Connecticut governor declares UConn is 'all in' on big-time college football despite its current spot at bottom (Yahoo Thamel)

[giddyup]

Good move by Governor Lamont. He laid down a definitive position and this gives the Storrs knuckleheads cover to take action with a CYA memo.

 

[WestCoastHusky]

This was a good move by DB and Governor Lamont to show all potential head coaches that UCONN is committed to big-time football for the foreseen future. There is absolutely no reason why UCONN can't be as successful as programs like BYU and Boise State. UCONN can schedule big time, and be competitive with the right coach.

DB can't screw up the next hire. DB has to hire a proven coach that can get UCONN competitive again.

 

[Nostical]

While Thamel’s story is newsworthy, it isn’t new to us. This was from my post on October 1st on the listening session with the head of the Parker search firm.

I was also in one of the listening sessions. The best thing I heard was that the powers in the state (Governor LaMont--Majority leaders in the statehouse, University BOT) are all-in on rejuvenating the program and are committed to paying the $$$. "Money will not be an issue in who UConn hires". Heard a lot about us getting more active in the portal---and protecting our young talent at year end from being enticed to enter it. Also, the search firm rep said our Independence is not a big negative and that DB deftly carved an interesting schedule and TV deal.

 

[Blades]

While Thamel’s story is newsworthy, it isn’t new to us. This was from my post on October 1st on the listening session with the head of the Parker search firm.

I was also in one of the listening sessions. The best thing I heard was that the powers in the state (Governor LaMont--Majority leaders in the statehouse, University BOT) are all-in on rejuvenating the program and are committed to paying the $$$. "Money will not be an issue in who UConn hires". Heard a lot about us getting more active in the portal---and protecting our young talent at year end from being enticed to enter it. Also, the search firm rep said our Independence is not a big negative and that DB deftly carved an interesting schedule and TV deal.

Same here with my Parker session. There are way to many positives that probably half the FBS doesn't have in regards to facilities,
scheduling and a national TV contract to allow the national narrative to just lay out there and simmer. Especially when you look at a wet blanket like Edsall, who lately seemed to make national news for all the wrong reasons. While he was more than happy to collect a years salary in 2020 for not playing, because he didn't have to answer any real questions. You know, like about actually winning football games.

So like the posters above, I'm glad DB and the Gov went on record in a national story because way to many people will buy what ever narrative is out there right now during this 3 HC suckfest and don't realize what Uconn has to work with to turn this thing around. Just need to find a HC like we've seen at Uconn in the past in other sports. That is also "all in" with what Uconn has and who is capable to make a name for himself.

 

[Hoophound]

This is an example of AD Dave being competent. He saw a need to get this story out there. That’s an indication that he gets it.

 

[Slasher]

I think the biggest struggle with the scheduling will be quality home games. P5 road games shouldn't be that hard to find, all with decent payouts. Can UConn get 2-3 quality home games a year? That will be the question going forward.

 

[JMick]

This is an example of AD Dave being competent. He saw a need to get this story out there. That’s an indication that he gets it.

He has always "got it" the problem has always been convincing others

 

[Blades]

I think the biggest struggle with the scheduling will be quality home games. P5 road games shouldn't be that hard to find, all with decent payouts. Can UConn get 2-3 quality home games a year? That will be the question going forward.

From the article, so no, it's not as hard as most think on a national level ( and we can also add NC St. , BC, Purdue, Indiana and Illinois as H & H's that DB has also scheduled )

"Former ESPN executive and noted scheduling consultant Dave Brown summed up UConn’s scheduling success by saying that the Huskies essentially scheduled everyone they’d want to in the Northeast and Eastern seaboard. “It came out better than I ever would have imagined,” Brown said. “People want to play up there.”....home-and-homes in upcoming seasons include Maryland, Pittsburgh, Duke, Wake Forest, Buffalo, Temple, Ole Miss, Syracuse (again), Army (again) and North Carolina. "

PS. I heard Edsall mention Pitt as a possible team in the future, but hadn't seen it announced, so does Thamel know something we don't ?

 

[pepband99]

Even worse - when that national writer is PETE THAMEL. It's bizarro world.

 

[HuskyAlum012]

This was a good move by DB and Governor Lamont to show all potential head coaches that UCONN is committed to big-time football for the foreseen future. There is absolutely no reason why UCONN can't be as successful as programs like BYU and Boise State. UCONN can schedule big time, and be competitive with the right coach.

DB can't screw up the next hire. DB has to hire a proven coach that can get UCONN competitive again.

UConn*
UConn*
UConn*
UConn*

 

[Bongo Fury]

It was good to get this to national media. If it went local only we would see it.

 

[Blades]

Even worse - when that national writer is PETE THAMEL. It's bizarro world.

True, when's the last time a Cuse grad ever wrote anything positive about Uconn.

 

[Waquoit]

Lamont has been great. Get sports betting done with all of the stakeholders on board was just a tremendous job. Now this just when we need it.

 

[ThabeetDown]

From a PR perspective, this is an outstanding job by AD Dave with that assist by Lamont. No tip toeing around what ifs, this is a huge signal to the next coach that stability will be there.

Also unreal that BCIdiot attacks the schedule with an unnamed source while an actual source goes against everything he says. Then, he double downs and says the actual source is either lying/fake news. I knew he wasn't bright, but I'll add coward to the list of his qualities now.

 

[John]

During the campaign, Lamont floated the idea of UConn getting into the ACC. Let's get that as a goal.

this should always be the Number One goal of the entire athletic department. Get out of the Big East and into our rightful place in the P5.

 

[UConnJim]

… and then you have The Day:

Can UConn football be saved? Experts: ‘a solid maybe’​

-> Schedule, schedule, schedule. This was, by far, the biggest criticism lobbed at UConn's current hierarchy. The schedule, as one person said, "is like manure in the garden. It's all over the place." <-

The full article is worth a click.

SO, what does he think UConn should have done? Stay in the AAC that has been decimated by conference realignment that would have destroyed almost all sports at UConn? UConn got out of the AAC before they had to go. The Big 12 was going to add schools and it was pretty obvious from the last round of the Big 12 expansion process that UConn was not a top choice. Of course, all of us would like to be in the ACC of Big 10, but we are not. In my opinion, the independent schedule >>>> AAC schedule.

 

[Storrs South]

I think the biggest struggle with the scheduling will be quality home games. P5 road games shouldn't be that hard to find, all with decent payouts. Can UConn get 2-3 quality home games a year? That will be the question going forward.

While there is a risk of the Alliance cutting down OOC games in the Power 5 (and I am skeptical this happens due to logistical issues and potential for one conference to poach the other), a lot of these schools have fans in the northeast they want to cater to, while it sucks that stadium isn't on campus being close to Bradley makes it easy to fly into, and the biggest reason of all: most P5 schools don't want to or aren't capable of shelling out $1-2 million for multiple buy games a season and would rather just return the game.

These schools make a lot of TV money but spend a lot of it or as much to keep up with the Joneses and it's just easier to play a game then spend a lot of money. Only the big boys OSU, USC, Michigan, Penn State, Clemson, and Alabama will not return a game. Everyone else has shown a willingness to do so including Missouri, Purdue, North Carolina, and Ole Miss. If those three schools will or have come to the Rent, 80-90% of P5 will.

 

[CL82]

he Big 12 was going to add schools and it was pretty obvious from the last round of the Big 12 expansion process that UConn was not a top choice.

Actually, we were one of the top choices in the last round. That doesn't necessarily mean we would have been this round though. UConn is a bad fit in the Big 12 geographically. After the Texas OU exit, given the uncertainty about it's future, I think it could be a mistake to move, even if we got an invite. Now while we were in the AAC, it definitely made sense.

 

[giddyup]

-> There’s already a solid financial commitment, which is in line with the lower end of the AAC. UConn is paying on-field assistant coaches $2 million and off-field staff $1.2 million. That’s not exactly Clemson commitment, but it's a total staff commitment of $4.4 million accounting for the head coach salary. There’s an openness to that number increasing.

“We’ve got to go out and hire the right football coach,” Benedict said. “I believe that we’ll have the support. If it requires a little bit more to do that, we’ll have the support to do that. Money doesn’t necessarily automatically translate to wins. It’s more of identifying the right person.” <-

Hey, it’s a start. The lesson is you can’t cut corners. Paying up means not only the head coach but getting the staff behind him that can execute and deliver. You can see how a weak understaff can kill you like last week… and last year and the year before that

 

[DoctorWho85]

CT has had some pretty high profile recruits lately. I think that plays well to our scheduling advantages because some of the bigger programs will want to come here and show off.

 

[raf46]

Keep the partisan politics out (forewarned).




-> It’s an easy time to pick on University of Connecticut football. The Huskies are 0-7, jettisoned coach Randy Edsall in early September and got thumped, 27-13, by their struggling neighbor, the University of Massachusetts, on Saturday.

But any notion of UConn punting on football, de-emphasizing football or angling for football to drop down a division is strongly disputed. That includes a chorus of leadership ranging from athletic director David Benedict to the head of the school’s board to Connecticut Governor Ned Lamont. They all view top-flight football as an integral part of UConn being a first-class public school.

“I’m all in,” Lamont told Yahoo Sports in a phone interview. “Look, we have a national university. People identify universities with the academics, the beauty of the campus and the high quality of sports you put on a national platform. People pay attention. They know our basketball far and wide. Football is the national sport, in many ways. We’ve got to compete.”

But any notion of UConn punting on football, de-emphasizing football or angling for football to drop down a division is strongly disputed. That includes a chorus of leadership ranging from athletic director David Benedict to the head of the school’s board to Connecticut Governor Ned Lamont. They all view top-flight football as an integral part of UConn being a first-class public school.

“I’m all in,” Lamont told Yahoo Sports in a phone interview. “Look, we have a national university. People identify universities with the academics, the beauty of the campus and the high quality of sports you put on a national platform. People pay attention. They know our basketball far and wide. Football is the national sport, in many ways. We’ve got to compete.” <-

Good money after bad. Our last three games we will set a record as a 50 point dog, in three consecutive games.

 

[HuskiesFan1014]

Good money after bad. Our last three games we will set a record as a 50 point dog, in three consecutive games.

...and that differs from the rest of this season how? It's about looking forward at this point.
It's good money to stop bad. Good money for good.

You should stay in your happy place (BBall Forum.) Your posts here are pretty dismal (although accurate.)
"Beat HC or we go winless. UMASS and YALE can not wait to play us."
"Imagine how bid a dog we will b e against Yale. Better beat UMASS. If not we go winless!" (Though the previous post already had us going winless.)

Let me guess....better beat Yale or we go winless?

 

[HuskyAlum012]

Good money after bad. Our last three games we will set a record as a 50 point dog, in three consecutive games.

UCF aint that good this year, tbh

 

[HuskiesFan1014]

UCF aint that good this year, tbh

So....if we don't beat UCF, do we go winless?

 

[John]

Good money after bad. Our last three games we will set a record as a 50 point dog, in three consecutive games.

Thank you for your interest in big time UConn college athletics.