Jacobs Article is up - Sheds some light on Warde's thought process

[UCFBfan]

That's a fair way to look at it. Just remember that when the new guy (whoever he is - if we get one) ends up 4-8.

I'd be more accepting of someone new going 4-8 and the team looking promising than I am with PP in his second year and the team going backwards with no hope and actual signs of regression since last season.

I never criticized PP last season because you can't judge a first season of a CFB coach.

 

[J187Money]

I'd be more accepting of someone new going 4-8 and the team looking promising than I am with PP in his second year and the team going backwards with no hope and actual signs of regression since last season.

I never criticized PP last season because you can't judge a first season of a CFB coach.

Maybe you didn't...

 

[warbler1055]

Manuel's words are irrelevant. What he does between the final whistle against Cincy and December 15 will tell us what we need to know.

And saying he wasn't decisive about Ollie is not fair. He may be 100% convinced we are going to do a national search to replace Calhoun, and given the spot Calhoun put him in had no chance to do one for this season and is doing the best he can with the hand he was dealt. If that is what he's doing, and I don't pretend to know what he's thinking, then he's been decisive -- he's just not being honest because it's not in this year's team's interest that he be honest.

BL, I have always thought that you have the best and most sensible posts and thank you so much for your weekly views. But I have to reluctantly disagreed with you about Warde concerning KO and Calhoun. Calhoun built the UConn BB program over 26 years and there are lots of traditions not to mention 3 national championships. There were lots and lots of people involved including KO. Warde wanted a national search for the best candidate who will bring his own people and ways of running the program. This will no doubt destroy what Calhoun has built and ruin the relationships the program has with past players. I think that Calhoun deserves to have a strong voice in naming his successor. And Calhoun succeeded. Warde was forced into it.

Warde for reasons of his own has not faced the issue of FB and HCPP and the obvious need to make changes. Warde has not, up to now, showed anything for me to support him!!

 

[UconnFamily]

Almost no way anyone could win here next year. Schedule upgrades + defensive player loss is going to be almost impossible to overcome. Not enough talent on the offensive line no matter who coaches it. 5-7 would probably be about the ceiling at this point depending on how the Big East scheduling shakes out.

Bill O'Brien is having success at Penn State in his first season (6-3) and look at that mess he took over. I don't think it's fair to the players and say theres no talent at the o-line positions when you have DeLeone coaching them... That itself should explain why we're not having success there.

 

[UConniki]

but Warde reserves the right to fire Ollie after 6 months. Warde is a tomato can.

Warde Manuel is a moron ! He's up 2 programs at once. 2 yrs ago BCS bowl game and NCAAT champion now look at Uconn. At this rate we will be the last team to leave the NBE when we should have been the first. Fball most important bball most successful. Now both suck and he's not all that concerned. Keep PP another yr. jerk KO around. Poeple everywhere but in CT predicted Uconn would sink to the bottom of college sports, we have, and Manuel is 'n torpedo. It's not like we are in the ACC already and can take our time fixing things, cuse, pitt. I think someone should tell him he's not at Buffalo anymore before we end up in the same league with them!

 

[UCFBfan]

Maybe you didn't...

lol....since I didn't join this board until this year I promise you I didn't criticize here (or away from here)

 

[J187Money]

lol....since I didn't join this board until this year I promise you I didn't criticize here (or away from here)

I meant maybe YOU didn't...but others did...

 

[UCFBfan]

I meant maybe YOU didn't...but others did...

Lol.....no prob I gotcha!

 

[whaler11]

Bill O'Brien is having success at Penn State in his first season (6-3) and look at that mess he took over. I don't think it's fair to the players and say theres no talent at the o-line positions when you have DeLeone coaching them... That itself should explain why we're not having success there.

I said not enough. The fact seniors are still playing on the o line is not a good sign. Penn State's schedule got easier year over year not harder.

Anything can happen, but being realistic it's very unlikely.

 

[Calhoun's Court]

I always thought a "GOOD" head coach would make mediocre talent good and good talent great. HCPP is making mediocre talent stink.

I think it speaks volumes about the HCPP/GDL daily double.

 

[BlueDogs]

So you seriously want Herbst to be fired because PP hasn't been fired yet? So I guess as long as the football team wins games the rest of the university can go to ****? That's one perspective.

No. It's indicative of leadership. Conference affiliation is a big failure, Warde is another weak hire. Athletics are vital to the schools national prominence. It has done wonders, whether the eggheads realize it or not.

 

[J187Money]

No. It's indicative of leadership. Conference affiliation is a big failure, Warde is another weak hire. Athletics are vital to the schools national prominence. It has done wonders, whether the eggheads realize it or not.

So regardless of what conference we end up in or who ultimately coaches the team, she should be fired because she didn't do what you want when you wanted it done. Understood. Let's tell her to clean out her office tomorrow, THEN we can start a search for a new president, and tell him or her that if they don't build a top 25 football program within 15 months they shouldn't even bother unpacking, regardless of what else they might accomplish.

 

[J187Money]

I'm amazed that they were able to keep a university open for 130 years without a top 25 football program.

 

[huskymedic]

Bill O'Brien is having success at Penn State in his first season (6-3) and look at that mess he took over. I don't think it's fair to the players and say theres no talent at the o-line positions when you have DeLeone coaching them... That itself should explain why we're not having success there.

Keep believing that because it's a feel good position. Life isn't fair, our o-line sucks and it's not all because of the god damn schemes or coaching.

 

[Mr.Phat]

So you seriously want Herbst to be fired because PP hasn't been fired yet? So I guess as long as the football team wins games the rest of the university can go to ****? That's one perspective.

Herbst will do a good job with the university - building, endowment, admissions, research money (I hope) - but I question whether she will manage athletics successfully. She is now being tested. Hiring Manuel, letting Manuel hire Ollie, keeping the football coach. This all could be ruinous for the university and the huge goodwill it has built up over the past 10 years.

 

[freescooter]

Herbst will do a good job with the university - building, endowment, admissions, research money (I hope) - but I question whether she will manage athletics successfully. She is now being tested. Hiring Manuel, letting Manuel hire Ollie, keeping the football coach. This all could be ruinous for the university and the huge goodwill it has built up over the past 10 years.

You guys are whacked. Herbst hired a highly respected AD. He might screw up, but he hasn't done so yet. Neither Manuel nor any other AD in the country was going to fire the head football coach who in his first season finished 5-7. Not happening, especially if he: A. was hired late as Pasqualoni was; and B. had to replace the top 2 quarterbacks and his All American tailback. And most schools have the class to wait to announce the firing of their coach until after the season. That Idaho and Kentucky lack such class should come as no surprize to anyone...well maybe Idaho is a surprize, but are you really shocked that the AD at Kentucky lacks class?

And I'm not sure what you mean by "letting Manuel hire Ollie" I mean Calhoun played his Hamlet on the Fenton (To coach or not to coach, that is the question) for months and when he finally decded not, it was too late to do anyhting but name a member of the current staff as the replacement for the season. He could have named George or Hobbs interim and planned a search for next year and everybody but Jim Calhoun would have understood. Instead he gave the job to Calhoun's hand picked successor,a guy with no coaching experience and told him that if he was up to the task he'd get the job permanantly.

 

[whaler11]

Idaho was losing in ways we can only imagine. Look at their boxscore against LA Tech. Picture UConn-WVU in 2007. Now square it and multiply by three.

Kentucky had gotten to the point where the coach was making jokes about getting an extension for laughs. Everyone knew what was going to happen, including Joker. There
comes a point where you make the announcement just so the team can focus on the games and maybe they circle the wagons and beat Tennessee.

I think UConn hasn't made a decision yet which is fine because they don't need to. There is no prize for firing your coach first, nothing bad is going to happen if you wait until after Cincinnati. No one can interview yet so you aren't missing out on candidates.

 

[UconnFamily]

Keep believing that because it's a feel good position. Life isn't fair, our o-line sucks and it's not all because of the god damn schemes or coaching.

If you want to believe that talent is the reason why the o-line sucks and not because of DeLeone so called genius schemes then believe it if that makes you feel better!

Last year when Foley was in charge of the o-line, he produced a 1,000 + rusher from a back that barely breaks tackles. Under DeLeone, do you think your going to see a 1000 yard rusher?

We can't say its lack of talent, Darrell Hazel doesn't have better talent then we do at Kent State, but his team is 8-1 (5-0). Ken State rushed for over 200 yards against Rutgers defense that is top in the country against the run. Hazel doesn't have his own players just like PP... This is his 2nd year with Kent, he's having success!

We can barely get a RB to crack 100 yards. Under Foley, how did that wildcat work last year? Life isnt fair coaches gotta go!

 

[businesslawyer]

Keep believing that because it's a feel good position. Life isn't fair, our o-line sucks and it's not all because of the god damn schemes or coaching.

I agree that this is our least talented OL in a while. But if you believe it's mostly personnel, Medic, that makes it the worst run blocking line in the country, let me ask you this. We know Jimmy Bennett has no ready replacement on the roster at LT, and we're hearing about UConn searching for a JUCO LT. If the talent on the OL just flat out sucked, why didn't we go the JUCO route after last season?

 

[Uconnalliance]

If you want to believe that talent is the reason why the o-line sucks and not because of DeLeone so called genius schemes then believe it if that makes you feel better!

Last year when Foley was in charge of the o-line, he produced a 1,000 + rusher from a back that barely breaks tackles. Under DeLeone, do you think your going to see a 1000 yard rusher?

We can't say its lack of talent, Darrell Hazel doesn't have better talent then we do at Kent State, but his team is 8-1 (5-0). Ken State rushed for over 200 yards against Rutgers defense that is top in the country against the run. Hazel doesn't have his own players just like PP... This is his 2nd year with Kent, he's having success!

We can barely get a RB to crack 100 yards. Under Foley, how did that wildcat work last year? Life isnt fair coaches gotta go!

Feel the point but we are missing Moe Petrus & Zach Hurd that hurts.

 

[huskymedic]

I agree that this is our least talented OL in a while. But if you believe it's mostly personnel, Medic, that makes it the worst run blocking line in the country, let me ask you this. We know Jimmy Bennett has no ready replacement on the roster at LT, and we're hearing about UConn searching for a JUCO LT. If the talent on the OL just flat out sucked, why didn't we go the JUCO route after last season?

Biz, I don't know firsthand that we definitively didn't try... We have a depth problem and that scares me! JUCO is a short term fix due to eligibility. I get all the scheme excuses/arguments and i agree that is a significant piece of our problems but if you focus on the line - the misses are much more than scheme based. Once engaged, we are outmuscled more often than not. When was the last pancake block you've seen. The only pancakes I see are the FB missing and falling flat and the ones that CW takes!

UconnFamiy - how do you know that Kent State does not have better o-line talent than UConn - just because they are a MAC team? I am not a GDL fan, I've made that point clear, but you can't blame everything on the coaches because you won't blame the players because it doesn't seem fair!

 

[J187Money]

Herbst will do a good job with the university - building, endowment, admissions, research money (I hope) - but I question whether she will manage athletics successfully. She is now being tested. Hiring Manuel, letting Manuel hire Ollie, keeping the football coach. This all could be ruinous for the university and the huge goodwill it has built up over the past 10 years.

I might be wrong about this, but in my opinion UCONN gained prominence by sheer luck. They got lucky and hired two Hall of Fame coaches. Where the school is now, versus where it was when I showed up in 1989 is night and day. And we have a president that wants to make today look like 1989 (maybe I'm exaggerating a little but not when you hear her talk about it). And she is NOT an anti-sports person (I know there are some presidents that don't care about sports at all). So I expect her to be successful in ALL things. SHE expects to be successful in ALL things. From what I hear inside the school, she is the first president to lay the wood to people for wanting to keep the "status quo" - she is not from the "land of steady habits" as it were. I fully expect her to get judged for the decisions she makes, athletics included. All I'm asking is let's not ask for her to be hung because her predecessor hired the wrong coach. You want to bang on PP today, absolutely. But to put her in the same boat? Not fair at this point. Football is NOT the only thing on her plate.

 

[businesslawyer]

Biz, I don't know firsthand that we definitively didn't try... We have a depth problem and tha scares me? JUCO is a short term fix due ro eligibility. I get all the scheme excuses/arguments and i agree that is a significant piece of our problems but if you focus on the line - the misses are much more than scheme based. Once engaged, we are outmuscled more often than not. When was the last pancake block you've seen. The only pancakes I see are the FB missing and falling flat and the ones that CW takes!

UconnFamiy - how do you know that Kent State does not have better o-line talent than UConn - just because they are a MAC team? I am not a GDL fan, I've made that point clear, but you can't blame everything on the coaches because you won't blame the players because it doesn't seem fair!

I will be the first to admit that we never know about recruting. But we are hearing it this year, and we didn't last year. And again, I do think talent is part of the problem, but how can you pancake block someone if instead of firing off the line you have to wait to see what the D is doing to decide whom to block?

 

[huskymedic]

I will be the first to admit that we never know about recruting. But we are hearing it this year, and we didn't last year. And again, I do think talent is part of the problem, but how can you pancake block someone if instead of firing off the line you have to wait to see what the D is doing to decide whom to block?

I wonder about the JUCO targets and the "visibility" - a suspicious person could think that we are hearing about it because they want us to hear about it

Pancakes (best are @ Chips on Rt 1 in Orange) - It's not all about just firing forward off the line, it's about leverage and dominating your defensive target. We won't solve the problems with the o-line here...

 

[FfldCntyFan]

One thing that may be a bit encouraging (or possibly, merely too little, too late) is that last night we actually did pull a lineman on a handful of plays (something that had been verboten earlier in the season).

Two thirds of the way through the second season it is still painfully obvious that many veteran lineman are still confused with what exactly their responsibilities are on any given play. We had something that at its worst was still solid and screwed it up completely.