Randy Edsall already looking forward...

[uconnphil2016]

I want Lashlee to stay, no question but to say our offense was a bit better is not the correct characterization. Consider that we improved in total offense from. 123rd to 53rd, 310 YPG in 2016 to 415 YPG in 2017 an increase of 33%. Nine more TD's 35 up from 24. 37% increase. Total yards up from 4,034 to 4,982, a 23.5% increase. Lashlee along with Grimes should get coaching credits for the improvement.

Coaches have agents. Opportunities arise. You never know. I am hoping both he and Grimes stay another year. Our offense was okay, especially when you consider the young Offensive line but it didn't suck. What REALLY SUCKED was the defense!

His resume includes SEC schools and accomplishments. The purpose here was to prove he could run his own offense. Another year would be good for him but if the right offer comes, he could go.

Scoring offense is the only metric that really matters. Yards shows that we've improved over last year, sure. But we still had a massive problem in this year's offense...we'd get to the 30 yard line and then be totally ineffective. Our scoring offense this year was 102nd in the nation at a mere 23.8 ppg. That's really bad. Granted, last year we were at around 17 IIRC, our offense was still totally inept this year.

 

[ibleedhuskyblue]

Scoring offense is the only metric that really matters. Yards shows that we've improved over last year, sure. But we still had a massive problem in this year's offense...we'd get to the 30 yard line and then be totally ineffective. Our scoring offense this year was 102nd in the nation at a mere 23.8 ppg. That's really bad. Granted, last year we were at around 17 IIRC, our offense was still totally inept this year.

I agree with this 100%. On the surface the offense was much better, but then when the stats turn to actual points, not nearly as much. We were bound to score more just because we weren't milking the clock like it was 1947 anymore. The jump should have actually been far more dramatic.

Every time we got inside the 20, all the misdirection would stop, the formations would go from spread, to bunched, and anyone with eyes could see we were either running up the middle, or throwing a back shoulder fade to the corner of the endzone. The bunched formations left us with no running lanes for the run game, the fades made what should have been 10-15 yard throws into 30 yard throws with QB's whose arms were not exactly equipped to do that.

It's actually funny if you think about it. We would run to the middle, and throw to the outside. If the opposite happened occasionally, we wouldn't have been nearly as predictable.

And after BS got hurt, it was even worse. The playbook was scaled down even more leaving us with about 4 total red zone plays.

 

[Confident Carl]

Scoring offense is the only metric that really matters. Yards shows that we've improved over last year, sure. But we still had a massive problem in this year's offense...we'd get to the 30 yard line and then be totally ineffective. Our scoring offense this year was 102nd in the nation at a mere 23.8 ppg. That's really bad. Granted, last year we were at around 17 IIRC, our offense was still totally inept this year.

This isn't a debate about how good our offense is. It has more to do with hoping Lashlee remains at Storrs. Granted our Red Zone scoring was poor, however our offense showed more creativity and successful explosive plays than I can remember. Lashlee should be credited for the improvement in the offense. The young offensive line under Grimes showed significant improvement. Unlike last year, Sherriffs spread the ball out to all the receivers. Lashlee's value as a coach and recruiter is huge and his departure would hurt our progress. My question is after a year of suffering through mediocre football is Lashlee still willing to stick it out another year? I certainly hope so. Unlike you, I believe he would be considered a valuable addition to a number of coaching staffs out there.

 

[businesslawyer]

He's not going anywhere. Our offense was a bit better than last year, but it still sucked. He could move to a marginally better job, but no way will he get a HC gig

He's not going anywhere. Our offense was a bit better than last year, but it still sucked. He could move to a marginally better job, but no way will he get a HC gig

Saying our offense is a bit better is like saying Angela Merkel was a bit better of a German leader than Hitler. Sheesh.

 

[businesslawyer]

I want Lashlee to stay, no question but to say our offense was a bit better is not the correct characterization. Consider that we improved in total offense from. 123rd to 53rd, 310 YPG in 2016 to 415 YPG in 2017 an increase of 33%. Nine more TD's 35 up from 24. 37% increase. Total yards up from 4,034 to 4,982, a 23.5% increase. Lashlee along with Grimes should get coaching credits for the improvement.

Coaches have agents. Opportunities arise. You never know. I am hoping both he and Grimes stay another year. Our offense was okay, especially when you consider the young Offensive line but it didn't suck. What REALLY SUCKED was the defense!

His resume includes SEC schools and accomplishments. The purpose here was to prove he could run his own offense. Another year would be good for him but if the right offer comes, he could go.

And we did this having lost our starting QB for a third of the season and our most dangerous offensive weapon for at least that much.

 

[RSTuthill]

From where I sat the O was night and day better than last year. Still some significant problems, but FAR more entertaining and less predictable. The D, on the other hand .... Not a knock on Crocker though. Seems the cupboard was pretty bare.

 

[Confident Carl]

He's not going anywhere. Our offense was a bit better than last year, but it still sucked. He could move to a marginally better job, but no way will he get a HC gig

Marginally better job? (Chuckle, chuckle!) He voluntarily left Auburn after 3 years as OC and QB coach. In 2013 he was a finalist for the Broyles award while at Auburn. His last year at Auburn, Malzan gave him the keys to the offense. He's always coached under Gus Malzan. He came to Storrs because Randy gave him free reign and to make a difference and prove to himself and others that he could be part of a UCONN turn around. At Auburn he called plays at UCONN he got more autonomy.

Coming here was a risky move, took guts and he lost money in the short term. The coaching world knows he's big league. My guess he is determined to finish the job! I believe he could get significant offers. The question is will he be able to resist them? Stay tuned...

 

[uconnphil2016]

Saying our offense is a bit better is like saying Angela Merkel was a bit better of a German leader than Hitler. Sheesh.

I should have conveyed what I meant better--I meant that our scoring offense was only marginally better. Obviously, what we witnessed on the field was much better than what we saw last year and is evident in where we rank in both passing and rushing offense as well as o-line play as Carl mentioned. I think Lashlee is a good coach, but I don't think folks would be knocking down the doors to take him after watching our offense this year. We were better, but our offense still really struggled, especially in the latter half of the season where we averaged 20 ppg from Temple onward.

There was obviously progress, but I'm not ready to praise Lashlee as a genius just yet

 

[BlueDogs]

The O went from 5. 7 years of stagnation (the Weist 3 game win streak remains the most dominant period of success since 2010) to being explosive. We have Red Zone issues, but this year resembles nothing like we were accustomed to. One of our greatest mistakes made was not letting Weist takeover. Cost us 3 years of progress and a lot of money paid to a total bozo. The biggest problem we have is D by far. Lashlee could leave tomorrow and pick up a OC job anywhere and many mid majors would take him as an HC in a heartbeat.

 

[crazyUCfan23]

I don't think Lashlee moved his entire family just to leave for the first available opening. Or at least I hope not...

 

[huskyrob1]

My hope, and I don't know how realistic of a hope that it is, is that one of our backup OLs can make the transition to DL.

We have a bunch of folks listed as OL on the team right now and many don't have a realistic expectation of getting reps at OL. Here's the list as I think it stands today:

Campbell (So., 6'5" - 296)
Cespedes (So., 6'7" - 317)
Crozier* (RS Jr., 6'4" - 300) * if he's allowed to get an extra year
DeGeorge (RS Fr., 6'6" - 286)
Holmes (Fr., 6'3" - 351)
Hubbard (Fr., 6'3" - 307)
Leone (RS Fr., 6'6" - 316)
Newman (RS Fr., 6'3" - 276)
Oak** (RS Jr., 6'3" - 285) **not sure if he's coming back, I think he celebrated Senior Day
Peart (RS So., 6'7" - 300)
Tunstall (Fr., 6'6" - 329)
Van Demark (Fr., 6'7" - 265)
Ofori-Nyadu (3 star recruit, 6'2" - 266)
Maloney (2 star recruit, 6'8" - 275)
Rooney (2 star recruit, 6'5" - 281)
Jones (3 star recruit, 6'5" - 350)
Niedrowski (2 star recruit, 6'5" - 280)

So there it is so far, without any assistance from transfers, etc. My guess is that the 2-deep for OL will include the folks in bold, with Jones being the wild card as to whether Edsall wants him on OL or DL. I hear he's fantastic at both, so our needs will likely dictate his position. If he's as good as they say, he'll be on the 2-deep on one side of the ball or another.

Can we use some of the other guys on DL?? I have no idea, but I wouldn't be shocked if Edsall did something like that to fill our needs for next year. Not an ideal situation, though. It clearly illustrates how thin we are going to be in the trenches on both sides of the ball in terms of impact players...

If Jasen Rose can bulk up 20 or 30 pounds (he's 230 now) he might lose a step in speed, but he'd certainly still be fast enough for DE.

 

[Nostical]

Lashlee will no doubt have options, but whether he stays— or is enticed to leave—will likely have nothing to do with football. If his wife is happy he’ll stay. If she longs to return to her Southern roots, he’ll be gone with a good offer. I’m told she’s a bit “homesick”.

 

[FDNY99]

Lashlee will no doubt have options, but whether he stays— or is enticed to leave—will likely have nothing to do with football. If his wife is happy he’ll stay. If she longs to return to her Southern roots, he’ll be gone with a good offer. I’m told she’s a bit “homesick”.

Let's hope time heals a bit of that...I'd like to see him stick around. Cant remember the last time Uconn actually had a real QB coach/OC.

 

[Confident Carl]

Lashlee will no doubt have options, but whether he stays— or is enticed to leave—will likely have nothing to do with football. If his wife is happy he’ll stay. If she longs to return to her Southern roots, he’ll be gone with a good offer. I’m told she’s a bit “homesick”.

But it might have something to do with cashola! A seven figure head coaching gig would be real tough to "Just say No" to. Sorry but why do I get the feeling we'll be looking for a new OC soon...? I don't know about your wife but if my wife was from down south and I told her I was offered a 1.3 million raise to go to Orlando or Memphis, she'd be on the phone to list our house with our Coldwell Banker agent in a New York minute!

 

[Nostical]

I don't know about your wife but if I was offered a 1.3 million raise to go to Orlando or Memphis, she'd list our house in a New York minute!

I’d say you know my wife pretty well!

 

[Rocktheworld]

Makes no sense for Lashlee to leave. He made at best a lateral move (more autonomy but at UConn opposed to Auburn); if he was just biding his time until a SEC or mid-major HC job opens up, there is no reason to have left Auburn.

I think we need to stick with the initial hope that Randy is here for his 3 years then Lashlee steps in to smoothly transition in to running a program, then moving on 3-5 years from then if he is successful. Or rather that should be our default until something big changes

 

[hardcorehusky]

Lashlee came to grow as a coach. To learn from another coach and to elevate his stock as a head coach. I think he is here for at least 2 years, maybe 3 and then will be a head coach here or somewhere. He is learning how to build a program from the bottom up. He is doing it with less external pressure than anywhere else. This is exactly what he wanted from an outsider's point of view.

 

[tduconn]

I should have conveyed what I meant better--I meant that our scoring offense was only marginally better. Obviously, what we witnessed on the field was much better than what we saw last year and is evident in where we rank in both passing and rushing offense as well as o-line play as Carl mentioned. I think Lashlee is a good coach, but I don't think folks would be knocking down the doors to take him after watching our offense this year. We were better, but our offense still really struggled, especially in the latter half of the season where we averaged 20 ppg from Temple onward.

There was obviously progress, but I'm not ready to praise Lashlee as a genius just yet

Folks will still try to seek him out because he initiated an SEC offence with far less talent........and in part, succeeded. Who (P5)will not recognize that fact.

 

[Rewster]

Seems like we tried a lot less field goal attempts this year.
That doesn't help the scoring offensive numbers either I would guess.

 

[Rewster]

Seems like we tried a lot less field goal attempts this year.
That doesn't help the scoring offensive numbers either I would guess.

Actually just looked it up
2016. 13-18 field goal attempts
2107 12-18 field goal attempts

However we must have been in field goal range much more often this year compared to last year.
Seems like we went for it on 4th down a fair amount of times this year.

 

[Confident Carl]

Lashlee came to grow as a coach. To learn from another coach and to elevate his stock as a head coach. I think he is here for at least 2 years, maybe 3 and then will be a head coach here or somewhere. He is learning how to build a program from the bottom up. He is doing it with less external pressure than anywhere else. This is exactly what he wanted from an outsider's point of view.

I agree, that was the original intent, however IF the right opportunity presents itself, Lashlee will have to make another hard decision. Scott Frost loves it at UCF and emotionally probably wants to stay but practically, he may have to seize the Nebraska opportunity because you never know when it will happen again. These situations are fluid and that's how life is. On these blogs we try to make things into absolutes and that just isn't how things are in the real world. Watching Auburn kick Alabama's butt before 87,000 in the Iron Bowl must have been emotionally hard for him to watch.