New Recruiting Strategic Paradigm

[Pudge]

We were bad: 1-11 and the Worst Defense ever in FBS history.

Some HS kids will buy into your pitch: Be part of the UCONN rise to Bowl Status. Win AAC Championships.

2 things should be very obvious in HCRE 2.0:

1. New England + Northeastern Prep schools are advancing and producing College ready athletes in far greater numbers than 10-15 years ago. Both for the ND & Michigan level … but the inevitable rise brings developmental talent to our backyard in numbers we won't see in CT & MA high schools.

2. FCS + D2 Program All-Stars (add in MAC too) - IF … as HCRE recently stated "College Football is in the Age of Free Agency"; then … you work to make that a UCONN strength. The obvious thing, unlike the South or even West, the NORTHERN states - particularly New England, NY, PA, Ohio, Michigan - has solid football at levels that aren't quite the FBS. We have scholarships ready from a Major State University - a far better degree than about 100 other FBS schools. Track (start like with Ardell Brown) kids from your Camps & view of HS programs into the levels of these Northern conferences. WE ARE a far more attractive academic AND football destination. Winning, also, will fill Rentschler far more than the meager souls of 2018; and make it a better experience. Is Brown, Hinton, Thompkins, Beaudry, VanValkenburg the wave … and could be 7 - 10 a year? Frankly, each of these kids (with just a smidge of research) dominated their level of Football. This is a better evaluative tool than seeing a kid dominate most high schools games in our region.

Let's not whine. There is a path to UCONN Football success. Take 4 Year Development Talent? Of course. But, frankly, we are a Program - with high aspirations - that is needy.

 

[ktuck911]

Solid post.
And I think we need to take these new recruiting routes now and forever more. Could range from 1 to 2 in some seasons to way more (like what we needed this year, because we had way too many young bodies out there)

 

[bmayuc]

In my experience when people use the term "strategic paradigm" its almost a 100% certainty all of the following words are BS.

Congrats on avoiding that.

 

[whaler11]

I’ve been waiting for this.

Thanks for the laugh.

The level of delusion required to believe that you can fix UConn with D-II grad transfers is so far beyond ridiculous it can’t even be contimplated.

Hurr durr it’s whining to point the absurdity of Pudge’s claims out.

Riddle Me this Genius:

If the degree Is so Good and the Facilities are so Good and Edsall is Good and the American is P6 while do they have another mid level FCS recruiting class.

At least when they go 1-11 this year we can laugh at these posts.

 

[gioff2323]

The premise is flawed. It could work in margin to fill out roster, but can’t be the vision. It’s a tactic, not a strategy.

As for whalers rankings, I’d respectfully disagree. However at this stage it’s time to prove it on the field. Guys like him have the right to take a show me attitude. I hope I’m laughing in December with the team and fans, and not at them.

 

[uconnbill]

I’ve been waiting for this.

Thanks for the laugh.

The level of delusion required to believe that you can fix UConn with D-II grad transfers is so far beyond ridiculous it can’t even be contimplated.

Hurr durr it’s whining to point the absurdity of Pudge’s claims out.

Riddle Me this Genius:

If the degree Is so Good and the Facilities are so Good and Edsall is Good and the American is P6 while do they have another mid level FCS recruiting class.

At least when they go 1-11 this year we can laugh at these posts.

Follow women's basketball then. So want to have some hope and not the negativity that I read daily on football from so-called experts

 

[whaler11]

Follow women's basketball then. So want to have some hope and not the negativity that I read daily on football from so-called experts

ignore me champ. you can convince yourself Uconn can win by never winning a recruiting battle and then when they go 1-11 you’ll feel better I guess

 

[UConnJim]

ignore me champ. you can convince yourself Uconn can win by never winning a recruiting battle and then when they go 1-11 you’ll feel better I guess

During RE 1.0, we rarely if ever won a recruiting battle. That is why he was creative during his first stint. New England kids, Canada, under the radar Florida kids, PA and NJ.

If you are going to be a development program, the key is keeping kids for 5 years and that has been missing at UConn in recent years. We have been playing too many true freshmen which did not happen in RE 1.0, and we have lost too many players who didn’t last at UConn.

I agree with Pudge when it comes to FCS and Div. 2 kids. If they have developed and been productive, they are probably better than most young players. As an FYI, there were ~160 FCS players and 83 Division 2 players on NFL rosters in 2018. That is about how many players in the NFL from the ACC, Big 10, and PAC 12, about 100 more than the Big 12 and 140 more than the AAC. Yes, we can find players at lower levels to help.

 

[whaler11]

During RE 1.0, we rarely if ever won a recruiting battle. That is why he was creative during his first stint. New England kids, Canada, under the radar Florida kids, PA and NJ.

If you are going to be a development program, the key is keeping kids for 5 years and that has been missing at UConn in recent years. We have been playing too many true freshmen which did not happen in RE 1.0, and we have lost too many players who didn’t last at UConn.

I agree with Pudge when it comes to FCS and Div. 2 kids. If they have developed and been productive, they are probably better than most young players. As an FYI, there were ~160 FCS players and 83 Division 2 players on NFL rosters in 2018. That is about how many players in the NFL from the ACC, Big 10, and PAC 12, about 100 more than the Big 12 and 140 more than the AAC. Yes, we can find players at lower levels to help.

please stop. you arent going to run with legitimate FBS teams taking d-II grad transfers while your seniors leave for better FBS programs.

these arguments are so far beyond stupid it’s painful

find some coaches who can recruit.

 

[Pudge]

I’ve been waiting for this.

Thanks for the laugh.

The level of delusion required to believe that you can fix UConn with D-II grad transfers is so far beyond ridiculous it can’t even be contimplated.

Hurr durr it’s whining to point the absurdity of Pudge’s claims out.

Riddle Me this Genius:

If the degree Is so Good and the Facilities are so Good and Edsall is Good and the American is P6 while do they have another mid level FCS recruiting class.

At least when they go 1-11 this year we can laugh at these posts.

You and your continued life’s work at pessimism is what is my ... lol

That and the idea that we’d go dark on a $250m stadium - today’s dollars. So. Amuse me more. It’s a trending line that never seems to end.

 

[UConnJim]

please stop. you arent going to run with legitimate FBS teams taking d-II grad transfers while your seniors leave for better FBS programs.

these arguments are so far beyond stupid it’s painful

find some coaches who can recruit.

Man, you are miserable. Step away from the keyboard. Nobody said you can fill a roster with D2 grad transfers, but you can’t dismiss the talent as you apparently are.

Out of the players that left after the season, there was only 1 expected starter, Davis, with Beavers a possibility, but probably a backup. So, we lost 2 players to other programs and only 1 was an expected starter. Some others might find a landing spot, but none were expected to be significant contributors in 2019.

 

[metsfan2323]

I’ve been waiting for this.

Wow, you have an exciting life.

 

[whaler11]

Wow, you have an exciting life.

and you get excited by d-II transfers and get bent out of shape when I post. are you sure you can talk?

 

[metsfan2323]

and you get excited by d-II transfers and get bent out of shape when I post. are you sure you can talk?

83 former Division II players on NFL rosters in 2018

It's been said before but the posters who complain about recruiting inside the boards player welcome threads are pure pond scum.

 

[whaler11]

83 former Division II players on NFL rosters in 2018

It's been said before but the posters who complain about recruiting inside the boards player welcome threads are pure pond scum.

wow harsh.

i doubt i’ll ever recover from the made up criticism you just attributed to other people.

im not sure there is a stupider argument against uconn’s pathetic recruiting than a random count of nfl players from a lower level but i wouldn’t be surprised if someone tops it.

it’s ok that uconn recruits mid table CAA classes because some FCS players go to the NFL.

i’m sure that will translate to not losing every game by 50 soon.

 

[noeynox]

You need to find a coach who will win recruiting battles. Things have changed since RE 1.0. Harder to find "under the radar types", even harder to get them here when you no longer have the BCS moniker. Attendance is crap and as a result finances have become crap.

Need to come up with a way to stop trying to do this on the cheap.

 

[Pudge]

Man, you are miserable. Step away from the keyboard. Nobody said you can fill a roster with D2 grad transfers, but you can’t dismiss the talent as you apparently are.

Out of the players that left after the season, there was only 1 expected starter, Davis, with Beavers a possibility, but probably a backup. So, we lost 2 players to other programs and only 1 was an expected starter. Some others might find a landing spot, but none were expected to be significant contributors in 2019.

He’s prejudged the recruitment process every year.

His conclusion is foreordained. We suck. We can’t compete. We get FCS guys that we beat FCS programs for.

Edsall is far better at evaluating talent than the PP or Diaco days. It’s still a grind. My thought - with a week to go - we’ve done quite well confronting great odds. The Transfers make sense.

 

[noeynox]

He’s prejudged the recruitment process every year.

His conclusion is foreordained. We suck. We can’t compete. We get FCS guys that we beat FCS programs for.

Edsall is far better at evaluating talent than the PP or Diaco days. It’s still a grind. My thought - with a week to go - we’ve done quite well confronting great odds. The Transfers make sense.

The transfers make sense from the point of view that they're better than the guys here. When the d2 guys are better than guys on the roster going into their junior years that the current coach recruited you have a real issue.

 

[JMick]

I know it's bad but you guys don't have to delude yourselves this much.

 

[whaler11]

You need to find a coach who will win recruiting battles. Things have changed since RE 1.0. Harder to find "under the radar types", even harder to get them here when you no longer have the BCS moniker. Attendance is crap and as a result finances have become crap.

Need to come up with a way to stop trying to do this on the cheap.

its no wonder the budget is 40 million short, the venues are empty and there has been just endless losing.

enabling the garbarge we’ve seen from the football team and the athletic department is embarassing.

a lot of people being paid a ton of money for hot garbage and then we have to read about the genius of becoming seton hill’s sister program.

there is a reason the first time seton hill came up everyone’s reaction was what?!? seton hall doesnt have football!

this is the same garbage i was told by the same people about diaco and three years into edsall the team is going to be worse. how is that even possible.

i respect edsall for what he did the first go round and i think as far as football coaches go he is a good guy - but this is madness. the guy is essentially being allowed to euthanize the program because he’ll work cheap.

why doesnt anyone answer if:
the school is so great
the facilities are so great
the american is so great

the program cant recruit an fbs class?

 

[noeynox]

its no wonder the budget is 40 million short, the venues are empty and there has been just endless losing.

enabling the garbarge we’ve seen from the football team and the athletic department is embarassing.

a lot of people being paid a ton of money for hot garbage and then we have to read about the genius of becoming seton hill’s sister program.

there is a reason the first time seton hill came up everyone’s reaction was what?!? seton hall doesnt have football!

I don't disagree. We are going to have to see what the new president has in mind. Bringing in his own guy to replace Benedict has to be considered.

Extending bad coaches only to play ridiculous buyouts one year later and twist yourself into a pretzel to not pay the other one isn't helping our situation. Hiring another coach then on the cheap who will pay assistants out of pocket is another move makes you shake your head. They have to get serious about how they want to do this.

 

[Palatine]

Caring about winning, playing to win would have a big impact on recruiting. Randy got what he wanted, he set the bar so low that anything (except going winless) is an improvement. Time to try to win.

 

[billybud]

If WVU can put together respectable football teams, so can UConn.

West Virginia is a small population state with an athlete poor environment. And have one of the lowest populations of black athletes of all the states.

They scour far and wide for over looked 3 star kids...their current class is ranked #56..and they have commits from Az, FL, VA, MS, NV, PA, MD, GA, OH, and NC.

They have been bringing in JUCO fill ins and have been successful in luring transfer QB's (Will Grier from Florida last year...and Kendall from Oklahoma this year).

 

[ktuck911]

I don't disagree. We are going to have to see what the new president has in mind. Bringing in his own guy to replace Benedict has to be considered.

Extending bad coaches only to play ridiculous buyouts one year later and twist yourself into a pretzel to not pay the other one isn't helping our situation. Hiring another coach then on the cheap who will pay assistants out of pocket is another move makes you shake your head. They have to get serious about how they want to do this.

We've seen this before (bringing in his own guy to replace what's already here)... We first ended up with Coach P.. that ended in disaster, followed by even more of a disaster in Disco...

I wanna see how things play out with Edsall 2.0 by early December 2019 first... I feel better about him than anything else we dealt with prior to his return...

 

[Exit 4]

I wanna see how things play out with Edsall 2.0 by early December 2019 first... I feel better about him than anything else we dealt with prior to his return...

Edsall really has 18-20 games of runway here. Yes, it could be cut short of a full two years if he starts to look exasperated at the end of 2019.

That said, there is no other path. Have to have faith that he can engineer the turnaround. If we land the right guys with our remaining slots on 2/6 there will be some reason to think we have hit an inflection point on recruiting.

2019 is all about Spanos, Perkins and Dunn. Can Spanos and Perkins teach D where others failed? Can Dunn raise his OC game another notch with a pass first QB?

 

[History Geek]

...why doesnt anyone answer if:
the school is so great
the facilities are so great currently really good
the american is so great the best non-P5 league

the program cant recruit an fbs a more highly ranked class compared to those in our league?

Yes, Whaler is a curmudgeon, but these are great questions. I still hold out hope the Edsall recruits can be coached up. However, last year my confidence in this took a serious hit. This upcoming year is one that will likely answer some of these questions in my mind. We have to see some light at the end of the tunnel by the of November.

 

[Northbound]

If WVU can put together respectable football teams, so can UConn.

West Virginia is a small population state with an athlete poor environment. And have one of the lowest populations of black athletes of all the states.

They scour far and wide for over looked 3 star kids...their current class is ranked #56..and they have commits from Az, FL, VA, MS, NV, PA, MD, GA, OH, and NC.

They have been bringing in JUCO fill ins and have been successful in luring transfer QB's (Will Grier from Florida last year...and Kendall from Oklahoma this year).

Bless your heart.

WVU and UConn are an exact comparative if you overlook the whole tradition of winning and having a state that is rabid about the Mountaineers.

UConn should be able to field competitive teams, but to say that UConn should be able to have the same recruiting success as WVU by using the same method is delusional.

I'm sure the staff is scouring JUCO's and HS all over the country - it's FBS football that's comes with the territory, successfully selling and closing kids is another story all together.

 

[huskysupporter]

The athletic department is hemorrhageing money. UCONN FB needs to spend money wisely. Here is what I would do if I was AD:

1. Do everything I can to get more $$$ for assistant coach salary. The fact HCRE had to take money out of his own pocket to pay for an increase for Dunn was noble, but embarrassing. Spend that $$$ on coaches that have ties to recruiting hotbeds and can recruit. This is ten times more important than hiring a good X’s and O’s position coach. Hire guys that can bring in the best talent.
2. Map out a concrete plan on recruiting expenditures and territory. We should focus on fertile recruiting ground within proximity - Florida, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Ohio. Continue to build relationships with Connecticut programs and other New England programs.

 

[Chief00]

The recruiting strategy is definitely moving to the Southern footprint of the AAC. FL, TX, Carolina’s m. and GA. Add GA, DMV and PA for a few players. We picked up some CT kids early but it seems like to be competitive in this underrated FB conference - we have made a decision to shop down South.

 

[billybud]

Bless your heart.

WVU and UConn are an exact comparative if you overlook the whole tradition of winning and having a state that is rabid about the Mountaineers.

UConn should be able to field competitive teams, but to say that UConn should be able to have the same recruiting success as WVU by using the same method is delusional.

I'm sure the staff is scouring JUCO's and HS all over the country - it's FBS football that's comes with the territory, successfully selling and closing kids is another story all together.

I don't expect UConn to equal WVU.....that is a bridge too far....I do expect UConn to emulate WVU's strategies.

WVU has decades more "football culture" inculcated, UConn is a basketball first school.

But that doesn't mean that the Huskies are condemned to wallow at the bottom of the AAC. WVU will not be a conference champion in the Big 12...but they can come in a respectable third place.

Energized coaches, following a doable recruiting plan, and with the right athlete mix, could put the Huskies in the upper part of the conference.