GDL BRINGING HIGH ENERGY ON DAY 1!!!!

[formerlurker]

What, The, duck?

 

[huskymedic]

Ya gotta see the Vine video that goes with that drill picture. You'll understand the look

This is a good sign... Playing with the Hogs and no where near the skill players

UConnFootball (@UConnFootball)
8/2/13, 4:18 PM
the offensive line #bleedblue https://vine.co/v/hq0FazBHYgE

 

[Jimmy Serrano]

Even I am getting sick of the gratuitous shots at GDL.

 

[sportsart]

Positive attitudes and posts people. Work with me now.....

 

[huskymedic]

As long as we don't see another o-line daisy chain like last year - we'll be fine

 

[formerlurker]

Ya gotta see the Vine video that goes with that drill picture. You'll understand the look

This is a good sign... Playing with the Hogs and no where near the skill players

UConnFootball (@UConnFootball)
8/2/13, 4:18 PM
the offensive line #bleedblue https://vine.co/v/hq0FazBHYgE

I watched the Vine, feel a lot better.

I've been drinking since 8am at a charity golf event so posted that pic the minute I saw it. His body language could lull a meth addict to sleep but I agree it's a good sign he's with the Big Uglies.

And you're 100% right, Sportsart. 27 Days until we start fresh and take hold of our own destiny. No negative posts from me from here on out.

 

[whaler11]

Even I am getting sick of the gratuitous shots at GDL.

They said he isn't running the offense. How about actually believe them until you have evidence to the contrary. This place and the conspiracy theories.

 

[formerlurker]

Even I am getting sick of the gratuitous shots at GDL.

They said he isn't running the offense. How about actually believe them until you have evidence to the contrary. This place and the conspiracy theories.

I may be drunk but I think Jimmy was pretty much saying the same thing as you, only earlier. Even GDL seems to be telling some of us to get our together and get onboard.

 

[Jimdish255]

I knew it was coming, but had to click anyway. Gratuitous yes. Mean no. We can laugh at GDL and pray he is successful simultaneously.

 

[ruskin]

sorry GDL deserves all the derision he can get. Keeps a $272K/year job because his buddy is still in charge. . . . NC State, USF, last three quarters of Temple, second half of Buffalo. . . . .

That said, would like to see video of my man TJ in action.

 

[Uconnalliance]

He has a Richard Nixon kinda of look to him no? Just saying.

 

[whaler11]

I may be drunk but I think Jimmy was pretty much saying the same thing as you, only earlier. Even GDL seems to be telling some of us to get our together and get onboard.

Yes I was agreeing w him.

 

[UConnDan97]

I know Formerlurker retracted his statement, so I'm not taking a shot at him. I'm just making a general statement that I think needs to be made by me (...again...).

GDL is a UConn grad and he cares about this team. He wants UConn to succeed badly, and he knows that his coaching legacy will likely be defined by how he ends it here at UConn. By most accounts, he is a very good OLine coach (even if I prefer the "smashmouth" variety of Foley, et al.). Nearly the entire line is returning this year, with yet another year of the OLine concepts under their belt. I'm feeling REALLY REALLY REALLY excited for this year, and I'm seeing great things coming. "13-0" things coming! So let's try to get to at least a real game before we continue his criticism...

 

[pj]

13-0!

Last year I was excited preseason; then we whipped UMass but looked bad doing it, and I started getting deflated. This year I will wait until we whip Towson and look good to get excited. Maybe until we nip Maryland.

 

[Chief00]

Quite frankly, if you believe like me that it all starts with the OL, having GDL as OL coach is no small thing. Let's assume he can coach the technique, the question is can he develop and inspire the players, thus far the answer is no. At least we will have an OL coach on the sideline this season, which put us at a disadvantage with other teams when the other unit is out on the field.

 

[uconndogs]

I know Formerlurker retracted his statement, so I'm not taking a shot at him. I'm just making a general statement that I think needs to be made by me (...again...).

GDL is a UConn grad and he cares about this team. He wants UConn to succeed badly, and he knows that his coaching legacy will likely be defined by how he ends it here at UConn. By most accounts, he is a very good OLine coach (even if I prefer the "smashmouth" variety of Foley, et al.). Nearly the entire line is returning this year, with yet another year of the OLine concepts under their belt. I'm feeling REALLY REALLY REALLY excited for this year, and I'm seeing great things coming. "13-0" things coming! So let's try to get to at least a real game before we continue his criticism...

Whenever I make a decision to hire or retain someone based solely on their intentions when questions arise about their ability it almost always ends poorly.

Our OL play last year was a complete and utter disaster. Folks, we averaged 2.5 yards per rushing carry and averaged 17.8 points per game. If we did not have one of the very best defenses in the COUNTRY last season we would have had a one win season. TJ has an enormous repair job to undertake and in someone's infinite wisdom one of the poorest performing OLs in the country has the same coach they did last season.

So, am I looking forward to the start of the season? Absolutely. But I have serious, serious doubts. And if we don't push Towson around on our offensive line of scrimmage be prepared for a brutal season.

 

[ruskin]

So let's try to get to at least a real game before we continue his criticism...

I'm willing to hold fire on GDL, although I do plan to keep a sharp eye on him as he roams the sidelines Aug. 29. As long as he isn't anywhere near the chain of custody of the play call or anything to do with timeouts the offense will be better off.

But it is worth mentioning that it's virtually the same exact offensive line that people defending PP & GDL threw under the bus last season that is being counted on to lead the way for big offensive improvement this year. Des wrote something about chip-on-their-shoulder. I know I would have one if I was one of those linemen.

 

[UConnDan97]

Whenever I make a decision to hire or retain someone based solely on their intentions when questions arise about their ability it almost always ends poorly.

So I take it that you didn't read my sentence where I typed, "By most accounts, he is a very good OLine coach..."

 

[UConnDan97]

I'm willing to hold fire on GDL, although I do plan to keep a sharp eye on him as he roams the sidelines Aug. 29. As long as he isn't anywhere near the chain of custody of the play call or anything to do with timeouts the offense will be better off.

But it is worth mentioning that it's virtually the same exact offensive line that people defending PP & GDL threw under the bus last season that is being counted on to lead the way for big offensive improvement this year. Des wrote something about chip-on-their-shoulder. I know I would have one if I was one of those linemen.

That offensive line is averaging over 300lbs and 6'4" per position. That is "NFL level" size. I don't think that anyone here is questioning whether the starting five have the ability to be a good offensive line.

Most of the prior criticisms came back to the fact that there were certain plays where there was confusion (a random lineman might be "blocking air" in the scheme). Now, they are coming back a year later and a year more versed in the system, along with superior size and strength. That alone should cut the turnovers, sacks, and "3-and-outs" down drastically. If that happens, look out for UConn this year...

 

[uconndogs]

So I take it that you didn't read my sentence where I typed, "By most accounts, he is a very good OLine coach..."

No, I read it, I was referring to the actual performance that I observed.......

 

[ruskin]

I don't think that anyone here is questioning whether the starting five have the ability to be a good offensive line.

Not you Dan, and not worth going through the archives, but tone of the pro-PP/GDL side was that the talent wasn't there on the line, part of the "Edsall left the cupboard bare" argument. Given Foley had a history of cranking out All-Big East linemen most every year I didn't believe there could have been that drastic a dropoff in the talent level, which people such as my man Rob Lunn agreed with.

But if "proving the haters wrong" is part of the line's motivation and helps them succeed then I'm all for it.

 

[UConnDan97]

Not you Dan, and not worth going through the archives, but tone of the pro-PP/GDL side was that the talent wasn't there on the line, part of the "Edsall left the cupboard bare" argument. Given Foley had a history of cranking out All-Big East linemen most every year I didn't believe there could have been that drastic a dropoff in the talent level, which people such as my man Rob Lunn agreed with.

But if "proving the haters wrong" is part of the line's motivation and helps them succeed then I'm all for it.

Well, getting back to the "talent on OLine" thing, I think that there was pretty high expectations not only of Bennett, but also of people who haven't really seen the field, like Hemingway, Nwojeki, etc. I remember thinking about Hemingway that if the rumors were true, that he would be the next great OLineman from UConn, following in the footsteps of Beatty and Thomas. But four years after the fact, Xavier is still around the 275lb mark and on the outside looking in.

So whether Edsall intentionally or unintentionally "left the cupboard bare", I think it just comes down to the fact that there were some linemen that hadn't panned out the way that people thought they would. Still, having said that, many of the guys that I'm excited about on that line right now are "Edsall's guys"...

EDIT: By the way, I'm still hoping that players like Hemingway will continue working hard and proving ME wrong!

DOUBLE EDIT: Don't get me started on the McKee thing, and what a bust he was too. And the fact that I wish the Courant would stop writing stories about this "former UConn player" who never played a down for us.

 

[Srqhusky]

Well, getting back to the "talent on OLine" thing, I think that there was pretty high expectations not only of Bennett, but also of people who haven't really seen the field, like Hemingway, Nwojeki, etc. I remember thinking about Hemingway that if the rumors were true, that he would be the next great OLineman from UConn, following in the footsteps of Beatty and Thomas. But four years after the fact, Xavier is still around the 275lb mark and on the outside looking in.

So whether Edsall intentionally or unintentionally "left the cupboard bare", I think it just comes down to the fact that there were some linemen that hadn't panned out the way that people thought they would. Still, having said that, many of the guys that I'm excited about on that line right now are "Edsall's guys"...

EDIT: By the way, I'm still hoping that players like Hemingway will continue working hard and proving ME wrong!

DOUBLE EDIT: Don't get me started on the McKee thing, and what a bust he was too. And the fact that I wish the Courant would stop writing stories about this "former UConn player" who never played a down for us.

Dan actually 275 is not a bad weight if he is solid and has great technique. Xavier is also a 6-5 guy.

 

[UConnDan97]

Dan actually 275 is not a bad weight if he is solid and has great technique. Xavier is also a 6-5 guy.

275 isn't bad, but he's about 15 lbs. off of where we need him to be. Also, it took him 3 years to get to 275 from a 2010 recruiting weight of around 255. I'm not one of those guys who is dumb enough to think that putting on 40 pounds of muscle is easy, because I absolutely know that it isn't. I'm just saying that it has essentially meant that he hasn't been able to take the starting spot from the others on the line over the past couple of years, even though he is a person with enough ability to get offers from Louisville, Maryland, USF, Syracuse, and many others.

Still, he is only a red-shirt sophomore. I'm still holding out hope that he can be a very useful RS junior or senior over the next couple of years. I haven't written him off...

 

[uconnflyer88]

Now, they are coming back a year later and a year more versed in the system, along with superior size and strength. That alone should cut the turnovers, sacks, and "3-and-outs" down drastically. If that happens, look out for UConn this year...

It's almost as if this were the plan all along.....hmmmmmmm

 

[UConnDan97]

It's almost as if this were the plan all along.....hmmmmmmm

Two things that you always see in the same sentence: "sports fan" and "patience"...

 

[RioDog]

I knew it was coming, but had to click anyway. Gratuitous yes. Mean no. We can laugh at GDL and pray he is successful simultaneously.

Absolutely. Heck- I do the same thing with Warde all the time.

 

[noeynox]

No, I read it, I was referring to the actual performance that I observed.......

Some, not all, of that has to be on the players. When dudes get whipped one on one that's a problem. That said, last season, it seemed more of a problem with dudes not knowing what to do from one play to another. We will see. It's been two years. NFL types have lauded GDL as one of the best in the business on the OL. After three years, the schemes can't continue to be a mystery. There has to be improvement or this whole regime will be moving on.