'It has immense resources to offer as a state’s flagship school

[ruskin]

Muncie, Ind. paper describing UConn as it assesses Lembo's options. They see Wake Forest as his 'strongest fit'.

Nice to see that is the view from elsewhere. Wish there was more of it here.

http://www.thestarpress.com/article.../Cardinals-waiting-see-big-schools-seek-Lembo

 

[ZooCougar]

Like the comment, but I am just not feeling it with this guy. I like Narduzzi and Ambrose better.

 

[metsfan2323]

Damn Wake Forest.

There are rumblings the SMU job may open up as well but they would probably draw from a different candidate pool.

 

[Jimmy Serrano]

Damn Wake Forest.

There are rumblings the SMU job may open up as well but they would probably draw from a different candidate pool.

Where is Jones rumored to be going?

 

[metsfan2323]

Where is Jones rumored to be going?

It didn't say. I can't remember where I read it yesterday, but there are rumors that he may not be happy there and the SMU people may not be happy with him. Nothing has been substantiated but it wouldn't surprise me.

 

[J187Money]

Muncie, Ind. paper describing UConn as it assesses Lembo's options. They see Wake Forest as his 'strongest fit'.

Nice to see that is the view from elsewhere. Wish there was more of it here.

http://www.thestarpress.com/article.../Cardinals-waiting-see-big-schools-seek-Lembo

Nobody here has disputed that. Yes, we are a big school with lots of resources and great facilities. We are also competing against other schools with better conferences / better history / better reputation / better fanbases / competitive pay packages. Is that not true? Nobody here thinks that UCONN is a terrible job, but it is a rebuilding job, and one where nobody is sure where the ceiling is and a fanbase that is pretty fickle and new to the game. The job doesn't sell itself. It just doesn't.

 

[gioff23]

Lembo's an intereesting guy - takes kids another guy recruited and coached, gets them playing incredibly well, and then trails off, albeit slowly. Never stays around long enough to know if he can build a program with his kids. A winner no doubt, but his wins trend down and I wonder if he is a good long-term bet - here or anywhere.

 

[gioff23]

Nobody here has disputed that. Yes, we are a big school with lots of resources and great facilities. We are also competing against other schools with better conferences / better history / better reputation / better fanbases / competitive pay packages. Is that not true? Nobody here thinks that UCONN is a terrible job, but it is a rebuilding job, and one where nobody is sure where the ceiling is and a fanbase that is pretty fickle and new to the game. The job doesn't sell itself. It just doesn't.

Generally agree, although I think the biggest detractor you missed is that this is a hard place to recruit from - not a deep pool of natural talent locally to pick from, so you need to build bases in other folks backyards (Mass., NY, NJ, MD, FL). That was hard when we were a BCS school; it just got a lot harder.

 

[J187Money]

Generally agree, although I think the biggest detractor you missed is that this is a hard place to recruit from - not a deep pool of natural talent locally to pick from, so you need to build bases in other folks backyards (Mass., NY, NJ, MD, FL). That was hard when we were a BCS school; it just got a lot harder.

I typed it, and deleted it, because I'll be honest I know less about that aspect than most here and there are other regions that are tough also. But I feel like that's the truth...

 

[Dooley]

I am all in on Narduzzi or Lembo. Ambrose is a really tough sell for me. I remember HATING him as our OC and am not overly impressed with his rumored off the field antics. I can't wait until post-game Saturday…I'd like to see what coaches get axed over the weekend and what way the trends are pointing towards for UCONN.

 

[ruskin]

Nobody here has disputed that. Yes, we are a big school with lots of resources and great facilities. We are also competing against other schools with better conferences / better history / better reputation / better fanbases / competitive pay packages. Is that not true? Nobody here thinks that UCONN is a terrible job, but it is a rebuilding job, and one where nobody is sure where the ceiling is and a fanbase that is pretty fickle and new to the game. The job doesn't sell itself. It just doesn't.

Some valid points here, especially the "job doesn't sell itself". Which is where Manuel and Herbst come in. After you get past the elite top 10-15 jobs UConn should be able to play with the Wakes, etc., in the second tier conference issues be damned, IMO. Edsall was only scratching the surface of the ceiling. The right guy can raise it higher.

 

[Duncan Idaho]

Like the comment, but I am just not feeling it with this guy. I like Narduzzi and Ambrose better.

Don't know about Ambrose, Wisky, he turned things around with a lot transfers, many from BCS teams. Read an article where he was contacted by 27 players from higher level programs one year and then cherry picked for his specific needs. He did seem to be well thought of. Would that avenue to success work here?

 

[J187Money]

Don't know about Ambrose, Wisky, he turned things around with a lot transfers, many from BCS teams. Read an article where he was contacted by 27 players from higher level programs one year and then cherry picked for his specific needs. He did seem to be well thought of. Would that avenue to success work here?

He can coach the talent if he has it. Can he recruit it? No idea. I would imagine it is the same at all of the top FCS schools. Can't hold it against him. You would do the same.

 

[ZooCougar]

Don't know about Ambrose, Wisky, he turned things around with a lot transfers, many from BCS teams. Read an article where he was contacted by 27 players from higher level programs one year and then cherry picked for his specific needs. He did seem to be well thought of. Would that avenue to success work here?

Not sure that is the one trick in his bag. You guys are assuming that it is. I think he was just being smart.

 

[SonsOfNutmeg]

It didn't say. I can't remember where I read it yesterday, but there are rumors that he may not be happy there and the SMU people may not be happy with him. Nothing has been substantiated but it wouldn't surprise me.

I think he's headed back to Hawaii... They want Chow out of there, and June Jones was loved in Hilo. If I were a coach at his age, I'd want to head there too. .500 seasons are ok if your a Hawaii fan, and the weathers always great!

 

[Nostical]

Hawaii...the weathers always great!

That's what makes it boring.

 

[UConnJim]

Generally agree, although I think the biggest detractor you missed is that this is a hard place to recruit from - not a deep pool of natural talent locally to pick from, so you need to build bases in other folks backyards (Mass., NY, NJ, MD, FL). That was hard when we were a BCS school; it just got a lot harder.

I don't think anything has changed with recruiting. UConn never had "highly rated" recruiting classes. The main reason? Players from the Northeast don't play as much football and aren't highly developed in high school. To succeed at UConn as a coach, you need to develop players.

If you win, players will come. Don't forget, UConn will play teams in 4 of the top 5 states for recruits: Pennsylvania, Ohio, Florida, and Texas.

And, there is a big advantage to being a flagship state university. Our facilities are better than BC, Syracuse, Temple, Rutgers, ...

 

[J187Money]

One other thing I will add. I don't know how coaches generally feel about each other, but they spend most of the time managing their own programs and watching film of opponents. And they always seem to have a lot of respect for other coaches.

If the prevailing wisdom is "Wow. P and GDL were great coaches. They couldn't get it going up there. Maybe it will be harder than you think."

Edsall bailed and the next guys f-d it up. We know what happened but I'm sure that P at least is well respected out there.

The sales job is pretty important. WM, SH and Parker need to be on their game.

 

[Waquoit]

If the prevailing wisdom is "Wow. P and GDL were great coaches. They couldn't get it going up there. Maybe it will be harder than you think."

Edsall bailed and the next guys f-d it up. We know what happened but I'm sure that P at least is well respected out there.

I don't know about that. At the time of the hire it seemed that the "prevailing wisdom" was that UConn was not serious about football because they just brought in a couple of washed-up, old hacks.

 

[gars44]

Lembo's an intereesting guy - takes kids another guy recruited and coached, gets them playing incredibly well, and then trails off, albeit slowly. Never stays around long enough to know if he can build a program with his kids. A winner no doubt, but his wins trend down and I wonder if he is a good long-term bet - here or anywhere.

There is no "long-term" here. This isn't USC. We are now 2003 Louisville, or Cincinnati. Coaches will come and go. If Lembo is as you say, he fits the job description perfectly. In fact, there are very few programs lucky enough to have a long term program builder.

 

[whaler11]

I think the underrated challenge with the job is the expectations of the fanbase. It's certainly a job with a lot of potential but when you've got almost no natural recruiting grounds, locally have to compete with Big 10 and ACC programs for players and very little tradition to sell - the definition of short and medium term success needs to be calibrated correctly.

Winning 7-8 games a year consistently and growing from there is success. Expecting anyone to make UConn nationally relevant in the near term is ridiculous.

 

[EdgewoodNHV]

I don't know about that. At the time of the hire it seemed that the "prevailing wisdom" was that UConn was not serious about football because they just brought in a couple of washed-up, old hacks.

I'm not entirely sure how anybody knows what "the prevailing wisdom" is. It seems to me that, like this message board, there are probably a thousand divergent opinions out there.

 

[ruskin]

I don't know about that. At the time of the hire it seemed that the "prevailing wisdom" was that UConn was not serious about football because they just brought in a couple of washed-up, old hacks.

This is 1,000,000 percent correct. That's why this hire has to send a message in the same way Cincy did last year with Tuberville. Unfair to Ambrose and those of their ilk but thats why this hire has to be the Lembo-Narduzzi league. Only diff from Cincy is big preference for someone not on the career back nine.

 

[freescooter]

I think to a large extent you guys are undervaluing this job. It isn't USC but if you look at what it brings to the table it is pretty damned good. Facilities are among the top 10 in the country. Fan base is not bad and even in a bad year our worst attended game will be better than a typical game at most AAC, MAC and Sunbelt schools and if the new coach starts to turn the corner, 35,000 will be standard, with a few sell outs for important or big games. And while there are expectations, the fans won't shoot your dog or picket your house if you don't win. And this is an athletic Department that has historically been very supportive of its coaches and given them what they need to succeed. You don't win national championships in multiple sports without that. Just since 2000 UConn has won national championships in mens and womens basketball, mens soccer, and now field hockey and has produced multiple Olympians in track and field and swimming. This has been a very supportive athletic department and university for athletics and that makes it a pretty attractive place for a coach.

 

[J187Money]

I'm not entirely sure how anybody knows what "the prevailing wisdom" is. It seems to me that, like this message board, there are probably a thousand divergent opinions out there.

Right. What the BY thinks prevailing wisdom is and what it actually is are probably very different.