Assistant Football Coach/Offensive Coordinator. (Specialist IIA)

[SonsOfNutmeg]

So I get that you are not a Bob Diaco fan. You are entitled but why so mean spirited if someone is? Not sure why the attempt to discredit me. I have been quite transparent in my belief that in time Bob Diaco will bring success to UCONN. My Dec. 11, 2014 post "Why I believe in Bob Diaco" below got 29 likes, so Whaler, I must not be the only person on the Boneyard that feels that way. There are plenty of negative sorts in the world, what else is new? Bob Diaco is going to turn this program around and his coaching decisions will not be determined by anyone on the Boneyard.

HERE IS THE POST AGAIN. IT CLEARLY STATES HOW I FEEL ABOUT COACH

I just posted this in another thread but felt this was important to be on its own, so here goes. To start, I know Diaco has said a few questionable things about abilities and such. He is not perfect and it was a long season. So I cut him some slack. I believe he will become a tremendous head coach. Here goes:

UCONN football under Diaco:

1. 2014 was not a program renovation, it was a Total tear down-rebuild
2. Diaco is a perfectionist - He only knows 1 way to do things - the right way
3. Diaco and staff could have done things to achieve greater results in the W-L column but didn't want to take short cuts. They made a decision to build for the future as a #1 priority. In other words they sacrificed short term gains for long term sustained success.
4. People did not like the exhibition/preseason game analogy (paying customers didn't want to hear that) but that is exactly what Diaco was doing. That was very painful for everyone.
5. Diaco and staff were building a culture and system designed to last for years and built on:
a. Good Nutrition
b. Strength & Conditioning
c. Discipline, Academically, Socially, Mentally*,Physically, Spiritually, Family
6. Technique - Understanding timing and footwork, fundamentals
* Mentally is huge. He needed to wash out a Negative losing mentality that had
been at UCONN the last three years.
6. Recruiting - Diaco (for 2015)recruited Big, tall players, smart kids that bought into his philosophy.
7. Unfortunately, the fan base has been affected by all the change and Diaco has asked us to be patient and to trust him. He knows it isn't easy. I believe he understands.
8. The team suffered major loses by injury in particular two team captains in Casey Cochran and Byron Jones.
9. We had a very young and inexperience Offensive line that got a lot better in 2014
10. We had some young pup running backs that will be great in the next couple of years and the same goes for the receiving corps.
11. Diaco has promised us a conference championship
12. He is our best chance at moving up to a better conference.

In summation I will use a golf analogy. I am a 12 handicap golfer. I could take my swing and game and up my time at the range by 1,000 balls a week. I could buy state of the art equipment, play a couple more times a week, watch all kinds of videos, etc. No doubt I would get better. My ball striking would no doubt improve. Putting, Driving, everything. The problem is, that if I had inherent flaws in my swing, I would be building my game on a questionable foundation that would ultimately fail against stronger competition.

On the other hand if I paid David Leadbetter to train me the right way, he could possibly trash my golf swing and make drastic changes that would actually make me look worse and make me feel very uncomfortable for a while. I would probably start swearing at him and state that I never should have gone to him in the first place as I am now worse than before I hired him. He would tell me to be patient and that it will take time for the new techniques to become a habit and that for a while, I would be playing worse until I got comfortable but in the long run I was going to have a more sustainable consistent game. Down the road I could go up against single digit golfers in competition and beat them.

I hope this has helped some of you. Others may poke fun of my analogy and theory but that's okay. Everyone is entitled to their own opinion. For now, I choose to believe the Bob Diaco is the best thing to happen to UCONN football. And NO, I didn't get paid for writing this! College football is a very passionate sport. Most of us on the yard are passionate about UCONN football. No one more than Bob Diaco.

Great overview on the program under Bobby D @Confident Carl ! GO HUSKIES!!

 

[SonsOfNutmeg]

If one wants to have faith in the future that is great. I still hold out hope he pans out.

But to ignore how bad he was in 2014 only lends no credibility to anything else one says.

As if winning games would somehow damage the rebuilding process. Throwing the ball against South Florida is a shortcut? Not punting from midfield incessantly is a shortcut? Not running the program like a North Korean news agency is a shortcut?

He stunk. And it impacted the record and we had 5k people at the final home game. Hole was deep - he's made it deeper.

Hahaha! the "Not running the program like a North Korean news agency" killed me! lol

 

[HobokenHusky]

When did Butch Davis go to Tennessee?

Haha sorry Butch Jones, watched the U part 2 last week

 

[SonsOfNutmeg]

Hey, for what its worth (and just for fun)... if we pulled in Matt LaFleur from ND, maybe QB Evertt Golson would come along for one last year of eligability? Apparently he reached out to LSU to see about going down there. http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/ncaaf...ett-golson--reached-out-to-lsu-200801827.html

UConn is much better than LSU... right?

 

[Confident Carl]

Hahaha! the "Not running the program like a North Korean news agency" killed me! lol

I thought that was a pretty good line too. I agree that access to the other coaches and their insight was far too scarce last year. I can't help but think that Ernest Jone's resignation after his the Jesus in the huddle comments had something to do with the black out. The media had plenty of access to Diaco when he was Defensive coordinator at Notre Dame. I am hoping that Diaco lifts some of those filters on his staff next season.

 

[huskymedic]

Butch Jones: 'The fans want you to hire a résumé and all that, but...'

http://coachingsearch.com/article?a=Butch-Jones-The-fans-want-you-to-hire-a-resume-and-all-that-but

>>“We’re multi-tasking right now, but everything is about a gut feeling and finding the right fit,” he said. “Everyone wants you to hire this person or that person based off resume, but they have to trust me. I’m the caretaker of Tennessee football. I know what our players need. I know what this coaching staff needs. I know what this program needs, as we continue to move forward. We’re going to get the best coach for Tennessee, and I can assure you that we will get the best of the best.”<<

 

[DoctorWho85]

Any news on the OC position? I'm running out of nail space to bite.

 

[CTGoonie]

Any news on the OC position? I'm running out of nail space to bite.

@footballscoop just tweeted out to not expect anything until after NSD.

 

[ktuck911]

Butch Jones: 'The fans want you to hire a résumé and all that, but...'

http://coachingsearch.com/article?a=Butch-Jones-The-fans-want-you-to-hire-a-resume-and-all-that-but

>>“We’re multi-tasking right now, but everything is about a gut feeling and finding the right fit,” he said. “Everyone wants you to hire this person or that person based off resume, but they have to trust me. I’m the caretaker of Tennessee football. I know what our players need. I know what this coaching staff needs. I know what this program needs, as we continue to move forward. We’re going to get the best coach for Tennessee, and I can assure you that we will get the best of the best.”<<

At least Tennessee truly has an offensive identity... You can't tell me that what we showed on the field of play this past season we've established our identity on that side of the ball... Hopefully, whoever we get, can right that ship sooner rather than later... just bring some sort of consistency...

 

[HobokenHusky]

@footballscoop just tweeted out to not expect anything until after NSD.

Kind of makes me think it's not Quinn, and is LaFleur. He is the only one mentioned that is still working, and Diaco probably wouldn't pry him away from Kelly right before signing day out of respect. Just a hunch. No reason Quinn wouldn't be hired until after NSD.

 

[huskymedic]

@footballscoop just tweeted out to not expect anything until after NSD.

FootballScoop Jan 28, 4:13pm via TweetDeck
Sounds like this one will play out after signing day RT @Max_Shakun: @FootballScoop Anything on the UCONN offensive coordinator search?

 

[Bonehead]

I am a little perplexed that we would wait to name an O/C until after NSD - I would think if you are trying to get another QB, especially taking one who has already verbaled with another school, you might want to be able to say 'hey, look who will be working with you'...or maybe we are done on the offensive side of the ball.

Either way I would think he would hurt more than help to NOT have an O/C before NSD.

 

[Jimmy Serrano]

I am a little perplexed that we would wait to name an O/C until after NSD - I would think if you are trying to get another QB, especially taking one who has already verbaled with another school, you might want to be able to say 'hey, look who will be working with you'...or maybe we are done on the offensive side of the ball.

Either way I would think he would hurt more than help to NOT have an O/C before NSD.

If the hire is made and they're making a pitch to a QB recruit you don't think they'd tell the kid who it is and what kind of offense he'll be running?

 

[Bonehead]

If the hire is made and they're making a pitch to a QB recruit you don't think they'd tell the kid who it is and what kind of offense he'll be running?

I supposed that is possible - if you did would you not be concerned the kid tweets is or lets out of bag?

also if I am the kids father I might ask 'why isnt the hire announced'? Has he signed a contract? Is that hire 100% or 80%?
yada yada yada

 

[Jimmy Serrano]

I supposed that is possible - if you did would you not be concerned the kid tweets is or lets out of bag? No.

also if I am the kids father I might ask 'why isnt the hire announced'? Has he signed a contract? Is that hire 100% or 80%?
yada yada yada. Yeah those are legit questions. I imagine the coach would have answers.

 

[huskymedic]

coachingsearch 1:19pm via TweetDeck
Keep track of open FBS assistant jobs: Post original url/1y8g0mq

There are 4 open Offensive Coordinators spots - UConn, Tennessee, Utah and BC.

SIPeteThamel Jan 29, 8:00pm via Twitter for iPhone
Source: NC State offensive coordinator Matt Canada agrees to a 3-year contract. Interest from a major power prompted the deal.

 

[Bonehead]

Coach has answers I am sure -

 

[CL82]

Butch Jones: 'The fans want you to hire a résumé and all that, but...'
I know what this program needs, as we continue to move forward. We’re going to get the best coach for Tennessee, and I can assure you that we will get the best of the best.”<<

 

[ktuck911]

Reality has kicked in on this one. I'm sure Coach and the staff as well as the players know what's up... And as long as they do we should all be content about this matter. Because they clearly will let us know when they're ready to... The angst built up by not knowing just ain't worth it...We're in rebuild mode in Storrs... I just hope the guy we pick/chose brings some excitement back to that side of the ball...

and scratch Mike Groh off the list of potential guys we mentioned.. he was retained by Da Bears...

 

[Sprague03]

Remember Tony Pike and Zach Callaros in the Cincinatti haydays when they would make it to the BCS game almost every year under Kelly, Diaco and Quinn as the OC. That type of offense is something that Diaco wants uconns offense to look like. look at the Sherieffs and T. Davis- the 2 QBs he's recruited they run that spread offense and Quinn would be your guy to run thy type of offense.

 

[BNich]

Remember Tony Pike and Zach Callaros in the Cincinatti haydays when they would make it to the BCS game almost every year under Kelly, Diaco and Quinn as the OC. That type of offense is something that Diaco wants uconns offense to look like. look at the Sherieffs and T. Davis- the 2 QBs he's recruited they run that spread offense and Quinn would be your guy to run thy type of offense.

I'm all for Quinn as the OC. He would be a welcome addition in my book.

 

[whaler11]

I'm good with Quinn. I can't believe Buffalo fired him. I got kicked around here by Pudge and Upstater because I thought it was a bad decision.

 

[husky10]

I know it's been said before but the fact that the hiring won't be announced until signing day makes me think LaFleur is the guy. Quinn is also an OL guy so I don't think it makes a lot of sense for him and Cummings to both be on the staff.

 

[UconnFamily]

I know it's been said before but the fact that the hiring won't be announced until signing day makes me think LaFleur is the guy. Quinn is also an OL guy so I don't think it makes a lot of sense for him and Cummings to both be on the staff.

LaFleur is not a proven OC, so it wouldn't make sense to go that route. Bob Diaco is young and already learning to be a HC, so I don't see why we should bring in a young QB coach to take over and learn how to be an OC on a team that needs to hire an experienced (proven) OC. Jeff Quinn is a proven OC regardless if he's coached OL's before.

 

[Da_Aisijimo_Gou]

Even if ex-UCONN WR coach, Darrell Bevell, is an experienced NFL OC, his late Seahawks' Super Bowl pass play call might rule him out for the Huskies' OC position.