How UConn football’s throwback hire of Randy Edsall can work ... eventually (SBN Connelly)

[SubbaBub]

I think there are a bunch of holes in the roster right now. Unless some of the guys we haven't seen a lot of can emerge in a big way, there will be struggles.

RE has all but said don't expect a miracle on the OL. I'm still waiting to see what this defense looks like, but it seems to me like the range is more horrible to acceptable than it is likely to be good to outstanding.

Specials are all new, even with us returning kicks.

For this season and next, we are banking on Diaco leaving workable roster. Does that make anyone feel good?

Still waiting on the leadership from the players. Where are the Finchers and Orlovskys, pushing the guys to hit the weight room and running the stairs? We need that right now as much as anything else.

 

[Palatine]

None of these prognosticators is doing much beyond extrapolating the end of the year.

In 2012. Auburn was 3-9, and 0-8 in the SEC. The 2013 team, under a new HC, was 12-2 and 7-1 with a #2 ranking. Here are the predictions for 2013. SEC Football 2013 Predictions

Now I'm not predicting that. But this UConn team was better than Navy on the field and should have won that game. Navy was borderline top 25. We beat Virginia. We beat Cinci. We lost to Cuse on bad coaching. Our QB was evidently playing hurt for several games. The 2017 team is much deeper at QB, has much better coaching and lost a few players, but nobody we can't replace. RB is much deeper, and the OL, which has been young, may finally mature.

This is not the worst team in the AAC in 2017. Not close.

UConn has always looked worse than it's talent because we had the second best QB in virtually every game and our coaches couldn't get the guys lined up or read a clock. We put guys in the NFL every year. Our biggest talent problem has always been on the sideline. That changes this year with Lashlee.

 

[UConnDan97]

None of these prognosticators is doing much beyond extrapolating the end of the year.

In 2012. Auburn was 3-9, and 0-8 in the SEC. The 2013 team, under a new HC, was 12-2 and 7-1 with a #2 ranking. Here are the predictions for 2013. SEC Football 2013 Predictions

Now I'm not predicting that. But this UConn team was better than Navy on the field and should have won that game. Navy was borderline top 25. We beat Virginia. We beat Cinci. We lost to Cuse on bad coaching. Our QB was evidently playing hurt for several games. The 2017 team is much deeper at QB, has much better coaching and lost a few players, but nobody we can't replace. RB is much deeper, and the OL, which has been young, may finally mature.

This is not the worst team in the AAC in 2017. Not close.

This is where I'm at right now as well.

Improvement at QB, even if we keep the same guy in the lineup (Shirreffs), due to playing a style that seems to suit him a lot better. You can even hear it in the interviews with how much fun he's having right now. Couple that fact with the fact that we finally....FINALLY...have an OLine coach that seems to know what the hell he's talking about, and we could really be in business this year.

Not sure what all that will equate to in terms of wins and losses (I mean, besides going 15-0), but I'm expecting that it will be a lot better than what we saw last year...

 

[huskyrob1]

None of these prognosticators is doing much beyond extrapolating the end of the year.

In 2012. Auburn was 3-9, and 0-8 in the SEC. The 2013 team, under a new HC, was 12-2 and 7-1 with a #2 ranking. Here are the predictions for 2013. SEC Football 2013 Predictions

Now I'm not predicting that. But this UConn team was better than Navy on the field and should have won that game. Navy was borderline top 25. We beat Virginia. We beat Cinci. We lost to Cuse on bad coaching. Our QB was evidently playing hurt for several games. The 2017 team is much deeper at QB, has much better coaching and lost a few players, but nobody we can't replace. RB is much deeper, and the OL, which has been young, may finally mature.

This is not the worst team in the AAC in 2017. Not close.

I think we go 500 at least, maybe better.

 

[Palatine]

One thing about the article, he made a point of the 9 first quarter points. That is a ridiculous stat. And it tells you everything you need to know about the coaching staff. 1) the team was never ready to play, 2) the initial game plan (if any) always sucked. It is really tough for the players when they are constantly digging out of a hole that their own coaching staff has put them in.

 

[Husky25]

Alright, I gotta put it out there. What is the value of returning punts in our y/y results. Half serious/half kidding. Better field position, aggressive message from coaching staff, and the Rent will go wild!

The value of not going 3 & out until late in the second half would be of higher value than punt return yardage. Getting even one first down on a drive allows the Defense an extra breather to get a 3 & out of their own. It's all well and good to win games with running and defense, but even the 2000 Ravens were not in the bottom 1/3 of the NFL in getting 1st downs.

 

[HuskyHawk]

The value of not going 3 & out until late in the second half would be of higher value than punt return yardage. Getting even one first down on a drive allows the Defense an extra breatherand get a 3 & out of their own. It's all well and good to win games with running and defense, but even the 2000 Ravens were not in the bottom 1/3 of the NFL in getting 1st downs.

Hugely important. How many times did our defense shut down an opponent pretty effectively, only to be undone by the offense giving them no rest and putting them in a field position hole repeatedly? It was our biggest problem.