My thoughts on this program and Coach P

[Krugs17]

First of all let me just say for the 15 or so fans that made it to Boston's today, it was truly an honor to watch the game with you. No matter the pain stakingly dumb plays that happened you guys kept the faith and made it very enjoyable to watch with: thank you to the gentleman who hooked his laptop to the tv.. Bravo.

Moving on.. While I was happy to finally see a passing attack, there was far too many plays that were very predictable.. It was obvious the coaching staff knew they had to grow from the first 3 weeks but I still don't think they did a good enough job. Granted there were way too many dropped balls but I don't think deleone or coach P should be apart of our future..

Which is why I say to you, Mr. Manuel, you should hold the same credence for this program as you do the basketball program, and a change needs to be made. This program is going nowhere with coach p. if you ask me who his successor should be, I don't have an answer.. I'm in the opinion Hathaway made a bad hire, and for as much talent as we have I think it set us back a few years.

 

[ktuck911]

The "...set us back a few years..." issue concerns me most about this ballclub. Its kinda tough now realizing that we're just not that good right now as a unit. We have to establish ourselves over the course of the season. The only guaranteed victory was UMASS. And Buffalo (should be anyways). After that, with this coaching staff in place only 2years, trying to change the culture to fit their own identity and not Edsall's, we gotta find a way to get 4 more wins. The goal here is simply to get back to being bowl eligible. I'm talking 4 Big East wins (assuming we beat Buffalo).

 

[Adios]

I cannot see how the administration can tolerate 2 straight losses to WMU. We have an ex-Michigan football player running the athletic department. If that happened at Michigan, the fans would have burned the coach's house down. P's probably gone after this season or next. Unless Warde feels there's worthwhile progress being made. Too bad P is not completely working out right now. He did have to iron out weaknesses on the offense. He has done some good too, yes. But he is not getting what matters most, which is wins. And he knows we want wins. While he may have a young wife and loads of money, I still sorta feel bad for him. I wouldn't be worried about being set back. Speaking of coaching, RRod was shut out yesterday.

 

[Srqhusky]

Look I too am disappointed in the game yesterday. It was a game that was very winnable. The whole team was outplayed, defense schooled on the pass.. Im confused had assed husky fans. Don Brown is getting a free pass for not being able to defend the spread. Didnt our offensive coaches come out in the second half with an improved game plan. That is a sign of a good coaching staff is it not? Also coach P has had an offensive td in every game he has coached. EVERY game. Was the board calling for edsalls head when he went four games without one? What about when he lost to a temple team worse than Western Michigan?

 

[FfldCntyFan]

Look I too am disappointed in the game yesterday. It was a game that was very winnable. The whole team was outplayed, defense schooled on the pass..
Correct on all counts.

Im confused had assed husky fans. Don Brown is getting a free pass for not being able to defend the spread.
He is viewed by some as being infallible. In my opinion the 18 yard completion on third & fifteen (right before their second TD) was as big of a play as the fumble/TD that ended any shot at winning. We needed a different game plan against them but we did the only thing we've been doing yesterday. After watching the Power Hour (and noticing they had a different QB for the 4th Qtr) I'm convinced that if they needed to score more against us they would have.

Didnt our offensive coaches come out in the second half with an improved game plan. That is a sign of a good coaching staff is it not? Also coach P has had an offensive td in every game he has coached. EVERY game.
I am hoping that this wasn't merely being forced to open things up (with a return to the run, run or run, wildcat) without the results sinking in to their mindset. I will not be convinced until we see more games (an at least an attempt a an offensive rhythm).

Was the board calling for edsalls head when he went four games without one? What about when he lost to a temple team worse than Western Michigan?
Either you are joking or you haven't been around very long. Much of this board called for RE's head after wins.

 

[tduconn]

The talking heads have consistently railed against UConns poor recruiting. And over the years, offensively UConn has consistently played up to the low expectations. Historically, over the years, defense and special teams had a huge impact when they won. Without the play of those units, UConn would not have been such a fast rising entity in FBS........it literally and figuratively would have replaced Temple as a big THUD!

We have some talent comparative to other BE teams......mostly on defense. But we certainly can't go toe to toe offensively with the likes of Rutgers, Cincinnatti, Louisville, and Pittsburgh and Syracuse have scored and played competitively against some decent BCS programs.

A freshman quarterback at Maryland illustrated some defensive cracks in the defense, and a very good MAC QB exploited the same cracks. Right now I don't see too many W's in the league.........best chances are Temple and maybe S. Florida.

Is it the coaches or the talent? I don't know......never played the game and probably have deficient observations relative to others on this board because of it.......I'm only speaking as a frustated fan.

I hope some things are going on behind the scenes........witness the Arkansas/Rutgers game last night. The commentators openly suggested short list candidates to replace John L. Smith at Arkansas mid season......and they have an explosive, quick scoring offense! Unfortunately, I don't think those names mentioned would even open an invite to interview at UConn.

Hope I'm more than "one of a few" fans at the game Saturday. That's what worries me more than the ultimate W-L record.

 

[defense]

As I mentioned on another post, Don Brown had the D completely unprepared for the passing attack. Amazingly, they mainly prepped for the run all week in practice. How can that be when WM rushed for about 22 yards against us LY? That is why he had to make adjustments at halftime. Unacceptable.

 

[Gate97]

Not to change the focus from PP to Brown, but this defensive scheme just does not work well against spread offenses. Sure, we beat a young Maryland team last week but that's a RE influenced version of the spread with a freshman QB. Last year, WMU, Pitt, and Cincy all had huge days against our otherwise stout D. This year so far, WMU has and I fully expect us to have the same challenges with Cincy and Pitt again.

Looking at the rest of the year, I see wins against Buffalo, Temple, USF, maybe Cuse, and maybe Pitt (home game on a Friday night gives us a chance). If we don't get to a bowl, we need to make a change.

 

[noeynox]

Look I too am disappointed in the game yesterday. It was a game that was very winnable. The whole team was outplayed, defense schooled on the pass.. Im confused had assed husky fans. Don Brown is getting a free pass for not being able to defend the spread. Didnt our offensive coaches come out in the second half with an improved game plan. That is a sign of a good coaching staff is it not? Also coach P has had an offensive td in every game he has coached. EVERY game. Was the board calling for edsalls head when he went four games without one? What about when he lost to a temple team worse than Western Michigan?

You have to understand, on this board, P will be always be held to a different standard than Edsall. As someone who was an Edsall basher and happy to have P hired, I'm okay with that. The program evolved under Edsall. He had to leave to for the board to get over the "trailers" mentality. Its a new ball game in the ever changing landscape of college football, P has to deliver a big time season in the next two or I think the Herbst/Manual combination will make a change to "their guy".

With a little improvement, in the pass blocking I could honestly see this team going on a similar run to the 2010 team. The defense yesterday, for all their faults held them to 1 touchdown in the second half against a scheme that is very difficult for them to defend. I know I sound like a broken record, but the P and D show have to go away from run first, run on second down, try to eek out a win on the back of the defense approach. Go out there and run your offense like you did when you fell behind 17-0, yesterday and try to be a perfect compliment to a very good, not great defense.

 

[businesslawyer]

Look I too am disappointed in the game yesterday. It was a game that was very winnable. The whole team was outplayed, defense schooled on the pass.. Im confused had assed husky fans. Don Brown is getting a free pass for not being able to defend the spread. Didnt our offensive coaches come out in the second half with an improved game plan. That is a sign of a good coaching staff is it not? Also coach P has had an offensive td in every game he has coached. EVERY game. Was the board calling for edsalls head when he went four games without one? What about when he lost to a temple team worse than Western Michigan?

In another year or so, an Edsall team will have gone 17 straight games without an offensive touchdown. Urban legends from people who love to criticize regardless of facts are like that.

O.K. hotshot -- the four consecutive games without an offensive TD were what? (In the two games we went consecutively without an offensive TD in '10, I'd also ask you how many of them were big games that we won, since to normal people that's more important than any statistic anyway.)

 

[Jimmy Serrano]

In another year or so, an Edsall team will have gone 17 straight games without an offensive touchdown. Urban legends from people who love to criticize regardless of facts are like that.

O.K. hotshot -- the four consecutive games without an offensive TD were what? (In the two games we went consecutively without an offensive TD in '10, I'd also ask you how many of them were big games that we won, since to normal people that's more important that any statistic anyway.)

Let him go man.

 

[Srqhusky]

In another year or so, an Edsall team will have gone 17 straight games without an offensive touchdown. Urban legends from people who love to criticize regardless of facts are like that.

O.K. hotshot -- the four consecutive games without an offensive TD were what? (In the two games we went consecutively without an offensive TD in '10, I'd also ask you how many of them were big games that we won, since to normal people that's more important than any statistic anyway.)

Am I criticizing the fan base or the coach here

 

[businesslawyer]

Am I criticizing the fan base or the coach here

I have no need to interpret your post. You stated a "fact" and I'm asking you to confirm it.

 

[UConnDan97]

Let him go man.

Ha! I was waiting on you to say that, Jimmy!

 

[Srqhusky]

Isnt one game too many? What does it matter? For the purpose of my argument of premature firing then he should of been fired after one game. Not according to me but to several board members here. We are on the same side, I'm not anti randy at all despite how the post sounded.

 

[Adios]

It's going to be a while before we are really elevated as a program. The day will likely come but it will be the result of many years of blood, sweat and tears. We don't have a single player who is in the college or pro Hall of Fame. Tyvon Branch might be the man to change that.

 

[Waquoit]

Am I criticizing the fan base or the coach here

I don't know what your point is about the fan base, but it gives me a chance to make this point. UConn had more fans at the MD game than WMU had at a home game. And WMU is a better team today. So I'm not inclined to hear any knocks about the fan base.

 

[ZooCougar]

Pasqualoni is literally killing UConn football. The stuff that is wrong right now is stuff that the coaches have to take credit for.

-The play calling, the tactic of using both the base offense and the Wildcat are a major source of the inconsistency and penalties. The offensive line needs a consistent cadence caller.

-The defense is great unless they are playing WMU. That's coaching.

-Game clock management.

Fix two out of those three, and we go to a bowl last year. This is a really weak schedule. Only really bad teams from BCS conferences like Indiana, Minnesota, Washington State, Maryland and others miss going to bowl games.

 

[ZooCougar]

It's going to be a while before we are really elevated as a program. The day will likely come but it will be the result of many years of blood, sweat and tears. We don't have a single player who is in the college or pro Hall of Fame. Tyvon Branch might be the man to change that.

You win credibilty by winning lots of games. 10 or more a season, beat Top 25 teams, win big bowl games, etc.

You don't win respect by going 7-5 and or 8-4 and backing into a Fiesta Bowl.

 

[ruskin]

I don't know what your point is about the fan base, but it gives me a chance to make this point. UConn had more fans at the MD game than WMU had at a home game. And WMU is a better team today. So I'm not inclined to hear any knocks about the fan base.

The "fan base" discussion is interesting. UConn has two subgroups to its base. There's one pretty substantial group like the people on this board who have season tickets and go on the road and make good showings at Notre Dame, Michigan, Fiesta Bowl and Maryland. We've proven we travel well for big games. But the other half is soft & fair weather, literally and figuratively. If UConn was 4-0 there'd probably be a 90-percent full Rent for a weak nonconference opponent if the weather's nice. If we crack 30K this Saturday and Temple even with good weather I'll be stunned. (I don't trust the 'official' crowd count, I go by how full the upper corners are.) Assuming a win over Buffalo, I would also bet on a good road crowd showing at Rutgers similar to Maryland
The empty seats are what will bring a coaching change faster than anything else. If PP is around next year, and the odds are he will, he needs to consider improving PR during the off-season. For starters, he should consider opening one of August scrimmages at the Rent and treat like it was an exhibition game.

 

[ZooCougar]

The "fan base" discussion is interesting. UConn has two subgroups to its base. There's one pretty substantial group like the people on this board who have season tickets and go on the road and make good showings at Notre Dame, Michigan, Fiesta Bowl and Maryland. We've proven we travel well for big games. But the other half is soft & fair weather, literally and figuratively. If UConn was 4-0 there'd probably be a 90-percent full Rent for a weak nonconference opponent if the weather's nice. If we crack 30K this Saturday and Temple even with good weather I'll be stunned. (I don't trust the 'official' crowd count, I go by how full the upper corners are.) Assuming a win over Buffalo, I would also bet on a good road crowd showing at Rutgers similar to Maryland
The empty seats are what will bring a coaching change faster than anything else. If PP is around next year, and the odds are he will, he needs to consider improving PR during the off-season. For starters, he should consider opening one of August scrimmages at the Rent and treat like it was an exhibition game.

I know everyone likes to think that UConn is some sort of anomaly, but we aren't. What you just said is true of most other programs. Some places like Tennessee, Notre Dame, Michigan or Rutgers (just kidding) sell out every game no matter what. But the fact is every fanbase has a fair amount of fair weather fans. And you know what? Thank god for our fair weather fans. I would rather have 40k fair weather fans than only 15k die hards.

That being said, I agree completely. If our fair weather fans decide to stay home en masse, then Coach P and Deleone will be relegated to the UConn history books.

I was also really surprised at how many empty seats there were for NC State. Those upper corners were by and large empty. I don't buy that everyone was hiding in the Terrace. I've been to the games where the place was full and it rained cats and dogs and people hid under cover. I've been one of those people, there weren't that many people there on the 8th.

 

[freescooter]

I'm not getting into a fan base debate other than to say fan bases are generally fickle. We have a less than inspiring home schedule this year, so we'll get less than inspiring crowds. if the best non-conference home game is North Carolina State, well let's just say they are probably the only team in the nation with a more boring head coach than we have.

As far as the state of the team is concerned, that is a different story. I still maintain that our receiving corps is decidedly 2nd rate...maybe Davis took the step toward becoming a big time pass catcher, but the rest of them are just not that good. I had high hopes for Phillips but the word from BC was that he lacked toughness. Hit him a couple of times and he'll quit. Williams is a good kickoff and punt returner, who can do things when he gets the ball but he isn't a good enough route runner and doesn't have great hands as a pass catcher. Smith just drops too many balls. He dropped a couple Saturday. Again. We simply lack the guy who can make the tough catch, who can take the ball out of the defender's hand. catches the ball that isn't right on the money. Again, we were counting on a guy who had 1 catch for 8 yards last year, who couldn't break into the 2 deep at Louisville, to be a huge contributor on this team. We're no different at that position than we were when the back-up quarterback switched to reciever and moved immediately into the starting lineup. That tells you more about our receiving corps than all the statistics in the world I think. That needs to be the highest priority in recruiting next year. We have a kid who can throw the football a little bit, but nobody who can catch it unless its perfect...and even then its a 50-50 proposition...(note: that is called exaggerating to make a point so don't go quoting stats to me.)