Is it possible....

[huskyrob1]

....that Benedict, Herbst and company secure the services of a new coach behind closed doors after next Saturday, but don't officially fire Disastro until January? Just wondering, as are prospective recruits. Legal or breach of contract ramifications?

 

[politics]

I saw the title of this thread and my first thought was

"Diaco is intentionally tanking to get the 5 million"

C'mon guys. Diaco gets fired by next Sunday or he's coming back. You think he's damaged the program already? Think of what he could do sitting at that desk for six weeks knowing he's gone Jan. 1.

 

[noeynox]

Don't play games. If you don't believe in what the guy is selling, give him his money and send him on his way. At this point I cannot imagine how Sue Herbst and Dave Benedict think this guy coming back is going to do anything but erode what is left of the ticket base.

 

[UConnNick]

The choice here for the administration is really quite simple. You either act quickly and decisively to get rid of this albatross, sending a clear message to the entire fanbase, or you pussyfoot around leaving him in place until Jan and maybe even beyond, and watch the fans go into an open revolt meltdown against the entire athletic dept. and school administration. Choice 1 shows you're serious about the future viability of the athletics program at UCONN. Choice 2 shows you couldn't care less about athletics at UCONN. There's really no middle ground here. That was already tried when we switched offensive coordinators. I think we can all agree that was an abysmal failure.

 

[noeynox]

Well maybe choice 3 is the reality that we cannot afford the price tag of firing him.

 

[UConnDan97]

Choice 3 is you fire him on January 1, because there is no reason to cost the department an extra 1.5 million for not wanting to wait 5 weeks unless you absolutely have your next target ready to go.

Look for your next target and prepare for January, ala Maryland and Edsall...

 

[huskyrob1]

I saw the title of this thread and my first thought was

"Diaco is intentionally tanking to get the 5 million"

C'mon guys. Diaco gets fired by next Sunday or he's coming back. You think he's damaged the program already? Think of what he could do sitting at that desk for six weeks knowing he's gone Jan. 1.

Unless he's absolutely crazy, I can't see him burning any bridges, that would hurt him big time as a future hire. I think he just tries to secure a new job as a DC somewhere, then collects his severance in January.

 

[Uconnalliance]

....that Benedict, Herbst and company secure the services of a new coach behind closed doors after next Saturday, but don't officially fire Disastro until January? Just wondering, as are prospective recruits. Legal or breach of contract ramifications?

Or their thinking about what's realistic moving down to the FCS

 

[SubbaBub]

....that Benedict, Herbst and company secure the services of a new coach behind closed doors after next Saturday, but don't officially fire Disastro until January? Just wondering, as are prospective recruits. Legal or breach of contract ramifications?

This is how it should be done. Problem is that it is hard to keep quiet. Letting the current coach go (or even having it known) early is a problem for recruiting where we already have problems. The next guy can't go 2-10 in year one, he has to make a bowl game with the talent at hand. That might not be fair, but it's what the program needs desperately. Now at 7 losing seasons in a row and counting. If we ever want to get back to respectability we need the PP/Diaco stink to go away quickly.

It would be a feather in Benedict's cap if he could pull this off without losing recruits. It's doubtful the new coach could expand the pool for the current class.

 

[coachcap]

If you are making a coaching change, you do it immediately, finances be damned. New coach has to solidify his staff, familiarize himself with the current roster, & get a start on recruiting his type of players in time for National Signing Day in early February. Time is of the essence. You don't waste it.

 

[businesslawyer]

This is how it should be done. Problem is that it is hard to keep quiet. Letting the current coach go (or even having it known) early is a problem for recruiting where we already have problems. The next guy can't go 2-10 in year one, he has to make a bowl game with the talent at hand. That might not be fair, but it's what the program needs desperately. Now at 7 losing seasons in a row and counting. If we ever want to get back to respectability we need the PP/Diaco stink to go away quickly.

It would be a feather in Benedict's cap if he could pull this off without losing recruits. It's doubtful the new coach could expand the pool for the current class.

I like this. All we have to do to have a winning season next year is to determine that "we need to?" That can't be too hard.

 

[noeynox]

I like this. All we have to do to have a winning season next year is to determine that "we need to?" That can't be too hard.

Most of us will settle from a shift out of reverse and into 1st gear. Diaco has been worse than P. He eked out that 6th win in year 2, which P never did but he is an unmitigated disaster. Back to back shutouts in year 3, where you're outscored 51-0, then take the podium and speak about the games being competitive?

Dude deserves what he is getting in the press and more.

 

[SonsOfNutmeg]

I'm all for change, and after Sunday I can honestly say that I'm 3/4 on the train to get rid of Diaco and start over... But here's the issue, besides the $5 million buy-out (which will be hard to find) who and how does UConn bring in another head coach with enough name regonition and excitment to re-engage the bewildered fanbase? Between the PP years and what has been a lack luster showing under Diaco, plus the lack of exciting home schedule, the fans have been falling off each season more and more. This is a REALLY tough spot for Benedict to be in for his first year here- especially when he had such high hopes for the FB program and Diaco w/ the extension.

 

[UConnDan97]

I'm all for change, and after Sunday I can honestly say that I'm 3/4 on the train to get rid of Diaco and start over... But here's the issue, besides the $5 million buy-out (which will be hard to find) who and how does UConn bring in another head coach with enough name regonition and excitment to re-engage the bewildered fanbase? Between the PP years and what has been a lack luster showing under Diaco, plus the lack of exciting home schedule, the fans have been falling off each season more and more. This is a REALLY tough spot for Benedict to be in for his first year here- especially when he had such high hopes for the FB program and Diaco w/ the extension.

It might be a tough spot for him, but he came from Auburn; a place where 9-4 would get you fired if you did it three times in a row.

He must be aware that he was brought in because he understands the importance of football to this AD. Let's hope he rises to the occasion...

 

[RioDog]

I'm all for change, and after Sunday I can honestly say that I'm 3/4 on the train to get rid of Diaco and start over... But here's the issue, besides the $5 million buy-out (which will be hard to find) who and how does UConn bring in another head coach with enough name regonition and excitment to re-engage the bewildered fanbase? Between the PP years and what has been a lack luster showing under Diaco, plus the lack of exciting home schedule, the fans have been falling off each season more and more. This is a REALLY tough spot for Benedict to be in for his first year here- especially when he had such high hopes for the FB program and Diaco w/ the extension.

High name-recognition would help interest in the short-term; simply winning will re-grow interest, just more slowly. Would be great to get the former; we may have to settle for the latter. An exciting spread-type offense wouldn't hurt.

 

[UConnDan97]

High name-recognition would help interest in the short-term; simply winning will re-grow interest, just more slowly. Would be great to get the former; we may have to settle for the latter. An exciting spread-type offense wouldn't hurt.

Trust me when I say this; it is not the big name coach or the style of offense that brings the fans back.

Want to sell out the Rent? start the year off with a 4-0 record. They will flock back to the stadium, trust me. We are just so thirsty to be relevant again! bring in the person who will quench that thirst, regardless of name recognition...

 

[RioDog]

Trust me when I say this; it is not the big name coach or the style of offense that brings the fans back.

Want to sell out the Rent? start the year off with a 4-0 record. They will flock back to the stadium, trust me. We are just so thirsty to be relevant again! bring in the person who will quench that thirst, regardless of name recognition...

I hear ya. TBH I like power run football. But clearly I'm in the minority. Winning is winning no matter what. I'd be happy either way, and you're right in saying the fans would show up.

 

[Chin Diesel]

I applaud Diaco's agent for negotiating a buyout date on January 1 vice December 1.

Think about it. If a school is buying out a coach, that means really poor onfield performance which means season is over at end of November. Firing a coach December 1 is easy, let's the school look for a new coach, etc.

Having a Jan 1 buyout brings in to play all the scenarios we are now going over.


Brilliant.

 

[ZooCougar]

Just inform him that he is fired as of 1 January, 2017 once the season is over.

 

[UConnNick]

Just inform him that he is fired as of 1 January, 2017 once the season is over.

Inform only him, or the whole world? You can't have him in place as a lame duck for a month. Recruits will likely know something is in the works anyway, so a public announcement on Jan 1 makes little sense. Lame ducks can't recruit. At this point, if I were a recruit, I wouldn't bank on this guy being there next season, so if you're going to pull the plug, you have to announce it to the world now, not later.

 

[mdkhusky]

Do any of you understand you cannot pull 5 million out of thin air