ESPN (+) preview - it gets worse...

[Drew]

OK - you're hopeless.

If you can't see the difference between a conference of contiguous states drawing up their own game schedule against each other on the fly, and trying to do that as an indy with almost nobody available locally, i can't help you. Especially keeping in mind the B1G's cancellation of OUR OWN GAMES contributed to the cancellation - whoosh, right over your head.

BYU wouldn't have played 12 games if BYU was located in New England. You're the one that continues to ignore geography, state limitations, and just about everything else, but I'm the one ignoring facts.

Hartford Athletic? LOL. Yeah, a 2nd rate professional team playing for money is a great equivalent to a roster of amateurs who live in close quarters with 5x the roster size. Never mind the overwhelming majority of their schedule was local enough to potentially help with COVID protocols, either. How were those northeastern FCS teams doing? Oh, wait, Eastern KY was actually the closest geographically playing in the fall. LOL.

San Jose State and New Mexico (two schools with MUCH smaller pockets than UConn) both literally relocated their football programs to Las Vegas for 3 months to play a season and I’m supposed to believe there was no way UConn could’ve played last year?

You’re clearly an excuse oriented person instead of a solution oriented person. And that’s fine. But to pretend UConn couldn’t have played football last year when schools with a fraction of the budget and resources of UConn were playing games and some even relocating their entire programs to different states is just ridiculous. There was 100% a way to play games last year, UConn just flat out didn’t want to do it.

 

[freescooter]

Plus claiming these leagues played a 6 game schedule isn’t entirely true. They scheduled six perhaps but USC played 4 plus their “championship”. Washington State played 3. It was a mess. Teams had 3 weeks between games while others played weekly. Army played 3 fcs teams plus had Navy and Air Force, other service academies, on the schedule.

I honestly don’t know if missing a season will have that much of an impact when the alternative was such a mess. And I’m really not sure UMass benefitted from losing 134-12 total.

 

[pepband99]

San Jose State and New Mexico (two schools with MUCH smaller pockets than UConn) both literally relocated their football programs to Las Vegas for 3 months to play a season and I’m supposed to believe there was no way UConn could’ve played last year?

You’re clearly an excuse oriented person instead of a solution oriented person. And that’s fine. But to pretend UConn couldn’t have played football last year when schools with a fraction of the budget and resources of UConn *AND LOCATED IN THE WEST were playing games and some even relocating their entire programs to different states is just ridiculous. There was 100% a way to play games last year, UConn just flat out didn’t want to do it.

FIFY. 2 schools in (more) open states relocated to another even more open state. Whoopdie damn doo.

You don't seem to get it. Non-local teams played other non-local teams because they could. Flyover State U played Flyover State A&M. We were left standing when the music stopped in the northeast. FCS was dead. FBS teams OOC were dead or decided against US, specifically. You could maybe get 3 or 4 games tops, aka UMass, and see how much good that did them...

I note you now ignored my point on the conferences - maybe it's sinking in...

 

[Dream Jobbed 2.0]

Those requirements weren't about safety? What were they about?

I’m saying the cancellation was about the protocols not the protocols not being a bout safety

 

[CL82]

The guy who follows college football for a living by using advanced statistics is wrong and unreasonable but the BY who hasn't seen their 2 win program even play in 20 months is right.

Uh... depends. Which one is predicting a win?

 

[ClifSpliffy]

FIFY. 2 schools in (more) open states relocated to another even more open state. Whoopdie damn doo.

You don't seem to get it. Non-local teams played other non-local teams because they could. Flyover State U played Flyover State A&M. We were left standing when the music stopped in the northeast. FCS was dead. FBS teams OOC were dead or decided against US, specifically. You could maybe get 3 or 4 games tops, aka UMass, and see how much good that did them...

I note you now ignored my point on the conferences - maybe it's sinking in...

'flyover state?' that's just messed up thinking right thar. insulting, too.

 

[pepband99]

'flyover state?' that's just messed up thinking right thar. insulting, too.

It's better than other terms i could use to describe state grouping in this sense. Something rhyming with "thud" comes to mind. Or something to do with cousins.

 

[Adios]

#flyoverlivesmatter

It's "flyover" territory 50 miles away from the Atlantic coast.

 

[pepband99]

#flyoverlivesmatter

It's "flyover" territory 50 miles away from the Atlantic coast.

Maybe, but show me an FCS team playing fall football that close. I'm under impression East KY is closest. Not exactly a bus trip.

 

[pepband99]

So what game will be on the ESPN Network?

noon on the ACC network. I would bet $ on it right now.

 

[ShakyTheMohel]

I do think UConn could have patched together some sort of 5 or 6 game schedule. It would have been changing week to week...the players would have been going in and out of covid protocol..and of course no fans at the games.

Would that be worth it? I don't think so. If they were a decent senior-laden team...then maybe. In reality, they were a too young, physically underdeveloped bad team who needed to shed FCS players and develop the players remaining.

Generally...it's always worth playing real games. But... I think being independent, in a strict covid state, and with a young team under transition....not playing makes sense. Will they be better next year? Who knows...but I also don't know if they would have been better next year if they had played a short cobbled together schedule with a covid shortened roster.

 

[Excalibur]

At the end of the day, besides avoiding looking silly by having all of our games cancelled, it was about $$. We haven't been trying in football for nearly 10 years, and you think we would/should have spent a bunch of $$ trying to patch together a maximum of 4 games against low grade competition? It wasn't going to be worth whatever minimal development the experience would have gotten the players.

 

[BlueDogs]

Show us our proposed schedule from last year, in that case. We'll wait for you to get to 12.

Should have went out in September and would have our pick of available opponents with national prime time. If we call, players were surely going to die despite the science to the contrary.

 

[ktuck911]

Yes- has he been to UConn and seen the players? I have and I trust my eyes more than anyone who hasn't been here to see things. The players look and sound different. They look like a football team for the first time in many many years.

I think if a lot of folks saw Edsall the first go round at UConn they might have a little better feeling about where we're headed. BUT, if you only go by numbers/stats, you won't think so. It's apparent in this entire thread that the latter seems to be the case.

Edsall's style might be boring (a lot of folks got bored with him the 1st go round), however, it's extremely effective ... for us... It may have worked out (eventually) in Maryland, but the sense of urgency to be good at a P5 school doesn't give you the alotted time to get things done with his style of coaching/building a football team/legacy.

it may again be a little boring for some, but, as long as the scoreboard shows what we need to see (Ws) we as UConn Football fans should embrace that, when it happens.

At the FBS level, that's actually who we are...

Get the lunchpales out and do work Huskies....

 

[Chin Diesel]

In the history of college athletics no major school has ever voluntarily shut down a major sport for the sake of improving the team and the program. Think about all the great minds of coaches and administrators who could have done this plan, many of whom had so much good will with the fanbase the fans would have rejoiced at the genius of being first to figure out this path forward. None have tried it.

You don't get better by not playing. Practice (Insert AI jokes) has its limits and not playing in a real game for over 20 months will get you a worse on field product.

That being said (Long winded way of sayin "but")..........................

If there was ever a time to try out this plan of action, football 2020 at UConn may have been the best lab environment to do it. So many external factors which allowed a program to shut it down and do just that lined up perfectly- state mandated travel restrictions, being a first year independent when conferences were eliminating non-conference games, little to no regional rivalries, a program that already shreds $$$ like its free. They were all there to shut it down and focus internally for a season.

This is my prediction. If UConn goes 12-0 and makes the CFP this upcoming season exactly zero programs will follow suit. Sports is all about follow the winners in building a program but no one is crazy enough to be the second one to try this; even if the first team to do it succeeds.

 

[metsfan2323]

At the end of the day, besides avoiding looking silly by having all of our games cancelled, it was about $$. We haven't been trying in football for nearly 10 years, and you think we would/should have spent a bunch of $$ trying to patch together a maximum of 4 games against low grade competition? It wasn't going to be worth whatever minimal development the experience would have gotten the players.

All very true, Why dole out money for 4 glorified scrimmages in front of empty seats?

On top of what you wrote it was also about safety for the players and coaches. Imagine if someone got seriously ill for the purpose of the glorified scrimmage. I can't believe that on June 1st 2021 we have people who call themselves fans complaining about the decision to not play last season. Unfreaking believable! This place is air head central.

 

[Stinger92860]

View attachment 67723

Based on this, the over for wins at 2.5 is worth a shot.

 

[Vuce]

Yes- has he been to UConn and seen the players? I have and I trust my eyes more than anyone who hasn't been here to see things. The players look and sound different. They look like a football team for the first time in many many years.

I have seen and heard this for literally years and years now. “Oh this year will be better, just wait.” And we have had “insiders” who have seen practices and players behind the scenes who just “look different this year.” Then the season starts and we are life and death with an FCS program. Hope you’re right but after not playing for two years I can’t believe (though I want desperately to) that we are going to win games. Been beaten down too many seasons. I hope you are right but not feelin it.

 

[uconnbill]

Time to prove them wrong and double those wins at least.

No one is going to believe that UConn can win more than 3 games this year off what they have done lately. We have to trust that what they have been doing the last year plus will show up on the football field.

Still thinking a decent season

 

[hardcorehusky]

noon on the ACC network. I would bet $ on it right now.

I said the Clemson game would be that one. Clemson is the draw so who cares about UConn. What is the next one ESPN? That is why I said they won't give us any props. Did you see what they did with the NHL while it was on NBC?

 

[ConnHuskBask]

All very true, Why dole out money for 4 glorified scrimmages in front of empty seats?

On top of what you wrote it was also about safety for the players and coaches. Imagine if someone got seriously ill for the purpose of the glorified scrimmage. I can't believe that on June 1st 2021 we have people who call themselves fans complaining about the decision to not play last season. Unfreaking believable! This place is air head central.

Tf do you think this upcoming season is aside from 12 glorified scrimmages?

 

[metsfan2323]

Tf do you think this upcoming season is aside from 12 glorified scrimmages?

This season brings a chance to play for a bowl game and play in front of fans. It also bring with it an opportunity to upset a P5 school. Very much different than last year.

 

[Chief00]

Looking at our depleted fanbase - what "PR standpoint" would have improved by getting smoked like that?

...at least we have some "intrigue" going into the year.

I'm with you, though - the cancellation wasn't a positive at all, likely negative, but we didn't really have a choice.

So was the reason we did not play, the fear of getting “smoked” on the field or genuine Covid health concerns?

 

[RSTuthill]

It's paywalled content, so i won't cut/paste the whole thing, but the money shot is below:



Ugh. Mind you, even Bill Connelly will tell you that ranking us, minus a season last year, is impossible, but this is sobering.

And this is somehow surprising? Interesting. In what way?

 

[RSTuthill]

Am I the only one who can feel the centrifugal force? (I am told that if we were in the southern hemisphere we would be going the other way.) Well we have at least three more seasons before the final dénouement.