Give Weist the Kevin Ollie Deal

[Dooley]

Everyone is saying against bad opponents. What are our records vs temple and rutgers. The team is improving regardless.

I agree, I am enjoying seeing the improvement. But before the Temple game, or more specifically before the 2nd half of the Temple game, you couldn't find one person who was advocating for TJW to be given a contract extension. If we were more competitive against Cincinnati, UCF and Louisville then that would have been a better barometer. We didn't even belong on the same field as any of those three teams and you can't blame it on Boyle being under center because all three phases of our game were completely awful.

 

[metsfan2323]

Everyone is saying against bad opponents. What are our records vs temple and rutgers. The team is improving regardless.

I agree, Temple has been playing well of late with their Freshman QB, they almost beat UCF, and Rutgers wanted that game bad yesterday and played hard. Rutgers beat Arkansas earlier in the year and they have a lot of talent on their team. Those are both good wins and should not just be written off as "bad teams".

 

[whaler11]

Everyone is saying against bad opponents. What are our records vs temple and rutgers. The team is improving regardless.

Rutgers has lost 5 of 6 all by double digits. While beating them is nice because it's better to win than to lose... just because you happen upon someone who is actually worse doesn't mean you've improved much. Every team with a pulse blew UConn out since TJ took over.

The only way you could term Rutgers a good win would be if you completely ignored them since September and have no idea just how stank they are.

Since the SMU win: 1-5 with the win being by 3 over Temple. Lost to UConn by 11. Cinci by 35. UCF by 24. Louisville by 14. Houston by 35.

They beat a winless SEC team, SMU, Eastern Michigan, Norfolk State and Temple. A whopping 9 combined FBS wins between the 5 of them - and I don't think the 5 of them plus Rutgers have a single win over a bowl eligible team.

It's a win. But it's a win over a bad team.

 

[Srqhusky]

Rutgers has lost 5 of 6 all by double digits. While beating them is nice because it's better to win than to lose... just because you happen upon someone who is actually worse doesn't mean you've improved much. Every team with a pulse blew UConn out since TJ took over.

The only way you could term Rutgers a good win would be if you completely ignored them since September and have no idea just how stank they are.

Since the SMU win: 1-5 with the win being by 3 over Temple. Lost to UConn by 11. Cinci by 35. UCF by 24. Louisville by 14. Houston by 35.

They beat a winless SEC team, SMU, Eastern Michigan, Norfolk State and Temple. A whopping 9 combined FBS wins between the 5 of them - and I don't think the 5 of them plus Rutgers have a single win over a bowl eligible team.

It's a win. But it's a win over a bad team.

Firs of all. Miracles dont happen overnight. The team is improving. Before he took over we were beating ourselves more than other teams beating us. I agree i wish we were playing a better team to end the season to guage our progress because there is progress

 

[minidarren]

Whaler, Coach Flood is gone. You can stop going out of your way to make Rutgers look worse than they are.

 

[whaler11]

Whaler, Coach Flood is gone. You can stop going out of your way to make Rutgers look worse than they are.

Yes having a season where they lose constantly by double digits, don't beat a team that is bowl eligible, don't beat a team that beat a team that is bowl eligible and the teams they beat won a combined 9 games - that's me making it look bad not you guys being out of touch with reality.

 

[UConn07]

I agree with whaler, 6 quarters of good football against VERY BAD opponents should not give Weist an immediate and automatic contract extension. But I do think Weist has earned an interview and should be considered if Warde's top options decline. My list of interviews in no particular order (I too will leave out currently employed P5 head coaches like Mullen, even though I think Mullen would jump to the top of the list if he were to become available and I'm including everyone, regardless of whether I think they'd be interested in our job or not):

Pat Narduzzi
Pete Lembo
Dave Clauson
Tom Herman
Josh McDaniels
Scott Frost
Robert Anae
Jim Tressel
James Coley
Mark Hudspeth
Greg Roman
Eric Mangini
Rob Ambrose
Kirby Smart
Jeremy Pruitt
TJ Weist
Jeff Tedford

Some of these names excite me much more than others and some don't excite me much at all but are worth an interview if only to gather information/ideas and set up our fall-back options if contract negotiations with our preferred candidates hit an immovable wall. Obviously, if Pelini, Muschamp or Mullen become available, I'd definitely interview them as well.

Whoops, forgot two of the main guys on my list...

Jim Tressel
Mark Richt
Josh McDaniels
Scott Frost

If we can't get any of these, then I want Weist back.

 

[junglehusky]

Whoops, forgot two of the main guys on my list...

Jim Tressel
Mark Richt
Josh McDaniels
Scott Frost

If we can't get any of these, then I want Weist back.

It's literally like you took a bunch of names that get the most hits on social media / sports talk radio or whatever, and then tacked on Weist at the end as the "alternative".

 

[UConn07]

It's literally like you took a bunch of names that get the most hits on social media / sports talk radio or whatever, and then tacked on Weist at the end as the "alternative".

Sorry to blow your mind, but yes I am serious. You either get a proven winner, an offensive genius (although his stock has gone down recently) or you keep what has led you to back to back wins. What's so hard to comprehend? MAC coaches don't impress me. Sorry.

 

[SubbaBub]

Saying wins over RU and Temple is an improvement is like saying a 400lb man losing 20lbs is an improvement. We played like an actual college football team which, as refreshing as that is, is not revolutionary. Nice to keep the kids playing hard during a lost season, and nice they are noticably playing better but, wasn't that always going to be the easiest part of this rebuild?

 

[whaler11]

Jim Tressel is unhireable. You can't waste time with Malloy because the guy he has on the top of his list can't be considered and he has posted multiple times that all MAC coaches are 'knuckleheads'.

 

[UConn07]

Saying wins over RU and Temple is an improvement is like saying a 400lb man losing 20lbs is an improvement. We played like an actual college football team which, as refreshing as that is, is not revolutionary. Nice to keep the kids playing hard during a lost season, and nice they are noticably playing better but, wasn't that always going to be the easiest part of this rebuild?

I'll take back to back wins over RU and Temple, one of which included a 21 point second half comeback compared to a home loss to Towson. I consider that a pretty big step forward.

 

[UConn07]

Jim Tressel is unhireable. You can't waste time with Malloy because the guy he has on the top of his list can't be considered and he has posted multiple times that all MAC coaches are 'knuckleheads'.

If you hire Tressel, he sits the first 5 games. He also sits the bowl game/conf championship games until the 2017 season. Other than that, you can hire him. He's the first coach I interview.

 

[whaler11]

If you hire Tressel, he sits the first 5 games. He also sits the bowl game/conf championship games until the 2017 season. Other than that, you can hire him. He's the first coach I interview.

Yeah and a school that has had the NCAA up their rear ends just has to stick their finger in the NCAA's eye. That's all.

 

[Dooley]

Tressel isn't my first choice (nor is he at the top of my wish list) but I couldn't care less about irking the NCAA if we were to hire him. I care far more about putting fannies in our seats while we are stuck in AAC purgatory, winning games, and repairing the negative perception that surrounds UCONN football. If we can do all three of these things, we can escape this God awful conference with December home games against Memphis. Besides, as its own entity, the NCAA is as seemingly corrupt as any of the dirtiest of dirty programs it houses. It wouldn't surprise me in the least to see sweeping changes across the collegiate landscape that would change what is legal/illegal (perhaps even more traction gained to all of these rumors about breaking away from the NCAA). Tressel (again, not my favorite choice) has won everywhere he has gone, would put fannies in our seats, and give UCONN lots of national buzz. If he has to sit out his first 5 games, fine. I would consider it a short-term penalty for what could potentially be a long-term gain in getting the heck out of Aresco Development.

 

[huskymedic]

Tressel and McDaniels aren't on the radar, Richt (if fired) & Frost will have better options and Weist isn't coming back.

Sooo start working on another list.

But he has inside info too...

IF what is going on in Storrs behind the scenes is everything I'm hearing, Weist should be considered. Different mentality under the program.

Who to believe - who to believe?? So confused.

 

[Jimmy Serrano]

If you hire Tressel, he sits the first 5 games. He also sits the bowl game/conf championship games until the 2017 season. Other than that, you can hire him. He's the first coach I interview.

You are beyond help.

 

[nelsonmuntz]

Tressel is untouchable. Mangini has never been remotely successful as a HC.

Hudspeth has been successful, although recruiting in the northeast is a lot different than recruiting in the deep South. Fit does matter.

Richt is interesting. He was on the radar for pro jobs 5 years ago. I suspect he will be the first coach snapped up this offseason.

 

[UConn07]

Tressel and McDaniels aren't on the radar, Richt (if fired) & Frost will have better options and Weist isn't coming back.

Sooo start working on another list.

Well if that's the case, then we fall to #5 on my list, our current coach. I'll say no thanks to the MAC.

 

[UConn07]

You are beyond help.

Please expand. I want a great/innovative non-MAC coach to come in here. Don't see the issue. If we don't land it then I want our current coach. What's so hard to understand?

 

[whaler11]

You have to understand there are no good coaches coming from the MAC. Urban Meyer? Gary Pinkell? Jerry Kill?

Just a bunch of knuckleheads.

 

[UConn07]

I agree, I am enjoying seeing the improvement. But before the Temple game, or more specifically before the 2nd half of the Temple game, you couldn't find one person who was advocating for TJW to be given a contract extension. If we were more competitive against Cincinnati, UCF and Louisville then that would have been a better barometer. We didn't even belong on the same field as any of those three teams and you can't blame it on Boyle being under center because all three phases of our game were completely awful.

Disagree - Louisville was much closer than the score indicated.

 

[Dooley]

Please expand. I want a great/innovative non-MAC coach to come in here. Don't see the issue. If we don't land it then I want our current coach. What's so hard to understand?

I don't know if you've addressed this earlier in another thread or not, but why do you have this line-in-the-sand view of MAC coaches?

 

[Dooley]

Disagree - Louisville was much closer than the score indicated.

You and I watched two completely different games. While I would agree that Louisville is nowhere near as good as advertised, the game was over by halftime (and I think the 20K who left at halftime would agree). Cochran might have produced better if he was given more playing time than the final drive when it was me, my brother, the band and the players' families left in the stadium, but I never got the feeling that UCONN was going to win that game.

 

[whaler11]

Disagree - Louisville was much closer than the score indicated.

More like the game wasn't as close as the score indicated. Louisville slept walked through the game and it was never close.

 

[UConn07]

I don't know if you've addressed this earlier in another thread or not, but why do you have this line-in-the-sand view of MAC coaches?

I have the view that I want a well-established coach that has been there, done that, at the highest level. If not then we should go with a coordinator/MAC level coach. In my opinion, however, what we have seen Weist do puts him on the top of my coordinator/MAC level coach, sans Scott Frost. We have seen a snippet of how he handles recruiting, with what happened with Boyle. Without Weist, Boyle is not here.

After the last two weeks, and yes, i know it has only been two weeks, but the players like him. He is a culture change. If we don't get the guy that's been there done that, I just believe Weist is the next best option.

 

[whaler11]

I have the view that I want a well-established coach that has been there, done that, at the highest level. If not then we should go with a coordinator/MAC level coach. In my opinion, however, what we have seen Weist do puts him on the top of my coordinator/MAC level coach, sans Scott Frost. We have seen a snippet of how he handles recruiting, with what happened with Boyle. Without Weist, Boyle is not here.

After the last two weeks, and yes, i know it has only been two weeks, but the players like him. He is a culture change. If we don't get the guy that's been there done that, I just believe Weist is the next best option.

Why wasn't he able to change the culture as OC back when they were getting dismantled by Towson and Buffalo?

 

[UConnDan97]

Why wasn't he able to change the culture as OC back when they were getting dismantled by Towson and Buffalo?

I think I can answer that question, but I think some people might not like the answer I give. It has multiple parts. Here is my third-party evaluation of TJW:

WR Coach: Very Good
OC: Average
Leadership: Above Average

He wasn't able to change the culture as OC early in the year because at the time, it wasn't his culture to change. That is the simple answer. But the more nuanced answer is that he probably isn't that good of an OC. In fact, there is evidence (Courant) that Shane Day has been calling the plays from the box recently, and that may have had a fair amount to do with at least the Rutgers game. There is no doubt that we have had the best WR performance this year than we have ever had, and he should get his share of the credit for that. And it is also clear that the players have bought into his leadership, which is crucial. But in terms of being an OC, he is likely just average...

 

[TouchdownHusky]

By beating Temple and RU? Seriously, knock it off.

Agreed. NO. NO. NO. Need a big time hire or someone who will be big time after his tenure with UConn. Who was John Calipari before UMass?

 

[minidarren]

That's a great idea. Let's get someone who will be big time after they are done with UCONN. I want someone that will make UCONN big time. No clue who that is though.