so I could find out quickly. It was joy, and then a tremendous amount of just relief for Bob. I know how hard he works. I know how hard his team has worked. It was a tremendous relief, joy, all these things, because I knew how bad he wanted it for his team.”
Q. When is the last time you talked to Bobby? Also, I know your mom and dad are driving out to both games (Arizona State played in Dayton on Wednesday night). What is that going to be like for you guys having them at both games?
Hurley: “Yeah. We speak twice a day when it's at a critical point, when we need that support from each other. And for the most part, you know, also text messaging, just different things to keep each other's spirits up. My dad started our coaching tree, and we got into this together at Wagner College several years back. So we're each other's support system in this business, which is tough at times. The highs and lows, to be able to share those with your brother and support each other through those moments with your best friend, person that you love and care about, it's an amazing thing to go through with your brother. My parents, they would be driving a lot this week, and if Bob wins, they'll be headed to Detroit. They got their work cut out for them. But it's good because my dad needs to be kept busy because he's been driving my mother crazy the whole year. Just driving her crazy.”
Q. Going up against Lon Kruger, a coach that had tremendous success, been at two Final Fours, taking five schools to the NCAAs. When you match up to another coach with a resume’ like that, does that give you a little extra juice?
Hurley: “Me and Bob were talking about that last night. ‘You're coaching against Jim Boeheim tomorrow night in the NCAA Tournament.’ That's pretty cool. Playing Oklahoma from the Big 12, one of the most talked about college teams in the country this year with one of the most talked about college basketball stars in recent memory as a freshman. And a coach of his caliber, how could you not feel like it's an amazing opportunity, and something that's just thrilling? It's thrilling to be a part of the NCAA Tournament. It's hard to get into this tournament. There's a lot of really, really good teams that didn't get in. It's a thrill to be here, but to see that Oklahoma flash, it's just added some extra sizzle to it.”