Diaco pushing change with UConn football (Chris Elsberry)

[huskymedic]

Been doing quite a bit of traveling and I'm still catching up. Didn't see this posted yet?

http://www.ctpost.com/uconn/article..._medium=referral&utm_source=post original url

 

[Doggie Style]

All I'm gonna say is 16 and 18 reps of 225 for an offensive lineman to bring to a Pro-Day is nothing short of pathetic! Thank god we have moved on.....

 

[BlueDogs]

Talk about a total indictment of PP and GDL. As many knew after one season, these clowns were cancers eating away at what had been built. Say what you will, Diaco gets it. It's about mindset first.

 

[Adios]

I hope he succeeds and stays with us for a long time. He really does seem to appreciate his new job as a torchbearer of UConn tradition.

 

[jackl]

Talk about a total indictment of PP and GDL. As many knew after one season, these clowns were cancers eating away at what had been built. Say what you will, Diaco gets it. It's about mindset first.

And it is still hard to believe that there are those who will defend PGDL as a good fit for UCONN. Obviously just girth and a zone blocking scheme does not make for a good offensive lineman. Thank God(whoops) for the mindset change. Can't wait for the spring game. My son is getting married this Sept. and they just found a venue for the week of the 20th. We will not be missing a Game. Go HUSKIES!!!!!!!!!!

 

[DoctorWho85]

I hope he succeeds and stays with us for a long time. He really does seem to appreciate his new job as a torchbearer of UConn tradition.

I hope so too, but I know that if he sees success right away, he's going to be the next hottest coach on everyone's list. Most likely after three years he'll be neck deep in offers from P5 conference schools. I think if he does leave (knock on wood he doesn't) he will leave the program in great shape and there's no reason why the next coach up won't be able to succeed. Kind of like what Cincy has done since Dantonio.

That being said, I hope he's here for a long time.

 

[Adios]

I hope so too, but I know that if he sees success right away, he's going to be the next hottest coach on everyone's list. Most likely after three years he'll be neck deep in offers from P5 conference schools. I think if he does leave (knock on wood he doesn't) he will leave the program in great shape and there's no reason why the next coach up won't be able to succeed. Kind of like what Cincy has done since Dantonio.

That being said, I hope he's here for a long time.

He keeps implying we have a future with the P5 conference by constantly mentioning the market size within a certain radius of UConn. I think he likes what can be done here. We're not in the boondocks.

 

[DoctorWho85]

He keeps implying we have a future with the P5 conference by constantly mentioning the market size within a certain radius of UConn. I think he likes what can be done here. We're not in the boondocks.

I love his message about the program. Diaco is definitely selling the program hard and I personally can't get enough. He is exactly what the programs needs now, someone who believes in the players and the program and someone that is able to tell you exactly why you should be excited about UConn football. I wish I wasn't working two jobs or else I woul dhave bought my season tickets the day of his introductory speech.

 

[HuskyHawk]

I'm really stunned by just how much change is happening. I'm starting to understand how Auburn went from worst to first. This is epic stuff. We clearly don't have Auburn's talent level, but these guys won three games with only the minor change at the top to TJ. Diaco burned down the whole thing and is starting over from scratch. It's very hard to predict just what the results will be, but I guarantee you they will be positive.

 

[DoctorWho85]

I'm really stunned by just how much change is happening. I'm starting to understand how Auburn went from worst to first. This is epic stuff. We clearly don't have Auburn's talent level, but these guys won three games with only the minor change at the top to TJ. Diaco burned down the whole thing and is starting over from scratch. It's very hard to predict just what the results will be, but I guarantee you they will be positive.

Diaco is setting up the foundation for success which we had under Edsal but lost with Pasqualoni. This year, although I'm optimistic, I'd be extremely happy with a 6-6 or 7-5 with a bowl game. I remember Louisville fans were ecstatic when Charlie Strong brought them to 6-6 with Kragthorpe players. So in my mind, something similar to that is what we should be looking for.

 

[HuskyHawk]

Diaco is setting up the foundation for success which we had under Edsal but lost with Pasqualoni. This year, although I'm optimistic, I'd be extremely happy with a 6-6 or 7-5 with a bowl game. I remember Louisville fans were ecstatic when Charlie Strong brought them to 6-6 with Kragthorpe players. So in my mind, something similar to that is what we should be looking for.

I think you sell him short. I think he's setting things up for success far beyond the mediocrity we had with Edsall. He's setting this up the way Geno set up women's hoops. He's emulating Notre Dame and the Hayden Frye Iowa teams. Frye, by the way, changed Iowa's uniforms to mirror the Pittsburgh Steelers, because he wanted the teams to play like the Steelers of the day. I'm seeing similar techniques at play with Diaco. I don't know if the guy can coach a lick (I assume so), we'll see on the sidelines, but as an administrator/builder of a program, he is already far beyond Edsall.

 

[Carl Spackler]

I think you sell him short. I think he's setting things up for success far beyond the mediocrity we had with Edsall. He's setting this up the way Geno set up women's hoops. He's emulating Notre Dame and the Hayden Frye Iowa teams. Frye, by the way, changed Iowa's uniforms to mirror the Pittsburgh Steelers, because he wanted the teams to play like the Steelers of the day. I'm seeing similar techniques at play with Diaco. I don't know if the guy can coach a lick (I assume so), we'll see on the sidelines, but as an administrator/builder of a program, he is already far beyond Edsall.

This is a stretch. I really like everything Diaco is saying, and what seems to be happening, but Diaco has yet to coach his first game, and while I am very, very excited, and believe the program is getting better in the fundamental ways that it fell apart under Pasqualoni's leadership, I'll reserve any judgements about Diaco as a head coach, administration, building, etc. etc....until he actually starts racking up a W/L record. As for Edsall comparisons, the one thing Edsall did, that matters most - is win games at home. We were 39-12 at home (I think) under Edsall at Rentschler field. We need that back. Until we get that back, and reproduce it and build upon it (b/c Edsall couldn't build it into a top 25 program that could win regularly on the road), Edsall will continue to hold the title for the most accomplished UCONN program builder/administrator.

 

[sportsart]

In 3-5 years, if HCBD is not getting offers from P5 schools, it means he's done a mediocre job, at best. It is my hope that in 3-5 years HCBD is getting offers from OTHER P5 schools and he turns them down.

As you can see I've decided to practice what HCBD is preaching. If you believe......

 

[HuskyHawk]

This is a stretch. I really like everything Diaco is saying, and what seems to be happening, but Diaco has yet to coach his first game, and while I am very, very excited, and believe the program is getting better in the fundamental ways that it fell apart under Pasqualoni's leadership, I'll reserve any judgements about Diaco as a head coach, administration, building, etc. etc....until he actually starts racking up a W/L record. As for Edsall comparisons, the one thing Edsall did, that matters most - is win games at home. We were 39-12 at home (I think) under Edsall at Rentschler field. We need that back. Until we get that back, and reproduce it and build upon it (b/c Edsall couldn't build it into a top 25 program that could win regularly on the road), Edsall will continue to hold the title for the most accomplished UCONN program builder/administrator.

Carl, I did say we hadn't seen him on the sidelines, haven't seen him coach kids up and we haven't seen him land recruits yet (not really anyway). So I reserve judgment about whether he is or will be a great coach. That said, as far as changing the attitudes of the UConn football program, and about the UConn football program, I think he has already surpassd Edsall. He's more engaging, more likable, a better ambassador and he has implemented a whole new direction and attitude in lightning time. Edsall took over for Skip Holtz, who was a darned good coach (better winning percentage), so there was no major chnage in attitude or approach needed. Holtz probably would have done as well or better than Edsall had he stayed.

 

[DoctorWho85]

Carl, I did say we hadn't seen him on the sidelines, haven't seen him coach kids up and we haven't seen him land recruits yet (not really anyway). So I reserve judgment about whether he is or will be a great coach. That said, as far as changing the attitudes of the UConn football program, and about the UConn football program, I think he has already surpassd Edsall. He's more engaging, more likable, a better ambassador and he has implemented a whole new direction and attitude in lightning time. Edsall took over for Skip Holtz, who was a darned good coach (better winning percentage), so there was no major chnage in attitude or approach needed. Holtz probably would have done as well or better than Edsall had he stayed.

I'd have to agree with you on Diaco being far beyond Edsall as an ambassador for this program. Diaco seems to truly believe and live what he's preaching which looks to being rubbing off on the players. So in that aspect yes he's far beyond Edsall. Edsall burned a lot of bridges in CT with the HS coaches, which, I'm assuming, is why Hathaway assumed he who should not be named was a good hire. Diaco is definitely winning over everyone in the state which, in my mind, is exactly what he needs to do right now. He has a winning attitude which I'm hoping leads to winning some games this year only time will tell.

I have to disagree about Holtz though. Yes he was a good coach at UConn and had success at ECU, but look what happened when he moved to a BCS school. It was an utter failure. I'm not saying Holtz wouldn't have done that bad at UConn as he did at USF, but I can't say that he would have done as well as Edsall was either. To me, Edsall was the right guy at the right time.

 

[Husky25]

He keeps implying we have a future with the P5 conference by constantly mentioning the market size within a certain radius of UConn. I think he likes what can be done here. We're not in the boondocks.

Coach Diaco also expounds on UConn's current and growing research capabilities in the STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) fields. He said it more than a few times in the weeks following his hiring. No doubt that idea was planted in his mind by Mr. Manuel and President Herbst, but it is also an indication (slight as it might be) that UConn is head for AAU inclusion in the near future. Coach Diaco will be the head coach at a P5 conference program in 5 years. Coach Diaco will be head coach at UConn in 5 years. The math is fairly simple.

 

[Carl Spackler]

Carl, I did say we hadn't seen him on the sidelines, haven't seen him coach kids up and we haven't seen him land recruits yet (not really anyway). So I reserve judgment about whether he is or will be a great coach. That said, as far as changing the attitudes of the UConn football program, and about the UConn football program, I think he has already surpassd Edsall. He's more engaging, more likable, a better ambassador and he has implemented a whole new direction and attitude in lightning time. Edsall took over for Skip Holtz, who was a darned good coach (better winning percentage), so there was no major chnage in attitude or approach needed. Holtz probably would have done as well or better than Edsall had he stayed.

I agree. I'm not sure what the exact wording was, without looking back, but I was responding to some kind of comment that Diaco has already surpassed Edsall as a program builder/administrator or something.....wait....I'll look..........hold on.......yes - that was it. I'm not really arguing semantics here either - being an 'ambassador' is a lot different than a program builder. It's not a big deal, but just pointing out that Edsall, with all his warts that Diaco clearly doesn't have - did something, and has something that Diaco does not have, and that's a kick ass home win/loss record at Rentschler field, so it's premature and a stretch to call him a better program builder yet. Ambassador? Public figure? Absolutely better- no question. But you got to win.

He's got a great opportunity though, to get it going in a big way, come August 29.

 

[Carl Spackler]

I'd have to agree with you on Diaco being far beyond Edsall as an ambassador for this program. Diaco seems to truly believe and live what he's preaching which looks to being rubbing off on the players. So in that aspect yes he's far beyond Edsall. Edsall burned a lot of bridges in CT with the HS coaches, which, I'm assuming, is why Hathaway assumed he who should not be named was a good hire. Diaco is definitely winning over everyone in the state which, in my mind, is exactly what he needs to do right now. He has a winning attitude which I'm hoping leads to winning some games this year only time will tell.

I have to disagree about Holtz though. Yes he was a good coach at UConn and had success at ECU, but look what happened when he moved to a BCS school. It was an utter failure. I'm not saying Holtz wouldn't have done that bad at UConn as he did at USF, but I can't say that he would have done as well as Edsall was either. To me, Edsall was the right guy at the right time.

Coach Holtz, I don't think ever really learned the defensive side of the ball.

 

[DoctorWho85]

Coach Holtz, I don't think ever really learned the defensive side of the ball.

Or how to use a mobile QB in BJ Daniels.

 

[Carl Spackler]

Or how to use a mobile QB in BJ Daniels.

Oh, I don't know about that. Daniels was headed for the top of the Big East record books all time before injury.

 

[DoctorWho85]

Oh, I don't know about that. Daniels was headed for the top of the Big East record books all time before injury.

It just seemed that Holtz tried to make him a pure pocket passer instead of using him as a dual threat. I've talked to a couple USF fans back then and they all seemed very frustrated in Holtz holding back Daniels from running when it was such a strength of his.

 

[Carl Spackler]

It just seemed that Holtz tried to make him a pure pocket passer instead of using him as a dual threat. I've talked to a couple USF fans back then and they all seemed very frustrated in Holtz holding back Daniels from running when it was such a strength of his.

That's entirely possible. I don't know. I don't recall USF being a zone/read/option type offense team under Holtz - could be wrong. I know that USF had a pair of DE"s in George Selvie and Jason Pierre Paul that were absolute specimens and that defense with those two guys anchoring both sides of the line could have been much, much better than they were

 

[Carl Spackler]

BTW: I relish the time when our OL's would go up against players like Selvie and Pierre-Paul and others that would go on to the NFL, and beat them. And beat them. And beat them again. And then beat them again. And again. And again. Until the game was over and we won. I want that back.

 

[NavinRJohnson]

BTW: I relish the time when our OL's would go up against players like Selvie and Pierre-Paul and others that would go on to the NFL, and beat them. And beat them. And beat them again. And then beat them again. And again. And again. Until the game was over and we won. I want that back.

How fun was that football. Smash mouth. Looking forward to the return of it.

 

[Duncan Idaho]

BTW: I relish the time when our OL's would go up against players like Selvie and Pierre-Paul and others that would go on to the NFL, and beat them. And beat them. And beat them again. And then beat them again. And again. And again. Until the game was over and we won. I want that back.

Baylor

BTW: I relish the time when our OL's would go up against players like Selvie and Pierre-Paul and others that would go on to the NFL, and beat them. And beat them. And beat them again. And then beat them again. And again. And again. Until the game was over and we won. I want that back.

Its how Baylor remembers us.