How many Ws will it take for Weist to win you over?

[ZooCougar]

That wasn't the question. The question was, "How many Ws will it take for Weist to win you (i.e. me) over?"

I do not work for Mr. Manuel. As much as I respect him, he does not tell me how to think.

Fortunately, what we think doesn't matter all that much.

 

[Huskygrad88]

OKAY, perhaps I am missing something incredibly obvious as people talk about TJ needing to get 6 wins. Isn't this a group that is 0-4, having been beaten by an FCS team and blown out by Buffalo? If TJ wins 6 games this year he should be recruited by USC, or elected pope. I love the optimism after the last few years has given us no reason for it, but calm down. If he splits the last 8 he has done unbelievably well.

 

[freescooter]

Keep that chicken
So the fanbase didn't want Ollie and wasn't willing to cut him some slack? Please. I kept asking what would be the standard and not a soul would give an answer. People were posting excuses before the season. The whole "how they play, not how many they win" was Warde's cover in case Ollie under achieved. Unless he was a total disaster, a Pasqualoni of the hardwood as it were, he was getting an extension. Ollie did a very nice job last year, by the way, but he needs to keep it up this year and next and the one after that.


So now he has to go 8 - 0 and win the BCS game. When it comes to coaching searches you are an insufferable lunatic.

He has won exactly zero games, for heaven sakes and you seriously want to give him the job if he beats 4 teams that are a combined 3-16? What are you, a BC fan? I think Warde will make a change unless this team makes an absolutely dramatic turn around. And 4 wins over 4 awful football teams simply doesn't meet the definition of a dramatic turnaround.

 

[Husky25]

Fortunately, what we think doesn't matter all that much.

I just want to be entertained. It was a terrible product on the field for the amount of money I paid the last year+.

 

[ZooCougar]

I just want to be entertained. It was a terrible product on the field for the amount of money I paid the last year+.

I know what you mean, in 2009 we played better in games we lost than in most games we won in previous years.

 

[SonsOfNutmeg]

I think TJ is right for this team right now... But a Bowl birth would certainly help to win over WM, the Student Body, us fans, and Uconn Nation.

 

[UConnDan97]

I answered that question. I hate to get all Upstater on you but try reading...


Minimum requirement is a winning conference record, a bowl game and a coaching market that doesn't favor us.

But I have noticed a bunch of posters prematurely appointing this guy the savior. And we haven't played a down with him as HC, but we have played 4 games with him as OC.

At 4 wins and all he would be doing is replicating the worst we expected PGDL to do.

Well I hate to get all UConnDan97 on you, but try not being a sarcastic buzzkill with every post...

What do you care if there are some on the thread that are optimistic about the near future, even if in your opinion it is overly optimistic? You don't want people being too happy about UConn? Geez...

 

[ZooCougar]

I am not talking about optimism, making the guy some sort of savior is more than that.

I hope he goes 8-0 and he leaves no doubt, but my expectations are tempered with reality.

 

[J187Money]

Yup, and you can even say the same thing about 6-2, Warde would be crucified by many including the players who would revolt if Weist got let go at 6-2.

6-2 puts us in a bowl. So there's that.

 

[sportsart]

Well I hate to get all UConnDan97 on you, but try not being a sarcastic buzzkill with every post...

What do you care if there are some on the thread that are optimistic about the near future, even if in your opinion it is overly optimistic? You don't want people being too happy about UConn? Geez...

There is nothing wrong with being hopeful. After the 0-4 debacle we have witnessed I don't think there was more than 1 win on the remaining schedule with PP.

If TJ wins 4 games of the remaining 8 it means he has the team behind him and was able to use the talent he has to win the games he should have. If he picks off UL or RU and we go 5-3 and there is some very noticeable things taking place, Warde will have to take notice but still needs to do the national search. If TJ goes 6-2 I really don't know why he wouldn't get the job.

Apparently he's a pretty good recruiter, a good WR coach and appears to know how to motivate players. If he gets this offense to perform, and that's a big if, again a 6-2 record probably gets him the job.

Personally I hope he gets the job because he deserves it and we don't have to worry about the next hire. One more PP mistake and we are history.

 

[J187Money]

Unless he goes 8-0 followed by a BCS win he has to do a national search. Even if he stays with TJ he still needs to do a search.

 

[Husky25]

6-2 puts us in a bowl. So there's that.

Not necessarily. It only makes UConn Bowl Eligible. They still may not go to a bowl depending on how many teams in the conference are above them.

In 2003, an Independent UConn went 9-3 and beat such BCS Conference teams as Indiana, Rutgers, and Wake Forest (Lost but played hard)to BC, lost on the road to #5 VaTech, and NC State). Though UConn was not yet conference affiliated, they should have gone to a low tier bowl.

 

[huskymedic]

Not necessarily. It only makes UConn Bowl Eligible. They still may not go to a bowl depending on how many teams in the conference are above them.

In 2003, an Independent UConn went 9-3 and beat such BCS Conference teams as Indiana, Rutgers, and Wake Forest (Lost but played hard)to BC, lost on the road to #5 VaTech, and NC State). Though UConn was not yet conference affiliated, they should have gone to a low tier bowl.

As you note - that's because we were an Independent.

UConn goes 6-6, they are going bowling. You may not like the bowl location (or it's name) but they will be playing somewhere. Too good of a story. AAC will find a place.

 

[Boudreaux]

He's going to be coaching the same team right? The one that can't block, run, throw, or tackle?

You can't hang this team's performance on just "poor coaching".

Rookie coach starting a freshman QB...even if the O-line suddenly remembers how to block, expecting more than 2/3 wins is just ludicrous. Chalking up 4 automatic wins over 4 "lousy" teams is a bit of a stretch I think. Four teams that are 3-16 are going to be very competitive games for a team that's 0-4. Poor coaching may have only made a mediocre team bad. With better coaching is this 10-18 team 14-14, 18-10? I really hope over the next 8 games to find out that the talent on this team really is better than 10-18.

If Weist gets 2/3 wins and at least competes on the field he may get an interview and an Ollie-like prove it to me contract for next year. "Proven" coaches aren't going to be knocking on the door here. The notion of some big name or highly regarded assistant coming to UConn is just fantasy. Big names are only going to places where the table is already set for them. Any assistant from any school is going to be the same unknown quantity TJ is.

No matter what Warde says about wins, if he sees 8 Michigan-like efforts, regardless of the record, TJ will get a fair shot at the job.

To answer the question; rookie coach, rookie QB, and overall talent level that's still to be determined, 2/3 wins and competitive play I'd give TJ another year, maybe two. I'd want to see how he recruits before making longer commitment.

 

[sportsart]

He's going to be coaching the same team right? The one that can't block, run, throw, or tackle?

You can't hang this team's performance on just "poor coaching".

Rookie coach starting a freshman QB...even if the O-line suddenly remembers how to block, expecting more than 2/3 wins is just ludicrous. Chalking up 4 automatic wins over 4 "lousy" teams is a bit of a stretch I think. Four teams that are 3-16 are going to be very competitive games for a team that's 0-4. Poor coaching may have only made a mediocre team bad. With better coaching is this 10-18 team 14-14, 18-10? I really hope over the next 8 games to find out that the talent on this team really is better than 10-18.

If Weist gets 2/3 wins and at least competes on the field he may get an interview and an Ollie-like prove it to me contract for next year. "Proven" coaches aren't going to be knocking on the door here. The notion of some big name or highly regarded assistant coming to UConn is just fantasy. Big names are only going to places where the table is already set for them. Any assistant from any school is going to be the same unknown quantity TJ is.

No matter what Warde says about wins, if he sees 8 Michigan-like efforts, regardless of the record, TJ will get a fair shot at the job.

To answer the question; rookie coach, rookie QB, and overall talent level that's still to be determined, 2/3 wins and competitive play I'd give TJ another year, maybe two. I'd want to see how he recruits before making longer commitment.

Could you tell me the last college football coach who got a 1 year contract? Kinda lost some credibility there.

 

[ZooCougar]

This is Warde's biggest hire. It could be his legacy. If he hires TJ then it will be because he has little doubt.

At the Press Conference, Warde tells everyone that he talked to our donors and that we aren't going backwards pay wise.
That should tell you where Warde is oriented at the moment. TJ needs to do something pretty amazing to get Warde's attention.

There is nowhere to go but up or stay down.

 

[Husky25]

As you note - that's because we were an Independent.

UConn goes 6-6, they are going bowling. You may not like the bowl location (or it's name) but they will be playing somewhere. Too good of a story. AAC will find a place.

The AAC is associated with 6 bowls this year, so IF they go 6-6, UConn is probably going to a bowl, but there are certainly bowl eligible teams in the recent past who have not. That's all I'm saying...

 

[Boudreaux]

Could you tell me the last college football coach who got a 1 year contract? Kinda lost some credibility there.

It's all in how you structure a contract. Is three years really three years? Don't take things so literally.

 

[Boudreaux]

This is Warde's biggest hire. It could be his legacy. If he hires TJ then it will be because he has little doubt.

At the Press Conference, Warde tells everyone that he talked to our donors and that we aren't going backwards pay wise.
That should tell you where Warde is oriented at the moment. TJ needs to do something pretty amazing to get Warde's attention.

There is nowhere to go but up or stay down.

It's a basketball school. Warde's legacy, depending on how long he stays...

1. Does Ollie get UConn back to being a Top 20 team.
2. Who he hires to replace Geno.
3. If he can find a football coach that can go 8-4 in a crap conference.

 

[Husky25]

It's a basketball school. Warde's legacy, depending on how long he stays...

1. Does Ollie get UConn back to being a Top 20 team.
2. Who he hires to replace Geno.
3. If he can find a football coach that can go 8-4 in a crap conference.

That is because of close-minded "fans" like you just portrayed.

Do you know what UConn was know for before it was a basketball school? Nothing.

 

[ZooCougar]

It's all in how you structure a contract. Is three years really three years? Don't take things so literally.

We're not going to sign up another coach for three years and then fire him a year later.

You either commit to him or not. The ONLY way you get a one year coach is if you hire Todd Graham, or you fire your head coach off cycle like Arkansas did.

 

[Palatine]

It's not just wins.

Weist needs style points to win me over. I want to see imagination. I want to see opposing defenses off balance. I want to see players performing at a high level and making plays. I want to see time outs handled correctly. I want an agressive confident team, not a passive "hope-to-make-it-to-the-4th-quarter" approach.

 

[sportsart]

It's all in how you structure a contract. Is three years really three years? Don't take things so literally.

LOL

 

[ctchamps]

It's not just wins.

Weist needs style points to win me over. I want to see imagination. I want to see opposing defenses off balance. I want to see players performing at a high level and making plays. I want to see time outs handled correctly. I want an agressive confident team, not a passive "hope-to-make-it-to-the-4th-quarter" approach.

Same here! I want this to become an exciting team that draws fans to the stadium and to watching on media venues! If he can generate that excitement and get the team to improve as the season goes on, plus the wins, he gets strongly considered. Just winning in boring low scoring game with no excitement won't do it for me.

 

[freescooter]

He's going to be coaching the same team right? The one that can't block, run, throw, or tackle?

You can't hang this team's performance on just "poor coaching".

Rookie coach starting a freshman QB...even if the O-line suddenly remembers how to block, expecting more than 2/3 wins is just ludicrous. Chalking up 4 automatic wins over 4 "lousy" teams is a bit of a stretch I think. Four teams that are 3-16 are going to be very competitive games for a team that's 0-4. Poor coaching may have only made a mediocre team bad. With better coaching is this 10-18 team 14-14, 18-10? I really hope over the next 8 games to find out that the talent on this team really is better than 10-18.

If Weist gets 2/3 wins and at least competes on the field he may get an interview and an Ollie-like prove it to me contract for next year. "Proven" coaches aren't going to be knocking on the door here. The notion of some big name or highly regarded assistant coming to UConn is just fantasy. Big names are only going to places where the table is already set for them. Any assistant from any school is going to be the same unknown quantity TJ is.

don't disagree on the upcoming games not being pushovers. My only point was that winning 4 games agaisnt that dreck doesn't make Weist the 2nd coming of Knute Rockne. It just means he got them to play well enough to beat 4 bad football teams. But in any case, UConn isn't giving anybody an "Ollie-type" contract. Weist has one now. He isn't getting another one. As far as UConn landing a proven head coach, that is going to be a function of what you define as a "proven" coach. We're not landing Nick Saban, but most coordinators at major programs would give it serious consideration as would most, if not all MAC, CUSA or Sunbelt coaches, most currently out of work guys like Kiffen (though we won't consider him) and pretty much any 1AA coach. Are there a few coordinators who would not take the job? Oh probably, and they aren't taking UConn over USC either but if you look at the top 10 "hotseat jobs" this week, we are a better destination than Akron, Hawaii(well, not a better destination but a better coaching gig!), Eastern Michigan, UMass, and FIU. Throw in the open Miami job and we're better there, too. Only my view, but I think we have more upside than Kansas, which aside from Mangino's reign of terror, you have to go back to 1994-95 to find consecutive winning seasons. Same with Indiana. if you're a coach looking to get into the big time, is it worth going to a program that has had 1 winning season in 20 years? You might be the guy who gets #2, but again, lots of guys thought they would get #2. Go down the list of potentially open jobs and throw out the ones from the West Coast (USC, Hawaii, Cal, and the real deep south ones like Mississippi State because we aren't looking at the same coaches for the most part and there aren't that many places where we can't compete for coaches. Add the fact that UConn will likely be willing to pay at least in the $1.5-2.5 million range and add in facilities and it isn't Michigan but its a job where you could have success and could move even higher if you do. Also don't lose track of the fact that if you're the hot coordinator at the University of Northern South Carolina this year, and you turn down an offer of a head coaching gig, because you figure Southern North Carolina will open up next year, if you get passed over there, or you have a bad year even for reasons beyond your control, you might just spend your whole career as a coordinator somewhere. If guys get offered head coaching jobs, they tend to accept. There just aren't that many of them.