How can anyone defend Edsall?

[storrsroars]

That play calling on the final drive though.

You'll hear most successful coaches in any sport talk about using each players' individual talents to put the team in a position to win. While Jack Z. is not an ideal QB, that he was able to even make it interesting at the end is more a reflection on Jack Zergiotis than the coaches, who simply created obstacles for him.

A delayed handoff to Mensah with 5 ECU guys in the backfield.
A cross field screen to Rose.
A play call that had Jack Zergiotis retreating to the 25 yard line before throwing when they were only 5 yards out.
A play that had to score a TD results in two receivers running into each other with neither being in the end zone.

None of that was on Jack Zergiotis.

 

[Adios]

this team is horrendous. Doesn’t mean they aren’t better than last years team but last years team was historic level bad.

and next years team is not going to be much better.

We could have won today. That's a huge difference compared to last year.

I'll step away from the clinical depression mindset on here.

 

[Husky68]

Newsflash, watch how our players get picked up by other programs. Like Beavers at Cincinnati.

It's ain't the players it's the coach.

It is very disappointing that if HCRE2.0 isn't fired on the date his buy out gets to zero I would suggest recruits go elsewhere and those who can transfer do so. And this from a guy whose 1st date with his wife was over 50 years ago, when we were both UConn students, going to a game at Memorial Stadium.

 

[huskysupporter]

We could have won today. That's a huge difference compared to last year.

I'll step away from the clinical depression mindset on here.

no I think we are in agreement there is improvement. I’m saying this team went from being the worst in fbs to one of the 3 worst in fbs.I think that’s the point. This team is horrible. It honestly pains me to say it. The only glimmer of hope in the debacle of joining the big east and dumping on the football program is firing the entire coaching staff. Today.

 

[BlueDogs]

HCRE is terrible and so is his staff. Not that big even on the DC although he inherited an utter disaster so I give him a break. Our LB corp is horrendous. So, bad it’s terrifying.

 

[firstnline]

If you really want the kid to open up, wear a UCONN sweat shirt with Edsall's picture on it.

With a bullseye, haha

 

[superjohn]

Last year. The man hasn't misled anyone. Look, I don't blame UConn fans from being fed up with the pace of the turnaround. But Coach is performing as he told us to expect and his bosses in the AD seem satisfied.

You're delusional.

 

[uconnric]

this team is horrendous. Doesn’t mean they aren’t better than last years team but last years team was historic level bad.

and next years team is not going to be much better.

Disagree. Next year we should have 5-6 wins. It's slow but it's progress. Roster is improving, albeit very slowly.

 

[huskysupporter]

Last year. The man hasn't misled anyone. Look, I don't blame UConn fans from being fed up with the pace of the turnaround. But Coach is performing as he told us to expect and his bosses in the AD seem satisfied.

Pace? What pace? There has not been one shred of evidence that this program gets better. None. We haven’t won a conference game in 2 years. The talent has barely improved.

Edsall needs to go. Today.

 

[huskysupporter]

Disagree. Next year we should have 5-6 wins. It's slow but it's progress. Roster is improving, albeit very slowly.

what makes you think we should have 5 or 6 wins? Or to punt differently do you think the team will actually be better? Or Do you think we might have more wins because we face some truly horrendous teams next season?

 

[Pudge]

Honestly why even have him coach the next game. Fire him today. Get an early start in finding a competent head coach.

ain't happening.

You are thinking this is a fully formed Football program with deep alumni pockets and set conference scheduling for a decade. Re-orient yourself. What's next after Edsall has to be Benedict's thinking. And at the earliest that is Dec 2020.

 

[bmayuc]

ain't happening.

You are thinking this is a fully formed Football program with deep alumni pockets and set conference scheduling for a decade. Re-orient yourself. What's next after Edsall has to be Benedict's thinking. And at the earliest that is Dec 2020.

This. Everyone here needs to understand the new normal. The very heights our program may reach one day are 7-8 wins. What we should expect once Edsall gets 3-4 recruiting classes is 5-6 wins per year, bowl game every other year, competitive football and no embarrassment. I'm cool with that and Edsall is on plan for that.

I know everyone looks at a game like this and goes "OH, the 3rd and 9 call, fire edsall". And it was dumb and the guy is insanely risk-averse and deserves to be called out for it.

However I look at this game and go "Wow our true frosh QB will be a 4 year keeper and threw for 450 yards today, and edsall still has the eye for talent that we will keenly need as we seek a stable transition to independent status.

And people like @noeynox that are claiming that edsall deserves blame for the last couple years are 100% certifiable. Dude was handed perhaps the worst roster in D1 in the last 20 years. To expect somehow this was anything less than a 3-5 year cultural and talent tear-down and build-up job in the BEST CASE scenario is kidding themselves... and uh, do I have to remind you that this is NOT the BEST CASE scenario?

Everyone relax, we are going to be bad for a bit. Another class or two, by the time the Travis Jones's and Jackson Mitchell's are upperclassmen we will be winning 5-7 games a year and will have navigated the transition to Independent football status and Big East Status and you can all resume yelling about stuff.

 

[Ldandy]

No defense for Edsall. But you can't have 5 different head coaches in 9 years.

There are plenty of winnable games next year. See if he can do it. If not, our future scheduling will be much more complete than it is this coming December for a prospective coach to see. If scheduling goes the way it seems, being a quasi-P5 team might be very attractive to competent coaches.

The problem I have is what becomes the threshold for retaining him beyond 2020? If he wins say 4 games next year will people say look he's building something we need to give him more time, or will they realize that with the current level of recruiting and the type of game day coaching on display that 4 wins is probably the ceiling for this program? JMO but this program needs to roll the dice on a lower level OFFENSIVE HC who can scheme around talent disadvantages and possibly win 6 games to go to a bowl.

 

[noeynox]

This. Everyone here needs to understand the new normal. The very heights our program may reach one day are 7-8 wins. What we should expect once Edsall gets 3-4 recruiting classes is 5-6 wins per year, bowl game every other year, competitive football and no embarrassment. I'm cool with that and Edsall is on plan for that.

I know everyone looks at a game like this and goes "OH, the 3rd and 9 call, fire edsall". And it was dumb and the guy is insanely risk-averse and deserves to be called out for it.

However I look at this game and go "Wow our true frosh QB will be a 4 year keeper and threw for 450 yards today, and edsall still has the eye for talent that we will keenly need as we seek a stable transition to independent status.

And people like @noeynox that are claiming that edsall deserves blame for the last couple years are 100% certifiable. Dude was handed perhaps the worst roster in D1 in the last 20 years. To expect somehow this was anything less than a 3-5 year cultural and talent tear-down and build-up job in the BEST CASE scenario is kidding themselves... and uh, do I have to remind you that this is NOT the BEST CASE scenario?

Everyone relax, we are going to be bad for a bit. Another class or two, by the time the Travis Jones's and Jackson Mitchell's are upperclassmen we will be winning 5-7 games a year and will have navigated the transition to Independent football status and Big East Status and you can all resume yelling about stuff.

His coaching decisions legit lose games. He simply turtles games away with his "risk aversiveness" as you call it. I mean on a day where you are 2 and 8, and the very 1st play of the game goes for a long TD pass, the freshman QB connects with a freshman WR for the 2nd longest TD in schools history, the much maligned defense comes up with a clutch interception and he coaches that series like a total buffoon. 1st play, inside handoff for 1yd, incomplete pass, and a draw to attempt a 50 yd FG that was short and 10 yds left.

@Brochacho has it right. Only reason to bring him back another year is to end the turnstile of coaches. BUT HE SUCKS!

 

[BlueandOG]

I am an edsall apologist for sure, but even I was very frustrated by the 50 yard field goal attempt. It seemed the worst option when thinking: go for it on 4th, punt and pin them deep, or try a 50 yard field goal that most likely will miss. That call was a big factor in our loss.

 

[noeynox]

I am an edsall apologist for sure, but even I was very frustrated by the 50 yard field goal attempt. It seemed the worst option when thinking: go for it on 4th, punt and pin them deep, or try a 50 yard field goal that most likely will miss. That call was a big factor in our loss.

He punted like 3 times from plus territory against Houston. Net yardage was like 17. If a game is close loss, chances are we got there thanks to his "decision making".

 

[huskyrob1]

no I think we are in agreement there is improvement. I’m saying this team went from being the worst in fbs to one of the 3 worst in fbs.I think that’s the point. This team is horrible. It honestly pains me to say it. The only glimmer of hope in the debacle of joining the big east and dumping on the football program is firing the entire coaching staff. Today.

I want to see Edsall fired more than anyone, that being said, I have to say that this team is much improved from last year. The ECU team we played today would have put 55 points on last year's defense.

 

[HuskyDogArt]

We need to go in a different direction. We need to fire the whole coaching staff and hire people who will win. Let's go into the Indy era with a new outlook, new coaches and new hope. We need to start anew! Let's forget the AAC era...

 

[HuskyDogArt]

Disagree. Next year we should have 5-6 wins. It's slow but it's progress. Roster is improving, albeit very slowly.

5 or 6 wins? Maybe if we snuck Alabama's second string offense and Ohio State's defense and Give RE books on how to coach in 2020! I'd would let Randy coach a peewee team!

 

[UConnJim]

First, Edsall is what he is. He is a conservative coach who discovers and develops players. At UConn, we need to discover and develop players. The roster is getting better after the Diaco fiasco, but UConn should never have to start true freshman or many redshirt freshmen as we are a development program. And UConn should never have to start a true freshman QB.

Jack Zergiotis has 3 bad turnovers and missed some wide open receivers today, but he is getting better. I expect him to be a lot better next year.

Based on the attendance today, my guess is some if not most of you were not at the game. It was a good game with great football weather. That said, the refs screwed UConn multiple times today including a non called pass interference in the end zone during the final drive. There were a couple of flags thrown against ECU that were picked up. Even the ECU fans I was with thought the refs were biased today.

 

[Zissou]

This. Everyone here needs to understand the new normal. The very heights our program may reach one day are 7-8 wins.

seems defeatist. It won't be next year, but there is no good reason why this can't be a successful program.

 

[bmayuc]

seems defeatist. It won't be next year, but there is no good reason why this can't be a successful program.

So I'm a consultant. First question I ask starting a new project is : define success.

For me, a successful program is .500 most years, an occasional 8 win year, a bowl every couple years. I think that is reasonable. I think Edsall is on Pace to get us there in 4-5 years and I've seen progress toward that goal. So I'm happy and don't get bent out of shape by the week to week madness.

I wonder, @Zissou how you define success for UConn football?

 

[regassert6]

No defense for Edsall. But you can't have 5 different head coaches in 9 years.

There are plenty of winnable games next year. See if he can do it. If not, our future scheduling will be much more complete than it is this coming December for a prospective coach to see. If scheduling goes the way it seems, being a quasi-P5 team might be very attractive to competent coaches.

Temple has had Al Golden, Steve Addazio, Matt Rhule, Geoff Collins and Rod Carey in the last 10 years......

 

[Travelman6]

Just looking at the most basic numbers, if I have this correct. slight;y better O last year but much better D than last year, not that it is saying much about the D. Keeping in mind there is still one game this year, things are not likely to change too much in the last game for stats.

Gave up 50.4 points per game last year, 39.7 this year.
Scored 22.6 points per game last year, 19.1 this year.

Four lowest-scoring games last year were 7, 7, 7 and 14 for a total of 35. This year it was 3, 3, 7 and 10. (23 total)
Five highest-scoring games last year were 56, 50, 30, 21 x2. This year, the four highest: 56, 24, 24, 23.

Take it for what it is worth. (Oh, and if USF did not score that 4th quarter last-second TD, knock another .6 off for 39.1 allowed per game).

 

[BlueDogs]

His coaching decisions legit lose games. He simply turtles games away with his "risk aversiveness" as you call it. I mean on a day where you are 2 and 8, and the very 1st play of the game goes for a long TD pass, the freshman QB connects with a freshman WR for the 2nd longest TD in schools history, the much maligned defense comes up with a clutch interception and he coaches that series like a total buffoon. 1st play, inside handoff for 1yd, incomplete pass, and a draw to attempt a 50 yd FG that was short and 10 yds left.

@Brochacho has it right. Only reason to bring him back another year is to end the turnstile of coaches. BUT HE SUCKS!

This is so right on. Rather than take the momentum he squanders it. The guy is more motivated to avoid mistakes than go for the win, and ends up in the same place. The guy blows.