Diaco has lost 90% of fan base

[Carl Spackler]

Spot on analysis -

He can talk the talk - no doubt about it. He could represent us well in speaking engagements moving forward. There was buzz before the season, even with the very casual friend, that buzz is gone.
I am going to hold off judgement on if he is half the coach he is compared to a speaker unitl next year.
Yes - he is a Broyles award winner - means nothing. Many are Great coordinators/coaches but cant be the Head guy - he gets next year to prove his worth to our fine organization called UConn, but next year it is time. There is talent here, there are players on this squad and many coaching decisions have led one to scratch their head. I dont need to be a football coach to know you cant be switching personnel with 13 seconds left on the play clock as example. There seems to be some disorganization on the sidelines when it comes to personnel packages to enter the game - almost like 'WOW i didnt think we would get a first down, now I want others out on the field.'

In UConn I trust - Bob, I am not sure yet.

It's clear that the coaching staff is actually trying to win - to me at least. Unbelievable that that was even an issue a few months ago in looking at the game plans, and all that. I really just think, so far in 2014, we're seeing a defensive minded coach, who's never been a head coach, apply defensive concepts to developing players and a unit to the offensive side of the ball in this first season, which undoubtedly has been a developmental season.

my hope, is that for 2015, we really do have some kind of specific, consistent offensive structure that we will be using. To date, there are clues as to what they may or may not be - if it exists, but in 2014, we have no offensive identity, no consistency, and no control of the flow of the game through the play clock and whistle to whistle - as was on complete display at the end of the Army game. Our offense, instead of the ice-cold composure that you need, has the personality of Bob Diaco at the end of the game, running around with all kinds of energy but with the appearance of chicken with it's head cut off.

Because through 2014, we've been all over the frigging place when it comes to offensive concepts, and nothing consistent, and we play with incredible heart, and energy, but very little focus and control and rhythym on offense. Remarkably, the individual players - the young ones have improved, and so have the veteran players - although I fear that Whitmer's acchilles heel and fatal flaw? Not going to change in the next 3 games. But in every other way, even Whitmer, as a senior, has had incredible individual improvement. (which tells you where we were at as a program developmentally).

Sooner than later, though, we need to come to developing a consistently successful offense on the field, and hopefully, there is a plan in place to already do so for next season.....

If not, Mr. Diaco will need to have an intervention, and the people on the offensive side of the ball, will need to spoon feed him the information and knowledge, that when you intend to develop a consistently successful offense, and want that offense to be able to flow, and dictate the game, and be in control of the game - especially late in games and actually WIN games - because offense on the field is how you close out and win games.......we will need to do things different than this season.

IT DOES NOT HAPPEN WHEN YOU ROTATE OFFENSIVE PLAYERS, including the QB, WITHIN GAMES LIKE A DEFENSIVE FRONT!!!!!

 

[CTMike]

Like most of your post Carl, I disagree with the bit about him being a defensive coach trying to learn the offensive part while trying to be a head coach.

I believe Diaco is a very sharp, smart guy. I don't think offense is a mystery to him or his staff. They've been around enough that they know how it works (or should). There's been a lot of questionable calls, and that's fair. But to me, the biggest gap has been between "desired game plan" and "ability to execute". We've been trying to win within the framework of basic fundamentals. We've been learning to walk all year instead of running. And it's not a knock on the talent - at least, not a knock on their innate capabilities. They atrophied under the prior regime, and that's on P. I just hope we can finally take the training wheels off sooner than later.

 

[Carl Spackler]

Like most of your post Carl, I disagree with the bit about him being a defensive coach trying to learn the offensive part while trying to be a head coach.

I believe Diaco is a very sharp, smart guy. I don't think offense is a mystery to him or his staff. They've been around enough that they know how it works (or should). There's been a lot of questionable calls, and that's fair. But to me, the biggest gap has been between "desired game plan" and "ability to execute". We've been trying to win within the framework of basic fundamentals. We've been learning to walk all year instead of running. And it's not a knock on the talent - at least, not a knock on their innate capabilities. They atrophied under the prior regime, and that's on P. I just hope we can finally take the training wheels off sooner than later.

I agree with your concepts and evaluation/opinion. Entirely. I keep running into this roadblock though, that sets me right back to the beginning.

I freely admit that I do not know everything there is about football, and I do not know everything specifically about this roster, and I can only play back and forth between deductive and inductive reasoning to try to get some sort of understanding of what the actual thought processes are being used by the coaching staff, as I have no direct knowledge of the reasoning, and therefore there might a very well reasoned, logical, valid and meaningful reason for the roadblock I keep stumbling into....that roadblock is the fact that we have not had a true starting quarterback all season long, and started with rotating 2 QBs, one went down, and we continued rotating 2 QB's, switching personnel, and we have evolved offensively to up the ante to rotating now 3 QB's in game. We've rotated snaps for 4 QB's these season. Voluntarily.

Here I go again, though, I swore off this - chose to ignore it a few weeks ago, and things were better - for me .

 

[BlueDogs]

Mellow out 10 %ers. Yes, Army was a disaster, but I don't think we can expect a straight line upwards. Diaco's defensive game plan and lack of adjustments were horrid and his time management was incompetent. You HAVE to call a timeout on the 6 and get a turnover prone QB collected. You cannot waste time outs on personnel disorganization.

All of these things are learning lessons for a new coach. Give they guy a chance. Give the players a chance. They are coming to together and the program will get better. Next year will be a bell weather year as to direction.

 

[CTMike]

I sense his frustration in this quote from today's AAC conference call, but it's our State of the Union : "We get better every day. We're a bad football team. We're just way less bad than we were when I got here in December, so, it was a giant mess, colossal. And now it's still a mess, but it's less of a mess, a lot smaller mess."

 

[Bonehead]

I sense his frustration in this quote from today's AAC conference call, but it's our State of the Union : "We get better every day. We're a bad football team. We're just way less bad than we were when I got here in December, so, it was a giant mess, colossal. And now it's still a mess, but it's less of a mess, a lot smaller mess."

I cant believe he said that - well I can but really...ugh.
How long does it take to clean up a giant, colossal mess? 9+ months? He is on my daughters plan for cleaning her room...

I hope he is frustrated with himself and his coaches.

 

[UMass]

HCBD will right this ship. He's making some mistakes in his first year that I will bet he will never make again. I can only imagine he is more frustrated with this than the fan base is.
From what I've read on here in the past, he came in to an undisciplined, out of shape team that needed an entire new culture. I think the team PP left behind was well beyond a team that needed just new X's and O's. Taking 85 kids, and they are kids, and changing the entire culture is quite a task. He appears to a the guy more than willing and capable of doing it. Losing to Army is bad in a vacuum, however this loss will seem insignificant when UConn is atop the AAC and making their bid for a P-5 invite.
I sat and watched UMass for 2 years with a guy who was definitely a bad hire and the wrong guy. I don't see any of that here. I see a guy that needs some time and a fan base to support him.
Now, will you guys hurry up and get into a P-5 conf. so Umass can get into the AAC. Going independent is going to kill us!

 

[Bonehead]

HCBD will right this ship. He's making some mistakes in his first year that I will bet he will never make again. I can only imagine he is more frustrated with this than the fan base is.
From what I've read on here in the past, he came in to an undisciplined, out of shape team that needed an entire new culture. I think the team PP left behind was well beyond a team that needed just new X's and O's. Taking 85 kids, and they are kids, and changing the entire culture is quite a task. He appears to a the guy more than willing and capable of doing it. Losing to Army is bad in a vacuum, however this loss will seem insignificant when UConn is atop the AAC and making their bid for a P-5 invite.
I sat and watched UMass for 2 years with a guy who was definitely a bad hire and the wrong guy. I don't see any of that here. I see a guy that needs some time and a fan base to support him.
Now, will you guys hurry up and get into a P-5 conf. so Umass can get into the AAC. Going independent is going to kill us!

Sort of sad, no, when your starting QB can admit his mistakes by the coaching staff doesn't?

'I think the team PP left behind was well beyond a team that needed just new X's and O's. Taking 85 kids, and they are kids, and changing the entire culture is quite a task.'

A Drill Instructor does it in less than 13 weeks!

 

[huskymedic]

A Drill Instructor does it in less than 13 weeks!

... and we all saw how well they reacted to GDL"s DI break them down M.O.

 

[Carl Spackler]

Sort of sad, no, when your starting QB can admit his mistakes by the coaching staff doesn't?

'I think the team PP left behind was well beyond a team that needed just new X's and O's. Taking 85 kids, and they are kids, and changing the entire culture is quite a task.'

A Drill Instructor does it in less than 13 weeks!

LOL. I like the comment before about being on track with your daughter's plan to clean her room.

The reality though, is that direct coach/player interaction time is limited, and if you are playing by the rules, strictly monitored and not violated. It's pretty clear that the vast majority of direct contact time, and supervision in the 11 months now that Diaco has been on the job has been directed toward breaking down, and rebuilding from a desired foundation - the beaten to death word - 'culture' of the program.

11 months later, it is without a doubt the case. I saw it and felt it, viscerally, when Richard Levy fired off the snap in a false start, and literally fell to his knees in mental anguish on the field, in front of the Yankee Stadium crowd. It is very good, that Diaco has established the culture that he has, because the last thing that player needed coming off the field, was to be berated. He might be 19, or 20 years old, not sure, and legally an adult, but he just needs to get better at playing football, and being a good student, and athlete - he is not being trained for combat by getting an education and playing football at UCONN.

The thing is, individually - they are much better. We literally couldn't line up as 11 man units consistently in decent football position on both sides of the ball in the early parts of this season. That's changed. We are a fundmanentally better team in blocking and tackling than we were 2 months ago. We're not real good yet.

The kind of dedication and desire to do the right thing, and to win, and improve constantly in everything you do, has been established in the 'culture' of the program. The concept of a post season is officially gone, but I don't see any reason to think we will compete as individuals and as a team with any less than our very best effort from here out. This is no small feat, for a football coach to accomplish with a full roster, in less than a calendar year, coming from where we were last season. I will never forget that UCF game last season, that for me - was the lowest of the low point.

The offensive side of the ball, is what has me completely perplexed though. I've been told by people I respect, that it would be very difficult this year for me to grasp what's going on, and it is. I hope that it all comes together before next season, and carries over. If not, then I hope it comes together in the offseason and is ready to go to start next season. I don't want to sit through another year of scrimmages and tinkering on offense and rotating players for max reps exposure and learning, like an extending training camp.

 

[nelsonmuntz]

I sense his frustration in this quote from today's AAC conference call, but it's our State of the Union : "We get better every day. We're a bad football team. We're just way less bad than we were when I got here in December, so, it was a giant mess, colossal. And now it's still a mess, but it's less of a mess, a lot smaller mess."

Wiest wasn't losing to teams like army by 2 TD's.

 

[Stray_Dog]

LOL. I like the comment before about being on track with your daughter's plan to clean her room.

The reality though, is that direct coach/player interaction time is limited, and if you are playing by the rules, strictly monitored and not violated. It's pretty clear that the vast majority of direct contact time, and supervision in the 11 months now that Diaco has been on the job has been directed toward breaking down, and rebuilding from a desired foundation - the beaten to death word - 'culture' of the program.

11 months later, it is without a doubt the case. I saw it and felt it, viscerally, when Richard Levy fired off the snap in a false start, and literally fell to his knees in mental anguish on the field, in front of the Yankee Stadium crowd. It is very good, that Diaco has established the culture that he has, because the last thing that player needed coming off the field, was to be berated. He might be 19, or 20 years old, not sure, and legally an adult, but he just needs to get better at playing football, and being a good student, and athlete - he is not being trained for combat by getting an education and playing football at UCONN.

The thing is, individually - they are much better. We literally couldn't line up as 11 man units consistently in decent football position on both sides of the ball in the early parts of this season. That's changed. We are a fundmanentally better team in blocking and tackling than we were 2 months ago. We're not real good yet.

The kind of dedication and desire to do the right thing, and to win, and improve constantly in everything you do, has been established in the 'culture' of the program. The concept of a post season is officially gone, but I don't see any reason to think we will compete as individuals and as a team with any less than our very best effort from here out. This is no small feat, for a football coach to accomplish with a full roster, in less than a calendar year, coming from where we were last season. I will never forget that UCF game last season, that for me - was the lowest of the low point.

The offensive side of the ball, is what has me completely perplexed though. I've been told by people I respect, that it would be very difficult this year for me to grasp what's going on, and it is. I hope that it all comes together before next season, and carries over. If not, then I hope it comes together in the offseason and is ready to go to start next season. I don't want to sit through another year of scrimmages and tinkering on offense and rotating players for max reps exposure and learning, like an extending training camp.

Wow, Awesome, when is the trophy ceremony! I want to see out 85 guys stand up and congratulated. I want to see them parade around the "Thanks for Participating" Trophy and take a photo op for the Hartford Courant! Go team! Are you kidding me! Look, all these players should be upset with themselves. But, mentally breaking down on the field! Come on! Toughen up and go get em next time! But heck if I am the opposition and I see that...My mouth would be running, heck would I taunt him, sure, Why? I would want to be so in that guys head that on every play he is thinking wow I am an embarrassment! Don't like it - several pro athletes would tell you its part of the game. And Come on Man! not just pro sports but all sports. I do believe in decorum, but heck performance is fair game and breaking down on the field - too easy to pass up! Be glad we were playing Army, any other institution would have smelled blood not TEARS!

 

[Perfect Hair]

HCBD will right this ship. He's making some mistakes in his first year that I will bet he will never make again. I can only imagine he is more frustrated with this than the fan base is.
From what I've read on here in the past, he came in to an undisciplined, out of shape team that needed an entire new culture. I think the team PP left behind was well beyond a team that needed just new X's and O's. Taking 85 kids, and they are kids, and changing the entire culture is quite a task. He appears to a the guy more than willing and capable of doing it. Losing to Army is bad in a vacuum, however this loss will seem insignificant when UConn is atop the AAC and making their bid for a P-5 invite.
I sat and watched UMass for 2 years with a guy who was definitely a bad hire and the wrong guy. I don't see any of that here. I see a guy that needs some time and a fan base to support him.
Now, will you guys hurry up and get into a P-5 conf. so Umass can get into the AAC. Going independent is going to kill us!

How is our used car salesman from the Brian Kelly dealership any better than the one you guys got rid of? I don't see any difference at all, they both spew platitudes that mean nothing, and appear confused by what actually goes on for 60 minutes once a week. They both also appear to be caught up in the nonsensical (sock length, sleeves up or dowon) as opposed to actually coaching. Your guy used to complain that he was stuck with 1AA players, ours says we are a bad team that is a mess. And honestly I never heard (or read) your guy ever say his QB was not a key starter and we all heard Debacle say it here. The most important postion in sports, not Key!!! How is Diaco any different, please give us hope!!!!

 

[Dogged]

I cant believe he said that - well I can but really...ugh.
How long does it take to clean up a giant, colossal mess? 9+ months? He is on my daughters plan for cleaning her room...

I hope he is frustrated with himself and his coaches.

My daughter's room is perfect. But she's been out of the house for five or six years.

I have been and still am a big fan of Bob Diaco. But having just watched the game on DVR, I hold him completely responsible for the loss. Players played hard but were completely unprepared.

 

[Dogged]

I cant believe he said that - well I can but really...ugh.
How long does it take to clean up a giant, colossal mess? 9+ months? He is on my daughters plan for cleaning her room...

I hope he is frustrated with himself and his coaches.

My daughter's room is perfect. But she's been out of the house for five or six years.

I have been and still am a big fan of Bob Diaco. But having just watched the game on DVR, I hold him completely responsible for the loss. Players played hard but were completely unprepared.

 

[Perfect Hair]

My daughter's room is perfect. But she's been out of the house for five or six years.

I have been and still am a big fan of Bob Diaco. But having just watched the game on DVR, I hold him completely responsible for the loss. Players played hard but were completely unprepared.

Can you tell me why you are a big fan, I'm sincerely curious? I understand he sold everyone a good game and definitely sounds like he knows what he is doing, but don't you have to see evidence, not just talk?

 

[huskyrob1]

I'm in the 10% that hope he gets 5 years to turn this program into a winner.
Unfortunately, in today's world of athletics, he'll need results a lot faster than that.
Do I like the way the team has played this year? Hell no! And we look like a poorly coached team.
I have no good response to all you detractors who have lost faith.
But I also believe we need stability (though I wont complain if we change offensive coordinators).

For all you season ticket holders that wont renew ... Good for me!
I get better seats next year!

Better he lose 90% of his fan base than 90% of his games. I think considering his task at hand, he is doing a good job. I will not start to worry, if need be, until his first recruits are juniors.

 

[Jimdish255]

I sense his frustration in this quote from today's AAC conference call, but it's our State of the Union : "We get better every day. We're a bad football team. We're just way less bad than we were when I got here in December, so, it was a giant mess, colossal. And now it's still a mess, but it's less of a mess, a lot smaller mess."

I didn't hear or read the presser, but I hope the coaches took some responsibility for the chaos that led to this defeat. If not, that is a terrible demoralizing energy sucking quote.

 

[LRock34]

As long as those bailing DO NOT come back, I am fine. Either you're in this as a fan of the U or you're not. You want to bail at a 2-6 campaign, bail. But, please do not come back. The program does not need you.

When was the last sell out? This program needs every fan that it can get right now. And since when does refusing to accept losing mean that you're not a real fan? In sticking to his "process" this coach has made some very questionable decisions. I actually believe that this team has talent...more than enough talent to beat Army.

Some of you say this team doesn't have any talent...that PP left the cup bare. Maybe we should question the fandom of those of you who believe our players are not good enough.

 

[Pudge]

90% is a lot. Are you sure?

 

[huskymedic]

Some of you say this team doesn't have any talent...that PP left the cup bare. Maybe we should question the fandom of those of you who believe our players are not good enough.

Why does it have to be one or the other? Rookie head coach with completely new staff save one -- coaching young under developed players from a previously psyche broken team.

 

[Bonehead]

90% is a lot. Are you sure?

Rounded up...

 

[tense50]

to nellie foxy: as you say dude is faux pas

its easee:brainy dude just gave soccer 8mil; said dude wants soccer upgrade
foosball at tx as example grossed 109mil in just last yr
soccer dude could multiply his 8 mil for soccer 10 fold in near term if in short term he buyz out current regime, sits on search committee to donate his keen business acumen for decision making and sends foosbal in correct direction nowz because waiting is losing proposition according to heavy industry standards

how many heavy industrials could function for long or stay solvent with comedy of errors playing out

soccer dude could then have soccer palace courtesy of foosbal and happy daze are here again

last yr according to hrtfd area econ dev experts, husky foosbal grossed only 11.1mil
the room for growth is huge and brainy soccer philanthropist would climb all over this opportunity to help his alma mater & especially his soccer dudes

 

[LRock34]

Why does it have to be one or the other? Rookie head coach with completely new staff save one -- coaching young under developed players from a previously psyche broken team.

View attachment 7476

Its just my opinion...I have no idea what went on in practice last week...but I saw a team that was completely unprepared to face the option. I saw a coaching staff make zero adjustments at half time. I saw a coaching staff that waited until the middle of the third quarter to use our best offensive weapon. What I believe I saw was a staff sticking to their guns for the purpose of their "process". Maybe the "process" pays dividends in the end but for now it is maddening to see a staff that I do not believe is trying to win games.

He told us at the beginning of the year that he was not game planning for the opponent. Something tells me we did not game plan for Army and as a result we lost to freaking Army. But hey we're just being cry babies according to some.

I'm not calling for the guy to be fired but I'm pissed. We've been losing for 4 years now, we're lucky if we get 20,000 fans at the stadium, we are in bottom 10 articles every week, we are a laughing stock. This is beyond frustrating because I believe we had the players to make a bowl game this year. In the fall and winter I look forward to watching my huskies on Saturday. I'm sick of having my Saturday afternoon's ruined by sh ilty coaching. The offensive line is performing, the defensive line looks good, how bout we try to win some freaking games now.

 

[gioff23]

When was the last sell out? This program needs every fan that it can get right now. And since when does refusing to accept losing mean that you're not a real fan? In sticking to his "process" this coach has made some very questionable decisions. I actually believe that this team has talent...more than enough talent to beat Army.

Some of you say this team doesn't have any talent...that PP left the cup bare. Maybe we should question the fandom of those of you who believe our players are not good enough.

I'd suggest you look up the definition of FAN. The response was made to those bailing, apparently 90%. I saw/heard many of them on Saturday. But fans don't bail. I did not say you can't be critical or ask tough questions, and I never evoked the talent card, so please don't make stuff up in quoting me. But if you are in the 90% who are bailing, you're not a fan, period. You're a person who shows up for a party occuring around a stadium or a fairweather friend of the program who wants to be around a winner. So, if you bail, and everyone has the right to do so, don't rush back when the ship turns course. Like you, I know we are better than Army and that loss was a kick in the nuts after the last 2 games. But I'll be back in my seat when Cincy comes and I will renew next year, not because I think we'll win (and I do), but because that's what fans do.

 

[uconnric]

[QUOTE="Some of you say this team doesn't have any talent...that PP left the cup bare. Maybe we should question the fandom of those of you who believe our players are not good enough.[/QUOTE]

And what exactly is your point? Because our fandom is the best evaluator of talent? No one is saying the cupboard is bare, but it could use an upgrade and. And yes we do have enough talent to beat Army, but it didn't happen.

 

[LRock34]

[QUOTE="Some of you say this team doesn't have any talent...that PP left the cup bare. Maybe we should question the fandom of those of you who believe our players are not good enough.

And what exactly is your point? Because our fandom is the best evaluator of talent? No one is saying the cupboard is bare, but it could use an upgrade and. And yes we do have enough talent to beat Army, but it didn't happen.[/QUOTE]


My point is that it's complete bullsheeet for anyone to question the fandom of posters that are not happy with seeing this team lose to Army. Some of you are trying to call people out for being upset about losing and more than of few of you have basically said it's not the guys fault becuase he has nothing to work with. That is BULL.

And actually yes, some posters have said the cupboard is bare. Some posters have stated that we only won 3 games last year because of talent and that we've only won 2 games this year because of talent. I do not agree. We have enough talent to beat Army, Tulane and USF. I accepted the Tulane and USF losses because the Oline was struggling and Whitmer sucked. This loss to Army is unacceptable.

 

[Pudge]

Here we go again ...

Another push to segregate the fan base by the ones who "are not happy" ... and those who don't see it as "the guy's" fault. This is childish. And, it's gone on for 5-8 years. Apologistas ... and the ones - seemingly - that know football better.

We get it: you feel pain deeper than us. Silly.

 

[huskymedic]

Something tells me we did not game plan for Army and as a result we lost to freaking Army.

From an article earlier last week:

<<The coaching staff started to prepare for the unique challenge weeks ago, selecting a scout team to try to simulate Army's game plan.

Diaco knows a thing or two about playing a military academy. As a Notre Dame assistant, he faced Army, Navy and Air Force. He said he's had some success and some moments of "a lot pain and misery."

"This whole offense for every player on the defense is an incredible challenge," Diaco said. "When you get these guys on your schedule, it's like everybody is a freshman. … You have to prepare for this offense. There's not a whole lot of room for other conversations. It's so complex and it happens so fast and there's so many moving parts."<<

I think they prepared (maybe poorly) - but it was just more "a lot of pain and misery" - and for more than just Diaco!

 

[LRock34]

Here we go again ...

Another push to segregate the fan base by the ones who "are not happy" ... and those who don't see it as "the guy's" fault. This is childish. And, it's gone on for 5-8 years. Apologistas ... and the ones - seemingly - that know football better.

We get it: you feel pain deeper than us. Silly.

Again I call bull. I wasn't the one attempting to seperate the fanbase. If I'm not mistaken it was you who called those of us who were upset a bunch of whiners...or maybe cry babies was the term? Others telling those of us who are upset to leave and never come back. No I don't feel pain deeper but just like you have to right to call us whiners I can call you on your bullsheeet. I praise the team and coaches when things go well. When the players and coaches suck I post it here because my two year old and my wife can care less. So yeah I've got a response for those of you that have a problem with anyone that feels the need to vent here.