For UCONN Football, Change Has Been Rampant
By, Matt Schonvisky
The 2014 off season has been a period of change for the UCONN football program, change that has hit across the board. It started when former Notre Dame defensive coordinator Bob Diaco was named head coach on December 12, 2013. It continued when Diaco filled out the rest of his staff for the upcoming season, including the hiring of Sarah Lawless, the new Director of Football Operations.
Change has hit the roster as well. It was announced in January that three players were no longer with the team for academic reasons, as Joe Williams (RB), Xavier Hemingway (OL) and E.J. Norris (DE) have all seen their last days in Storrs.
Multi-year starters Tymeer Brown (S) and Shakim Philips (WR) decided to both transfer 79 miles to the northeast, joining former UCONN defensive coordinator Don Brown at Boston College. The former due to a neck injury, as the Huskies medical staff refused to clear the safety for play, something BC has given him. The latter is returning to the school where he started his career before transferring to UCONN in 2011.
In potentially the final roster changes as we head into the summer, Brendan Battles (DL) has decided to pursue a career in mixed martial arts and Lyle McCombs (RB) was dismissed from the team. Battles took to twitter on his move, “To put an end to the rumors, I have decided to not go back to UCONN. I have done this to get back to my dream of pursuing MMA.”
Perhaps the change that has had the largest impact thus far this off season, however, is something that has nothing to do with the coaches and players football abilities.
The marketing efforts that have come out of Storrs are unprecedented for the program that has long had a disconnect with its’ fan base.
The new head coach has hit the airwaves hard on many radio and television outlets. Nationally, there was an appearance on Jim Rome’s morning sports radio show. His performance sparked a 60-second promotional spot on the daily CBS Sports minute, a marketing effort that touches every CBS Sports radio affiliate nationwide.
Locally it has been hard to not have seen or hear Coach D on the airwaves.
Most recently in late May, Diaco made the rounds on the morning shows of Lite 100.5, Hot 93.7 and the home of the Huskies, News Talk 1080. He followed that up with appearances on WILI Radio, an AM station in eastern Connecticut and also joined I98.3.
Face the State, the Sunday morning news program hosted by Dennis House on WFSB Channel 3, had Coach Diaco on in March. The new coach talked about ticket sales, his hiring process and how he plans on bringing UCONN football to a championship level, on par with that of the men’s and women’s basketball programs.
Then there are the events that draw a direct connection to the current and future fans.
Diaco opened up a practice earlier this spring to any student that wanted to attend, giving them free pizza and a complimentary UCONN football shirt. This move held true to the promise he made during his introduction at Gampel Pavilion in January at the men’s basketball game against Louisville.
There is the Bob Diaco Buffalo Wild Wings tour, which the school has coined the ‘Summer Huddle.’ The coach will be at one Wild Wings location every Thursday in June, from 5:30 – 7:00 PM for a meet and greet, as well as a discussion about the upcoming season. Coach D was at the Windsor location on June 5th and will be in Manchester, Milford and North Haven respectively, over the remaining three weeks of the month.
Finally, June 25th marks a first for the program, as they will hold their inaugural “Women’s Football 101 Clinic,’ an event that is scheduled for women 21 years of age and over. Prior to the clinic there will be a social hour, including a meet-and-greet, food and cash bar, before taking to the field for drills and further instruction from the coaching staff and players.
It is clear that not only is the new head coach young, vibrant and energetic, but he also holds an innovative and unique mind in connecting his program with the people of the state of Connecticut. Building the UCONN football brand has been long overdue, but it is currently winning over many. Coach Diaco has already won his first season as head coach at UCONN in the eyes of some and it all happened without even calling one play. Just imagine what’s in store for the real thing.
August 29th can’t come soon enough.
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