Can We Expect a Turnaround Next Year?

[noeynox]

we should only offer boatloads of NIL to someone who is worth it.

Devontae Houston and Brian Brewton are worth a book of Wendy’s Coupons at best.

If we are in the hunt for someone good Mora can go to Damelio or whoever and ask for help. Or maybe they have something they are holding onto.

I have a hard time believing that the piggy bank is empty.

They could have that book of coupons after I'm done cherry picking it damn it!

 

[husky429]

Why do you say, “We’re going to be brutalized by the portal”?

Reading the BY seems like 75% of posters think we suck and have subpar talent. So P4 teams are going to snatch and pay our 0-5 team players?

Rosa isn’t going anywhere. Have some faith!!

There is talent enough on this team to have 2-3 wins right now, IMO.

I think we're going to lose a lot of guys to mid and low-tier FBS teams.

Our only real shot is that this Texas QB is the real deal and we can keep him around with a decent NIL deal. If he's any good we'll only have him for 1-2 years, but it could be enough for a bowl season.

 

[Palatine]

I expect one next week.

 

[CL82]

Why can’t you just enjoy this year?

For the same reason I got general anesthesia when I got a colonoscopy. There are some things I just don't want to remember.

 

[CL82]

Our only real shot is that this Texas QB is the real deal and we can keep him around with a decent NIL deal.

Still need receivers that can get separation and consistently catch the ball.

 

[RSTuthill]

Still need receivers that can get separation and consistently catch the ball.

What did someone say? $40-50K per?

 

[KryHavok]

For the same reason I got general anesthesia when I got a colonoscopy. There are some things I just don't want to remember.

Propofol, the best sleep agent. Wake me up when this winless nightmare is over.

 

[RSTuthill]

I highly doubt UCONN shelled out $500,000 to a 3 star high school recruit. Don’t doubt he got NIL money but I highly doubt it was a ton.

I’m saying we need a current solid college starting qb in the portal.

Guess I missed the memo. I thought he was ranked much higher. But you are right. UConn already has guys like him.

 

[Devland]

This may be a little off the topic, but It seems like FCS players who are excelling at that level and looking move up are more successful in the portal than P5 players who are looking to transfer because of lack on playing time. There may be a reason they don't get playing time.

 

[ZooCougar]

For the same reason I got general anesthesia when I got a colonoscopy. There are some things I just don't want to remember.

You are soft as Charmin.

 

[CL82]

I actually got a local when I had foot surgery over my anesthesiologist's objections. I was thinking about doing the same for my colonoscopy and a buddy of mine said "why would you want to remember that?" It was tough to argue with the logic of that.

 

[uconnfan68]

I actually got a local when I had foot surgery over my anesthesiologist's objections. I was thinking about doing the same for my colonoscopy and a buddy of mine said "why would you want to remember that?" It was tough to argue with the logic of that.

Just do the sigmoidoscopy. They don’t give you anything.

 

[huskysupporter]

This may be a little off the topic, but It seems like FCS players who are excelling at that level and looking move up are more successful in the portal than P5 players who are looking to transfer because of lack on playing time. There may be a reason they don't get playing time.

That’s my point - everyone gets excited when they hear where a player transferred from (I.E. Michigan, Alabama) but don’t look to see how they were doing there. Were they on the two deep? Did they get playing time? How did they do when they played?

I’d rather have a guy like Guidone who played very well for a few years at an FCS then a transfer from a P5 school who couldn’t sniff the 2 deep but was a four star high school player.

 

[KryHavok]

Just do the sigmoidoscopy. They don’t give you anything.

And Rob yourself of the best 30-45 min nap?!?!

 

[Huskyforlife]

No.

All of our good players will be plucked from the roster. I think we held onto most of our guys cause it seemed like the program was on an upwards trajectory, and B12 rumors were a plenty.

Now that reality has set in and everyone knows we're the same old mediocre program with the same old mediocre coaching, anyone who produces enough to transfer up is absolutely taking it, and some of the guys who think they should've played more(Brewton/Houston) will also take the first bus outa town.

The only chance we have is the mass exodus opens up playing time for better players somehow lost on the depth chart. But the odds of that are so long, it's not worth considering.

 

[BigTenFan]

Hopefully - this does not become an issue

 

[Greg]

With UConn FB seemingly headed for a one or two win season, what are the prospects for next year?

I am guessing that it will depend on five things:

1. Financial condition of the UConn Collective(s)
2. Allocation from the Collective(s) to football for salaries and signing bonuses
3. Loss of key personnel to the portal
4. Quality of incoming personnel from the portal
5. Development of non-transferring personnel

Roll all those up and what do you think?

Btw, my opinion is that for those who think that all UConn has to do is raise more cash earmarked for FB in the Collective(s), I think you are missing the point. Your argument implies that UConn does not know how to raise money. I think that is patently untrue, they are world class at it.

I think that it is more like UConn's rise in BB came a long time prior to the oughts decade which marked UConn's initial rise in FB. Thus the donor base has always been geared more towards BB. Additionally, BB wins natties which no one believes will ever happen with FB. That, and so much more money is required for FB due to the number of players means that the mission with FB is just to get it competitive enough that UConn can get a P4 invite. That's not really glamorous and the BB donors are happy with the BE anyway.

You need to see what the portal bringeth and taketh, but Storrs is not attractive to recruits with other options right now.

 

[huskymedic]

Hopefully - this does not become an issue

Full quote:

-> Welliver did say that the idea of UConn moving to the Big 12 conference, a rumor that has resurfaced in recent weeks, was brought up on his visit. “They were talking about the Big 12 and moving to the Big 12; saying how, if it does go through, how such a big deal that would be for all of the players and the school.”

Welliver clarified that the Power Five possibility served as merely a “cherry on top” for his decision making; he was coming to Storrs regardless.

“Going to a school, I feel like it’s mostly about the coaches. Being with the right kind of coach and a coach that will fit my style.” <-

Time will tell…

 

[Vowelguy]

Turnaround

Turnaround

Did someone say turnaround?



BYMotto: Every now and then I get a little bit nervous that the best of all the years have gone by.......

 

[RSTuthill]

You need to see what the portal bringeth and taketh, but Storrs is not attractive to recruits with other options right now.

Great campus, lot going on, lots of high ranked teams, great facilities. Not sure what you mean other than the recent record. My sense is that money always works.

 

[billybud]

NIL...for top QB's is high...

Shadeur Sanders, freshman QB at Colorado, just bought a new Rolls Royce Cullinan (starting price $350,000)...to go with his new Maybach ($200,000 +) and Dodge Durango SRT Hellcat and 2021 Corvette..His dad said.."it wasn't that way when I was in college".

Caleb Williams...$2.6 million
Arch Manning...$3.8

But Tennessee freshman QB Nico Lamaleava topped 'em when he signed an $8 million deal with the collective...

Something has to give with NIL...

 

[KembaKek]

Guess I missed the memo. I thought he was ranked much higher. But you are right. UConn already has guys like him.

He dropped off hard because of his lack of steam picked up in the winter/spring of 2023 because he committed to UConn. Previously he was ranked the #9 pocket passer as a 4-star on ESPN. Now a 3. He's the #28 QB among 2024s on QBHitList.

As far as I can see, he dropped off in the mainstream rankings, mostly related to his athleticism. He is an exceptional pocket passer, and if you give him just good enough speed, agility, and body strength, he is likely a top 300 recruit right now visiting SEC schools.

If you watch his film (Search "Cole Welliver Liberty Christian Hudl"), you will see the aforementioned exceptional pocket play, but you will also notice his lack of anything else. No scramble film in his mid-season highlights, not much showing of evading tacklers.

He's exactly the kind of guy that makes sense to be in the G5. He is a high G5 recruit with extremely high potential IF he gains strength and ability outside of the pocket. Those offers of his from Colorado, WSU, and Arizona St. came in the summer before his Freshman year of high school (2020), because they saw an exceptional pocket passer with lots of room to develop, especially with his grand frame. Since then he picked up a few solid G5 offers.

No surprise he has the WKU offer.. He fits that scheme perfectly like Bailey Zappe and Austin Reed. Curious to see how he affects our offensive scheme. I don't think that we will lose him, and there's definitely zero need to be promising him ridiculous amounts of money unless he picks up steam in the second half of the high school season.

 

[KembaKek]

of his lack of steam picked up in the winter/spring of 2023 because he committed to UConn.

And also because he committed to UConn*

 

[ZooCougar]

Propofol, the best sleep agent. Wake me up when this winless nightmare is over.

I find baseball or anything Marvel to be the best sleep agent.

 

[SubbaBub]

Depends.

Is Mora going to be allowed to continue and will he care enough to do what it takes?

Will players with enough talent and pride want to play here now that the program has bottomed for the fourth time in 10 years?

Will players who show even a little promise simply jump ship at the first opportunity to move elsewhere?

Things are pretty freaking bleak because there isn't an obvious problem here. They shouldn't be this bad.

 

[Skies2018]

Depends.

Is Mora going to be allowed to continue and will he care enough to do what it takes?

Will players with enough talent and pride want to play here now that the program has bottomed for the fourth time in 10 years?

Will players who show even a little promise simply jump ship at the first opportunity to move elsewhere?

Things are pretty freaking bleak because there isn't an obvious problem here. They shouldn't be this bad.

I’ve said it before but I’ll say it again. I truly believe part of the problem is these kids are playing for nothing. The AAC killed us in its own way but independence does too.

Take the MAC. Not a great overall league but every team in there has the same goals. Win the regular season, win the conference championship, go to the tie-in bowl games, beat your conference rivals. We have absolutely none of that. So what are these kids playing for? 6 wins against random schools and a trip to a random backwater bowl? You can’t tell me that’s not a factor. There’s no consistency in scheduling and no “prizes” along the way. I think that is a significant drag on the effort and product we see on the field week over week.

Add that to decades of losing, poor hiring, and not enough investment gives you an 0-5 team.

 

[RSTuthill]

I guess I have just one thing to add. HCJM is the ideal HC to be talking to the major donors. He comes across as down to earth, highly analytical, a motivator of players, and a really good communicator. He relates to people really well. Which of course is why we like him so much here on the BY. I do not think UConn could get anybody better in that facet of the job.

I am hoping now that we are past the 4th game that some progress can be made like about this time last year. Rise up and beat Rice, for instance, USF too. And as frustrated as we are about last Saturday's game, there were hints that some of that improvement was already happening. Four or five wins are still within reach if the progress continues. And a goal like that is damned worth achieving.

 

[giddyup]

NIL...for top QB's is high...

Shadeur Sanders, freshman QB at Colorado, just bought a new Rolls Royce Cullinan (starting price $350,000)...to go with his new Maybach ($200,000 +) and Dodge Durango SRT Hellcat and 2021 Corvette..His dad said.."it wasn't that way when I was in college".

Caleb Williams...$2.6 million
Arch Manning...$3.8

But Tennessee freshman QB Nico Lamaleava topped 'em when he signed an $8 million deal with the collective...

Something has to give with NIL...

This is so wrong and you can blame adults who should know better.

 

[RioDog]

This is so wrong and you can blame adults who should know better.

Agreed. I would just replace "wrong" with "grotesque".

 

[gtcam]

The short answer is no.

Get a new AD who is pro football and knows how to navigate NIL and the portal and now we are talking.

But that isn’t going to happen.

Echo on the AD
He can go anytime
The darling of the basketball program but could give a rats arse about any other UConn sport. Getting Mora might not have been as difficult as first felt.