Here's a little sunshine up your rear . . .

[TasteofUConn]

You can't turn a football program around in 1.3 seasons. Not possible. Sophomore coach. Freshman QB. Young team. The expectations I see on this board are obscene. Edsall had 4 non-winning seasons before breaking 500 in his 5th year. PP had a .357 win percentage during his infection of Storrs. Weist bumped that up to .375.

Edsall was 74 and 70.

PP and Weist were 13 and 23.

And it's not just absolute numbers; it's trajectory. Right? In sports, people often make the mistake of looking at season averages. They're informative, but not nearly as informative as the instantaneous numbers down the stretch. In simpler terms - a team that is 10 and 2 looks good. But if they've lost their last two, have guys out, and are playing gash, then their post season prospects are less than their record. Right?

It's easier to see in basketball. The Cavs last year, on the yearly averages, were very good, not great, because their season started out slow. But if you look at their instantaneous performance right before Love and Irving got hurt, they were the best team in the NBA, which belied their overall record and def/off performance numbers.

The Uconn program was on a decided downward trajectory as the Weistian embers of the PP era were still glowing. After two 5 and 8 seasons, PP started year three zero and 4. The line was not linear at a 5/8 clip with zero slope. No. It was pointing downward, with a negative slope and the prospects of a 2 and 11 type season. Weist managed 3 wins.

The instantaneous state of the program was sharply negative.

The reversal would not simply require a change of direction; it would require a cessation of the decline, a staunching of the blood flow, a recovery of the patient, and then, and only then, an ascension.

The outlandish expectations on this board are a reflection of the me-now-me-now-me-now world we're living in. NOW! I want it NOW! Crawl, then walk, then run.

The point of all of this is that HCBD is the right guy. The program is going in the right direction. The pace of change is better than we should have hoped for. The result of all of that rightness is not - and cannot be expected to be, a winning season. 6 and 6 is a phenomenal result, and puts us well ahead of schedule. 5 and 7 is a very good result. 4 wins is probably the target. 3 is a failure to reach par. 2 is disconcerting.

6 and 6 this year puts us in position to be 7 and 5 or 8 and 4 next year, with a junior coach and a sophomore QB. Invest now, reap rewards later. Irascible, irrational impatience is unbecoming a fan. If you don't already, learn to love the rebuilding. For one, I really love watching a team mature and grow, which is what is going on this year. Most of all - be positive - most positive, important vectors are pointing in the correct direction - the wins will come.

 

[whaler11]

Yeah pretty much I'm not sure why some expectations got completely out of line from beating Villanova and Army at home.

 

[cttxus]

You can't turn a football program around in 1.3 seasons. Not possible. Sophomore coach. Freshman QB. Young team. The expectations I see on this board are obscene. Edsall had 4 non-winning seasons before breaking 500 in his 5th year. PP had a .357 win percentage during his infection of Storrs. Weist bumped that up to .375.

Edsall was 74 and 70.

PP and Weist were 13 and 23.

And it's not just absolute numbers; it's trajectory. Right? In sports, people often make the mistake of looking at season averages. They're informative, but not nearly as informative as the instantaneous numbers down the stretch. In simpler terms - a team that is 10 and 2 looks good. But if they've lost their last two, have guys out, and are playing gash, then their post season prospects are less than their record. Right?

It's easier to see in basketball. The Cavs last year, on the yearly averages, were very good, not great, because their season started out slow. But if you look at their instantaneous performance right before Love and Irving got hurt, they were the best team in the NBA, which belied their overall record and def/off performance numbers.

The Uconn program was on a decided downward trajectory as the Weistian embers of the PP era were still glowing. After two 5 and 8 seasons, PP started year three zero and 4. The line was not linear at a 5/8 clip with zero slope. No. It was pointing downward, with a negative slope and the prospects of a 2 and 11 type season. Weist managed 3 wins.

The instantaneous state of the program was sharply negative.

The reversal would not simply require a change of direction; it would require a cessation of the decline, a staunching of the blood flow, a recovery of the patient, and then, and only then, an ascension.

The outlandish expectations on this board are a reflection of the me-now-me-now-me-now world we're living in. NOW! I want it NOW! Crawl, then walk, then run.

The point of all of this is that HCBD is the right guy. The program is going in the right direction. The pace of change is better than we should have hoped for. The result of all of that rightness is not - and cannot be expected to be, a winning season. 6 and 6 is a phenomenal result, and puts us well ahead of schedule. 5 and 7 is a very good result. 4 wins is probably the target. 3 is a failure to reach par. 2 is disconcerting.

6 and 6 this year puts us in position to be 7 and 5 or 8 and 4 next year, with a junior coach and a sophomore QB. Invest now, reap rewards later. Irascible, irrational impatience is unbecoming a fan. If you don't already, learn to love the rebuilding. For one, I really love watching a team mature and grow, which is what is going on this year. Most of all - be positive - most positive, important vectors are pointing in the correct directions - the wins will come.

Agree with all of this but what is absolutely fair game for criticism is the level/trajectory of mental mistakes. Yes, this team and HC are young, but for anyone who's played the game, it's one of those things that can torpedo all the other positive things you're accomplishing. It can wreck confidence, morale, momentum, etc. That level/trajectory of mental mistakes by players and coaches needs to be reversed, and fast, for real progress to continue.

 

[noeynox]

Good job. 4 wins was my prediction, with the hope that we be competitive and competent in losses. So far, we are where I realistically expected to be. There are some things that need to be cleaned up ASAP. Getting plays in without burning time outs should not be so hard. That penalty in the end zone is one of the most Bonehead ed I've ever seen.

All in all, I'm enjoying the turnaround.

 

[Palatine]

Yeah pretty much I'm not sure why some expectations got completely out of line from beating Villanova and Army at home.

I expect an occasional upset. A game where we beat a team that is better than us and we're expected to lose.

You now, like when SMU beat us. (From the SMU perspective not ours.) Not a moral victory, a real victory, something that gives real hope.

 

[huskymedic]

 

[junglehusky]

I expect an occasional upset. A game where we beat a team that is better than us and we're expected to lose.

You now, like when SMU beat us. (From the SMU perspective not ours.) Not a moral victory, a real victory, something that gives real hope.

The time for real hope is not after the victory. The time for real hope is before that victory. After the victory it's called a bandwagon.

 

[NavinRJohnson]

I expect an occasional upset. A game where we beat a team that is better than us and we're expected to lose.

You now, like when SMU beat us. (From the SMU perspective not ours.) Not a moral victory, a real victory, something that gives real hope.

Who was the starting QB for that game against SMU? Nice grammar by the way.

 

[BlueDogs]

You can't turn a football program around in 1.3 seasons. Not possible. Sophomore coach. Freshman QB. Young team. The expectations I see on this board are obscene. Edsall had 4 non-winning seasons before breaking 500 in his 5th year. PP had a .357 win percentage during his infection of Storrs. Weist bumped that up to .375.

Edsall was 74 and 70.

PP and Weist were 13 and 23.

And it's not just absolute numbers; it's trajectory. Right? In sports, people often make the mistake of looking at season averages. They're informative, but not nearly as informative as the instantaneous numbers down the stretch. In simpler terms - a team that is 10 and 2 looks good. But if they've lost their last two, have guys out, and are playing gash, then their post season prospects are less than their record. Right?

It's easier to see in basketball. The Cavs last year, on the yearly averages, were very good, not great, because their season started out slow. But if you look at their instantaneous performance right before Love and Irving got hurt, they were the best team in the NBA, which belied their overall record and def/off performance numbers.

The Uconn program was on a decided downward trajectory as the Weistian embers of the PP era were still glowing. After two 5 and 8 seasons, PP started year three zero and 4. The line was not linear at a 5/8 clip with zero slope. No. It was pointing downward, with a negative slope and the prospects of a 2 and 11 type season. Weist managed 3 wins.

The instantaneous state of the program was sharply negative.

The reversal would not simply require a change of direction; it would require a cessation of the decline, a staunching of the blood flow, a recovery of the patient, and then, and only then, an ascension.

The outlandish expectations on this board are a reflection of the me-now-me-now-me-now world we're living in. NOW! I want it NOW! Crawl, then walk, then run.

The point of all of this is that HCBD is the right guy. The program is going in the right direction. The pace of change is better than we should have hoped for. The result of all of that rightness is not - and cannot be expected to be, a winning season. 6 and 6 is a phenomenal result, and puts us well ahead of schedule. 5 and 7 is a very good result. 4 wins is probably the target. 3 is a failure to reach par. 2 is disconcerting.

6 and 6 this year puts us in position to be 7 and 5 or 8 and 4 next year, with a junior coach and a sophomore QB. Invest now, reap rewards later. Irascible, irrational impatience is unbecoming a fan. If you don't already, learn to love the rebuilding. For one, I really love watching a team mature and grow, which is what is going on this year. Most of all - be positive - most positive, important vectors are pointing in the correct direction - the wins will come.

I like your thoughts. They all are correct, but yet I feel they miss the heart of it. Your post could have and probably was written when PP was doing it best to destroy the program. To counsel patience and moderation seems to me to be an invitation for more of the same. I think if we shoot for the stars and fall short on the moon, we have done what few have done. To climb the hill and look up and take solace you just need to wait for a bigger ladder it to take solace is the illusion of mediocrity.

 

[NavinRJohnson]

I like your thoughts. They all are correct, but yet I feel they miss the heart of it. Your post could have and probably was written when PP was doing it best to destroy the program. To counsel patience and moderation seems to me to be an invitation for more of the same. I think if we shoot for the stars and fall short on the moon, we have done what few have done. To climb the hill and look up and take solace you just need to wait for a bigger ladder it to take solace is the illusion of mediocrity.

We want o be where Memphis is right? I can't believe I said that, but we do. They are in their 4th year under this coach. Year 3 had a big turn around and now they are on the cusp of being a top 25 team. Year 4. It takes a little time.

 

[UConnRock]

Fuentes' overall record at Memphis is 22-20. That is after going 15-3 for 2014 and the first part of 2015. Simple math puts him at 7-17 for his first 2 years.

 

[FfldCntyFan]

I expect an occasional upset. A game where we beat a team that is better than us and we're expected to lose.

You now, like when SMU beat us. (From the SMU perspective not ours.) Not a moral victory, a real victory, something that gives real hope.

Just to be clear, are you looking for something similar to when we beat UCF late October 2014?

 

[Stainmaster]

Just to be clear, are you looking for something similar to when we beat UCF late October 2014?

That didn't count - we only won because of how poorly UCF played. Right, gang?

 

[SubbaBub]

Memphis went from 3-9 in 2013 to 10-3 in 2014.

We have never needed to rebuild the entire car. We had a cracked frame, a bad suspension and a dirty carburetor. We still do. We've protected the ball better and upgraded at QB at least until he becomes punch drunk. Everything else is mostly the same. I don't know who you blame for that.

For the record, the UCF win was actually a well played and earned W. The ECU loss was also well played. That was about it. The rest were various levels of embarrassing.

So if your measure is that we haven't embarrassed ourselves, then we are better. Although BD is making a case for the nuttiest coach in FBS.

 

[huskymedic]

Memphis went from 3-9 in 2013 to 10-3 in 2014.

As a reminder - 2014 was Fuentes' third year as head coach. 2012 they were 4-8 in his first year.