Diaco an Innovator, Not Just on the Field

@MattSchonvisky

Bob Diaco has turned over yet another new stone, as he continues to roll out the unique start to his head coaching career at UConn. Monday’s press conference, featuring all four scholarship quarterbacks, was the first time to my knowledge, a starter has been named, at any level, in that manner.

It gave full visibility into his thought process, while giving access to all scholarship players at that position; Casey Cochran (the starter), Chandler Whitmer (the backup who will play), Tim Boyle (who will ideally red-shirt) and Bryant Shirreffs (who is ineligible due to transfer rules).

All four were able to share their thoughts on the decision, what they think about their role and how they each value Bob Diaco as their head coach.

While neither had met with the media to this point in camp, Diaco wanted to sequester the four from all contact with the outside world. There was an important job to do and they all competed, with no distractions.

When the competition was over, at exactly the time Diaco said at AAC Media Day it would be, he opened up the doors for each to talk about the competition and what will be expected of them throughout the year.

Through this process, Diaco did not just pump up Cochran for winning the job or Whitmer for coming back to school. He gave the stage to all four, in front of the media, revealing a philosophy held by the new head coach, which has become clearer and clearer since he first showed up in Storrs.

Every job in the program is as important as the next. While a starting quarterback was named, in the grand scheme of things, he possesses no more value than the backup, the look team quarterback or even the student manager.

Every single person associated with the program is equal, each has an effect on the team becoming successful. That is why fans and media are seeing one voice, one look and one heartbeat every time a member of the program is in the limelight. It is a buy-in that these parts and all of college football, haven’t seen for quite some time, if not, ever.

You do see it in the National Football League. There were some comparisons made yesterday insinuating Bob Diaco is Bill Belichick in terms of media availability. Belichick goes about his business as he sees fit. He does what will make his organization successful. His players halt their use of social media the second they cross into Massachusetts state lines. It’s a buy in that no one person is greater than the team. The second that is not the case, you’re gone.

Belichick is an unbelievable defensive mind and someone who at one time was so far ahead of every other coach in football, that it wasn’t even a conversation who the favorite was heading into each season. As the game has changed, others have caught up, but one thing has always remained the same.

His voice, how he handles the media and how his players respond to him, has never wavered.

While Diaco and Belichick are connected from both being in the Bill Parcells’ coaching tree, Diaco is far from the tight lipped Belichick when it comes to answering a question. You are sure to receive a detailed response, with a large amount of imagery and a certain point of motivation, that makes you want to run through a wall by the time Diaco is done.

The real story here, resides with Diaco himself. He is an innovator, he is a leader and he knows how to get through to players at the college level. Some did not know how to handle a situation on Monday they had never seen before. The players handled it flawlessly. They are all on board, his staff is one cohesive unit and that is really the only thing that matters.

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