Getting a read on Diaco

[UConnNick]

Do you understand an "explosive" offense that wants to score in high numbers reuires a large stable of skilled players? That is not the answer right now at UConn. Those type of players in large numbers are not going to come to UConn at this point. You need to be realistic.

Dan Orlovsky
Keron Henry
Terry Caulley
Dan Murray
Larry Taylor
Cornell Brockington
D.J. Hernandez
"Touchdown" Donald Brown
Andre Dixon
Jordan Todman
Jeremy Davis
Ryan Griffin

Etc, etc. etc.

Somehow we've managed to recruit all of these "skilled" offensive players, and probably more than that on defense, since the early 2000's. There are plenty of IAA team that feature explosive offenses with wide open gameplans. Those players are arguably less skilled, or at least those teams are perceived to have less depth at the skill positions than the big boys have, yet they score a ton of points and have exciting offenses to watch.

Realistic? We've already been recruiting these players and we can continue to do so. We need to give them an opportunity to show what they can do on the field by opening up pandora's box and letting the moths fly out of it when the coaching staff puts together our offensive gameplan. Right now our gameplan is just plain offensive, period.

 

[BNich]

Spectacular consistency has resulted in a spectacularly unsuccessful 9-17 showing.

You can basically throw out year 1. We're really working with a 7-7 record and 1-0 in 2016. I saw most the first half and about the last 5 minutes of the fourth. Couldnt believe the score when I was able to bring it back up on my lap top. Thankfully they were able to pull it out in the end. I don't want to say I am concerned, but I'm not feeling great after reading everything about the big jump the offense made in the offseason. I just didn't see it. Your QB who could be concussion prone, one hit in particular on the goal line scared me, should not be your leading rusher. When he had maybe 5 pass plays with running options yet runs 20 times for 95 yards, something is way wrong somewhere.

 

[WestCoastHusky]

We can run a high power offense in CT. I am watching BYU vs Zona right now. Utah isn't exactly warm and BYU has no problem running a spread them out offense. So, I don't want to hear we can't run the offense just because we are in CT.

 

[Stray_Dog]

He took a mess of a program to a bowl game in his 2nd year. The jury is not still out on whether he's ready to be a head coach.

Sure, it remains to be seen just how good of a coach he can be and how far he can take us, but that's true of almost any new hire after 2 years and a game.

uh....so because he won "1" that is ONE more game then PP he is ready to be a head football coach...and when we went to said bowl, did we respond in a Randy-Esque fashion??? So, pardon me, but like others have stated, I can reason why we have our doubts. Until I see domination, until I see games that were supposed to win not by 3 but won by multiple touch-downs, I am not going to be comfortable, with the current head-coach, with our players, or with our fanbase! Dominate, and give the fans something to believe in, don't tell us to ignore our eyes and call an ugly win an exciting game - don't tell us to believe, he is NOT God and therefore, my faith will not provide me with reassurances, he needs action, the team needs action, and the fans, the majority of us who were unhappy require it! You may read this as an anti Diaco, I assure you it's not, it is his first game, we won, so I grade him a D-, however, the test we took, was True/False and open book. Getting a D- on this test....Not good, when the next one, is multiple choice and not an open book.

 

[Chief00]

TJ was the best offensive coach I have seen here.

 

[uconndogs]

In many ways Diaco was what this program needed after the disaster created by the stupid twins. He brings energy, youth and understands how to hype the program. Make no doubt about it, he's been told that marketing is important and that he plays a key role in that.

As for being a HC at the FBS level, he's learning on the job. My sense is that he's organized and has the respect of his players and staff. (I don't think P had either.) He knows the defensive side of the ball and he's struggling with the offense. Verducci was a head scratcher of a hire for me and remains so. These multiple TE sets with a HB/F position don't make a lot of sense to me, but what do I know. I think Diaco can recruit relative to our status as a G5 program.

My hope is that Diaco continues to settle in and rebuild this program. The last thing we need is more coaching change in the next 2-3 years. Last season was progress and I tend not to over-react to any single game. After Cuse we'll have a decent read on this team and any progress that has been made.

 

[kemba]

uh....so because he won "1" that is ONE more game then PP he is ready to be a head football coach

You are comparing winning 6 games in the 2nd year of a rebuild to winning 5 games in the years following a BCS bowl?

 

[ibleedhuskyblue]

TJ was the best offensive coach I have seen here.

TJ was the only coach that had a genuine Passing QB (for 3 games). It matters.

imo, 2014 goes very differently with Casey instead of CW. It's hard to argue against it.

 

[junglehusky]

You have to be kidding. It was Maine not Oklahoma. If Maine can pass successfully into a FBS defense, there is no reason UConn cant be competent at passing into a 3-8 FCS defense. Your logic just doesn't hold. We have faster, taller and better athletes at skill positions. We have a massively bigger front line playing against a generally smaller and slower defensive line. Your logic just doesn't pass the smell test.

I don't care who you're playing, if your offensive line isn't adequate you should not expect much success running and passing the ball. Our offensive line is clearly not adequate, they've had 2-3 years to step up and while there was improvement last year it's not good or consistent enough. We are at least a year away from reasonably expecting anything that could be remotely described as "explosive", so I laugh a little when people go on their rants about #points.

 

[WestCoastHusky]

I don't care who you're playing, if your offensive line isn't adequate you should not expect much success running and passing the ball. Our offensive line is clearly not adequate for

If our OL is not good, then it is even more reason to run spread them out fast tempo, misdirection, and quick passing type of offense vs. the run, run, and pass type of the system from the 60s.

 

[Husky68]

I don't care who you're playing, if your offensive line isn't adequate you should not expect much success running and passing the ball. Our offensive line is clearly not adequate, they've had 2-3 years to step up and while there was improvement last year it's not good or consistent enough. We are at least a year away from reasonably expecting anything that could be remotely described as "explosive", so I laugh a little when people go on their rants about #points.

Who should get the credit for having offensive line that isn't good enough to man handle Maine? The second level of Maine's defense was visibly moving to the line as the ball was being snapped by UConn; there was literally no where to run for Arkeel/Johnson in the 1st half and early 2nd. A one back set without running QB with the running back 5-7 yards back of line of scrimmage who is to read and react at the hole gives an 8 in the box defense ample time to clog up any play; Arkeel was tackled one play as he was getting hand off. Complete lack of deception with UConn's one back set just can not work. Even the kid from Stanford had trouble running in the second half when his offense abandoned the pass and went conservative as K-State loaded the box, have to give O line some help by making defense play honest.

 

[Stray_Dog]

You are comparing winning 6 games in the 2nd year of a rebuild to winning 5 games in the years following a BCS bowl?

How long did Randy Edsall take? Yeah, PP came in and many of us here knew the cupboard was bare! ...and Diaco, although I feel is much better than PP really doesn't say weather or not he is ready to be a head coach! PP was the basement, so by that standard anyone would be ready to be a head coach. However, I would like a higher standard. So win the games you are supposed to win and win them the way they are supposed to be won! Don't like that, well....I didn't create the metric, college football did. When UM beats up Hawaii 63-3 or Cincinnati over UTM 28-7, they do it because it is expected. Winning by 1 is still winning, winning by 3 when your expected to win by 21....and your supposedly playing your weakest competition....and you explain the performance as exciting??? yea, the last coach we had was this out of touch to! I just hope he is not as consistently out of touch as PP. So great he is better than PP, great that he is a head coach and at times demonstrates that he is qualified but at times he has left many of us scratching our heads.

 

[Whale22]

Diaco's offense is GDL 2.0. Plain and simple.

 

[Papadukes]

Bobs philosophy especially on offense is going to get him fired. I'm rooting for the guy but he's shown his cards he likes vanilla, tofu,hummus. Benedict and company aren't going to watch a 14 point offense win 5 games and wait for year 4. Hope I'm wrong I usually am and I know it's early but I've seen enough to believe he's going to stay this way. Go Huskies

 

[junglehusky]

BRAH HUMMUS IS duck*ING DELICIOUS FIGHT ME

 

[uconnbill]

Not sure how anyone can count year one fro HCBD when it was the last of the leftovers from FHCRE and the classes from the name that should never be seen again on this site.

The players like him a lot and if the players like him, then I am fine with him. Those for calling for his head seem to have forgotten what was coaching here before him.

 

[Chief00]

How would you like to be a wide receiver not named Thomas? I don't think those guys were ever even part of BS's progressions - never mind even thrown to in the Maine game.

 

[Papadukes]

He's calling for his own head I like the guy so so the players but if he stays with his approach on offense kids will transfer,decommit, the fans will stay home,the fans won't watch on tv and the even the NVL will say no thanks. Go Huskies

 

[freescooter]

I wanted a guy with head coaching experience to come in. There were a couple of them available. Them Whacky Bob arrived and I loved the excitement. Then he basically threw the season in 2014 with his rebuilding plan. I think he is basically a defensive guy who only knows offense from the perspective of how to stop it. And I don't love his coaching selection. There are some solid guys for sure but come on. Guys who didn't coach with him are ok too.

Bottom line is I don't know what to make of him still. I mean talking about the Maine game as thrilling and that nonsense is just mind boggling. I think you can say nice things about an opponent without giving the sense that your team played well.

 

[Husky25]

Connecticut Passing
C/ATT YDS AVG TD INT QBR
Bryant Shirreffs 16/23 162 7.0 0 0 75.3

Connecticut Rushing
CAR YDS AVG TD LONG
Bryant Shirreffs 20 95 4.8 0 35

ThisIsUConnCountry‏@MattSchonvisky
On #UConn play calling last night. Final stats show 50 run/23 pass. Sacks=2. Shirreffs said out of his 20 runs, only 5 had run options

An issue (maybe not thee issue) might be less play calling and more of execution.

If this tweet is to be believed, Verducci called a much more balanced game of at least 38 pass plays and 35 runs. Shirreffs needs to get further through his progressions, before he tucks it away.

Secondly, as is mentioned in the View from 241, the last 23 minutes of the game was like night and day from the first part. So at the very least, UConn can make and implement in-game adjustments that they did not do in years past.

 

[IMind]

Secondly, as is mentioned in the View from 241, the last 23 minutes of the game was like night and day from the first part. So at the very least, UConn can make and implement in-game adjustments that they did not do in years past.

This is part of the reason I'm not jumping all over Verducci (yet). Shirreffs is definitely part of the problem, not that I blame him with the offensive line problems in the past. Shirreffs basically said that in his post game interview. I'm basically ignoring the Maine game... for now. If the offense continues to sputter though then I'll go grab a torch and some pitchforks with the rest of the cretins.

That being said... if we continue to win... I'll throw tepid support behind Diaco.

I'm just incredibly sick of worrying about every single possession being the one that makes or breaks the game.

 

[hardcorehusky]

If you want to torture Diaco, show him game film of Navy's offense!!

 

[HuskyHawk]

Connecticut Passing
C/ATT YDS AVG TD INT QBR
Bryant Shirreffs 16/23 162 7.0 0 0 75.3

Connecticut Rushing
CAR YDS AVG TD LONG
Bryant Shirreffs 20 95 4.8 0 35

ThisIsUConnCountry‏@MattSchonvisky
On #UConn play calling last night. Final stats show 50 run/23 pass. Sacks=2. Shirreffs said out of his 20 runs, only 5 had run options

An issue (maybe not thee issue) might be less play calling and more of execution.

If this tweet is to be believed, Verducci called a much more balanced game of at least 38 pass plays and 35 runs. Shirreffs needs to get further through his progressions, before he tucks it away.

Secondly, as is mentioned in the View from 241, the last 23 minutes of the game was like night and day from the first part. So at the very least, UConn can make and implement in-game adjustments that they did not do in years past.

Bingo. It was the first game, and there are no preseason games. Execution in run blocking early was terrible and the calls were predictable. Shirreffs has to trust his OL and wait that extra 1-2 seconds to deliver the ball downfield, or, if he scrambles, scramble to throw and don't tuck and run unless you see a huge open lane.

Even with those mistakes, the offense scored 24 points, and but for that fumble would have had more. By the end of the game, Maine was worn down. There's nothing wrong with balance offense featuring a strong rushing attack. I don't really want to see a spread offense. I think what we all want to see is a little more play action passing on 1st down, or second and short. More vertical pass plays rather than just WR screens, so that safeties can't crowd the box. Send the TE downfield to draw the linebackers. Do that, and Shirreffs can burn them on QB draws.

I was honestly more concerned with the lack of pass rush and weak secondary play. That has to get much, much better. Maine was without its top WR and the #2 guy killed us, even though they had no real running game.

 

[uconnric]

While I was disappointed with what I saw from our offensive line play, I was a bit more cautious than most on what we should expect from them this season, especially early on. I doubt that we will really open up the offense until the staff has tremendous confidence in what the O-Line & QB will do. TDH will hate that but that is where our offense is today.

I am very alarmed and concerned with our defense. Too often it looked like we were playing a prevent defense and the completion on third and thirteen late in the game should frighten the entire program.

There is a ton of work to do, by the staff and by the players. If we don't improve by leaps and bounds each of the next few weeks it will be a very long season.

No, we play a prevent offense.

 

[freescooter]

I am less worried about the defense. Yeah they didn't play great but the run d was pretty good, and I could be proven wrong but my sense was we ran a very vanilla game out there. And the Maine kids made a couple of nice plays. We blitzed maybe 3-4 times but mostly went with a 3 man rush.