Coming Around to PP?

[Afroabe224]

I have to say, as disappointed as I have been with the football product the past 2 seasons (I was never in favor of the PP hire) I feel strangly optimistic about the future after the past few weeks. Hiring TJ Weist to replace GDL coupled with one of the top recruit classes in UConn history has me thinking that maybe....just maybe things are looking up from back to back 5-7 seasons. If PP can bring in a higher level of talent the Edsall did logic says we should at least be a 7/8/9 win team over the next few years, right?

 

[NEforceUConn]

I have to say, as disappointed as I have been with the football product the past 2 seasons (I was never in favor of the PP hire) I feel strangly optimistic about the future after the past few weeks. Hiring TJ Weist to replace GDL coupled with one of the top recruit classes in UConn history has me thinking that maybe....just maybe things are looking up from back to back 5-7 seasons. If PP can bring in a higher level of talent the Edsall did logic says we should at least be a 7/8/9 win team over the next few years, right?

Are you Mr Burton?

 

[TouchdownHusky]

Is the offense gonna actually score TDs this year? Will It not be Lyle McCombs running on 15 of 16 first down attempts (all resulting in 2nd and eight)?

 

[pj]

It takes a few years before a recruiting class matters. Recruiting has taken an uptick but I don't know if PP will enjoy the benefits. He has to make progress on the field.

 

[noeynox]

It takes a few years before a recruiting class matters. Recruiting has taken an uptick but I don't know if PP will enjoy the benefits. He has to make progress on the field.

Have to agree here, if he had just squeezed out one more win either win, I'd feel much better. I like P, he needs to get to a bowl this year.

 

[CL82]

I respect his recruiting. I'll come around when we are kicking someone's ass in a bowl game. The better the bowl, the more I'll come around.

 

[UConnDan97]

I like PP as a coach. I DEFINITELY like him as a recruiter. And I think that the program will get going in the right direction very fast. But as some have already mentioned, it will have to be as fast as possible, otherwise, he won't be here to enjoy the fruits of the recruiting classes...

 

[husky10]

I understand your optimism but I believe that I and many here have gone through an optimistic cycle (during PP era) where it looks like we are about to take a step up or turn around as a program before we take a step back instead.

1. Bad thing that happens: we lose the man that did incredible things with our program in so little time Randy Edsall after losing the fiesta bowl.
-reason to be optimistic: we hire the winningest in BE history; randy took us as far as we could go PP will take us to next level

2. We go 5-7 some bad loses to wmu, vandy, Iowa state. We don't go to a bowl game for first time in forever.
-reason to be optimistic: we have new qb (CW) defense beat up our offense in the spring game (defense must be really really good) easier schedule should be a good year.

3. Our offense couldn't score at a 40+ single women's bar night last season we go 5-7 against a pretty weak schedule and look pathetic at times.
Reason to be optimistic: new OC and very strong recruiting class

I think it's just part of the excitement for over the recruiting class and maybe spring game that makes us forget about how awful last season was and being left out of bowl season. Unfortunately I expect more of the same this year and hopefully a new coach I can get all excited about next offseason.

 

[CTMike]

The more that P has a better support staff around him (ie, the less he's involved), the more optimistic I feel. I know it wasn't Weist making game day decisions but hearing him last night - I was like... damn if I was 15 years younger (and 100 lbs lighter... and more athletic... you get the idea)... I'd be psyched to play for this guy. He has that kind of energy/personality. And, he was at a Cinci program that's been known to rack up a few points from time to time. As for Hughes... I'm not basing this on anything, I just don't think we are going to sink like a rock or change our philosophy on D. Having faith in those guys makes me have a little more faith in P. And - I really believe this is one hell of a recruiting class.

 

[uconndogs]

I'm furious over last season and some indications that recruiting might be improving is not going to change that. These guys had better perform next season and we damn well better be able to run the ducking football, because, folks, if we can't do that, it won't make a damn bit of difference who is under center.

The bull that was last season is an absolute shame. It's not UCONN and P should still be on a very short leash.

 

[hexlub]

He brought in a great class, no doubt. However, it doesn't mean anything if his team doesn't perform between the lines. His ability to recruit has never really been in doubt (he was pretty quick to bring up Harrison, Freeney and McNabb yesterday). It's his ability to get the team play to their potential that I have questioned.

The last few weeks have gotten me pretty jazzed for next year. Please don't let me down, Paul.

 

[businesslawyer]

No. This very well may have been our best recruiting class ever, and credit goes where it is due. But he would need four straight classes like this to get us back to where we were under the prior regime unless we get much better coaching.

 

[Kevin Caliendo]

Weist was hired as coach-in-waiting. Why else would he take a job where the team is in conference limbo and the head coach has a year to win or else is out? PP's recruiting really better? who knows...but the on field product has been awful and the coaches who were here were largely to credit for any success the team had on the field. And this whole "let's wait until his kids are playing" argument falls flat when he will be 67 years wold when the roster is 100% his.

It was a bad hire and is still a bad hire. The feel good after signing day doesn't change that. Weist's hire is pretty much the only good thing that's happened to uconn football recently and I can't claim to know if he is a good coach or not, only what I read from cincy fans and "experts" within the game.

 

[huskymedic]

And this whole "let's wait until his kids are playing" argument falls flat when he will be 67 years wold when the roster is 100% his.

...And still 6 years younger than Bill Snyder @ K-State. Age has nothing to do with it.

 

[Waquoit]

If PP can bring in a higher level of talent the Edsall did logic says we should at least be a 7/8/9 win team over the next few years, right?

You have to subtract 2.5 for an accurate projection. I base this on the last 2 years. Factoring in schedule and estimating conservatively, this year's team had 8-win talent, last year 7. They won 5 both seasons. Going forward, for P to win 9 games he would need 11 to 12 win talent. I don't think his recruiting has been that good.

 

[Afroabe224]

I understand your optimism but I believe that I and many here have gone through an optimistic cycle (during PP era) where it looks like we are about to take a step up or turn around as a program before we take a step back instead.

1. Bad thing that happens: we lose the man that did incredible things with our program in so little time Randy Edsall after losing the fiesta bowl.
-reason to be optimistic: we hire the winningest in BE history; randy took us as far as we could go PP will take us to next level

2. We go 5-7 some bad loses to wmu, vandy, Iowa state. We don't go to a bowl game for first time in forever.
-reason to be optimistic: we have new qb (CW) defense beat up our offense in the spring game (defense must be really really good) easier schedule should be a good year.

3. Our offense couldn't score at a 40+ single women's bar night last season we go 5-7 against a pretty weak schedule and look pathetic at times.
Reason to be optimistic: new OC and very strong recruiting class

I think it's just part of the excitement for over the recruiting class and maybe spring game that makes us forget about how awful last season was and being left out of bowl season. Unfortunately I expect more of the same this year and hopefully a new coach I can get all excited about next offseason.

When you put it like this I can see how looks like we're about to get the rug pulled from under us.....again. But, this time I truly feel that we are in a win-win situation for the short term future. There's only a couple ways this season could go:

1. We really do get it going will PP and his newly "filled cupboards" and win 7 + games with a decent bowl.
2. As fans we get duped again like Mantei, have a 5/6 win season and PP is gone in favor of a younger, program-building coach.
3. We beat ranked teams in Michigan and L'ville on the way to a 13-0 season with a Sugar Bowl win and B1G invite.

But seriously I think it put up or get out time for PP or WM's job will be on the line as well. Either way I just want to see us be successful and 2013 may be our best chance to make a national statement with our schedule. Lets hope the '12 & '13 classes pan as out as PP is hoping.

 

[sdhusky]

I have to say, as disappointed as I have been with the football product the past 2 seasons (I was never in favor of the PP hire) I feel strangly optimistic about the future after the past few weeks. Hiring TJ Weist to replace GDL coupled with one of the top recruit classes in UConn history has me thinking that maybe....just maybe things are looking up from back to back 5-7 seasons. If PP can bring in a higher level of talent the Edsall did logic says we should at least be a 7/8/9 win team over the next few years, right?

Its nice to get a good recruiting class, but PP has to win at UCONN.

If we get to 7-5 & bowling this year, get another strong class, I'll feel like its headed in the right direction.

 

[TouchdownHusky]

I'm furious over last season and some indications that recruiting might be improving is not going to change that. These guys had better perform next season and we damn well better be able to run the ducking football, because, folks, if we can't do that, it won't make a damn bit of difference who is under center.

The bull that was last season is an absolute shame. It's not UCONN and P should still be on a very short leash.

Agree for the most part. Please though, let's not revert to a run,run,running team. Today's game is played wide open - i.e, passing and quick scores. Having said that, I also don't want to see the running game become extinct like last season. Balance is the key. As for recruiting? We'll see how PP did. Everyone is getting all excited, but think about it . . . . do we think that the other BCS programs brought in junk. They got plenty of talent and had to out recruitment Top 25 teams to do so. So time will tell.

 

[uconndogs]

Agree for the most part. Please though, let's not revert to a run,run,running team. Today's game is played wide open - i.e, passing and quick scores. Having said that, I also don't want to see the running game become extinct like last season. Balance is the key. As for recruiting? We'll see how PP did. Everyone is getting all excited, but think about it . . . . do we think that the other BCS programs brought in junk. They got plenty of talent and had to out recruitment Top 25 teams to do so. So time will tell.

We don't run the football we won't be able to throw the football. It's that simple. We had no play action last season, because nobody had to respect our runnting game. As a consequence, CW got knocked around like punching bag. Balance............

 

[TouchdownHusky]

We don't run the football we won't be able to throw the football. It's that simple. We had no play action last season, because nobody had to respect our runnting game. As a consequence, CW got knocked around like punching bag. Balance............

One school of thought for sure. Another is out of the Patriots playbook. A lot of quick throws, medium throws (we never did effectively use our TEs), hurry up offense and . . . . . if done right it softens the defense for more effective running. So either way it's chicken/egg - run to throw or throw to run. Main thing put the damn ball in the endzone. I'd like the UConn placekicker to be 120th in FG attempts and lead the nation in PATs.

 

[Dann]

Weist was hired as coach-in-waiting. Why else would he take a job where the team is in conference limbo and the head coach has a year to win or else is out? PP's recruiting really better? who knows...but the on field product has been awful and the coaches who were here were largely to credit for any success the team had on the field. And this whole "let's wait until his kids are playing" argument falls flat when he will be 67 years wold when the roster is 100% his.

It was a bad hire and is still a bad hire. The feel good after signing day doesn't change that. Weist's hire is pretty much the only good thing that's happened to uconn football recently and I can't claim to know if he is a good coach or not, only what I read from cincy fans and "experts" within the game.

i got killed for saying this when we hired him. now ppl are warming up to him. the point stands with the uptick in recruiting that its part P's sucess and also part brand. what i mean by that is when RE took us as far as he thought he could, we were still less than 10 years old. so kids at that point were just starting to be born and grow up with uconn being a name in football at this level. as the years progress the brand grows which means kids see the name more. its a mix of both leading the better recruiting. i still hold that if we give the keys to TJW/Buggs/Hank or we go out and make a splash hire that we will have a top 50 class snapping fingers. no doubt in my mind. there are many things outside of P's hands that have led to the uptick. ppl here say im nuts but all of those things like the fanbase pressense on social media and blogs matter becuase the brand name expands. simple as that. were picking kids out of the hills of south cary who never heard of uconn. but once they do they then se uconn fans all ove twitter. then they see a bball game highlight on espn and then they see uconn baseball take clemson down and so on. the brand is expanding. that with a great practice facility has led to the uptick. having top notch coaches/recrutiiers will be the answer to put it all together. the reason p and gdl fail on the field but not recruiting wse is becuase they can walk into living rooms and have resumes that most college coaches dont. so that counters all the negatives they have right now. just imagine a competent hc in charge with young recruiters doing stright hustle and grind work on the trail. im wet at the potential but it pains me every day we sit still.

 

[uconndogs]

One school of thought for sure. Another is out of the Patriots playbook. A lot of quick throws, medium throws (we never did effectively use our TEs), hurry up offense and . . . . . if done right it softens the defense for more effective running. So either way it's chicken/egg - run to throw or throw to run. Main thing put the damn ball in the endzone. I'd like the UConn placekicker to be 120th in FG attempts and lead the nation in PATs.

Different game. NFL QBs read and react well beyond what can reasonably be expected from the vast majority of college QBs. Yes, I know, NFL defenses are better to. But, my point is, the offense you envision is almost entirely dependent on elite QBs. Most programs cannot realistically expect to have that type of talent at QB on a consistent basis. That's especially true of a program like UCONN.

I firmly beleive that we have to work off the premise for a balanced offense to see consistent success. We didn't need to set the world on fire last year on offense to win a lot of games. We simply needed to balance the offense with a solid running game. But, P and GDL decided that we needed zone blocking schemes, the wildcat and use a 165LB RB as our workhorse.

 

[sdhusky]

i got killed for saying this when we hired him. now ppl are warming up to him. the point stands with the uptick in recruiting that its part P's sucess and also part brand. what i mean by that is when RE took us as far as he thought he could, we were still less than 10 years old. so kids at that point were just starting to be born and grow up with uconn being a name in football at this level. as the years progress the brand grows which means kids see the name more. its a mix of both leading the better recruiting. i still hold that if we give the keys to TJW/Buggs/Hank or we go out and make a splash hire that we will have a top 50 class snapping fingers. no doubt in my mind. there are many things outside of P's hands that have led to the uptick. ppl here say im nuts but all of those things like the fanbase pressense on social media and blogs matter becuase the brand name expands. simple as that. were picking kids out of the hills of south cary who never heard of uconn. but once they do they then se uconn fans all ove twitter. then they see a bball game highlight on espn and then they see uconn baseball take clemson down and so on. the brand is expanding. that with a great practice facility has led to the uptick. having top notch coaches/recrutiiers will be the answer to put it all together. the reason p and gdl fail on the field but not recruiting wse is becuase they can walk into living rooms and have resumes that most college coaches dont. so that counters all the negatives they have right now. just imagine a competent hc in charge with young recruiters doing stright hustle and grind work on the trail. im wet at the potential but it pains me every day we sit still.

Yeah. Take credit for HFD. It was all you and not PP's lifetime of connections.

 

[CTMike]

Yeah. Take credit for HFD. It was all you and not PP's lifetime of connections.

Um, he didn't take credit. For anything. If anything he gave credit to P.

 

[sdhusky]

Um, he didn't take credit. For anything. If anything he gave credit to P.

" there are many things outside of P's hands that have led to the uptick. ppl here say im nuts but all of those things like the fanbase pressense on social media and blogs matter becuase the brand name expands."