How can anyone defend Edsall?

[uconnbill]

The loss sucked big time. Two Int's on the goal yard killed two scoring drives. A game that UConn should have won but mistakes once again killed them.
When UConn intercepted the ball in the middle of the 4th quarter I was really hoping to go play action on the first play and instead they went off tackle. The momentum was with UConn and I believe a score there would have shut the door on ECU.

Blame there is enough to go around for the loss today.

 

[Zissou]

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?

I wouldn't put a ceiling for the program at 8-5.

Regularly making the rankings is one objective.

Look at some realistic peer programs... App State, Cinci, Temple, BYU, UCF, Houston. Memphis was a really bad program and they have 10 wins this year. Temple used to suck. Look at some of the seasons BYU has had. UCF had some dream seasons. Dream bigger.

I think the measure for success will be winning meaningful games and being relevant. Upset ranked teams. Be a ranked team.

Setting your ceiling at 8-5 is defeatist. Strive to be more. You have a good schedule developing and a decent following when you get back to winning ways. It won't be next year. A program in UConn's position can become very good. It will take the eventual right coaching hire.

 

[BlueDogs]

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.

Friggin freezing on the west side. Refs did us no favors. The band played to the sunny side fans in a change. There was maybe 40 students. You can’t support a program with that dismal attendance and Edsall needs to be on a clock to move this forward, not his 5 year plan to maybe mediocre.

 

[pick6s]

Edsall has had only two full recruiting classes. He is not a guy who has won with freshmen- he has won by developing guys. Having a few freshmen sprinkled in here and there is very different from having a defense almost entirely comprised of freshmen, like we had last year. After this year, we're basically losing nobody from a defense that, while still not great, is way better than the defense from last year. We will have some loses on offense and they really need to figure the QB situation out. I hope Krajewski plays the whole game next week so we get a look at what he can and cannot do. The bottom line is that Edsall inherited a terrible situation from a personnel standpoint and it is taking time to get the talent level back to where it should be. I'm betting on at least four wins next year, which is a substantial improvement from this year considering the schedule next year will include five Power Five teams versus two Power Five opponents this year. Next year is the year we should see notable progress, especially in the second half of the season when the schedule will be lighter. The year after that we should see even more progress- including possibly a bowl berth- because they won't lose a ton from a personnel standpoint after next year either.

Projected Losses Next Year: the five Power Five opponents- at Illinois, at Virginia, at Ole Miss, vs Indiana, unannounced ACC opponent

Projected Wins: vs Maine, vs UMass

Up For Grabs: at San Jose St, vs Army, vs Liberty, a likely game against Middle Tennessee, unannounced opponent from a non-Power Five school

 

[bmayuc]

I wouldn't put a ceiling for the program at 8-5.

Regularly making the rankings is one objective.

Look at some realistic peer programs... App State, Cinci, Temple, BYU, UCF, Houston. Memphis was a really bad program and they have 10 wins this year. Temple used to suck. Look at some of the seasons BYU has had. UCF had some dream seasons. Dream bigger.

I think the measure for success will be winning meaningful games and being relevant. Upset ranked teams. Be a ranked team.

Setting your ceiling at 8-5 is defeatist. Strive to be more. You have a good schedule developing and a decent following when you get back to winning ways. It won't be next year. A program in UConn's position can become very good. It will take the eventual right coaching hire.

I am realistic, not defeatist. Setting realistic goals is critical to building a performance culture. If you want to have unrealistically high expectations it will only bring you misery and ultimately the death of this program. You are out of your mind. That is the problem with so many on this board.

We have been playing D1 for almost 20 years. We have "made the rankings" like twice, over 10 years ago. We have averaged like 2.5 wins per year for the last decade. You bring up "realistic Peer programs" that all have significant advantage over us - they live in recruiting-rich regions. We have no conference. We have many less recruits in-region due to many reasons we have all covered before, and the recruits we DO have in-region have other, more relevant football programs they can choose to attend.

No one is putting a ceiling on a program. I am saying that 5-7 wins most years, and a couple 8 or 9 win seasons per decade would be a hell of an accomplishment. Again, averaging 2.5 wins for the last decade now. The worst roster in probably 25 years during Edsall's first year.

Grow up people, get real. If you set goals that are realistic and acheivable, maybe we can have a senior class have the same head coach for their entire tenure for the first time since 2010.

 

[Austin316]

I can’t defend but I respect the guy.

Maybe a young energetic guy would come here but if things went well I imagine UConn would be a stepping stone.

I can’t see Edsall leaving on his own this time around.

 

[pick6s]

I can’t defend but I respect the guy.

Maybe a young energetic guy would come here but if things went well I imagine UConn would be a stepping stone.

I can’t see Edsall leaving on his own this time around.

Edsall won't leave for another job but he could leave via retirement. I believe he said he was only looking to coach a couple more years after this year. Depending on what happens the next few seasons (which I believe could be a bowl berth in two years- see my previous post above), I hope he hangs around longer so we are a respectable football program by the time the next possible conference realignment rolls around in about 2025.

 

[Austin316]

Edsall won't leave for another job but he could leave via retirement. I believe he said he was only looking to coach a couple more years after this year. Depending on what happens the next few seasons (which I believe could be a bowl berth in two years- see my previous post above), I hope he hangs around longer so we are a respectable football program by the time the next possible conference realignment rolls around in about 2025.

I think we’ll catch a break in the next few years. Takes time around here and thank god I’m patient with this program.

 

[Zissou]

I am saying that 5-7 wins most years, and a couple 8 or 9 win seasons per decade would be a hell of an accomplishment.

No actually you said "The very heights our program may reach one day are 7-8 wins."

With a little optimism, now you've stretched 7-8 wins to 8 or 9 wins. You're getting there. You are almost the little engine that could!

Are BYU and App State in recruiting hotbeds? Who knew?

UConn can get there.

 

[bmayuc]

No actually you said "The very heights our program may reach one day are 7-8 wins."

With a little optimism, now you've stretched 7-8 wins to 8 or 9 wins. You're getting there. You are almost the little engine that could!

Are BYU and App State in recruiting hotbeds? Who knew?

UConn can get there.

Dude, I didn't fact check to make them match perfectly, the point is the same and you know that.

1. BYU has a 50 year tradition, a recruiting engine fed by Mormon missionaries and the fact that all their players are 2+ years older than every other team. C'mon.

2. And App state, if you take 2 seconds to google it, is smack in the middle of the recruiting uber hotbed of North Carolina, which means they can easily recruit the entire DMV for under-recruited gems. Meanwhile, we can recruit - checks notes - Quebec, New Haven, and Worcester. So, with respect, pleasantly go pound sound

"with a little optimism" *eyeroll*

 

[noeynox]

I can’t defend but I respect the guy.

Maybe a young energetic guy would come here but if things went well I imagine UConn would be a stepping stone.

I can’t see Edsall leaving on his own this time around.

I respect what he is trying to do BUT he coached that situation like a frigging idiot. No need to pretend otherwise.

 

[Zissou]

Dude, I didn't fact check to make them match perfectly, the point is the same and you know that.

1. BYU has a 50 year tradition, a recruiting engine fed by Mormon missionaries and the fact that all their players are 2+ years older than every other team. C'mon.

2. And App state, if you take 2 seconds to google it, is smack in the middle of the recruiting uber hotbed of North Carolina, which means they can easily recruit the entire DMV for under-recruited gems. Meanwhile, we can recruit - checks notes - Quebec, New Haven, and Worcester. So, with respect, pleasantly go pound sound

"with a little optimism" *eyeroll*

Last time I pounded sound it got really loud.

Western North Carolina isn't Texas or Florida, and App State is up against 4 ACC schools in the recruiting game in NC alone, and then you can go across the border for a handful more. If you were an App State fan you'd argue you can't compete because of all the P5s in your area.

Listen, I just think when you are at the bottom maybe an 8 win season seems like the top. It isn't. My point stands to look at peers and set your sights a little higher. Memphis sucked. Temple sucked. UConn has the potential to do more than top out at 8 wins.

 

[Dove]

He's an Edsel.

Where's @Calichic now?

 

[DoctorWho85]

Watching Arizona St - Oregon game and Arizona St on 3rd and 16 threw an 81 yard TD pass. God I wish we had an offense like that.

 

[Exit 4]

Edsall did a bunch today to keep himself around for 2020. He had to have a moral victory - one decent game out of these last two. I think the other part very much still in play is coaching and player turner over at the end of the season. Too much of either - like a big walk out- could force change. On the other hand, he keeps most of the best young players and best coaches he stays for 2020.

 

[noeynox]

Watching Arizona St - Oregon game and Arizona St on 3rd and 16 threw an 81 yard TD pass. God I wish we had an offense like that.

Can't throw a TD pass when you run draws on 3rd and 9. We threw a 94 yd TD catch and run and another long TD pass. Gotta take chances to make plays like that.

 

[DoctorWho85]

Can't throw a TD pass when you run draws on 3rd and 9. We threw a 94 yd TD catch and run and another long TD pass. Gotta take chances to make plays like that.

I'm not even sure Jack Zergiotis would able to hit a receiver in stride like that. Our receivers have consistently, all season long, got behind their defender only to be missed by 10 yards.

 

[noeynox]

I'm not even sure Jack Zergiotis would able to hit a receiver in stride like that. Our receivers have consistently, all season long, got behind their defender only to be missed by 10 yards.

I'm not sold on the kid, but he is getting better with reps. Everyone talks about his arm mechanics, I'm more worried about his footwork.

 

[DoctorWho85]

I'm not sold on the kid, but he is getting better with reps. Everyone talks about his arm mechanics, I'm more worried about his footwork.

Both are coachable, but I'd like to see Steven Krajewski all next week to see what he does against a good Temple team. We're done after next week might as well get him some reps and some film for next year

 

[BlueDogs]

I am realistic, not defeatist. Setting realistic goals is critical to building a performance culture. If you want to have unrealistically high expectations it will only bring you misery and ultimately the death of this program. You are out of your mind. That is the problem with so many on this board.

We have been playing D1 for almost 20 years. We have "made the rankings" like twice, over 10 years ago. We have averaged like 2.5 wins per year for the last decade. You bring up "realistic Peer programs" that all have significant advantage over us - they live in recruiting-rich regions. We have no conference. We have many less recruits in-region due to many reasons we have all covered before, and the recruits we DO have in-region have other, more relevant football programs they can choose to attend.

No one is putting a ceiling on a program. I am saying that 5-7 wins most years, and a couple 8 or 9 win seasons per decade would be a hell of an accomplishment. Again, averaging 2.5 wins for the last decade now. The worst roster in probably 25 years during Edsall's first year.

Grow up people, get real. If you set goals that are realistic and acheivable, maybe we can have a senior class have the same head coach for their entire tenure for the first time since 2010.

Man, you must be a workout consultant. I hope your business growth consulting approach is better than that. To sum up: reach for average. I am unaware of any business success that starts with and operates under the premise just be mediocre, other than than regulated entities shielded from competition. If you’re saying we need interim goals on a path to success, fine. But, for goodness sake stop with the “we are so disadvantaged” nonsense. We aren’t and there plenty of programs considerably more so that are doing very well. The goal should be undefeated with a top 10 ranking, and consistent top 25. That’s a goal. Hire for it, recruit with a plan, and market like you mean business.

 

[CL82]

How can anyone defend Edsall?

Just give him a little cushion and stay in front of him?

 

[CL82]

When a 10 year old kid walks up to you, and you are wearing a uconn sweatshirt and says UConn stinks, that says it all

Hope you kicked his ass... on principal.

 

[dvegas]

Temple -24?

 

[DoctorWho85]

Temple -24?

Seems a bit low

 

[dvegas]

-35?