By KEN DAVIS
Connecticut men’s basketball coach Dan Hurley is back on the practice floor with his team after the unprecedented delay caused by the coronavirus pandemic. To say he is eager to begin the 2020-21 season would be a huge understatement, but Hurley admitted Monday it is unlikely the season will start on time in November.
“Without compromising the health of these players, and officials, and the staff, we desperately, desperately want to play,” Hurley said during a zoom call with members of the Connecticut media. “Obviously a lot has to do with testing, therapeutics, and potential vaccines. But I’ll do anything. We would do anything as long as we’re confident in the safety of whatever those plans would be.”
With colleges and administrators still facing difficult decisions regarding the fall sports schedule, there is great uncertainty regarding the basketball season. Recently there has been increased chatter about the possibility of eliminating non-conference games and delaying the start until the beginning of conference schedules.
The Huskies are returning to the Big East Conference for the 2020-21 season, a move that has created great anticipation on the campus and for UConn fans. There is a possibility that teams could go from conference schedules into postseason play.
“I do think it is unlikely that we’ll be able to go from where we’re at to playing in November,” Hurley said. “A conference like ours is certainly – with the leadership we have and the universities’ leadership – going to put together a plan to give ourselves an opportunity to play a Big East season, whether that starts at the end of December or January.
“When we get into the circle to close practice, it looks a lot more like UConn should look in terms of size and the optics of this team. We’re desperate to get out there.”
Members of the team started returning to the Storrs campus on June 19. Before they were cleared for workouts they were required to test negative for COVID-19 and then entered into modified isolation. Athletes then had to pass a physical exam before receiving clearance to begin training. The basketball teams began coach-supervised activities on July 20.
“There’s so many different elements to it,” Hurley said. “There are the protocols of the workplace with the check-ins in the morning with the questionnaire, the temperature check, following the flow of the building, always having a mask on. I pull my mask down quite a bit when I’m distanced far enough to try to yell to the other end of the court.
“We started with smaller groups initially and we’ve progressed to having as many as 10 players on the court and actually doing some live basketball. … This is as close to normal as it has come for us, practicing four days a week. You are asking young people to show a tremendous amount of personal discipline and consideration for others. For the most part these kids have done an excellent job, but I’m sure they’ll struggle with all the protocols at times.”
Given the fact that the players went 130 days without coaching supervision, Hurley said the Huskies are still playing catchup on the practice floor.
“It feels like we’re a month to six weeks behind,” Hurley said. “It’s nothing but positive messages here. We’re training and progressing to potentially being able to play 5-on-5 next week if everything works out for us in terms of testing. We’re working like we believe there’s going to be a season. We’re excited about it.”
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