Are we better off sticking to the plan, or...

[ConnHuskBask]

We're spending $50 million or so on what sounds like a glorified high school hockey rink.

Which is just utterly insane. I get that some people are in to college sports that aren't men's hoops and football. But the majority of people don't care.

UConn joining Hockey East - in our current financial situation - was ill advised.

 

[Stainmaster]

Edsall isn't coaching for free.

None of these good coaches you're referring to would dream of coming here for the pittance we're paying Edsall.

 

[Stainmaster]

I said something similar in a different thread, but you either cut funding/cut non-revenue sports now, in hopes that we can get into the P5, or we cut them later when were stuck in the American for good.

A lot easier to bring back a softball or hockey program that was cut, than it is to try and compete in the American football conference with the current regime.

Baseball stays where it is - it's the flagship New England team in the men's sport directly behind football and basketball. Other than that, I'm very amenable to that idea. The question is now whether or not people in the athletic department would think to consider that.

 

[superjohn]

None of these good coaches you're referring to would dream of coming here for the pittance we're paying Edsall.

Edsall is terrible, if we are sticking with his 5 year plan of hoping to get to 6-6 we should get rid of the program.

 

[Bonehead]

Tried the top D1 team this year.

Exactly!!

 

[Hoophound]

Hockey being in Hockey East isn’t I’ll advised. If you think that, you probably haven’t enjoyed college hockey live in the Boston area. It’s electric. The new rink on campus will likely have an outstanding atmosphere with great student involvement. Hopefully, it can help galvanize the fan base and create better attendance for other teams too. The 2500 seats isn’t that big a deal, since it is expandable. The big issue is having to commit to play at XL due to state politics and a spoiled fan base that won’t drive to Storrs. If that weren’t the case, the on campus facility would seat more. Once again, a CT economic problem negatively effecting the school by forcing it to think short term and small.

 

[Ewekon]

None of these good coaches you're referring to would dream of coming here for the pittance we're paying Edsall.

The D coordinator at Clemson gets 2 mil.

 

[noeynox]

Season tix going to be a disaster next year.

This is where the fans get to tell the coach, "you don't like what you see, tough sheet". I'm still appalled he talks like that but takes no personal accountability for the play we saw.

 

[CTMike]

This is where the fans get to tell the coach, "you don't like what you see, tough sheet". I'm still appalled he talks like that but takes no personal accountability for the play we saw.

I get this. I do. But when it comes to root cause - I think Diaco’s absolute dereliction of duty in recruiting was the kill shot. We are playing freshmen who aren’t ready out of pure necessity... if we had any depth they wouldn’t see the field until junior year. But we are decimated. So yah... Edsall’s recruits... but I get Edsall’s comments, and I get why they rub people the wrong way.

We’ll continue to struggle for years on this, there are no quick fixes for depth. But even giving Edsall’s plan the benefit of the doubt, assuming his kids grow and develop... I don’t see how our ceiling, even with everything going right 2 years from now, is more than 7-5. Fans will all be gone by then.

 

[Sky ball]

I can't believe I'm saying this. University of Buffalo, bucks all the excuses around why UConn can't be successful. 10-2 in the MAC, a worse conference, with worse facilities, decent academically and not a great recruiting area. It can be done, we just haven't had the right people here to right the ship.

On campus Football Stadium...Think it matters to players and students?
Google Maps

 

[noeynox]

What you say matters. Edsall has never gotten this. Not his first time here, not at Maryland, and not his 2nd go round here. I was fooled into thinking that flopping at Maryland had humbled him because of his apology. I was wrong. Pompous as ever.

We get Diaco was a disaster and it's why he's no longer here, but right now Edsall is Diaco 2.0, pointing to the previous regime for his failings. Even still, reaching all time worst status takes special skill on your own part.

 

[zls44]

Diaco was a disaster but I refuse to buy that he recruited kids who universally don't know how to play football. Especially when the guy saying it has the worst class in FBS coming in.

Diaco is a psychopath but he's accomplished more at a higher level as a coordinator than Randy ever has. That's just a fact.

Bob was making it competitive the last two stops he's made since UConn and then Randy runs out literally the worst defense in the sport's history. A true battle of giants here.

 

[Milo65]

On campus Football Stadium...Think it matters to players and students?
Google Maps

I'm sure it matters, but if that's the reason why UConn can't be competitive, we might as well shut it down. The State isn't building a new one and it's an obstacle that can't be overcome.

 

[RSTuthill]

The Rent is situated perfectly, right where people with the money are most likely to buy season tix to the most expensive seats. Easy entrance, easy exit, awesome tailgating layout. UConn makes zip on student attendance. Give them six wins a year and the students will pack the student section, come early and stay late. We were not having this discussion in 2010.

The impracticality of a Storrs stadium boggles the mind. The whole discussion is moot anyway. Falls into the category of belly-aching.

 

[Northbound]

It’s not changing the stadium is where it is.

The stadium conversation is humorous if only because in other places people go to the stadium. Only here is it bring the stadium to the people.

Yes there are 25 off campus football facilities, but the overwhelming majority of those are less than 3 miles from campus and most other off campus facilities have a NFL or historical grounding. I’m not sure any right thinking person would say when considering building a new stadium - “here’s a great idea let’s put the stadium with no other tennants 25 miles from campus because the fan base is so casual that they won’t travel an extra 30 minutes to a campus stadium where they - you know went to school. An extra benefit is that the students will get to pile on shuttles get there or then can drive to the off campus stadium where they’ll drink all day.”

If you have an active and engaged fan base it doesn’t matter where the stadium is - they will go to see the team play.

That stadium decision was ill-advised, but it’s just another misstep in the life of UConn football - sadly the program will be a study in how not to do things a generation from now in sport management classes.

 

[Nextmanup]

Perfect spot for the stadium would have been next to the Dairy Bar.. nice big valley with more than enough space.. just have to relocate the cows...

 

[Stainmaster]

Edsall is terrible, if we are sticking with his 5 year plan of hoping to get to 6-6 we should get rid of the program.

I'm not disagreeing with you on Edsall, but getting a good coach like the kind you're talking about requires $$$. I want to know where the $$$ is coming from. This isn't a KO/Dan Hurley situation at all.

 

[kemba]

Diaco was a disaster but I refuse to buy that he recruited kids who universally don't know how to play football. Especially when the guy saying it has the worst class in FBS coming in.

Diaco is a psychopath but he's accomplished more at a higher level as a coordinator than Randy ever has. That's just a fact.

I don't think its hard to believe. The rankings were awful, the offer lists were awful, and the philosophy of focusing on size over speed seemed questionable at best at the time and was clearly a disaster now.

2nd part is a fact but not really relevant

 

[huskymedic]

I don't think its hard to believe. The rankings were awful, the offer lists were awful, and the philosophy of focusing on size over speed seemed questionable at best at the time and was clearly a disaster now.

... and size didn’t necessarily translate into strength. I’ll never forget this tweet.

I’d love for Mike Anthony/Putterman to update it.


The RE longing for the old Block C days is getting crusty and stale but some things (personnel metrics) are comparable over the years.

 

[Louis]

Not starting another one of these just to rile people up... believe me I would have faught someone for suggesting it. But we are where we are and incremental changes are not going to pull us out of this death spiral.

Do we fix things faster if we pull a UAB - shut it down, clean house from AD on down, and see about rebooting it in two years? Edsall’s plan will admittedly take years to execute... to reach what sort of up side? Would we be any worse off?

I like the first part (shut it down and clean house) but I'm not sure about the second part. A lot depends on what happens to basketball in the interim. I think Nova, Xavier and Gonzaga are good examples to follow.

 

[Waquoit]

That stadium decision was ill-advised, but it’s just another misstep in the life of UConn football

Why do people keep saying this? The choice was having the stadium where it is or no D-1 football, period. The stadium was a feature not a bug when the team was good.

 

[Northbound]

Why do people keep saying this? The choice was having the stadium where it is or no D-1 football, period. The stadium was a feature not a bug when the team was good.

I could agree but then we’d both be wrong - it’s never been a feature no matter how much you try and convince yourself otherwise.

 

[Palatine]

There is no "plan."

The players have to get bigger and stronger and better is NOT a plan. It is the goal of every team on the planet.

If Edsall has a plan it is this -- make the schedule easier.

 

[Waquoit]

I could agree but then we’d both be wrong - it’s never been a feature no matter how much you try and convince yourself otherwise.

As far as my first comment, that's just unassailable fact. The second is opinion but plenty of out-of-state beat writers lauded the atmosphere at The Rent back in the day. Many epic tailgates that hold up next to the "name" schools I've visited. Great sightlines. You're just a hater.

 

[John Greene]

Yup, further emphasizing my prior reference to UAB's pitifully low undergrad admissions standards versus a typical Level 1 trauma center's high standards, e.g., UAB's hospital, med school, etc. For UAB's gridiron recruiting, it's not too much of a stretch to believe not too many players will treat GSWs, perform brain or heart surgery, etc in UAB's hospital down the road.

Yup, further emphasizing my prior reference to UAB's pitifully low undergrad admissions standards versus a typical Level 1 trauma center's high standards, e.g., UAB's hospital, med school, etc. For UAB's gridiron recruiting, it's not too much of a stretch to believe not too many players will treat GSWs, perform brain or heart surgery, etc in UAB's hospital down the road.

Bill Clarke was able to do what he has by being in the right place at the right time before the climate changed. My guess is that a few years from now it will be a lot harder to get the type of player he has into the school. About 3 years ago UAB completed a 1 billion fund raising drive, half of which is earmarked for undergraduate programs. The plan is to use the graduate programs, med school and an affiliated institution, Southern Research Institute, to raise the level of undergrads in the biological and physical sciences. Will they succeed? Who knows, but in the past they have had an excellent record of hitting their goals. Even while under a Tuscaloosa majority BOT.

 

[uconnbill]

Hockey being in Hockey East isn’t I’ll advised. If you think that, you probably haven’t enjoyed college hockey live in the Boston area. It’s electric. The new rink on campus will likely have an outstanding atmosphere with great student involvement. Hopefully, it can help galvanize the fan base and create better attendance for other teams too. The 2500 seats isn’t that big a deal, since it is expandable. The big issue is having to commit to play at XL due to state politics and a spoiled fan base that won’t drive to Storrs. If that weren’t the case, the on campus facility would seat more. Once again, a CT economic problem negatively effecting the school by forcing it to think short term and small.

Why do they always have to build it too small to begin with, that is my question. Gampel was too small until they expanded it. Why not build it right the first time.

 

[jdb50]

There is no choice right now really. At the end of next year there will be more evidence if a change has to be made. If everyone in the program is true to their word that we won't be this bad again and they all use it as a motivator then we may have a more optimistic outlook after next year. If the AD is not able to get the President to OK UCONN using the same admission rules to get players in -undergrad and juco- that other AAC teams have after this season then one has to wonder how long this restoration process will take.

 

[methodology]

Diaco was a disaster but I refuse to buy that he recruited kids who universally don't know how to play football. Especially when the guy saying it has the worst class in FBS coming in.

Diaco is a psychopath but he's accomplished more at a higher level as a coordinator than Randy ever has. That's just a fact.

Bob was making it competitive the last two stops he's made since UConn and then Randy runs out literally the worst defense in the sport's history. A true battle of giants here.

Diaco has never coached in NFL, randy has. NFL is a higher level than college

 

[Chief00]

Fair enough. Part of it is that I’m just pissed at RE’s schtick. I also don’t think this rule is as strictly applied for basketball...there’s no way it could be if we want to be competitive

Jim Calhoun had a way of influencing things that Randy can only dream of.

 

[Chief00]

They need to think outside the box here and not sure if doable but...

1. All season tix holders get first opportunity to all other Rent events before general public. Need to book more Rent events. Large concerts. Soccer. Other. Timberlake July 2019.
2. Have a concert after a game. Not Justin Timberlake but like Kool and the Gang or something.
3. Move the labor day weekend from thirsday to Friday and involve fireworks after game.
4. Give tickets away to local youth groups - build the relationship. We have plenty to give.
5. Charge more for tix not for season tix.

Number 4 - The NCAA has crazy rules around. Basically, the result is you can’t give free tickets to HS kids in large groups - because that creates a recruiting violation minefield.