There's high confidence Bruce Pearl can successfully replace Dan Hurley at UConn

The Field of 68's Jeff Goodman believes Auburn's Bruce Pearl could successfully replace Dan Hurley at UConn amidst rumors the Los Angeles Lakers are trying to poach the two-time defending national championship head coach from the Huskies.

In fact, Goodman believes Pearl is the "only" name that UConn should have on their radar if the Lakers are successful in their Hurley pursuit.

“The only name, here’s the only name I would go after, there’s one,” Goodman said on his podcast (h/t On3). “If I was David Benedict, I would take that swing at, you know who it is? Bruce Pearl. That’s the only one for me. He’s from Sharon, Massachusetts. He’s down in Auburn now. He’s done an unbelievable job.

“He’s been successful everywhere he’s been. He’s got the personality to match Hurley. If there’s anybody that could keep that fan base riled up to the level that Hurley has riled him up and gotten him going over the last couple of years, it is Bruce Pearl. So if I’m Dave Benedict, that’s the only name that’s the only name I call.”

Indiana, not UConn, is Bruce Pearl's dream job

UConn has never been linked to Bruce before. Goodman may just have a thing against Auburn, wanting to see the Tigers go back to the pre-Pearl dark ages on the hardwood. Most Tiger fans would agree.

A team that has been linked to the 64-year-old is Indiana, which looked like it was heading toward firing Mike Woodson but ultimately stuck with the former New York Knicks coach. Pearl has called IU his "dream job," which makes them a threat, but not an imminent one.

Pearl likely understands what getting over the hump would mean in East Central Alabama: immortality. He still has plenty of energy and likely has many years left of coaching. If he wins the big one on the Plains, no one would bat an eye if he took the Hoosiers job and passed Auburn over to his son, Steven.

He likely has ambitions to win that big one first, and until he does, none of these other rumors matter.