Storrs — When Dan Hurley took over the UConn basketball program in 2018, the talent pool was about as deep as a puddle.

He had few difficult decisions to make about doling out playing time.

Now entering his fourth season, that talent pool is significantly deeper. He's built the program's depth through recruiting victories and player development.

Players have to fight, scratch and claw for playing time. Practices leading up to the regular season opener on Nov. 9 will help determine roles.

It's the kind of situation that every college basketball coach would love to have.

"It's a really deep team," Hurley said earlier this week after the team's first official practice. "You feel like there's 10 guys vying for anything from potentially a starting role to almost anywhere from six through 10 off the bench.

"The competition here is fierce. I don't know that anyone's role is guaranteed beyond maybe a couple of guys in terms of sure thing, going to be starter, going to be a focal point guy. ... These next three or four weeks of practice into the closed scrimmages are going to determine roles to start the year, then those maybe even evolve based on players and young guys coming along."

The Huskies will be counting on returning veterans players this upcoming season as Tyler Polley, Isaiah Whaley, R.J. Cole, Tyrese Martin and Jalen Gaffney were all key contributors to last year's NCAA tournament team.

But few players have a stranglehold on a starting spot. Adama Sanogo, a sophomore forward that Hurley refers to as the best player on the team, is as close to a guaranteed starter as there is on the roster.

Hurley has no problem going with a younger player over a veteran, as he did last season when Sanogo started over senior Josh Carlton.

Talented newcomers like guards Jordan Hawkins and Rahsool Diggins and forward Samson Johnson will try to make their case. The plan for freshman Corey Floyd, Jr., is to get him ready so he'll contribute by next season.

"Those two guys in particular, their talent level, Jordan and Samson, is significant," Hurley said.

But the freshmen are "lost defensively" right now, Hurley added.

How the rotation shakes out, especially in the frontcourt, is one of the intriguing story lines.

Hurley has a lot of interchangeable parts, giving him the option to play a bigger or smaller lineup.

Whaley, Sanogo, redshirt junior Akok Akok, Johnson and redshirt sophomore forward Richie Springs will contend for time up front.

There are battles being fought on the perimeter as well. Cole, Martin, Andre Jackson and Gaffney are all vying to play important roles.

Hurley's biggest concern right now is getting consistent quality guard play.

"There's a lot of pressure on these guys on a daily basis to bring value to the court to help us win, or to play the role that we need them to play because there's a guy right next to them or behind them that wants those minutes," Hurley said. "It puts me in a great spot.

"This is like a far cry when you first get here and you feel handcuffed and you're just trying to figure out a way to put five guys out there. Now a good player that's not doing the things that we need him to do for us to win isn't going to play."

The Huskies all know that way to Hurley's heart.

Hurley demands relentless effort and energy every second of every practice and every game.

And you better dig in on defense, or you'll end up with a seat on the bench.

"People have to earn this role, not just expect it to be handed to them," Hurley said.

While the rotation will likely evolve throughout the season, the UConn Way will remain the same.

"Toughness and defense, that's always been the UConn Way since forever," Whaley said. "It's always toughness and defense and that's going to be our identity."

g.keefe@theday.com