New Head Coach Criteria/Wishes

[ConnHuskBask]

I agree, but he is better suited to college football than to the NY media market, which he couldn't handle.
Remember, he was at Alabama and had a lot to do with the offense under Saban

Wanting to be the "face of the program" is an important function of any college football team, let alone ours which needs to forge its own identity as an Indy. Mora did a great job in that respect.

Daboll actively resented that and I found his beratement of players (specifically Jones) and assistant coaches to be bush league. If you've won and have something to stand on? Maybe. But he didn't earn that type of leeway.

 

[Nameless]

He is fine as an OC but a terrible head coach.

I don't want this to be taken as me endorsing Kelly for the job, I don't want him here. But I think it's inaccurate to say he's a terrible head coach. He was 46-7 as a HC at Oregon, and made a national championship game. Went to the Eagles and went 10-6 each of his first two years. Had a few bad years at UCLA but won at least 8 games in each of his final 3 seasons there.

He just seems to eventually rub people the wrong way wherever he goes. Makes me think he's more likely a terrible person than a terrible coach, lol.

 

[Da_Aisijimo_Gou]

Ed Orgeron Oh please lord make it happen.

Entertaining character, and a Cajun not so well fit for New England. Polar opposite to Everett, MA born Brian Kelly’s bad fit with LSU. Comic relief appreciated!

 

[JMick]

I don't want this to be taken as me endorsing Kelly for the job, I don't want him here. But I think it's inaccurate to say he's a terrible head coach. He was 46-7 as a HC at Oregon, and made a national championship game. Went to the Eagles and went 10-6 each of his first two years. Had a few bad years at UCLA but won at least 8 games in each of his final 3 seasons there.

He just seems to eventually rub people the wrong way wherever he goes. Makes me think he's more likely a terrible person than a terrible coach, lol.

That was a long time ago though. The game changes

 

[uconnbill]

Ooooh my blood is boiling. Knew about the twitter pic and banner changing didn't know about this massive slap in the face. Absolute jackass, this feels almost worse than Edsall.

He brought UConn to where they are now, so I have nothing but praise for him and thanks for turning UConn around from the joke it was to where it is now bowl bowl-bound 3 out of 4 years

 

[maple]

Are you forgetting that Mora, two years ago, acted as his own defensive coordinator & his specialty is as a defensive mind? How did UConn's offense turn out the last 2 years?

So you’re saying that Spencer is the type to be hands off and let his OC make it happen?

 

[ZooCougar]

People actually pushing for Daboll is a small part of why we have such a bad football history.

Like why would you actually push for this sort of pain?

 

[ZooCougar]

Sammis is our new head coach. Need to name it now and get past this guessing game.

Ehhh

 

[FightOnCT]

that doesn't bother me per se.... but its clear that the new game of football is high roster churn and recruiting along with a lot of technological and information support. The coach that can wrangle both wins.

My worry is a lower division coach won't be able to handle the churn and recruiting and then do the dance of information support.

The good thing is that even past Mora, our reference points are a 1,000 yd rusher, a 3,000 yd QB and a triple-crown Biletnikoff finalist.

 

[ShakyTheMohel]

I am sure I am in some stage of grief…but…I am ready to rip the band aid off and start over again. New coaches…new players….I am not going to hang on every portal entry or decommit or coach leaving.

The new HC needs to build his staff with his players. I hope that the kids committed to UConn get their chance on this team. If they want to leave…fine. I trust that DB will find the right guy and that coach will find or keep the right players.

 

[husky429]

If we're going with an old retread give me Malzahn.

If we want a younger up-and-comer give me Reno or Santos.

 

[ArtTheFan]

Ooooh my blood is boiling. Knew about the twitter pic and banner changing didn't know about this massive slap in the face. Absolute jackass, this feels almost worse than Edsall.

I'm placing a dislike because we knew that he loves to ski. I knew he was not going to stay if he got a western area job. I'm wishing him good luck at CSU.

Feels worse than Edsall? Not to me..Jim left us in the best position since 2011. Now, let's hit a bullseye on the coaching hire.

 

[UDann]

Mora was like one of those guys in the old westerns. Retired gunslinger hired by the town mayor to handle the bad guys. Once they were beaten he rides off into the sunset.
And the townspeople are thankful but wonder what will happen next time. Duke Wayne type.

My guess in hindsight is this was the deal he had with AD Dave from the get go. Building the infrastructure. Get us back to a legitimate program. Then ride off into the sunset.

Then why did he sign an extension after last season through 2029?

 

[ArtTheFan]

FWIW:

Good Morning from "Old Guy" wishing you all a Happy Thanksgiving. Yesterday's news of HC leaving has left a bitter taste in my mouth. I thought we had someone who displayed Loyalty to the Athletes, fan base, University and State. But was I ever wrong. Do I understand in this time of sports it's about the $$$$$$$$l$$$. Brian Kelly, left ND and now owed 50 million. Something wrong with this picture. I have lost respect for Mora. At least coach the bowl game and stay for the kids who played their hearts out for him. Never mind the portal...His so-called loyalty was a bamboozle. Time to turn the page.
Here is a thought: UConn has the Head Coach already on campus. His name is Joe Fagnano. Yup, Joe. Oh I know, that's a laugh for anyone reading my post. We want the guy who has coached a big time program. NOT COMING. Or a young guy, like at James Madison, who will build his resume at UConn and leave.
Listen, Listen, Joe is a leader, and would put UConn on the front page of sports news. 3 star athletes, many who are tired of sitting the Bench at the power schools would find this an interesting concept and some would find their way to UConn. Joe would hire the coaches who can coach them up.
Going to the NFL as a 7th round or just signed as a signing after the draft only to be cut late.
It's a new world. Young people want something new. I know nobody will agree with Old Guy, but sometime in the future when another coach has bailed on UConn for more money, someone will say, Maybe Old Guy was right, WE SHOULD HAVE GONE WITH JOE! RECREATED PT 109 STORY. Riding with JOE.....JOE IS A LEADER AND WOULD BE A GREAT COACH!!!!! Love you all OLD GUY

I know I said I want a new coach, yet Joe F is not what I want. He is good as a QB, but a high profile coach? I hope you are joking...

No to Malzahn...I doubt he want to coach in New England...

 

[ArtTheFan]

If I am DB I would get to work on “fixing” next season’s schedule. It probably shouldn’t be that hard.

Why...would you want to change our schedule. Why not scheduled Akron, Central Michigan, Eastern Michigan, Western Michigan, UMass, Kent State...and lets throw in Georgia Southern? Sorry, we scheduled a few years ago, so we didn't know if a top QB and WR would graduate this year. We didn't even know we'd be 9-3 when it was was scheduled.

We might fall back to below .500 next year, even if JM was still here.

 

[UCFBfan]

I don’t like hiring an FCS coach. The demand of a FBS coach and the transfer portal and all the other non coaching duties, are way more than why they dealt with at their FCS job. We need someone who hits the ground to pick up the portal work Mora laid the foundation for. Whoever was saying we should rely more on HS recruits is wrong. Transfers are what brought this program from the dead. Our most promising recruit during Mora’s time was our QB who transferred after his first season. I’d rather have a QB who could step in.

Once again, whatever head coach we get needs to have NFL experience that he can use to attract recruits. It’s what Mora used successfully. It’s the biggest thing that we can use here.

 

[LetsGoUC]

Pat Fitzgerald would be a home run IMO and is my personal #1 target. He has a massive chip on his shoulder following what happened there, but won a ton of games at a tougher place to win in B1G.

IDK how motivated a Chip or Brian Kelly would really be. They've been paid and both fired now.

Patricia hasn't been in college long, but knows the NE well and maybe would do well? Seems like a high risk, high reward situation with him.

I do like Cahill or Reno a lot too and would happy with both.

 

[hardcorehusky]

I don’t like hiring an FCS coach. The demand of a FBS coach and the transfer portal and all the other non coaching duties, are way more than why they dealt with at their FCS job. We need someone who hits the ground to pick up the portal work Mora laid the foundation for. Whoever was saying we should rely more on HS recruits is wrong. Transfers are what brought this program from the dead. Our most promising recruit during Mora’s time was our QB who transferred after his first season. I’d rather have a QB who could step in.

Once again, whatever head coach we get needs to have NFL experience that he can use to attract recruits. It’s what Mora used successfully. It’s the biggest thing that we can use here.

How is Chesney doing at JMU?

 

[Fatroony5]

Pat Fitzgerald would be a home run IMO and is my personal #1 target. He has a massive chip on his shoulder following what happened there, but won a ton of games at a tougher place to win in B1G.

IDK how motivated a Chip or Brian Kelly would really be. They've been paid and both fired now.

Patricia hasn't been in college long, but knows the NE well and maybe would do well? Seems like a high risk, high reward situation with him.

I do like Cahill or Reno a lot too and would happy with both.

I’m with you 100%. I have no clue if Fitzgerald is being considered but he absolutely should be and he’s my number 1. That chip on his shoulder is massive. You know he wants to get back and it can be a mutually beneficial situation. The hope would be crush it for 3-4 years and see where we’re at, but I’m definitely big on him. Theres been talks about him getting another P4 job this cycle; he’s going to be a coach again sooner than later, why not us?

 

[Hskies4Ever]

that doesn't bother me per se.... but its clear that the new game of football is high roster churn and recruiting along with a lot of technological and information support. The coach that can wrangle both wins.

My worry is a lower division coach won't be able to handle the churn and recruiting and then do the dance of information support.

The portal isn’t just an FBS thing. The churn happens at all levels. My main concerns would be - does he have the skills to oversee NIL (if UConn has a good system, this is moot), and does he have a strong pitch to get players in here? The path to the NFL/P4 opportunity is one Mora used effectively - would Cahill have something like that?

 

[FfldCntyFan]

How is Chesney doing at JMU?

I hear what you're saying, but for a couple decades I tell interns " Bill Gates dropped out of college to start a software company and became the richest man in the world. That does mean that being a college dropout is a path to wealth".

I imagine that for every Chesney type success story there are a dozen or so failures who made a similar move. I'm not saying it can't work, but I'm not confident that it will.

 

[fleaflicker]

I know I said I want a new coach, yet Joe F is not what I want. He is good as a QB, but a high profile coach? I hope you are joking...

No to Malzahn...I doubt he want to coach in New England...

I assumed my comment would get a negative reaction and that is fine. I was actually not joking. Change is difficult, but a young guy, who has achieved success as a QB could spur unimaginable change. Young players would accept the change and with others on the staff to coach them up, they would do well. I don't expect it to happen, but one day someone will go young and it will come to your mind that "I HEARD THAT IDEA FROM OLD GUY! As the late great Jim Valvano once said NEVER GIVE UP.. Happy Thanksgiving...

 

[RSTuthill]

The current HC of NoDak State, Montana State, or Montana.

 

[ZooCougar]

Why...would you want to change our schedule. Why not scheduled Akron, Central Michigan, Eastern Michigan, Western Michigan, UMass, Kent State...and lets throw in Georgia Southern? Sorry, we scheduled a few years ago, so we didn't know if a top QB and WR would graduate this year. We didn't even know we'd be 9-3 when it was was scheduled.

We might fall back to below .500 next year, even if JM was still here.

That’s why we should fix it.

 

[Kolumbo]

My only problem is that Dante is a sophomore. If he was a senior I would think heck yes. But seeing as Tony has been there for a while now, I'd expect that they want Dante to get that yale degree.

But maybe his former AHC/OC/QB coach is an option...Kevin Cahill.

Tony Reno - I'm sure Tony wants to coach his son. Tony could come to UConn and Dante could stay at Yale to get that degree, or if Dante is that good, come to UConn. That would be a touch decision.
Dante was mentioned several times on these boards as a recruit
Loomis Chaffee then Cheshire Academy graduate 12/2023
South Carolina in 2024 but didn't play as far as I can tell
Received offers from many P4 programs and UConn - also Ole Miss, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Louisville, Arizona, Virginia...
Yale in 2025 - 2,040 yards, 17 td's, 6 int

Yale (unseeded) plays Youngstown State (15 seed) Saturday in Youngstown