Weight Lifted off UCONN Football Program
[Credit – Kallie Elizabeth – THE BONEYARD BLOG]
It’s hard to understate what the new coaching staff has meant to the UCONN football program in such a short period of time. Increased marketing, exposure and a new culture surrounds the team, one of energy, excitement and passion.
Talking with players, it’s hard not to get a smile, an actual breath of fresh air and a cloud-nine mentality. A hypothetical two-ton brick has been lifted off everyone’s shoulders and you can see it.
“The intensity they bring is great, the passion is great,” said safety Andrew Adams following practice on Monday. “The coaching staff loves us and we love them back. They are doing everything in their power to get us to a bowl game this year.”
Everywhere you turn, there’s only good things being said.
“I definitely feel like we have a great team relationship,” linebacker Marquise Vann added. “We have a fellowship right now because of them, it’s awesome.”
Wide receiver Dhameer Bradley echoes those same sentiments.
“They are definitely a breath of fresh air. The coaches are building us as a family this year. Last season was a break-up of offense and defense. This year they’ve got us as a brotherhood. We’re all one.”
Running back Max DeLorenzo agrees.
“It’s been great, starting with Diaco, going down to the other coaches. They’re all for us, not for themselves. Obviously we all want to win, but they want us to feel good, want us to show up in practice, want us to have fun and want us to grow a fellowship with each other. I really enjoy it personally and I know all my teammates do too.”
LB Graham Stewart clearly spelled out what the coaching staff has done for the players.
“The history that these guys have, it would take you years and years to gather the high quality information, they are just football geniuses. The one thing that I will say and emphasize; every single guy on the team, especially myself, is just excited, wakes up in the morning and is excited to grab their lunch pail, hard hat and go to work.”
If anyone has any doubt that this season will be anything but a change from the days of old, this is it. Buy-in has occurred. Change is evident. Now it’s time to see it on game day, on the field, against an opponent who has been to nine consecutive bowl games, two weeks from today.
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