Has anyone noticed any improvement?

[Palatine]

"It's not indicative or an appropriate representation of the improvement made by the players and the work that they've done and persevered through given the circumstances, so the whole organization is disappointed."

This may be denial. This may be true. However, it's quite possible that Mr. 2-10 may be unable to turn the improvement in the players into results until he improves himself.

 

[CTMike]

"It's not indicative or an appropriate representation of the improvement made by the players and the work that they've done and persevered through given the circumstances, so the whole organization is disappointed."

This may be denial. This may be true. However, it's quite possible that Mr. 2-10 may be unable to turn the improvement in the players into results until he improves himself.

He's a weird dude. He fixed what appeared to be a poor work ethic / weak team. Kids body composition is great. They are nutritionally sound. It's like the 80/20 rule... except he's so focused on optimizing the last 20% that he forgot about the 80% (actually doing things that help win games).

 

[amory]

I think it's pretty clear to all of us that Diaco isn't going to become a great in-game X's and O's head coach. I've been holding out some hope that he'd be able to recruit, though, based on his youth, big program experience, and energy.

Maybe I'm wrong, but I haven't really seen him bring in anyone yet that Pasqualoni couldn't have gotten, and I think that's been the biggest disappointment of his tenure.

It's hard to improve when this may be the best that these particular kids can play.

 

[Sprague03]

There has been improvement, it's evident in our OL believe it or not. See article below:
https://connecticut.rivals.com/news/uconn-offensive-line-breakdown-week-8-vs-ucf

I think the problem is our QB. The coaches are very selective with their play calling, because Shirreffs can't be trusted. As I've posted in two other threads, his QBR is 42, which ranks him 103 out of 128 QBs. He isn't the answer this year, nor is he the answer next year.

 

[ZooCougar]

He's a weird dude. He fixed what appeared to be a poor work ethic / weak team. Kids body composition is great. They are nutritionally sound. It's like the 80/20 rule... except he's so focused on optimizing the last 20% that he forgot about the 80% (actually doing things that help win games).

He's a slightly above average Head Coach when he is not standing on a football field with an active game going on.

 

[psilotic]

There has been improvement, it's evident in our OL believe it or not. See article below:
https://connecticut com/news/uconn-offensive-line-breakdown-week-8-vs-ucf

I think the problem is our QB. The coaches are very selective with their play calling, because Shirreffs can't be trusted. As I've posted in two other threads, his QBR is 42, which ranks him 103 out of 128 QBs. He isn't the answer this year, nor is he the answer next year.

Yeah, Shirreffs called all those dives to Johnson at goal line at Navy and Syracuse. And the hurry-up no-one set fake FGs and qb sneaks. And not targeting Tight ends, especially in red zone. Completes almost 60 percent of his passes. A freaking bum.

There must be something in the water in CT when it comes to criticizing the main ballhandler. Taliek Brown won a national title but he was never good enough for people. Smh.

 

[Sprague03]

Yeah, Shirreffs called all those dives to Johnson at goal line at Navy and Syracuse. And the hurry-up no-one set fake FGs and qb sneaks. And not targeting Tight ends, especially in red zone. Completes almost 60 percent of his passes. A freaking bum.

There must be something in the water in CT when it comes to criticizing the main ballhandler. Taliek Brown won a national title but he was never good enough for people. Smh.

yup, because the coaching staff knows better than to have Shirreffs throw the ball with the game on the line! He completes 60% of his passes because all of the calls are for 15 yards or less. Luckily Thomas makes some moves to increase his YAC. Our QB also doesn't know anything about checking down or looking for another receiver when Thomas is covered. Looks at the stats man, Shirreffs has 130 attempts rushing the ball, which is currently 28th in the nation among all D1 players, 3 short of Navy's QB who run the triple option mind you. smh

Taliek Brown is the man, he was my boy while we were at UConn together, who ever said anything about The Real, and original, TB12.

 

[psilotic]

yup, because the coaching staff knows better than to have Shirreffs throw the ball with the game on the line! He completes 60% of his passes because all of the calls are for 15 yards or less. Luckily Thomas makes some moves to increase his YAC. Our QB also doesn't know anything about checking down or looking for another receiver when Thomas is covered. Looks at the stats man, Shirreffs has 130 attempts rushing the ball, which is currently 28th in the nation among all D1 players, 3 short of Navy's QB who run the triple option mind you. smh

Taliek Brown is the man, he was my boy while we were at UConn together, who ever said anything about The Real, and original, TB12.

you must have never read this board or listened to "Husky Talk" with Joe D and Nathan.

Are you blaming Shirreffs not throwing to TEs because he doesn't check down?

 

[Sprague03]

you must have never read this board or listened to "Husky Talk" with Joe D and Nathan.

Are you blaming Shirreffs not throwing to TEs because he doesn't check down?

ugh are you his fiance or something. Check the board that you started, "
Board hate for Shirreffs"

 

[CTMike]

He's a slightly above average Head Coach when he is not standing on a football field with an active game going on.

Shame about that last part.

 

[Sprague03]

you must have never read this board or listened to "Husky Talk" with Joe D and Nathan.

Are you blaming Shirreffs not throwing to TEs because he doesn't check down?

He's a great kid, he wants to win, and he'll do anything for his teammates, and we all appreciate that. He just can't make make the right throws, hence his scary QBR rating

 

[psilotic]

He's a great kid, he wants to win, and he'll do anything for his teammates, and we all appreciate that. He just can't make make the right throws, hence his scary QBR rating

You never answered the throw to TE question

 

[psilotic]

ugh are you his fiance or something. Check the board that you started, "
Board hate for Shirreffs"

You caught me. Great investigative skills

 

[psilotic]

ugh are you his fiance or something.

No, I sat the 105 degree heat at the Navy game and watched him drive the field in the last 3 minutes only to have it screwed up by the coaches at the end. I guess with UConn's long list of elite QBs BS doesn't meet the high standard you are holding him to.

 

[noeynox]

Depends, are we counting the new painted hand rails in the hallways of the practice facility?

 

[SubbaBub]

The previous two years they often didn't look like they belonged on the same field as some pretty mediocre opponents. That only happened at Houston this year. I'm past blaming the players or the lack of talent. They seem for the most part capable of doing what they are asked with a few exceptions common to all mediocre teams.

That's where this program is (or should be) mediocre. Which against this schedule is a winning record, maybe even a comfortable winning record.

So as of Saturday ( and maybe against Cuse and Navy) we are underperforming our talent level. The very thing that got PP fired. Now, BD is no PP and nowhere near that level (Buffalo, Towson, Stony Brook), but Saturday reminded me of the Vanderbilt road game. A win that was well in hand that was given away because of dumb strategic decisions.

It is difficult to explain exactly what is BD not doing other than calling a better game. I have whittled it down to this. I don't think BD knows what his individual players are good at and not so good at. I think he looks at a position and thinks all guys with QB or DB or LB next to their names on the roster are interchangeable.

We run better out of the spread, we move the ball better being aggressive and quick in the passing game, we perform better in the hurry up. We can't line up and knock people over against a set defense. We can't throw the deep fade or go. Running on 2nd and long, usually leads to 3rd and long and a punt.

 

[JMick]

Many individual players have improved, in game coaching has not.

 

[UConnJim]

What is most surprising to me is that Diaco has had 2 1/2 recruiting classes (half of 2014 were PP's recruits) and transfers and there are only ~5 current starters: Peart, Crozier, Mayala, Shirreffs, on offense and (maybe) Watkins on defense. I would have thought that Diaco would have brought in more impact players, especially on defense.

Overall, I have seen improvement since the lows of the PP program, but that is not saying much. Specifically, the team seems to be more of a team and they seem in better shape than before. The offensive game plan seems similar to the PP era and not very effective and in-game coaching seems similar to PP, but PP was highly experienced and Diaco is a first time head coach. Diaco has improved, but he has a long way to go.

As for the team, I think UConn needs more speed, especially at DE. Heck, UConn under Edsall developed many speed rushers like Cody Brown, Trevardo Williams, Marcus Campbell, Lindsey Witten,... At Notre Dame, you can recruit size and speed at DE, but at UConn, you can recruit size or speed at DE. I think Diaco needs to figure this out.

 

[huskymedic]

What is most surprising to me is that Diaco has had 2 1/2 recruiting classes (half of 2014 were PP's recruits) and transfers and there are only ~5 current starters: Peart, Crozier, Mayala, Shirreffs, on offense and (maybe) Watkins on defense. I would have thought that Diaco would have brought in more impact players, especially on defense .

I'd probably add Diggs. He was a post PP axed commit I believe.

 

[hardcorehusky]

I think Diaco had his first epiphany this weekend when he said he is not an idiot and he realizes the won loss record is not good. Throwing the offense and coaches under the bus was a good next step. Now that Diaco has admitted he has a problem, let's see what changes occur. Something tells me he is smart enough to save his own skin.

 

[whaler11]

I'd probably add Diggs. He was a post PP axed commit I believe.

Fun fact he only has a year and a third of eligibility left. That's how fast these seasons disappear.

 

[zls44]

What is most surprising to me is that Diaco has had 2 1/2 recruiting classes (half of 2014 were PP's recruits) and transfers and there are only ~5 current starters: Peart, Crozier, Mayala, Shirreffs, on offense and (maybe) Watkins on defense. I would have thought that Diaco would have brought in more impact players, especially on defense.

Why would he bring in impact players? After all, we're a low-ceiling program to him. Gotta get fat guys, run, play defense and pray.

The program could take dramatic steps forward, if only the guy at the helm actually believed in it a third as much as the fans do.

 

[RMS25CT]

Our QB also doesn't know anything about checking down or looking for another receiver when Thomas is covered.

Could it be that he is told by the coach "if the first read is not open, tuck it and run"? Ask around. You might be surprised by what you hear.

 

[Caronimo]

The team trainers have improved. The mascot has also matured

 

[RedStickHusky]

Could it be that he is told by the coach "if the first read is not open, tuck it and run"? Ask around. You might be surprised by what you hear.

I've always had the sense that he's been told 'the job is yours as long as you're not throwing picks"...