National Signing Day Coverage

[SonsOfNutmeg]

Anyone trying to watch this video of the presser?? Its not loading for me... and I couldn't make it to the Burton.

 

[CL82]

Peddie school? I would thought he'd be a PSU signee.

[CL82 apologizes to everyone offended by this post. He is quite sure that his account was hacked..or something.]

 

[huskymedic]

NHRJimFuller 4:29pm via TweetDeck
#UConn signee Chris Lee's dad is retired Navy Seal. Averages double double in basketball

 

[SonsOfNutmeg]

I hope Nolan Ulizio, the OL from Ohio has a good time ridin' the pine at Michigan... And USF can have Livingstone, looks undersized anyway... I like this recruiting class. The big size factor is great, and def want we need, especially on offense!

 

[J187Money]

He told those 8 PWO's that they were not worthy of a scholarship on day 1, thus the designation. So, he either

1) Was not able to recruit enough players that were so worthy, or
2) is deliberately leaving 3 (likely more since an assumed attrition rate of zero is not realistic) scholarships unfilled.

It is what it is, a class with less than 25 players deemed worthy of a scholarship offer.

Right. People leave all of the time. I would expect that a PWO would take a scholarship that "opens up", not one that was never filled. I don't think any of us are against PWOs, but I'd rather fill my scholarship allotment up. If we are holding 3 for potential transfers etc then fine. But I don't think we achieved the goal. I don't think it is a catastrophe either. But we had 2 kids walk late. Had they stayed we would have been at 24. So we can't say that we held 3 back on purpose.

It has been discussed that the PWOs are guaranteed to make the 105 man roster. So we don't need to allocate any scholarships to them, at least not in their first year - presumably they are willing and able to pay for year 1. In my mind, if we are going to give a PWO a scholarship (and I'm 100% in favor of doing so when the time is right), I wouldn't do it before their first game.

 

[sportsart]

Diaco talked about having only 15/16 available next year.

Didn't want to just give them out this year.

 

[ScottBonz]

At the XL center. Press conference and diaco interview with joe D on big screen. Highly impressed.

 

[BNich]

I know the rankings are subjective but its frustrating to see the Top 15 recruits in CT all committing to programs that aren't UConn (I'm going by the ESPN list of rankings: Wilkins, Clark, Palazzolo, Harris, Harris, Miller, Grice, Allen, Adams, Ginnetti, Giudice, Yerardi, Driscoll, Graves). Wilkins and Clark are understandable b/c they are nationally ranked but the others are committing to BCU, Cuse, even UMass. Would love to see the coaching staff make some in-roads here.

Top ranked CT talent and they committed to UMass. What's that tell you? They weren't good enough to play anywhere at a higher level?

 

[freescooter]

Its too bad Warde didn't know when National signing day was when he was putting together the basketball and hockey schedules. If the NCAA didn't keep it a secret, he probalby wouldn't have scheduled both teams in HOME games today. Like last year when Louisville scheduled a game at UCONN for opening night for the basketball team. Too bad they didn't tell Warde they were doing that. He wouldn't have scheduled against himself. Do they need an Assistant AD at Hofstra do you think?

 

[BNich]

Right. People leave all of the time. I would expect that a PWO would take a scholarship that "opens up", not one that was never filled. I don't think any of us are against PWOs, but I'd rather fill my scholarship allotment up. If we are holding 3 for potential transfers etc then fine. But I don't think we achieved the goal. I don't think it is a catastrophe either. But we had 2 kids walk late. Had they stayed we would have been at 24. So we can't say that we held 3 back on purpose.

It has been discussed that the PWOs are guaranteed to make the 105 man roster. So we don't need to allocate any scholarships to them, at least not in their first year - presumably they are willing and able to pay for year 1. In my mind, if we are going to give a PWO a scholarship (and I'm 100% in favor of doing so when the time is right), I wouldn't do it before their first game.

You're talking about one that got a Michigan offer. Any 17 yo in his shoes would do the same thing, especially when their current recruiting class was at 6-8 commits at the time. As medic mentioned earlier in another thread, Livingstone was a lucky grab. UAB closes down, he got along with the staff at UConn and made a quick decision to assure a scholarship. A school closer to home comes calling, and he flips. They didn't walk, and the staff surely didn't let them walk. They made the best decision for them at least in their mind and their families mind.

 

[specialisthusky]

Good start didn't lose anyone we didn't already know was lost. I don't think this is a bad start recruiting wise. Time to grow...and win.

 

[huskymedic]

UConnHuskies 6:24pm via Instagram
Where did today's #huskypups come from? #bleedblue @ Burton Family Football Complex
http://instagram.com/p/yspRvzAlEl/

 

[huskymedic]

NHRJimFuller 5:05pm via TweetDeck
#UConn coach Bob Diaco said it is not out of the question more players could be added to get to 85-player scholarship maximum

 

[huskymedic]

JohnFSilver 6:51pm via WordPress.com
Recruiting class thoughts and tidbits on.sny.tv/1xkbpYy
http://snyuconn.com/uconn/football/recruiting-class-thoughts-and-tidbits/

NHRJimFuller 7:31pm via TweetDeck
#UConn coach Bob Diaco followed through on promise not to chase talent for talent's sake
http://runwayramblings.blogspot.com/2015/02/character-responsibility-hallmarks-of.html

 

[Dynasty]

Surprise...?

TheChubster22 10:56am via Twitter for iPad
After plentiful thought and reflection I have decided that I shall be taking my football career to #UConn #GoHuskies

Brien Pacholec - 6-0, 220lb DT from St. Francis High Varsity Football, Athol Springs, NY

The guys post isn't on his twitter account anymore.


I think we got Moses Mayes'ed again.

 

[huskymedic]

The guys post isn't on his twitter account anymore.

I think we got Moses Mayes'ed again.

Yup... Probably got a "D" in gym.

 

[UCFBfan]

I gotta admit, I'm impressed Diaco was able to keep 22 of those verbals he got so early. When you look at it, Livingstone was not an original offer and was a UAB refugee so he wasn't an original target. He's still a lost verbal but he wasn't an original target. Ulizio (?) was an original target and he was lost to Michigan. So two lost verbals?? Not too shabby. I thought we'd be losing a few more after the disaster that was last season. Hopefully these kids pan out and Diaco can do some work with players he wanted and brought here.

Hope is slowly returning...very slowly, but slowly!

 

[sportsart]

Yup... Probably got a "D" in gym.

Love the way he talked about the intangibles they look for. Went into great detail. If only we could recruit posters with the same qualities. (me included)

 

[UConn9604]

The guys post isn't on his twitter account anymore.


I think we got Moses Mayes'ed again.

That's too bad. After the way Diaco killed the last regime's failure to get kids in shape, I would have loved to hear what he had to say about "The Chubster 22."

 

[Carl Spackler]

He told those 8 PWO's that they were not worthy of a scholarship on day 1, thus the designation. So, he either

1) Was not able to recruit enough players that were so worthy, or
2) is deliberately leaving 3 (likely more since an assumed attrition rate of zero is not realistic) scholarships unfilled.

It is what it is, a class with less than 25 players deemed worthy of a scholarship offer.

Fair enough. I'm choosing to take whats given and make it work. In the offseason I did my homework, and by my analysis (which in reality means diddleyshiit) I came up with a number of 30 recruits coming in today through a full NLI cycle of profiling athletes, evaluating them and recruiting them, minimum, to get back on track for division 1A roster. That is exactly what happened, so I am happy. For me, still having 3 open scholarships is something positive to work with in this point of time in the year. I dont anticipate thst holding open tryouts in the spring to fond players is in Diaco's plan, and I am ok with that.

I'll write again, without a doubt the tallest and physically biggest class we've had, but they need to be fast. We need team speed.

It appears for you that we are numbers deficient in the class. I dont think so. I see the potential for one of the most competitive fall camps in years.

 

[uconnbill]

I am happy with the class and love the size coming in. Let's see what they do when they are on campus in August before we trash the coaching staff and this class.

 

[Carl Spackler]

Diaco talked about having only 15/16 available next year.

Didn't want to just give them out this year.

Means keeping players in the program and developing them.

 

[BlueDogs]

Diaco - "You can always have a good team if you are bigger than the opponent.” Amen to that. Lets get back to physical dominance as a first step.

 

[Carl Spackler]

Looks like a nice class with a lot of potential. Only concern is we saw how well the kids were coached up last year. Lets hope things turn and Crazy Bobby has a plan other than a better diet, good vibes and motivational music.

In the back of my mind I cannot forget the game day performances of both coaches and players in 2014, and how that reflects on preparation.

 

[Carl Spackler]

Diaco - "You can always have a good team if you are bigger than the opponent.” Amen to that. Lets get back to physical dominance as a first step.

I just watched the video too. Size is good. Speed is better. Size and speed is what we want.