An Argument for PP and GDL

[UConnDan97]

I've always believed that in any sport, the definition of a very good coach is one that can win with his style of player and the definition of a great coach is one that can win with his or with the other guy's.

So now that the last two years have shown us we don't have a great coach, could it be that we just have a very good coach? If PP and GDL are allowed to install this pro-style offense, will it start to pay dividends with his new recruiting classes and JUCO transfers? Here is an article from Silver pertaining to PP/GDL's pro-style offense:

http://snyuconn.com/uconn/football/wednesday-roundup-is-pro-style-way-to-go/#more-3447

Here is a section that I found interesting, since I do believe that the recruiting is starting to "uptick":

"There is some logic in going to a pro-style passer. UConn wants to differentiate itself in recruiting circles and playing an NFL style offense is a head start for players who want to play in the NFL. Many of the spread option quarterbacks that take snaps exclusively in the shotgun haven’t had success in the NFL. Receivers, running backs and offensive linemen can also point to the NFL style system as a plus on the recruiting trail. UConn hopes to attract players with NFL athleticism and size to play in their system. That’s the goal."

So what do you guys think?

(how could this thread possibly backfire on me???)

 

[metsfan2323]

I'm all for a pro style offense, we just need someone who teaches it better than GDL.

And just because you go pro style doesn't mean you have to do it exclusively, even the pro's sprinkle in some gimmick offense. The offense's only objective is to get into the endzone any way you can. Form should never be practiced over substance.

GDL coming back here next year is unacceptable. P and Warde cannot do that to the fans and the team. If P can't relieve GDL of his duties he should follow him out the door.

 

[FfldCntyFan]

I believe that with the right players PP & GDL could do very well. The thing is that the right players would be kids who end up at Alabama, USC, Texas, Notre Dame, Oklahoma and LSU.

 

[Mr Blueskin]

Does a very good coach have clock management issues every single game? Does a very good coach have 2 great TEs, decent WRs, good QB, 1000 yd RB from year before, great senior Defense but loses a majority of games because he's afraid to tell his OC to simplify the one thing that is not working, his O-Line? No, he definitely is not a very good coach.

 

[UConnDan97]

I'm all for a pro style offense, we just need someone who teaches it better than GDL.

And just because you go pro style doesn't mean you have to do it exclusively, even the pro's sprinkle in some gimmick offense. The offense's only objective is to get into the endzone any way you can. Form should never be practiced over substance.

GDL coming back here next year is unacceptable. P and Warde cannot do that to the fans and the team. If P can't relieve GDL of his duties he should follow him out the door.

Well it sounds like PP favors the pro-style regardless. So even if GDL isn't here, I don't think we are going to go back to the type of schemes that we are used to under Edsall. PP would likely replace GDL with a like-minded OC. So I guess what I'm wondering is whether or not the pro-style will begin to develop as the roster better fits the style? I have to admit that I have seen strides in our passing game. It has always been the running game that has concerned the hell out of me. I'm just trying to allow for the fact that as the personnel changes, we could start to really progress in the system....and hopefully on the scoreboard...

 

[UConnDan97]

I believe that with the right players PP & GDL could do very well. The thing is that the right players would be kids who end up at Alabama, USC, Texas, Notre Dame, Oklahoma and LSU.

Good point. Maybe a follow-up question would be whether or not he could have sustained success against our type of schedule with the "3-star athlete" instead of the 4 or 5-star that would preferentially go to the SEC type teams.

I liken this thing to what people thought of Edsall. His first couple of years were not very good, but once he got his system rolling, we had a fair amount of success, even with the 2-star athletes...

 

[metsfan2323]

I believe that with the right players PP & GDL could do very well.

The problem with the GDL needs his own players argument is he had his own players at Syracuse and everyone wanted him fired there too.

 

[huskymedic]

Never gonna get an intelligent convo on this one... Waste of time. There aren't many open minds on ths topic. Too many people have dug in too far.

 

[UConnDan97]

Does a very good coach have clock management issues every single game? Does a very good coach have 2 great TEs, decent WRs, good QB, 1000 yd RB from year before, great senior Defense but loses a majority of games because he's afraid to tell his OC to simplify the one thing that is not working, his O-Line? No, he definitely is not a very good coach.

I was hoping to stick with the style of offense, or maybe talk about the ability of using the pro-style of offense as an asset on the recruiting trail. But yes, the dude definitely needs to pay someone $20 every week to just stand there and tell him he has timeouts available, I'll never argue against that...

 

[UConnDan97]

The problem with the GDL needs his own players argument is he had is own players at Syracuse and everyone wanted him fired there too.

Yeah, they wanted him fired, but that doesn't mean he didn't do very well there. He only had 1 losing season out of 14 seasons, and he had 8 wins or more in half of the years. So.....back to the style of offense?

 

[Mr Blueskin]

Never gonna get an intelligent convo on this one... Waste of time. There aren't many open minds on ths topic. Too many people have dug in too far.

When you say intelligent convo, do you mean ignoring the 95 pct of GDL and PPs faults and talking about the 5 pct that works? Come on, all this because there was an article talking about how PP needs a little more time and a better running game?

 

[UConnDan97]

When you say intelligent convo, do you mean ignoring the 95 pct of GDL and PPs faults and talking about the 5 pct that works? Come on, all this because there was an article talking about how PP needs a little more time and a better running game?

No, by intelligent, he means talking about the different facets of the pro-style offense versus maybe the spread. Talking about the new zone blocking concepts. Talking about the recruiting effects. Talking about the undeniable increase in passing game, while coupled with an undeniable decrease in running game. Talking about personnel that might fit certain schemes better.

Or we could just bitch about the fact that we are 4-6, and the ACC hasn't brought us in yet...

 

[UConnDan97]

I thought this was in reference to the trend that the crappier your program the better the conference invite

No. programs go to crap AFTER accepting the invite...

 

[FfldCntyFan]

The problem with the GDL needs his own players argument is he had his own players at Syracuse and everyone wanted him fired there too.

I never said he needs his players. The players he needs he could never land. He needs Saban's players, Miles' players and a few of Stoops players thrown in. Maybe then he could make it to a bowl game with this schedule (my money says 7-5).

 

[huskymedic]

I thought this was in reference to the trend that the crappier your program the better the conference invite

You guys got an SEC invite?

<Couldn't resist>

 

[UConnDan97]

I would love to hear from someone that has played OL before, even if it was just at the high school level. I just want to hear from a lineman's perspective how hard it might be to adjust from one style to another or perhaps even a body type or footwork that suits one style over the other...

 

[Mr Blueskin]

No, by intelligent, he means talking about the different facets of the pro-style offense versus maybe the spread. Talking about the new zone blocking concepts. Talking about the recruiting effects. Talking about the undeniable increase in passing game, while coupled with an undeniable decrease in running game. Talking about personnel that might fit certain schemes better.

Or we could just bitch about the fact that we are 4-6, and the ACC hasn't brought us in yet...

You're right...I shouldn't bitch so much but I become very very negative whenever I hear positive comments and articles about how these 2 can better the program in the future...plus the fact that they always hint at the problem being the players they dont have and you hear nothing about the coaching schemes that are screwing us right now.

 

[UConnDan97]

You're right...I shouldn't bitch so much but I become very very negative whenever I hear positive comments and articles about how these 2 can better the program in the future...plus the fact that they always hint at the problem being the players they dont have and you hear nothing about the coaching schemes that are screwing us right now.

So I guess that's what I was getting at with this thread. I'd love to hear from people, especially ones who have played the game extensively (if we have any on the BY), talking about the schemes and the style. Maybe even talk about the type of player that fits one mold or another...

 

[Uconnalliance]

No. programs go to crap AFTER accepting the invite...

Hmm mm.. Invite? do we get one? I'm starting to smell smoke.

 

[Srqhusky]

They have increased the sale of alcohol

 

[CTMike]

Nice post Dan. People either a) forget or b) are too caught up in wanting to say "I told you so!" to remember that, yes, there was some logic to the P hire. Your post lays out what I thought (at the time) was the biggest benefit - running a pro-style system, being able to carry our prior success forward, and being able to say: come to UConn and you'll be NFL ready. Now it hasn't worked out like that, OK? I took for granted the changes in scheme, OK? I thought these guys would coach our kids up the same as the last guy OK? Obviously... Hasn't been the case. Can they? Yeeeesh. Maybe. But they've set us back so far so quickly I don't want to wait around to find out.

 

[ZooCougar]

Let's see him win two games in a row first. I mean really, this plea to reconsider his performance is borne out of comments in a presser, not actual results.

If he beats Louisville, my perception of him will improve by a tick.

But consider this:

Under Edsall, we ran pro style and a spread. Results weren't gangbusters but they look explosive now.

I'll take the spread/pro combo over the pro/wildcat.

We already had an offensive line that could use multiple protections. What happened?

We used to be able to audible at the line... We used to have one of the most effective running games in the sport. That was our "DNA".

P and D have destroyed almost all of it.


FIRE THEM!

 

[Srqhusky]

Take a look at our 2010 schedule and look at the points we put up. We would hang 30-40 points on teams not named Fordham or umass.

As a person who likes p. and likes the recruiting he does. Our offense has as much excitement as Thomas the tank engine.

 

[UCFBfan]

Let me ask this....who are the recruits he already has brought in or is bringing in next year that will fit this Offensive Line scheme? Are there any? I'm asking seriously. The article you stated Dan said that he just needs his players and then he can get this up and running. Well by season three he should have all of his players in place or ready to start. I haven't heard much of any big recruits on the O-Line. All I hear are Defensive players and the QB from TX. So I guess I have to wonder where the recruits are that are attracted by this NFL style offense.....

I'd also be interested in seeing what style of offense other schools play who have successful O-Line players in the NFL. One reason I don't totally buy this idea of the Pro-Style=NFL success are the Pouncey kids. Both came in and started and I believe both went to Florida. That offense is so far from Pro-Style yet they adapted just fine. So I think that this angle needs to be looked at too.

If PP was bringing in high level O-Line recruits I might buy this more. However, I haven't seen that yet. Like someone said earlier, they have set us so far back, so quickly, that it's hard to accept waiting. With Edsall we could deal because we made a HUGE leap to FBS. Now that we've had sustained success under him, there's no time to wait. Add on top of that all this realignment crap and PP just doesn't have the time.....

 

[metsfan2323]

Hire Bill Cubit (fired Western Michigan head coach) to be our offensive coordinator. They had a prolific pro-style attack that ripped our D to shreds two years in a row with less talent than GDL has right now. I bet he would do great things with Whitmer and Cochran.

Found this on a blog:

Bill Cubit's offense is unabashedly huck and chuck, incorporating passing concepts from both spread and pro style to put extreme pressure on the defense depending upon the formation and personnel. That's why it's so hard to prepare for a Cubit offense, since they'll show one look on film and yet come out the next week in something completely different. You have to prepare for both, which makes gameplanning more generalized than specific, again playing into the hands of Cubit.