Dan Hawkins Was Right All Day

[uconnric]

As I agonizingly watched the E. Carolina game on TV, I carefully listened to color commentator Dan Hawkins who, in my opinion, was right on the money all day in his critique and analysis of our offensive and defensive strategy. (While most former coaches tend to be kinder to fellow coaches when they do T.V., Hawkins deserves the Profile In Courage Award!!) He was outspoken in his critique of our offensive game plan. How we lacked an "over the middle tight end” approach, an aggressive defensive approach—no blitz pressure-- and were extremely vulnerable in our soft, sit back zone. "When you have a quick scoring offense you can afford the luxury of letting the opponent dink and dunk in front of your DB’s, but when you don’t, you need to play press coverage man to man and use some blitz packages to disrupt”. All day he was basically indicting our coaching staff and they deserved every brick he threw. (And before I hear about his credentials I understand he flopped as a HC at Colorado but was great at Boise St--so for me he has street cred.) Even worse, his comments matched the complaints we amateur critics have had all year. And you can be sure he was mocking Diaco when he commended him for maintaining "sideline enthusiasm" in the face of such a debacle. He looked just like Nick Saban would if he were getting his ass kicked—not. Seldom have I heard a commentator so surgically rip apart a team (and its coaching staff) as they were getting crushed by a team that previously had 0 sacks and 1 interception--both statistically the worst in FBS football.

Friday night we better show up with a more disruptive and energetic defense and an offensive philosophy that doesn’t resemble in any way what the Owl coaches have already seen on tape. Our tendencies have been easier to read than a large print children's book. It’s fourth and one, we run up to the line of scrimmage—quick-- can you predict the play call?

This is it. Whatever slim chance we have of a bowl game (lol) is about to sail away. Can we reverse this debacle and win out the season? Friday night the answers to a lot of nagging and persistent questions related to the future of UConn football will be on display. Will we hear the public address announcer shouting "and that's another UConn first down" or will he be saying "paging David Benedict".
Sorry for the rant. Go Huskies!

He also criticized the clock management at the end of the first half, not exactly one of Diaco's strong points either.

 

[polycom]

People act as though it's all on the coaches. As if we just played more aggressively we'd win.

Hate to tell people this but as bad as our coaching is, we have a serious talent issue up and down the roster. To minimize that and put it all on the staff is foolish.

The whole thing is a dumpster fire. I'm close to calling a time of death on the program.

The issue with this thinking is that while yes our roster might not have enough talent on it... that is the fault of the coaching staff especially in college because recruiting matters. Think of the best coaches in the country if they were to come to UConn they would be able to get better talent to come here. The players being bad is on the coach not the players.

 

[freescooter]

This was what I feared MOST about this hire from the get go... putting a guy in place that fit the physical profile, looked the part, said the right things.. BUT doesn't know about being a HC at any level...

Scott Frost called. So did the guy at Syracuse. Houstons coach had how much HC experience? The issue here is our guy doesn't have what it takes. Those guys did.

 

[Jimmy Serrano]

The issue with this thinking is that while yes our roster might not have enough talent on it... that is the fault of the coaching staff especially in college because recruiting matters. Think of the best coaches in the country if they were to come to UConn they would be able to get better talent to come here. The players being bad is on the coach not the players.

Never said it wasn't on the coach.

Funny when kids commit we are told to ignore their lack of offers because they're gonna blow up, kid has a good motor, or is a RKG.

Funny how that's turned out.

 

[UconnFamily]

Never said it wasn't on the coach.

Funny when kids commit we are told to ignore their lack of offers because they're gonna blow up, kid has a good motor, or is a RKG.

Funny how that's turned out.

Stars matter and I've been saying this for years. It's HARD to compete at this level with a roster almost full of players that only has FCS offers. I know it's hard to recruit at UConn, but that's why you bring in a proven HC that knows how to win, and win with 2/3* players. I don't know who that guy is, but I do know one thing, disco is not that guy.

 

[Jimmy Serrano]

Stars matter and I've been saying this for years. It's HARD to compete at this level with a roster almost full of players that only has FCS offers. I know it's hard to recruit at UConn, but that's why you bring in a proven HC that knows how to win, and win with 2/3* players. I don't know who that guy is, but I do know one thing, disco is not that guy.

Stars don't matter one bit in the space that UConn recruits in.

Offer lists on the other hand. . . . .

 

[UConnDan97]

IMO, DL has been a major disappointment in that we don't get that push up front until after we get smacked in the mouth a few times and the pass rush is nonexistent.. That's HUGE... with no push up front and the passive secondary (the HUGE cushion we give opponents at the LOS), it's shameful. It, again, it's inflated 3 fold with the lack of offensive production.

On D at least our front 7 was somewhat of a smash mouth type team (see UConnDan97's avatar... that's how we played and not just against ND). That left when Diaco entered, but the offensive production is diminishing as well. Not good.

I hear ya, but I think that the lack of push from the DL is almost by design, isn't it? We almost never bring a 5th person (sometimes, we don't bring a 4th person!), and we ask the DL to just fill the gaps. Great against the run. Horrible against the pass, especially with the huge cushions that you've mentioned.

Again, I still put that on the coaches. They have designed a defense that doesn't allow for the heavy hitters like Walsh, Joseph, etc., to get after the QB and make him think about going through a progression once in a while...

 

[UconnFamily]

Stars don't matter one bit in the space that UConn recruits in.

Offer lists on the other hand. . . . .

Stars do matter to a certain extent. A roster full of 2* kids with FCS offers isn't going to cut it (We barely beat Maine) Especially with Diaco at the helms. Our OL is a great example, they have size and work hard, but can't hold a block for s*^t. It's more than just size, it's talent as well. Peart 2* (only offer UConn), Levy 2* (only offer UConn), Vechery 2* (only offer UConn), Knappe 2* (only offer UConn). Not even Cummings who produced a first round OL at CMU can work a miracle with these kids. Not saying 2* OL can't shine, but that doesn't happen often. We need to recruit better.

 

[weyuo]

Stars do matter to a certain extent. A roster full of 2* kids with FCS offers isn't going to cut it (We barely beat Maine) We need to recruit better.

That is really the bottom line to get this program to the next level. If Pasqualoni had 3 and 4 star recruits up and down the lineup they would have been 7-5 or better instead of 5-7 and quite possibly still be coaching here( I know,I know, sacrilege, the guy was coasting). It might take Diaco a couple more years to recruit enough to get the team to 7-5 but right now, with what looks to be 6 losing seasons in a row, it's going to be mighty tough to convince anyone above 2 stars that Storrs is the place to be. It should be really interesting to see this next recruiting class. So far, not really impressed. As someone else said in another thread,"Where's The Beef?" in this next recruiting class.

 

[HuskiesFan1014]

Stars don't matter one bit in the space that UConn recruits in.

Offer lists on the other hand. . . . .

I thought it was a typo (autocorrect) and he was saying "Stairmaster and I've been saying this for years...."

I was wondering why he needed backup for his thought process. Damn, this Wacky Bob stuff has my brain spun.

 

[Jimmy Serrano]

That is really the bottom line to get this program to the next level. If Pasqualoni had 3 and 4 star recruits up and down the lineup they would have been 7-5 or better instead of 5-7 and quite possibly still be coaching here( I know,I know, sacrilege, the guy was coasting). It might take Diaco a couple more years to recruit enough to get the team to 7-5 but right now, with what looks to be 6 losing seasons in a row, it's going to be mighty tough to convince anyone above 2 stars that Storrs is the place to be. It should be really interesting to see this next recruiting class. So far, not really impressed. As someone else said in another thread,"Where's The Beef?" in this next recruiting class.

Still going to bat for Pasqualoni.

Unbelievable.

 

[whaler11]

Still going to bat for Pasqualoni.

Unbelievable.

At least Nostical turned on Diaco.

 

[Alum86]

We were in all games sans Houston and should have beaten Navy at least. Then wham-0 we get waxed by a sh&tstorm ECU. Yeah, we gave up and yeah it's on the coaching staff. They lost control, were clueless, and embarrassed the program. Players yes, coaches mostly

 

[FDNY99]

That is really the bottom line to get this program to the next level. If Pasqualoni had 3 and 4 star recruits up and down the lineup they would have been 7-5 or better instead of 5-7 and quite possibly still be coaching here( I know,I know, sacrilege, the guy was coasting). It might take Diaco a couple more years to recruit enough to get the team to 7-5 but right now, with what looks to be 6 losing seasons in a row, it's going to be mighty tough to convince anyone above 2 stars that Storrs is the place to be. It should be really interesting to see this next recruiting class. So far, not really impressed. As someone else said in another thread,"Where's The Beef?" in this next recruiting class.

Are you looking forward to your reunion with GDL...hopefully you can catch up post game and share some beers. Maybe he can tell you exactly how he and Pasqualoni ran this program into the ground

 

[Jimmy Serrano]

At least Nostical turned on Diaco.

He turned on Diaco last year. Thought we had loads of talent. I think he had us at 10 Nostical wins

 

[ConnHuskBask]

It's pretty incredible that for nearly 15 years post Orlovsky, and after three different head coaches, a dozen QBs, offensive coordinators in and out of the door seemingly yearly we still have had nothing that resembles a FBS passing game aside from the 2nd half of 2010 with Frazer and the last few games a couple seasons ago with Cochrane.

It's borderline unfathomable to go damn near 15 seasons with the exception of maybe 10 games and feel like on a 3rd and 7 we are absolutely screwed.

Yet you look at the Big 12 to the MAC and teams are slinging the ball all over the field and here we are putting up a freaking FG against 2-5 ECU and its more the status quo than an aberration.

I'm honestly just so sick of things.

 

[Hoophound]

The situation isn't quite as bad as it feels. We had some good QBs come and go. Endres was a great passer but we lost him to weed, Cochran to concussions, Lagow due to the Boyle backers and even Jay Rose (I hoped he'd get a shot at qb) never showed on campus.

If we could have had Endres, Cochran and Lagow for 2-3 seasons each we'd be much better off. We just need to get an offensive minded coach with an eye for talent. We've never had a good offensive coach while in FBS and I think that is reflected in our QB recruiting. We've had a few talented guys that didn't last but never any depth at all. It seems everyone else has a backup that is much better than our starters have been most years.

 

[whaler11]

He turned on Diaco last year. Thought we had loads of talent. I think he had us at 10 Nostical wins

I know it's why I was laughing reading the post everyone fawned over. It's the same kind of garbage he said about Diaco when we were the deplorables who had the nerve to point out how horrible 2014 was.

 

[Jimdish255]

What!!???!! You think ECU talent accounts for the 40 point disparity last Saturday.

C'mon, mannnn.

That was a team on a five game losing streak that isn't any more talented that us. They just USE their talent.

The Winner. We practice and play Diaco-Ball. It's not a great philosophy and has been mismanaged to boot. We got walloped by a team on a 5 game losing streak.

 

[Stinger92860]

The Winner. We practice and play Diaco-Ball. It's not a great philosophy and has been mismanaged to boot. We got walloped by a team on a 5 game losing streak.

#firediaco

 

[Nostical]

I wish Hawkins was broadcasting the Temple Game. I think he'd see a much different offense.(Heard some rumors). Corley has three games to save his job. Benedict is watching. I feel the Defensive Dogs will be unleashed too. Friday Night Lights may just brighten our horizon.

 

[FDNY99]

I wish Hawkins was broadcasting the Temple Game. I think he'd see a much different offense.(Heard some rumors). Corley has three games to save his job. Benedict is watching. I feel the Defensive Dogs will be unleashed too. Friday Night Lights may just brighten our horizon.

Nos the only way we are gonna see a much different offense is if there is a new QB. Otherwise it will be the same thing just hopefully staying with-in the limits of BS's ability to read defenses....which in Diaco speak will be 100 to sub 100 level stuff.

 

[UConnJim]

I wish Hawkins was broadcasting the Temple Game. I think he'd see a much different offense.(Heard some rumors). Corley has three games to save his job. Benedict is watching. I feel the Defensive Dogs will be unleashed too. Friday Night Lights may just brighten our horizon.

Three things the offense can be improved easily. Better play calling. Don't have Shirreffs and the offense look to the sideline during almost every play. Be more decisive.

What I don't understand is UConn's offense was built to utilize the TEs as receivers, but we never pass to them.

 

[huskymedic]

What I don't understand is UConn's offense was built to utilize the TEs as receivers, but we never pass to them.

That was before the offensive line turned into a sculabast.

 

[RedStickHusky]

He turned on Diaco last year. Thought we had loads of talent. I think he had us at 10 Nostical wins

I fought with him all last year... I'm starting to come around though.