Grades for first year head coaches.

[mattp]

You're correct. It is an opinion. But it is a supported opinion based on watching McCummings, Mac and Nebrich play. I also had the advantage of watching Nebrich in high school. In addition, the QB P. picked performed below the top 100 QBs in the BCS, the bar he set wasn't very high. I believe the others could have exceeded that very low production. So I consider my statement as an informed opinion. And I stand by the observation that P. had a choice of three QBs and picked the worst one.

you fail to recognize that McEntee performed better than Nebrich and McCummings on the field. the statistics are there. just because you ignore them doesn't make your opinion informed. i liked what i saw of McCummings on the field, but it was pretty clear by his fumbles and problems throwing at wide open receivers deep that he didnt' belong there every down. i'm still trying to figure out why you watching Nebrich in high school changes the fact that he threw for 35% completions.

http://www.cbssports.com/collegefootball/teams/stats/CT//connecticut-huskies

personally i would have liked to have seen each of our backups get more time last year, but you keep insisting they performed better on the field, and they did not

 

[tduconn]

I will give P a "C". Limited experience returning, and the talent in some positions was mediocre, to be respectful. To me that was an equation for a disaster.

I like his offensive theories, and there is some glimmer of hope down the line. There is appearences of being the best recruiting class ever, but stars or no stars, we don't know until any past, present, or future class is developed and experienced at respective positions.

From the challenges PP had when he took over, to the challenges he and his staff will have to attract the better athletes to a new BE with no markee programs, I'd rather have PP here to sort out the issues.

I'll give him a couple/few of years to see how/if he can sort out this mess (team/conference) before asking for his head.

 

[ZooCougar]

I thought that Golden should get a B.

P gets a D in my book. He is an experienced HC. He ought to know how to manage a clock better.

 

[Husky68]

You have no facts to support that statement. At all.

Sent from my DROIDX using Tapatalk

There are some facts to support the statement:
a. 5-7;
b. using SMc more as season went on
c. Very poor performance by JMc makes the bar very low for Nebrich or SMc to be better:
1. Passing rating JMc = 111.3
2. Top 100 listed in NCAA is the lowest # is 111.9.
3. Top 9 listed in NCAA all have over 160.0 rating; 84 rated 120 or higher.
4. JMc completion % 51.3% (mostly short passes).
5. In top 30 PE ratings all QB's have 60% or more completion %.
6. In top 75 PE ratings all QB's are over 55% completion.

So to say not facts "At all" is to miss the point of having facts related to JMc performance. Bar is very low. If you were a Baylor, Wisc, Houston, Boise State, Stanford, Toledo, USC, NC, or Northwestern fan and said the head coach picked the worst choice as starter would have quite the mountain to climb on evidence as to how "good the non player was" as for these 9 teams the PE rating for their starters were all ABOVE 160! Uconn had an ok scheme for passing this year (light years ahead of fhcRE schemes) and JMc still performed statistically worse than at least 100 other QB's in FBS.

I'll put it another way, odds are that fans would not have been calling for Dan O to get a start for Colts if Peyton Manning were the starter, but vs. Painter maybe give a shot and fans were maybe right. This even though Dan O had starts = 0-8 before.

Also, related to facts "At all". If Nebrich for an example had been given more than 15 attempts and showed nothing then this would be solid facts against him, that coach had to change "PRODUCTION" to "CONTINUITY" to defend keeping JMc in as he personally lost the Vandy game is evidence facts on the football field were not going to be the deciding factor on who played QB.

ODDS are that given the extremely poor JMc PE rating (which doesn't even factor in his 55 rushes performance) and the fact that JMc had not played in a real game against college players and his last real game was as a high school senior in 2007 against high school players; that either a 3 star and mobile QB who had been on campus since Jan. would perform better over 12 games at Uconn; or that a red shirt Freshman who could run and do the option would perform better over 12 games.

 

[Palatine]

you fail to recognize that McEntee performed better than Nebrich and McCummings on the field. the statistics are there. just because you ignore them doesn't make your opinion informed. i liked what i saw of McCummings on the field, but it was pretty clear by his fumbles and problems throwing at wide open receivers deep that he didnt' belong there every down. i'm still trying to figure out why you watching Nebrich in high school changes the fact that he threw for 35% completions.

http://www.cbssports.com/collegefootball/teams/stats/CT//connecticut-huskies

personally i would have liked to have seen each of our backups get more time last year, but you keep insisting they performed better on the field, and they did not

Mac didn't outplay anyone. McCummings moved the team much better and his QB rating was twice Mac's, he also ran for a number of TDs. The team was lifeless with Mac at QB. He had three starts where the team didn't score an offensive TD. Like I said, I watched Nebrich in high school. P. let him throw all of 14 passes all year. With a decent sample size, IMHO, he would have easily outdistanced Mac. he could also run.

 

[mattp]

Nebrich's numbers may have been better with a larger sample size, but they may have been worse. let's debate using actual numbers and facts that we have rather than how we think things might have gone. also, i love how you use Nebrich's small sample size to discount his stats, but then use McCummings QB rating knowing full well that 7 of his 10 pass attempts were to completely wide open receivers that he only hit half the time. you want to talk about misleading stats? then don't quote McCummings QB rating, which is a garbage stat to begin with.

 

[Carl Spackler]

McEntee ended up getting the nod, and played through the season because according to the QB coach, the OC, and the head coach, McEntee at that position gave the team the best chance to win games. It's not hard for me to believe at all that was exactly the case. New head coach, new OC, three year, highest upperclassmen, walk on player that's a celebrity and all the players have been pining to get playing time for a long time. Team coming off success. Having to start new systems. All players on the team needing to buy in and support the QB position. No surprise at all that McEntee was the guy that the coaches felt gave the team the best chance to win.

I'm pretty sure that in the spring, there will be a whole new set of circumstances, with new key players on the offensive line, and new key players in the backfield and on the ends of the offensive formations, that determining whoever at that QB position is determined to be the player that gives the team the best chance to win, is going to start all over again, and this time, it will be a whole different year, and a different playing field, so to say.

Giving the team the best chance to win, is not just about throwing the ball, it's about leading the team in the huddle, off the field, and on the field. Leadership, toughness, accuracy.

Nebrich, I'm hoping that kid brings his A game in the spring.

 

[uconnbill]

He was getting a lot of heat in CT in his last year before we made our run to the BCS. He'd burned a lot of bridges. He knew the cupboard was bare. He had a good chance of being fired from CT this year anyway.

I also think that Randy felt that he had taken CT as far as it could go, although to be fair a BCS bowl is pretty far. He may have felt that CT was holding him back. Others felt that he was holding CT back. It was time to leave.

Wow are you kidding there was no way he was getting fired after going to a BCS bowl game. That was not happening or even close to happening.
His mistake was leaving a year early as he would have been a shoe in at Penn St IMHO.

 

[mattp]

Wow are you kidding there was no way he was getting fired after going to a BCS bowl game. That was not happening or even close to happening.
His mistake was leaving a year early as he would have been a shoe in at Penn St IMHO.

he would've looked terrific to them right now. but to be fair who could have guessed that Paterno would be fired in disgrace and that they would have so much interest in an out of house candidate. i hope he thinks about this every time he's called into the UMD AD's office, worrying if it's his meeting to be fired

 

[traitor71]

I thought that Golden should get a B.

P gets a D in my book. He is an experienced HC. He ought to know how to manage a clock better.

I agre with the first part of your post. Golden clearly understands what needs to be done here. but a lot of that is stuff that doesn't show up on the field for a year or two.

As for P, I have to cut him some slack simply because in my opinion, we just don't have enough at the skill positions, really the quarterback position for any coach to do well. I'm willing to see how he recruits before totally giving up.

 

[Woof 101]

Mac didn't outplay anyone. McCummings moved the team much better and his QB rating was twice Mac's, he also ran for a number of TDs. The team was lifeless with Mac at QB. He had three starts where the team didn't score an offensive TD. Like I said, I watched Nebrich in high school. P. let him throw all of 14 passes all year. With a decent sample size, IMHO, he would have easily outdistanced Mac. he could also run.

Key words...and I do not always agree with Pal....McCummings moved the team....Thought he should have had the job from day one. PP gets a D! How can someone who has never done anything but coach football not be able to adapt and utilize the talent at hand is beyond question....

 

[Colt45]

Randy is not going to get fired at maryland next year either unless they win 2 or less games again, which isn't going to happen. And you heard it here first, from now until signing day maryland will sign at least 3 4 star guys.

 

[Nostical]

MacEntee had the best skill set to run the DeLeone offense. Coach P chose DeLeone and it was his playbook that determined who started. Another O Coordinator may have chosen a diferent QB for his system.
As for Edsall, he cleaned house and instilled discipline down there where it was badly needed. Next year MD will compete for the ACC title and a BCS Bowl. Too many are burying Edsall too soon.

 

[spsct]

I thought that Golden should get a B.

P gets a D in my book. He is an experienced HC. He ought to know how to manage a clock better.

Agreed. There were a lot of times this year where my teeth hurt watching the clock management.

 

[mattp]

MacEntee had the best skill set to run the DeLeone offense. Coach P chose DeLeone and it was his playbook that determined who started. Another O Coordinator may have chosen a diferent QB for his system.
As for Edsall, he cleaned house and instilled discipline down there where it was badly needed. Next year MD will compete for the ACC title and a BCS Bowl. Too many are burying Edsall too soon.

i agree with most of this. i think P should get some credit for using McCummings as effectively as he did. if he tried to play the entire game with McCummings i think we would have had a lot of problems. as far as accuracy he was clearly the worst of the three, which says a lot. he missed a few WRs that were all by themselves with nobody between them and the end zone. i think he was a great change of pace but i think you're giving our opponents too little credit if you think we could win games by running a QB option up the left for an entire game. obviously his ability on the ground opened up some huge opportunities for him passing, which resulted in some big plays, but that stuff works because of it's novelty and would be less effective if we did it for a whole season.

i also think some are writing the obituary a little too soon for Edsall, although he clearly has done a lousy job in his first year. it's still mind boggling to me that UMD hired him and that he wanted to go there as there's a lot better fits out there for each of them. i think ultimately that will be realized. UMD needs an exciting coach to awaken a moribund fanbase and excite recruits and Edsall needs a place with history whose name can handle the recruiting for him where he can set up his fort and try to build the most fundamentally sound program that's ever been. they both could not have picked worse suitors

 

[len0322]

These grades are like throwing darts...

I think it's difficult to give HCPP a true grade after the 2011 season. He was late to the party by coming in January 2011.

 

[freescooter]

i agree with most of this. i think P should get some credit for using McCummings as effectively as he did. if he tried to play the entire game with McCummings i think we would have had a lot of problems. as far as accuracy he was clearly the worst of the three, which says a lot. he missed a few WRs that were all by themselves with nobody between them and the end zone. i think he was a great change of pace but i think you're giving our opponents too little credit if you think we could win games by running a QB option up the left for an entire game. obviously his ability on the ground opened up some huge opportunities for him passing, which resulted in some big plays, but that stuff works because of it's novelty and would be less effective if we did it for a whole season.

i also think some are writing the obituary a little too soon for Edsall, although he clearly has done a lousy job in his first year. it's still mind boggling to me that UMD hired him and that he wanted to go there as there's a lot better fits out there for each of them. i think ultimately that will be realized. UMD needs an exciting coach to awaken a moribund fanbase and excite recruits and Edsall needs a place with history whose name can handle the recruiting for him where he can set up his fort and try to build the most fundamentally sound program that's ever been. they both could not have picked worse suitors

I agree with Matt here. McCummings was effective because he was a change of pace, not because he was better than Johnny Mac. As far as pal's comments about Nebrich, my guess is that there was a reason that he was relegated to the #3 spot. Being a hotshot high school quarterback simply isn't thesame thing as playing against D1A level talent. In college they actually have defensive backs, and fairly complex defensive assignments. I don't care where you play in high school, and Virginia is probably overall superior to Connecticut for what its worth. The defenses are far simpler and the players are far slower overall. there is a reason why virtually every college quarterback redshirts. Adn there is a reason that Pasquoloni went out and landed a JUCO for next year, too. We simply didn't have a true D-1A starter on the roster. Given that, and how important that position is, I think this staff got just about everything they could possibly have gotten out of this offense. And they did it with a very jury-rigged system.

As far as the defense, I think they made a decision to change the system to Don Brown's approach. Personally, I'm not sure that was the best decision, but my hope, and I think their thought, was that it will pay dividends in 2012 and beyond. Beyond that, it didn'thelp that our best cover corner missed 4 games.

As far as Edsall, I also think Maryland was a strange match for all the reasons you list. I actually think he'd have been a pretty good fit at a name school down on its luck. He'd be a perfect guy for a place like Syracuse or Pitt, too. Places that used to be somebody and would give him an opportunity to build a fundamentally sound program but didn't need immediate results. But Maryland was just not the proper fit. If they were a car, they needed a new mufler. Edsall did a complete engine rebuild.

 

[Husky68]

McEntee ended up getting the nod, and played through the season because according to the QB coach, the OC, and the head coach, McEntee at that position gave the team the best chance to win games. It's not hard for me to believe at all that was exactly the case. New head coach, new OC, three year, highest upperclassmen, walk on player that's a celebrity and all the players have been pining to get playing time for a long time. Team coming off success. Having to start new systems. All players on the team needing to buy in and support the QB position. No surprise at all that McEntee was the guy that the coaches felt gave the team the best chance to win.

I'm pretty sure that in the spring, there will be a whole new set of circumstances, with new key players on the offensive line, and new key players in the backfield and on the ends of the offensive formations, that determining whoever at that QB position is determined to be the player that gives the team the best chance to win, is going to start all over again, and this time, it will be a whole different year, and a different playing field, so to say.

Giving the team the best chance to win, is not just about throwing the ball, it's about leading the team in the huddle, off the field, and on the field. Leadership, toughness, accuracy.

Nebrich, I'm hoping that kid brings his A game in the spring.

I'm sure the highly paid professional coaches of Colts thought a retread Giants QB and Painter gave the colts the best chance to win their 1st 11 games, how did that turn out? Just say'n have heard all the "how do you know" and coaches know best stuff about a lot of trade/playing/playing time decisions and often times you "can't know" 'cause you never get a "redo". Sometimes you get close to a redo, like DanO with Colts, or "how can Denver win a single game with Tebow"; most times you just have to mentally pick your own decision on "odds are" xxx would have been better than course chosen.
You state that according to the QB, the OC and head coach JMc gave best chance to win, I'll give you head coach; not the other guys 'cause if they didn't agree they wouldn't (or shouldn't) let it be known to anyone other than amongst themselves. Isn't this the same OC that after game 10 said something to the effect "that Williams kid can move, maybe we should try an incorporate him more into the passing offense"? We never knew if the former QB coach who was formally the OC "agreed" with fhcRE on offensive play calling/strategy - "odds are he did not"; not sure about decision on JMc like you are.
By the way, isn't "accuracy" "about throwing the ball". So Tebow has plenty of leadership and toughness - isn't his "throwing the ball" the question being "accuracy"?

 

[BlueDogs]

C is a bit generous. I give him a D+. The "+" is for talking a good game and not wandering onto the field while in one of his "where am I, whose got the ball, drooling sideline stupors.