2021 expectations

[Rosebud70]

As the boys went back to the field today. What’s everyones expectations for the season and the positions we don’t know much about. I can see a 5 win season. After having the year off I’m excited for kick off how about everyone else

 

[metsfan2323]

Undefeated when we play Clemson.

 

[Huskygrad88]

Being able to tailgate

 

[huskypantz]

4-6 wins based on the schedule I found, leaning lower.

 

[WrenchFan69]

Expecting a fun weekend in Nashville Oct 1-3 and wins over UMass, Yale, and Holy Cross

 

[Chin Diesel]

2-10 with a lot of bellyaching from Randy on how the kids need time to get used to playing in games again.

 

[Drew]

i’m going to break it into a two different categories:

What I expect:

More of the same. Inconsistent QB play, rust in the beginning of the season as we haven’t played a game in nearly 2 years. Talented group of WRs but up and down OL play means we can’t always get the time to deliver them the ball down the field. A defense that is playing hard but is just less talented than a lot of the teams they go up against and with the inevitable offensive issues stays on the field too long and winds up yielding a bunch of points due to an incredibly high snap count

What I hope to see:

Better QB play, beginning with sticking with one guy at QB (don’t care who they pick). UConn has seen a ridiculous carousel of QBs the last few years, we need to pick a guy and stick with him. Accurate and timely throws underneath and hopefully a diverse “open” playbook allowing us to take shots down the field. We’ve got weapons at WR, I’d argue its the best position group on offense (and TE looks great with Rose and Medlock too). Need to get them the ball in space and let them do their thing.

Defensively, I’d like to finish top 100 in overall defense. That’s how low the bar is. I think Spanos is pretty good but I think we still have a long way to go here. DL could be a strength but I seriously worry about the LB play which quite frankly has been bad for a while.

 

[freescooter]

Undefeated when we play Clemson.

To end the Regular season or in the playoffs?

 

[ClifSpliffy]

a game. any game. against anyone.

 

[freescooter]

Depending on who the 12th game is 4-7 to 6-6. Potential wins= Holy Cross ( don’t be shucked if this game moves or even gets pushed to a future year) Yale, Wyoming, UMass, Army is beatsble, Middle Tennessee is beatsble. Vandy might be a bridge to far but you never know. If Game 12 is Houston like many expect it might be tough. If it is Texas State or North Texas or someone maybe we have a shot.

 

[Duncan Idaho]

I hope we don't have the lightest LB corp in D1 again. and a small DE. The academies are way bigger, even Coast Guard.

 

[Rosebud70]

I’m really hoping they can Sneak by and beat candy

 

[UCFBfan]

Honestly I'll be happy with watching UConn football again. I fully expect to yell at my TV, ask out loud what the heck they were doing all last season, and questioning if Randy should come back for another season. All while going on the BY and reading people jumping off the deep end and possibly joining them at times.

I'll be happy with a complete, uninterrupted CFB season that can have continuity and not postponed games all over the place. I'll be happy if stadiums can have some fans and are able to allow Marching Bands back in so we don't need fake noise or music.

Those are my expectations for next season. As for this team, I set the bar real low every year and they always seem to find a way to go even lower. So I'm expecting to go 0-12 and be ranked last in total Offense while our defense plays their hearts out for the first part of the season until Clemson rails us for 60+ and our D is so demoralized that they can't pull this team anymore.

 

[DoctorWho85]

Back to back national championships.

 

[Husky68]

HCRE2.0 gets team to execute and keep their eye discipline.

 

[daddy slamb]

Keeping my expectations low here, but what are peoples thoughts of the current state of the program? I've been a passive fan over the past couple years when it comes to the UConn football program - only reading news headlines, checking scores after games; while only attending a few games when they actually play. I want to follow UConn FB more closely and was hoping some posters could provide a "REALISTIC" update of the program?

What are peoples thoughts of RE? - I know the university has budget issues, is it realistic to get a new coaching staff?
How has recruiting been?
What are peoples thoughts post-season after UConn shut down FB because of Covid?

 

[huskysupporter]

I think 2-4 wins if everything breaks right. Should be able to beat Holy Cross and Yale, I am not confident in any other matchup.

 

[freescooter]

I think Edsall is basically trying to reprise his first run. The program was a disaster under Diaco by most accounts. He recruited 1aa level talent and it showed. Small and slow. Edsall being Edsall decided to rebuild from the ground up which tells me that he had an understanding with AD Dave that this would take time. Then he got handed the Big East move which made it even tougher. I think Edsall will get at least another year. If we show progress even without wins he definitely will.

Recruiting has been pretty good all things considered. You just look at kids like the frosh receivers and look at us out recruiting a couple of P5 kids this year and you know we are finally landing D1 players again.
In some ways I think we lucked out with COVID in the sense that last years schedule while interesting was pretty difficult. Squeezing more than 2 wins out would have been tough. It is tough to evaluate teams off last year’s mucked up schedule but it sure looks like 2021 is far more reasonable. Yeah, Clemson and UCF will be very difficult, to put it mildly, but Pudue was bad. MTSU was bad Wyoming was bad, Vandy was bad, UMass (why aren’t we playing them on rivalry weekend?) Fresno was just ok and if it was home instead of away I think we have a shot, Army was a little difficult to evaluate given they played 3 FCS teams.
What I’m saying is that this isn’t the SEC West we are playing. It kind of reminds me of Edsall’s early 1a schedules. Maybe he sneaks out 6-7 wins if things go right. Then build on that.

 

[Waquoit]

2-10 with a lot of bellyaching from Randy on how the kids need time to get used to playing in games again.

I can't argue about the record, I'm hoping for better. But I bet we don't hear the latter. I think he's going to make a point of not using no games as an excuse.

 

[daddy slamb]

I think Edsall is basically trying to reprise his first run. The program was a disaster under Diaco by most accounts. He recruited 1aa level talent and it showed. Small and slow. Edsall being Edsall decided to rebuild from the ground up which tells me that he had an understanding with AD Dave that this would take time. Then he got handed the Big East move which made it even tougher. I think Edsall will get at least another year. If we show progress even without wins he definitely will.

Recruiting has been pretty good all things considered. You just look at kids like the frosh receivers and look at us out recruiting a couple of P5 kids this year and you know we are finally landing D1 players again.
In some ways I think we lucked out with COVID in the sense that last years schedule while interesting was pretty difficult. Squeezing more than 2 wins out would have been tough. It is tough to evaluate teams off last year’s mucked up schedule but it sure looks like 2021 is far more reasonable. Yeah, Clemson and UCF will be very difficult, to put it mildly, but Pudue was bad. MTSU was bad Wyoming was bad, Vandy was bad, UMass (why aren’t we playing them on rivalry weekend?) Fresno was just ok and if it was home instead of away I think we have a shot, Army was a little difficult to evaluate given they played 3 FCS teams.
What I’m saying is that this isn’t the SEC West we are playing. It kind of reminds me of Edsall’s early 1a schedules. Maybe he sneaks out 6-7 wins if things go right. Then build on that.

Sounds better than I expected, all things considers. I'm optimistic.

 

[freescooter]

Sounds better than I expected, all things considers. I'm optimistic.

Well I tend to be a little more optimistic than some. You might well see folks who take a very different view. But I look at the uptick in recruiting, and the 2021 schedule and it looks like we have a shot at some wins this year. And perception is important too. I mean look at Army last year 9-3. But if you look deeper you see 3 fcs games, 9 home games, a bunch of Sunbelt and CUSA games. The 3 losses were BYU, Cincinnati and Tulane. They won the games they should, won all the toss ups and lost the ones they shouldn’t win. Pretty much what we were saying on the scheduling thread

 

[LoyalFanCT]

Yale game much closer than expected

 

[Drew]

Yale game much closer than expected

I have zero doubt this will be a tight game.

 

[Ldandy]

I'll go with wins in the 2 FCS Games and 2 elsewhere. This is up from my initial prediction of 3, but I'm trying to be hopeful for 21.

 

[LoyalFanCT]

If UConn loses to Yale maybe we can lose our FB coach and athletic director in 2021