American Athletic Coaches Talk Anonymously About Conference Foes for 2019

[pepband99]

QB- Pindell never went through his progressions and wasn't consistently accurate when in the pocket. Proof is in the tape and the fact he isn't in a camp.
Beaudry -etc - better pure passers. We won't have the D looking for a QB to run. This limits the offense but let's us use the playbook more. Push

A fair, and undersold, point.

It's one thing to stack the box, knowing a run play might be coming from a RB.

It's another to stack it for any running play, and any even remotely pressured pass play. Pindell was miraculous in escapability, but it made the DC's job easier, formation-wise.

 

[ShakyTheMohel]

I have now been to 2 practices. Here is my comparison versus last year:

QB- Pindell never went through his progressions and wasn't consistently accurate when in the pocket. Proof is in the tape and the fact he isn't in a camp.
Beaudry -etc - better pure passers. We won't have the D looking for a QB to run. This limits the offense but let's us use the playbook more. Push

RB - Mensah is a year older and better. Thompkins is good and Donevin hopefully gets to contribute - better

OL - year older and bigger - evolved from decimated on every play 2 years ago to better at run blocking last year to better pass blocking and better run blocking this year. - Better

TE - Davis was good but underutilized. Production this year should be better if QB goes through his progressions and throws to TE. - Better production even if not as good a player

WR - this group is different and it is hard to judge where they are versus last year's group. If they can get separation and have different guys open - then they will be more productive. Push for now.

DL - bigger and faster than last year just by being in the weight room. Ends concern me due to size and being ready. Better

LB - New personnel better than last year's personnel - Better

DB - personnel is older and wiser - Diamond Harrell is a game changer back there. Much better

Punter - is really good.

Kicker - last year wasn't so good - no idea who or what these guys are capable of - push

ST return and coverage - same kids- older, stronger and faster - I will say better

Coaching - Defense - Better at DC and every position coach including DL where same guy returns but has more tools to work with.

Coaching - Offense - mostly same coaches - concerned about Giufre as a play caller. Worse

Head Coach - has taken full control after last year's debacle. Has to win some more games and show improvement and they will. Better

This team won't be pushed around physically as badly as last year. The DL is a year away in the strength room to make me feel good about the D and I think the LB's are a year away as well. Spanos will have the players in position and we won't play 12 yards off the ball each play. We won't be 0-12, 1-11, 2-10 or 3-9. Worst case is 4 -8 and best case is 6-6.

Thanks for providing a perspective from actually seeing the team. There have been a lot of strong opinions on here from people who haven't seen the team. I know you can make assumptions based in last year, additions and subtractions, and what you read. But from year to year a team can be very different. Better or worse. And it's hard to tell unless you see them play. Nice to hear positive feedback from someone who has seen them play.

Still doesnt really mean anything until they play Wagner, but it's better than basing an opinion off of Edsall-speak.

 

[kemba]

Look Pindell had some weaknesses but that doesn't automatically mean a D2 transfer or another guy with basically no experience will improve on those weaknesses.

I hope they do, but its not something that should be assumed.

 

[MustangMan]

Stay in your lane.

Facts are facts. UConn has placed a number of players in the NFL, but it is nowhere near the “only” AAC program to have done so.

For obvious reasons, only Navy doesn’t get players into the NFL.

 

[HartfordHank]

Facts are facts. UConn has placed a number of players in the NFL, but it is nowhere near the “only” AAC program to have done so.

For obvious reasons, only Navy doesn’t get players into the NFL.

Patriots long snapper is from Navy. Joe Cardona!

 

[SubbaBub]

A fair, and undersold, point.

It's one thing to stack the box, knowing a run play might be coming from a RB.

It's another to stack it for any running play, and any even remotely pressured pass play. Pindell was miraculous in escapability, but it made the DC's job easier, formation-wise.

BUT...nearly all of the big plays came from Pindell scrambling.

 

[Duncan Idaho]

I have now been to 2 practices. Here is my comparison versus last year:

QB- Pindell never went through his progressions and wasn't consistently accurate when in the pocket. Proof is in the tape and the fact he isn't in a camp.
Beaudry -etc - better pure passers. We won't have the D looking for a QB to run. This limits the offense but let's us use the playbook more. Push

RB - Mensah is a year older and better. Thompkins is good and Donevin hopefully gets to contribute - better

OL - year older and bigger - evolved from decimated on every play 2 years ago to better at run blocking last year to better pass blocking and better run blocking this year. - Better

TE - Davis was good but underutilized. Production this year should be better if QB goes through his progressions and throws to TE. - Better production even if not as good a player

WR - this group is different and it is hard to judge where they are versus last year's group. If they can get separation and have different guys open - then they will be more productive. Push for now.

DL - bigger and faster than last year just by being in the weight room. Ends concern me due to size and being ready. Better

LB - New personnel better than last year's personnel - Better

DB - personnel is older and wiser - Diamond Harrell is a game changer back there. Much better

Punter - is really good.

Kicker - last year wasn't so good - no idea who or what these guys are capable of - push

ST return and coverage - same kids- older, stronger and faster - I will say better

Coaching - Defense - Better at DC and every position coach including DL where same guy returns but has more tools to work with.

Coaching - Offense - mostly same coaches - concerned about Giufre as a play caller. Worse

Head Coach - has taken full control after last year's debacle. Has to win some more games and show improvement and they will. Better

This team won't be pushed around physically as badly as last year. The DL is a year away in the strength room to make me feel good about the D and I think the LB's are a year away as well. Spanos will have the players in position and we won't play 12 yards off the ball each play. We won't be 0-12, 1-11, 2-10 or 3-9. Worst case is 4 -8 and best case is 6-6.

Do you recall who was manning that de/lb hybrid spot during practice?

 

[Drew]

Do you recall who was manning that de/lb hybrid spot during practice?

Probably Watts

 

[MustangMan]

Patriots long snapper is from Navy. Joe Cardona!

True. Plus, long snapper may be the best job in the nfl with long, injury free careers the norm. I hope he has a 15 year career.

My main point was that other AAC teams (and other G5 schools)) regularly get players into the NFL. Right now, there are a few AAC programs with more players in the NFL than many Big 12 schools.

 

[outlaw]

We won't be 0-12, 1-11, 2-10 or 3-9. Worst case is 4 -8 and best case is 6-6.

deal.

 

[Duncan Idaho]

Probably Watts

Heard Fortt say he was in the mix?

 

[RSTuthill]

Still doesnt really mean anything until they play Wagner, but it's better than basing an opinion off of Edsall-speak.

Just a small point, but no one here expresses opinions based on Edsall-speak. We all know he is spinning to one audience or another.

Your point about actually watching practices is a good one too; but the sports media do that, and report who is taking snaps with whom. From that kind of reporting we know that Beaudry will start the first half against Wagner and Edsall has shown in the past an inclination to make changes at the start of the second half if he is dissatisfied in the first game. What they don't report are the formations being employed and other particulars that don't make it to this board from other sources either. As for watching practices to see who is good and how good, the latter is very tough to judge. We won't know until after Illinois -- at which point our emotions may range across the whole spectrum.

I am pretty comfortable expressing opinions without attending practices. It's not as it anyone will care anyway.

 

[Exit 4]

Temple Football leads the all-time series against UConn. Temple put up 50 points on UConn last season. Temple beat UConn during UConn’s best football season ever. Temple has been playing FBS football for a much longer time than UConn, enjoys a more fertile football recruiting area, pays football coaches more, and actually has administrative support. That is the difference.

Temple is PA’s 27th favorite sports program.

 

[Hoophound]

Temple has hired well. Period.

 

[ShakyTheMohel]

Just a small point, but no one here expresses opinions based on Edsall-speak. We all know he is spinning to one audience or another.

Case in point...

QB discussion ...

I'm trying to be more optimistic than the usual suspects, but this is not a good line. I wonder if temery's nanny-o-matic will even let this be printed... : “I’m still waiting to see that moment for when I can say, that’s our guy," he said. “That’s why I gave Jack a couple reps. ... We put him...

www.the-boneyard.com

I get it....we don't have much other info....but people are basing opinions on what RE said.