Attempting to quash a reporter’s viral Dan Hurley video makes UConn look bad

Dan Hurley isn’t the first coach to rage against the referees, and he won’t be the last. Officials always make for a convenient scapegoat. When all else fails, blame them. It’s easier to point the finger than to look in the mirror. 

Hurley torching the refs following Connecticut’s 77-75 second-round exit against Florida wasn’t particularly surprising. Exactly what he said and where he said it made it newsworthy. As he left the Lenovo Center court, Hurley said to the Baylor Bears, who were getting ready for their game against Duke, “I hope they don’t f*ck you like they f*cked us. I hope they don’t do that to you, Baylor.”

Many coaches think this. Not many say that out in the open at the NCAA tournament.

The viral video footage was captured by Joey Ellis of Queen City News. That image and these words come in stark contrast to the more polished version of Hurley at the postgame press conference as the two-time defending national champions saw their dynasty end.

Dan Hurley exiting the arena after UConn’s NCAA Tournament loss to Florida, presumably about the officiating:

“I hope they don’t f*ck you like they f*cked us. I hope they don’t do that to you, Baylor.” #MarchMadness

(via @Jellis1016) pic.twitter.com/LTtRkSCkpf

— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) March 23, 2025

So, which is the real Dan Hurley? Both. He’s a great coach whose emotions run high and whose behavior rubs some people the wrong way. In his rawest moments, Dan Hurley was his truest self. And yet it seems someone wanted to scrub that from the official record.

According to Gabe McDonald of Charlotte Sports Live, UConn’s director of communications Bobby Mullen allegedly threatened Ellis, saying he would “ruin his life” if the video wasn’t taken down. If true, that’s disturbing. Also, the response is ridiculous. A UConn statement read: “The lasting image of Coach Hurley leaving the court should’ve been his walking off the court arm-in-arm with his seniors, overwhelmed with emotion. Instead, a reporter, who was in an area he should not have been, recorded on his cell phone a private comment made to members of another coaching staff.”

While it’s understandable that the university would want Hurley seen in the best possible light, this is Dan Hurley. The administration knows that. You can’t hide his behavior by attempting to remove it from the internet or minimize it. This wasn’t a “private moment.” It’s not like Hurley was near the locker room whispering his complaints to Baylor coach Scott Drew. As the video clearly shows, several people were within listening distance. Hurley didn’t attempt to hide what he was saying. He said what he said so clearly and loudly that people in Waco could hear it.

Was the reporter standing in an “off-limits” spot? Maybe. But those areas aren’t always clearly marked. If the media is in a place it shouldn’t be, usually the security staff or police will quickly inform them. To be fair, not everything a coach says or does is for public consumption. You must use judgment. However, recording a coach yelling about the referees right after a season-ending loss falls under fair use.

UConn should have just left this one alone. Allegedly threatening Ellis makes the school look bad. There are more effective ways to stand by your coach. For better or worse, Hurley is authentic. That has value. He is one of the sport’s biggest stars. This rant only adds to his aura and probably will make him even more lovable to his constituents. Fans always think the referees are against them.

What doesn’t help UConn is bullying the media for simply doing its job and showing Hurley in his natural state.