Owning the State of CT. Football Landscape. Is Mora's Strategy Paying Dividends? What Say You?

[ManFromOZ]

I like more and more his strategy of retaining the CT Gatorade Player of the Years. The bridge is getting stronger. Rosa has paid off handsomely. The latest bunch offer a lot of intriguing potential. All had the ball in their hands during their high school career. Albeit at places like Jonathan Law, Joel Barlow and Norwalk. Not exactly year over year CIAC powerhouse schools. They'll be switching positions but they're athletes. It helps to pump up the enthusiam for Husky football at the high school level. It brings more eyeballs and fannies into the Rent seats. Will Neider, Shaban, Edwards and Samuels all be home runs? Probably not. But the signal they're sending is far more valuable. Mora is genius in gaining visibility for the program in his own backyard. As Nutmeggers, we'll be following these kids through their four years. What say you?

 

[Gburyhusky]

Agree . It seems clear that part of our attendance problem has been the lost connection between the state and the team. This needs to be established again so that the casual fan in the state has a reason to come back to the Rent.

 

[AllHusky]

Scott Burrell and Chris Smith

 

[ZooCougar]

Too soon to tell.

 

[Waquoit]

What can you say? What OZ describes is somethng that should have been SOP before the concrete at The Rent was dry.

 

[Palatine]

Scott Burrell and Chris Smith

Murray Williams came first.

It is also a good way to build a fan base.

 

[Ldandy]

It makes sense to have as many CT Kids on the roster as possible assuming that they are actually FBS Level Football Players. Local interest should bring in more fans. The struggle will be to try to change the perception of the kids at the elite prep schools that currently don't give the program a sniff. Can he convince a few of these kids to remain in state? Without a P5 Conference Membership and major NIL that will be incredibly difficult.

 

[Patman]

Dividends will be top end players wanting an expecting to play CT football. That 3 to 4 star who is being looked at as a serious piece by a b10 program, for instance.

 

[businesslawyer]

Dividends will be top end players wanting an expecting to play CT football. That 3 to 4 star who is being looked at as a serious piece by a b10 program, for instance.

Thank you. I think Jim Mora has done an outstanding job to date, and I look forward to him continuing to take our progress forward, but that doesn't mean that every time he eats a meal we need to hear how well he's doing it and how that helps the program. He got a bunch of CT kids who had outstanding high school careers but no scholarship offers to pay an in state tuition and walk on at their state university. That's fine -- good for him and good for the players, but this is hardly something unique or difficult. You would think that we've never brought in an in-state walk on who went on not to post something nice on social media but to help us win games. Like Marcus Easley and Donald Thomas just never happened. Plus all the lesser walk ons who did get on the field, like the Sanchez kid from Enfield returning (well, fair catching to be precise) punts the first year of the Rent, or the Sparks kid from Plainfield or Plainville (I always get them confused) who ran short yardage down and ins and caught balls intentionally thrown below his knees by Orlovsky.

 

[metsfan2323]

Dividends will be top end players wanting an expecting to play CT football. That 3 to 4 star who is being looked at as a serious piece by a b10 program, for instance.

To a certain extent what Mora is doing now is priming the pump. If we can get to the point where playing for old state U is a point of pride for CT high school athletes it might help land some of the elite in state recruits.

 

[metsfan2323]

Thank you. I think Jim Mora has done an outstanding job to date, and I look forward to him continuing to take our progress forward, but that doesn't mean that every time he eats a meal we need to hear how well he's doing it and how that helps the program. He got a bunch of CT kids who had outstanding high school careers but no scholarship offers to pay an in state tuition and walk on at their state university. That's fine -- good for him and good for the players, but this is hardly something unique or difficult. You would think that we've never brought in an in-state walk on who went on not to post something nice on social media but to help us win games. Like Marcus Easley and Donald Thomas just never happened. Plus all the lesser walk ons who did get on the field, like the Sanchez kid from Enfield returning (well, fair catching to be precise) punts the first year of the Rent, or the Sparks kid from Plainfield or Plainville (I always get them confused) who ran short yardage down and ins and caught balls intentionally thrown below his knees by Orlovsky.

We have never had this level of in state involvement at the PWO level, clearly something has changed. We don't know yet what has changed but something new and refreshing is going on. It obviously goes back to what Mora was complaining about last year, with the roster size. It's another victory for Mora and this staff and some of us will chose to recognize it.

Waquoit is correct, this should have happened a long time ago.

Donald Thomas was not a PWO if I remember correctly. He was discovered in the weight room by another football player who encouraged him to try out for the team, Edsall gets zero credit for his recruitment. I don't remember if Easley was a preferred walk-on or just an old fashioned try-out walk-on.

 

[uconnfan68]

Too soon to tell.

Maybe too soon to see if any work out well, but we're all seeing this happen and people are talking, so yeah, it's good.

 

[uconnfan68]

Murray Williams came first.

It is also a good way to build a fan base.

Corny Thompson, Mike McKay, Tony Hanson, Norman Bailey and more say hello.

 

[mikedog10]

Donald Thomas was not a PWO if I remember correctly. He was discovered in the weight room by another football player who encouraged him to try out for the team, Edsall gets zero credit for his recruitment. I don't remember if Easley was a preferred walk-on or just an old fashioned try-out walk-on.

Donald Thomas played intramural basketball with some football players including Danny Lansanah who insisted that Donald try out for the team. And then he goes on to have one of the better pro careers a UConn player has ever had, so awesome.

 

[businesslawyer]

We have never had this level of in state involvement at the PWO level, clearly something has changed. We don't know yet what has changed but something new and refreshing is going on. It obviously goes back to what Mora was complaining about last year, with the roster size. It's another victory for Mora and this staff and some of us will chose to recognize it.

Waquoit is correct, this should have happened a long time ago.

Donald Thomas was not a PWO if I remember correctly. He was discovered in the weight room by another football player who encouraged him to try out for the team, Edsall gets zero credit for his recruitment. I don't remember if Easley was a preferred walk-on or just an old fashioned try-out walk-on.

You are correct that at least Thomas was a walk on, and not a PWO.

 

[JohnFSilver]

Nothing is worse than if UConn I 2-10 and the temple linebacker from Stratford has 100 tackles.

At end of day. PWO and backfill open scholarships with local guys.

 

[Patman]

Was surprised my post got as much attention as it did but that is the game to play. Make going to uconn the socially "responsible" thing to do and the players will convince themselves.

 

[ktuck911]

Too soon to tell.

Agreed... but we're off to a good start (my opinion)...

 

[Banta55]

Murray Williams came first.

It is also a good way to build a fan base.

Earl Kelly, what could've been..

 

[Palatine]

Corny Thompson, Mike McKay, Tony Hanson, Norman Bailey and more say hello.

Murray was Calhoun's first Connecticut Player of the Year. Just to be clear. I accept your apologies.

 

[uconnfan68]

Murray was Calhoun's first Connecticut Player of the Year. Just to be clear. I accept your apologies.

The UConn basketball world started with JC? Now that's news! Publish it!

 

[JohnFSilver]

BTW.

I think if you are like an elite CT high school player with high FCS offers, they should welcome them to UConn as PWOs. Take them all.

Why not? Contingent on academics and character, but let’s fill the roster locally. Less turnover.

 

[Palatine]

The UConn basketball world started with JC? Now that's news! Publish it!

No, Murray was JC's first Connecticut Player of the Year. You are unaware that he came before Smith and Burrell? You simply must read the thread to understand.

BTW, If you have ever read any of my posts, I make it clear that UConn basketball existed before JC. Try to keep up.

 

[ZooCougar]

Agreed... but we're off to a good start (my opinion)...

It’s a low risk/high potential reward opportunity.

The athlete gets all the benefit of a scholarship athlete just without the scholarship but probably getting access to financial assistance.

Might as well extend that opportunity to in state kids and try to fuel the fever of football development in the state.

History has shown that some of them turn into real contributors whether it’s providing solid depth to have better quality practices or actually on the field.

 

[uconnfan68]

No, Murray was JC's first Connecticut Player of the Year. You are unaware that he came before Smith and Burrell? You simply must read the thread to understand.

BTW, If you have ever read any of my posts, I make it clear that UConn basketball existed before JC. Try to keep up.

But Corny was POY before him. In a thread about CT FOOTBALL, someone mentions Scott Burrell and Chris Smith. You reply Murray Williams was first. NO MENTION that it had to be for Jim Calhoun. Don't be a jerk your whole life.

 

[NH Husky]

I like more and more his strategy of retaining the CT Gatorade Player of the Years. The bridge is getting stronger. Rosa has paid off handsomely. The latest bunch offer a lot of intriguing potential. All had the ball in their hands during their high school career. Albeit at places like Jonathan Law, Joel Barlow and Norwalk. Not exactly year over year CIAC powerhouse schools. They'll be switching positions but they're athletes. It helps to pump up the enthusiam for Husky football at the high school level. It brings more eyeballs and fannies into the Rent seats. Will Neider, Shaban, Edwards and Samuels all be home runs? Probably not. But the signal they're sending is far more valuable. Mora is genius in gaining visibility for the program in his own backyard. As Nutmeggers, we'll be following these kids through their four years. What say you?

I remember my brother saying 25+ yrs ago, if you were a solid ball player in CT, you wanted to play for BC. Looks like UCONN is taking that job.
If Mora captures the CT HS player attention, which it appears he already has, on occasion you will land some solid players.
Calhoun started having the best hoops players stay home. That’s how programs are built.

 

[uconnric]

I remember my brother saying 25+ yrs ago, if you were a solid ball player in CT, you wanted to play for BC. Looks like UCONN is taking that job.
If Mora captures the CT HS player attention, which it appears he already has, on occasion you will land some solid players.
Calhoun started having the best hoops players stay home. That’s how programs are built.

Probably referring to guys like Bill Romanowski. At that point UConn was just making the jump to 1A from 1AA. BC had been the only 1A program in New England.

 

[Palatine]

We officially made the jump in 2002 after a two year transition period. We had 20 Connecticut kids on the roster.

 

[CONN78SEJ]

Agree . It seems clear that part of our attendance problem has been the lost connection between the state and the team. This needs to be established again so that the casual fan in the state has a reason to come back to the Rent.

When I think back 20 years to the in state and close by kids Edsall and the others lost out on to the Big 10, the ACC, and others, I think what could have been. So yes, Mora is building something that will take time.

 

[Palatine]

But Corny was POY before him. In a thread about CT FOOTBALL, someone mentions Scott Burrell and Chris Smith. You reply Murray Williams was first. NO MENTION that it had to be for Jim Calhoun. Don't be a jerk your whole life.

Yes, but we are talking about a new HC (Mora) coming in and looking to gather the top state talent together exactly as Calhoun did. And my post was a response to someone mentioning Smith and Burrell and neglecting to name the the player who started the trend under Calhoun of the SPOY coming to UConn.

So your post is not really related to the topic. And yet you seem to think you are making some relevant point, when you clearly not.

And the idea that pointing out MW was the first in that trend somehow dismisses the entire history of UConn basketball is the most illogical leap of all. Especially when one considers I watched games in the field house featuring Wes and Toby.