New OC Frank Verducci

[BlueMAB]

If he has/had a proven track record as an OC you think he would still be available to UConn? Absolutely not.

If you know me and view my posts, I speak very highly of Uconn and have much faith in the football program (cue Jimmy's comments).

TJ Weist only had experience at WKU prior to his hire at Uconn.

The first two comments are mutually exclusive.

TJ Weist was 25 year vet with 9 years OC/AHC at WKU.
Verducci was a 30 year vet who has bounced around as a position coach in college and the NFL.

You don't see a difference?

Edit:
How can you bring up TJ Weist who had a proven track record as OC, and then say those guys aren't available to UConn?

 

[BNich]

The first two comments are mutually exclusive.

TJ Weist was 25 year vet with 9 years OC/AHC at WKU.
Verducci was a 30 year vet who has bounced around as a position coach in college and the NFL.

You don't see a difference?

Edit:
How can you bring up TJ Weist who had a proven track record as OC, and then say those guys aren't available to UConn?

He went to UM. Anyway, here are UNI offensive stats from 2014 http://www.nmnathletics.com/fls/26200/Stats/Football/2014/HTML/teamcume.htm

 

[UCFBfan]

It's clear we're going to be playing Big 10 / Wisconsin style football. Big strong offensive linemen, solid running game, execution, don't shoot yourself in the foot-style football. That is the style that works at the Rent where it seems to be cold and windy even on nice days.

I agree that this seems to be where Diaco wants to go but his recruiting class this year didn't seem to reflect it. We signed 2 (?) Offensive Lineman? It felt like we also signed 10 WR/TE type players though. So why so many WR skill players and not many OL recruits? We replaced the one that flipped I believe.

This isn't a criticism on his recruiting. Just something I keep coming back to everytime I see it said that we wanna run the hell out of the ball. I agree that Diaco seems to be implying that but he didn't back it up by bringing in players to try and fix one of our weakest units in the past few years.

 

[BlueMAB]

He went to UM. Anyway, here are UNI offensive stats from 2014 http://www.nmnathletics.com/fls/26200/Stats/Football/2014/HTML/teamcume.htm

Ugh. I know he did, and he was never coming back here as OC. Never. But he came here as OC once, so to say guys LIKE him with proven track records as OC "aren't available to UConn", is easily proven wrong. We can get guys like that because we have in the past.

Was that Verducci's offense? Was he more, or less, responsible for those numbers than the other position coaches? What about the OC?

I'm not trying to convince anyone not to be positive. Anytime you bring in a guy with this much experience there's reason to be optimistic. This can work, there's no reason to think it can't. Diaco thinks he's the man and we all hope he's right. But can we not pretend like a year's worth of offensive statistics are relevant to a position coach who has a 30 year career as a position coach?

 

[Woof 101]

Good.

Yes! Not much of a choice.

Many have made great comments above, my take right now is I am suprised that BD made so many changes one year in. His believe in me now has chinks in the armor, too many changes too soon.
As for wheather we run or pass under the new OC, people have to wake up and face the music. What is done on the field is mostly dictated by personnel. Will we pass, will we run, will the team get the concept?
What we should hope for without a verifiable O Line or QB should be a team that gels and has at least three running plays and a couple of passes that are successful until these units develop. The new OC has Carte blanche on play calling for now. Boneyarders can call the plays until we get to something that would require lets say a little more improv.

 

[BlueMAB]

I agree that this seems to be where Diaco wants to go but his recruiting class this year didn't seem to reflect it. We signed 2 (?) Offensive Lineman? It felt like we also signed 10 WR/TE type players though. So why so many WR skill players and not many OL recruits? We replaced the one that flipped I believe.

This isn't a criticism on his recruiting. Just something I keep coming back to everytime I see it said that we wanna run the hell out of the ball. I agree that Diaco seems to be implying that but he didn't back it up by bringing in players to try and fix one of our weakest units in the past few years.

I believe they expect one, possibly two of the TEs to move to OL. The 3 TEs they brought in are 6'7" 225, 6'6" 235, and 6'5" 225. There's size there to potentially put some weight on and make the switch.

Also, at quick glance, we have about 15 OL coming back (not including the new guys) and 8 of them will be sophomores or freshmen (RS). I believe they think they can work with those young guys. If they can develop those 8 guys, that's a 2 deep for the next few years.

We signed4 WRs.

 

[Jimdish255]

I think what's nagging me is that he got this choice wrong the first time and I need someone to show me how this guy's profile is different than the last guy. Need to know a lot more.

 

[BNich]

I believe they expect one, possibly two of the TEs to move to OL. The 3 TEs they brought in are 6'7" 225, 6'6" 235, and 6'5" 225. There's size there to potentially put some weight on and make the switch.

Also, at quick glance, we have about 15 OL coming back (not including the new guys) and 8 of them will be sophomores or freshmen (RS). I believe they think they can work with those young guys. If they can develop those 8 guys, that's a 2 deep for the next few years.

We signed4 WRs.

I believe you're referring to Chris Lee He is 6'7" and 255 not 225. 6'7" 225 would be an etheopian soccer player. Just going off his recruiting profile.

 

[noeynox]

Anyone else think Verducci resembles actor Isaias Morales?

 

[BlueMAB]

I believe you're referring to Chris Lee He is 6'7" and 255 not 225. 6'7" 225 would be an etheopian soccer player. Just going off his recruiting profile.

http://www.uconnhuskies.com/signingday/conn-15-signing-day.html#signing-list

The signee list has him at 225, but you're correct, his profile has him at 255. Not surprised that UConn would screw that up.

 

[UconnFamily]

1) Yes, someone has to give him a chance, and apparently, nobody did for the first 30 years of his career, that's a concern for me.

2) Yes, I do think there are guys at a lower level (FCS) that have a proven track record that would be available to UConn. You undersell UConn.

3) I already said I'd be content with a young guy with no OC experience, I don't understand why we're getting an "old" (relatively speaking) guy with no OC experience.

Your exactly right... A lot of people here undersell UConn especially with recruiting.

 

[UconnFamily]

I'm not a big fan of this hire. The same feeling I had when Diaco hired Cummings is the same feeling I have with this hire. Confused. A TE coach from N. Iowa???? He wasn't even the OC nor the Co-OC. Damn, Diaco better know what he's doing. This hire doesn't make any sense.

 

[pnow15]

Can he pass?

 

[pnow15]

I'm not a big fan of this hire. The same feeling I had when Diaco hired Cummings is the same feeling I have with this hire. Confused. A TE coach from N. Iowa???? He wasn't even the OC nor the Co-OC. Damn, Diaco better know what he's doing. This hire doesn't make any sense.

Sure does. When you're 2-10, you don't want a ready replacement on your staff.

 

[UconnFamily]

Sure does. When you're 2-10, you don't want a ready replacement on your staff.

As long as that ready replacement has us scoring and winning big I'm okay with it.

 

[Scoe]

Ok lets get to work, I am waiting for an offense that can advance the forward pass, I'm still waiting for an offense, go ahead tell me I need to have patience damn right I have no patience. I expect 30 plus pts vs Villanova is that too much to ask.

 

[Carl Spackler]

Hey were uconn, we provide on the job training! !!

I'm only half kidding. If he gets the plays in on time and we limit the stupid penalties that turn a second and three into a second and 8, I will be happy. Those are back breakers when you are as anemic as we are on offense. My expectations have been whittled away that much, that no penalties due to OC ineptitude would make me happy.

I'm right here too. I want to see an offensive approach that is consistent and makes sense, and disciplined. That's it. PIck something, go with it, and be able to run it without procedural penalites, without chewing up the dead ball time stupidly, and without chop blocks. I'm not expecting Oregon type speed in running and offense, but have a bit of urgency and control of the flow of the game when you've got possesion of the ball. Be in control goddammit.

In all my years, I don't ever remember seeing multiple chop block penalties on offense at UCONN. At one game, I was in the head and heard the penalty call - "chop block". I yelled out WTF?? AGAIN!!!! Very few people in there had any idea what I was upset about. THey just got out the way when I was leaving.

 

[History Geek]

Noah Finz just said that Verducci recruited Diaco to Iowa. Didn't catch that before. Interesting.

 

[Da_Aisijimo_Gou]

can anybody precisely answer why, with this kind of resume, he was at No. Iowa?

"Verducci has been a resident of Iowa City, Iowa, for 24 years." Looks like it provided a close-to-home-in-between-jobs opportunity.

From Northern Iowa bio information, a resulting Courant-edited article, and mostly the attached 2013 Des Moines Register article on Frank Verducci and family, he may have wanted to be with his wife for their daughter's high school senior year. From personal experience in the Hawkeye State, Cedar Falls is only 90 miles from Iowa City - close by midwest standards and compared with other stops during Verducci's coaching career. Challenging to fault a likely family decision, but Northern Iowa's also been a very good I-AA program with several national championships.

 

[jdb50]

Anyone else think Verducci resembles actor Isaias Morales?

I'm seeing a mix of Eddie Munster and Wayne Newton. I just hope he can take the players we have and get them to do what they can do best on a consistent basis. We need to find points somewhere and last year it was not something the staff figured out. There was no flow on offense whatsoever.

 

[Da_Aisijimo_Gou]

I expect 30 plus pts vs Villanova is that too much to ask.

As long as 31 or more points aren't required to win, no, that's a reasonably desired expectation.

 

[ConnHuskBask]

Diaco really is going all in by bringing his guys on to his staff.

I'm going to hold off judgment though until I see how many stars he has from Rivals though.

 

[Scoe]

As long as 31 or more points aren't required to win, no, that's a reasonably desired expectation.

I would hope so . I expect to beat Villanova I don't wanna hear any excuses this year.

 

[uconnbill]

Looking forward to Spring practice starting and seeing what the offense does under Verducci and the rest of the coaching changes

 

[Jimdish255]

Noah Finz just said that Verducci recruited Diaco to Iowa. Didn't catch that before. Interesting.

Really? Don't remember seeing that requirement in the job posting