Interesting Stuff from Fat White Guy on Diaco and Alumni Relations

[JMick]

Martin was replaced by Pasqualoni with Todd Devers...he hadn't worked with the football program since Edsall left. He was still in charge of the S&C program but had no contact with the football team.

i don't think that's true

 

[Carl Spackler]

Pasqualoni brought in his guy for the football program, Martin stayed on at the school. He didn't only work with the football program. Pasqualoni's guy was eventually fired, and Martin took over again, and then Diaco didn't retain him and brought Balis in to run everything. All the while Martin had been battling cancer and not told a soul.

His energy levels had to have been going down, and the coaches - rightly so - had to have sensed it.

Regardless.

None of this changes the fact that Diaco is a completely out of touch with reality on the sidelines of a football game.

 

[FDNY99]

i don't think that's true

Well if you don't think that's true then Jerry Martin suddenly forgot how to train football players because the S&C numbers became extremely pathetic in less than 3 seasons. No way Jerry Martin trained linemen put up bench numbers that were put up in the pro day by Bennett and Greene
NFL Hopefuls At UConn Pro Day In Storrs

 

[huskymedic]

Martin was replaced by Pasqualoni with Todd Devers...he hadn't worked with the football program since Edsall left. He was still in charge of the S&C program but had no contact with the football team.

i don't think that's true

Pasqualoni brought in his guy for the football program, Martin stayed on at the school. He didn't only work with the football program

2011 under Pasqualoni:

Jerry Martin Strength and Conditioning Coordinator Jerry Martin is in his 22nd year at the University of Connecticut. He coordinates workout activities for all of UConn’s 24 varsity teams, including the immediate direction of the strength and conditioning program for the Husky football team.

Todd Devers Assistant Strength and Conditioning Coordinator Todd Devers, who was a member of the Dallas Cowboys strength and conditioning staff from 2007- 2011, is in his first year as the Assistant Strength and Conditioning Coach at the University of Connecticut with primary responsibilities of working with the football team.

 

[uconnkelly]

From Jim Fuller, January 11, 2014:

Saturday, January 11, 2014

Martin's departure from UConn raises some eyebrows

It was a given that new football coach Bob Diaco was going to do a little housecleaning after being hired to breathe some life into the program.

Offensive line coach Mike Foley was the only assistant coach retained. Diaco also brought in a Player Personnel Director (Michael Painter) and will be hiring a Director of Football Operations. Nobody's departure has generated more backlash and reaction than the firing of Strength and Conditioning coach Jerry Martin. Former players have taken to social media to express their shock at seeing Martin, an award-winning strength coach, sent packing after 24 years.

 

[ktuck911]

Yeah I'm pretty disappointed to hear he basically shut down alumni involvement. He obviously thought he could start tradition here from scratch. What a dope.

This makes absolute ZERO sense. Straps us of out identity completely which means what we ever accomplished at the FBS level is non-existent to the powers that be. so, basically F@!K the fanbase and alumni. It was a corporate takeover all along. Welcome to the real Connecticut. Always business never personal.

They got it wrong. big time.

 

[FDNY99]

From Jim Fuller, January 11, 2014:

Saturday, January 11, 2014

Martin's departure from UConn raises some eyebrows

It was a given that new football coach Bob Diaco was going to do a little housecleaning after being hired to breathe some life into the program.

Offensive line coach Mike Foley was the only assistant coach retained. Diaco also brought in a Player Personnel Director (Michael Painter) and will be hiring a Director of Football Operations. Nobody's departure has generated more backlash and reaction than the firing of Strength and Conditioning coach Jerry Martin. Former players have taken to social media to express their shock at seeing Martin, an award-winning strength coach, sent packing after 24 years.

The guys I know that played there never realized Pasqualoni had him stop working with the team until one inquired with Warde after he was let go. When they looked back and realized how bad S&C numbers had dropped like in article I linked above that's when they put 2 and 2 together. Not that it was any better in how it happened. I'm just telling you what I hear from 5 alumni nothing more.

 

[FDNY99]

This makes absolute ZERO sense. Straps us of out identity completely which means what we ever accomplished at the FBS level is non-existent to the powers that be. so, basically F@!K the fanbase and alumni. It was a corporate takeover all along. Welcome to the real Connecticut. Always business never personal.

They got it wrong. big time.

Ktuck he has reached out to the alumni...actually does it as much as Edsall did. See my above posts. I'm just putting info out that I know first hand from 5 alumni.

 

[jackl]

Yea I mean it is a pretty ridiculous proposition but the fact that our NFL alums are joking about buying out Bobby speaks volumes.

God imagine that headline? "UConn Alumni Buy-Out Bob Diaco"

What about "Football Alumni and UCONN Football Bone Yarders Help to buy out Diaco". I didn't get season tickets this year after 13 years in a row but I would donate to this cause. I am tired of reading this negativity crap on the Boneyard.

 

[SonsOfNutmeg]

But we don't have any tradition, according to Bob.

Just like we can't throw the ball, can't put up big scores, can't play tighter coverage, can't get elite athletes, can't get faster players.

In Bob Diaco's mind, its always about what UConn can't do.

That's true... we had a kid who should have been a FB at NC State at QB, and a fake "rivalry" with a school we only played twice and who didn't even want to be a part of it... What a mess.

 

[BlueandOG]

God imagine that headline? "UConn Alumni Buy-Out Bob Diaco"

I love it enough to commit $. I'm not wealthy, but I'd throw $1K toward the solution.

 

[Pudge]

I have a good friend who played during early Edsall years and from everything I have heard and seen, Coach Diaco reached out to alumni from those years, so I am a little surprised at Lunn's take.

I have Football Alumni friends from the late 70s and early 80s that also feel very welcome. (but probably don't come to games if the losses start piling up)

And ... I guess the interim through PP to Diaco adds to the resentment of the EDSALL kids because, truly, they took ownership of building a structure and won PLUS had a fanbase thriving.

And to dispute whaler11, I see Diaco's staff as highly experienced. Look one by one (as I have done) at the AAC peer coaching staffs. We have FAR more guys who have had major P5 jobs and top college coaching experience. The Wolthausen, Lineburg, Cummings, Verducci, Poindexter, Brown types shouldn't be Diaco guys. They are vets in this business. All simply disappointing. I do think this is all on Bob: who else have I ever seen not let a kid return punts.

 

[Excalibur]

i don't think that's true

I can confirm that it is.

 

[ktuck911]

Ktuck he has reached out to the alumni...actually does it as much as Edsall did. See my above posts. I'm just putting info out that I know first hand from 5 alumni.

I think one of his problems is totally changing the program's culture though. I get that he's invited former players back ; HOWEVER, where he clearly lacks is his ability to personally reach out to cornerstone former players not under his watch. Sit down meet with them get an idea of what was a part of our successes as a football program for over a century, particularly, during our FBS era. When you're given a $1.7 mil Head coaching gig and have never coached at that level before you'd think some intense behind the scenes research about the program . Quite honestly does anybody here think he's done that? Not me. Seems more like he just came in and imposeday his will. Leaning on some sort of understanding of UConn football's culture fromy past players who have had and/or continues to have success can't hurt. it'd only enhance the brotherhood, comradery, effort, and desire to execute (which should be perfected in practice BEFORE a rral gsme is played) and win.

 

[FDNY99]

I think one of his problems is totally changing the program's culture though. I get that he's invited former players back ; HOWEVER, where he clearly lacks is his ability to personally reach out to cornerstone former players not under his watch. Sit down meet with them get an idea of what was a part of our successes as a football program for over a century, particularly, during our FBS era. When you're given a $1.7 mil Head coaching gig and have never coached at that level before you'd think some intense behind the scenes research about the program . Quite honestly does anybody here think he's done that? Not me. Seems more like he just came in and imposeday his will. Leaning on some sort of understanding of UConn football's culture fromy past players who have had and/or continues to have success can't hurt. it'd only enhance the brotherhood, comradery, effort, and desire to execute (which should be perfected in practice BEFORE a rral gsme is played) and win.

I'm not going to totally disagree with you BUT P ran these guys off as well as destroyed the program. I know for a fact that he did tell the kids on the team tat what they have facilities wise was bought and paid for by the former players...he did this at a practice where he invited any former players to attend. Replacing Martin with Balis didn't earn Diaco any favors with them..yet if P hadn't run them off they would have realized that Martin had been replaced by P as the main S&C coordinator. This is just a gigantic dumpster fire that Benedict probably didn't realize he was getting. I have faith that he and Beth Goetz will get this thing fixed.

 

[huskymedic]

Sit down meet with them get an idea of what was a part of our successes as a football program for over a century, particularly, during our FBS era... Quite honestly does anybody here think he's done that? Not me

I do K and I also know that discussions as you describe have occurred. I can't tell you how many people he has spoken one on one w/ in three years, but what you don't believe to have occurred, has occurred (at least in my limited direct knowledge). Relationship building is a two way street. He's got a ton of quirks (and strange ways of saying things) and I'm sure that there are players who he has turned off or not connected with on a level they think they deserve (just as Randy and Pasqualoni turned players off the past off). Don't forget he has had Andy Blalock to help build bridges where needed. I'm w/ Fishy, while important, the least of concerns at this point.

 

[Sprague03]

I do K and I also know that discussions as you describe have occurred. I can't tell you how many people he has spoken one on one w/ in three years, but what you don't believe to have occurred, has occurred (at least in my limited direct knowledge). Relationship building is a two way street. He's got a ton of quirks (and strange ways of saying things) and I'm sure that there are players who he has turned off or not connected with on a level they think they deserve (just as Randy and Pasqualoni turned players off the past off). Don't forget he has had Andy Blalock to help build bridges where needed. I'm w/ Fishy, while important, the least of concerns at this point.

Andru Creighton who helps Diaco with admin stuff also posts pictures with former UConn players and tweets to them all the time.