Does this team that's played the last two weeks

[Marty Jackson]

win a couple other games throughout the year? I think this team right now, the way it is playing would beat Akron and probably USF. Maybe buffalo as well.
So I understand why people aren't excited about beating Temple and Rutgers, but up until two weeks ago, this team couldn't win. period...

For better or worse, TJ has this team believing they can win again. That in itself is a huge victory.
Don't know if that get's him a shot, but you have to like the direction and the overall progress made over the past couple weeks.

 

[Adios]

Akron?

 

[Hoophound]

win a couple other games throughout the year? I think this team right now, the way it is playing would beat Akron and probably USF. Maybe buffalo as well. So I understand why people aren't excited about beating Temple and Rutgers, but up until two weeks ago, this team couldn't win. period... For better or worse, TJ has this team believing they can win again. That in itself is a huge victory. Don't know if that get's him a shot, but you have to like the direction and the overall progress made over the past couple weeks.

This team could beat Towson, Buffalo, USF and I think they could possibly have beaten SMU this week. We are improving.

It will be sad to see TJ go, he's done a good job.

 

[BoatShow]

If there is one thing that being a UConn football has taught me it is that this type of revisionist history will KILL you. Best not to think about it.

 

[metsfan2323]

If we could start the season over next week:

Towson - Win

Maryland - Win

Michigan - Toss-up

Buffalo - Win

USF - Win

Ciny - Loss. We never play well there.

UCF - Loss

Louisville - Toss-up

SMU - Toss - up

Temple - Win

Rutgers - Win

Memphis - Win

So yes TJ should get consideration. The next head coach is set up to look like a genius which is why this should be a desirable job.

 

[BlueDogs]

Season would have been much better. I could see 8 wins - Id figure UCF, Cincy, L'ville and one other loss would be in the realm of reasonableness. I still think we need to see how they play this week.

 

[Jimmy Serrano]

Some people are just delusional.

 

[businesslawyer]

An 8 win team? Seriously? No way. This team has and had too many holes, and too many injuries, beyond the coaching. Getting to 6-6 would have been a major accomplishment for this team had they come into the season with a staff they believed in and that was competent.

TJ and the staff, and the players, have all earned a tremendous amount of respect for not quitting on the season when sane people would have, and for having taken a huge step towards what the team can accomplish going forward by reminding everyone that they, individually and collectively, can play I-A football. That having been said, coaching someone else's team for a while is a totally distinct process and skill set from being a successful I-A coach. The Staff hasn't had to show they can recruit, or handle alumni and boosters, or generate publicity, or handle discipline during the long offseason, or do anything else other than coach football players. They all deserve our respect and thanks. But if you think the job that TJ did means he's ready to be our Head coach, wikipedia "Stewart, West Virginia University." But I hope he (and the rest of the staff) lands on his feet wherever he ends up

 

[Hoophound]

An 8 win team? Seriously? No way. This team has and had too many holes, and too many injuries, beyond the coaching. Getting to 6-6 would have been a major accomplishment for this team had they come into the season with a staff they believed in and that was competent. TJ and the staff, and the players, have all earned a tremendous amount of respect for not quitting on the season when sane people would have, and for having taken a huge step towards what the team can accomplish going forward by reminding everyone that they, individually and collectively, can play I-A football. That having been said, coaching someone else's team for a while is a totally distinct process and skill set from being a successful I-A coach. The Staff hasn't had to show they can recruit, or handle alumni and boosters, or generate publicity, or handle discipline during the long offseason, or do anything else other than coach football players. They all deserve our respect and thanks. But if you think the job that TJ did means he's ready to be our Head coach, wikipedia "Stewart, West Virginia University." But I hope he (and the rest of the staff) lands on his feet wherever he ends up

I agree. I like TJ and I think he could have won 5 and possibly 6 games this year at most. We are young and inexperienced all over the field.

If we can't land Lembo, Clausen or Narduzzi etc., at least TJ has shown some chops. Being "stuck" with TJ is better than being stuck with an unknown, unproven guy or an old retread.

I like that we are young at most positions and that our QBs and Max have plenty of time to develop. Arkeel Newsome should be a big help in the next year or two as well. Basically, TJ and his team have given us all reason for optimism going forward. For that, I am forever thankful. He is a good guy doing a good job. No need to say more.

 

[BlueDogs]

An 8 win team? Seriously? No way. This team has and had too many holes, and too many injuries, beyond the coaching. Getting to 6-6 would have been a major accomplishment for this team had they come into the season with a staff they believed in and that was competent.

TJ and the staff, and the players, have all earned a tremendous amount of respect for not quitting on the season when sane people would have, and for having taken a huge step towards what the team can accomplish going forward by reminding everyone that they, individually and collectively, can play I-A football. That having been said, coaching someone else's team for a while is a totally distinct process and skill set from being a successful I-A coach. The Staff hasn't had to show they can recruit, or handle alumni and boosters, or generate publicity, or handle discipline during the long offseason, or do anything else other than coach football players. They all deserve our respect and thanks. But if you think the job that TJ did means he's ready to be our Head coach, wikipedia "Stewart, West Virginia University." But I hope he (and the rest of the staff) lands on his feet wherever he ends up

Remember, the premise was if the team that came out last week started the season. The league is just not that good. In fact, it is pathetically horrible and basically CUSA.
I don't think 8 wins would have been impossible. As a whole, there are not any exceptionally good teams and even UCF I don't really believe is that good. If we look at Buffalo and Towson, assuming we run the table, we would be at 5. We would then need to pick up 3 remaining Ws out of 7 games. SMU, Houston and USF wins would get us there. I grant you that its hard to get there mentally because of just how badly this team was coached and mismanaged in a system that put square pegs in round holes.

 

[Jimmy Serrano]

Remember, the premise was if the team that came out last week started the season. The league is just not that good. In fact, it is pathetically horrible and basically CUSA.
I don't think 8 wins would have been impossible. As a whole, there are not any exceptionally good teams and even UCF I don't really believe is that good. If we look at Buffalo and Towson, assuming we run the table, we would be at 5. We would then need to pick up 3 remaining Ws out of 7 games. SMU, Houston and USF wins would get us there. I grant you that its hard to get there mentally because of just how badly this team was coached and mismanaged in a system that put square pegs in round holes.

Temple and Rutgers. People really need a reality check. You guys are going WAY overboard after these wins. Buffalo and Towson are much better teams than what we saw the last 2 weeks. They would both probably beat Temple and Rutgers if they played this week.

Someone earlier said the Ville game would be a toss up. If we played them 10 times this year, 31-10 (or whatever the heck it was) is probably the closest we get to them. They played miserably.

 

[businesslawyer]

Temple and Rutgers. People really need a reality check. You guys are going WAY overboard after these wins. Buffalo and Towson are much better teams than what we saw the last 2 weeks. They would both probably beat Temple and Rutgers if they played this week.

Someone earlier said the Ville game would be a toss up. If we played them 10 times this year, 31-10 (or whatever the heck it was) is probably the closest we get to them. They played miserably.

This. Everyone should be proud that this team had the chops to give it their best effort against Temple and Rutgers, and good for us that giving it our best effort we got two wins. But Temple is not a good football team, and while Rutgers may have been earlier in the year it isn't now. Even if we add Memphis to our scalps, we do not have the personnel of most of the teams we lost to. USF? Sure, should have won that game even all duck*ed up. Towson? They may be better (or were that day) than the last two teams we beat, but you can give us that. And fine if you want to take one more and get to six. But Buffalo, on the road, is not likely a game we'd win today.

 

[BlueDogs]

Temple and Rutgers. People really need a reality check. You guys are going WAY overboard after these wins. Buffalo and Towson are much better teams than what we saw the last 2 weeks. They would both probably beat Temple and Rutgers if they played this week.

Someone earlier said the Ville game would be a toss up. If we played them 10 times this year, 31-10 (or whatever the heck it was) is probably the closest we get to them. They played miserably.

I agree L'ville is a loss. Michigan is a loss. Cincy is a loss. UCF is a loss. The rest are winnable games against terrible to moderately O.K. teams. Buffalo and Towson are good teams but not by any measure of higher level BCS level football. The same goes with the rest of the week sisters in the AAC. I refuse to except that Towson is even remotely capable of playing with us in a physical game. Buffalo is more evenly matched, bit still the quality of player is down a notch. Lets get real, this is more about how badly PGDL managed this program in to the gutter and destroyed a kids that on a whole are very capable.

 

[Jimmy Serrano]

People are posting as though Towson was some fluke. They destroyed us on both lines of scrimmage.

 

[Carl Spackler]

Remember, the premise was if the team that came out last week started the season. The league is just not that good. In fact, it is pathetically horrible and basically CUSA.
I don't think 8 wins would have been impossible. As a whole, there are not any exceptionally good teams and even UCF I don't really believe is that good. If we look at Buffalo and Towson, assuming we run the table, we would be at 5. We would then need to pick up 3 remaining Ws out of 7 games. SMU, Houston and USF wins would get us there. I grant you that its hard to get there mentally because of just how badly this team was coached and mismanaged in a system that put square pegs in round holes.

What's nice to see, and I'm incredibly proud of, is a team that has developed the leaders on the field, to stay in the fight, win the mental war, and not hang their heads, look for success in the wrong places, and fall like a house of cards at the hint of failure and adversity. That kind of thing, developed in the players now, is what I believe is most important to generating success quickly through the upcoming coaching change and going into next year. We open with BYU at home in the fall. The reality in big time football is coaching staffs transition quite frequently. The concept of coaches staying in place for long periods of time is just very rare. Programs, IMNSHO, are - and always be - made by players, and alumni. Coaches just drive the bus for a little while. That's arguable, and I'm sure many would argue it - but I believe that players make programs, not coaches. The players carrying the attitude and character that has been built in the past few weeks over through the offseason and into next season, is going to be critical, and I don't have any reason anymore to suspect it won't happen. The players on the field are playing like they get it now.

As to the original question, I think it's important to realize that we are building character, and the will to win in what it takes to play the game, but Rutgers still converted not one but TWO fourth downs on the way down the field to open the game, with the final play being a conversion of a fake field goal for a touchdown. We did not crumble, not in the least after that - but it still happened. On offense, the game tying TD after that opening drive, and the game winning TD late in the game, were both caught by freshmen that weren't ready to make plays early in the season. We are 2-9. While the topic question is interesting, I don't see the point.

The only thing that matters to me right now, is that the players on this team send out the seniors the right way. It may be another record small crowd through the gates on Saturday afternoon, but those that are there, will be rooting for the seniors to finish right. Sometimes, a season like we've just had, while not rewarding in many ways for fans, can be incredibly rewarding for the players, to overcome what they've worked to overcome.

There is one more game to go, and I don't think Memphis has a chance. We are going to steamroll.

So in answer to the original question, my answer is 3-9.

 

[BlueDogs]

People are posting as though Towson was some fluke. They destroyed us on both lines of scrimmage.

Yes, that's right. Not a fluke. What happened was they were physically beat . Today, this week, that would not happen.

 

[metsfan2323]

People are posting as though Towson was some fluke. They destroyed us on both lines of scrimmage.

The idea was if we start from where we are now. The entire team including the line is playing better. And our team laid down vs Buffalo,
I get the feeling they wanted P gone and just didn't care at that point. Louisville was terrible the night we played them, but our QB play was beyond atrocious. Louisville struggled against Memphis on their home field. The Michigan game was a toss-up and that was with the clown crew on the sideline.

Quick turnarounds do happen (see BC) especially when you discover a QB.

The next head coach is set -up nicely. Nationally we are just known as an awful team, but those of us paying attention can see the turnaround has already started and we might have a really good QB.

 

[NavinRJohnson]

8 wins? A certain beat reporter predicted 8 wins at the beginning of the year.

 

[SubbaBub]

As played the last 6 quarters, we are sitting on 5-6. (Towson, USF, Buffalo). There is a temptation to slide Michigan into the win column, but the team played nearly this well and you'd have to forgive Michigan's turnovers. Too much of a homer's hope.

 

[Marty Jackson]

Akron?

had we played Akron now, we'd beat them...
meant Towson.

 

[Marty Jackson]

If we could start the season over next week:

Towson - Win

Maryland - Win

Michigan - Toss-up

Buffalo - Win

USF - Win

Ciny - Loss. We never play well there.

UCF - Loss

Louisville - Toss-up

SMU - Toss - up

Temple - Win

Rutgers - Win

Memphis - Win

So yes TJ should get consideration. The next head coach is set up to look like a genius which is why this should be a desirable job.

we looked incredibly overmatched against MD.... can't see this team even today beating them.

 

[Marty Jackson]

An 8 win team? Seriously? No way. This team has and had too many holes, and too many injuries, beyond the coaching. Getting to 6-6 would have been a major accomplishment for this team had they come into the season with a staff they believed in and that was competent.

TJ and the staff, and the players, have all earned a tremendous amount of respect for not quitting on the season when sane people would have, and for having taken a huge step towards what the team can accomplish going forward by reminding everyone that they, individually and collectively, can play I-A football. That having been said, coaching someone else's team for a while is a totally distinct process and skill set from being a successful I-A coach. The Staff hasn't had to show they can recruit, or handle alumni and boosters, or generate publicity, or handle discipline during the long offseason, or do anything else other than coach football players. They all deserve our respect and thanks. But if you think the job that TJ did means he's ready to be our Head coach, wikipedia "Stewart, West Virginia University." But I hope he (and the rest of the staff) lands on his feet wherever he ends up

i don't disagree... does this mean you don't think TJ has a spot at uconn in the future?

 

[businesslawyer]

i don't disagree... does this mean you don't think TJ has a spot at uconn in the future?

I would be surprised if the guy we bring in wants to keep in place an assistant who has actually served as a successful interim at the school before the new guy got there. I sure wouldn't if I was the new coach, whether or not he's a good OC or position coach.

 

[Colt house75]

If we could start the season over next week:

Towson - Win

Maryland - Win

Michigan - Toss-up

Buffalo - Win

USF - Win

Ciny - Loss. We never play well there.

UCF - Loss

Louisville - Toss-up

SMU - Toss - up

Temple - Win

Rutgers - Win

Memphis - Win

So yes TJ should get consideration. The next head coach is set up to look like a genius which is why this should be a desirable job.

8 wins as some subscribe...can not see it....let's not get delusional...we are really in a rebuilding year.....
HERE IS WHY:
Towson as a toss-up...at best, if no pics...like the ridiculous d-line pic off of Whitmer, and if MAX had been put in ball game instead of riding the Pine)
Maryland- loss (gave up 500+ yards of total offense and could not handle option-...it's a rebuilding year...you lost 5/6 guys to the NFL)
Michigan-win in upset fashion (up 21-7 in 4th qtr, no 4q pick...team learned how to finish out/you have MAXXY running 15 times a game/all 5 receivers up to snuff plus Max/Lyle receiving out of the backfield)
Buffalo-loss (Buffalo won the mAC east...not the Buffalo of old)
USF-win (Foxx has hands and no t/o, and no dropped touchdowns)
Cincy, UCF & Louisville (too much firepower too handle). {Louisville wouldn't be playing with their heads up their **s if Michigan beaten by us....)
SMU - tossup....(Gilbert threw 4 td's....no Casey pick return in 4q.... would be close)
Temple & Rutgers (TJ has players believing...0 & 9 teams don't come from 21 down in 2nd half on the road..great efforts by everyone
...gotta luv the direction we are moving. Rutgers has worst pass D in the country giving up 265 per game. great game plan...let's not go crazy...be we executed a great game plan for RUTGERS
and young guys stepped up....

Memphis.....win, maybe ....if no pics, MAX has 15 to 18 touches, ball control, execute and get off 85 to 90 offensive plays in an up tempo. Memphis is like a mad sleeping dog..don't know who will show....

Sorry guys, no better than 4 to 5 wins even if all went our way...it's a rebuilding year...you lost 5/6 guys to the NFL.
Want to be pi****ed off...think about how the last 2 prior years I see us (minimum) 8 & 4 each year (2011 & 2012) not 5 & 7 if a former athletic dir. doesn't name 2 unmentionables as HC and ace OL/OC .

 

[metsfan2323]

I think we would definitely beat Towson at the Rent if we played them tomorrow. The team we have now is completely different than the team that played on opening day.

New QB, new primary RB, offensive line completely improved by Foley. A special rapport between Cochran and Davis. New leadership on the sideline that isn't just standing there staring into space and occasionally yelling at someone. Play calling that isn't poisoned by PGDL.

Lets not forget that the Towson loss was in large part due to Hemingway's abysmal play and a lack of help given to him. Gifford right now is doing a very respectable job.

As a side note how on earth did the undersized Hemingway start on opening day instead of Gifford? PGDL at its finest.

It also appears that our defense after a period of adjustment has found its bearings.

Yeah, I think we beat Towson if we played them now.

The OP's question is what would happen if we restarted today. Our team has been completely overhauled since opening day.

I admit to being optimistic.