Huskies add seven. | The Boneyard

Huskies add seven.

I hope it’s continuous improvement but let’s be honest — as a group, those aren’t compelling resumes. I know they’re upperclassmen and physically different than recruiting freshmen, but are any of them nearly as likely to really be important players over time as bringing in young ‘uns and seeing what you can turn them into?

Mora has earned our, and my trust, but that doesn’t mean I have to pretend that every press release brings important good news, does it?
 
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businesslawyer said:
I hope it’s continuous improvement but let’s be honest — as a group, those aren’t compelling resumes. I know they’re upperclassmen and physically different than recruiting freshmen, but are any of them nearly as likely to really be important players over time as bringing in young ‘ups and seeing what you can turn them into?

Mora has earned our, and my trust, but that doesn’t mean I have to pretend that every press release brings important good news, does it?
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They aren't mutually exclusive. We signed a group of players to develop. We took a smaller number of transfers to fill in roster gaps. It seems to me that that combination of strategies makes sense. I'm sure in both groups we took the best players we could get. Unless you think we turned down some really incredibly projectible frosh (versus raw lottery tickets left in the recruiting barrel that are far more likely to be transferring to FCS in an upcoming portal window than to see the 2-deep) to take these guys I don't understand your negativity. In fact, isn't refusing to fill roster gaps with transfers in favor of an all-in on youth strategy part of what got us into this position?
 
2023 UConn Commits Breakdown
  1. Jarvis Jones (WR/ATH) - West Orange High School, West Orange New Jersey (UConn Commit 6/18/22)
  2. Brandon Kelley (DL) - Owen J. Roberts High School, Pottstown, PA (UConn Commit 6/19/22)
  3. Toriyan Johnson (OL/DL) - Proctor Academy, Andover New Hampshire (UConn Commit 6/19/22)
  4. Cleto Chol (DL/LB/WR/TE) - Proctor Academy, Andover, New Hampshire (UConn Commit 6/20/22)
  5. Tucker McDonald (QB) - Wachusett Regional High School, Holden MA (UConn Commit 6/23/22)
  6. Jackson Harper (WR/DB) - Avon Old Farms School, Avon CT (UConn Commi 6/23/22)
  7. Carsten Casady (OL/DL) - Rolesville High School, Rolesville North Carolina (UConn Commit 6/24/22)
  8. Cameron Chadwick (DB/WR) - Immaculate High School, Somerville New Jersey (UConn Commit 7/1/22)
  9. Christopher Hudson (DB/RB) - St. Thomas More School, Oakdale CT (UConn Commit 7/4/22)
  10. Toluwanimi Tunde (DL/OL) - Canada Prep Academy, St. Catharines Ontario Canada (UConn Commit 7/4/22)
  11. Zack Drawdy Jr. (WR/RB/QB/ATH) - Yulee High School, Yulee Florida (UConn Commit 7/21/22)
  12. Seth Turner (K/P) - Great Valley High School, Malvern PA (UConn Commit 11/15/22) (PWO)
  13. Teddy Williams (WR/LB/ATH) - Portland CT > Salisbury School, Salisbury CT (UConn Commit 12/13/22) (PWO)
  14. Zakhari Spears (DB) - Los Angeles California > University of Washington (UConn Commit 12/14/22) (Transfer Portal)
  15. Eriq Gilyard (LB) - Jacksonville Florida > UCF > Kansas (UConn Commit 12/16/22) (Transfer Portal)
  16. Oumar Diomande (LB/RB) - J.F. Kennedy Campus High School, Bronx New York (UConn Commit 12/20/22)
  17. Nader Chirchi (TE/OL/DL) - Thomas Edison High School, Alexandria Virginia (UConn Commit 12/21/22)
  18. Louis Hansen (TE) - Dover MA > University of Michigan (UConn Commit 12/26/22) (Transfer Portal)
  19. Mumu Bin-Wahad (DB) - Loganville Georgia > West Virginia University (UConn Commit 1/5/23) (Transfer Portal)
  20. Noah Plack-Tallerico (DB/LB) - Bridgeville, PA > Delaware (UConn Commit 1/12/23) (Transfer Portal)
  21. Joseph Fagnano (QB) - Williamsport PA > University of Maine (UConn Commit 1/12/23) (Transfer Portal)
  22. Jalen Mitchell (RB) - Rockledge Florida > Louisville (UConn Commit 1/26/23) (Transfer Portal)
  23. John Neider (QB/ATH) - Jonathan Law High School, Milford CT (UConn Commit 1/27/23) (PWO)
  24. Amir Renwick (DB) -Baltimore Maryland > Coffeyville Community College, Coffeyville Kansas (UConn Commit 2/1/23) (JUCO)
  25. Frank Daniley (RB/LB) - New Haven CT > New Hampton School, New Hampton New Hampshire (UConn Commit 2/1/23) (PWO)
  26. Geordon Porter (WR) - Rancho Cucamonga, California > University of New Mexico (UConn Commit 2/1/23) (Transfer Portal)
  27. Danny Shaban (Off/Def ATH) - Joel Barlow High School, Redding CT (UConn Commit 2/1/23) (PWO)
  28. Cody Smith (DL/TE) - Shenendehowa High School, Clifton Park New York. (UConn Commit 2/1/23) (PWO)
  29. Howard Simpson (LB) - Bloomfield High School, Bloomfield CT (UConn Commit 2/1/23) (PWO)
  30. Zack Madison (WR/DB) - Northern Highlands High School, Allendale New Jersey (UConn Commit 2/1/23) (PWO)
  31. Chase Fountain (DB/WR/ATH) - Conard H.S. (CT) > Kingswood Oxford School, West Hartford CT (UConn Commit 2/1/23) (PWO Offer)
  32. Mark Sokk (LB/WR) - Newtown High School, Newtown, CT (PWO Offer)
  33. Hayden Pegg (LB/DB) - Malvern Prep, Malvern PA (UConn Commit 3/13/23)
  34. Jake Kiernan (OL) - Greenwich High School, Greenwich CT (UConn Commit 3/13/23) (PWO Offer)
  35. Austin Sullivan (LS) - Port Jervis NY > Penn State > Minnesota (UConn Commit 4/1/23) (Transfer Portal)
  36. Armauni Archer (DB) - Vallejo CA > Washington State University (UConn Commit 4/15/23) (Transfer Portal)
  37. Carter Boskovich (DB) - Mission Viejo High School, Mission Viejo, CA (UConn Commit 4/21/23)
  38. Torion White (DB) - Long Beach, California > Southern Utah Univ. (UConn Commit 5/2/23) (Transfer Portal)
  39. Brady Fodor (DL/OL) - Newtown High School, Newtown CT (UConn Commit 5/4/24) (PWO)
  40. Brett Buckman (WR) - Park Ridge, New Jersey > University of Delaware (UConn Commit 5/13/23) (Transfer Portal) (Mora)
  41. Alexander Honig (TE) - Bavaria Germany > TCU. (UConn Commit 5/13/23) (Transfer Portal)
  42. Raashaan Wilkins (DL) - Chicago Illinois > University of Illinois (UConn Commit 5/19/23) (Transfer Portal)
  43. Bryan Domino (WR) - Fort Bend Christian Academy, Sugar Land Texas (UConn Commit 5/22/22) (?PWO)
  44. James Burns (WR) Charlotte N.C.> Miami University > Austin Peay University (UConn Commit 6/3/23) (Transfer Portal)
  45. Maurice Wilmer II (LB) - Mountain View California > Nevada (UConn Commit 6/11/23) (Transfer Portal)
  46. Davon Hicks (LB) - Vero Beach Florida > USF (UConn Commit 4/27/23 > Decommitted & Committed Washington State 5/18/23) (Transfer Portal)
 
Remember also that these guys are, most likely, depth fillers added once the staff had a chance to see the outbound impact. Our first group of transfers and presumably top choices, which hopefully includes some impact players, enrolled in January.
 
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kibblesnbits said:
They aren't mutually exclusive. We signed a group of players to develop. We took a smaller number of transfers to fill in roster gaps. It seems to me that that combination of strategies makes sense. I'm sure in both groups we took the best players we could get. Unless you think we turned down some really incredibly projectible frosh (versus raw lottery tickets left in the recruiting barrel that are far more likely to be transferring to FCS in an upcoming portal window than to see the 2-deep) to take these guys I don't understand your negativity. In fact, isn't refusing to fill roster gaps with transfers in favor of an all-in on youth strategy part of what got us into this position?
Expand ...
I’m sure Mora is trying to make us better, and I’m not trying to be negative as much as grounded in reality. He had a great first year here, but he accomplished it mostly with with inherited talent. That’s not a bad thing — it’s a good thing. But have I been bowled over by our recruiting? No. And I fail to see why I have to pretend that I am when there is no data to support it.

If he keeps making us better without me seeing that we’re improving our recruiting, that’s fine too. Recruiting is a means to an end. I just will never buy in to the “if you’re a team everything that it does is great and if you’re not everything is terrible” camp.
 
businesslawyer said:
I’m sure Mora is trying to make us better, and I’m not trying to be negative as much as grounded in reality. He had a great first year here, but he accomplished it mostly with with inherited talent. That’s not a bad thing — it’s a good thing. But have I been bowled over by our recruiting? No. And I fail to see why I have to pretend that I am when there is no data to support it.

If he keeps making us better without me seeing that we’re improving our recruiting, that’s fine too. Recruiting is a means to an end. I just will never buy in to the “if you’re a team everything that it does is great and if you’re not everything is terrible” camp.
Expand ...
It’s a bit disappointing on the surface, but you have to trust the eval. You dig out of a massive hole step by step. I think we have to brace for an unremarkable season around .500. We will be better but it may not show in more Ws.
 
While we’ve made offers to some excellent high school players—it is extremely tough to match the NIL being offered by other schools who are also in the mix. I’m personally aware of several such situations where the numbers are mind numbing. The BIGXII Invite is critical (I would say existential) to our ability to compete. In the meantime I trust Mora to use the portal to keep us competitive and suggest we all pray hard for the invite.
 
I agree it is not a bowl you over transfer recruiting class on the surface but it is what we would/should expect - A mix of P5 back up players who are dropping down for more playing time, etc., a few lateral G5 guys and a few FCS/JUCO guys trying to move up. I don't think us landing a Drew Pyne type player was ever really realistic. But 9 of the 17 are transferring from P5 schools. So not bowl you over but a pretty solid mix.

Now let's see how well these guys fit into the culture and team Mora and his staff have built. The proof will be on the field.

I will also add, it can't be dismissed how few players we lost in the portal. Really only Carter and maybe Turner/Marion were impact losses. The day following the Myrtle Beach Bowl, we had several conversations during breakfast at the hotel with Marshall fans and the consensus was that there was no way in heck we were going to keep Rosa from heading to the portal. They were all blown away by him and kept calling him the next Christian McCaffrey.
 
giddyup said:
It’s a bit disappointing on the surface, but you have to trust the eval. You dig out of a massive hole step by step. I think we have to brace for an unremarkable season around .500. We will be better but it may not show in more Ws.
Expand ...
That's all I said. And I fully agree (as I've said before) that I expect to be better this year even if it doesn't show up in more wins.
 
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Nostical said:
While we’ve made offers to some excellent high school players—it is extremely tough to match the NIL being offered by other schools who are also in the mix. I’m personally aware of several such situations where the numbers are mind numbing. The BIGXII Invite is critical (I would say existential) to our ability to compete. In the meantime I trust Mora to use the portal to keep us competitive and suggest we all pray hard for the invite.
Expand ...
This is an honest question, I know tone does not carry well into typing. Given that the NIL is basically alumni giving money to kids and appears to have sort of deviated from solely advertising and exposure type things, do you think the NIL is going to be a ton different in the BIG 12. I get the university would be able to give the kids the 6k a year and stuff, but it is my understanding that the rest is basically boosters funding it, so I am confused as to if that would change much and wonder if and why you think so.
 
Marbles90 said:
I agree it is not a bowl you over transfer recruiting class on the surface but it is what we would/should expect - A mix of P5 back up players who are dropping down for more playing time, etc., a few lateral G5 guys and a few FCS/JUCO guys trying to move up. I don't think us landing a Drew Pyne type player was ever really realistic. But 9 of the 17 are transferring from P5 schools. So not bowl you over but a pretty solid mix.

Now let's see how well these guys fit into the culture and team Mora and his staff have built. The proof will be on the field.

I will also add, it can't be dismissed how few players we lost in the portal. Really only Carter and maybe Turner/Marion were impact losses. The day following the Myrtle Beach Bowl, we had several conversations during breakfast at the hotel with Marshall fans and the consensus was that there was no way in heck we were going to keep Rosa from heading to the portal. They were all blown away by him and kept calling him the next Christian McCaffrey.
Expand ...
No one was blown away by the basketball team signing Joey Calcaterra and now he’s a player fans will remember forever. Hopefully one of these guys has that impact!
 
Dizzy21 said:
This is an honest question, I know tone does not carry well into typing. Given that the NIL is basically alumni giving money to kids and appears to have sort of deviated from solely advertising and exposure type things, do you think the NIL is going to be a ton different in the BIG 12. I get the university would be able to give the kids the 6k a year and stuff, but it is my understanding that the rest is basically boosters funding it, so I am confused as to if that would change much and wonder if and why you think so.
Expand ...
None of us will likely ever know. Let's have some of our insiders provide an idea what a typical P5 starter warrants in $ to secure him as a recruit or keep him as a player and we might have a clue.
Right now we just have to wait for our own "oil men" to ante up and hope the NCAA puts a lid on the buying and selling for reasons other than the players' actual NIL value.
 
huskymedic said:
2023 UConn Commits Breakdown
  1. Jarvis Jones (WR/ATH) - West Orange High School, West Orange New Jersey (UConn Commit 6/18/22)
  2. Brandon Kelley (DL) - Owen J. Roberts High School, Pottstown, PA (UConn Commit 6/19/22)
  3. Toriyan Johnson (OL/DL) - Proctor Academy, Andover New Hampshire (UConn Commit 6/19/22)
  4. Cleto Chol (DL/LB/WR/TE) - Proctor Academy, Andover, New Hampshire (UConn Commit 6/20/22)
  5. Tucker McDonald (QB) - Wachusett Regional High School, Holden MA (UConn Commit 6/23/22)
  6. Jackson Harper (WR/DB) - Avon Old Farms School, Avon CT (UConn Commi 6/23/22)
  7. Carsten Casady (OL/DL) - Rolesville High School, Rolesville North Carolina (UConn Commit 6/24/22)
  8. Cameron Chadwick (DB/WR) - Immaculate High School, Somerville New Jersey (UConn Commit 7/1/22)
  9. Christopher Hudson (DB/RB) - St. Thomas More School, Oakdale CT (UConn Commit 7/4/22)
  10. Toluwanimi Tunde (DL/OL) - Canada Prep Academy, St. Catharines Ontario Canada (UConn Commit 7/4/22)
  11. Zack Drawdy Jr. (WR/RB/QB/ATH) - Yulee High School, Yulee Florida (UConn Commit 7/21/22)
  12. Seth Turner (K/P) - Great Valley High School, Malvern PA (UConn Commit 11/15/22) (PWO)
  13. Teddy Williams (WR/LB/ATH) - Portland CT > Salisbury School, Salisbury CT (UConn Commit 12/13/22) (PWO)
  14. Zakhari Spears (DB) - Los Angeles California > University of Washington (UConn Commit 12/14/22) (Transfer Portal)
  15. Eriq Gilyard (LB) - Jacksonville Florida > UCF > Kansas (UConn Commit 12/16/22) (Transfer Portal)
  16. Oumar Diomande (LB/RB) - J.F. Kennedy Campus High School, Bronx New York (UConn Commit 12/20/22)
  17. Nader Chirchi (TE/OL/DL) - Thomas Edison High School, Alexandria Virginia (UConn Commit 12/21/22)
  18. Louis Hansen (TE) - Dover MA > University of Michigan (UConn Commit 12/26/22) (Transfer Portal)
  19. Mumu Bin-Wahad (DB) - Loganville Georgia > West Virginia University (UConn Commit 1/5/23) (Transfer Portal)
  20. Noah Plack-Tallerico (DB/LB) - Bridgeville, PA > Delaware (UConn Commit 1/12/23) (Transfer Portal)
  21. Joseph Fagnano (QB) - Williamsport PA > University of Maine (UConn Commit 1/12/23) (Transfer Portal)
  22. Jalen Mitchell (RB) - Rockledge Florida > Louisville (UConn Commit 1/26/23) (Transfer Portal)
  23. John Neider (QB/ATH) - Jonathan Law High School, Milford CT (UConn Commit 1/27/23) (PWO)
  24. Amir Renwick (DB) -Baltimore Maryland > Coffeyville Community College, Coffeyville Kansas (UConn Commit 2/1/23) (JUCO)
  25. Frank Daniley (RB/LB) - New Haven CT > New Hampton School, New Hampton New Hampshire (UConn Commit 2/1/23) (PWO)
  26. Geordon Porter (WR) - Rancho Cucamonga, California > University of New Mexico (UConn Commit 2/1/23) (Transfer Portal)
  27. Danny Shaban (Off/Def ATH) - Joel Barlow High School, Redding CT (UConn Commit 2/1/23) (PWO)
  28. Cody Smith (DL/TE) - Shenendehowa High School, Clifton Park New York. (UConn Commit 2/1/23) (PWO)
  29. Howard Simpson (LB) - Bloomfield High School, Bloomfield CT (UConn Commit 2/1/23) (PWO)
  30. Zack Madison (WR/DB) - Northern Highlands High School, Allendale New Jersey (UConn Commit 2/1/23) (PWO)
  31. Chase Fountain (DB/WR/ATH) - Conard H.S. (CT) > Kingswood Oxford School, West Hartford CT (UConn Commit 2/1/23) (PWO Offer)
  32. Mark Sokk (LB/WR) - Newtown High School, Newtown, CT (PWO Offer)
  33. Hayden Pegg (LB/DB) - Malvern Prep, Malvern PA (UConn Commit 3/13/23)
  34. Jake Kiernan (OL) - Greenwich High School, Greenwich CT (UConn Commit 3/13/23) (PWO Offer)
  35. Austin Sullivan (LS) - Port Jervis NY > Penn State > Minnesota (UConn Commit 4/1/23) (Transfer Portal)
  36. Armauni Archer (DB) - Vallejo CA > Washington State University (UConn Commit 4/15/23) (Transfer Portal)
  37. Carter Boskovich (DB) - Mission Viejo High School, Mission Viejo, CA (UConn Commit 4/21/23)
  38. Torion White (DB) - Long Beach, California > Southern Utah Univ. (UConn Commit 5/2/23) (Transfer Portal)
  39. Brady Fodor (DL/OL) - Newtown High School, Newtown CT (UConn Commit 5/4/24) (PWO)
  40. Brett Buckman (WR) - Park Ridge, New Jersey > University of Delaware (UConn Commit 5/13/23) (Transfer Portal) (Mora)
  41. Alexander Honig (TE) - Bavaria Germany > TCU. (UConn Commit 5/13/23) (Transfer Portal)
  42. Raashaan Wilkins (DL) - Chicago Illinois > University of Illinois (UConn Commit 5/19/23) (Transfer Portal)
  43. Bryan Domino (WR) - Fort Bend Christian Academy, Sugar Land Texas (UConn Commit 5/22/22) (?PWO)
  44. James Burns (WR) Charlotte N.C.> Miami University > Austin Peay University (UConn Commit 6/3/23) (Transfer Portal)
  45. Maurice Wilmer II (LB) - Mountain View California > Nevada (UConn Commit 6/11/23) (Transfer Portal)
  46. Davon Hicks (LB) - Vero Beach Florida > USF (UConn Commit 4/27/23 > Decommitted & Committed Washington State 5/18/23) (Transfer Portal)
Expand ...
I know some of these are PWOs but the sheer number of newcomers speaks to what is possible in this era of the transfer portal. Transformation of complete rosters has never been able to happen quicker. Gone are the days of coaches thinking they can announce 4 year rebuilds at their press comference. The patience just isn't gonna be there if the early results are abysmal.
 
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businesslawyer said:
I hope it’s continuous improvement but let’s be honest — as a group, those aren’t compelling resumes. I know they’re upperclassmen and physically different than recruiting freshmen, but are any of them nearly as likely to really be important players over time as bringing in young ‘ups and seeing what you can turn them into?

Mora has earned our, and my trust, but that doesn’t mean I have to pretend that every press release brings important good news, does it?
Expand ...
Exactly my reaction. The jury is out. 2023 could be a regression year as easily as a progression year. It could go either way.
 
RSTuthill said:
Exactly my reaction. The jury is out. 2023 could be a regression year as easily as a progression year. It could go either way.
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I feel like BC, Rice, and GA State are the make or break games. If we can beat these G5s/low P5s consistently - that’s a pretty damn good argument for an upgrade to P5.
 
RSTuthill said:
Exactly my reaction. The jury is out. 2023 could be a regression year as easily as a progression year. It could go either way.
Expand ...
Definitely the jury is still out. I want, hell I think we all want, a much improved passing offense. Even with UConn looking bigger, faster, and more physically imposing according to some here who have seen practices or know people that have seen practices, the improvement will hit a rock hard limited ceiling if the passing offense doesn't improve. UConn was at the bottom of most passing metrics.

I don't care who the QB is, even if it's Zion Turner, the passing offense has to improve.
 
Eh, production is production. If the team is built to run, do it and do it well. I don’t recall Moreheads offense here being high flying. Yes I know, blame it on RE but really the team probably didn’t have the right personnel.
 
I figure we are better with all these guys than without.
 
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Points about the passing game are well taken. On a crisp but mild autumn Saturday, having a 50-50 attack would be ideal. One opens up the other and vice versa. Now, on a sub freezing field with perhaps flurries in the air and a 20 mph wind, that is a different story.
 
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businesslawyer said:
I’m sure Mora is trying to make us better, and I’m not trying to be negative as much as grounded in reality. He had a great first year here, but he accomplished it mostly with with inherited talent. That’s not a bad thing — it’s a good thing. But have I been bowled over by our recruiting? No. And I fail to see why I have to pretend that I am when there is no data to support it.

If he keeps making us better without me seeing that we’re improving our recruiting, that’s fine too. Recruiting is a means to an end. I just will never buy in to the “if you’re a team everything that it does is great and if you’re not everything is terrible” camp.
Expand ...
You never know with recruits - who pans out, who doesn’t. I would quibble with the inherited talent reference, however. Look at last years class and you’ll see we had 12-15 guys starting or part of a rotation playing a lot of minutes.
 
ShakyTheMohel said:
So what is that....2 games a year?

This team desperately needs to develop a passing offense. MAC teams can do it in bad weather....so can UConn.
Expand ...
Passing attacks should have been developed a long time ago. It is the first thing that should be done in general. Why is this not given the attention and time?
 
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