Nice night for DanO

[Palatine]

Completed six of seven passes and threw a TD.

 

[Hoophound]

That is an interesting situation. Dan seems to have confidence and command out there. It seems like he might be ready to break out and become a real NFL starter if given a chance. We'll see how things go for the Bucs but you have to think Dan has gotten Shady thinking a little. I wouldn't want to be Freeman right now.

On another note, did anyone notice the the announcers fawning over Schiano? It is amazing the way that guy created an aura of excellence at RU from one good season. The media loves him and constantly pumps him up despite mediocre results.

 

[HuskyDogArt]

Unfortunately, I didn't see the game. (It was blacked out here in Tampa). I'm glad that I heard it on the radio, while I was watching the NATIONWIDE RACE.

 

[jbdphi]

I mean this in the nicest way possible but doesn't Dan O seem like a classic AAAA baseball equivalent in the NFL? He is never anyone's first choice to be a starting QB but is really almost too good to be a backup in certain situations (where he doesn't have a superstar in front of him) and creates a QB controversy.

I think he a potentially very long career still ahead of him as a backup QB. Certainly the best QB that has come out of UConn since I started paying attention to them.

 

[Hoophound]

He has evolved and plays a steady and conservative style but he is a threat to go deep if given the opportunity.

Schiano has an itchy trigger finger and Freeman is young and talented but he's no Andrew Luck. Dan might get a crack at the job sometime this year. Most people think Freeman is the qb of the future but at 28 years old, Dan isn't necessarily a finished product. I can see him getting a chance to make his mark. At a minimum, he has secured his place as a career backup who will be in the league another 7-10 years. That's pretty good. There aren't too many NFL quarterbacks.

 

[UCFBfan]

I sometimes wonder if after a few seasons, a QB might just be ok knowing that they're a career backup. Danny O is making some solid dough and has done so most of his career. Why go out there and get pounded when you can hold the clipboard and backup some solid QBs (except for last season when he backed up Painter). I know that every athlete wants to play but I would imagine that he knows his place in the NFL pecking order and he's totally fine with it. If I remember correctly, he once answered the question of "Do you think you deserve this kind of money?" he responded with something like, "Maybe not but if they wanna pay me that much I'm not gonna say no!"

However, he always seems to end up on a team where he's got a good shot to be the starter eventually. From Detroit to Houston to Indy to TB, every stop has been a great opportunity for him to possibly start.

The reference to him being like a AAAA baseball player is spot on! There's nothing wrong with being the backup in the NFL!

 

[Chin Diesel]

I'll second the AAAA comments and clip board holder comments.

To throw in a few more mixed metaphors. He's the classic middle reliever that can't make it as a starter or as a closer but can bridge the gap.

Or he's the classic career backup point guard or back up center that sets picks, boxes out and uses up his fouls.

He's more valuable long term as a known, reliable back up than he is as a mediocre to below average starter.

 

[Waquoit]

I'll second the AAAA comments and clip board holder comments.
To throw in a few more mixed metaphors. He's the classic middle reliever that can't make it as a starter or as a closer but can bridge the gap.
Or he's the classic career backup point guard or back up center that sets picks, boxes out and uses up his fouls.
He's more valuable long term as a known, reliable back up than he is as a mediocre to below average starter.

Perhaps you're right. But perhaps DanO has finally made the leap. He was never a chosen one getting all the snaps. It would take longer for a guy in his situation to develop. He might end up like Rich Gannon, a back-up for most of 20's and a star for most of his 30's. Why not? He outplayed Joe Flacco against the Patriots.

 

[Husky68]

E Manning has gotten better and more accurate. Seems like Dan might be doing the same.

 

[huskymedic]

Future Coach...

 

[beerfan]

Future Coach...

You are right, Coach P is not getting any younger, let's make make him "coach in waiting" now and just lock it in. Who cares if he doesn't have any coaching experience.

 

[huskymedic]

You are right, Coach P is not getting any younger, let's make make him "coach in waiting" now and just lock it in. Who cares if he doesn't have any coaching experience.

Sarcasm aside... I wasn't saying future coach of UConn. He's gleaning alot of knowledge on the sidelines. He has the right personality.

 

[sportsart]

Dan O has always out worked everyone around him. I guess you could call him the classic over achiever.

But....there is no way in hell he is happy getting a nice check to carry a clip board. He wants to start and he was never afraid to take a hit when I saw him play.

I agree he would make a good coach.

 

[Adios]

Orlovsky's career is getting better and better. Goes from a winless Detroit season to saving Indianapolis from being winless. Very, very nice to see. He may have redeemed himself. He does do whatever he can to be on the field and he definitely is coach material. He'll be thanking his father (if he already hasn't).

 

[J187Money]

You are right, Coach P is not getting any younger, let's make make him "coach in waiting" now and just lock it in. Who cares if he doesn't have any coaching experience.

I don't think he meant for us, specifically.

 

[Adios]

I don't think he meant for us, specifically.

After his NFL career is over, we should hire him as a coach, anyway. QB coach, maybe?

 

[J187Money]

After his NFL career is over, we should hire him as a coach, anyway. QB coach, maybe?

I think he would be a great ambassador for the school. If he is interested I'd love to have him on the staff.

 

[huskypantz]

DanO has always had the "old" prototype QB skillset. His issues were related to poor decision-making and reading of defenses. In the last couple of years (especially last year with Indy), he's gotten markedly better at making good decisions. Schiano might like the other guy because his mobility makes him the "new" QB prototype, but DanO just needs to learn the offense and keep producing when called upon. He'll get his snaps.

 

[Waquoit]

DanO has always had the "old" prototype QB skillset. His issues were related to poor decision-making and reading of defenses. In the last couple of years (especially last year with Indy), he's gotten markedly better at making good decisions. Schiano might like the other guy because his mobility makes him the "new" QB prototype...

How many of the "new" prototype guys have won anything? Off the top of my head the Mannings, Brees, Rodgers, Ben R. Brady have won recently. Has any "new" guys made in to the Super Bowl?

 

[junglehusky]

I don't think he meant for us, specifically.

Yeah. We all know our next coach in waiting is DJ Hernandez.

Sent from my SGH-T679 using Tapatalk 2

 

[coachcap]

Yeah. We all know our next coach in waiting is DJ Hernandez.

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D.J.? Well he IS getting the vagabond coaching education: Player-Coach in Europe to Southington High (first as an assistant to Bill Mella, then as his successor) to Brown U. (quarterbacks coach) to now Miami U. (graduate assistant coach). I'd still take Dan O. over D.J. in a heartbeat.

 

[huskypantz]

How many of the "new" prototype guys have won anything? Off the top of my head the Mannings, Brees, Rodgers, Ben R. Brady have won recently. Has any "new" guys made in to the Super Bowl?

I'm not saying that the new prototype is better than the old. The new prototype has an emphasis on mobility and less so on pocket QB's. Looking at mobile QB's, Steve Young, Brett Favre and Donovan McNabb were superbowl-caliber QB's who would best fit the designation. They were all still good-to-great operating from the pocket. In the new pass-happy spread NFL offenses, even if you're mobile you have to be able to make the throws. RG3 and Luck (8.2 yards per rush in 2010) are new prototype guys.

 

[HuskyDogArt]

Yeah. We all know our next coach in waiting is DJ Hernandez.

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Think of what the UConn coaching staff would be with the following on the staff: Shane Stafford (one of the best Arena Football QB ever), Andre Dixon, Dan O, Deon Anderson and Terry Caulley. (for Defense it would be Scott B (forgot his last name, but he was from New Fairfield IIRC).

 

[Excalibur]

How many of the "new" prototype guys have won anything? Off the top of my head the Mannings, Brees, Rodgers, Ben R. Brady have won recently. Has any "new" guys made in to the Super Bowl?

Other than the Mannings, all of those guys have enough mobility to evade pass rushers in the pocket, even if they are not running threats. The "new" prototype is still a pass from the pocket QB, just not a statue.

 

[huskypantz]

The "new" prototype is still a pass from the pocket QB, just not a statue.

this.