2020 Spring Practice is here (February 4 -> March 6th)

[UConnJim]

Completely disagree with this take. The spring game is a scrimmage. Like many of the scrimmages they have in practice - if the concern is injury then reduce number of practice scrimmages by one.

The no spring game is one of the dumbest concepts. UCONN football is hurting for interest. Have the spring game to promote it. Have women’s and men’s basketball teams have autograph session to get some crossover appeal. Have a fan fest.

Just mind boggling. But par for the course for this coaching staff, athletic department, and administration.

Honestly, it's a tough decision on a Spring game. Why?

Schools have three choices when holding their Spring practices:

1) Hold all Spring practices before Spring break.

2) Hold a few practices before Spring break and the rest after.

3) Hold all Spring practices after Spring break. (A few schools do this, but UConn has a later Spring break, ending on March 22nd this year so it's not practical to do this.)

UConn really only has options 1 or 2. They have done option 2 in the past, but it's tough to have a few practices, go on Spring break, and then resume practices, so I can understand the changes.

So, if you pick option 1 and you are in a cold weather state, you can't hold a Spring game as you would be holding it in early March.

Also complicating the Spring practice scheduling is the recruiting calendar. Here is what it looks like:

Dead Period: Feb. 3rd to Feb. 25th (No on-campus or off-campus contact with recruits)
Quiet Period: March 1st to April 14th (Recruits can visit campus, but coaches can't visit recruits off campus)
Evaluation Period: April 15th to May 30th (Coaches can evaluate players off campus, but no contact with recruits)

And, the recruiting calendar changed the last two years. For example, in 2018/2019, there were a total of 60 Dead Period days. In 2019/2020, there were a total of 121 Dead Period days. Thus, there is less time for recruiting and you need to focus your efforts in the windows allowed.

 

[huskysupporter]

Honestly, it's a tough decision on a Spring game. Why?

Schools have three choices when holding their Spring practices:

1) Hold all Spring practices before Spring break.

2) Hold a few practices before Spring break and the rest after.

3) Hold all Spring practices after Spring break. (A few schools do this, but UConn has a later Spring break, ending on March 22nd this year so it's not practical to do this.)

UConn really only has options 1 or 2. They have done option 2 in the past, but it's tough to have a few practices, go on Spring break, and then resume practices, so I can understand the changes.

So, if you pick option 1 and you are in a cold weather state, you can't hold a Spring game as you would be holding it in early March.

Also complicating the Spring practice scheduling is the recruiting calendar. Here is what it looks like:

Dead Period: Feb. 3rd to Feb. 25th (No on-campus or off-campus contact with recruits)
Quiet Period: March 1st to April 14th (Recruits can visit campus, but coaches can't visit recruits off campus)
Evaluation Period: April 15th to May 30th (Coaches can evaluate players off campus, but no contact with recruits)

And, the recruiting calendar changed the last two years. For example, in 2018/2019, there were a total of 60 Dead Period days. In 2019/2020, there were a total of 121 Dead Period days. Thus, there is less time for recruiting and you need to focus your efforts in the windows allowed.

It really isn’t a tough decision on whether to hold a spring game, to be fair. Mid April would be the perfect time for a game. (Even taking into account the factors you mentioned)

Option 3 should definitely be on the table.

It really is inexcusable.

 

[Slick]

It really isn’t a tough decision on whether to hold a spring game, to be fair. Mid April would be the perfect time for a game. (Even taking into account the factors you mentioned)

Option 3 should definitely be on the table.

It really is inexcusable.

The spring games have seemed really boring. Not sure it is worth it to have players get injured in a meaningless game.

 

[ShakyTheMohel]

If you are thinking only about football reasons....yes....edsalls approach can make sense. But....you are giving up the marketing aspect of the spring game and the energy it can bring to the fans.

With the current state of the program being what it is....you can argue the marketing aspect either way. I think if you have a good product on the field, you want people to see it and talk about it. Have them get excited and hopefully help season ticket sales. If you don't....

 

[huskysupporter]

The spring games have seemed really boring. Not sure it is worth it to have players get injured in a meaningless game.

They have same chance to get injured in a practice scrimmage. Don’t understand this argument. Should they conduct spring practice in just helmets and not allow tackling?

It’s way more than just the game.

 

[UConnJim]

It really isn’t a tough decision on whether to hold a spring game, to be fair. Mid April would be the perfect time for a game. (Even taking into account the factors you mentioned)

Option 3 should definitely be on the table.

It really is inexcusable.

Option 3 would mean practices run until about Finals and the coaches would lose about 1/3 of the off campus evaluation days during the period. Really doesn't make sense. If UConn's Spring break ended earlier, I think option 3 would be on the table.

 

[Palatine]

The spring games have seemed really boring. Not sure it is worth it to have players get injured in a meaningless game.

You clearly did not attend the game where Scott Lutrus exploded onto the scene.

 

[huskysupporter]

Option 3 would mean practices run until about Finals and the coaches would lose about 1/3 of the off campus evaluation days during the period. Really doesn't make sense. If UConn's Spring break ended earlier, I think option 3 would be on the table.

Spring game mid April does not affect finals at all.

 

[UConnJim]

Spring game mid April does not affect finals at all.

Practices would start March 23rd at earliest and run for 5 weeks with 3 practices per week. Spring game would be around April 25th which is not mid April. The other issue is the new recruiting calendar as the UConn football coaches would miss 10 to 15 days of the Evaluation period which is a big deal as the recruiting period has been shortened.

I would like a Spring game, but I do understand why they aren't doing it.

 

[ktuck911]

As long as we can get this team ready to shock some folks this Fall, I'm all for whatever the format is. We are overdue to break out BIG... So, maybe (just maybe) the less we know right now, the better...

 

[Duncan Idaho]

Always like going to the spring game just to see any playmaking capability by the new guys. Much like Lutrus was referenced by Palantine. Really the last time I saw some one I thought had great potential was Billy Williams the TE transfer from N. Iowa. Great hands and a mature receiver. Bummed he never played a down here. Maybe they will pick it back up when they hopefully get better with bigger crowds expected.

 

[gioff2323]

I miss the spring game and wish they’d reinstitute it. Having said that, I care far more about building depth, getting reps in and winning. In other words, I’ll be ticked if we’ve no spring game in a year or 2. I care less right now.

 

[hardcorehusky]

How much does it cost UConn to play the game? They aren't using the Rent for free, there is no parking revenue or concessions.

 

[weyuo]

It’s way more than just the game.

No, it's not way more than just a game. Having a spring game is not going to increase season tickets sales. At best you might get 2K people actually attending and that's if the weather is warm and sunny. In the Spring? That's a 50/50 chance at best. The reason for a Spring game is to increase interest and ticket sales. The only thing that is going to increase interest and ticket sales is regular season wins and bowl games. When UConn is going to bowl games every year, when the Rent is sold out for every home game and the demand for season tickets is overwhelming, then you might be able to justify a Spring game and the chance one of your top players ends up with a season ending injury.

 

[History Geek]

Back to actual camp reports...

 

[huskymedic]

 

[huskymedic]

 

[huskymedic]

 

[huskymedic]

 

[huskymedic]

 

[Exit 4]

Hmmm maybe it’s time to get excited about Mr. Carter. I always love the day dreams created by potential.

 

[huskymedic]

>>Asked recently to name the fastest players on the UConn team, receiver Cam Ross started with some obvious candidates.

He mentioned himself. He mentioned speedy fellow wideout Heron Maurisseau. Then, after a pause, he named someone most UConn fans don’t yet know: freshman running back Nate Carter, a 17-year-old from Rochester, N.Y. who enrolled early and immediately turned heads in spring practice.<<

^^Alternate access link^^

 

[huskymedic]

 

[huskymedic]

 

[huskymedic]