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

[Excalibur]

many here thought Martin was a god when it came to conditioning; appears that was not the case. It was surprising to me to hear the repeated comments about conditioning.

Martin was basically pushed aside by P. He was a figurehead but wasn't involved with the football program much at all.

 

[Waquoit]

“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.”

This just reinforces the feeling that this is a guy with a plan who gets it.

 

[Durks07]

What's good?

What were the other 58 words?

 

[DoctorWho85]

What were the other 58 words?

Legit made me laugh at my desk at work just now.

 

[Durks07]

Legit made me laugh at my desk at work just now.

I'm sitting with a tax textbook at mine, I figured that any way I could spread the joy, I should.

 

[sdhusky]

“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.”

He is saying all the right things, and he is definitely doing a much better job selling the program to the fans.

But this is what happens in every program with a new coach in the off season.

I used to say that winning the press conference didn't matter, but at UCONN right now, we need to win the press conference too.

Diaco is fabulous at selling the program. I'm sure we'll see more of him on TV/radio in the next year than we saw of Edsall or PP.

Botton line, Diaco has to also win on the field.

The reason PP isn't still here is because he didn't win enough games.

 

[FDNY99]

He is saying all the right things, and he is definitely doing a much better job selling the program to the fans.

But this is what happens in every program with a new coach in the off season.

I used to say that winning the press conference didn't matter, but at UCONN right now, we need to win the press conference too.

Diaco is fabulous at selling the program. I'm sure we'll see more of him on TV/radio in the next year than we saw of Edsall or PP.

Botton line, Diaco has to also win on the field.

The reason PP isn't still here is because he didn't win enough games.

This DEFINITELY didn't happen during our last coaching change!

 

[Jimmy Serrano]

He is saying all the right things, and he is definitely doing a much better job selling the program to the fans.

But this is what happens in every program with a new coach in the off season.

I used to say that winning the press conference didn't matter, but at UCONN right now, we need to win the press conference too.

Diaco is fabulous at selling the program. I'm sure we'll see more of him on TV/radio in the next year than we saw of Edsall or PP.

Botton line, Diaco has to also win on the field.

The reason PP isn't still here is because he didn't win enough games.

I don't ever remember thinking to myself after P was hired, "Hey this guy knows what he's doing, has a plan, and is enthusiastically selling himself and the school publicly."

I get that feeling watching Diaco. We'll see when the games start if he really does know what he's doing or if we've all been snow jobbed by a slick talking salesman. I'm banking on the former.

 

[FAIRTIDES]

The body composition part was very noticeable even against Towson. Their linemen were lean and chiseled, ours not so much.

Something changed from RE to PP. Guys like Beatty, Reyes, Luttrus, Williams and others came in as "undersized" and left as chiseled, NFL men. I remember PP making a comment about not caring about "beach muscles" and wanting "football strength." I remember wondering what was wrong with both attributes. It almost sounds like PP was willing to trade girth for fitness. That sounds crazy.

 

[FAIRTIDES]

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.

Not to start a war, but that would be Mr. Burton.

 

[CL82]

He is saying all the right things, and he is definitely doing a much better job selling the program to the fans.

But this is what happens in every program with a new coach in the off season.

I used to say that winning the press conference didn't matter, but at UCONN right now, we need to win the press conference too.

Diaco is fabulous at selling the program. I'm sure we'll see more of him on TV/radio in the next year than we saw of Edsall or PP.

Botton line, Diaco has to also win on the field.

The reason PP isn't still here is because he didn't win enough games.

True but you can only judge him on the things he's had the opportunity to handle to date. So far, I'm impressed, energized and looking forward to the Spring game.

 

[Waquoit]

I remember PP making a comment about not caring about "beach muscles" and wanting "football strength."

I thought he wanted "old-man strength".

 

[Jimmy Serrano]

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.

I don't think some people got the sarcasm in your post.

 

[uconndogs]

I think when Don Brown left after the 2012 and that terrific defense graduated a bunch of guys the holes in the dyke burst open. There was no energy left (Brown) and a lot of talent graduated. As a result, they went into Towson game young in spots and, much worse, not ready or motivated. That these kids might not have been properly conditioned is an absolute crime. Edsall's teams could never be accused of that so the culture fell off there as well.

I'm hopeful with Diaco. His comments about what he's found confirm for me that his predecessor never engaged or energized his teams and let a maniac like Deleone truly foul things up. I think those guys thought they were managing an NFL team and not a bunch of college kids...........I think.

 

[HuskyHawk]

Love the article and the attitude. Best of all, while I love the hire, I've been doubtful that Coach Diaco can make much immediate improvement with the current roster. Now, reading this, I have the Auburn tingle of excitement. Not that he can get us to a NC game, but that winning and going bowling should definitely be attainable goals.

 

[SAMCRO]

This DEFINITELY didn't happen during our last coaching change!

Only thing I remember about this time in the PGDL era was GDL's quote about being able to wallpaper his office with all the plays he had. Thanks alot Hathaway.

 

[ZooCougar]

Some this stuff is leftover from even the HCRE era. That whole impersonal corporate atmosphere just reeks of him.

I remember seeing a picture of the inside of his office. It looked like a picture out of an office furniture catalog.

 

[HuskyDogArt]

http://courantblogs.com/uconn-footb...ay/?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter

Coach D talking:

“This team has energy, a purpose and a spirit. That’s specific to what we see here. The team wants to change. They want to be better. They don’t want to have poor body composition. They are doing the things we’re asking them to do. It’s almost non-existent a defiance or lack of accountability. There is a purpose and a spirit to this group. It has its receptors wide open to our work each day. It’s a fun group to be around.”

“The group is easily frustrated; easily derailed and frustrated, not a great understanding of finishing. So there are some tangible elements of body composition and what not, [but] very important and intangible elements. We’re trying to change culture along with changing physically. These are some hallmarks, initial observations from the staff and me but also the kind of hallmarks of a lot of teams at certain times but like I said the team has energy, purpose and a spirit. And I like it.”

“There’s so much work to be done as it relates to their physical development, body composition and they’re already changing. They’ve been at it about four weeks, about to be in Week 5 and their bodies are changing. Already they look different; they feel different and they’re starting to act a bit different.”

I hope that spring practice will get the players in the mindset that this is a new season. I just hope that this season the AAC will see as better coached, better prepared team.