Honey Moon is Over

[huskymedic]

Anyone still going to Fenway????

Yup...

 

[MrHockey9]

Beat Cincinnati and BC and it’s been a good year. An added bonus-listening to Edsel’s grounded comments (they’re not even winning practices) vs the celestial, insincere and phony comments of Diaco.

 

[Waquoit]

Anyone still going to Fenway????

Why not? I like the new manager hire.

 

[TouchdownHusky]

Not a video game. TEams don't play equal games every week. Mizzou is not a good team, but last night was a way below average effort on our part.

Plus,despite TDhusky's lunacy, a good defensive team can keep you in games with an ugly offense. No offense is going to be able to compensate for our level of defense.

Right out of the 50's and 60's, Biz. Keep thinking it's all about defense. If UConn players don't overthrow or badly miss open receivers, if UConn receivers took off the wool mittens they were wearing that caused them to drop pass after pass, and if the UConn offense would stop being conservative in the red zone and continue to attack . . . the score would have been closer in the 1st quarter and probably beyond that point. Unfortunately, after UConn's offense misfired early in the game, the team began to quit on the field. Fact is, UConn's defense is horrible and completely undependable.

 

[BugsyCT]

Anyone still going to Fenway????

Yup.

The worst that can happen is we get blown out again, so maybe we'll surprise. Plus we'd look worse if we didn't show up (the fans, I mean). Remember that it's a "home game" for us.

 

[SubbaBub]

Completely on the Defense. Yes the offense played horribly as if the ballnwas coated in grease but Missouri could have scored 100 if they wanted.

No coverage and no tackling. A lousy team came in to the rent and made no bones about exploiting the obvious with no real concern about any other phase of the game.

They came in to pass on a derelict secondary that could stop a rolling marshmallow let alone an actual opponent.

 

[uconnfan68]

On offense there were some brilliant plays that were poorly executed, wide open receivers who dropped very catchable passes & very minimal running game. On defense, a totally exposed backfield. Too many mistakes to recount. A roster overhaul, which is forthcoming, is vastly overdue. The roster that HCRE is playing with is akin to playing setback & being dealt a hand of 6's & 7's.

How do you get a roster overhaul? Next year we'll be lucky to have a 1-deep line up.

 

[uconnbaseball]

Remember how awful Lock and Missouri's freshman / sophomore receivers looked against us two years ago vs. a Diaco defense?

Things will get better. I am surprised and impressed Edsall has managed to squeeze 3 wins out of this team so far considering the lack of talent recruited by Diaco and his staff.

 

[TouchdownHusky]

Not a video game. TEams don't play equal games every week. Mizzou is not a good team, but last night was a way below average effort on our part.

Plus,despite TDhusky's lunacy, a good defensive team can keep you in games with an ugly offense. No offense is going to be able to compensate for our level of defense.

Obsess much, Biz. I'm gonna have to look over my shoulder at these games from now on. And, I'll need to do a better job than the UConn D-Backs.

 

[Huskygamble19]

I think it is about time we made some decent trades with Alabama.

 

[coachcap]

How do you get a roster overhaul? Next year we'll be lucky to have a 1-deep line up.

Through recruiting. I'm not looking at next year. It will take at least 2 more of HCRE's recruiting classes to see a vast improvement in play on the field in terms of the won/lost column.

 

[BlueDogs]

You noticed how the Mizzou running back(s) would make these juke moves and get past our defenders with athleticism? Well, we don't have players like that. And it was pretty obvious. From the pass catching, to the missed tackles, to the poorly thrown balls, to the inability to shut down receivers. We didn't look remotely talented enough to keep up with Missouri.

Not buying it. They were exploiting the 3 man front with a delayed counter read to the weak side off tackle. The OT would crash down and seal off our DE and the LB was out of position flowing away to strong side and then trying to recover. They ran at least a half dozen times successfully with no adjustment by our Defensibe brain trust. Total scheme exploitation made even more effective by quality players I'll grant you that. There are 1AA teams that can do a better job defending. These kids are not coached well on D, the D scheme sucks (I.e., a 10 yard cushion on wide outs) and they make no discernible effort to fix it. We have no time to deal with this crap any more. Clean out the D staff and rebuild. And, yes, recruit better. If you fail that miserably you should be out the door.

 

[hardcorehusky]

On O- Shireffs was off, the receivers dropped a dozen passes and then the O got overwhelmed. Pindell showed me nothing again. To me what was telling was that, there were very few yards after catch. The speed of Missouri was evident and when we didn't take our chances, it was lights out.

Defensively- uggh. Too much cushion created 1 on 1 tackling positions where Swann, Terry etc took poor angles. There is little team speed at any position and then the young players are playing slower because they aren't comfortable. The reality is this is the off season where we will see the RE bloodletting. I can see a few sophomores and juniors leave to get more playing time. We will be even younger next year but the culture will have changed.

Again, this reminds me of when Dan Orlovsky started as a freshman and we won 1 game. The next year we were 2 and 6 and then the light went on for everyone and we won out including going to Ames Iowa and winning there. We then went on to 8-3 and then competitive in our 1st year of the Big East.

 

[Pudge]

Unlike Houston or UCF - where a quick structural turn and one & 1/2 recruiting seasons can change a Program - UConn will need consistent focused day-to-day influx of good talented players and development over a handful of years.

The mix is not changed from 10 years ago. But I think HCRE and his Director of Program Operations have markedly done a finer job recruiting Feb to present than any other period. CT/NE + PA + NJ + MD + GA + FL + OH/TX. And Canadian. Don't look at ratings - they're meaningless. Get excited when we get a kid who had a slew of offers. But also expect the unknowns off the radar to produce. Particularly Line guys. It's gonna take time.

This year's product? You can't whine after a whipping ... particularly when you lose a piece like Newsome.

The best you can hope for?

We are gonna steam past Temple. And maybe a few others in this conference. However I expect steady consistent winning over time. The Florida and Texas Public programs CAN outgun us. But they're gonna have wide variations because they hire young upcoming coaches. Who will leave.

I am concerned about the Fanbase, Support and Connecticut. But this was a solid decisive choice on path by Benedict. I don't have any easier answer.

 

[Duncan Idaho]

Not buying it. They were exploiting the 3 man front with a delayed counter read to the weak side off tackle. The OT would crash down and seal off our DE and the LB was out of position flowing away to strong side and then trying to recover. They ran at least a half dozen times successfully with no adjustment by our Defensibe brain trust. Total scheme exploitation made even more effective by quality players I'll grant you that. There are 1AA teams that can do a better job defending. These kids are not coached well on D, the D scheme sucks (I.e., a 10 yard cushion on wide outs) and they make no discernible effort to fix it. We have no time to deal with this crap any more. Clean out the D staff and rebuild. And, yes, recruit better. If you fail that miserably you should be out the door.

Think they have actually been playing closer the los save the cb since Temple.

 

[ASweet3781]

I am wondering how much longer it will take for the people posting "We don't have the talent" on both the football and men's basketball boards to come to the realization of why that is and why the level of talent we were accustomed to seeing will never return. Connecticut is not a talent hot bed. Nearly 90% (if not more) of our recruiting pitches (Come play in the BCS, play against the teams in the area that didn't recruit you, come play your conference hoops tournament in your hometown NYC, etc etc etc) was stolen from us. Unless someone who gets paid the big bucks in Storrs comes up with an idea of how to return what was stolen from us, the problem will never ever ever be fixed regardless of who is coaching UConn football or men's basketball. 5 years ago we beat Syracuse almost every year. Even P beat them. Now they are beating Clemson and we are where we are. What changed? You know the answer. And that answer has no solution.

 

[Stainmaster]

I am wondering how much longer it will take for the people posting "We don't have the talent" on both the football and men's basketball boards to come to the realization of why that is and why the level of talent we were accustomed to seeing will never return. Connecticut is not a talent hot bed. Nearly 90% (if not more) of our recruiting pitches (Come play in the BCS, play against the teams in the area that didn't recruit you, come play your conference hoops tournament in your hometown NYC, etc etc etc) was stolen from us. Unless someone who gets paid the big bucks in Storrs comes up with an idea of how to return what was stolen from us, the problem will never ever ever be fixed regardless of who is coaching UConn football or men's basketball. 5 years ago we beat Syracuse almost every year. Even P beat them. Now they are beating Clemson and we are where we are. What changed? You know the answer. And that answer has no solution.

It certainly doesn't if the university follows your directive and runs Benedict out of town.

 

[Travelman6]

The honest question is, are they actually better than they were the past two years? To go from losing 9-6 to a poor Missouri team at the bottom of their confernce to losing 52-12 to a poor Missouri team at the bottom of their conference would seem to indicate, well, no. Virginia is another example. I mean, at least with the previous two teams, ya, they stunk it up but at least they could D it up.

For sure those previous two teams never gave up 70 or even 50. Is this team actually better? Sorry, no. 49, 70, 52. Ouch.

This stinks of a Bruce Arena 2.0 kind of situation. Take a coach back who had past success. That is it. But just like BA 2.0, who stunk it up in his second stint, the same is going on here till this point. Sometimes inviting an old coach back who had success just is not a good idea. Hope time proves me wrong, really I do and this ends up NOT being a BA 2.0 type of situation in the long run. But till this point, it is.

 

[ASweet3781]

It certainly doesn't if the university follows your directive and runs Benedict out of town.

I sincerely hope for our sake he is the star people believe he is. We need it. If not....

 

[UConnNick]

Beat Cincinnati and BC and it’s been a good year. An added bonus-listening to Edsel’s grounded comments (they’re not even winning practices) vs the celestial, insincere and phony comments of Diaco.

We don't stand an icicles chance in hell of beating BS College. By now half to 2/3 of the UConn fans that bought tickets have probably already sold them online, and it will be a home game for them, with 75 percent or better crowd support. We sold them a home game for a million bucks, and they're gonna slaughter us.

 

[Stainmaster]

The honest question is, are they actually better than they were the past two years? To go from losing 9-6 to a poor Missouri team at the bottom of their confernce to losing 52-12 to a poor Missouri team at the bottom of their conference would seem to indicate, well, no. Virginia is another example. I mean, at least with the previous two teams, ya, they stunk it up but at least they could D it up.

For sure those previous two teams never gave up 70 or even 50. Is this team actually better? Sorry, no. 49, 70, 52. Ouch.

This stinks of a Bruce Arena 2.0 kind of situation. Take a coach back who had past success. That is it. But just like BA 2.0, who stunk it up, the same is going on here. Sometimes inviting an old coach back who had success just is not a good idea. Hope time proves me wrong, really I do and this ends up NOT being a BA 2.0 type of situation.

Who recruited the bulk of the guys on two years ago's team? How about this one?

 

[gtcam]

Men vs Boys
That's what I saw sitting there last night
Pure and simple
Yes the Secondary and at times the LBs were outplayed but it was like placing the HS frosh vs College - the physicality, size and speed was unbelievably noticeable.
You can't blame RE and Crocker on that, they are using what was given to them BUT the tackling and lack of tight coverage is something that I place some blame on the staff
Offensively, BS just didn't look like the BS of this season. Add to the fact that there were so many dropped passes and misplays. The O, at game start looked way over amped. Newsome was sorely missed.
It was overall UGLY but if you didn't expect this type of games this year you are kidding yourself.
On the bright side - any HS offensive player of decent ability, if they do their homework, should be excited to work with Lashlee. Any defensive player that has size and speed can step in and start next year.

 

[Pudge]

I am wondering how much longer it will take for the people posting "We don't have the talent" on both the football and men's basketball boards to come to the realization of why that is and why the level of talent we were accustomed to seeing will never return. Connecticut is not a talent hot bed. Nearly 90% (if not more) of our recruiting pitches (Come play in the BCS, play against the teams in the area that didn't recruit you, come play your conference hoops tournament in your hometown NYC, etc etc etc) was stolen from us. Unless someone who gets paid the big bucks in Storrs comes up with an idea of how to return what was stolen from us, the problem will never ever ever be fixed regardless of who is coaching UConn football or men's basketball. 5 years ago we beat Syracuse almost every year. Even P beat them. Now they are beating Clemson and we are where we are. What changed? You know the answer. And that answer has no solution.

Sure. And nobody loves peanut butter anymore either.

Over an arc of years - contrasting us to Syracuse, BC, Rutgers, Maryland - UConn CAN recruit and play at a higher level in Hoop and be at a high plane in Football. I further expect the top years in Football at the other regional schools to be sparse. Babers ain't there for long.

 

[Travelman6]

Who recruited the bulk of the guys on two years ago's team? How about this one?

And those same players by and large, the ones who have been at Uconn for a few years any way, are doing worse now, than they did two years ago or last year. Or the results seem to be pointing that way so far.

 

[Stainmaster]

And those same players by and large, the ones who have been at Uconn for a few years any way, are doing worse now, than they did two years ago or last year. Or the results seem to be pointing that way so far.

You missed the point. Pasqualoni recruits are not Diaco recruits.