Joe Fagnano appreciation thread

[gsmooth]

There are two things going on here. Mora is playing Evers for the good of the program. He will be here for years, so will Mora. Evers needs reps. To some degree he is being force fed them.

Fagnano has made an unexpected leap. He is clearly the better passer and now looks like the better overall QB. He is the best thing for the short term, for this year, his last.

Coaches have to play the best players. He owes it to the team. Otherwise the coach will be playing favorites. Evers has been dinged up this year and he is hurt again. So the decision to start Joe against Syracuse is easy and obvious. But Evers will have a bye week to heal. The question is which road does Mora take? Does he continue to prioritize the program or does he prioritize winning tomorrow?

I don't think prioritizing the program and prioritizing winning tomorrow are mutually exclusive, in fact they are probably tied at the hip. The more wins the UConn gets now, the more press they get for the turnaround. They already are in the press when it comes to specific articles or tweets some of which have been posted here in the BoneYard.

I have nothing against Evers and I wish him the best, but if Welliver is not the starting 2025 QB, I don't think the 2025 starting QB is on this roster. With the transfer portal and NIL era in full effect, especially with $1.5M infusion according to Mora, they need to get an effective and experienced downfield passer. I know some of that money will be used for retaining some of the current players, but I still think they can get an effective download field passer.

 

[Fairfield_1st]

I trust Mora's decision as to who will start in the QB position. I will support whoever that is.

I will support the team, regardless of the QB. I do not share your trust in Mora to make the right decision. He has been very stubborn in his refusal to make a change. If he starts NE over JF for the rotten fruit, he loses some credibility with me. The choice is obvious.

 

[giddyup]

I will support the team, regardless of the QB. I do not share your trust in Mora to make the right decision. He has been very stubborn in his refusal to make a change. If he starts NE over JF for the rotten fruit, he loses some credibility with me. The choice is obvious.

I’ll reserve my judgment on the belief he will do the right thing for the current team. It’s obvious what has to be done. There is no chance against SU with Evers. There is a fighting chance if JF has a hot hand.

 

[AllHusky]

I don't think prioritizing the program and prioritizing winning tomorrow are mutually exclusive, in fact they are probably tied at the hip. The more wins the UConn gets now, the more press they get for the turnaround. They already are in the press when it comes to specific articles or tweets some of which have been posted here in the BoneYard.

I have nothing against Evers and I wish him the best, but if Welliver is not the starting 2025 QB, I don't think the 2025 starting QB is on this roster. With the transfer portal and NIL era in full effect, especially with $1.5M infusion according to Mora, they need to get an effective and experienced downfield passer. I know some of that money will be used for retaining some of the current players, but I still think they can get an effective download field passer.

What you said.

 

[Jetskies]

I have nothing against Evers and I wish him the best, but if Welliver is not the starting 2025 QB, I don't think the 2025 starting QB is on this roster.

same thing i've been saying for the last month.
Evers should settle in nicely at a Kennesaw State, Akron, or Middle Tennessee State, something on that level. Or if he really wants to have a shot, go down to FCS and get some serious playing time on a team. Joe Flacco and Carson Wentz made it to the next level from FCS, so it can be done.

I just don't think UConn has the luxury of TIME, to develop this kid, as we desperately fight to get into the P4. Maybe if we were in a P4 conference already we take the time to work with Nick, but we just can't risk it.

I hate to sound so transactional. These are still boys witih dreams, and college football should still be a place where boys can grow in their craft and leave the program as men, with performance not being the sole consideration for investment in him. But those days are gone (not UConn's fault).

Need wins now.
2025 - Welliver or next Portal Guy. Please.

 

[hardcorehusky]

I don't think prioritizing the program and prioritizing winning tomorrow are mutually exclusive, in fact they are probably tied at the hip. The more wins the UConn gets now, the more press they get for the turnaround. They already are in the press when it comes to specific articles or tweets some of which have been posted here in the BoneYard.

I have nothing against Evers and I wish him the best, but if Welliver is not the starting 2025 QB, I don't think the 2025 starting QB is on this roster. With the transfer portal and NIL era in full effect, especially with $1.5M infusion according to Mora, they need to get an effective and experienced downfield passer. I know some of that money will be used for retaining some of the current players, but I still think they can get an effective download field passer.

So, Evers has no capability to be coached up in pocket presence, footwork, reading defenses and even getting over injuries? He has peaked at age 20? That is what you are saying here.

 

[ZooCougar]

I will support the team, regardless of the QB. I do not share your trust in Mora to make the right decision. He has been very stubborn in his refusal to make a change. If he starts NE over JF for the rotten fruit, he loses some credibility with me. The choice is obvious.

I like most of what Mora has done. But he has mismanaged this QB situation to the point where it has become mildly infuriating.

 

[noeynox]

So, Evers has no capability to be coached up in pocket presence, footwork, reading defenses and even getting over injuries? He has peaked at age 20? That is what you are saying here.

It's more like if he is lacking all those things at age 20, why has he been annointed as an irreplaceable starter when there is a guy on the roster who has shown he is better?

He shouldn't just be handed the job for next year. If there is a better guy whether Welliver, McDonald, or a transfer, players will need to feel there is a fairness to winning the job. Whatever led to him winning the job out of camp, it hasn't really shown itself in games. 5tds and 5ints along with low avg per completion is extremely mediocre.

 

[ZooCougar]

So, Evers has no capability to be coached up in pocket presence, footwork, reading defenses and even getting over injuries? He has peaked at age 20? That is what you are saying here.

Maybe. But he can do it in practice during the week. His days of getting “reps” during the game should be over.

 

[Palatine]

So, Evers has no capability to be coached up in pocket presence, footwork, reading defenses and even getting over injuries? He has peaked at age 20? That is what you are saying here.

Evers body language is very quiet. He doesn't show fire or passion. He mostly jogs around the field. He is very calm on the sideline. Yes a low pulse rate is generally good for a QB. But I would love to see him lead the team a little more expressively.

 

[KryHavok]

What is striking is that as "immobile" as Fagnano is compared to Evers, if you look at their overall stats, Fagnano doesn't get sacked as much and is more efficient at scoring compared to Evers.

So it's not that Evers can't be coached, but during the game he isn't performing to the level of a FBS QB.

 

[Chin Diesel]

It's more like if he is lacking all those things at age 20, why has he been annointed as an irreplaceable starter when there is a guy on the roster who has shown he is better?

He shouldn't just be handed the job for next year. If there is a better guy whether Welliver, McDonald, or a transfer, players will need to feel there is a fairness to winning the job. Whatever led to him winning the job out of camp, it hasn't really shown itself in games. 5tds and 5ints along with low avg per completion is extremely mediocre.

If Mora and Sammis decide they want to prioritize a dual threat RPO QB then they have to hit the transfer portal so there is another QB of that flavor to challenge and push Evers. If they decide they want more of a pocket passer they need to hit the portal so there is someone who can challenge and push Welliver. Regardless, going in to next season with Evers and Welliver as the two top QB's is poor roster construction for continuity of the offense's schemes.

For all of Evers' issues with skill and fundamentals, his biggest drawback is durability. Nothing trends towards him taking snaps for an entire season. As the old adage goes, the best abilities in sports are dependability, reliability and availability.

 

[SubbaBub]

New program rule. All backup QBs need to be at least as good as JF.

 

[CL82]

Not sure if this has been mentioned elsewhere, but one thing I noticed when Fagnano entered the game was that the attitude and body language of the WR corps notably improved. When Evers was in, his missed throws elicited visible signs of frustration within the unit. Once Joe came on, they seemed more engaged, unphased and upbeat despite the occasional miss. It looked to me like they clearly trust him more, and I think that made a big difference between winning and losing.

You have to think that the coaching staff sees this as well. As I posted elsewhere, I think there's enough data to say that Fagnano moves the team better, but I'm not confident that he gets the start. For whatever reason Mora thinks that Evers it's the better choice or at least has up to now. I don't know what Nick is showing in practice, but on game day, Fagnano delivers more.

 

[CL82]

So, Evers has no capability to be coached up in pocket presence, footwork, reading defenses and even getting over injuries? He has peaked at age 20? That is what you are saying here.

Lol, go back and read his post and realize all he said was that Fagnano was the better quarterback today and likely the better choice to lead us through the end of the season. That doesn't mean that Nick has to be executed. SMH lol.

 

[Waquoit]

If Tim Boyle can do it, anyone can...

True, but few look better holding a clipboard. I would add that to Bubba's list.

 

[ZooCougar]

You have to think that the coaching staff sees this as well. As I posted elsewhere, I think there's enough data to say that Fagnano moves the team better, but I'm not confident that he gets the start. For whatever reason Mora thinks that Evers it's the better choice or at least has up to now. I don't know what Nick is showing in practice, but on game day, Fagnano delivers more.

In practice you have limited time. If Evers is anointed the starter then he is getting far more reps with the ones than anyone else.

This is why it’s totally hilarious to read “well Mora sees what he sees in practice”.

It’s not apples to apples and hasn’t been since camp.

 

[CL82]

In practice you have limited time. If Evers is anointed the starter then he is getting far more reps with the ones than anyone else.

This is why it’s totally hilarious to read “well Mora sees what he sees in practice”.

It’s not apples to apples and hasn’t been since camp.

So, help me out, do you think Jim Mora just flipped a coin and chose Evers and then only practiced him and not Fagnano? Because I think it's far more likely that there was a legitimate quarterback competition and Evers came out the winner. Fully agree that the starter gets "starters reps" but you want that to happen during the season, right?

Again, It wouldn't be a zoocougar post without the red herrings thrown in. Did anyone say that it was "an apples to apples comparison" once Evers was named starter? Seriously, why do you throw these nonsense comments in when you know I'll just point them out and laugh at them?

 

[hardcorehusky]

It's more like if he is lacking all those things at age 20, why has he been annointed as an irreplaceable starter when there is a guy on the roster who has shown he is better?

He shouldn't just be handed the job for next year. If there is a better guy whether Welliver, McDonald, or a transfer, players will need to feel there is a fairness to winning the job. Whatever led to him winning the job out of camp, it hasn't really shown itself in games. 5tds and 5ints along with low avg per completion is extremely mediocre.

I agree he has to earn the job. If he can learn to play QB and, in our system, then he should be the starter. Projecting in with 3 games (including a bowl) about next season is just a stab in the dark.

 

[JohnFSilver]

Here are some interesting Fagnano stats.

JF leads FBS QBs with >100 throws in TDs/Pass attempt. 11.8% of his pass attempts have been TDs. #2 is BC's Castellanos at 11.2%.

JF is ranked 5th in QB rating on ESPN for QBs who have thrown 100 or more passes. He is behind Dart of Ole Miss, Rourke of Indiana, Howard of Ohio St., and Ward of Miami.

Hard not to play him.

Lets not over rotate here. That one game is skewing all stats.

That said, clearly has more arm than evers. I say go veritical last two games.

 

[ZooCougar]

So, help me out, do you think Jim Mora just flipped a coin and chose Evers and then only practiced him and not Fagnano? Because I think it's far more likely that there was a legitimate quarterback competition and Evers came out the winner. Fully agree that the starter gets "starters reps" but you want that to happen during the season, right?

Again, It wouldn't be a zoocougar post without the red herrings thrown in. Did anyone say that it was "an apples to apples comparison" once Evers was named starter? Seriously, why do you throw these nonsense comments in when you know I'll just point them out and laugh at them?

No.

He is starting because he came from the portal and because of NIL. Mora literally said this in preseason with his ringing endorsement.

If you don’t believe me then look it up.

Add red herring to the list of things you don’t get.

 

[uconnfan68]

One more thing.
2022 OLine with the grad transfer from Dartmouth at C was way better than 2023 OLine with Walker and Fortin.
Hoeh has been a huge upgrade stabilizing OLine in 2024.

I don't think Hoeh has been playing the past 2 games. Hasn't it been Casaday?

 

[uconnfan68]

So, Evers has no capability to be coached up in pocket presence, footwork, reading defenses and even getting over injuries? He has peaked at age 20? That is what you are saying here.

Nope, he's just not an accurate passer. You can have everything else (pocket presence, footwork, reading defenses), and still not be good enough if you can't be accurate.

 

[hardcorehusky]

Evers body language is very quiet. He doesn't show fire or passion. He mostly jogs around the field. He is very calm on the sideline. Yes a low pulse rate is generally good for a QB. But I would love to see him lead the team a little more expressively.

Nope, he's just not an accurate passer. You can have everything else (pocket presence, footwork, reading defenses), and still not be good enough if you can't be accurate.

True, but are you saying he can't improve his accuracy by coaching?