Strength & Conditioning Coach Matt Balis Not Returning

[huskymedic]

Many here didn't mind seeing him go I think. I started a thread about him. He was the only assistant I was hopeful we kept.

What about Balis?

I don't buy that strength and conditioning were the problem at UConn. Blocking schemes? Yes. Offensive play calling? Yes. Defensive schemes? Yes. Game coaching? Yes. Young team? Yes. S&C? No.

Well, the BY clearly know better than Meyer, Groh, Mullins and Kelly

 

[31GuardTrap]

Re-watching some plays in slow motion/stop action you could clearly see sometimes 2 O-linemen still in their 3-point stances as the entire D-line began to attack the LOS. So I would definitely agree we lacked explosiveness, unless delayed movement by O-linemen is a some sort of advanced technique I am unfamiliar with.

As a former O-lineman, that is on the O-line coach not the S&C coach. In practice, you need to be firing off the ball each and every snap. Doesn't matter if it's a run or pass play. That first step needs to be quick. Believe me.....I was not the strongest or fastest of linemen but was quick at the snap. That was from practice.

 

[RedSoloCup]

And Balis was responsible for our guys getting a bit more ripped, and for having stamina at the end of the games for the last 3 years. I don't think we had conditioning issues...

 

[NavinRJohnson]

Very few injuries from what I can recall as well. It would have been good to see an Edsel coaching staff with Balis as the S&C.

 

[Jimdish255]

Seems like Matt did his job. Maybe we also needed a speed coach to cover that area. BD also recruited towards building up tall guys and ran a slow paced offense. Good luck and thanks for your efforts Matt.

 

[businesslawyer]

The Boneyard. Where everyone attached to the football program sucks and needs to go. Until someone bigger than UConn hires them, at which point we are fools for not having kept them.

Edsall will hire his staff, and over the next few years we will see how it does. The thought that fans can tell which coaches within a staff are doing a poor or good job from the results on the field is so far beyond rational in the first place ....

 

[BNich]

ThisIsUConnCountry ‏@MattSchonvisky 14h14 hours ago
Former #UConn strength coach Matt Balis already has a new gig & it's at Notre Dame-congrats to him

 

[TheDrifter75]

Admittedly, I'm horrible at game analysis, don't have the patience to do the research. But it seems UConn scored its points later in games, we sure know it wasn't happening in the 1st qtr. The ability to put up points late I would think credits decent S&C. Looking at the big picture, BL is spot on, we on the yard have no clue whether Balis was a +/- to the overall effort.

 

[The Viking]

You are going to lose a few good guys when you can the man at the top.
We will survive. RE has built a tough program before

 

[Stinger92860]

IMO, it's likely fiasco helped him get that job. Thanks Bob, you could have helped him to stay too.

 

[blue93]

Admittedly, I'm horrible at game analysis, don't have the patience to do the research. But it seems UConn scored its points later in games, we sure know it wasn't happening in the 1st qtr. The ability to put up points late I would think credits decent S&C. Looking at the big picture, BL is spot on, we on the yard have no clue whether Balis was a +/- to the overall effort.

Almost always being down in the second half probably had something to do with the late scoring too. I'd imagine defenses take their foot off the gas when they're up by 3 scores.

 

[Husky25]

I'm not knocking the thread but can't wait for new staff to be filled and get back to work.

Who are you trying to kid? There's no way you won't find another thread in which to waste time.

 

[Fairfield_1st]

Agreed. we were too bulky and too slow.

That struck me all season how slow our O and D line looked compared to competitors. Since it will be hard for us to find both together given our conference situation, I'd lean more towards athletes in recruiting and teach them the technique when they get here. I would think it's easier that way.

 

[Palatine]

We couldn't move Maine off the line of scrimmage. Something wasn't working.

 

[jackl]

After seeing our guys getting muscled and blown by on the line for the last 3 years, I think this is a good move.

I agree with the sentiment, the problem as I see it was maybe it was the athletes that he started with. I think maybe if Mike Foley was the oline coach things might have looked different. After all he came highly recommended. Of course he was probably working with better athletes at I think it was Miss St. then he had here. Just saying.

 

[noeynox]

We couldn't move Maine off the line of scrimmage. Something wasn't working.

Maine loaded up the box and we did nothing to make em pay. 5 or 6 on 7 or 8 is gonna lose more times than not. After how we played in 2015, I was shocked the coaches didn't anticipate and have something prepared to make them play us more honest. Telltale sign in hindsight.

 

[Confident Carl]

Irish Illustrated: Irish strength program to get major remake

>>Through sources, Irish Illustrated has learned two names expected to join the football program’s strength staff, in addition to the next role for long-time Kelly assistant Paul Longo, who’s been with Notre Dame’s head coach the past 13 seasons across three different programs.

After serving as Director of Football Strength and Conditioning, Longo will transition into the role of Special Assistant to the Head Coach, a title currently held by former defensive backs coach Bob Elliott. It’s unclear if Elliott, who helped craft Notre Dame’s defensive game plans against option the past two years will remain in that post or if Longo’s position will be a new one on top of the current staff.

As for Notre Dame football’s next strength team, the Irish will add Matt Balis as Director of Football Performance from the University of Connecticut, where he spent three years overseeing all programs. While Balis has a connection to former Irish defensive coordinator Bob Diaco via Storrs, his roots in the profession cut closer to Urban Meyer.<<

Tulane's strength coach was just fired

Tulane strength coach fired for reportedly using running as discipline method - FootballScoop

 

[Stinger92860]

Tulane's strength coach was just fired

Tulane strength coach fired for reportedly using running as discipline method - FootballScoop

Wow, not once did any of my coaches use running as discipline. The running was just to get us to throw up. That's discipline.

 

[Hoophound]

Almost always being down in the second half probably had something to do with the late scoring too. I'd imagine defenses take their foot off the gas when they're up by 3 scores.

Ha! That.... and we took our foot off the brake on offense. God help us if we don't get an innovative OC.

 

[uconnphil2016]

Tulane's strength coach was just fired

Tulane strength coach fired for reportedly using running as discipline method - FootballScoop

I thought this was from the Onion at first...how else is a coach supposed to discipline his team?

 

[BlueDogs]

Wow, not once did any of my coaches use running as discipline. The running was just to get us to throw up. That's discipline.

OMG - that's stock and trade torture. Yu wanna loaf then go run until you puke.

 

[chiller99.5]

Barwis Methods Took a few of his courses Barwis is outstanding, might be a good investment for training next s&c coach at his training center