Goals for the Season

[Exit 4]

Here are my goals for the season. The intention is to have goals that are reasonably obtainable.

1) Win 6 games and yes, go bowling. I know - that's a massive step up, but I think winning 6 has to be the goal at the start of the season. As for a bowl, not going to worry about the limited of access (I think ESPN will actually find a home for us), lets just qualify and see what happens. I am not saying we will win 6 games, but for this team, that ought to be the target and from what the players have said, it seems that is what they are aiming for.

2) Attendance- inflection point. I have low expectations on the CCSU (probably 18-20k) and Syracuse games (probably just 20-25k)...hoping that by the time we get to BC and UMass we have the juice to get to 30k. The goal has to be two 30k games this year...as part of a 6 win season...it goes hand in hand.

3) Win portal season - again. I think we gained far more than we lost in the portal. This December/Jan we need to do it again. There will be departures that hurt, and so we have to find offsetting gains like we did this past cycle. Need to be a net winner.

4) Staff retention. If we win 6 games I expect most of this staff to have interesting opportunities to move on. Fingers crossed we can tread water on the ins and outs. This is true for both the on field coaches and the energetic football mgmt and scouting department supporting the program.

5) HS Recruiting. Mora establishes a brand this fall on the field and that leads to an uptick in our HS recruiting in Nov-Dec. Right now we have no brand of play and that is to be expected. Lets have an identity by mid season.

6) Scheduling. After the football world sees we have turned the corner this fall, AD David Benedict is able to announce new games with: 1) Pitt, 2) UVA, 3) Rutty (chicken to play us!), 4) Northwestern, 5) gulp WV? Nothing wrong with doing a payday game with Penn St either.

 

[Chin Diesel]

My goal are:

• 3 or more wins
• At least 9 games where outcome is in doubt going in to 4th qtr.
• Zero games where opponent is playing second or third string to start second half
• Competitive strength and skill for all position groups. I expect some scheme failures but I want it to look like UConn players belong on the field for their position.
• Coaching normalcy. Coaches calling plays, managing the game and giving fans a sense of UConn coaches being able to compete against their peers.

After past decade, if all the above are met, it gives fans hope.

 

[FairwayFlyer]

*Beat CCSU, UMass, FIU and Ball State.
*Beat the spread against the rest.
*Force opponents to play their starters into the 4th qtr.

 

[Palatine]

Beat Utah State.

 

[uconndogs]

We have been abysmal.....awful.....terrible....... a duck******g disaster of a magnitude that the mind cannot fully comprehend.

We need to head in the direction of playing competitive football. I don't think wins and losses are the right measure for this season. If we only win 2-3 games but play competitive football against programs like Cuse, BC, etc. that would be a very positive sign. I certainly don't see six wins on the schedule and my biggest concern is keeping the locker room in tact over the first half of the season.

 

[SubbaBub]

Attendance is going to take a while and will be heavily dependent on winning and schedule. This latest round of CR will have a big say on who comes to EH in the future.

Building sustained momentum has to be the ultimate goal. Every successful program has it, but it all starts with winning games and developing players.

The U should do what it can to make going to game more fun for students. It's been discussed forever but getting on bus has to have a payoff.

 

[WNConn]

My goal is to win 2 of our first 6 games. Four of our first six opponents have really solid teams (NC State, Michigan, Fresno, Utah State). They're all at least top 50 teams this year. I know that we're more talented, but psychologically I think that starting 1-5 will crush these guys and make the rest of the season hugely challenging. This is why, to me, the Syracuse game is so huge. I don't see us winning against any of the aforementioned four teams. Win that, and then the back end of the schedule is much easier with three very winnable games (Ball St, FIU, UMass)

 

[Exit 4]

Attendance is going to take a while and will be heavily dependent on winning and schedule. This latest round of CR will have a big say on who comes to EH in the future.

Building sustained momentum has to be the ultimate goal. Every successful program has it, but it all starts with winning games and developing players.

The U should do what it can to make going to game more fun for students. It's been discussed forever but getting on bus has to have a payoff.

Agreed, attendance rebound might take a while even with much better football. That said, COVid does seem to have people a little more willing to do those outdoor things again....I'm encouraged by the attendance at the Yardgoats in particular.

 

[Exit 4]

Dang, just remember one more point I wanted on my list;

NFL Draft: I think there is a chance Haynes, Bembry and Bouyer-Randle are NFL draft material. Lets get 2 dudes in the draft this season and maybe two more in the UDFA pool.

 

[uconndogs]

My goal is to win 2 of our first 6 games. Four of our first six opponents have really solid teams (NC State, Michigan, Fresno, Utah State). They're all at least top 50 teams this year. I know that we're more talented, but psychologically I think that starting 1-5 will crush these guys and make the rest of the season hugely challenging. This is why, to me, the Syracuse game is so huge. I don't see us winning against any of the aforementioned four teams. Win that, and then the back end of the schedule is much easier with three very winnable games (Ball St, FIU, UMass)

Totally get this. Unfortunately, I think we'll be at least a two TD dog to the Orange.

 

[phillionaire]

I just want to not hate myself for spending a fall afternoon watching us play

 

[MKH2317]

I’d just like to watch Harbaugh have a continuous series of meltdowns on the sidelines because the script is not going his way. I wanna see him screaming obscenities at his own players and calling unexpected time-outs. I’d like to see the same scenario against any team that is favored over us. I don’t care if we win, I just want us to come out and (metaphorically) punch our opponent right in the mouth

 

[LoyalFanCT]

Get to a bowl game and win against a competitive team.

 

[Chin Diesel]

Here are my goals for the season. The intention is to have goals that are reasonably obtainable.

1) Win 6 games and yes, go bowling. I know - that's a massive step up, but I think winning 6 has to be the goal at the start of the season. As for a bowl, not going to worry about the limited of access (I think ESPN will actually find a home for us), lets just qualify and see what happens. I am not saying we will win 6 games, but for this team, that ought to be the target and from what the players have said, it seems that is what they are aiming for.

2) Attendance- inflection point. I have low expectations on the CCSU (probably 18-20k) and Syracuse games (probably just 20-25k)...hoping that by the time we get to BC and UMass we have the juice to get to 30k. The goal has to be two 30k games this year...as part of a 6 win season...it goes hand in hand.

3) Win portal season - again. I think we gained far more than we lost in the portal. This December/Jan we need to do it again. There will be departures that hurt, and so we have to find offsetting gains like we did this past cycle. Need to be a net winner.

4) Staff retention. If we win 6 games I expect most of this staff to have interesting opportunities to move on. Fingers crossed we can tread water on the ins and outs. This is true for both the on field coaches and the energetic football mgmt and scouting department supporting the program.

5) HS Recruiting. Mora establishes a brand this fall on the field and that leads to an uptick in our HS recruiting in Nov-Dec. Right now we have no brand of play and that is to be expected. Lets have an identity by mid season.

6) Scheduling. After the football world sees we have turned the corner this fall, AD David Benedict is able to announce new games with: 1) Pitt, 2) UVA, 3) Rutty (chicken to play us!), 4) Northwestern, 5) gulp WV? Nothing wrong with doing a payday game with Penn St either.

2 and 3.

2. Would definitely like to see attendance quickly follow performance rather lagging for much of the season.

3. A good season and a few break out performers means some of UConn's better performers will leave for bigger programs. That's reality going forward. Every season some of UConn's best players will leave. On the flip side UConn needs to find those players looking for PT who fill the team's needs.

 

[WNConn]

Totally get this. Unfortunately, I think we'll be at least a two TD dog to the Orange.

Oh absolutely. They have one of the best running backs in college football. Babers has proven to be a dud, but I think we'll have a hard time stopping Sean Tucker

 

[uconndogs]

Oh absolutely. They have one of the best running backs in college football. Babers has proven to be a dud, but I think we'll have a hard time stopping Sean Tucker

Yup. They played very competitive football last season and ended up on the short end of the score against some good teams.

Babers' time there is probably numbered, but the Orange have no clue as to the fact that they will never, ever, ever again compete at the upper echelons of college football. I'll be drafted by the Patriots before they win an ACC conference title.

 

[TMB4405]

I think most of these are fair but definitely stretch goals. I have always been worried about attendance and the perceptions that come from poor attendance. I think your goals here are particularly lofty though.

It would take an upset in week zero and a thrashing of CCSU in order to get 20-25k for Cuse (even though it’s Cuse and a main school rival). In my totally unscientific research (discussions with people who know I am an alum and huge fan) it definitely feels like a lot of people have a show me attitude before they will invest in attending a game. I also think CCSU will get 10-12K at best. I hope I am wrong on this.

This made me start to think about when was the last time we had 20K or more people in the building (actual attendance, not announced) for a game. I could not find figure it out and will have to research to recall even though I have attended almost every home game since the Rent opened.

 

[Exit 4]

I think most of these are fair but definitely stretch goals. I have always been worried about attendance and the perceptions that come from poor attendance. I think your goals here are particularly lofty though.

It would take an upset in week zero and a thrashing of CCSU in order to get 20-25k for Cuse (even though it’s Cuse and a main school rival). In my totally unscientific research (discussions with people who know I am an alum and huge fan) it definitely feels like a lot of people have a show me attitude before they will invest in attending a game. I also think CCSU will get 10-12K at best. I hope I am wrong on this.

This made me start to think about when was the last time we had 20K or more people in the building (actual attendance, not announced) for a game. I could not find figure it out and will have to research to recall even though I have attended almost every home game since the Rent opened.

They are stretch goals....but within reach under a reasonable best case scenario.

I think this crew is trying the opposite approach of the last staff; which is the notion of why not try to win today and lets not treat the season as a giant walk through for 2023.

 

[ucawn]

The U should do what it can to make going to game more fun for students. It's been discussed forever but getting on bus has to have a payoff.

This x1000

College sports are so unique because of the environment created by student sections. Sure 30k fans would be great, but if the student section is <50% full it’s still not going to be a raucous college football environment. In my mind you need to win back the students before the fans because the students create the fun environment

 

[WNConn]

Yup. They played very competitive football last season and ended up on the short end of the score against some good teams.

Babers' time there is probably numbered, but the Orange have no clue as to the fact that they will never, ever, ever again compete at the upper echelons of college football. I'll be drafted by the Patriots before they win an ACC conference title.

Totally agree on both counts. Baber seems to be a sitting duck, they'll never be relevant, but they also played a ton of good teams down to the wire last year. They were better than their record

 

[uconndogs]

They are stretch goals....but within reach under a reasonable best case scenario.
....................

Sorry, but I don't think six wins with this schedule is reasonable on any basis. The schedule is just too demanding for a program that is coming from the abyss.

 

[WNConn]

Sorry, but I don't think six wins with this schedule is reasonable on any basis. The schedule is just too demanding for a program that is coming from the abyss.

Yeah, it's a much tougher schedule than last year. If you look at this team and the 2021 schedule, you can see 6 wins if things fell our way. The front half of this schedule is a murderers row. FWIW, our FP+ ranking is only better than two of our opponents (UMass and CCSU)

 

[Exit 4]

Just to clarify, my opinion is that they will win 3-4 games, but if I am Jim Mora and AD David Benedict, I would be setting the goal at 6 wins this year and that is what I would be telling the kids and the staff. Lets aim for a plausible best case. 6 wins is not the moon.

 

[businesslawyer]

Here are my goals for the season. The intention is to have goals that are reasonably obtainable.

1) Win 6 games and yes, go bowling. I know - that's a massive step up, but I think winning 6 has to be the goal at the start of the season. As for a bowl, not going to worry about the limited of access (I think ESPN will actually find a home for us), lets just qualify and see what happens. I am not saying we will win 6 games, but for this team, that ought to be the target and from what the players have said, it seems that is what they are aiming for.

2) Attendance- inflection point. I have low expectations on the CCSU (probably 18-20k) and Syracuse games (probably just 20-25k)...hoping that by the time we get to BC and UMass we have the juice to get to 30k. The goal has to be two 30k games this year...as part of a 6 win season...it goes hand in hand.

3) Win portal season - again. I think we gained far more than we lost in the portal. This December/Jan we need to do it again. There will be departures that hurt, and so we have to find offsetting gains like we did this past cycle. Need to be a net winner.

4) Staff retention. If we win 6 games I expect most of this staff to have interesting opportunities to move on. Fingers crossed we can tread water on the ins and outs. This is true for both the on field coaches and the energetic football mgmt and scouting department supporting the program.

5) HS Recruiting. Mora establishes a brand this fall on the field and that leads to an uptick in our HS recruiting in Nov-Dec. Right now we have no brand of play and that is to be expected. Lets have an identity by mid season.

6) Scheduling. After the football world sees we have turned the corner this fall, AD David Benedict is able to announce new games with: 1) Pitt, 2) UVA, 3) Rutty (chicken to play us!), 4) Northwestern, 5) gulp WV? Nothing wrong with doing a payday game with Penn St either.

You lost me at the thought that we would have two 30k crowds this years. It’s more likely that Jennifer Lopez would decide that I’m a better life partner than Ben Affleck.

 

[ZooCougar]

Boneyardin’ 101 this