After listening to University of Connecticut men's basketball coach Dan Hurley speak with Jon Rothstein of CBS on Wednesday, one thing became pretty clear to me.

When it comes to the keys for the 2026-27 version of the Huskies, Hurley is counting on one word: "jump."

Why? Because he's expecting several players to take a "jump" forward.

Speaking with Rothstein, he spoke about how the "jump" has become a staple of his program over the last few years. He mentioned the growth that Donovan Clingan saw from freshman to sophomore year, and said he expects the same from Braylon Mullins this year.

Hurley said that Mullins is going to be one of the most fun players to watch in college basketball. He also complimented his ability to be a defender and a rebounder, saying he does "winning" things in a way that other shooter/scorers don't do. He said Mullins has already gotten stronger and more physical and that will be part of what helps him grow in the upcoming season.

He said he expects the same "jump" from Silas Demary Jr., who could go from a really good junior guard to an All-American caliber guard as a senior. He's also counting on Na'jai Hines, a transfer from Seton Hall, to become one of the best centers in the country.

Together, these "jumps" will help provide the certainty that all coaches crave when thinking about their programs. They want to know what they can bank on, and Hurley is no different. He's trying to minimize the unknown.

Hurley spoke about the biggest X-factor for his team, the health of Solo Ball and if Ball could actually play this season, as well as how the team moves forward without Alex Karaban, who has moved onto the NBA with the Sacramento Kings.

--The latest edition of the "way too early" ESPN bracketology was released on Tuesday, with the Huskies being projected for a No. 3 seed. Perhaps more important than that was that the Big East was projected to get seven teams in the NCAA Tournament.

While a deeper conference makes things tougher for UConn on an individual game basis, it makes things better for them on a macro level. We examined the reasons why here.

--The Huskies also finalized multiple staff moves on Wednesday, including the hiring of new GM Charlie Stevens, which we first heard about over the weekend.