Dom Amore: Joe Fagnano has taken his last snap for UConn football, now he’s aiming for the NFL

[huskymedic]

-> “It was a really hard decision,” he said. “There are some things that happened that made me make a choice that was best for me. After talking with my teammates, my coaches, my family, we all agreed it was best for me. I’ve worked really hard in my long college career and I’m very fortunate to have a chance at a dream of mine, so it just felt like this is what was right. That’s kind of what college football is now.

“It stinks the way it ended, I would have loved to have played in a bowl game, but the way things are laid out now, some things just happen. I’m happy with where I am at, excited for what’s next and moving forward.” <-

 

[Enrique]

Thank you for what you did for UConn. Through your hard work and the hard work of others, you helped the team get national recognition. Best of luck in your future endeavors.

 

[WrenchFan69]

“It stinks the way it ended, I would have loved to have played in a bowl game, but the way things are laid out now, some things just happen.

This quote makes it seem like it wasn't entirely his decision lol

 

[mikedog10]

This quote makes it seem like it wasn't entirely his decision lol

I think he explains how he made his in the end of the full quote,

“I’m very fortunate to have a chance at a dream of mine, so it just felt like this is what was right. That’s kind of what college football is now.”

 

[drayenob]

These 2 quotes are telling:

He will not play in the Fenway Bowl this time, a decision in which we are soon likely to learn he will be far from alone at UConn.

With these possibilities, there was nothing more for Fagnano to show anyone by playing at Fenway Park, particularly if the experienced linemen and receivers who have surrounded him all season will not be there. That’s business, and Fagnano is very proud to say he has earned his MBA at UConn, three years after transferring from Maine.

 

[storrsroars]

Wish him all the best. Hope he gets to make an impact on Sundays.

 

[Exit 4]

His choice, I understand it. My humble opinion, he should play. His draft stock right now says the more tape the better. Same for everyone sans Bell.

Look I get it - just my opinion.

This whole situation might be different if we didn't have a regime change. Regime change is adding a lot of noise and a lot of uncertainty.

 

[psilotic]

finally a lock solid confirmation. godspeed JF

 

[storrsroars]

His draft stock right now says the more tape the better.

Joe has more to gain from scouts seeing him in all-star bowl practices than he does playing behind an offensive line that is not the one that protected him all year. Even HoF QBs will look bad when their OL is a sieve.

 

[How Sway?!]

His choice, I understand it. My humble opinion, he should play. His draft stock right now says the more tape the better. Same for everyone sans Bell.

Look I get it - just my opinion.

This whole situation might be different if we didn't have a regime change. Regime change is adding a lot of noise and a lot of uncertainty.

I think this is the driving factor. Obviously it sounds like the team would have preferred a warm weather bowl but if Mora was still the head coach, I think a lot of the opt outs don't happen (except Bell for obvious reasons). As soon as Mora dipped, it became ME season, so a lot of these guys are going to make the best decision for them.

 

[Exit 4]

Joe has more to gain from scouts seeing him in all-star bowl practices than he does playing behind an offensive line that is not the one that protected him all year. Even HoF QBs will look bad when their OL is a sieve.

I'll walk my comment back if the OL plays poorly in the bowl. If the OL plays adequate, then I will not change my POV. I am not in practice, I do not know what the second string OL looks like.

My general feeling is that there are some circumstances where skipping the bowl makes sense, but it is also a slippery slope. Why play games 9, 10, 11 and 12 if you put down enough tape in the first 8 games.

 

[storrsroars]

My general feeling is that there are some circumstances where skipping the bowl makes sense, but it is also a slippery slope. Why play games 9, 10, 11 and 12 if you put down enough tape in the first 8 games.

Do you honestly think quitting the team in October is good for your draft status?

NFL coaches get skipping out on a lower bowl game. But not a third of the season.

 

[ShakyTheMohel]

Joe has more to gain from scouts seeing him in all-star bowl practices than he does playing behind an offensive line that is not the one that protected him all year. Even HoF QBs will look bad when their OL is a sieve.

I would guess if Joe was playing he could influence some Offensive lineman to play the game.

 

[Bongo Fury]

I give him credit that he did not quit when the coaches gave the starting job to someone else they brought in and many here thought he was horrible.

 

[Exit 4]

Do you honestly think quitting the team in October is good for your draft status?

NFL coaches get skipping out on a lower bowl game. But not a third of the season.

If I am tasked with looking for NFL talent, I would give deference to players that refuse to step off the field. Players that will play in all games. Passion so strong, they will not sit. Passion so strong, skipping even a bowl game is intolerable.

If this second string OL is truly awful, then he is making the right decision.

 

[giddyup]

We’ll have guys with no time in the saddle playing a very good, disciplined, intact team. This will be an utter crap show. The nail in the coffin has to be Sammis announcing he’s gone while leading the team as interim HC. With Brock leaving, I imagine D players are not fully invested either. I can only imagine what preparations look like.

I’m glad Candle has the integrity to finish with his team and see it through even if means we have to wait. Candle is a better man than Mora, and the great progress Mora accomplished he managed to tear down on his way out.

 

[ctchamps]

We’ll have guys with no time in the saddle playing a very good, disciplined, intact team. This will be an utter crap show. The nail in the coffin has to be Sammis announcing he’s gone while leading the team as interim HC. With Brock leaving, I imagine D players are not fully invested either. I can only imagine what preparations look like.

I’m glad Candle has the integrity to finish with his team and see it through even if means we have to wait. Candle is a better man than Mora, and the great progress Mora accomplished he managed to tear down on his way out.

Mora got us to a point where we were able to get a coach like Candle.

 

[WrenchFan69]

If I am tasked with looking for NFL talent, I would give deference to players that refuse to step off the field. Players that will play in all games. Passion so strong, they will not sit. Passion so strong, skipping even a bowl game is intolerable.

I wouldn't agree with this for every position and/or for every pick but considering teams will be looking at him as a backup QB in the late rounds, absolutely I would want a guy who refused to come off the field

 

[uconndogs]

I don't know why JF would do anything other than what he thought was in his best interest. Are there any other parties in college football that do anything other than that.......coaches, athletic departments, conferences.........?

Dave B. has done a really great job all things considered. But, in the current world of collge football bowling, just about the last programs you want to play are the military acadamies. This one could be really gross.

 

[HartfordHank]

I’m glad Candle has the integrity to finish with his team and see it through even if means we have to wait. Candle is a better man than Mora, and the great progress Mora accomplished he managed to tear down on his way out.

You do realize that Candle is not coaching Toledo in their bowl game? He did ask his assistant's to stay with the team through the bowl game.

 

[AllHusky]

Dicey call. My initial feeling was that Fagnano would play. I've followed all the pro and con discussions and feel similarly to Exit 4(maybe because I'm exit 9??). Don't think it would hurt him to play, and maybe help him. Also don't think htere is a right or wrong answer on this one. Just feel like the Joe Fagnano story should end on the field playing for the 10th win.

 

[DoctorWho85]

Aw man, I was hoping he'd play at least to get the passing record. Yeah I'm sad, but I'm still happy we had him.

 

[CL82]

Do you honestly think quitting the team in October is good for your draft status?

NFL coaches get skipping out on a lower bowl game. But not a third of the season.

I agree, in principal, but we're both old enough to remember when "quitting on your team" before a bowl game would've been a black mark. Note I'm not being critical at all of Joe. He spent a hell of a long time in college football and has certainly given us a lot. It's just that times are changing and bowls are being devalued. That, the disappearance of the myth of the "student athlete" due to NIL and revenue sharing, and the lack of roster continuity due to the portal is changing the core elements that a lot of of us loved in football.

 

[Stinger92860]

I'll walk my comment back if the OL plays poorly in the bowl. If the OL plays adequate, then I will not change my POV. I am not in practice, I do not know what the second string OL looks like.

My general feeling is that there are some circumstances where skipping the bowl makes sense, but it is also a slippery slope. Why play games 9, 10, 11 and 12 if you put down enough tape in the first 8 games.

To me it’s more than the tape. It’s a 2 way street. Is Joe in his current position if he had stayed at Maine? Does he have the year he had, if Skyler had left? The way some of these guys are bailing on the team has me not caring what happens to them going forward in the football world. Skyler, I will be rooting for. Cam, the same, but I hope he comes back. The Oline leaving? We have placed Oline in the NFL. They should be playing in this game. All of them.

 

[storrsroars]

I agree, in principal, but we're both old enough to remember when "quitting on your team" before a bowl game would've been a black mark. Note I'm not being critical at all of Joe. He spent a hell of a long time in college football and has certainly given us a lot. It's just that times are changing and bowls are being devalued. That, the disappearance of the myth of the "student athlete" due to NIL and revenue sharing, and the lack of roster continuity due to the portal is changing the core elements that a lot of of us loved in football.

There have been so few bowl appearances in the past 15 years, we never had to worry about it.

I enjoy winning. I enjoy having UConn in the conversation in any sport when that conversation is not about being a laughing stock.

Joe put us on the good side of conversation for the first time since at least 2010. I get his decision. Sure, I'd love for him to play and be the guy who secured a record 10th win. But I'm not going to hold this against him and I will root for him to make it in the NFL. What he did for UConn football over the past two years obliterates any feelings I may have over missing a crap bowl game against a G6 team.

 

[UConnDan97]

Mora got us to a point where we were able to get a coach like Candle.

This is a fact.

I don't know how the Candle Era is going to turn out. But two things are clear; 1) He was so successful at Toledo that they would have kept him for the rest of his life, and 2) if Candle didn't view our situation as a noticeable upgrade, he would have never left them either...

 

[giddyup]

Mora got us to a point where we were able to get a coach like Candle.

True and Bernie Madoff was a big philanthropist. Just because you did something good doesn’t excuse you from doing something bad. He abandoned his players. End of story.

 

[huskymedic]

True and Bernie Madoff was a big philanthropist. Just because you did something good doesn’t excuse you from doing something bad. He abandoned his players. End of story.

Players seem to have a different take…

From today’s Dom Amore Sunday column:

-> Mora’s farewell

Though many in UConn’s social media universe panned the idea at the time, UConn’s football players appreciated Mora’s flying 2,000 miles back and forth on Dec. 2 to say goodbye in Connecticut the day after he was introduced at Colorado State.

“I really appreciated him looking us in the eyes and talking to us about his decision,” Hansen said. “And why it was right for him. In today’s world with the transfer portal and coaches moving around, that’s a rare thing. It’s a testament to who he is and everything he said to us during our time here at UConn to look us in the eyes on the way out was really important to us. We all appreciated that.”

Players were scattered, home for Thanksgiving, in the day Mora’s decision became public, Nov. 26.

“I haven’t had that in the past with other coaches, it definitely meant a lot,” Hoes said. “Knowing that he didn’t need to, but he wanted to. We know this is the state of college football. We can’t blame him. He’s doing what’s best for his family. We know he loves us, there’s no lost feelings there. Definitely emotional, seeing him go, but we support him and hope for the best for him.” <-

 

[AllHusky]

Hansen is quite a kid. Great Husky!

 

[Hoophound]

We seem to get a lot of really good kids that speak really well in public running through this program. Skyler Bell was great on the mic the other day. I hadn’t heard much from him all season. He came off very impressive too.

I really like when I can enjoy watching a player grow on the field and then appreciate him as a person going forward. The basketball program has been the same way. Sanogo, Clingan, Newton, Spencer, Castle and many others, just really nice kids with their heads on straight. It probably happens everywhere but I feel like our athletes have been really exceptional humans overall for the most part. When we have a kid with an issue or two he sticks out like a sore thumb.