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

[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.

 

[LIUCHusky]

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

I hope this is not a serious question.

 

[Hornet22]

I am absolutely hoping to be proven wrong but it’s going to be hilarious to watch people realize we still suck about 5 minutes into the Fresno game on 8/28

The ultimate hedge

 

[ConnHuskBask]

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.

What bowl game?

 

[Husky68]

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....

He coached 56 games for the Twerps, that's plenty of time. 22-34. Some schools actually want to win more games than they lose.

 

[huskymedic]

Keep it on topic and not on Covid ...

 

[hank970]

"In order to claim improvement from last year, UConn will need to beat Holy Cross, Yale and UMass, and put up strong performances against a few other opponents."

If that counts as improvement, then the bar is set very low indeed.

 

[Vuce]

"In order to claim improvement from last year, UConn will need to beat Holy Cross, Yale and UMass, and put up strong performances against a few other opponents."

If that counts as improvement, then the bar is set very low indeed.

Totally agree. If we can’t beat UMass after a year of “getting better” in the gym then I don’t know what the next step is. Losing to Holy Crap or Yale would also be embarrassing. Will be waiting for the “well we haven’t played in a real game in a long time” excuse/quote. Beat those three programs and will see what happens with the rest

 

[Waquoit]

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

And the protocols were in place for safety. So ultimately a cancellation due to the protocols was a cancellation for safety.

 

[Waquoit]

I hope this is not a serious question.

It wasn't asked by a serious person so...