I've never seen a team more overmatched. At any level. Ever.

[noeynox]

Jeff should have spent 7 years planning and positioning UConn for the next round of conference realignment after the first ACC raid. He did nothing. He is still the most responsible party, by a wide margin, for our current conference predicament.

Position us how? We were winning in bball and football. I get he sucked at fund raising. I just dont see how Warde or Benedict have performed even at his level of competence.

 

[noeynox]

UConn tried the hardest to keep the Big East together. Everyone involved for the last 20 years has been lost.

This is what I believe happened. In that regard Jeff was following orders of the hierarchy.

 

[hardcorehusky]

Sigh, let's look at UConn's shots at expansion one at a time:

1. For the Cuse and Pitt addition to the ACC the prime factor was ESPN's desire to destabilize the Old Big East and shore up a then shaky ACC. The original targets were Syracuse and UConn. BC was on the expansion committee and, effectively, black balled UConn because the (BC) wanted to be the only New England team in the ACC. That's documented. Defilippo bragged about it to Blauds while he was at the Boston Globe. It should be noted that Pitt was a plaintiff in the Big East suit with UConn.

2. For the Rutgers addition to the Big 10, RU was simply a better choice. It gave them entry to the NYC DMA (which would have as well) but NJ 9M people are more than CT's 3M. Add to that that RU was AAU and contiguous with PA and it becomes a clear choice.
We know that there are no lawsuit bad feelings here because, no one in the B1G was sued.

3. For the Louisville to the ACC, it is well documented that FSU resented the extent of Tobacco Road's sway in conference. The last addition was, in its view, basketball centered and it made it clear that the failure to go with a strong football school would make FSU consider leaving the conference. Clemson and our old friends BC backed this play. The rest of the conference prudently went along. Now here I feel like Warde and Herbst had a puncher's chance to change minds but they would have had to flown back to the States and worked their butts off. Would it have worked? Unlikely, but possible. Here, Herbst's relationships may have cost her but not in the way some people think. She relied on a Duke connection, who gave her the Tobacco Road view that UConn would be in. It end up being wrong because FSU's power play wasn't expected.

4. The Big 12 expansion probably failed with with the BYU homosexual policy scandal (d0n't ask, don't hold hands.) They were the big football school in that expansion. Once they became tainted, expansion was less attractive. That said under the Big 12 contract they could have added 2-4 schools and were guaranteed a media boost. (Methinks ESPN quietly reminded them of what happened to the Big East when they crossed ESPN. I say that tongue in cheek... sort of.)​

None of those needed Herbst's lack of social skills or people being butt hurt about the lawsuit for UConn to be eliminated.

Absolutely correct. Now add in the fact of what drove Randy out of town- the fact that JH micromanaged him and DID NOT help him with working with admissions to get recruits into the school that were academically not at par with the rest of the university. PP and I had a conversation about that one night and he rattled off a list of kids that wound up at Temple because UCONN admissions would not let them in. Look at the rise of Temple and our decline. This policy, set forth from SH, is the single most damning policy that affected our teams. Most great "football" universities allow certain recruits academic admission without the GPA and scores of the rest of the student body. It is incumbent upon the program and school to keep them academically eligible. Notre Dame has been the case and point for this for years- and was the main factor in their decline- (look up their record before Kelly came in).

Football is the sport most affected by the admissions requirements. SH wanted to turn UCONN into Duke, Stanford, Vanderbilt, etc. With enough money from the state, she almost pulled it off. The flip side was the decline of major sports in athletics. This also coincided with APR issues that occurred with the men's basketball program and the cocktail of conference realignment along with changed admission standards for the school and athletics programs put us into the tail spin we are trying to recover from.

 

[whaler11]

This is what I believe happened. In that regard Jeff was following orders of the hierarchy.

It’s been written about forever. UConn was the one who worked the hardest to hold the league together.

 

[Pudge]

From a Florida State and Football perspective, choosing Louisville was simple. YUM Center (spending $100s of millions o Taxpayers money and bonding) + PapaJohn's infrastructure easily cries that this school would do ANYTHING to gain admission to their elite conference. Jurich was the best salesman going; however, I do not think you have to look at the Offering Memorandum. Pure instinct tells you that Louisville will build more seats, Brand more, hire whatever coach was needed, pay players, fund any bowl ... whatever. Not only would UConn not compete at that level; we do not even know how.

Reviewing Herbst and Manuel's roles? We had too much against us.

 

[noeynox]

It’s been written about forever. UConn was the one who worked the hardest to hold the league together.

I get it, but it was an organizational thing. I can't lay that at the feet of Hathaway.

 

[Pudge]

Position us how? We were winning in bball and football. I get he sucked at fund raising. I just dont see how Warde or Benedict have performed even at his level of competence.

SEE Tom Jurich. That's how "some" of the ACC expect the game to be played. If you say UConn would never ... then you have answered the question as to why Pitt or Louisville might edge ahead of us. In the 2003 - 2010 timeframe? Did Rutgers raise their seat levels to nearly 50,000? (*Yes) Did Louisville? (*Yes) with flourish.

 

[noeynox]

SEE Tom Jurich. That's how "some" of the ACC expect the game to be played. If you say UConn would never ... then you have answered the question as to why Pitt or Louisville might edge ahead of us. In the 2003 - 2010 timeframe? Did Rutgers raise their seat levels to nearly 50,000? (*Yes) Did Louisville? (*Yes) with flourish.

Eh, we were fine in that front. The rent was less than a decade old, we were drawing good crowds etc.

Pendergast and Warde added nothing. Literally zero value to add.

 

[Pudge]

Eh, we were fine in that front. The rent was less than a decade old, we were drawing good crowds etc.

Pendergast and Warde added nothing. Literally zero value to add.

I am a big believer in "watching the moves of your peers and competitors". When Louisville AND Rutgers were polishing their sub-standard stadiums situations (which was soon after Rentschler was spanking new) and we were filling the stadium, an astute AD (and we were winning and growing that brand incredibly 2003-2009) would have found the sponsors and the CT big money and immediately built 10,000 more seats and Luxe'd up Rent.

If you are thinking ... huh ... that is where the Papa John's is today; and when I first went there, Dillon Stadium was a close facsimile.

 

[Excalibur]

I get it, but it was an organizational thing. I can't lay that at the feet of Hathaway.

The admin took their cues from him.

 

[noeynox]

I am a big believer in "watching the moves of your peers and competitors". When Louisville AND Rutgers were polishing their sub-standard stadiums situations (which was soon after Rentschler was spanking new) and we were filling the stadium, an astute AD (and we were winning and growing that brand incredibly 2003-2009) would have found the sponsors and the CT big money and immediately built 10,000 more seats and Luxe'd up Rent.

If you are thinking ... huh ... that is where the Papa John's is today; and when I first went there, Dillon Stadium was a close facsimile.

While i agree with your overall point, it would have been impossible to expand at that point in CT politically. Attendance was trending in the wrong direction, constituents weren't happy with how much money was poured into that initially. Should have just built it at 50k.

 

[noeynox]

The admin took their cues from him.

Maybe the real problem was firing him with no clear plan of succession. To replace him with an interim and then a MAC conference "RockStar" was poor execution. Should have targeted someone with connections and panache.

 

[CL82]

Maybe the real problem was firing him with no clear plan of succession. To replace him with an interim and then a MAC conference "RockStar" was poor execution. Should have targeted someone with connections and panache.

I know right? He was totally over his head here. That's why when he left UConn he had to go to such a huge step down in program. Pshhht...Michigan. Do they even have sports teams?

 

[Dooley]

Let's all not forget one very important element to Louisville - they are a big-time scam and lied, cheated, and bribed their way to the ACC. But that's how business gets done and they got it done. We were too busy making sure we had perfect APR scores and looking like choir boys/girls that we forgot that the FSUs, Clemsons, UNCs, etc don't give a rat's patoot about ethics or morality. They care about money and only money and UL delivered the case to make more money - legally and illegally - when we didn't.

 

[ZooCougar]

I get it, but it was an organizational thing. I can't lay that at the feet of Hathaway.

Hiring Pasqualoni is enough to chop his head off.

 

[noeynox]

I know right? He was totally over his head here. That's why when he left UConn he had to go to such a huge step down in program. Pshhht...Michigan. Do they even have sports teams?

So in your opinion he crushed it here? Give me some examples. I mean like besides the genius Diaco hire.

 

[Excalibur]

Maybe the real problem was firing him with no clear plan of succession. To replace him with an interim and then a MAC conference "RockStar" was poor execution. Should have targeted someone with connections and panache.

He openly defied his superiors, alienated the coaches of our two most important programs, and was as corrupt as the day is long. They had no choice but to fire him.

 

[Pudge]

Let's all not forget one very important element to Louisville - they are a big-time scam and lied, cheated, and bribed their way to the ACC. But that's how business gets done and they got it done. We were too busy making sure we had perfect APR scores and looking like choir boys/girls that we forgot that the FSUs, Clemsons, UNCs, etc don't give a rat's patoot about ethics or morality. They care about money and only money and UL delivered the case to make more money - legally and illegally - when we didn't.[/QUOTE

Totally agree

Totally Agree

 

[noeynox]

He openly defied his superiors, alienated the coaches of our two most important programs, and was as corrupt as the day is long. They had no choice but to fire him.

Not disagreeing, should have just been thought out better. Also, they took their cues from him, and he openly defied them? He had to go, but Rockstar, Benedict, Pendergast?

 

[UConnNick]

Absolutely correct. Now add in the fact of what drove Randy out of town- the fact that JH micromanaged him and DID NOT help him with working with admissions to get recruits into the school that were academically not at par with the rest of the university. PP and I had a conversation about that one night and he rattled off a list of kids that wound up at Temple because UCONN admissions would not let them in. Look at the rise of Temple and our decline. This policy, set forth from SH, is the single most damning policy that affected our teams. Most great "football" universities allow certain recruits academic admission without the GPA and scores of the rest of the student body. It is incumbent upon the program and school to keep them academically eligible. Notre Dame has been the case and point for this for years- and was the main factor in their decline- (look up their record before Kelly came in).

Football is the sport most affected by the admissions requirements. SH wanted to turn UCONN into Duke, Stanford, Vanderbilt, etc. With enough money from the state, she almost pulled it off. The flip side was the decline of major sports in athletics. This also coincided with APR issues that occurred with the men's basketball program and the cocktail of conference realignment along with changed admission standards for the school and athletics programs put us into the tail spin we are trying to recover from.

It's like we are reliving the exact same scenario that made us incapable of competing in the old Big East during the first several seasons. We wouldn't admit marginal qualifiers like every other school in the league was doing. It's no wonder our records in BB were reflective of that intransigence.

Herbst and the past three ADs have no clue about UCONN's athletic dept. history and what it takes to win against schools that admit marginal qualifiers. You can't compete against schools that do it. Herbst ought to understand that even her beloved Duke does it. You think schools like Stanford, Northwestern and Vanderbilt could effectively compete at a P5 level without cutting a few admissions corners? Everybody does it...except maybe UCONN. The results on the field speak for themselves. We're not an Ivy League school and never will be.

 

[noeynox]

It's like we are reliving the exact same scenario that made us incapable of competing in the old Big East during the first several seasons. We wouldn't admit marginal qualifiers like every other school in the league was doing. It's no wonder our records in BB were reflective of that intransigence.

Herbst and the past three ADs have no clue about UCONN's athletic dept. history and what it takes to win against schools that admit marginal qualifiers. You can't compete against schools that do it. Herbst ought to understand that even her beloved Duke does it. You think schools like Stanford, Northwestern and Vanderbilt could effectively compete at a P5 level without cutting a few admissions corners? Everybody does it...except maybe UCONN. The results on the field speak for themselves. We're not an Ivy League school and never will be.

I think Stanford is the exception. All the others bend in their admission standards.

 

[UConnNick]

I think Stanford is the exception. All the others bend in their admission standards.

Really? You think they're putting a perennial Top 25 football program on the field in a P5 conference with strict adherence to their usual Ivy League caliber admission requirements? It can't be done.

 

[TRest]

It's like we are reliving the exact same scenario that made us incapable of competing in the old Big East during the first several seasons. We wouldn't admit marginal qualifiers like every other school in the league was doing. It's no wonder our records in BB were reflective of that intransigence.

Herbst and the past three ADs have no clue about UCONN's athletic dept. history and what it takes to win against schools that admit marginal qualifiers. You can't compete against schools that do it. Herbst ought to understand that even her beloved Duke does it. You think schools like Stanford, Northwestern and Vanderbilt could effectively compete at a P5 level without cutting a few admissions corners? Everybody does it...except maybe UCONN. The results on the field speak for themselves. We're not an Ivy League school and never will be.

People that don't believe UConn is already turning a blind eye to most admission requirements for football and basketball are kidding themselves. Can we go even lower? Sure, but to think those teams are even within punting distance of the standard admissions criteria is crazy.

 

[noeynox]

Really? You think they're putting a perennial Top 25 football program on the field in a P5 conference with strict adherence to their usual Ivy League caliber admission requirements? It can't be done.

Stanford I do. Nobody else do I feel that way about. Not a lot of one and dones in BBall and not a lot of early entry candidates in the NFL either. In addition, back when I followed recruiting closely, it was not uncommon to see their recruits also have offers from most/all of the IVY schools.

 

[whaler11]

People that don't believe UConn is already turning a blind eye to most admission requirements for football and basketball are kidding themselves. Can we go even lower? Sure, but to think those teams are even within punting distance of the standard admissions criteria is crazy.

The admissions standards relative to the general student body don’t matter.

The admission standards for athletes relative to other schools does.

It’s also what happens when you get there. It’s not just letting them in - you gotta remove the schoolwork.