Jim Mora’s new staff coming together…

[Bongo Fury]

FCS teams better than UCONN some teams put out over 400 offers.

 

[Guru13]

I'm confused.... what am i missing? A majority of our offers seem to be to FCS kids or kids with no offers....are we just excited cause some of them are from CT and CT players etc is the sole most important thing to UConn football ala PP era?

i think maybe to show CT high school coaches he is going to recruit from CT and make room for them... hopefully, he does not neglect to recruit from TX seeing a couple of guys from TX are transferring out.

 

[gioff2323]

There are literally a dozen schools with no staff in place yet and a staff that’s supposedly been recruiting elsewhere all fall and we’re nudging AIC out? It’s not that late.

I’m thinking we’re committed to giving 5 slots locally, period. Which appears to be about 4 too many at this point.

 

[Pudge]

first ... we - and New England generally - often watched OLine guys well into their Senior years ... and many times offered after most of their season was over. Like? Zac Hurd. My view is we often found better success.

second - covid effect - we have kids that never played in CT in 2020 and yet we are coming close to NLI signing day. This kid Edwards has lots of long TD runs blowing away the locals; I am more thrilled by his defensive play.

I think we have always gotten good value from CT kids - and sometimes surprises.

OUR biggest gain has got to be getting one - three of the JUCO kids plus Portal. OLine needs immediate starters. We need a few WR playmakers too imho. And then QB ... one solid kid.

 

[Ajs120102]

There are literally a dozen schools with no staff in place yet and a staff that’s supposedly been recruiting elsewhere all fall and we’re nudging AIC out? It’s not that late.

I’m thinking we’re committed to giving 5 slots locally, period. Which appears to be about 4 too many at this point.

That’s assuming all of them commit. If Mora wants to gain these high school coaches trust he has to offer. Joly is a recruit marinelli offered and multiple recruiting analysts are baffled on his lack of offers. This years recruiting class is gunna be thin. Offer some local kids.

 

[metsfan2323]

I'm confused.... what am i missing?

For starters you are clearly devoid of enthusiasm or positivity. You emit a negative shadow.

 

[Bongo Fury]

Remember most schools classes filled months ago prior to the start of this year’s HS season. Others may not have room.

 

[huskymedic]

i think maybe to show CT high school coaches he is going to recruit from CT and make room for them...

 

[Exit 4]

I'm confused.... what am i missing? A majority of our offers seem to be to FCS kids or kids with no offers....are we just excited cause some of them are from CT and CT players etc is the sole most important thing to UConn football ala PP era?

What are we doing? IDK - maybe we are starting by getting a handful (2-5 slots) of those FCS kids that stress us out every fall and embarrass our program. Some scrappy local types. And more importantly we are reopening the local doors.

Yeah, we'll have to aim higher than this - of course.

 

[huskymedic]

It’s already working….

Cam Edwards (RB/S/OLB, Norwalk HS)

Jeff Jacobs: Lou Marinelli, godfather of Connecticut football, talks future, UConn and 8-man football

The New Canaan coach, who is completing his 40th season at the school, has no plans to...

www.ctinsider.com

-> Marinelli said one kid UConn should be on is Cam Edwards, the Norwalk running back-defensive back: “If he isn’t the best running back in the state, I don’t know who is. I think he’s a DI safety.” <-

Your move Lou…

 

[huskymedic]

 

[freescooter]

I’m sure Coach Mora can read the same data I can and he isn’t going to invest lots of time in getting Connecticut kids. A few now to fill slots maybe and build some bridges, but over the last 15 years or so Connecticut has averaged 10 FBS signees per year, highest number in 2019 with 18, lowest was 5 A couple of times. Texas and Florida average over 320 each over the same period. New Jersey around 50, PA 65, so you really can’t just recruit locally. And of note UConn brings in at least a few of those local kids every year. We had +- 18 Connecticut kids on the roster this season. Assuming they were equally distributed ( they probably weren’t) that’s 3.5 per year or 35% of the local FBS kids. Given all the other factors at play I’m not sure you will ever do much better.

The other thing of note as Pudge says, many come from prep programs. Better coaching better competition, and since at least some guys are doing post grad years, older and physically more mature. Bottom line is we have 1 guy on staff who is tied into the local system..we certainly don't need 2-3. As I noted many times before, there are high schools in Texas and Florida that turn out more FBS players than Connecticut does. A few years ago, the high school my brother’s kids attended had 6 on just the defensive side of the ball.

 

[Waquoit]

I’m sure Coach Mora can read the same data I can and he isn’t going to invest lots of time in getting Connecticut kids.

He already has.

 

[Buffett10]

I'm confused.... what am i missing? A majority of our offers seem to be to FCS kids or kids with no offers....are we just excited cause some of them are from CT and CT players etc is the sole most important thing to UConn football ala PP era?

You’re missing that they’re opening doors with these offers not only for the hs kids but for potentially local kids entering the portal. Doesn’t hurt having the local coaches on Uconns side

 

[Exit 4]

In the era of the portal and the extra year of eligibility due to COVid we will see HS kids with far fewer offers than in prior years because most programs are holding onto seniors and super seniors longer. In a normal environment some of these kids would probably have more FBS offers than they do now.

Also, let’s give Mora and his new crew some space. If we get the kind of FCS kids that have made us look foolish the past decade then no harm no foul. Opening doors this year is what we need to do. Wipe out all the petty negative vibes and build community.

 

[Dizzy21]

I'm confused.... what am i missing? A majority of our offers seem to be to FCS kids or kids with no offers....are we just excited cause some of them are from CT and CT players etc is the sole most important thing to UConn football ala PP era?

Check the recruiting page. The offers rolling in appear to be people with P5 offers tonight, The U, Nebraska, Purdue, Maryland...

 

[UCTitleTown]

Does this cover the "give a young FCS head coach a chance" angle?

Hope he knows his offense. We need that in the absolute worst way.

Heir apparent? He's young and ambitious.

 

[UConnJim]

I’m sure Coach Mora can read the same data I can and he isn’t going to invest lots of time in getting Connecticut kids. A few now to fill slots maybe and build some bridges, but over the last 15 years or so Connecticut has averaged 10 FBS signees per year, highest number in 2019 with 18, lowest was 5 A couple of times. Texas and Florida average over 320 each over the same period. New Jersey around 50, PA 65, so you really can’t just recruit locally. And of note UConn brings in at least a few of those local kids every year. We had +- 18 Connecticut kids on the roster this season. Assuming they were equally distributed ( they probably weren’t) that’s 3.5 per year or 35% of the local FBS kids. Given all the other factors at play I’m not sure you will ever do much better.

The other thing of note as Pudge says, many come from prep programs. Better coaching better competition, and since at least some guys are doing post grad years, older and physically more mature. Bottom line is we have 1 guy on staff who is tied into the local system..we certainly don't need 2-3. As I noted many times before, there are high schools in Texas and Florida that turn out more FBS players than Connecticut does. A few years ago, the high school my brother’s kids attended had 6 on just the defensive side of the ball.

In many parts of New England, HS football is getting better. There are now many 7 on 7 competitions, more spread offenses, more conditioning,…. And, you have the prep schools. Down South, year round training, 7 on 7s, better coaching has lead to more developed kids that are ready to play college football out of HS, but they are already highly developed so what you see is what you get. So an already developed low 3 star from down South is not necessarily better than an underdeveloped 2 star from New England.

There are now CT HS QBs that have gone through the better processes playing high level FBS football like Levis at Kentucky, Van Dyke at Clemson, Phommachanh at Clemson, Tyler P at UConn,…. And, when you look at the 2 NH kids that went to UConn and got drafted by the NFL, Ryan Griffen and Kendall Reyes, they were underdeveloped and would have gone FCS if they didn’t go to UConn.

 

[Jimdish255]

It’s already working….
Cam Edwards (RB/S/OLB, Norwalk HS)

Really happy to see this. Watched Cam play this year and he's the real deal. Hard working 2 way player with great wheels. Slippery on the inside fast on the edge and drives for every yard. Also a solid DB.

 

[Jimdish255]

I'm confused.... what am i missing? A majority of our offers seem to be to FCS kids or kids with no offers....are we just excited cause some of them are from CT and CT players etc is the sole most important thing to UConn football ala PP era?

If you're referring to Cam Edwards you never saw him play. He's better than Arkeel Newsome was at this point imo.

 

[seeya27]

If he is considering Akron, gotta wonder if UConn might have been in his sights. (Very happy with Mora, though).

 

[CL82]

If he is considering Akron, gotta wonder if UConn might have been in his sights. (Very happy with Mora, though).

But, but, but we could never get Joe Morehead…

I would’ve been happy with Morehead, but I am estatic with Mora.

 

[ShakyTheMohel]

But, but, but we could never get Joe Morehead…

I would’ve been happy with Morehead, but I am estatic with Mora.

Would you have said that before Mora was hired? I wouldn't. I didn't realize how much UConn needed a Mora type leader until I have seen him in action.

Maybe Moorhead has that leadership capability, but its hard to imagine anyone making a better first impression than Mora.

 

[CL82]

Would you have said that before Mora was hired? I wouldn't. I didn't realize how much UConn needed a Mora type leader until I have seen him in action.

Maybe Moorhead has that leadership capability, but its hard to imagine anyone making a better first impression than Mora.

I thought it was a good hire from the get-go, but yeah, he has really impressed the heck out of me. Let’s see how he does in the transfer portal.

 

[DoctorWho85]

Would you have said that before Mora was hired? I wouldn't. I didn't realize how much UConn needed a Mora type leader until I have seen him in action.

Maybe Moorhead has that leadership capability, but its hard to imagine anyone making a better first impression than Mora.

I was fully on the Moorhead bandwagon. I was told he would never come here. Then Mora got hired and gave me some delicious kool-aid. Honestly, I think UConn got the best deal in college football for a HC right now. That being said, I do hope Moorhead has a lot of success at Akron.