One Day ...

[coachcap]

Its crossed my mind. Doesn't mean its remotely true.

Not having a BCS conference to entice players with non BCS offers is a legit worry however.

THAT I will give you, but what HCRE CAN offer currently is faster access to playing time as he is trying to recruit talent.

 

[Pudge]

I was as critical of Randy as anyone during his first stint. I stand by those criticisms. Just because he was replaced by grandpa and psycho doesn't make his inadequacies just go away.

I also think, from reading and seeing how he interacts, that Randy has changed a lot. I'm hopeful for the future, but this is a very slow build. This is a full gut to the studs and realizing half of those have got rot and you've gotta put new beams in. It takes time.

The one fear I have with Randy is that the recruiting philosophy he built the program on doesn't really work today. I'm not really confident in finding "hidden gems".

Every kid has tape, Hudl, social media, etc. There aren't any secrets. Everyone has access to tape of all these high school kids through YouTube. This isn't 2003 anymore.

Its part of why I shake my head when people suggest looking around Canada more for guys. C'mon. Do you think 128 other programs don't realize they play football in Canada? That those kids have tape? Its Diaco-esque thinking. You can't get blood from a stone.

They've got to get into PA, NJ, MD and get guys.

I’m tired of this argument/ debate - you’re tired of my thoughts on markets.

The Stock Market has this 35 year old theory called the Efficient Market Theory - original paper by Eugene Fama. With lots and less of Professors research followed. A large part of this - why you can’t overachieve in the Stock Market - is perfect and fully available information. So insider trading doesn’t count. Etc etc. I won’t give you the calculus.

You’re arguing all information is known in Football recruitment. All YouTube, Social Media, Evaluator reviews. In places like Chateauquay Quebec & Etobicoke Ontario; let alone Brookfield (CT), Nashua, Far Rockaway and Charlton (MA).

I believe we are light years beyond where we were in 2003. Best example is understanding what Ryan Steinberg’s job is
Ryan Steinberg - Director of Football Operations - UConn Huskies | University of Connecticut Athletics

But not Efficient

Let’s assume there are 128 Ryan Steinbergs.

Position variables
1. Line evaluation. Edsall loves to watch Senior tape. Most P5 Programs are full - 75/80% committed by the fifth HS game. Dylan Niedrowski is a last year example. This will continue to be the case. The Fall kids are ones that remain and impress ... and often choose not to be the third OG or third DE coming to that P5 begins Four stars.
2. Passing game. WRs are often hard to evaluate out of HS film and if kids aren’t frequent combine participants.

80/20 rule
1. “Selling” a kid on your Football team ain’t all that different than “Selling” highly sought qualified residential mortgagees or expensive home improvement items. You’re not gonna find 128 in Canada nor NH or Long Island or Albany. Not Connecticut HS either.
Florida? Georgia? Texas? That’s where you find everybody and know everything
I believe WE - UCONN- still have a comparative advantage in some relevant locations.
2. The Good News - Prep Schools in NE and on the NY eastern half are far more important than2003. Things changed. Cheshire Academy is one of about 8 we can name off the top of our head nearby that produce Post-Grad or regular footballers. In proximity. Both parents and talent know this; far more prevalent path. They are near.

The statement that we can’t connect and rely on “under the radar” kids isn’t really true - Peart, Van De Mark, Buss, McLean, Tarbutt. We can still be a “Go To School “ for Ontario and Quebec. Only Buffalo seems to also target this regularly. The former reliable regional recruiting by home assistants - Todd Orlando & Rob Ambrose & Terry Richardson & Mike Foley - hasn’t really emerged these early years of HCRE 2.0. We have to be great and prepared at Prep School Football. The most yield needs to still be PA, NJ, MA, DC/MD/VA and Florida. We don’t get 4 Stars.

I do think there are far more QBs available that are quality in 2018 than 2003.

I think the first 20 months of HCRE 2.0 it’s fair to say: he has a far better handle in what works recruiting at UCONN and at this level than PP or Diaco. (Whipple- btw - is very interesting). He has changed. This AAC ain’t the same ballgame as most of the old conference. He’s adapting.

 

[whaler11]

I’m tired of this argument/ debate - you’re tired of my thoughts on markets.

The Stock Market has this 35 year old theory called the Efficient Market Theory - original paper by Eugene Fama. With lots and less of Professors research followed. A large part of this - why you can’t overachieve in the Stock Market - is perfect and fully available information. So insider trading doesn’t count. Etc etc. I won’t give you the calculus.

You’re arguing all information is known in Football recruitment. All YouTube, Social Media, Evaluator reviews. In places like Chateauquay Quebec & Etobicoke Ontario; let alone Brookfield (CT), Nashua, Far Rockaway and Charlton (MA).

I believe we are light years beyond where we were in 2003. Best example is understanding what Ryan Steinberg’s job is
Ryan Steinberg - Director of Football Operations - UConn Huskies | University of Connecticut Athletics

But not Efficient

Let’s assume there are 128 Ryan Steinbergs.

Position variables
1. Line evaluation. Edsall loves to watch Senior tape. Most P5 Programs are full - 75/80% committed by the fifth HS game. Dylan Niedrowski is a last year example. This will continue to be the case. The Fall kids are ones that remain and impress ... and often choose not to be the third OG or third DE coming to that P5 begins Four stars.
2. Passing game. WRs are often hard to evaluate out of HS film and if kids aren’t frequent combine participants.

80/20 rule
1. “Selling” a kid on your Football team ain’t all that different than “Selling” highly sought qualified residential mortgagees or expensive home improvement items. You’re not gonna find 128 in Canada nor NH or Long Island or Albany. Not Connecticut HS either.
Florida? Georgia? Texas? That’s where you find everybody and know everything
I believe WE - UCONN- still have a comparative advantage in some relevant locations.
2. The Good News - Prep Schools in NE and on the NY eastern half are far more important than2003. Things changed. Cheshire Academy is one of about 8 we can name off the top of our head nearby that produce Post-Grad or regular footballers. In proximity. Both parents and talent know this; far more prevalent path. They are near.

The statement that we can’t connect and rely on “under the radar” kids isn’t really true - Peart, Van De Mark, Buss, McLean, Tarbutt. We can still be a “Go To School “ for Ontario and Quebec. Only Buffalo seems to also target this regularly. The former reliable regional recruiting by home assistants - Todd Orlando & Rob Ambrose & Terry Richardson & Mike Foley - hasn’t really emerged these early years of HCRE 2.0. We have to be great and prepared at Prep School Football. The most yield needs to still be PA, NJ, MA, DC/MD/VA and Florida. We don’t get 4 Stars.

I do think there are far more QBs available that are quality in 2018 than 2003.

I think the first 20 months of HCRE 2.0 it’s fair to say: he has a far better handle in what works recruiting at UCONN and at this level than PP or Diaco. (Whipple- btw - is very interesting). He has changed. This AAC ain’t the same ballgame as most of the old conference. He’s adapting.

You do it that way and maybe you too can have two winning conference seasons in 15 years. Anybody who actually wants to be competitive at the top of this league needs to go get kids out PA, FL, MD and NJ. If you get a kid out of Canada every cycle - superduper but you are not going to go toe to toe with the 4-5 best teams in the AAC year in and year out recruiting like that. I don't know how many years of results your need to see to wrap your head around it - but this insane world you've built in your head is completely disconnected from reality.

You sound exactly like Diaco who constantly was blabbing about nonsense instead of the tried and true things that win college football games.

The fact that Buffalo is the other school who worries about Canada isn't exactly a ringing endorsement. They have one winning record since 2008 and are 18-29 since their last bowl bid playing in a league where a half dozen schools can barely afford equipment.

 

[zls44]

You do it that way and maybe you too can have two winning conference seasons in 15 years. Anybody who actually wants to be competitive at the top of this league needs to go get kids out PA, FL, MD and NJ. If you get a kid out of Canada every cycle - superduper but you are not going to go toe to toe with the 4-5 best teams in the AAC year in and year out recruiting like that. I don't know how many years of results your need to see to wrap your head around it - but this insane world you've built in your head is completely disconnected from reality.

You sound exactly like Diaco who constantly was blabbing about nonsense instead of the tried and true things that win college football games.

The fact that Bufallo is the other school who worries about Canada isn't exactly a ringing endorsement. They have one winning record since 2008 and are 18-29 since their last bowl bid playing in a league where a half dozen schools can barely afford equipment.

Precisely.

You can get good kids out of Canada, but you can't find enough to break through at this level by making it anything other than a luxury add.

 

[LIUCHusky]

Donations to the athletic department aren’t deducitble.


Donations to the athletic department are deductible. If you do not use the points (those points earned for current year donation) to benefit your seat selection the donation is deductible.

 

[whaler11]

Guess I missed that angle. I’m no superfan. I don’t donate to any university - there are millions of more worthy causes and this particular university I help fund 365.25 days a year.

 

[Waquoit]

That’s awesome guy who doesn’t go to games that doesn’t leave.
Sit through 2011-2018 and then show us in year 9 you still sit to the end of boring 56-17 games.

I can't agree enough. "Fans" that don't go to games criticizing fans that do can all go jump in the lake.

 

[Waquoit]

I don't know why I stay to the end of games; I just do.

Two reasons why I do:

1. So I can feel superior to the common fan. And doubly superior to fans that don't go to games.
2. Where else am I going to go?

 

[Block C]

This conference is really all speed. If your faster than your opponent you will win. Randy is doing a good job just seeing what talent he can get. They are young with time they will get better

 

[Life Is Good]

I’m tired of this argument/ debate - you’re tired of my thoughts on markets.

The Stock Market has this 35 year old theory called the Efficient Market Theory - original paper by Eugene Fama. With lots and less of Professors research followed. A large part of this - why you can’t overachieve in the Stock Market - is perfect and fully available information. So insider trading doesn’t count. Etc etc. I won’t give you the calculus.

You’re arguing all information is known in Football recruitment. All YouTube, Social Media, Evaluator reviews. In places like Chateauquay Quebec & Etobicoke Ontario; let alone Brookfield (CT), Nashua, Far Rockaway and Charlton (MA).

I believe we are light years beyond where we were in 2003. Best example is understanding what Ryan Steinberg’s job is
Ryan Steinberg - Director of Football Operations - UConn Huskies | University of Connecticut Athletics

But not Efficient

Let’s assume there are 128 Ryan Steinbergs.

Position variables
1. Line evaluation. Edsall loves to watch Senior tape. Most P5 Programs are full - 75/80% committed by the fifth HS game. Dylan Niedrowski is a last year example. This will continue to be the case. The Fall kids are ones that remain and impress ... and often choose not to be the third OG or third DE coming to that P5 begins Four stars.
2. Passing game. WRs are often hard to evaluate out of HS film and if kids aren’t frequent combine participants.

80/20 rule
1. “Selling” a kid on your Football team ain’t all that different than “Selling” highly sought qualified residential mortgagees or expensive home improvement items. You’re not gonna find 128 in Canada nor NH or Long Island or Albany. Not Connecticut HS either.
Florida? Georgia? Texas? That’s where you find everybody and know everything
I believe WE - UCONN- still have a comparative advantage in some relevant locations.
2. The Good News - Prep Schools in NE and on the NY eastern half are far more important than2003. Things changed. Cheshire Academy is one of about 8 we can name off the top of our head nearby that produce Post-Grad or regular footballers. In proximity. Both parents and talent know this; far more prevalent path. They are near.

The statement that we can’t connect and rely on “under the radar” kids isn’t really true - Peart, Van De Mark, Buss, McLean, Tarbutt. We can still be a “Go To School “ for Ontario and Quebec. Only Buffalo seems to also target this regularly. The former reliable regional recruiting by home assistants - Todd Orlando & Rob Ambrose & Terry Richardson & Mike Foley - hasn’t really emerged these early years of HCRE 2.0. We have to be great and prepared at Prep School Football. The most yield needs to still be PA, NJ, MA, DC/MD/VA and Florida. We don’t get 4 Stars.

I do think there are far more QBs available that are quality in 2018 than 2003.

I think the first 20 months of HCRE 2.0 it’s fair to say: he has a far better handle in what works recruiting at UCONN and at this level than PP or Diaco. (Whipple- btw - is very interesting). He has changed. This AAC ain’t the same ballgame as most of the old conference. He’s adapting.

I’m glad to see that they are targeting talent from Georgia and Florida. It will be exciting to see what Rooney, Krajewski and Black bring to the table. I can see all three of them playing the maximum of four games to give them some experience.

 

[RSTuthill]

UConn needs to get better to get out of the AAC? How about getting better so they can stay? At this point UConn needs to worry about not being invited to leave.

 

[Pudge]

I got news for you ...


This AAC is a bear.

Dismissing the lower tier just won’t fly. Tulane hired the RIGHT coach; they will rise. SMU is not going to gear down their football aspirations. Temple continues to commit to play at a high level. ECU? In 30 years, they’ve proven (and their fan base has proven) that they don’t countenance mediocrity or average (SEE Ruffin McNeil). Tulsa had 2 wins last year ... and I’m certain no one there is happy after a couple double digit years.

Both Memphis and Temple prove that you can go from a real FBS slug, for a decade, and rise to big bowl candidacy. 0-12 goes to 13 wins in two seasons. We have 12 COMMITTED Universities to Football. Making the Investment & looking for advantages.

The Big East from 2003-2009 had several classic failures in the name Programs. Robinson at Syracuse; Wannstedt at Pitt.

The AAC is a tough football conference for UConn. Tougher than 2007-2010.

 

[Pudge]

Precisely.

You can get good kids out of Canada, but you can't find enough to break through at this level by making it anything other than a luxury add.

What’s missing ...

We have less Pennsylvania and Florida kids in our first two classes than in HCRE 1.0. I don’t know why on PA ... certainly Randy hasn’t lessened his focus on his home state. Florida is a work in process. In looking at recruiting 2003-2009, Florida kids visited and committed in January. About 90% of the time.

Having 5-7 Canada kids on the roster consistently means we are getting about 10% of our recruitment from there. More than NYS. Less than NJ.

 

[ConnHuskBask]

I got news for you ...


This AAC is a bear.

Dismissing the lower tier just won’t fly. Tulane hired the RIGHT coach; they will rise. SMU is not going to gear down their football aspirations. Temple continues to commit to play at a high level. ECU? In 30 years, they’ve proven (and their fan base has proven) that they don’t countenance mediocrity or average (SEE Ruffin McNeil). Tulsa had 2 wins last year ... and I’m certain no one there is happy after a couple double digit years.

Both Memphis and Temple prove that you can go from a real FBS slug, for a decade, and rise to big bowl candidacy. 0-12 goes to 13 wins in two seasons. We have 12 COMMITTED Universities to Football. Making the Investment & looking for advantages.

The Big East from 2003-2009 had several classic failures in the name Programs. Robinson at Syracuse; Wannstedt at Pitt.

The AAC is a tough football conference for UConn. Tougher than 2007-2010.

Sagarin Conference Rankings: The AAC's highest conference ranking never eclipsed the Big East's lowest conference ranking.

Big East
2004 - 71.98 (UConn's first year)
2005 - 72.12
2006 - 79.57 (2nd overall)
2007 - 77.46 (4th overall)
2008 - 75.23
2009 - 77.33 (2nd overall)
2010 - 73.27
2011 - 72.41
2012 - 72.16

AAC
2013 - 65.15
2014 - 60.88
2015 AAC West - 67.31, AAC East 66.38
2016 AAC West - 69.87 AAC East 63.49
2017 AAC West - 67.87 AAC East 64.64

Also, Pitt football may have disappointed based on expectations but from 2004-2012 (same period we shared the league):
2 Conference titles
35-27 Big East Record
6 Bowls

 

[Pudge]

Damn Statistics.

Funny thing: I took multiple high level Stat classes both at UConn and then Grad School. What do you think the bias is in the Sagarin? It is in the Math.

The Truth is Aresco put together 12 Universities eager to rise in the FBS. He did not get all of them (though he tried with Boise). Tulane was pitiful when we heard they were invited; that was a huge projection. (I grant you that) ECU is actually floundering; whereas, I expected them to be tough. In general, each of these schools/Programs will spend money and eagerly compete. There are several quick examples (UH Levine to Hermann; Tulane Johnson to Fritz; USF Holtz to Taggert to Strong). MEMPHIS. There's no way SMU will suck in the long term.

We love to think we belong to the P5 and we are outraged that we haven't risen. The AAC, frankly, is our Football Peer group. Yankee Conference did not prepare us to be in the same league as Syracuse or Pitt. HOWEVER, my view is Syracuse, Vandy, Baylor, Wake, Duke will all find themselves failing at some point with the Moneymaking CapitalImprovementSpending Cheaters amongst them. And few are prepared to make Public Private Partnerships like YUM Center that rips taxpayer money into a sports hole.

We may find an opportunity to rise to P5 at some point. And whaler11 may get that Giselle Bundchen type househusband role. OUR Program/AD must continue to rise in all sports and put the necessary funding forth - in spite of Connecticut's struggles.

 

[ConnHuskBask]

Damn Statistics.

Funny thing: I took multiple high level Stat classes both at UConn and then Grad School. What do you think the bias is in the Sagarin? It is in the Math.

The Truth is Aresco put together 12 Universities eager to rise in the FBS. He did not get all of them (though he tried with Boise). Tulane was pitiful when we heard they were invited; that was a huge projection. (I grant you that) ECU is actually floundering; whereas, I expected them to be tough. In general, each of these schools/Programs will spend money and eagerly compete. There are several quick examples (UH Levine to Hermann; Tulane Johnson to Fritz; USF Holtz to Taggert to Strong). MEMPHIS. There's no way SMU will suck in the long term.

We love to think we belong to the P5 and we are outraged that we haven't risen. The AAC, frankly, is our Football Peer group. Yankee Conference did not prepare us to be in the same league as Syracuse or Pitt. HOWEVER, my view is Syracuse, Vandy, Baylor, Wake, Duke will all find themselves failing at some point with the Moneymaking CapitalImprovementSpending Cheaters amongst them. And few are prepared to make Public Private Partnerships like YUM Center that rips taxpayer money into a sports hole.

We may find an opportunity to rise to P5 at some point. And whaler11 may get that Giselle Bundchen type househusband role. OUR Program/AD must continue to rise in all sports and put the necessary funding forth - in spite of Connecticut's struggles.

You just seem to ignore statistics that don't fit your narrative. The Sagarin isn't the end all be all, but just a data point that shows what we all know: the old Big East was a better top to bottom league than the AAC.

The AAC is still a tough league at the top of the conference, no doubt about it, but the bottom half (us included) are embarrassments to the "P6" moniker.

Where do you think the money is coming from for the majority of our schools? Aside from UConn, all of our other public institutions are a distant second, third, or fourth in terms of state support. As for UConn, have you seen our subsidy? How does that disappear?

You list the private schools in the P5 that you foresee financial difficulty going forward, but are all in on SMU, Tulsa. At least you can admit Tulane is a lost cause.

The AAC is a very competitive league and we should be so lucky in a couple years to try and contend in our division. That doesn't mean it's better on the field than what we played in the past or that the future is bright just because you say it is.

 

[Pudge]

You just seem to ignore statistics that don't fit your narrative. The Sagarin isn't the end all be all, but just a data point that shows what we all know: the old Big East was a better top to bottom league than the AAC.

The AAC is still a tough league at the top of the conference, no doubt about it, but the bottom half (us included) are embarrassments to the "P6" moniker.

Where do you think the money is coming from for the majority of our schools? Aside from UConn, all of our other public institutions are a distant second, third, or fourth in terms of state support. As for UConn, have you seen our subsidy? How does that disappear?

You list the private schools in the P5 that you foresee financial difficulty going forward, but are all in on SMU, Tulsa. At least you can admit Tulane is a lost cause.

The AAC is a very competitive league and we should be so lucky in a couple years to try and contend in our division. That doesn't mean it's better on the field than what we played in the past or that the future is bright just because you say it is.

Kettle!

Sagarin is flawed. However, your point is taken: our $84m Revenue of 2016-2017 is dropping fast.

Tulane, with Fritz, is going to rise. SMU and Tulsa are not going to de-emphasize Football anytime soon.

Our example is a good starting point: a Pasqualoni/Diaco flub in coaching hires easily gets us to a BAD position in a Football Program. The arc of Greg Robinson to Babers is also interesting and instructive. Spaziani. I don't think any of the AAC Universities - at the moment - can be labeled the Cleveland Browns: destined to 7 years of bad Football. I remain a Edsall apologist; and think all of the 12 are fighting to climb in FBS. I thought Edsall 1.0 fought hard to pick off the formerly Tradition based Pitt/Cuse. I don't think there is much room between the P5 bottom and the AAC in any Sagarin or relevant Power grid. A Illini or Indiana or Vandy or Rutgers isn't a leap above.

I don't think it is a fair point to think AAC bottom teams (including us) will dwell in the uncompetitive category; particularly after watching the relative recent years of Temple or Memphis (both fit categories of pitiless in Football at some point in the last decades).

I sat through a bunch of competitive Big East games.

 

[Duncan Idaho]

We had a better record head to head against Pitt and Cuse. Were having a southern presence again as in Ga.

 

[whaler11]

You just seem to ignore statistics that don't fit your narrative. The Sagarin isn't the end all be all, but just a data point that shows what we all know: the old Big East was a better top to bottom league than the AAC.

The AAC is still a tough league at the top of the conference, no doubt about it, but the bottom half (us included) are embarrassments to the "P6" moniker.

Where do you think the money is coming from for the majority of our schools? Aside from UConn, all of our other public institutions are a distant second, third, or fourth in terms of state support. As for UConn, have you seen our subsidy? How does that disappear?

You list the private schools in the P5 that you foresee financial difficulty going forward, but are all in on SMU, Tulsa. At least you can admit Tulane is a lost cause.

The AAC is a very competitive league and we should be so lucky in a couple years to try and contend in our division. That doesn't mean it's better on the field than what we played in the past or that the future is bright just because you say it is.

I’m not sure how many times someone can get dunked on and keep coming back for more - but we are finding out.

The AAC has a few good teams at the top and absolute dregs afterwards.

If you ignore that UConn, Tulane, Tulsa, ECU, SMU and Temple don’t exist it’s a good league.

Week 1 was the worst week the league has ever had - P6 is stupider than ever.

Thankfully SMU and Tulsa are trying. Imagine how bad North Texas would whip SMU otherwise. It was 27-1 in first downs at one point in that game. Twenty Seven to One.

 

[businesslawyer]

I haven’t RE-watched the game. I did watch Terry & Swenson. I liked the latter. Sterling jumped into my view a few times. Other? I have hope for Kevon Jones who’s athletic with size. But this is crying for one - a Lutrus & Bama arrived together - and I didn’t see that.

Of course, Lutrus and 'Bama both got to redshirt.

 

[businesslawyer]

I can't agree enough. "Fans" that don't go to games criticizing fans that do can all go jump in the lake.

There really is little in sports life worse than hearing folks not shelling out for tickets telling those of us that do that our behavior is hurting the program. It's posters like that that make me wonder if the internet is a good thing.

 

[Pudge]

I’m not sure how many times someone can get dunked on and keep coming back for more - but we are finding out.

The AAC has a few good teams at the top and absolute dregs afterwards.

If you ignore that UConn, Tulane, Tulsa, ECU, SMU and Temple don’t exist it’s a good league.

Week 1 was the worst week the league has ever had - P6 is stupider than ever.

Thankfully SMU and Tulsa are trying. Imagine how bad North Texas would whip SMU otherwise. It was 27-1 in first downs at one point in that game. Twenty Seven to One.

27 to 1 ... ok - you made your point.

Of course, the details are kinda left at the altar. It ain't the North Texas of the last decade (where they regularly got beat 50-o) & that was Dykes first game. But OUCH.

And Tulane losing to THIS Wake is not awful.

I find myself watching Boise-Troy & UConn-UCF one after another. I am hopelessly optimistic as we do look better (Pindell) than Troy.