“I couldn’t want it more than anything in my life besides my family".

[HuskyHawk]

It continues to amaze me how this board sees so many things clearly and logically but history and convention make them seem unreasonable. Having a group of younger options 3 years ago and remembering Coach P's finish at Cuse was ignored. Letting P and GDL go midseason wasn't good protocol but it made sense. Watching the tajectory of the tam spiral in year 2 and looking for an early out unacceptable. And now this crazy idea about Narduzzi and Weist. It could be the biggest disaster since the forward pass!

Why a disaster? If the HC doesn't want TJ, he's gone. Simple. But Narduzzi works for a guy who was at Cincy, and so probably has connections through the coaching grapevine, back to Weist. Otherwise I wouldn't think it possible. Now if WM tells the new HC "TJ is your OC", that is a disaster waiting to happen. He won't do that.

The protocol had to be tossed, when the team was lost. They had to at least be reminded of what it looks and feels like to play well and win. I credit TJ with that. The kids coming back will know the difference in effort, preparation and execution that comes with winning. What TJ did made the next guy's job easier.

 

[ZooCougar]

There are still some good candidates in play, but I think TJ Weist deserves to be primary candidate. I am not saying that he should get the job, I just think he ought to be given some serious consideration.

-"This is the only place that would offer him a HC gig" This might be true. TJ could leave and be a successful OC at another school, distinguish himself and land a HC job at an FBS school. I think he is good enough to make that happen. But the prejudice that he wouldn't be a candidate now could cloud our judgement.

-In less than one season, he has made a significant mark on the program. The program is better off than it was 8 games ago. If we stuck with TJ, I believe the offense will pick up where it left off and progress even further. Hire someone else, and you run a risk of this progress dying on the vine.

-A different HC will probably not retain him. It would be extraordinary to do so.

-People can diss the Rutgers win all they want. That game is always tough for both schools. How well each team is doing at the moment has always been irrelevant. We've won the game when we were at our best worst on two occasions.

-Is he a good enough coach to win and dominate the AAC? This is the first question that you have to ask. We are not looking for a 3-5 year rebuild. We need to hit the ground running next season. In this conference, I think the answer is yes. I think TJ can win lots of games as HC.

The biggest changes coaching wis will occur on the defensive side of the ball. But when you hire a whole new staff, in most cases they need a full season to congeal. There are exceptions. But there is a burden in asking the players to adjust to a third OC in three years.

 

[metsfan2323]

You just went full ret@rd.

You never go full ret@rd.

My point is that Weist would have gone bowling the previous two years and never been on the hot seat the way P was. Weist clearly has the ability to make in season and in game adjustments, and motivate a team. P was a blind, old mule.

 

[ConnHuskBask]

My point is that Weist would have gone bowling the previous two years and never been on the hot seat the way P was. Weist clearly has the ability to make in season and in game adjustments, and motivate a team. P was a blind, old mule.

Fair point. Thought you were referring to the last 8 games of this season. Not sure how that would've helped.

I take back my original quote based on that explanation.

 

[Carl Spackler]

It's not surprising that Weist would want the job and express that publicly and passionately. The question is not what Weist wants, or any other candidate, real - or imagined - wants. The question is what does Warde Manuel want in a head coach?

UConn fans, from the Pasqualoni and Edsall era's, have hopefully learned that the AD/Football HC relationship is incredibly important to the vitality of the football program ( and by extension - the other sports) in a large college athletic department. That relationship, centers really on one thing, and that's the AD's interaction with (or separation from) the HC regarding the entire football staff with regards to success and failure and meeting goals.

I honestly don't know if Manuel is going to have hands off approach and evaluation and management of expectations of staff, and leave it up to the head coach to do that, or if he will be involved in it. That's a big piece of the puzzle though I think.

Personally, I do not like Manuel's altar boy approach he's taking publicly about getting the right coach for this program. I hope that he's a been a bit more ruthless in private over the past...oh....10 weeks, than he is being in public, because college football is a dirty, cut throat business. You can keep your nose clean but you got to be willing to wade through the mud if you're going to be respected. But he's been very consistent in his approach to how he conducts the business of an athletic department. A little Machiavellian I suppose, but I hope that whatever means he is using to get our next head football coach - the results will justify the means.

 

[Husky25]

I am supporting TJW also. There maybe better options available, but I really don't want a coach who sees UConn as a place to may a quick but important update to their resume. TJW alone has proven he can win here and if successful, I think he would be here for awhile.

How do you know Coach Weist feels this way? There is just as good of a chance that Weist succeeds at UConn for 3 or 4 years and moves on to Kentucky or Iowa State for example. UConn may be a stepping stone for any coach not just a high profile one. Pete Rossomondo could come here and leave after 3 years just as easily as Narduzzi, Clawson, or Lembo.