2023 Season - What Does Success Look Like? What Say You?

[ManFromOZ]

In the midst of four day weekend for many, it's getting closer to the season. Haven't been this pumped in many, many years. Got me thinking about what "success" looks like in 2023. The schedule looks ripe for the taking this fall. Following up on the winning momentum established in 2022 is paramount - can't take a step back. First and foremost is getting a winning foundation set - above 500 record and bowl bids. That's number one goal. A close second is a real semblance of an offense with consistent and good QB play - that's a prerequisite in today's college game. That would be "special" - (the Big 12 expansion committee is watching) Third is building on the "D." Defense has been the calling card for us for years. (Well maybe not all of them). Mora is making his mark on this side of the ball. Need to have dawgs like Bama Wilson, Sio Moore and my favorite Kendall Reyes. Throw Foley Fatukasi into that mix. Would be interested in what all you view as the success metrics this fall as everyone sees it differently. What say you?

 

[businesslawyer]

If you're asking about long term success, I just want this team to be better than last year's team -- that simple. And it may not be measured in wins -- it may be measured by the eye test and performance metrics. I won't be happy at 5-7 or 6-6, because like everyone I'd prefer to win now, but if mediocre results not better than last year come with decisive victories and competitive defeats, which would be close to the opposite of last year where we got blown out 3 times, and if it comes with some semblance of a passing offense, I could live with that.

 

[shizzle787]

7 wins. Improve over last year.

 

[Husky68]

Massey has UConn preseason 118th SOS, last year 106th. Last year's 6 wins could have easily been anywhere from 4 to 7 (just based on one touchdown games) never mind upside if had just average QB play.
This showing better play without necessarily more wins is bogus. Teams should play better in second year of new head coach (OC same), QB play will be better (or OC is wrong guy), have more D1 athletes, solid lines and some speed.
Need to win more games than last year. Need to have em' talkin'.

 

[gtcam]

Bowl eligible with 2 games remaining

 

[gioff2323]

Improved ticket sales. In other words, a 2d chance to build on momentum and get locals wanting to come back to east Hartford on saturdays

 

[Ldandy]

It's not a sexy answer, but consistency would define success for me. Consistency in preparation. Consistency in execution. Consistency in results. What Mora has done so far has been admirable. That said, in some ways it is easier to make a big jump from abysmal to decent. A lot of that has to do with his coaching. UConn under HCRE 2.0 was a complete mess. Lousy preparation and even worse execution. The team looked defeated in the first quarter of most games. Mora has turned around the culture, now he needs to demonstrate that he can recruit and develop better players.

Going from decent to competitive seems like a small step, but in reality, it is a huge leap. UConn needs to win the games that they should win and be competitive in the games that they are expected to lose. When the team takes the field against UT, they need to look like an actual opponent not a football version of The Washington Generals. That will show a heck of a lot more than a solid W against Sacred Heart. This season needs to be about changing the narrative that UConn can play good football and that Connecticut Fans will support their team.

 

[JMick]

Making a bowl game and not throwing away any wins would be a success this year. The passing offense also has to be better and show signs of growth.

 

[WrenchFan69]

Bowl eligible is the new minimum for me. Winning a bowl and/or 8 wins would be ideal

 

[NowInStorrs]

Another bowl game would be great and hopefully a winning season to go with it.

 

[Nostical]

We should be better this season than last year, but here's the bottom line. August 31st. That's all that really matters this summer. We need to compete that night like never before (especially in the first half --to hold interest). And then beat NC State at the end (to get some BigXII skeptics nodding affirmatively). All of my acquaintances with even a remote connection to a BIGXII school have now seen our narrated football facilities video-- which frankly blew them away. Most of the comments I got back were on the order of "are you kidding me?"! So on Aug 31st, with the whole BIG XII universe watching, we have to crunch the Wolfpack. It's one of four games that night. We begin at 7:30 on CBSSN. The others are all at 8:00pm--South Dakota at Missouri on SEC Network, NC A&T at UAB on ESPN+, and Nebraska at Minnesota on FOX (yes a bigger marquee attraction-- except anyone from a BIG XII school knows Yormark is targeting UConn.) For all intents and purposes, this is our coming out party. We need to be in a well fitting Armani black tux with shiny black slip-ons. If we show up in a pair of brown shoes we can kiss our future (both as fashionistas and BIGXII conference members) goodbye.

 

[businesslawyer]

We should be better this season than last year, but here's the bottom line. August 31st. That's all that really matters this summer. We need to compete that night like never before (especially in the first half --to hold interest). And then beat NC State at the end (to get some BigXII skeptics nodding affirmatively). All of my acquaintances with even a remote connection to a BIGXII school have now seen our narrated football facilities video-- which frankly blew them away. Most of the comments I got back were on the order of "are you kidding me?"! So on Aug 31st, with the whole BIG XII universe watching, we have to crunch the Wolfpack. It's one of four games that night. We begin at 7:30 on CBSSN. The others are all at 8:00pm--South Dakota at Missouri on SEC Network, NC A&T at UAB on ESPN+, and Nebraska at Minnesota on FOX (yes a bigger marquee attraction-- except anyone from a BIG XII school knows Yormark is targeting UConn.) For all intents and purposes, this is our coming out party. We need to be in a well fitting Armani black tux with shiny black slip-ons. If we show up in a pair of brown shoes we can kiss our future (both as fashionistas and BIGXII conference members) goodbye.

It truly is amazing how quickly positive things about us are forgotten. When we went into Waco and beat Baylor, I remember their beat reporter say something like the following: "Don't tell me UConn is a basketball school. Did you see what their two lines looked like on the field? That's no basketball school." And yet, when we're evaluated, all positive is forgotten.

 

[CL82]

It truly is amazing how quickly positive things about us are forgotten. When we went into Waco and beat Baylor, I remember their beat reporter say something like the following: "Don't tell me UConn is a basketball school. Did you see what their two lines looked like on the field? That's no basketball school." And yet, when we're evaluated, all positive is forgotten.

10 years of unadulterated suck will do that.

 

[Bongo Fury]

Thinking Baylor & KU are good with UConn joining

 

[ManFromOZ]

Improved ticket sales. In other words, a 2d chance to build on momentum and get locals wanting to come back to east Hartford on saturdays

Excellent take. Hadn't considered that. Revenue is the ultimate success metric.

 

[WestCoastHusky]

It truly is amazing how quickly positive things about us are forgotten. When we went into Waco and beat Baylor, I remember their beat reporter say something like the following: "Don't tell me UConn is a basketball school. Did you see what their two lines looked like on the field? That's no basketball school." And yet, when we're evaluated, all positive is forgotten.

Some of us are old. I still remember when we beat Iowa State when we first turned D1A.

 

[nycscooby]

I just want us to be competitive with the better teams on our schedule and wash the last decade of ineptitude off of us. If we do that consistently from this point forward then a P5 invite could happen and to me, that is all that really matters short term and beyond. The revenue discrepancy is too large between P5 and the rest of us to be able to sustain a program like ours for long.

 

[Waquoit]

Some of us are old. I still remember when we beat Iowa State when we first turned D1A.

And some of us remember sneaking out of a party to catch some of the game on the car radio. No TV! The Dark Ages were rough.

 

[Waquoit]

It truly is amazing how quickly positive things about us are forgotten. When we went into Waco and beat Baylor, I remember their beat reporter say something like the following: "Don't tell me UConn is a basketball school. Did you see what their two lines looked like on the field? That's no basketball school." And yet, when we're evaluated, all positive is forgotten.

Don't forget this quote, "UConn's student section is the equal of any in the Big 12." Off-campus, no less. If they played on campus, they could even be equalier.

 

[shizzle787]

And some of us remember sneaking out of a party to catch some of the game on the car radio. No TV! The Dark Ages were rough.

The Virginia game in 2007 was the worst. No TV and we lost by one.

 

[gandydancer]

Put an upper level D1 QB on the field. Go 9&4 (win a bowl game against any P5 team). The bones are there. Tough to keep UCONN out of the B12.

 

[Redding Husky]

I expect 6-6, so I’d be very happy at 7-5 plus a bowl.

 

[huskyblooz]

success to me would be getting over 30k a few times.
8 wins would be great and not unrealistic.

 

[Austin316]

I’d really like a season with no blowouts. Getting SPANKED by Michigan last year is one thing, but we can’t be losing to Cuse at home by 30+… NC State and Duke will be big games.

I’d like to see us improve like everyone else but P5 wins are what we need at home. If we can secure wins at home to NC State and Duke, my gosh, that’s something worth being proud of and it should help with fan count which is really what we need. A successful season to me is averaging more than 30k in the stands. The department needs money and no major conference is willing to take a serious look at UConn if the Rent looks like a ghost town on TV.

 

[Patman]

Develop a passing game, no major regressions on defense.