Building the Team Back Up... Des C Article.

[SubbaBub]

Makes you wonder huh?

DIaco is beating around the bush a bit in his commentary, I think. There was a pretty significant lack of EFFECTIVE internal leadership and drive in the program, and he's working to find and build up those players that can lead, and develop good habits and work ethic and behaviours with regard to leadership and drive again in this offseason. He's not going to say that in public though, because that's not supporting his players very well. As far as breaking players down and building them up, that's what happens every year in football, the good coaches make it happen without the players having to feel like they are under attack. They make them understand what's happening, and get them motivated to work as ahrd as they can at breakign themselves down physically and technically to fundamentals and work harder to build back up again.

I didn't need this article to confirm that I have lost all respect I had for Pasqualoni as a head coach, for allowing a football program to deteriorate physically, psychologically, mentally and emotionally the way he did in 2 1/2 years. The fact that it was my football program, just pisses me off as a fan, but the guy is not a good head football coach anymore, proven QED.

he'll do fine as a position coach in the NFL, and I'm very happy to have a guy like DIaco working through correcting our program and getting back to winning. I'm excited to see this team perform under Diaco on the game field.

We will recover though. BYU is coming.

Seniors have a record of 5-7, 5-7, and ugh. Of course leadership is going to be a problem. The leaders will be the ones looking to do things differently.

 

[rich1122]

Man an indictment on just about everything. Especially conditioning. There were previous comments about the nutrition not being D1 level. My take is that this is the highest level of coaching that we have see here. Hope that I am not wrong.

 

[upstater]

Proper food is also important. Lay off the custard, instead spread some mustard on a batard. Be on time, never be tardy. Sometimes you can act tough, act like a bastard, but other times, you can't make fun of the guy wearing tights or a leotard. You never want to hoist yourself on your own petard. This is the only way to superstardom.

 

[Nostical]

I also think the comments call into question the role the captains played. I would think the guys selected by this staff will have a larger role to play in motivating their teammates.

 

[FfldCntyFan]

That whole article is a huge indictment on the previous regime.

Thank God they are gone.

The previous regime warrants an indictment, possibly also an execution.

Strength training, something that was in fact one of our better facets when RE ran the show was moved to basically a voluntary status immediately uppn the arrival of PGDL. We brought in a number of linemen from 2011 forward who did not get any bigger once they set foot on campus. This is the same school where players like Kendall Reyes and Zach Hurd each added 40+ lbs (more than 50 in KR's case) of solid weight during their time here.

Thank God we have new leadership!

 

[fgbrault]

It really feels like the old regime tried to treat them like a pro team while missing the obvious fact that they are college kids.

A good point. I think Coach P (and I supported him) forgot that you need much more personal involvement and supervision of your players in college than in the NFL

 

[Hoophound]

All of this makes me a little happier that TJ didn't get the job. I think he would have been fairly successful but I doubt he would have made some of these changes. Making the change at strength coach would never have happened.

Now that the school and administration are seeing how the big boys do it, hopefully future hires will need to understand how to maintain this level of professionalism. Diaco is raising the bar permanently at UConn. This attitude should set a new level of expectations for the football program for years to come.

 

[Kgun7]

The previous regime warrants an indictment, possibly also an execution.

Strength training, something that was in fact one of our better facets when RE ran the show was moved to basically a voluntary status immediately uppn the arrival of PGDL. We brought in a number of linemen from 2011 forward who did not get any bigger once they set foot on campus. This is the same school where players like Kendall Reyes and Zach Hurd each added 40+ lbs (more than 50 in KR's case) of solid weight during their time here.

Thank God we have new leadership!

IMO ... the biggest mistake of the previous coaching staff was to bring in linemen at their "prototypical size". KR was returning kickoffs in high school and is now in the NFL playing at 100 lbs more.

 

[CTMike]

A good point. I think Coach P (and I supported him) forgot that you need much more personal involvement and supervision of your players in college than in the NFL

And teaching. I really feel like that was lacking.

The players were given instructions what to do on the field and in the gym and it was on them to execute... Great approach for P and GDL since it absolves them. Like you said it looks like there needed to be much more personal involvement, direction, and teaching- and thankfully it looks like HCBD and staff is bringing that.

 

[Srqhusky]

And teaching. I really feel like that was lacking.

The players were given instructions what to do on the field and in the gym and it was on them to execute... Great approach for P and GDL since it absolves them. Like you said it looks like there needed to be much more personal involvement, direction, and teaching- and thankfully it looks like HCBD and staff is bringing that.

He is observing and evaluating all aspectsof the football program and changing them to a much higher standard. The DJ. Should be on alert

 

[tjhusky]

I also get the feeling the HCBD is also working on improving our attitude toward the team. By keeping us informed as much as he can in how things are going with the team plus the meet the coaches sessions, his accessibility, he is reinforcing and building the fan base.
Make the fans feel like part of the family and we will show up with our kids and our buddies.

 

[uconnbill]

The program is going in the right direction now and the loser mentality will be gone once and for all.

 

[Chin Diesel]

I also think the comments call into question the role the captains played. I would think the guys selected by this staff will have a larger role to play in motivating their teammates.

Wasn't someone upset when PP got hired due to how PP selected captains at Syracuse? I can't remember who, but I think he was pretty vocal about PP overriding the players' choice of captain and installing his guys instead. I might be wrong but for some reason I remember that coming up at one point.

 

[Jimmy Serrano]

Joe Zone and Lou Marinelli.......required reading for you 2 bozos.

 

[BlueDogs]

You just got to like what Diaco is saying and doing. Run down hill, power blocking and aggressive downfield pass game. That is power football and it pays dividends.

 

[Waquoit]

Joe Zone and Lou Marinelli..required reading for you 2 bozos.

Yup, and all the rest that said P needed more time. To kill the program totally, I guess.

 

[dsturdy5]

Remember this past August when PP stated that at least 10 players reported out of shape. When it's August, and the players are out of shape it's usually too late for the upcoming season. Plus, nobody monitored them in the off season.

I always assumed the team was being directed/monitored in the offseason. I know they don't get a ton of time to themselves, away from campus but when I see guys at my gym who are d-3 players with their weight lifting regiments on team stationary each summer, I guess I would assume that a FBS program would do the same. I guess I was wrong.

 

[uconnflyer88]

It was hidden in the article, but Spring Game is April 12th....something to look forward to

 

[SAMCRO]

Wasn't someone upset when PP got hired due to how PP selected captains at Syracuse? I can't remember who, but I think he was pretty vocal about PP overriding the players' choice of captain and installing his guys instead. I might be wrong but for some reason I remember that coming up at one point.

IIRC it was Burton, from when his sone played for P. That was one of his many gripes with man.

 

[Chin Diesel]

IIRC it was Burton, from when his sone played for P. That was one of his many gripes with man.

Maybe it was him. I don't know. He's a pretty influential guy to agitate by removing one of his kids as a captain.

 

[BlueMAB]

Now we know the reason there wasn't much information coming out during the previous offseasons. Nothing was happening.

Couldn't be more excited about the future with Diaco.

This board has never been this pumped about UConn football before spring practice even started. April 12th can't get here fast enough.

 

[BlueMAB]

That's actually a pretty damn good article.

That's because Dez wrote about 60 of the 1000+ words.

 

[CL82]

“We actually called them up and stopped the drill and re-collected everybody. That’s just not the culture. That’s not what we do. Don’t displace either what was; what you think or wherever it came from. We’re completely against that. There’s no players’ vs. coaches, coaches vs. players. We’re together. We’re a family. We’re all trying to improve. There’s not a them vs. us or an us vs. them-mentality. That needs to be eradicated.”

 

[CodyJ.]

This article is the best I've heard about this coach. I am impressed.

 

[ZooCougar]

That's because Dez wrote about 60 of the 1000+ words.

What's good?