Bob Diaco is a loser

[Duncan Idaho]

Yes Marty I think it's weak to kick a field goal because I thought UConn had a chance to score 6 tds and win 42-41.

Playing to not get shut out is such a p#ssy move.

What did you learn about Puyol this year?

 

[Marty Jackson]

Could someone please explain to me why Diaco was celebrating, jumping up and down like a little kid after Cincy's FG kicker shanked one? Hey Bob, you're down 41-0 and you're celebrating a FG miss by the opponent? That one video moment speaks volumes about this clueless idiot. I'm sorry, but he should be ashamed of himself for that ridiculous display.

I was never in favor of getting rid of Wiest. The decision to hire this clown is all on Warde Manuel now. The buck stops with him, and we're now going to have to live with his mistake for a few more years. I don't think it's too early to declare it a total catastrophe. I really hope I'm wrong.

I'm sorry but are you saying that Uconn consulted with you on this hire? And now you're coming clean that you didn't want to hire Diaco?

could the line between "internet hack, monday morning QB, and God Complex' get any more blurred in some of these people's heads?

For the record, I don't think WM has ever insinuated, commented, or alluded to anyone else being responsible for this hire. I think he own's it. But thanks for letting us know you were against it... Especially now, and not right after uconn beat UCF.

 

[Marty Jackson]

can someone add more color to why players were released from the team?

 

[coachcap]

I'm sure that Coach Diaco has a master plan, but I would like a glimpse of what it actually is.
Treating the first quarter of the season as a coaching experiment with no emphasis on winning was unconscionable. You've heard the quote: "You play to win the game!" Anything less creates a dysfunctional atmosphere.
The offensive game planning is questionable: Losing Cochran was a major blow, as was losing G. Davis for a major part of the season. I just don't see any consistency.
Last night's play on defense was a major step in reverse, nothing close to resembling the play against UCF, where the defense showed some swagger.
I won't give up on the program, it's my alma mater. I just can't figure out how Coach D. will build up the team with all of the burned red-shirts & the probable need to play incoming recruits.

 

[Marty Jackson]

I'm sure that Coach Diaco has a master plan, but I would like a glimpse of what it actually is.
Treating the first quarter of the season as a coaching experiment with no emphasis on winning was unconscionable. You've heard the quote: "You play to win the game!" Anything less creates a dysfunctional atmosphere.
The offensive game planning is questionable: Losing Cochran was a major blow, as was losing G. Davis for a major part of the season. I just don't see any consistency.
Last night's play on defense was a major step in reverse, nothing close to resembling the play against UCF, where the defense showed some swagger.
I won't give up on the program, it's my alma mater. I just can't figure out how Coach D. will build up the team with all of the burned red-shirts & the probable need to play incoming recruits.

he has been pretty transparent from day 1 about his master plan. whether you agree with them is a different matter.
I have a feeling that if you asked Diaco what he thought the record would be back in August he would have said 3-4 wins. I think if you asked the average BY'er, they would have said 6-7 wins.
Do you think that has anything to do with the disconnect?

 

[Uconnalliance]

I gave myself the night to think things over before posting, but nothing has changed. Diaco has been a disaster, and there were multiple times last night where I wanted to grab him by the ear and yell, "What the hell are you doing?" He should send letters of apology to Boyle, Whitmer, all of our running backs, Foxx, and I'm sure a couple of others for the way that he handled them last night and throughout the season.

1) Pick a damned QB! I don't care which. Pick one. Playing three different QB's in the first quarter alone is a recipe for disaster. Nobody has a rhythm. Turnovers from both. Stupid stupid stupid plan.

2) Unless your name is "Foxx", don't use your QB's as your running backs. If I see Boyle or Whitmer run another option or bootleg again, I'm going to throw up. We have 4 very capable running backs, and we don't bother using them until the 4th quarter when it's way too late. We have the friggin' horses, so USE THEM!!!

3) You cannot rush 3 against an accomplished QB with some wheels, and expect it to end well. Kudos to Adams on the first pick, but that was a situation for disaster.

4) You cannot do all of the aforementioned things when you had an extra week to prepare for your opponent. Good God. What do you need to get it right? A month? A year?

I think that the most telling thing for me was that I started daydreaming in the 4th quarter that I had more money than Burton and that I would give Warde the buyout cost so that he could go get Weist back. I want you to let that sink in. I wanted to have multi-million dollars in my bank account so that I could go back and get our interim coach back. Holy hell. God save me, because I've run out of my vitamin D whilst I was tapping too many rocks...

The way this regime is headed you may be smoking the rock instead of tapping it. gotta wonder about this guy sometimes,suffers from a cranial rectal inversion at game time every week.

 

[Caronimo]

This is bad. It has gotten to the point where myself as well as 10-15 other loyal fans and season ticket holders didn't even go to or watch this game. Saved ourself from the misery. This is the first game I missed in a couple years- just had no interest. I went to the hockey game vs BU, however, and have enjoyed those games much more. They don't have as much talent as other teams in the hockey east, just like the football team "doesn't have talent" but the hockey team scratched and claws under a coach with a plan and they end up competing. I'm just fed up... I couldn't even give my ticket away because nobody wanted it. Sending it back to uconn. They're losing season ticket holders in hoards.

 

[Dogged]

can someone add more color to why players were released from the team?

Not much info out there.

http://www.courant.com/sports/uconn-football/hc-uconn-football-notebook-1123-20141122-story.html

 

[Marty Jackson]

I gave myself the night to think things over before posting, but nothing has changed. Diaco has been a disaster, and there were multiple times last night where I wanted to grab him by the ear and yell, "What the hell are you doing?" He should send letters of apology to Boyle, Whitmer, all of our running backs, Foxx, and I'm sure a couple of others for the way that he handled them last night and throughout the season.

1) Pick a damned QB! I don't care which. Pick one. Playing three different QB's in the first quarter alone is a recipe for disaster. Nobody has a rhythm. Turnovers from both. Stupid stupid stupid plan.

2) Unless your name is "Foxx", don't use your QB's as your running backs. If I see Boyle or Whitmer run another option or bootleg again, I'm going to throw up. We have 4 very capable running backs, and we don't bother using them until the 4th quarter when it's way too late. We have the friggin' horses, so USE THEM!!!

3) You cannot rush 3 against an accomplished QB with some wheels, and expect it to end well. Kudos to Adams on the first pick, but that was a situation for disaster.

4) You cannot do all of the aforementioned things when you had an extra week to prepare for your opponent. Good God. What do you need to get it right? A month? A year?

I think that the most telling thing for me was that I started daydreaming in the 4th quarter that I had more money than Burton and that I would give Warde the buyout cost so that he could go get Weist back. I want you to let that sink in. I wanted to have multi-million dollars in my bank account so that I could go back and get our interim coach back. Holy hell. God save me, because I've run out of my vitamin D whilst I was tapping too many rocks...

i think the team sucked last night. Foxx dropping that punt was pathetic. as good as he's been, a Sr looking to break into the NFL doesn't drop the punt, and then not fall on it.
Whitmer throwing that pick at the end of the half when a solid drive may have sparked a comeback? where have we seen that before.
Or how about on defense the constant arm tackle effort that the Cincy players just ran through. Saw at least 3 or 4 weak arm tackle efforts by #2 that resulted in big run plays.
I blame Diaco and the staff for not getting these players up for the game.
But you also have to look at the players and ask if they're executing. they're not.
Last night was the convergence of poor preparation, poor execution, and an opponent that is playing it's best ball of the season.

Diaco has been right all along. It's either been my unwillingness to accept or my pie-eyed optimism that won't let me. This team is just bad. The program was allowed to deteriorate for 2+ seasons.

 

[BNich]

can someone add more color to why players were released from the team?

Didn't even come to light until game time yesterday. I read loss of playing time. Which makes sense for Abrams. I thought Ashiru had been starting.

 

[itgoeslike]

Didn't even come to light until game time yesterday. I read loss of playing time. Which makes sense for Abrams. I thought Ashiru had been starting.

I read per the Courant "UConn officials said that Ashiru left the team after losing interest in playing." ?!

 

[BNich]

I read per the Courant "UConn officials said that Ashiru left the team after losing interest in playing." ?!

I saw that quote as well. Very interesting indeed.

 

[itgoeslike]

I saw that quote as well. Very interesting indeed.

I could speculate but I won't. I just hope the team regroups for Memphis.

 

[TRest]

he has been pretty transparent from day 1 about his master plan. whether you agree with them is a different matter.
I have a feeling that if you asked Diaco what he thought the record would be back in August he would have said 3-4 wins. I think if you asked the average BY'er, they would have said 6-7 wins.
Do you think that has anything to do with the disconnect?

So what is his master plan, just "changing the culture?" What's his offensive philosophy, what's his defensive philosophy? All I know about his "master plan" is he wants to recruit size at every position, with kid's from winning programs. This isn't ND, Bob, 4 and 5 star kids won't be coming here to be coached up. The players you have now look a lot like the players you will be able to recruit to this hell-hole conference. Learn to work with them.

 

[gars44]

What last glowing embers of hope? This place really amazes me sometimes. I'm going to chalk it up to emotion because this blame game is garbage. In case you have been hiding under a rock for 3 years ... NEWSFLASH!!!! we have sucked consistently each year and have had losing records. To call out a man taking over a dumpster fire and compare him with a man who took over a BCS bowl program is a dumb comparison.

Well, to be fair, PP took over a BCS bowl program that was left with very little in the offensive cabinet. RE left us with: 1. No Coach; 2. No QB; 3. Lyle McCombs, an undersized scat back as our only back; 4. no wideouts; 5. Ryan Griffin as our only true offensive threat. He left us with a superb defense, one of the best. But no offense. P walked into a failing conference, with everyone jumping ship. P walked into a negative situation, and without the youth or energy to make any impact, he left it pretty much as he found it. Not a whole lot worse. At least Diacco has youth, energy and positivity. He brings that, and we need that. I totally agree with you: give Diacco a chance.

 

[Bonehead]

I read per the Courant "UConn officials said that Ashiru left the team after losing interest in playing." ?!

Wondering if a writer would reach out and find real reason before he ends up playing somewhere - or he lost interest playing here....

 

[Huskyforlife]

I don't mean to call you out, but I absolutely can't stand when people on here point to the current state of the football program as proof that UConn doesn't belong in a P5 conference. Especially when - unlike some of the other dumpster fired who received invites - UConn has proven that it can be successful.

So, just for perspective, let's take a look at the ACC and B1G additions.

ACC:
1. Boston College - aside from hockey, their entire athletic department has been in shambles since shortly after leaving the Big East.
2. Virginia Tech - solid addition, but nothing more.
3. Miami - I'm stealing this quote from someone, but Miami has shown an impressive combo of cheating like an SEC team, yet still losing like an ACC team. (Golden could be a great hire, though.)
4. Pitt - see Virginia Tech.
5. Syracuse - even people who go there don't give a crap about the football program.

B1G:
1. Nebraska - legendary football program. They've been the exception during realignment.
2. Maryland - garbage program.
3. Rutgers - LOL.

(And this isn't even factoring in schools like Northwestern and Wake Forest, which have never been competitive in anything.)

The fact of the matter is UConn spends an is committed to athletic success at a level above non-P5 members (and above some P5 members). They belong.

I just meant our football doesn't belong there, said it in a dickish way cause I was pissed. But I know our athletic department is better than lots of schools, including Rutgers....

 

[Stinger92860]

Well, to be fair, PP took over a BCS bowl program that was left with very little in the offensive cabinet. RE left us with: 1. No Coach; 2. No QB; 3. Lyle McCombs, an undersized scat back as our only back; 4. no wideouts; 5. Ryan Griffin as our only true offensive threat. He left us with a superb defense, one of the best. But no offense. P walked into a failing conference, with everyone jumping ship. P walked into a negative situation, and without the youth or energy to make any impact, he left it pretty much as he found it. Not a whole lot worse. At least Diacco has youth, energy and positivity. He brings that, and we need that. I totally agree with you: give Diacco a chance.

Nick williams, who was misused in year one of Ppgdl. And an oline that was better than average.

 

[itgoeslike]

Wondering if a writer would reach out and find real reason before he ends up playing somewhere - or he lost interest playing here....

I have to assume someone is. Whether it gets published is another story.

 

[asuwish]

This guy treated the OOC schedule as an experiment and was content with getting pasted under the guise of "improvement". Show me a good loser and I will show you a loser.

Good thing the first season is a freebie. Because he clearly didn't have a good plan, there is no excuse for a team this putrid.

Thank God the internet didn't exist when Calhoun and Geno started here. Yes, things are bad, but he inherited a bad team (that's why we fired the previous coach). The most interesting stat I heard is right now (and why they are this low doesn't change the fact that they are) Uconn has only 61 scholarship players instead of the 85 they are allowed to have. That means they have 1/4 the depth compared to the teams they are playing. Add in that the players learning a new system, and what were your real expectations for this team. I saw them below 500. I believe the offensive game plan is not very good (I predict this will be the 1 area coaches get replaced after the season), but the offensive line is getting run over and on offense you can only do so much if you can't run or pass block well. What quarterback would succeed when he is always running for his life. I know everyone of you would win a national title if you were coaching these guys, but your not, and you nor Nick Saban could. I think people who think that instead of being positive, the coach should berate his players when things go wrong when he knows the team is undermanned have never worked with kids, and NEVER should.

 

[whaler11]

Well they have 66. The 61 doesn't
count the redshirts. Since most teams have redshirts and injuries it isn't that shorthanded.

 

[Stinger92860]

Thank God the internet didn't exist when Calhoun and Geno started here. Yes, things are bad, but he inherited a bad team (that's why we fired the previous coach). The most interesting stat I heard is right now (and why they are this low doesn't change the fact that they are) Uconn has only 61 scholarship players instead of the 85 they are allowed to have. That means they have 1/4 the depth compared to the teams they are playing. Add in that the players learning a new system, and what were your real expectations for this team. I saw them below 500. I believe the offensive game plan is not very good (I predict this will be the 1 area coaches get replaced after the season), but the offensive line is getting run over and on offense you can only do so much if you can't run or pass block well. What quarterback would succeed when he is always running for his life. I know everyone of you would win a national title if you were coaching these guys, but your not, and you nor Nick Saban could. I think people who think that instead of being positive, the coach should berate his players when things go wrong when he knows the team is undermanned have never worked with kids, and NEVER should.

So asking for a win over Tulane, USF or Army is asking for a miracle? Based on your last sentence I sense you would have expected Calhoun to be a flop too.

 

[TRest]

Well they have 66. The 61 doesn't
count the redshirts. Since most teams have redshirts and injuries it isn't that shorthanded.

If we are shorthanded it's because guys are leaving the team with eligibility left. The crackerjack Horde will not get to the bottom of this, unless they are friendly with the player's family. What's good?

 

[politics]

The UConn players sure gave the impression they did not want to be there last night. It also looks like they are starting to tune out Diaco. Can we stop with the 'attaboy's' when they come off the field after repeated failures? (not to mention 'that's another UConn 1st down' and the 3rd down siren when UConn is down 34 points)

Warde better pull BD aside and tell him the biggest part of his job is selling tickets. That means building up home games, not downplaying them. Does anybody really want to go to the SMU game?

 

[politics]

Weist is taking the year off

and probably collecting good coin from UConn.

There was a noticeable improvement in the playcalling after the Tulane and USF disasters but it took a huge step backward last night. Wouldn't be the worst thing for TJ to return as OC next year. And if BD doesn't like it too bad.