Diaco's First Changes - Verducci moved to non-coaching position/OC Search underway

[Dooley]

I don't know what I am more frustrated with:

1. Diaco's non-field coaching admin recruiting title for Verducci (who isn't fired)?

OR

2. That UConn, with a $72M AD budget, thought it was an acceptable practice to pay a friggin' offensive coordinator $130,000 and expect good results.

Good grief.

 

[huskymedic]

I don't know what I am more frustrated with:

1. Diaco's non-field coaching admin recruiting title for Verducci (who isn't fired)?

OR

2. That UConn, with a $72M AD budget, thought it was an acceptable practice to pay a friggin' offensive coordinator $130,000 and expect good results.

Good grief.

I'm not sure that is the correct number - only the number showing in the Sunlight database that M.A. referenced for 2015. USAT Coach Database has him @ $292k, The Sunlight report has Poindexter and Cummings north of $300k. Think there was some flip/flopping w/ changes.

 

[uconnfan68]

Whatever it is, is too little, too late, and wrong also. Disco needs to leave before change can happen.

 

[UConnNick]

What this means is DB doesn't want to eat the buyout cost, even come January 2nd.

Guess we have to hope for a miracle prodigy of an OC hire.

What's gonna change? We could bring in June Jones as OC and Diwhacko would figure out a way to F up his run-and-shoot 7 TD's per half offense. What's the point?

 

[Go_Huskies]

We will know Diaco is serious if the OC is not one of his buddies.

 

[UConnNick]

You're tea leaf reading is suspect as far as retaining BD goes. Benedict no way had final say on spending 5 mill. Whether or not the assistant coaching changed are his idea or not who knows. It certainly can't stop with the OC. The D schemes weren't thrilling either. Ditto special teams. If we never bump up to P5, we can still have interesting, entertaining teams.

Can't believe Diaco gets to stay another year beyond next if the on field doesn't look better than my grandsons midget team.

I can't believe he's returning next season with the prospect of home crowds in the 5,000 - 10,000 range.

 

[DefCONNOne]

And with this news I stopped caring.....

...and with this post, I stopped caring about your caring.

 

[Bomber36]

...and with this post, I stopped caring about your caring.

I don't care that you don't care....so there!

 

[UConnNick]

Diaco has already said he still thinks we need to be a run oriented northeast team.
Whoever it is, expect more of the same.

That's because he has an irrational, pathological fear of turnovers. He sees turnovers in his sleep, and they're not the warm, flaky kind. That's why he won't allow punt returns or passes beyond 10 years from the LOS. Nothing will change next season, except that we will win fewer games than we did this season.

 

[UConnNick]

Typical Fiasco over explanation. Non on field coaching position and recruiting coordinator? Why is he being retained at all and is his salary being reduced?

Because not only is Diwhacko stupid, but so are the rest of the university's school and athletic administrators. It's a perfect storm of abject incompetence and a total lack of leadership on every front.

The only plausible explanation for paying an extra guy to do a job normally assigned to any member of the coaching staff is to appease Bobby, so he doesn't have to send his pal packing. We don't have the money, but apparently Bobby must have the goods on somebody if they're kowtowing to him.

So we don't have the money, but we can now afford to pay two guys to do a job normally handled by only one guy? Yet we can't possibly afford to pay Bobby BSC's buyout? You can't make this BS up.

 

[Chief00]

This guy can't even fire someone appropriately. Anyone else thrilled that a disgruntled former OC will now be the recruiting coordinator?

You can't make up this stupidity. LMFAO.

Call it in the program rather than in the coaching staff - but we will have yet another former Offensive Coordinator on the staff. It got to set some records - and if the running backs coach stays after his interim OC role then we got another. And of course Cummings.

 

[Chief00]

Because not only is Diwhacko stupid, but so are the rest of the university's school and athletic administrators. It's a perfect storm of abject incompetence and a total lack of leadership on every front.

The only plausible explanation for paying an extra guy to do a job normally assigned to any member of the coaching staff is to appease Bobby, so he doesn't have to send his pal packing. We don't have the money, but apparently Bobby must have the goods on somebody if they're kowtowing to him.

So we don't have the money, but we can now afford to pay two guys to do a job normally handled by only one guy? Yet we can't possibly afford to pay Bobby BSC's buyout? You can't make this BS up.

Not doing the buyout is Susan's call. Why she continually evades responsibility is beyond me.

 

[UConnNick]

Not doing the buyout is Susan's call. Why she continually evades responsibility is beyond me.

Because that would entail actually having to admit she screwed up in the first place by giving him a fat contract extension. The day she admits she was wrong about anything will be the first.

 

[RedStickHusky]

you get to a point where you can't stand up and say "we can't afford to fire this guy" without doing further damage and you can't express your confidence in him without sounding even dumber than you've already proven yourself to be. I'm also kind of hoping that this 'empowered' OC is really a co-HC/HC in waiting...

 

[CTMike]

I'm saying I'm reading this that if Diaco had the authority, he would move around a couple guys, maybe fire a couple, and try to make that work. And you're probably right, he probably would do just that. The fact that nothing else has happened yet makes me believe Benedict is not allowing him the opportunity to do that right now. To me, it sounds like the new OC is getting that authority, which if true, is a very welcome and encouraging sign to me. If we make the right damn hire now.

I hope you are right jrazz.

 

[BlueDogs]

Was wondering the same thing. AD should have been included in this announcement or at least commented on it. WTH is going on here?
We're so toast next year.

As stated several times, Benedict has gone missing in action. The minute things started getting obviously difficult, he ran for cover. I see no signs of strong leadership or vision. A lot of empty suits and pants suits up in Storrs collecting state checks but never putting their conviction on the line.

 

[Chief00]

Well, the shnit show continues. What a friggin hack move. The whole bunch need to be cleaned out and letting the head mental patient evaluate the new crew takes the cake.

That's why I have been saying Susan owns this.

 

[FfldCntyFan]

Perhaps Benedict is being incredibly brilliant right now -
No immediate action takes place
Tells Diaco to go ahead and interview coaches and give him a list in the next few weeks of guys Diaco likes
First week of January Benedict calls Diaco and tells him he's canned. Benedict then promptly removes any of the new coaches Diaco wants from any future coaching list.

I don't think Benedict told Diaco anything on this. My guess is when they did have a discussion (roughly six weeks ago) it was made clear that major changes would occur if things didn't turn around over the last few weeks of the season. I'm guessing that this led to the mid-season changing of QB & OC, in an attempt to catch lightning in a bottle. As that didn't work, Diaco is
now grasping at straws while Benedict is discussing with superiors what he believes needs to be done.

once DB has clear direction on what steps he can take and what mo money will be available to him to take these steps things will move forward.

 

[Chief00]

Because that would entail actually having to admit she screwed up in the first place by giving him a fat contract extension. The day she admits she was wrong about anything will be the first.

Confirmed.
That's what the Starmasters of the World miss in the big picture. A leader's inability to identify and tKe accountability for her screw/ups. And in sports they have been very major.

 

[FartMan69]

For those who believe Benedict will lead the charge to find the new OC, why do you think that's smart? He's a former JUCO linebacker who's been balancing budgets and fundraising for numerous schools in the last decade. I know it's now his job to hire/fire coaches but how can you put trust in the guy going out and finding an innovative OC who will A) come to this turd pile and B) work with an insane and unstable Head Coach who's now in the record books for overseeing one of the worst offenses in history. From what I've gathered from some around here is just because he spent a couple years at Auburn means he's some football guru which is idiotic to say the least. Anyway at this point any assistant coaching changes are moot seeing how Diaco will certainly have input and any OC with a lick of innovation and creativity will stay away from this dink and his gang of fluzies we call a football team.

 

[HuskyHawk]

I'm saying I'm reading this that if Diaco had the authority, he would move around a couple guys, maybe fire a couple, and try to make that work. And you're probably right, he probably would do just that. The fact that nothing else has happened yet makes me believe Benedict is not allowing him the opportunity to do that right now. To me, it sounds like the new OC is getting that authority, which if true, is a very welcome and encouraging sign to me. If we make the right damn hire now.

I suspect that Benedict gave him marching orders. This is a condition of Bob getting another year. The OC will likely be viewed as a HC in waiting. If Bob can't right the ship, he'll be gone, and the OC will take over. It's like the TJ Weist situation all over again.

I don't like it really, but it may be the best play that Benedict has right now if he's not cleared to eat that 3.4 million.

 

[jrazz12]

I suspect that Benedict gave him marching orders. This is a condition of Bob getting another year. The OC will likely be viewed as a HC in waiting. If Bob can't right the ship, he'll be gone, and the OC will take over. It's like the TJ Weist situation all over again.

I don't like it really, but it may be the best play that Benedict has right now if he's not cleared to eat that 3.4 million.

I agree, that's all I really think it is right now.

If you start with the presumption that outside of murdering or Sanduskying someone, Diaco was coming back next year no matter what, which has been the case since Day 1 of this season due to the buyout, then the next best option is probably this. Take the keys away from Diaco for anything having to do with the offense, hire an OC to basically be HC: Offense (and maybe ST), let Diaco be Head Coach: Def and be the rah rah guy in the locker room, and pray he gets his groove back there while the OC runs the other show. Do it all under the premise that Diaco is the head coach and making all the decisions so he can save some face, while Benedict is pulling the strings and the OC is given that control.

Who knows, maybe that can work and everyone benefits from that setup. We're probably drawing 2 cards to an inside straight draw at this point, but that's the hand we're stuck with and have to play. Just hire the right guy now. On the surface, it seems Quinn may fit that role nicely.

 

[HomeKing93]

I doubt he'd come here under our current circumstances, but I would definitely inquire about Phil Longo. He is another Jersey guy if that makes Diaco feel better.

Phil Longo Bio

 

[FfldCntyFan]

Confirmed.
That's what the Starmasters of the World miss in the big picture. A leader's inability to identify and tKe accountability for her screw/ups. And in sports they have been very major.

I find it difficult to believe that a man approaching retirement age who acts as a fan boy to a wannabe social director/M C/ cheerleader is capable of seeing the big picture.

 

[Fairfield_1st]

I doubt he'd come here under our current circumstances, but I would definitely inquire about Phil Longo.

Looks like a good choice on multiple levels. Actually has proven success as an OC. Must have ties to NJ HS coaches. What's not to like? Maybe he can bring KC Keeler with him