back to GDL offensive schemes?

[tduconn]

I appreciate it that BD calls a spade a spade.........I will refer to him as being UConn's first direct and honest coach when evaluating the program.

This team simply does not have the horses right now to compete at a FBS level.

This is the second time within a month BD has stated they have to scale back schemes. How far back, or how simple do you make offensive plays? One thing for sure, we just made DC jobs on opponents teams much simpler also.

Are we back to GDL type offense, which looses to good FCS teams? Run, run, run, punt? Boy, talk about stacking the line with D players.......and boring.

Or is the simplification lower.? HS schemes don't work well against any FBS program.

I'm not chalking up any more wins. The O=line can't run block.

Thee are not many "diamonds in the rough" in this program right now.

Not blaming BD or coaches at all. They call a spade a spade. Hopefully their first recruiting class will garner some positive commentary from talking heads.......and then HOPE has a reason to resurface.

 

[Jimmy Serrano]

Yeah, and I'm the big whiner.

 

[DoctorWho85]

I appreciate it that BD calls a spade a spade....I will refer to him as being UConn's first direct and honest coach when evaluating the program.

This team simply does not have the horses right now to compete at a FBS level.

This is the second time within a month BD has stated they have to scale back schemes. How far back, or how simple do you make offensive plays? One thing for sure, we just made DC jobs on opponents teams much simpler also.

Are we back to GDL type offense, which looses to good FCS teams? Run, run, run, punt? Boy, talk about stacking the line with D players..and boring.

Or is the simplification lower.? HS schemes don't work well against any FBS program.

I'm not chalking up any more wins. The O=line can't run block.

Thee are not many "diamonds in the rough" in this program right now.

Not blaming BD or coaches at all. They call a spade a spade. Hopefully their first recruiting class will garner some positive commentary from talking heads..and then HOPE has a reason to resurface.

I like BD and company and I'm a big supporter of them. I still think that they're going to jump start this program, but I'm with Jimmy. Diaco needs some criticism in his coaching. I'm in the frame of mind that if no one questions anything you do, then you'll never get better. Criticism of Diaco's plan, I believe, will force him to evaluate it on a fairly regular basis which in turns forces him to continually fix where the plan is falling apart. Blame should be placed on everyone, players and coaches a like. Giving Diaco a complete pass because it's not "his recruits" is absurd. I've said it before, Charlie Strong, who also was a DC with no HC experience, took a terrible Louisville team to 6-6. I'm not saying UConn will be 6-6, but good coaches with their players, great coaches win with any players.

 

[Excalibur]

I like BD and company and I'm a big supporter of them. I still think that they're going to jump start this program, but I'm with Jimmy. Diaco needs some criticism in his coaching. I'm in the frame of mind that if no one questions anything you do, then you'll never get better. Criticism of Diaco's plan, I believe, will force him to evaluate it on a fairly regular basis which in turns forces him to continually fix where the plan is falling apart. Blame should be placed on everyone, players and coaches a like. Giving Diaco a complete pass because it's not "his recruits" is absurd. I've said it before, Charlie Strong, who also was a DC with no HC experience, took a terrible Louisville team to 6-6. I'm not saying UConn will be 6-6, but good coaches with their players, great coaches win with any players.

I'm not sure what language the first post in this thread was made in, but since this is a cogent reply I'll respond to this instead . . .

I have no issue whatsoever with the criticism of his decisions. Many of those criticisms came with an instant and elevated level of snark that I felt was unwarranted, and I was surprised that people were so surprised that Diaco is making mistakes. You use Strong as an example, but I think he's the exception. In most cases, any new coach will take a step backwards before moving forwards, and that's even more common with a first time head coach. I think that people are impatient because (1) we don't have time to wait this out given the conference situation and (2) we were so bad it was hard to imagine going backwards from where we were.

I also believe that, if we did not have one unit that was completely dysfunctional, our record and people's attitudes would be very different right now.

 

[Palatine]

I appreciate it that BD calls a spade a spade....I will refer to him as being UConn's first direct and honest coach when evaluating the program.

This team simply does not have the horses right now to compete at a FBS level.

This is the second time within a month BD has stated they have to scale back schemes. How far back, or how simple do you make offensive plays? One thing for sure, we just made DC jobs on opponents teams much simpler also.

Are we back to GDL type offense, which looses to good FCS teams? Run, run, run, punt? Boy, talk about stacking the line with D players..and boring.

Or is the simplification lower.? HS schemes don't work well against any FBS program.

I'm not chalking up any more wins. The O=line can't run block.

Thee are not many "diamonds in the rough" in this program right now.

Not blaming BD or coaches at all. They call a spade a spade. Hopefully their first recruiting class will garner some positive commentary from talking heads..and then HOPE has a reason to resurface.

Complete disagreely.

We heard the same cupboard is bare stuff in year one for Coach P. when he had about 11 players that ended up in the NFL.

This team is under performing, and it's the jockey's fault as much as the horses.

 

[Dogged]

I'm not sure what language the first post in this thread was made in, but since this is a cogent reply I'll respond to this instead . . .

I have no issue whatsoever with the criticism of his decisions. Many of those criticisms came with an instant and elevated level of snark that I felt was unwarranted, and I was surprised that people were so surprised that Diaco is making mistakes. You use Strong as an example, but I think he's the exception. In most cases, any new coach will take a step backwards before moving forwards, and that's even more common with a first time head coach. I think that people are impatient because (1) we don't have time to wait this out given the conference situation and (2) we were so bad it was hard to imagine going backwards from where we were.

I also believe that, if we did not have one unit that was completely dysfunctional, our record and people's attitudes would be very different right now.

I totally agree with you. It's the snark, hyperbole and condescension that get me.

I would add that our problems are at Oline and QB. I disagree about "no diamonds in the rough" comment. Receivers, running backs and defense are good, if young.

 

[huskymedic]

.. and it's the jockey's fault as much as the horses.

Except this "jockey" is riding a yearling - not a thoroughbred.

 

[Dogged]

Except this "jockey" is riding a yearling - not a thoroughbred.

You mean a yearling thoroughbred!

 

[DoctorWho85]

I'm not sure what language the first post in this thread was made in, but since this is a cogent reply I'll respond to this instead . . .

I have no issue whatsoever with the criticism of his decisions. Many of those criticisms came with an instant and elevated level of snark that I felt was unwarranted, and I was surprised that people were so surprised that Diaco is making mistakes. You use Strong as an example, but I think he's the exception. In most cases, any new coach will take a step backwards before moving forwards, and that's even more common with a first time head coach. I think that people are impatient because (1) we don't have time to wait this out given the conference situation and (2) we were so bad it was hard to imagine going backwards from where we were.

I also believe that, if we did not have one unit that was completely dysfunctional, our record and people's attitudes would be very different right now.

Maybe a better example would be Rhule at Temple

 

[freescooter]

I think there is some of everything in this season. the offense is terrible but has been that way for the 3 previous seasons. On the other hand, the line, while young, isn't all that inexperienced and was much improved late last season with many of the same guys. I think Diaco's insistence on playing every running back, multiple quarterbacks and inexperienced linemen, taking Geremy Davis out of the lineup in key situations, all those things, are just bad coaching. Look, there are many examples of coaches who come in to bad programs and turn things around quickly. Strong did it. Addazzio went into a mess at BC and won 6 his first year, too. On the other hand, the Memphis guy took over a disaster of a program and has slowly built it into something that looks like it is turning the corner this season. Rhule is actually not that great an example in my mind since Addazzio had them pointed in the right direction. I think Diaco made a conscious effort to take the offense down to bare bones and rebuild it. Let's hope it works.

 

[Srqhusky]

I can't think of a level of football where you can be successful with no offensive line. The offensive line is everything in football.

 

[Excalibur]

On the other hand, the line, while young, isn't all that inexperienced and was much improved late last season with many of the same guys.

Depth chart for final game vs. Memphis last year:

LT: 72 Jimmy Bennett (Sr., 6-9, 309)
75 Xavier Hemingway (So., 6-5, 272)

LG: 69 Steve Greene (Sr., 6-5, 308)
50 Tyler Bullock (Sr., 6-4, 316)

C: 73 Alex Mateas (Jr., 6-4, 315)
68 Bryan Paul (Jr., 6-4, 304)

RG: 50 Tyler Bullock (Sr., 6-4, 316)
78 Dalton Gifford (So., 6-5, 296)

RT: 78 Dalton Gifford (So., 6-5, 296)
Xavier Hemingway (So., 6-5, 272)

Cruz had been passed by Bullock even before his heart issues. So we lost our three best linemen off of a poor line.

 

[Carl Spackler]

Depth chart for final game vs. Memphis last year:

LT: 72 Jimmy Bennett (Sr., 6-9, 309)
75 Xavier Hemingway (So., 6-5, 272)

LG: 69 Steve Greene (Sr., 6-5, 308)
50 Tyler Bullock (Sr., 6-4, 316)

C: 73 Alex Mateas (Jr., 6-4, 315)
68 Bryan Paul (Jr., 6-4, 304)

RG: 50 Tyler Bullock (Sr., 6-4, 316)
78 Dalton Gifford (So., 6-5, 296)

RT: 78 Dalton Gifford (So., 6-5, 296)
Xavier Hemingway (So., 6-5, 272)

Cruz had been passed by Bullock even before his heart issues. So we lost our three best linemen off of a poor line.

We have 1 player out of 10, from the 2 deep for the last game of the season 10 months ago, on the 2 deep for Tulane.

 

[freescooter]

Gifford, Mateas Cruz all played significant minutes last year. I think you could argue that Cruz's heart issue was why he was passed by Bullock, but who really knows. I guess the point is that they all seem to have gotten worse this year. Mateas is seemingly trying to set a record for holding penalties, Gifford can't block a cone it seems. He actually was functional last year when he finally got a chance to take over for Hemingway. These guys were certainly not great, but by the memphis game one had the impression they would be functional this year. That hasn't been the case. It looks like we're watching GDL coached line all over again. People don't seem to know assignments, simple stunts and such confuse them. They even get overpowered some times. I can't believe it is entirely the players. has to be some system failure, too. And enough of finding problems every time you turn over a rock. To paraphrase Donald Rumsfeld, you play the game with the team you've got, not the one you wish you had. Design a system that takes best advantage of the guys you have. For all his warts, Edsall was masterful at that aspect of coaching.

 

[Carl Spackler]

Gifford, Mateas Cruz all played significant minutes last year. I think you could argue that Cruz's heart issue was why he was passed by Bullock, but who really knows. I guess the point is that they all seem to have gotten worse this year. Mateas is seemingly trying to set a record for holding penalties, Gifford can't block a cone it seems. He actually was functional last year when he finally got a chance to take over for Hemingway. These guys were certainly not great, but by the memphis game one had the impression they would be functional this year. That hasn't been the case. It looks like we're watching GDL coached line all over again. People don't seem to know assignments, simple stunts and such confuse them. They even get overpowered some times. I can't believe it is entirely the players. has to be some system failure, too. And enough of finding problems every time you turn over a rock. To paraphrase Donald Rumsfeld, you play the game with the team you've got, not the one you wish you had. Design a system that takes best advantage of the guys you have. For all his warts, Edsall was masterful at that aspect of coaching.

This is a load of crap. This OL is nothing like what the Deleone coached OL, and offense looked like.

 

[Excalibur]

To paraphrase Donald Rumsfeld, you play the game with the team you've got, not the one you wish you had. Design a system that takes best advantage of the guys you have. For all his warts, Edsall was masterful at that aspect of coaching.

Listen, I agree with this. My guess is that, until now, Diaco has been unwilling to modify the offense to compensate for the line because it is not what he wants to do long term. I disagree with that, but it's a reasonable way to approach things.

I'll say it again on the line -- we lost our three best linemen off of a poor line. Cruz is probably the only lineman performing competently right now. Gifford was a revolving door last year as well, but Cochran didn't run into the pressure coming from that side. We have a completely dysfunctional offensive line, particularly at the tackles, combined with a quarterback that is woefully ill-equipped to deal with a pass rush from the edges. That unit is skewing the results.

 

[Husky68]

Except this "jockey" is riding a yearling - not a thoroughbred.

And UConn is racing against all those AAC and independent and FCS thorougbreds? The offensive play calling is not giving UConn advantages of surprise, numbers at point of attack or getting best athletes the ball. No different than questioning why all the turnovers early in games, why so few takeaways on defense - players and schemes both matter.
Using Massey the UConn 5 game opponent ranking averages 92 being 35,194,56,134,70. So talent is such that beat #194 by 3 with punt return TD. No, there is a lot of coaching credit for the performance to date. Lost at home by 26 to a #70 ranked Temple!
Remaining schedule has 128, 33, 53, 123, 77, 59, 130 teams remaining.
Just as point of fact, there are only 128 FBS teams so if you play a team ranked worse than 128 you are by definition playing a team that is ranked below at least 1 FCS team.
UConn is ranked 116 out of 128 FBS teams. Overall in FBS/FCS ranked 151. So UConn, at least by Massey, is playing like the equivalent to the 35th best FCS team (151-116). That is not all on the players.

 

[Pudge]

Yeah, and I'm the big whiner.

We need to Boo posts that just strike the wrong chord ...

 

[Jimmy Serrano]

Personally I'm not sure that Diaco and staff realized how bad the line was.

And it's on P and Edsall for missing on too many recruits over the last 4 years (I'm leaving out the last class).

2010 - McKee, Paull, Hansson, Cruz
2011 - Gifford, Nwokeji, Hemingway
2012 - Rennick, Levy, Rugg, Samra
2013 - Hopkins, Scafenacker, Wright

Of 14 commits, only 8 are still with the program. Of those 8, only half (4) of them see significant minutes. Of those 4 (Gifford, Samra, Cruz, Levy) people can make their own judgements on how they've all performed.

You want to know what our issues are, here it is. 14 recruits in the last 4 years, only 4 are playing significant minutes. That's tough to overcome.

 

[Carl Spackler]

And UConn is racing against all those AAC and independent and FCS thorougbreds? The offensive play calling is not giving UConn advantages of surprise, numbers at point of attack or getting best athletes the ball. No different than questioning why all the turnovers early in games, why so few takeaways on defense - players and schemes both matter.
Using Massey the UConn 5 game opponent ranking averages 92 being 35,194,56,134,70. So talent is such that beat #194 by 3 with punt return TD. No, there is a lot of coaching credit for the performance to date. Lost at home by 26 to a #70 ranked Temple!
Remaining schedule has 128, 33, 53, 123, 77, 59, 130 teams remaining.
Just as point of fact, there are only 128 FBS teams so if you play a team ranked worse than 128 you are by definition playing a team that is ranked below at least 1 FCS team.
UConn is ranked 116 out of 128 FBS teams. Overall in FBS/FCS ranked 151. So UConn, at least by Massey, is playing like the equivalent to the 35th best FCS team (151-116). That is not all on the players.

This I agree with. The coaches are not blameless, in what's happened on offense so far. It started way back in August, when we didn't have a starting lineup on offense to begin the season with and start taking weighted practice reps. Balancing reps between 45-55 offensive players isn't goign to help them develop very well. Hopefully, they've learned too.

I disagreed with the concept that this OL looks like a Deleone coached line. They don't look anything like the line did under Deleone, and the OL, was different in the latter part of 2013, than it was anytime b/w 2011 and mid 2013.

 

[freescooter]

This is a load of crap. This OL is nothing like what the Deleone coached OL, and offense looked like.

It might be worse...just a few comparisons: through 5 games last year (4 coached by George)
23 Sacks for -169 yards, 177 attempts. This year: 20 sacks for -125 yards on 150 passes. Rushing through 5 games we've averaged 78 yds/game. last year thru 5 games:78.0. The formations might be different. The results are pretty close.

 

[Carl Spackler]

It might be worse...just a few comparisons: through 5 games last year (4 coached by George)
23 Sacks for -169 yards, 177 attempts. This year: 20 sacks for -125 yards on 150 passes. Rushing through 5 games we've averaged 78 yds/game. last year thru 5 games:78.0. The formations might be different. The results are pretty close.

Trust me, stats don't tell the story about how and what an OL is doing. This OL, plays like a freshmen football team. They are getting consistent coaching (I'm not saying good coaching, because good coaching = good results and we haven't completed this season yet), but they are at least getting consistent coaching, and they just need to tighten up, get better footwork and fundamentals and start to get some time under their belts playing together as 5 man units. THey are motivated, they are focused, and they are working to improve, they are playing with and through pain, and they are showing that they are mentally tough enough. They need time to develop.

We had lineup of seniors last season that were getting the worst kind of inconsistent coaching imaginable at the OL, until Deleone was sacked, and they played like it. Confused, misguided, unmotivated and a weak mentally and physically. They would come off the field and listen to their OL coach tell them completely different things than he had told them prior to the plays/series, different things said to his boss and other coaches, than what he was telling them directly.

Deleone is gone, good riddance, and all of us, that were warned by Syracuse people should have listened.

 

[Go_Huskies]

Trust me, stats don't tell the story about how and what an OL is doing. This OL, plays like a freshmen football team. They are getting consistent coaching (I'm not saying good coaching, because good coaching = good results and we haven't completed this season yet), but they are at least getting consistent coaching, and they just need to tighten up, get better footwork and fundamentals and start to get some time under their belts playing together as 5 man units. THey are motivated, they are focused, and they are working to improve, they are playing with and through pain, and they are showing that they are mentally tough enough. They need time to develop.

We had lineup of seniors last season that were getting the worst kind of inconsistent coaching imaginable at the OL, until Deleone was sacked, and they played like it. Confused, misguided, unmotivated and a weak mentally and physically. They would come off the field and listen to their OL coach tell them completely different things than he had told them prior to the plays/series, different things said to his boss and other coaches, than what he was telling them directly.

Deleone is gone, good riddance, and all of us, that were warned by Syracuse people should have listened.

Not challenging you but just curious. Do you have inside info or is this based on an educated guess?

I am specifically talking about this
"They would come off the field and listen to their OL coach tell them completely different things than he had told them prior to the plays/series, different things said to his boss and other coaches, than what he was telling them directly. "

 

[Carl Spackler]

Not challenging you but just curious. Do you have inside info or is this based on an educated guess?

I am specifically talking about this
"They would come off the field and listen to their OL coach tell them completely different things than he had told them prior to the plays/series, different things said to his boss and other coaches, than what he was telling them directly. "

It's an internet message board, take whatever read, for whatever you think it's worth.

 

[BlueMAB]

Personally I'm not sure that Diaco and staff realized how bad the line was.

And it's on P and Edsall for missing on too many recruits over the last 4 years (I'm leaving out the last class).

2010 - McKee, Paull, Hansson, Cruz
2011 - Gifford, Nwokeji, Hemingway
2012 - Rennick, Levy, Rugg, Samra
2013 - Hopkins, Scafenacker, Wright

Of 14 commits, only 8 are still with the program. Of those 8, only half (4) of them see significant minutes. Of those 4 (Gifford, Samra, Cruz, Levy) people can make their own judgements on how they've all performed.

You want to know what our issues are, here it is. 14 recruits in the last 4 years, only 4 are playing significant minutes. That's tough to overcome.

But... BOYLE!