QB situation - Burn the shirt?

[Husky25]

Redshirts are overrated. You only Redshirt if a kid isn't ready to play. You don't Redshirt to "save" a kid for later.

A) Cochran wasn't ready to play. He had a wrist injury to start the year.
B) I think your premise is completely backward. I am of the opinion that a Redshirt should only be burned out of necessity or if a kid as far and away the best at his position and will start or contribute (heavily) right away (Think Scott Lutrus). What they did with Joe Williams this year is a disgrace.

Generally, there is such a gap in both physical and mental maturity between a 17 year old high school senior and 19 year old college "Sophomore" that the Redshirt year is virtually required for development. Also if the "pro-style" playbook employed by Coach Pasqualoni and DeLeone is so difficult, Cochran probably needs the time to fully grasp it. High school systems are generally much less sophisticated.

 

[Husky25]

Anyone ever think that Cochran may not be happy if he doesn't get the shot to play? Would hate to see him transfer...

I'm thinking it has been explained to him in detail. What if he gets in there, crashes, and burns? His confidence level takes a tumble...

 

[huskysupporter]

This is not a difficult question.

You blow Cochran's redshirt only if Whitmer, McCummings, and McEntee are out of the game and physically cannot play football.

Wrong. If all 3 are out, you put in Michael Smith and run the wildcat. You do not burn Cochran's redshirt. He is a true frosh who, by all accounts, struggled in the spring.

 

[TouchdownHusky]

A) Cochran wasn't ready to play. He had a wrist injury to start the year. Agreed. Plus you don't burn the kid's red shirt year with one game left in this pi$$ poor season.
B) I think your premise is completely backward. I am of the opinion that a Redshirt should only be burned out of necessity or if a kid as far and away the best at his position and will start or contribute (heavily) right away (Think Scott Lutrus). Agreed. What they did with Joe Williams this year is a disgrace. Totally agree with this. WTF is this coaching staff thinking. And if he's not as good as advertised when recruited then PP should be fired for making this kid an offer. Is PP just giving away schollys or is there substance behind his offers.

Generally, there is such a gap in both physical and mental maturity between a 17 year old high school senior and 19 year old college "Sophomore" that the Redshirt year is virtually required for development. Also if the "pro-style" playbook employed by Coach Pasqualoni and DeLeone is so difficult, Cochran probably needs the time to fully grasp it. High school systems are generally much less sophisticated. How difficult is it to remember Lyle McCombs up the middle, second and long?

For better or worse, you go with Johnny Mac, then Scott McCummings and then Michael Smith. Win or losse, UConn needs to remember this serious lack of depth at this crucial position and never again find themselves in it. Keep the redshirt and kick yourself in the , coaches for not doing a better job in shoring this position up.

 

[freescooter]

For better or worse, you go with Johnny Mac, then Scott McCummings and then Michael Smith. Win or losse, UConn needs to remember this serious lack of depth at this crucial position and never again find themselves in it. Keep the redshirt and kick yourself in the , coaches for not doing a better job in shoring this position up.

Well I agree with the main point, but I do think it takes a bit of time to shore up this position which let's be charitable, wasn't a high priority for the previous regime. Plus add the fact that the guy who should have started last year left in 2010 with his "issues" and you have a mess...So what did you want the coaching staff to do? they brought in a JUCO who could play immediately, brought in a true freshman who could ultimately compete for the job in another year, and recruited a guy to come in next season. this year he has a senior back-up who has a season under his belt as a starter...not Payton Manning to be sure, but probably comparable to lots of backups with more experience than most. In a real pinch you could go with McCummings who at least knows the position. And if a disaster had struck around game 6-7 you could even have gone true frosh. I mean how much shoring up did you expect given where the position was when he arrived?

 

[Waquoit]

Johnny Mac did pretty well in the 2nd half against Cincy last year. (We don't have to talk about the 1st half)

 

[businesslawyer]

For better or worse, you go with Johnny Mac, then Scott McCummings and then Michael Smith. Win or losse, UConn needs to remember this serious lack of depth at this crucial position and never again find themselves in it. Keep the redshirt and kick yourself in the , coaches for not doing a better job in shoring this position up.

They have four QBs on the roster. It's hard to have more than that. If you're sitting at 5th or 6th on the depth chart at QB, you leave the school and go somewhere else to play.

 

[uconndogs]

The thought of us going to that wildcat for 100% of our plays makes me nauceous. I hope McCummings has practiced the basic offense as well. What I really hope is Whitmer can go and, if not, Johnny Mac stays healthy through the game. I absolutely don't believe Cochran could be anywhere near ready.

 

[TouchdownHusky]

They have four QBs on the roster. It's hard to have more than that. If you're sitting at 5th or 6th on the depth chart at QB, you leave the school and go somewhere else to play.

Wow, four QBs? Talk about excess. Let's inventory:

CW? Adequate, maybe next year an above average QB.
McCummings? Coaches don't think he can throw. Receivers wide open on their way to the end zone can't catch the ball. And the Wildcat has been a miserable failure this year.
JM? Walk on who was awful last year. Congrats on a nice relief job last Saturday, but do we really want to revert to last season's passing game?
Cochran? Injured, a freshman, maybe the future, not worth burning the red shirt at this point (see Michael Nebrich vs Fordham during first quarter last season)/

So unless they do something stupid like burn Cochran's RS for one game, the QB situation at UConn continues to be terrible. So yeah, back up the bus and load up the position until it starts to look like other school at this level. Heck even healthy, UConn offense might be the worst in the nation. Its a joke.

 

[businesslawyer]

Wow, four QBs? Talk about excess. Let's inventory:

CW? Adequate, maybe next year an above average QB.
McCummings? Coaches don't think he can throw. Receivers wide open on their way to the end zone can't catch the ball. And the Wildcat has been a miserable failure this year.
JM? Walk on who was awful last year. Congrats on a nice relief job last Saturday, but do we really want to revert to last season's passing game?
Cochran? Injured, a freshman, maybe the future, not worth burning the red shirt at this point (see Michael Nebrich vs Fordham during first quarter last season)/

So unless they do something stupid like burn Cochran's RS for one game, the QB situation at UConn continues to be terrible. So yeah, back up the bus and load up the position until it starts to look like other school at this level. Heck even healthy, UConn offense might be the worst in the nation. Its a joke.

I don't think you actually absorbed a word I said.

 

[freescooter]

They added two quarterbacks to the fold this year and at least one that we know about next year. What did you want them to do? Recruit 25? You might, and its a big might, get 2 to come in a class. We did last recruiting round only because one was a JUCO. You are not getting more than that unless you are talking Johnny Mac-types or strictly back-up level JUCOs maybe. But once you go there, you have to decide who you won't take. what position you will leave short.

 

[TouchdownHusky]

I don't think you actually absorbed a word I said.

Despite you being an attorney, I can follow. I just see it differently. This position - QB- has been a friggin disaster since Dan O left. So anything different is worth trying at this juncture. My point is simply - DO NOT burn Cochran's red shirt with one game remaining. Next season bring in LaGrow, if he'll still commit. Then next year . . . bring in two more the next year and repeat the cycle each year until this thing is fixed. Disgraceful that a BCS program like UConn has gone on so long without having an answer at this all important position.

 

[businesslawyer]

Dispite you being an attorney, I could follow. This position - QB- has been a friggin disaster since Dan O left. So anything different is worth trying. Simply put - DO NOT- burn Cochran's red shirt at this point. Bring in LaGrow, if he'll still commit. Then next year . . . bring in two more and repeat the cycle each year until this thing is fixed. Disgraceful that a BCS program like UConn has gone on so long without having an answer at this all important position.

What you are missing is I am not disagreeing with you on most of your points. I'm fine with continuing to recruit QBs until you get it right, and I'm fine with you saying we haven't done this well enough. The only thing I am trying to point out to you is that we're not going to get good QBs to commit if we have eight QBs fighting it out for practice time. No one wants to sign up for that (and we can't just recruit QBs by putting them in a sack and kidnapping them.)

 

[TouchdownHusky]

What you are missing is I am not disagreeing with you on most of your points. I'm fine with continuing to recruit QBs until you get it right, and I'm fine with you saying we haven't done this well enough. The only thing I am trying to point out to you is that we're not going to get good QBs to commit if we have eight QBs fighting it out for practice time. No one wants to sign up for that (and we can't just recruit QBs by putting them in a sack and kidnapping them.)

And I am not disagreeing with you on some points, but . . . since we don't have good QBs at this point (at least not good enough to ward off would-be competitors) no high QB worth his salt should ever "run" from the fact that UConn has 6,7 or 8 QBs fighting it out for practice time. Heck with what we have seen the past two years, you and I could compete if we had some eligibility left - its been that inadequate.

 

[businesslawyer]

And I am not disagreeing with you on some points, but . . . since we don't have good QBs at this point (at least not good enough to ward off would-be competitors) no high QB worth his salt should ever "run" from the fact that UConn has 6,7 or 8 QBs fighting it out for practice time. Heck with what we have seen the past two years, you and I could compete if we had some eligibility left - its been that inadequate.

I'm happy that you could. I may overestimate myself but I am not delusional