Joe Fagnano appreciation thread

[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?

 

[king conn]

I don't know why everyone is conveniently forgetting that Mora let it slip and said he is paying him to start before the season opener. He quickly backtracked the next day when people rightly questioned the stupidity in that and said he won it in practice

Combine that with what was said by the announcer during the UAB game that Mora does not change QB's during the season

It was never a level playing field

 

[uconnfan68]

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

Not sure. I've always felt you either have or you don't. He's had "it" for the level he's been at for a while, but he's at a new level now. Maybe he just isn't good enough. It happens to almost all of us.

 

[ZooCougar]

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.

It’s amazing.

Joe is an average QB. He came in multiple times off the bench and made it look easy relative to Evers.

And we still have doubters.

 

[ZooCougar]

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

Absolutely. He’s a fast twitch athlete. Those guys are rarely accurate. His sidearm throwing motion needs to re-engineered too.

 

[CL82]

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.

Lol. So, I'll let you actually produce a quote that has Jim Mora stating that he's not actually going to have a quarterback competition because he had pre-ordained Evers as quarterback due to the NiL he received. in fact, he said just the opposite, but go ahead, waste your time looking for it if you want.

I have to laugh that you went to the typical zoocougar move of making up a quote and then asking someone else to do research to find it. Again, you know I'm going to point it out and then just laugh at you.

Here's the thing, and I mean this sincerely, you actually have the ability to make reasonable points. Why you reduce yourself to the red herrings or asking people to go look up stuff that you make up is beyond me. It just makes you look like a fool. But, whatever, you be you. It's pretty funny to watch, in a sad way.

 

[CL82]

Joe is an average QB. He came in multiple times off the bench and made it look easy relative to Evers

See, now on this point, you and I agree.

 

[hardcorehusky]

It’s amazing.

Joe is an average QB. He came in multiple times off the bench and made it look easy relative to Evers.

And we still have doubters.

Counterpoint: Temple game. We struggled against a pitiful defense that was stacking the run. Who was out Q that game?

Personally, I don't care who the QB is, I just hunger for wins.

 

[UConnDan97]

Counterpoint: Temple game. We struggled against a pitiful defense that was stacking the run. Who was out Q that game?

Personally, I don't care who the QB is, I just hunger for wins.

Exactly this.

I don't even want to enter this debate again, but like you mentioned, I'm rooting for both young men to succeed. However, some on this board like to pretend that they were always "Team Joe", and yet I've seen the receipts. Not only from posts during last year and some of this year, but also from the Game Chat threads from this year...

 

[CL82]

Exactly this.

I don't even want to enter this debate again, but like you mentioned, I'm rooting for both young men to succeed. However, some on this board like to pretend that they were always "Team Joe", and yet I've seen the receipts. Not only from posts during last year and some of this year, but also from the Game Chat threads from this year...

This is so true. I admit to being a weathervane on this issue a bit having frequently said I have no strong preference. Right now, there is a breeze flowing in the direction of Fagnano though.

 

[UConnJim]

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.

You are misinterpreting what Mora means. UConn went into the portal to find the starting QB and they thought Evers was good enough to be the starting QB and in order to get Evers, they paid him NIL $. I do think Mora and crew believe that Evers has more upside than Fagnano and he will be at UConn 2 more years so they went all in on development of him. But, UConn has played 10 games and Fagnano has outplayed Evers in games (we really don't know about how the two have looked in practice, but I have heard Evers looks good in practice), so I would think Fagnano has earned the starting QB job.

If you think the people who are donating to NIL want to lose games or dictate who plays, you have no idea what you are talking about. Go talk with Jared Thomas, John Malfettone, or Mike Burton to find out more about NIL.

 

[ZooCougar]

You are misinterpreting what Mora means. UConn went into the portal to find the starting QB and they thought Evers was good enough to be the starting QB and in order to get Evers, they paid him NIL $. I do think Mora and crew believe that Evers has more upside than Fagnano and he will be at UConn 2 more years so they went all in on development of him. But, UConn has played 10 games and Fagnano has outplayed Evers in games (we really don't know about how the two have looked in practice, but I have heard Evers looks good in practice), so I would think Fagnano has earned the starting QB job.

If you think the people who are donating to NIL want to lose games or dictate who plays, you have no idea what you are talking about. Go talk with Jared Thomas, John Malfettone, or Mike Burton to find out more about NIL.

I can’t misrepresent what his actual words were. I think you are just reinterpreting it creatively.

I read them and listened.

He twisted himself into a pretzel explaining how he deserved it. Couldn’t really be specific as to how he was better than the others. “The reality is that when you go into the portal and pay a guy that you start him”.

Other things of note.

He was only a 4 Star after committing to Oklahoma. He got the old upgrade when the Oklahoma offer came in.

The guy literally has the same upside that Roberson had. Maybe less. We just happen to be paying him.

 

[JohnFSilver]

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.

7-3, not sure fagnano could have gotten us wins over wake or duke. Maybe, though.

Asking UConn to be 9-1 is a lot to ask.

I do think, after thinking they were 50/50, that the receivers are more explosive with fagnano. Whatever Evers gets you in efficiency and with his legs, the arm strength of Fagnano is superior and likely over rides that.

Just win against Syracuse and UMass and figure the rest out for a bowl game. Ever goes into spring as starter anyway.

 

[ZooCougar]

7-3, not sure fagnano could have gotten us wins over wake or duke. Maybe, though.

Asking UConn to be 9-1 is a lot to ask.

I do think, after thinking they were 50/50, that the receivers are more explosive with fagnano. Whatever Evers gets you in efficiency and with his legs, the arm strength of Fagnano is superior and likely over rides that.

Just win against Syracuse and UMass and figure the rest out for a bowl game. Ever goes into spring as starter anyway.

You clearly didn't see the Wake or Duke games if you think that.

 

[gioff2323]

I wish our staff would not be afraid to make changes. NE started well - they scripted short passes for him and we went right down the field. After, you could feel the D challenging him to throw deep. Down 17, you can’t come back dinking and dunking. JF looked good in his time there.

And we Shd have another thread thanking UAB for playing hot potato with ball on q4. They lost that game. Can’t imagine dilfer survives.

 

[Milo65]

Evers started Duke and Wake, Joey came on in relief in the Maryland game, where he moved the ball. Granted it was against 2nd and 3rd string. I want Joey guns to start.