American Athletic Coaches Talk Anonymously About Conference Foes for 2019

[freescooter]

It is a tough job. Not sure why that seems to bother you so much that it is verbalized.

Why is it a tough job compared with say Temple which was only not the worst program in the country because Rutgers existed? Or Memphis which was dreadful until Fuentes arrived? Or Army which hadn’t had a winning season since Grant playedvthere it seems and prepares guys for the Army not the NF L... ditto Navy which had a few decades of awful football until Paul Johnson revived the Middie program, which btw has all the same issues as Army? Or Kansas when cross state rival KStae seems to have figured it out? BC was listed as a “ tough job” when Spaziane was there. Not so much lately. UConn has had more success than lots of these programs in the past. It has facilities equal to all better than most. It had an incredibly bad coach. Now rebuilding from that. So I’m curious. Was it not a tough job from 2000-2010? Was Temple not a tough job? Army? Navy? Memphis? That term seems to apply when things are going badly but not when they are going well?

 

[freescooter]

Yeah, that statement is preposterous.

That’s because it is perposterous

 

[kemba]

It's a tough job because of:
-Recruiting area
-No conference, and previously a conference we weren't a fit in
-Limited funds
-Invest more money in basketball than most/all(?) non p5 schools which means less investment in football
-Challenging academic requirements
-Weak fanbase-some truth, some perception here
-Off campus stadium
-2 historically bad head coaching hires
-Seen as a job with a limited ceiling


It was a tough job before, which is why announcers would fawn over Edsall every game. He overcame a lot of things and hopefully still can again. But now its even tougher. More challenges, things have been taken away, and some things that were real strengths back then aren't anymore.

 

[freescooter]

I get the love for Pindell but he was a running quarterback who occasionally threw the ball. You rarely win with those guys without overwhelming talent. His first thought was run. If he saw an opening he ran. If his first read was covered he ran. The really successful guys can move around to buy time when necessary, find secondary receivers and run as a 2nd option not a first instinct. I’m hoping Beaudry fits that category.

 

[ConnHuskBask]

I get the love for Pindell but he was a running quarterback who occasionally threw the ball. You rarely win with those guys without overwhelming talent. His first thought was run. If he saw an opening he ran. If his first read was covered he ran. The really successful guys can move around to buy time when necessary, find secondary receivers and run as a 2nd option not a first instinct. I’m hoping Beaudry fits that category.

His first thought was run because the offensive line and skill positions were horrible. Just so happened Pindell was a pretty athletic and shifty runner with the ball in his hands.

 

[uconnbill]

Congrats to Big Red @temery

You’ve cultivated the best mix of stupidity and polite trolling found anywhere on the interwebz.

It’s beyond amazing that lab rats learn from getting shocked in experiments but actual human beings don’t.

UConn’s best tight end is at a school that hasn’t throw a pass to a tight end in like a decade. And he’d also probably be the best QB on the roster too.

You are starting to sound like one of those old men who tells at kids for walking through his yard.

Step away from the keyboard/phone and breath. It's okay if you don't comment on every post on the board, really it is.

 

[whaler11]

You are starting to sound like one of those old men who tells at kids for walking through his yard.

Step away from the keyboard/phone and breath. It's okay if you don't comment on every post on the board, really it is.

aw did whaler give uconnbilly the sadz?

if you dont like to read things that give you the sadz you can fix that ya know. stay in a nice little bubble.

 

[uconnphil2016]

You are starting to sound like one of those old men who tells at kids for walking through his yard.

Step away from the keyboard/phone and breath. It's okay if you don't comment on every post on the board, really it is.

Couldn’t agree more.

 

[MustangMan]

Same narrative over and over. UConn is the one school in the AAC that couldn't possibly recruit good football players. Too hard to get kids to go to the only school in the conference with a long term track record of putting guys in the NFL, great facilities and an actual national brand name. Impossible. No one could do it.

The only AAC school that can put players in the NFL?

See NCAA data: Colleges most represented on 2018 NFL rosters | NCAA.com

 

[Stainmaster]

The only AAC school that can put players in the NFL?

See NCAA data: Colleges most represented on 2018 NFL rosters | NCAA.com

Stay in your lane.

 

[Banta55]

it’s a bit of hyperbole but Davis would easily be the best TE on the roster and no kidding Georgia Tech changed their offense.

I’ll try to be more positive about a bad roster, inexperienced coaches hired by default because they don’t pay anyone and over a half decade of FCS recruiting.

That’s the winning formula! How could anyone be negative about that! Certainly Nostical has nailed everything - we should all be more like him.

Bucket hat closed fist brotherhood *fart noises*

You had to be picked on as a kid ,absolutely ridiculous..

 

[freescooter]

His first thought was run because the offensive line and skill positions were horrible. Just so happened Pindell was a pretty athletic and shifty runner with the ball in his hands.

I don’t think last years line was awful. Average perhaps. But far better than Diaco had. Problem last year was on the other side of the ball and creating a situation where the offense had to score every series just to have s prayer of staying close. It wasn’t that good.

 

[SubbaBub]

We've learned that having no defense gives up 50 per game. The season will hinge on whether we have some defense and by having some defense results in something closer to 30 per game where the mistakes of the other bad teams on the schedule will translate into a few wins.


...emphasis on some.

 

[hardcorehusky]

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.

 

[RSTuthill]

Regarding the receivers, they may not have to be wizards at separation. One of them may be uncovered on almost every play if the opponent is stacking the box to stop the run. Simply a numbers thing.

 

[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.