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

[AllHusky]

Burrell, Smith and Williams were part of a push by the Calhoun regime to get the best CT kids, don't let them go to Villanova(Pinone). The next phase was a more national approach, but staying away from BE hotbeds( Brian Fair, Donny Marshall). And the rest as they say....... is history

 

[Chin Diesel]

Burrell, Smith and Williams were part of a push by the Calhoun regime to get the best CT kids, don't let them go to Villanova(Pinone). The next phase was a more national approach, but staying away from BE hotbeds( Brian Fair, Donny Marshall). And the rest as they say....... is history

Pinone, Harold Presley, Jensen at Nova

Charles Smith to Pitt

Bagley and Adams to BC.

There were a bunch.

Even going back a few years earlier of Gminski to door or Hot Rod Foster to UCLA

 

[uconnbill]

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

Thank you for reminding the youngins that there was basketball before Calhoun though it took another step with him.

 

[cohenzone]

Thank you for reminding the youngins that there was basketball before Calhoun though it took another step with him.

Hey, Tom Penders, Art Quimby and, of course, Lee Otis Wilson and Dom Perno. All great football players.

 

[uconnfan68]

Pinone, Harold Presley, Jensen at Nova

Charles Smith to Pitt

Bagley and Adams to BC.

There were a bunch.

Even going back a few years earlier of Gminski to door or Hot Rod Foster to UCLA

Calvin Murphy to Niagara. Tom Roy to Maryland. Bruce Campbell to PC. The Williamsons elsewhere. Lots of good CT hoops.

 

[Bubba1957]

Don’t forget Bobby Dullin , Bruce Kuzinski (NBA) and Chuck Alexinous (via KU)

 

[Waquoit]

Bagley and Adams to BC.

Add two more CT guys (Jay Murphy, John Garris) and you have 4/5ths of a Elite 8 team. I heard UConn wouldn't admit the 2 guys you mention.

 

[AllHusky]

I believe they went to "Night School" at BC

 

[freescooter]

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.

I think this is pretty much it. Ideally I would like to see us become the “destination” for FBS players in New England not just CT. But don’t kid yourself. We still need to recruit Florida, Virginia the Carolinas New Jersey and PA. When my nephew from FL was in high school there were 7 D1 recruits on the defense of their team plus a couple on offense. There aren’t 7 in the State of CT some years. Plus we need to pick up guys from the portal every year.

 

[freescooter]

Edsall always gets knocked for Easley but it wasn’t like he was some high school stud who always wanted to play for UConn and Edsall said No. He was a lightly recruited kid. If I remember correctly the only FBS school that even showed interest other than UConn was Rutgers and even they didn’t offer. He might have had a 1aa offer or 2. I don’t really remember. But he didn’t turn down Notre Dame Alabama Penn State and Michigan to come to UConn, that is for sure. He got there and worked his way into being our #1 and an NFL pick.