Sio Moore predicts a great season

[NEforceUConn]

..... I'm expecting 9-10 wins but honestly feel that the MD and NC St game will let us know which direction this season will go. If we win one and stay close with NC St I think we're in good shape...

I'm looking for 2 wins. We get NC State right after they play Tennesee, and I don't think they will be prepared. This win over NC State will end up being a quality win because I think State will have a very good year (they traditionally finish strong) and have a chance at winning the ACC.

 

[pj]

I'm looking for 2 wins. We get NC State right after they play Tennesee, and I don't think they will be prepared. This win over NC State will end up being a quality win because I think State will have a very good year (they traditionally finish strong) and have a chance at winning the ACC.

I also think we pull off the win over NC State, but I worry Maryland is a trap game. On the road, first road game of the year, right after the NC State win, team could have trouble getting focused; whereas Maryland will have come off two easy games and be excited for its first real competition.

 

[Dann]

I think this is our last chance for a season or two to have a shot to win the conference. I'm not referring to who is coming in next year but to the fact that the majority of our defense is made up of seniors. Our entire D-Line, including a few backups are seniors and our two CB's are seniors. The time is now and honestly, they need to look towards the offense for that help. If Whitmer can be what he showed in the Spring Game than winning 9-10 games is a real possibility. If it's not this season it might have to wait another year or two. I know we have good kids coming in but to expect them to perform at the same level we expect this year's D to perform at will be tough. It's this year or bust it seems! I'm expecting 9-10 wins but honestly feel that the MD and NC St game will let us know which direction this season will go. If we win one and stay close with NC St I think we're in good shape. Finally, kicking is going to be huge this year! I think we're all going to miss Teggart and the safety we felt when he came in to kick a 35+ yarder. Not sure how the kid replacing him is but I'm sure there will be some nail-biting moments, especially since UConn has had the habit of playing insanely close games the past two-three years.

i feel the press also towards this year being the one to make a run. were going to lose like 10+ seniors that actually play which is a boatload for a program like ours. this will be our best nfl draft ever i think next spring. i am foaming at making a big time run this fall and having a best ever type season. but with all these thoughts and hopes come the fact that the fall of 2013 we may be looking weak. our d will be young in most spots. but i come with great news. our o will be in year 2 of whitmer, we will have the same rbs and wr's. the ol will be young but better than 2012 minus masters. i have hope the O could be great great great in 2013. but the D will be a issue. but thats where all this yelling and carrying on about jucos from me is coming from. we got burlingame who is going to slot in right away. we offered dobbs(not mont) down in ny. there are a bunch of other kids we have our eyes on thru juco. a couple good juco pieces on d(we have 1 already) in this class for that fall and we possibly might not drop off and instead look to make a string of years with big results to truly establish ourselves as a solid program.

yea i'm a hype guy...

 

[pj]

I want a winning record & bowl every year and make a run at a championship / Top 25 ranking every 3-4 years. That would be a huge step forward for the program. I think it's do-able, a stellar year this year would give P the recruiting ammunition he needs.

 

[UConnDan97]

i feel the press also towards this year being the one to make a run. were going to lose like 10+ seniors that actually play which is a boatload for a program like ours. this will be our best nfl draft ever i think next spring. i am foaming at making a big time run this fall and having a best ever type season. but with all these thoughts and hopes come the fact that the fall of 2013 we may be looking weak. our d will be young in most spots. but i come with great news. our o will be in year 2 of whitmer, we will have the same rbs and wr's. the ol will be young but better than 2012 minus masters. i have hope the O could be great great great in 2013. but the D will be a issue. but thats where all this yelling and carrying on about jucos from me is coming from. we got burlingame who is going to slot in right away. we offered dobbs(not mont) down in ny. there are a bunch of other kids we have our eyes on thru juco. a couple good juco pieces on d(we have 1 already) in this class for that fall and we possibly might not drop off and instead look to make a string of years with big results to truly establish ourselves as a solid program.

yea i'm a hype guy...

Are you guys serious??? I know that I am the guy who constantly believes UConn will go 13-0 (until the playoff years, where they will clearly go 14-0), but do you both really feel like we are going to take a 1 to 2 year hiatus if we don't win the BE this year??

For every question mark that we might have on defense next year, we will have a better offensive answer. The O-Line will likely be just as good if not better in 2013 as it will be this year. The running backs will be 1 year better. If you believe like I do that Whitmer is the QB this year, he will also be one year better. We will lose Williams and Smith at reciever, but Phillips, McNeal, Davis, etc. will be one year better.

And the D won't be bare either. People like Smallwood, Brown, Jones, etc., along with a couple of big heavies at DT (like Myers, Fatukasi, Burlingame, etc.). I think that we will have a similar chance to win the BE in 2013 that we do this year. And then in 2014 when Coach P's first 2 classes are sophomores and juniors, having learned his / DeLeone's / Brown's systems, we should be even better.

UConn......13-0......

 

[pj]

Are you guys serious???

There will be lots of holes to fill, and most of our rivals will have better depth. But I'm not going to think about the 2013 roster until spring football. For now, I'm happy with going 4-0 against NC State, Maryland, Pitt, and Syracuse, and challenging for the Big East title.

 

[weyuo]

Defense will be stronger and not fold down the stretch like they did last year. Expect 4 full quarters from them. Don Brown won't have egg on his face in year 2. The offensive line will determine how this season goes though. If they can open holes for McCombs & Co, plus give Whitmer time to get the ball down the field we'll be just fine. If they are stellar, 10-2, 11-1 and a nice bowl win. If not, well hopefully the D can win a couple unexpected ones for us and keep us close to bowl eligible. I like the fact that Deleon is going to concentrate on the O-line. Also folks, you got to have faith in the coaching staff. They came into this real late in the process last year and were left with whatever Edsall had scraped together. Which, by the way, wasn't a whole hell of a lot especially at the most crucial offensive position...QB. Toddman left a year early. That could have made a huge difference. Frey transferred out. That hurt. The coaches that came in have some serious experience and have seen it all and then some. The whole team(including the remaining assistant coaches) have had a year to digest the new system and I believe a much improved product will take the field.

As another poster stated, the Maryland and NC ST games will give us an early inclination on how this season may end up. If UMass scores I'll be disappointed.

Side note- I wouldn't be completely surprised to see McCombs as the #2 back by season end unless he miraculously adds bulk so that he doesn't get bounced around like a pinball like last year.

 

[UConnDan97]

There will be lots of holes to fill, and most of our rivals will have better depth. But I'm not going to think about the 2013 roster until spring football. For now, I'm happy with going 4-0 against NC State, Maryland, Pitt, and Syracuse, and challenging for the Big East title.

I admit that we are going to have holes to fill next year, pj, but no more than we have this year on offense. In other words; I expect that we will have to win a lot of games this year of the 17-14 variety, and next year, I expect we will have to win a lot of games of the 27-24 variety...

 

[huskymedic]

I also think we pull off the win over NC State, but I worry Maryland is a trap game. On the road, first road game of the year, right after the NC State win, team could have trouble getting focused; whereas Maryland will have come off two easy games and be excited for its first real competition.

I sure as hell hope we don't have issues w/ keeping the kids focused for the visit to Randy's Dream Land. I'm sure the Captains will make sure of that!

 

[mattp]

I also think we pull off the win over NC State, but I worry Maryland is a trap game. On the road, first road game of the year, right after the NC State win, team could have trouble getting focused; whereas Maryland will have come off two easy games and be excited for its first real competition.

how can a game against our former coach possibly be a trap game? a trap game is a game the players overlook, and i have to imagine this one's been pegged since the Fiesta Bowl

 

[mattp]

[quote="HuskyfanDan, post: 283944, member: 45"i have hope the O could be great great great in 2013. but the D will be a issue. but thats where all this yelling and carrying on about jucos from me is coming from. .[/quote]

in two years we'll have a full squad of guys that were recruited by Brown for his defense. we'll have guys like Marquis Vann, and Wilbert Lee anchoring the defense and by then the system will be completely instinctual. i think worrying about our 2013 at this point in our lives is a little unnecessary

 

[BlueMAB]

I may be in the minority, but it gets tiresome hearing about the cupboards being bare time after time after time.

We had one glaring hole - QB. Yes, it's a HUGE problem, and the fact we couldn't find a quality (non-transfer) QB for a decade is pathetic. We are lucky "he" is gone in that regard. But there is Big East talent everywhere else, and there is all-american talent at a few positions. We have one of the best RBs in the league. We have one of the best TE's in the country. We have an all-american LB, and a pass rushing DE that could have a monster season if the DTs hold up their end. McCombs, Sio Moore, BW3, Griffin, and Trevardo Williams could play on just about any team in the country, and start on many.

We lack depth, and Pasqualoni has done a good job recruiting, particularly at QB (I think/hope). But Pasqualoni didn't recruit any of the guys on national award watch lists. I DON'T WANT THE MAN BACK. But there is a reason we are a QB away from another Big East championship, the cupboards aren't bare. Let's stop acting like we don't have talent just so we can take more shots at the in college park.

 

[BlueMAB]

how can a game against our former coach possibly be a trap game? a trap game is a game the players overlook, and i have to imagine this one's been pegged since the Fiesta Bowl

Don Brown should have a field day with this game.

 

[Excalibur]

Let's stop acting like we don't have talent just so we can take more shots at the in college park.

One guy makes a (very) loose connection and you go and re characterize the entire discussion. Thanks for Edsall-jacking another thread.

 

[businesslawyer]

I'm expecting a big year also, and 13-0 is not out of the question. Unfortunately, 13-0 may not equal national championship, but 13-0.....man, I like the sound of that!!!

Not making a prediction yet, but we have four road games, and I'm not sure our home games will be against teams competing for the Big East's BCS slot. Meaning only that we could be the "best" team in the league this year, and still not be the favorite to win the title.

 

[BlueMAB]

One guy makes a (very) loose connection and you go and re characterize the entire discussion. Thanks for Edsall-jacking another thread.

I didn't re-characterize anything. Every time last year or this year is discussed, someone makes the argument that Pasqualoni didn't/doesn't have much talent to work with. This is demonstrably false.

And my post was clearly intended to compliment the talent on the roster, not the " in college park".

Thanks for ignoring the context, mischaracterizing my post, and trying to twist my post into something other than commentary about the talent on the roster.

 

[businesslawyer]

I think this is our last chance for a season or two to have a shot to win the conference. I'm not referring to who is coming in next year but to the fact that the majority of our defense is made up of seniors. Our entire D-Line, including a few backups are seniors and our two CB's are seniors. The time is now and honestly, they need to look towards the offense for that help. If Whitmer can be what he showed in the Spring Game than winning 9-10 games is a real possibility. If it's not this season it might have to wait another year or two. I know we have good kids coming in but to expect them to perform at the same level we expect this year's D to perform at will be tough. It's this year or bust it seems! I'm expecting 9-10 wins but honestly feel that the MD and NC St game will let us know which direction this season will go. If we win one and stay close with NC St I think we're in good shape. Finally, kicking is going to be huge this year! I think we're all going to miss Teggart and the safety we felt when he came in to kick a 35+ yarder. Not sure how the kid replacing him is but I'm sure there will be some nail-biting moments, especially since UConn has had the habit of playing insanely close games the past two-three years.

Outstanding post. There are two reasons this will be our best shot to win the conference in the next few years. First, this is as easy as the conference will ever be, with WVU already gone but the exiting football deadweight still here and Boise not here yet. Second, the D starts 7 seniors, and will not be as good or as experienced again in the near future.

 

[businesslawyer]

I didn't re-characterize anything. Every time last year or this year is discussed, someone makes the argument that Pasqualoni didn't/doesn't have much talent to work with. This is demonstrably false.

And my post was clearly intended to compliment the talent on the roster, not the " in college park".

Thanks for ignoring the context, mischaracterizing my post, and trying to twist my post into something other than commentary about the talent on the roster.

Come on Wing-U. Accept the fact that the Boneyard exists in an alternative universe where responding to an attack on Edsall is deemed bringing Edsall into the conversation. Once you accept the stupidity of that irrationality, life gets a whole lot easier.

(Pot to kettle, pot to kettle)

 

[businesslawyer]

Side note- I wouldn't be completely surprised to see McCombs as the #2 back by season end unless he miraculously adds bulk so that he doesn't get bounced around like a pinball like last year.

So whom do you see starting?

 

[BlueMAB]

Come on Wing-U. Accept the fact that the Boneyard exists in an alternative universe where responding to an attack on Edsall is deemed bringing Edsall into the conversation. Once you accept the stupidity of that irrationality, life gets a whole lot easier.

(Pot to kettle, pot to kettle)

I went out of my way to make it clear I was just trying to point out that we have talent. There are kids on national awards list, I believe we have as many pre-season all conference players as anyone in the league (per Phil Steele).

Nobody need credit only the "" for that, because certainly some of the assistants played a huge role in bringing them in.

But we have a lot of talent, and they aren't all true freshman or new transfers.

 

[Excalibur]

I didn't re-characterize anything. Every time last year or this year is discussed, someone makes the argument that Pasqualoni didn't/doesn't have much talent to work with. This is demonstrably false.

And my post was clearly intended to compliment the talent on the roster, not the " in college park".

Thanks for ignoring the context, mischaracterizing my post, and trying to twist my post into something other than commentary about the talent on the roster.

Your own quote defies your explanation, sorry.

In any event, we had bigger holes last year than just QB, and pointing that out is not an attack on Edsall because it wasn't necessarily Edsall's fault. We had no depth at RB. Todman blew up and left for the NFL and Frey transferred out. That has very little to do with Edsall, but it's still the truth. We didn't have much depth a LB last year, either. WR was a huge problem, and we were below average at safety. Pointing that out is not necessarily attacking the former coach.

 

[businesslawyer]

I went out of my way to make it clear I was just trying to point out that we have talent. There are kids on national awards list, I believe we have as many pre-season all conference players as anyone in the league (per Phil Steele).

Nobody need credit only the "" for that, because certainly some of the assistants played a huge role in bringing them in.

But we have a lot of talent, and they aren't all true freshman or new transfers.

We had roughly the same overall talent last year that we had when we went to the Fiesta Bowl. Yes, we lost our QB but he was well below average. Yes, we lost an All-American TB but replaced him with an all-conference one. Again, I do not want to be too harsh on the new staff in what was for them a transition year, but our below .500 finish had far more to do with the transition than it did with an overall decline in talent from 2011 to 2012.

 

[Waquoit]

Come on Wing-U. Accept the fact that the Boneyard exists in an alternative universe where responding to an attack on Edsall is deemed bringing Edsall into the conversation. Once you accept the stupidity of that irrationality, life gets a whole lot easier.

(Pot to kettle, pot to kettle)

Just can't stop talking about Edsall, can you bl?

 

[Jimmy Serrano]

Come on Wing-U. Accept the fact that the Boneyard exists in an alternative universe where responding to an attack on Edsall is deemed bringing Edsall into the conversation. Once you accept the stupidity of that irrationality, life gets a whole lot easier.

(Pot to kettle, pot to kettle)

There was no attack on Edsall. Excalibur has already explained this in his post.

 

[UConnDan97]

Can someone fill me in on which post got Wing-U up in arms about Edsall leaving the cupboard bare? I am completely lost with how this thread has taken that turn...