Quality of Offers

[Milo65]

Whether they pan out or not, the quality of the offers are heads and shoulders above the FCS offers that Diaco's staff put together.
Diaco'a lack of experience showed as we were often competing with Fordham, Rhode Island, and other FCS schools for recruits.

 

[uconnphil2016]

Agreed. Also been interesting to see that we've been going after tons of skill players. Tons of running backs, a few WRs and a bunch of QBs. The staff recognizes the absolute lack of speed on the team and it shows in who they are targeting.

 

[Jimdish255]

Well the kids know we're serious this time around so let's get after it. Edsall not my first choice but has made staff changes that should appeal to a different type of athlete especially on offense. We probably won't make widespread improvements right away but a couple of skill guys with good reviews would be nice. This year's performance on the field will be important to show we've changed our approach and level of game preparation.

 

[Jimmy Serrano]

Have no idea what offers the new staff has put out since taking the reigns but this argument over whether offer lists matter or not has pretty much been put to bed.

Posters know which side of the fence they were on. I don't want to mention any names, but certain posters have spent the better part of 3 years telling us offer lists don't matter.

 

[gioff23]

To be fair, Diaco brought in some really good players. He simply believed CT was a developmental program, and so made offers to lots of kids who reminded him of himself as a teenager - undersized, nice, respectful guy, hustler, tough. It's fine to bring in 2-3 kids like that every year and see if you hit the lottery, but we brought in far more of those than we should have and we clearly showed an inability to develop them.

It appears Lashlee and Grimes should help on recruiting trail; it'll be interesting to see what Crocker & Co. can do on D side of the ball.

 

[ktuck911]

Our OC and DC are in their 30's, so they can relate to today's climate of recruit a little better... that, along with the success they've had coaching, just put us on the map for FBS level recruits (3 stars and up).. My opinion, but already you can see who we're going after. FBS level talent.. we've been steadily recruiting tweener kids (FCS/FBS) the past 3 years or so . Nice to see that changing. It has to if we want to move forward. After all, we are an FBS football team...

 

[huskymedic]

Whether they pan out or not, the quality of the offers are heads and shoulders above the FCS offers that Diaco's staff put together.
Diaco'a lack of experience showed as we were often competing with Fordham, Rhode Island, and other FCS schools for recruits.

That's not true if you are talking just about offers and not commitments... We offered a lot of kids that had more P5/G5 offers than FCS offers. You can go to the Recruitment Forum and look at the schools we lost players to over the last two years. (2017 here and 2016 here). Diaco was offering high end kids - they just weren't committing to UConn (blame conference, blame record, blame coaching, blame acedemics but the offers were there).

 

[whaler11]

That's not true if you are talking just about offers and not commitments... We offered a lot of kids that had more P5/G5 offers than FCS offers. You can go to the Recruitment Forum and look at the schools we lost players to over the last two years. (2017 here and 2016 here). Diaco was offering high end kids - they just weren't committing to UConn (blame conference, blame record, blame coaching, blame acedemics but the offers were there).

Yes this is what made the concept of right kinda guy so breathtakingly stupid.

 

[uconnphil2016]

That's not true if you are talking just about offers and not commitments... We offered a lot of kids that had more P5/G5 offers than FCS offers. You can go to the Recruitment Forum and look at the schools we lost players to over the last two years. (2017 here and 2016 here). Diaco was offering high end kids - they just weren't committing to UConn (blame conference, blame record, blame coaching, blame acedemics but the offers were there).

We offered a bunch of guys who were unrealistic. 4 and 5 star players we had no chance with. it felt like there was little in between those guys and 2 starts with no other fbs offer

 

[Exit 4]

We offered a bunch of guys who were unrealistic. 4 and 5 star players we had no chance with. it felt like there was little in between those guys and 2 starts with no other fbs offer

Thats because the staff really didn't know what it was doing. Diaco believed in finding high character guys that could be molded into a great team with the right breakfast and plenty of group hugs. I do think we will see they got it right with Skanes, Dixon, Vickers, Hopkins, Herring, Coyle and Hahn, and a couple others, however I think they really failed - rather spectacularly at the QB, OL and DL positions (no impact players on Dline are Diaco guys). And I think we were not headed in the right direction the LB position either.

 

[sdhusky]

Thats because the staff really didn't know what it was doing. Diaco believed in finding high character guys that could be molded into a great team with the right breakfast and plenty of group hugs. I do think we will see they got it right with Skanes, Dixon, Vickers, Hopkins, Herring, Coyle and Hahn, and a couple others, however I think they really failed - rather spectacularly at the QB, OL and DL positions (no impact players on Dline are Diaco guys). And I think we were not headed in the right direction the LB position either.

I think Murphy looked pretty good on the DL. Diggs was Diaco as well.

 

[gioff23]

Our OC and DC are in their 30's, so they can relate to today's climate of recruit a little better... that, along with the success they've had coaching, just put us on the map for FBS level recruits (3 stars and up).. My opinion, but already you can see who we're going after. FBS level talent.. we've been steadily recruiting tweener kids (FCS/FBS) the past 3 years or so . Nice to see that changing. It has to if we want to move forward. After all, we are an FBS football team...

I'm not sure the staff is any younger, overall. Regardless, the quality of offers had to go up - can you imagine Lashlee and Crocker in a conversation about a recruit ...

Lashlee: The kid has an offer from something called Manmyth, what is that?
Crocker: First, it's Monmouth. It's a FCS program in New Jersey.
Lashlee: Never heard of it. So what about this recruit we inherited, says he has an offer from Monmouth. You looked at his tape?
Crocker: Yup.
Lashlee: And ....
Crocker: We passed over him at Nova. Can we move on to the next guy.

 

[huskymedic]

That's not true if you are talking just about offers and not commitments... We offered a lot of kids that had more P5/G5 offers than FCS offers. You can go to the Recruitment Forum and look at the schools we lost players to over the last two years. (2017 here and 2016 here). Diaco was offering high end kids - they just weren't committing to UConn (blame conference, blame record, blame coaching, blame acedemics but the offers were there).

We offered a bunch of guys who were unrealistic. 4 and 5 star players we had no chance with. it felt like there was little in between those guys and 2 starts with no other fbs offer

Your perception is not the reality in this case. From the kids Diaco offered in 2017 and committed elsewhere:

5* - 1
4* - 7
3* - 42
2* - 9
NR - 4

 

[upstater]

A decade ago, Diaco was recruiting against the bottom of the Big East, bottom of the P5s, and only occasionally beating the big boys. Like, maybe one a year.

Of course, the big gets never panned out. Beating UCLA and Notre Dame and Clemson didn't pan out. I mean, Seth Fogarty? Most of the kids on the team were kids he beat Rutgers for, of Minnesota, or Illinois, or Nebraska, or Wake Forest. Some of the kids who had no other offers ended up being stars, Terry Caulley, or Darius Butler.

The main difference now is that UConn is no longer in the Big East. That will impact recruiting. But in general, I hope he can still take kids away from the bottom of the P5.

 

[HuskyHawk]

A decade ago, Diaco was recruiting against the bottom of the Big East, bottom of the P5s, and only occasionally beating the big boys. Like, maybe one a year.

Of course, the big gets never panned out. Beating UCLA and Notre Dame and Clemson didn't pan out. I mean, Seth Fogarty? Most of the kids on the team were kids he beat Rutgers for, of Minnesota, or Illinois, or Nebraska, or Wake Forest. Some of the kids who had no other offers ended up being stars, Terry Caulley, or Darius Butler.

The main difference now is that UConn is no longer in the Big East. That will impact recruiting. But in general, I hope he can still take kids away from the bottom of the P5.

The American is going to hurt Edsall in that regard. That's why I think winning is imperative, and immediately. UConn, in this league, and winning 7+ games is very different than winning 3. If you are trying to lure that 3* away from Purdue, it really helps if your team is likely to be more successful than Purdue.

 

[sdhusky]

The American is going to hurt Edsall in that regard. That's why I think winning is imperative, and immediately. UConn, in this league, and winning 7+ games is very different than winning 3. If you are trying to lure that 3* away from Purdue, it really helps if your team is likely to be more successful than Purdue.

We have great facilities and coaches.

Edsall is great at spotting talent. Would you rather play at UConn or sit at Purdue?

 

[upstater]

A decade ago, Diaco was recruiting against the bottom of the Big East, bottom of the P5s, and only occasionally beating the big boys. Like, maybe one a year.

Of course, the big gets never panned out. Beating UCLA and Notre Dame and Clemson didn't pan out. I mean, Seth Fogarty? Most of the kids on the team were kids he beat Rutgers for, of Minnesota, or Illinois, or Nebraska, or Wake Forest. Some of the kids who had no other offers ended up being stars, Terry Caulley, or Darius Butler.

The main difference now is that UConn is no longer in the Big East. That will impact recruiting. But in general, I hope he can still take kids away from the bottom of the P5.

Ugh--Diaco. Have to wash my mouth out now. I meant Edsall. I do feel bad making fun of Diaco now that he's gone--but only because he donated $250k to soccer.

 

[HuskyHawk]

We have great facilities and coaches.

Edsall is great at spotting talent. Would you rather play at UConn or sit at Purdue?

Probably Purdue. Big Ten competition, solid school. It's an uphill battle.

 

[sdhusky]

Probably Purdue. Big Ten competition, solid school. It's an uphill battle.

Luckily more guys currently in the NFL choose UConn.

By alot.

 

[ktuck911]

Diaco offered and got some good/solid players here... his coaching philosophy just didn't translate to reality...

 

[MattMang23]

Probably Purdue. Big Ten competition, solid school. It's an uphill battle.

Ehhhh. Purdue probably isn't one of the schools in the Big Ten kids would rather sit at. PSU, OSU, Michigan, sure. Purdue? I'd like to think kids would rather get on the field at UConn. There's not much prestige to sitting at Purdue.

 

[whaler11]

None of them think they are going to sit.

 

[Dream Jobbed 2.0]

We're going to have two 4 star recruits on defense next year that's pretty sweet.