Glass half empty or full?

[Palatine]

Great game yesterday,
Where was that all year?

We could go bowling.
We could be 9-3.

We put up 40 points.
We still can't pass.

Nice crowd 37+ for a late season game and a bad record.
Didn't look like that many, lot of red.

The jury is out on Coach P.
It has a verdict on Edsall.

It's always great to win.
It's always great to win.

 

[junglehusky]

The woods are lovely, dark and deep
But I have promises to keep

And miles to go before I sleep
And miles to go before I sleep.

 

[metsfan2323]

With hindsight it's not surprising that it took time to learn two complex schemes on offense and defense. McEntee has improved a ton since Fordham. The glass is half full because we are improving and should be much better next year.

 

[mets1090]

2012 OOC
UMass
NC State
@Maryland
@WMU
Buffalo

The team returns 9 starters on defense in a complicated scheme so logic dictates they will be better. We lose Reyes who could prove to be quite a big loss but our Ends will be beasts next year to help counter that. We also played half this season without our best secondary player.

On Offense we lose our top WRs but bring back Smith (I think. Or has he been removed from the team altogether?) The young guys have at least shown flashes so we will have to wait and see there. Either way, as pointed out above, JMac has shown a lot of improvement with game experience under his belt. Give him another year and he should be a huge step up from what he was at the start of this season. McCombs gets a little stronger and Shoemate hopefully comes back to replace JJL as the pass blocking back. Griffin will be a monster. The O-Line loses a few pieces but I always have faith in our staff to develop linemen. All in all I think the offense will be better, especially once the line gels.

Given these potential improvements, I figure they can probably go 4-1 in the OOC schedule. 8 wins should be doable. That improvement should be enough to have people (fans and players alike) buying into the new staff and systems, hopefully paving the way for more improvements in the future.

This is the ideal (realistic) situation. Some of PPs calls have left me scratching my head, but at the same time his system has seemed to get our WRs open more often than they have in the past in my opinion. Brown's defense was plagued earlier in the season by blown coverages due to the high amount of blitzing etc. Give the players another year to learn and that should be mitigated. I would sign up right now for 8 wins next year and I don't see why that's not attainable. I would say 9 wins is doable but with how this year went you just don't know.

 

[ConnHuskBask]

2012 OOC
UMass
NC State
@Maryland
@WMU
Buffalo

I don't know how many more games vs Buffalo I can take.

Home:
UMass
NC State
Buffalo
Pitt
Cincy
West Virginia (?)
If no WVU, some crappy FCS or MAC team?

Ugh, what a horrendous home schedule. I'll buy my season tickets again, but would have no problem with a casual fan just buying the discounted week of game tickets for Pitt and Cincy. Really disappointing.

Edit: Anyone who has delusions of going independent, just look at that schedule but sub out Pitt and Cincy with two more MAC or C-USA teams.

 

[uconnflyer88]

I don't know how many more games vs Buffalo I can take.

Home:
UMass
NC State
Buffalo
Pitt
Cincy
West Virginia (?)
If no WVU, some crappy FCS or MAC team?

Ugh, what a horrendous home schedule. I'll buy my season tickets again, but would have no problem with a casual fan just buying the discounted week of game tickets for Pitt and Cincy. Really disappointing.

Relax non conference schedules are made 5 - 7 years in advance, check out 2014/15/16 schedules, they look much better....no need to get all bent out of shape about it

 

[ConnHuskBask]

Relax non conference schedules are made 5 - 7 years in advance, check out 2014/15/16 schedules, they look much better....no need to get all bent out of shape about it

2013: Maryland, Michigan (if they show), Temple
2014: UCF (probably a conference game at this point)
2015: Tennessee
2016: Virginia

What am I missing here? There's no mid level ACC teams that would do home and homes? Mid to low level Big12/Big10 teams? It's just frustrating having season tickets every year for basketball and football and being served a hot pile of dog for the out of conference games. I'll always go, but UConn shouldn't be concerned with me and the Boneyard types, it's the casual fan that makes up the majority of the fanbase.

 

[businesslawyer]

2012 OOC
UMass
NC State
@Maryland
@WMU
Buffalo

The team returns 9 starters on defense in a complicated scheme so logic dictates they will be better. We lose Reyes who could prove to be quite a big loss but our Ends will be beasts next year to help counter that. We also played half this season without our best secondary player.

On Offense we lose our top WRs but bring back Smith (I think. Or has he been removed from the team altogether?) The young guys have at least shown flashes so we will have to wait and see there. Either way, as pointed out above, JMac has shown a lot of improvement with game experience under his belt. Give him another year and he should be a huge step up from what he was at the start of this season. McCombs gets a little stronger and Shoemate hopefully comes back to replace JJL as the pass blocking back. Griffin will be a monster. The O-Line loses a few pieces but I always have faith in our staff to develop linemen. All in all I think the offense will be better, especially once the line gels.

Given these potential improvements, I figure they can probably go 4-1 in the OOC schedule. 8 wins should be doable. That improvement should be enough to have people (fans and players alike) buying into the new staff and systems, hopefully paving the way for more improvements in the future.

This is the ideal (realistic) situation. Some of PPs calls have left me scratching my head, but at the same time his system has seemed to get our WRs open more often than they have in the past in my opinion. Brown's defense was plagued earlier in the season by blown coverages due to the high amount of blitzing etc. Give the players another year to learn and that should be mitigated. I would sign up right now for 8 wins next year and I don't see why that's not attainable. I would say 9 wins is doable but with how this year went you just don't know.

Michael Smith was on the sideline, in jersety and jeans, into the game. He thinks he's playing next year.

 

[ShakyTheMohel]

I was happy yesterday with the progress the team showed. O Line held off a pretty good Rutgers D.

After watching Florida yesterday and their lack of progression on offense under Weiss, it made me realize that UConn has gotten better as the year has gone along.

Or course....except for all the drops in the last game

 

[gars44]

2013: Maryland, Michigan (if they show), Temple
2014: UCF (probably a conference game at this point)
2015: Tennessee
2016: Virginia

What am I missing here? There's no mid level ACC teams that would do home and homes? Mid to low level Big12/Big10 teams? It's just frustrating having season tickets every year for basketball and football and being served a hot pile of dog for the out of conference games. I'll always go, but UConn shouldn't be concerned with me and the Boneyard types, it's the casual fan that makes up the majority of the fanbase.

The casual fan is the casual fan. I'm in the blue seats, home of the casual fan. A lot of different people sitting around me each game, catching up on things. Lot of times they're empty, which means we all get to stretch out. One guy I know who has 2 tickets next to me hasn't been to one game this year. Not one. He gives them to clients, but often they are empty. Casual fans don't care who we play. They care about the weather. For example, my wife came with me to yesterday's game so she could sun bathe. If the weather was cold, she would not be there. The whole game atmosphere, with all the contests and dance cams, is designed to entertain the casual fan. If we want to attract more "football" fans, like you and me, we better put a better product on the field, start winning more games, and stop worrying about who visits the rent. Like, beat Western Michigan, for example.

 

[coachcap]

Next season starts the next 3 year cycle for reserved seating.Any idea whether or not the athletic office will put into effect that recommendation to charge extra for more desireable (Michigan, Tennessee) games?

 

[ConnHuskBask]

Casual fans don't care who we play. They care about the weather. For example, my wife came with me to yesterday's game so she could sun bathe. If the weather was cold, she would not be there. The whole game atmosphere, with all the contests and dance cams, is designed to entertain the casual fan. If we want to attract more "football" fans, like you and me, we better put a better product on the field, start winning more games, and stop worrying about who visits the rent. Like, beat Western Michigan, for example.

I disagree. The casual fan is more likely to show up for Georgia Tech, Michigan State, Kansas State, type teams rather than slew of MAC trash and FCS garbage that's forced on us every single year. Sure yeah, throw out the first MAC team we've lost to at the Rent since I've been going. How is that even relevant? People want big, or at least respectable names if they are going to purchase season tickets. Not saying those teams are readily available, but like others have mentioned, use the basketball team to leverage some of these home and home series.

 

[metsfan2323]

UMass
NC State
Buffalo
Pitt
Cincy
West Virginia (?)

Ugh, what a horrendous home schedule.

Looks like a solid home schedule to me. The only stinker is Buffalo.

West Virginia should be ranked when we play them, Pitt might be ranked, Cincy's new QB has talent, NC State is a very solid program and UMASS scares the hell out of me.

 

[ZooCougar]

I am still undecided on Coach P, but it's great to crush a truly hated rival. Yesterday he proved again that his leadership wasn't going abysmal and useless.

I think people need to lay off JMac. He's not Matt Barkley or Andrew Luck, but he's serviceable. Regardless of what happens next weekend, I'll be more optimistic heading into next season than I was heading into this one.

 

[ZooCougar]

The casual fan is the casual fan. I'm in the blue seats, home of the casual fan. A lot of different people sitting around me each game, catching up on things. Lot of times they're empty, which means we all get to stretch out. One guy I know who has 2 tickets next to me hasn't been to one game this year. Not one. He gives them to clients, but often they are empty. Casual fans don't care who we play. They care about the weather. For example, my wife came with me to yesterday's game so she could sun bathe. If the weather was cold, she would not be there. The whole game atmosphere, with all the contests and dance cams, is designed to entertain the casual fan. If we want to attract more "football" fans, like you and me, we better put a better product on the field, start winning more games, and stop worrying about who visits the rent. Like, beat Western Michigan, for example.

You couldn't be more wrong. People show up more for the big games against threatening opponents. More people will show to see us play Michigan than people will show up to see us play Rhode Island on a Thursday night.

The thing most casual fans miss is that Western Michigan will put up a better fight than Syracuse.

 

[noeynox]

I am still undecided on Coach P, but it's great to crush a truly hated rival. Yesterday he proved again that his leadership wasn't going abysmal and useless.

I think people need to lay off JMac. He's not Matt Barkley or Andrew Luck, but he's serviceable. Regardless of what happens next weekend, I'll be more optimistic heading into next season than I was heading into this one.

I agree with this assessment. With a full year under his belt, if he isn't beaten out by McCummings or Nebrich, he will be better simply by having a year of starting experience under his belt. Next year, we will have three QBs who all have game experience, going into the season. This year we had none. We will return a 1000 yd rusher. We return Mike Smith, add a talented wideout in Shakim Phillips maybe even the clemson transfer, as well as T. Jones and Geremy Davis at wideout, who both got their feet wet, and Kamal Abrams. Three starters return on the OL.

I expect a big improvement on offense, if we could beat Cincy, these guys all get an extra month of practice. I'm excited for next year while this year the results and conference realignment kept me from ever feeling it this year.

 

[gars44]

I disagree. The casual fan is more likely to show up for Georgia Tech, Michigan State, Kansas State, type teams rather than slew of MAC trash and FCS garbage that's forced on us every single year. Sure yeah, throw out the first MAC team we've lost to at the Rent since I've been going. How is that even relevant? People want big, or at least respectable names if they are going to purchase season tickets. Not saying those teams are readily available, but like others have mentioned, use the basketball team to leverage some of these home and home series.

You couldn't be more wrong. People show up more for the big games against threatening opponents. More people will show to see us play Michigan than people will show up to see us play Rhode Island on a Thursday night.

The thing most casual fans miss is that Western Michigan will put up a better fight than Syracuse.

You guys are missing one big point. First let me say that I agree with you that Michigan and North Carolina are more attractive opponents than Rhode Island and Western Michigan. No argument there. Where we are as a program, however, is not enough to interest top programs from scheduling home and homes on a regular basis with us, and if they did, they would beat us regularly. Even a lowly North Carolina program has no interest in any type of regular series with us. They feel they have nothing to win. And they have never lost to us. Never mind Michigan.

Our program is not strong enough to attract the real football fans out there who want to watch a competitive game against a worthy opponent, even if we could get the big time worthy opponents to schedule home and homes with us.

This leaves us with the "casual" fans, the ones who go to a football game for entertainment as opposed to their love of football. To them, it is an event to go to, like going to the Bushnell, or Cirque du soleil (however you spell it). The casual fan - like the RU fans in 2006, care about winning. They like to see us win, that's part of the fun. In order for us to do that, we need to schedule carefully, and of course, have a great coach, better players, all of that, but we need to schedule carefully, and win. They like winning. Even if we joined the MAC, and we won out, and were ranked #12 in the country, and did that every couple of years - the fans would be out in droves. This state would go crazy. If we could be the Boise State of the MAC this state would go absolutely nuts for our program. And it would help us evolve. I'm not advocating joining the MAC. I'm saying that people like winning.

 

[ZooCougar]

Gars,

I think you are conflating the term "casual fan" with fans who are casual at the game. Two different things altogether.