Is anyone else concerned?

[UConnDan97]

I think it's too early to know for sure with these guys. They very well could have camped and gotten P5 offers over the summer, but we won't know until we see them on the field given COVID. For perspective, I did crunch some numbers and a couple things stand out from the chart below:

• Rivals and 247 generally agree on how good or bad UConn classes have been in the past except...
• The Class of 2020 has a significant divergence between 247 and Rivals. Rivals says it is the best class since 2013, which culminated in a great 2015 season and a couple top players like Foley, Junior, Noel, and Stapleton. 247 says it is the worst class in the history of UConn's tenure in FBS.
• Recruiting took a nose dive as soon as they joined the AAC (probably a combo of losing BCS bowl access & head coach turnover).
• Diaco was an awful recruiter (not revelatory, but wow did he leave the cupboard bare for Edsall). At least Pasquolini continued to bring in good talent and Edsall has shown positive movement at least according to Rivals.

I'm giving Edsall the benefit of the doubt from a recruiting standpoint. As others have noted, his in game coaching is in the stone ages and he needs a really good QB (whether on the roster already or soon to be) to emerge and help break the mold.

I think the problem with the 247 stats is that they have yet to evaluate 4 of the 6 commits so far, listing them as N/A. Once they grade them, I'm sure we'll get more agreement on the numbers...

 

[Storrs South]

I think the problem with the 247 stats is that they have yet to evaluate 4 of the 6 commits so far, listing them as N/A. Once they grade them, I'm sure we'll get more agreement on the numbers...

I didn't include 2021 in the above. The divergence is related to the 2020 class of 25 guys that signed their LOIs in February. The only rationale I can think of for the disparity is UConn has dedicated Rivals staff and not any on 247. Also that once you get outside the 4 and 5 star players it's a bit of a crapshoot. But this has never happened in the past as 247 and Rivals have historically been in agreement with the quality of UConn's recruiting classes.

 

[Exit 4]

I didn't include 2021 in the above. The divergence is related to the 2020 class of 25 guys that signed their LOIs in February. The only rationale I can think of for the disparity is UConn has dedicated Rivals staff and not any on 247. Also that once you get outside the 4 and 5 star players it's a bit of a crapshoot. But this has never happened in the past as 247 and Rivals have historically been in agreement with the quality of UConn's recruiting classes.

I think the issue at 247 is grade inflation of other programs. They have dedicated writers for many teams and it seems those teams magically have better grade. I haven’t spent the time to field the empirical evidence but looking at the overly positive coverage for UMass football for example, which inexplicably has a writer, gives you a clue. 247 is busy giving love to its fan bases... therefore it’s accuracy and Integrity is limited. Rivals has a similar tilt (only natural) but less so.

 

[fgbrault]

I will be ecstatic if UConn could match Navy's record of last season and feel very good if they could match Army's. If their good enough for Navy or Army they are more than good enough for UConn; in its current state.

 

[Alum86]

Concerned? Yes Zoo. We were worst recruiting program in the AAC and it showed. Now? Yeah. Still bad at an Indy level but with a flashy new group of teams on our schedule. Without a flashy new coach, this i what it is. 10K at the Rent, and body bag games. Sucks.

 

[CL82]

Some of us know we're recruiting at the C-USA/Sun Belt/service academy level right now. Army did win games, however, and they play as an independent. This program is still in rebuild mode. What we need is a dynamic QB that can lead us to wins. And a coach who knows offense. Edsall probably has a leash of 2 years now to show improvement. Apart from that, we have plenty of resources to find another coach.

I don’t know about that Butch. Randy has it at most one year to “show improvement” and then improvement would need to be fairly substantial.

 

[huskysupporter]

Has another coach in FBS history been given as long a leash as randy has during this stretch? Like 5 years of horrendous football, 1 and 2 wins a season?

 

[billybud]

Has another coach in FBS history been given as long a leash as randy has during this stretch? Like 5 years of horrendous football, 1 and 2 wins a season?

It may be indicative of the importance, or lack thereof, of football. Would a basketball coach be retained after a comparable record?

 

[PAGS]

We should do nothing but offer all 4 and 5 star guys! I’m sure they’re waiting in line to come to UConn and ball!!!

 

[hardcorehusky]

Has another coach in FBS history been given as long a leash as randy has during this stretch? Like 5 years of horrendous football, 1 and 2 wins a season?

In the rebuilding years, yes. From the hole that PP and BD created - yes. Should we win more games - now yes.

 

[Chin Diesel]

Crud Monkees!!!

Another commit (Aaron Turner) with multiple BCS offers.

#Stillnotconcerned

 

[Duncan Idaho]

I didn't include 2021 in the above. The divergence is related to the 2020 class of 25 guys that signed their LOIs in February. The only rationale I can think of for the disparity is UConn has dedicated Rivals staff and not any on 247. Also that once you get outside the 4 and 5 star players it's a bit of a crapshoot. But this has never happened in the past as 247 and Rivals have historically been in agreement with the quality of UConn's recruiting classes.

I thought the rivals ranking was more due to the size of the class. The avg star rating was 2.17 which fairly low.

 

[freescooter]

Fair enough. UConn being as good as Navy consistently would be a hell of a thing.

Yeah that would suck.

 

[freescooter]

Crud Monkees!!!

Another commit (Aaron Turner) with multiple BCS offers.

#Stillnotconcerned

Yeah but no NFL offers so it doesn’t count

 

[freescooter]

It may be indicative of the importance, or lack thereof, of football. Would a basketball coach be retained after a comparable record?

I think we are in many ways following the original plan for building the program. The independent route has kind of allowed us to follow that model. If you look at the 2002 schedule it was heavy on MAC plus Florida Atlantic and Navy who was bad at that time plus mid level BCS BC, Iowa State and Georgia Tech and Lesser BCS Vandy and Temple. In many ways this season’s schedule is similar with MTSU Liberty Maine UMass Army Old Dominion then some mid level B10 and ACC and SEC We’ll see how it works out.

 

[Waquoit]

Crud Monkees!!!

Never heard this before but using my context clues I'm thinking this is a positive?

 

[HobokenHusky]

Crud Monkees!!!

Another commit (Aaron Turner) with multiple BCS offers.

#Stillnotconcerned

Multiple? I only see a Rutgers offer? I can’t say that a Rutgers offer and a Kansas offer for the other dude have it throbbing, but it’s certainly better than 0.

 

[ZooCougar]

Crud Monkees!!!

Another commit (Aaron Turner) with multiple BCS offers.

#Stillnotconcerned

less than 5 wins in 3 years. Predominantly FCS recruits. Not concerned? Then your are freaking stupid.

Oh that’s right. Those guys will have Clemson offers by October. Praise be to HCRE. All is well.

I predict 7 wins in the next 3 years.#uptick

But Edsall is good at assessing talent so we’ll likely have more NFL draft picks than wins.

Think about that that one for a second Low Octane.

 

[Stainmaster]

Damn Zoo. They really did you dirty here.

 

[Buffett10]

less than 5 wins in 3 years. Predominantly FCS recruits. Not concerned? Then your are freaking stupid.

Oh that’s right. Those guys will have Clemson offers by October. Praise be to HCRE. All is well.

I predict 7 wins in the next 3 years.#uptick

But Edsall is good at assessing talent so we’ll likely have more NFL draft picks than wins.

Think about that that one for a second Low Octane.

5 wins in 3 yrs and you want us to beat out "powerhouse" p5's for recruits. Guess you'll never be happy with recruiting or the program lol.

 

[Slick]

It would be impossible to undermine this program more than it already has been. I don't see any recruits being badmouthed. Recruits like this have always had a place here.

I don't think this discussion is damaging. Is there a place on the Internet where it's possible to have a frank discussion on the state of things?

Cougar is stuck in the zoo locked in a cage with a frisky monkey. No wonder he’s so uptight! Give him a break, even his wife can’t listen to him anymore!!

 

[billybud]

You guys are seeing that same glass of water...from different perspectives.

One sees Aaron T. as having "multiple BCS offers" (means FBS), while Zoo is seeing Aaron as having offers from Rutgers, and Hawaii.

It's really a measure of optimism vs pessimism.

 

[ZooCougar]

You guys are seeing that same glass of water...from different perspectives.

One sees Aaron T. as having "multiple BCS offers" (means FBS), while Zoo is seeing Aaron as having offers from Rutgers, and Hawaii.

It's really a measure of optimism vs pessimism.

I am just looking for good enough to improve where we are now. I am not convinced that we see that yet.

 

[UCSouth]

These guys seem like great young men. But there is a very clear trend there.

Yeah, smart and disciplined.

 

[Chin Diesel]

The goal post moving by Zoony has been breathtaking in this thread.

What started out as a post about lack of FBS offers from our recruits has switched in to wins in the past seasons.

This is a difficult topic. But it really needs to be discussed. About pretty much every recruit we are signing isn't clearly being recruited actively at FBS level. It's not a opinion, it's fact. Some of these guys aren't even holding offers from top FCS level programs.

less than 5 wins in 3 years. Predominantly FCS recruits. Not concerned? Then your are freaking stupid.

Oh that’s right. Those guys will have Clemson offers by October. Praise be to HCRE. All is well.

I predict 7 wins in the next 3 years.#uptick

But Edsall is good at assessing talent so we’ll likely have more NFL draft picks than wins.

Think about that that one for a second Low Octane.