John Silver's Saturday Thoughts

[whaler11]

have faith in the true fans, i do

I was talking about the administration. .

 

[Pudge]

Just Sharing.

Silver’s Saturday thoughts

October 27th, 2012 11:05 am

Some pointed commentary on talent and our offensive woes but in a nutshell:

"I just don’t see any plausible scenario where Pasqualoni gets removed barring off the field issues.
There are several things I want everyone to consider with Pasqualoni and his status. First off, the collateral damage from getting rid of a coach after two years — especially this one with experience and a track record — is absolutely devastating. It projects weakness as a program and indecision. Hiring a coach is getting married and you have to stick with that hire through thick and thin. If the Huskies remove Pasqualoni, it would signal a major change. That means the entire program would be gutted including assistants. That’s just not something you do lightly since a lot of Pasqualoni’s staff are holdovers from Edsall’s staff, and continuity is a big reason for success. A move now would be detonating the football program. Is it worth it? You better be sure, because it would get worse before it got better.

quote]

Success?

This is a PROGRAM killer of a staff. Mostly DeLeone & PP. If they don't get ridden out of town by Warde Manual, we have much bigger problems. F --- the Media

 

[noeynox]

If P gets rid of Deleone, hires a competent OC, and returns Foley to OL duties, this thing might be salvageable. Problem is P and D seem attached at the hip. Deleone goes on the media about how he is trying his best and how he is disappointed at the results? Really, what does he think the paying customers are feeling. If P is so stubborn about Deleone, he will not see season 4, not that he has earned the right to see season 3, but I'm resigned to the fact that he will be back.

 

[FfldCntyFan]

If P gets rid of Deleone, hires a competent OC, and returns Foley to OL duties, this thing might be salvageable. Problem is P and D seem attached at the hip. Deleone goes on the media about how he is trying his best and how he is disappointed at the results? Really, what does he think the paying customers are feeling. If P is so stubborn about Deleone, he will not see season 4, not that he has earned the right to see season 3, but I'm resigned to the fact that he will be back.

We are already well beyond the point of no return on this season but I still believe that the thought process of many players that by putting Foley back in charge of the OL and letting Day call the plays on offense, we would have been able to beat anyone on our schedule.

 

[Skiblets]

Just Sharing.

Silver’s Saturday thoughts

October 27th, 2012 11:05 am

Some pointed commentary on talent and our offensive woes but in a nutshell:

"I just don’t see any plausible scenario where Pasqualoni gets removed barring off the field issues.
There are several things I want everyone to consider with Pasqualoni and his status. First off, the collateral damage from getting rid of a coach after two years — especially this one with experience and a track record — is absolutely devastating. It projects weakness as a program and indecision.
It projects just the opposite. A new leader makes bold decisions to change direction. I hate it when journalists try to understand leadership or business.

Manuel is also a strong leader, and he isn’t going to make a rash decision that fans or donors want. Donors? Yes, if Pasqualoni leaves the Huskies have to come up with $1 million buyout, $750,000 if after Jan. 1 (too late anyway). That has to come from somewhere. A donor? Manuel isn’t going to let a donor run his athletic department. The moment you allow a donor to do that, the AD cedes control of all activities. Some places it works, but that’s with overwhelming amounts of money like T. Boone Pickens at Oklahoma State. I highly doubt UConn is going to turn into a place like that. Now, with UConn President Susan Herbst adamantly advocating athletic departments “re-joining” the university community, I see little chance of a donor stepping in even if that person would pony up the cash. The thought of UConn paying its football coach $1 million to go away and then hiring someone for $2 million is a political non-starter here. Ummm. Susan's first rule is to demand excellence. Has anyone seen Paul Pendergrast lately? No? Why not? He came in under a blaze of publicity but was not a good fit. Shipped over to Development quickly and now, where? Goes back to being decisive and recognizing when something is not working

Athletic departments aren’t flush with cash, and UConn hasn’t bought a coach out in any sport in a very long time. The last major coach to be fired from football was Tom Jackson, right? That was 20 years ago. UConn doesn’t fire coaches. That’s not the culture here. John is usually pretty good but who the hell would have been a candidate for firing...Bruce Marshall? Who else?

Change doesn’t come easy in Storrs. The land of steady habits indeed."

John is usually pretty good but I'm not sure how the hell he comes up with these arguments. If you've watched the Herbst administration since her arrival, her MO is the opposite of everything John is espousing here.

 

[uconndogs]

Again, P is here next season absent a complete and utter melt-down from the team (i.e. players have off field issues and give up on the field). That's not entirely out of the question given what has transpired here recently, but I think it is doubtful.

I think the bigger question is whether P makes changes on his staff and changes the direction of the offense. If he keeps GDL and these offensive schemes through next season then he's done. Three futile seasons on offense will be enough.

But, P is back next year and I think the bigger question is whether or not he can and will make some tough staff decisions.

 

[Skiblets]

But, P is back next year and I think the bigger question is whether or not he can and will make some tough staff decisions.

I don't see it, I just don't. I've watched the moves Susan has made since her arrival and they've all been bold. JH was kicked to the curb. PP is not her nor Warde's hire. New leaders always want 'their' people in there. Hell Warde has already surrounded himself with new Associate ADs very quickly. What is the magic in year 3 for PP? I don't get it.

 

[uconndogs]

I don't think Herbst goes over Manuel's head to do this. She shouldn't. I think it's Manuel's call and I think if you are in his shoes you stay the course for another season so see if what P has been attempting for the last two seasons can take hold and work. There are risks to turning the staff over again.

For the record, I'm not saying I agree with that decision. I'm simply saying that is where I think Manuel's head is at.

 

[ruskin]

I'm curious as to how much power McHugh has and if he is what is keeping PP safe.

Unfortunately, probably way too much. Have a feeling he could be one of the sources feeding the "PP will definitely be back" bye week rumblings. If McHugh is the ultimate decider of who the football coach is at UConn - that is, if he has veto power over any moves Herbst or Manuel might want to make - he should be upfront and come out and say he wants him back. It's not right for others to take responsibility for decisions McHugh is really making (like letting Hathaway get trucked by Burton after the initial hire).

 

[junglehusky]

I'm curious as to how much power McHugh has and if he is what is keeping PP safe.

Good question.

 

[huskysupporter]

People still think Coach P will get fired after the season? I still put the chances at around 10 %.

 

[junglehusky]

I'm also doubtful P gets canned. I'd guess the chances of him replacing GDL are maybe 25%, tops. I hope I'm wrong, but the fact that GDL did a sit-down with Jacobs seems to be a sign that they're trying to do some damage control instead of changing directions, at least for now...

 

[jdb50]

Remember he (GDL) did us a favor by leaving that good paying job to come back here.

 

[J187Money]

I think we should kidnap Nick Saban and change our colors to match Alabama's and maybe he doesn't notice.

 

[uconndogs]

I'm also doubtful P gets canned. I'd guess the chances of him replacing GDL are maybe 25%, tops. I hope I'm wrong, but the fact that GDL did a sit-down with Jacobs seems to be a sign that they're trying to do some damage control instead of changing directions, at least for now...

Could very well be right on all counts. I will say, that if GDL is retained for next season I think P's tenure will be over by the end of 2013. GDL ducked up this OL beyond any recognition of what UCONN OLs once were. I have to believe it will take a lot longer to fix than it did to break it.

 

[pj]

GDL ducked up this OL beyond any recognition of what UCONN OLs once were. I have to believe it will take a lot longer to fix than it did to break it.

Why? As long as the talent is similar, a new scheme can be installed in spring and preseason; then at most a year of playing experience to develop chemistry. It shouldn't be hard to do better than #120 out of 124 in rushing (http://espn.go.com/college-football/statistics/team/_/stat/rushing). And I think the talent will be at least as good; there's no reason depth can't be quite a bit better.

 

[uconndogs]

I think that's a reasonable scenario as long as somebody other than GDL is in charge of the O and the OL. I have seen nothing from him that suggests he is adaptable to meaningful change during the course of a game or season.

 

[ZooCougar]

Remember he (GDL) did us a favor by leaving that good paying job to come back here.

Ok.

 

[Waquoit]

GDL is just symptom. If he goes and P stays, we will suck just as bad.

 

[Pudge]

10%. Yeah ... that's the New England way of thinking. I agree.

But, if you are Warde Manual ... you are hanging around practice for a reason. You are watching what is going on. And, this is a stumbling, bumbling act. Jeff Hathaway hired Pasqualoni as a safe transition. Keep on winning & m-a-r-g-i-n-a-l-l-y improve. No great shakes. The guy is 63. I think WE ... including Warde Manual ... can tell that Pasqualoni is past his date as a dynamic leader in Football. He has nothing left to show us. Bring in his own? To do what? And GDL is a sympton. They wanted to do great things to advance Connecticut football. Resign!!! And, help Warde Manual & company transition to a place where this Program is growing & we have forward momentum. (Darrell Hazell)

 

[sdhusky]

that will be a massive meltdown followed by i think a urge on here for rally to shown the school why not.....

You aren't a very loyal guy, are you?

 

[ibleedhuskyblue]

You aren't a very loyal guy, are you?

thats not fair to hfd at all.

people can protest the destruction of something they love, without being disloyal. as a matter of fact, i think its the opposite. If you really ARE loyal to something, you dont just sit idly by while someone takes a 50lb sledge to it.

and he's certainly not the only one here who feels that way.

 

[EdgewoodNHV]

thats not fair to hfd at all.

people can protest the destruction of something they love, without being disloyal. as a matter of fact, i think its the opposite. If you really ARE loyal to something, you dont just sit idly by while someone takes a 50lb sledge to it.

and he's certainly not the only one here who feels that way.

There's a difference between protesting the "destruction of something they love" and abandoning support altogether. When you cancel season tickets, you aren't supporting the program anymore, and playing it off as a way of "protesting" is silly. There are other, better ways which would cause less damage to the health of the program overall.

 

[sdhusky]

thats not fair to hfd at all.

He has sung the praises of PP or DB and completely turned on them in a matter of weeks.

At the first sign of adversity, he goes 180 degrees.

 

[freescooter]

I've said before, and I really think it is true, that this staff came in and decided that there simply wasn't much talent here. I have a real sense that they have essentially thrown up their hands and are trying to rebuild from the ground up. And while it might be somewhat true that we never had all that much in terms of talent,as Silver suggests, under Edsall there was an assumption that we couldn't get it so to succeed we would have to coach players up. And they did it pretty well. Heck, we had two or three walk-ons who went on to play in the NFL. We had a kid ranked as a 2 star linebacker who played 4 years as a fullback and is now playing in the NFL. I think you saw it in the fact that Edsall teams were usually among the least penalized in the league, they seldom lost games they should have won, and seldom lost to MAC-level teams. Does anyone think that this team, playing this schedule would be 3-5/0-2 at this point under Edsall? Problem was Edsall never got beyond recruiting those types of players and therefore our ceiling was limited.

I have a sense both from watching, listening and talking with a few people who know both Deleone and Pasqualoni, that there is a very different attitude with them. they aren't all that focused on taking a 2-star and making him an NFL draft choice. Rather they are looking to improve recruiting to a higher level and coach better players. That was essentially the game plan that Pasqualoni laid out for Hathaway and the selection committee when he got the job. To a degree it is reflective of where the program was when each of the coaches arrived. Edsall started in trailers. Pasqualoni came from the NFL, a major program at Syracuse and had Shenkman. Coaching guys up isn't part of his DNA. It was out of necessity for Edsall. I'm not sure that P's approach will work, and I'm pretty disappointed that they effectively gave up on the existing team, but I truly think that is what is going on here.