AAC CALL: HC Randy Edsall On Boise & Process Program Needs to Follow

[UConn07]

 

[History Geek]

I know Edsall had mentioned in August that wins and losses were not going to be the main indicator of success or failure this year but I still held out hope for a ceiling of 6-6 and a bowl. I still do and the extra practice would be invaluable for the young pups. But now I have finally adjusted my expectations after reading this. We are in the middle of a true developmental year.

 

[Hoophound]

Well, when you put it the way coach did, maybe we should just chill. Very well said.

 

[Exit 4]

Edsall sounds calm and collected. He hasn't quit.

 

[Dooley]

Nobody needs to remind anyone that we haven't had a winning season in forever. There is half of a stadium worth of empty seats as a reminder each and every home game.

 

[Slasher]

UConn's problem in a nutshell:

You look at an NFL standpoint, there’s only seven guys that are on NFL rosters. When I was here, we had something like 23-25 at one time, all guys that I recruited. Of those 7 guys now in the league, we recruited six of them. There’s been only one guy on an active roster right now that’s come from the program since I left that was recruited by someone different.

 

[HuskyHawk]

Edsall sounds calm and collected. He hasn't quit.

I didn't expect him to quit. But will the fans quit?

I understand it is a process. Diaco said all the same things Randy just said. At some point, you can't just re-run rebuilding processes over and over. They have to show results.

So, what do we need to see? Peart needs to stop with the false starts. The other mental mistakes need to be vastly reduced. Then they need to start making tackles, taking good lines, and on offense, opening holes, getting open and making good decisions. It's unfortunate that this young team had to be tested so early. Hopefully they learned what they need to aspire to be.

 

[Scrutineer]

I didn't expect him to quit. But will the fans quit?

I understand it is a process. Diaco said all the same things Randy just said. At some point, you can't just re-run rebuilding processes over and over. They have to show results.

So, what do we need to see? Peart needs to stop with the false starts. The other mental mistakes need to be vastly reduced. Then they need to start making tackles, taking good lines, and on offense, opening holes, getting open and making good decisions. It's unfortunate that this young team had to be tested so early. Hopefully they learned what they need to aspire to be.

Nice summary. What stood out most to me was: Very poor angles pursuing the opposing runners or receivers, no push on either line, and lots of poor tackling. Hard to run when there's no holes either.

As to Crocker's defense. May just be (as a Casual Fan) my understanding or failure to understand how defenses work. Seems I recall his Villanova defenses were blitzing from all different spots and totally disrupting the opposing offenses, getting sacks and tackles behind the line.

One time Saturday I saw an example of what I recall from when they played us several years ago: Santana Sterling shot through a gap and tackled a runner for a loss.

 

[businesslawyer]

I didn't expect him to quit. But will the fans quit?

I understand it is a process. Diaco said all the same things Randy just said. At some point, you can't just re-run rebuilding processes over and over. They have to show results.

So, what do we need to see? Peart needs to stop with the false starts. The other mental mistakes need to be vastly reduced. Then they need to start making tackles, taking good lines, and on offense, opening holes, getting open and making good decisions. It's unfortunate that this young team had to be tested so early. Hopefully they learned what they need to aspire to be.

If the fans quit, they quit. There is nothing for Edsall to do but stay the course and make this program competitive for a second time, and there is nothing for the administration to do but support him.

 

[methodology]

I know Edsall had mentioned in August that wins and losses were not going to be the main inductor of success or failure this year but I still held out hope for a ceiling of 6-6 and a bowl. I still do and the extra practice would be invaluable for the young pups. But now I have finally adjusted my expectations after reading this. We are in the middle of a true developmental year.

There lies the problem. This team had no chance of being 6-6 this year. 4 wins was/ probably their ceiling. 2-3 is probably the realistic #

 

[Pudge]

It’s not the time for any optimism

Yet, some of the last 6 games have to be considered less challenging than preseason. We did face - with zero second thoughts - two of the very best G5 programs and certainly top 20 deserving. Edsall has little to do with however that got placed on this schedule.

 

[Milo65]

It’s not the time for any optimism

Yet, some of the last 6 games have to be considered less challenging than preseason. We did face - with zero second thoughts - two of the very best G5 programs and certainly top 20 deserving. Edsall has little to do with however that got placed on this schedule.

I agree, hard to really know what this team is capable of after playing two of the top G5 teams in the nation. I need to see a big win against URI, a loss or a squeaker win will cement the 0-3 win narrative. A blowout may lead me to believe we have 4-6 wins.

 

[HuskyHawk]

If the fans quit, they quit. There is nothing for Edsall to do but stay the course and make this program competitive for a second time, and there is nothing for the administration to do but support him.

I understand and agree. But I do think we have a window before realignment re-opens, and we can't exactly take an approach that ignores that. I think it's why Hurley is now the BB coach. Basketball had to be restored immediately. Football needs to be a competitive .500 program in the next couple of years, and bring back some of the fans. It can't look like it does now. Blow-out losses aren't helping our image with the fans. This scheduling was very unfortunate.

 

[HuskiesFan1014]

Nobody needs to remind anyone that we haven't had a winning season in forever. There is half of a stadium worth of empty seats as a reminder each and every home game.

I'd like to agree with you, but when you read all the "Edsall needs to go" and "drop football" crap around here, it's worth reminding a few key people.

 

[Dooley]

Entering the season, I thought 4-6 wins was relatively doable - but that most of those wins would come in the second half of the schedule *if* the team kept battling and stayed mentally tough. This URI game will show just how mentally tough this team is. I'm not expecting a blowout win by any means. We're not good enough to expect to blow any team out. But I do expect effort and emotion as this is really our first very winnable on the schedule. When we give up points to URI (and we WILL give up points to URI), I want the guys to battle through the adversity and stay sharp. That's it. Do that and we can get a W and maybe just maybe build a smidge of confidence for the second half of the schedule's realistic winnable games.

 

[Dooley]

I'd like to agree with you, but when you read all the "Edsall needs to go" and "drop football" crap around here, it's worth reminding a few key people.

"Drop football" crap is everywhere. I wish there was a way to effectively communicate to those people that UConn is never going to drop football because, unlike some of its fanbase, UConn understands the only way to make more money - either in the AAC or P5 - is to play football. But alas, we have to engage in this endless debate because we haven't carried our own weight in the AAC and it's much easier to blame others than ourselves for our own ineptitude.

 

[HuskiesFan1014]

I know Edsall had mentioned in August that wins and losses were not going to be the main inductor of success or failure this year but I still held out hope for a ceiling of 6-6 and a bowl. I still do and the extra practice would be invaluable for the young pups. But now I have finally adjusted my expectations after reading this. We are in the middle of a true developmental year.

This! ^^^^^^^^^ 100%. Finally, somebody who admits it was their own denial that caused them to believe in things that cannot be believed in. Thanks for your honesty. So many of us (#metoo) want so much to believe the "on any given Saturday" BS that we look past the reality of the situation...then we find ourselves feeling "entirely dejected" when our ridiculous fantasy is dashed on the rocks of actuality. Randy has been honest about what to expect this year, yet again we hear but don't necessarily listen. He essentially said he was playing these kids for tomorrow, but a lot of us want more today. Patience doesn't come easily when you're getting kicked around, but he's doing pretty well, or so it seems.

 

[CL82]

"Drop football" crap is everywhere. I wish there was a way to effectively communicate to those people that UConn is never going to drop football because, unlike some of its fanbase, UConn understands the only way to make more money - either in the AAC or P5 - is to play football. But alas, we have to engage in this endless debate because we haven't carried our own weight in the AAC and it's much easier to blame others than ourselves for our own ineptitude.

Dooley good to see you posting regularly again! So, parole hearing went well?

 

[Dooley]

Dooley good to see you posting regularly again! So, parole hearing went well?

My PO doesn't know about this burner account so please don't tell him.

 

[History Geek]

This! ^^^^^^^^^ 100%. Finally, somebody who admits it was their own denial that caused them to believe in things that cannot be believed in. Thanks for your honesty. So many of us (#metoo) want so much to believe the "on any given Saturday" BS that we look past the reality of the situation...then we find ourselves feeling "entirely dejected" when our ridiculous fantasy is dashed on the rocks of actuality. Randy has been honest about what to expect this year, yet again we hear but don't necessarily listen. He essentially said he was playing these kids for tomorrow, but a lot of us want more today. Patience doesn't come easily when you're getting kicked around, but he's doing pretty well, or so it seems.

Thanks. I'm still dejected, but now I'm at peace about it

 

[noeynox]

If the fans quit, they quit. There is nothing for Edsall to do but stay the course and make this program competitive for a second time, and there is nothing for the administration to do but support him.

I hate to agree with this, but in essence the fans have already quit. I'm not going to the URI game, part of that is a medical reason, but part of it is I'm not enthusiastic about the time commitment for this product at the moment.

I will go to the umass game, and will probably try club seats for the 1st time.

You're right, in that Edsall just has to keep on keeping on, but damn it feels like whistling past the graveyard right now.

 

[Husky68]

Come on, that was a poorly coached team against Boise. Bad schemes, bad penalties, bad tackling, bad blocking, bad angles, bad play calling, just bad all over.
Talent is one thing, bad play is another.
Of course more talent will make UConn better. Recruits do watch how prospective teams they might join do during the season, what are chances on some great upgrade in talent given a 2 or 1 or less win season.
All you give him time guys, give me some specifics on what is "ok" for the Rhode Island game. Any win, big win, just show up?
I was at the beginning of the season looking to the end the season for some competitive games against the SMU and Temple caliber teams on the schedule, don't see it happening if UConn is not competitive against Rhode Island. I'm not demanding a win, just be competitive and look like you know how to play. Not real demanding for game 15 of the HCRE2.0 era (was going to put in error instead of era but lot of you guys have no sense of humor).

 

[gioff23]

It’s always darkest before the dawn.

We all have to fully buy in to this process. There is no plan b. I believe it’ll work but will take time. Next year is bowl eligible and from there we look for consistent 8-9 win seasons.

It’d be great to get 25k to games, but I understand casual fans passing until product improves. Then again, I think 30k is ceiling in this conference regardless of record.

Now, if this process fails 2-3 years out ....

 

[SubbaBub]

This thread makes me sad.

 

[UConnNick]

I understand and agree. But I do think we have a window before realignment re-opens, and we can't exactly take an approach that ignores that. I think it's why Hurley is now the BB coach. Basketball had to be restored immediately. Football needs to be a competitive .500 program in the next couple of years, and bring back some of the fans. It can't look like it does now. Blow-out losses aren't helping our image with the fans. This scheduling was very unfortunate.

The problem is we could start winning multiple AAC titles and even another natty in BB, but in terms of CR, that all means nothing. Football is all that matters.