Reports: UConn’s Dan Hurley Hits Bombshell Discusses Media Negativity: ‘I’m Giving Them Tons Of Clicks’

UConn’s Dan Hurley Addresses Media Criticism: ‘I’m Giving Them Tons of Clicks’

Dan Hurley, head coach of the UConn Huskies, has faced a fair amount of controversy this season, despite only being a year removed from winning back-to-back national championships.

The negative press surrounding Hurley began during the Maui Invitational in November, where he had multiple heated exchanges with officials. This led to a wave of criticism on social media and from various college basketball analysts, who launched a smear campaign against his behavior.

Hurley’s fiery interactions with referees have continued, including one instance where he was caught on camera telling an official to look at him because he’s the best coach in the sport.

While this passionate coaching style is nothing new for Hurley, his behavior has drawn more attention this season, as UConn has faced struggles in several games. With the team’s margin for error smaller than in recent years, Hurley has been more vocal about what he perceives as poor officiating.

Though some of the media’s reaction to Hurley this year may stem from jealousy, there have been instances where his behavior has crossed the line. On Friday, Hurley appeared on Mad Dog Sports Radio, where he discussed the challenges of coaching with intensity and the media frenzy surrounding him.

“My rocket fuel has been my intensity level and the passion that I coach with,” Hurley said. “When I’m wrong, I’m wrong. I’ll admit that. But when you’ve struggled so hard to get to this level, you think you’ll be celebrated once you have success. What you quickly find is that you don’t become beloved; you become hated by the fans of other programs. The media has figured out that I give them tons of clicks and things to talk about, but I don’t think coaches like me are a bad thing. Coaches who are intense and take a life-or-death approach to every game—that’s what makes sports great for fans.”

Hurley will be fired up when UConn faces St. John’s at Madison Square Garden on Sunday in a high-stakes Big East matchup.