Rational Thoughts

[BlueDogs]

1. If you have been a long time fan and sat through last night, it was painfully disappointing and frustrating. I can't stand it much longer, but somehow I'll come back for more.

2. We expect mental toughnes from the team, and the hardcore need to hang in there as well. We can't give up on them or the program dies.

3. Many of us have supported this team forever through thick and thin. After 7 years of decline, I refuse to accept that the argument we should tolerate another season of incompetence in any aspect of the game. The D is incompetent and the D staff needs to go. We can't wait 3 years to arrive at another conclusion we have a dud on our hands. Perform or get out.

4. I believe in Edsall and Lashlee and they will get this on track. We can see meaningful improvement. But, RE2.0 can't be stubborn RE1 and needs to make changes to get better without hesitation. Again, clean out the D staff.

5. There will be a lot of pressure to move back to FCS in the next 2 years. We have to fight that and be vocal.

6. We are not getting the best recruits so laying success on getting the best recruits is not helpful. We need better football players, not prototypical specimens. Throw out the time pieces, measuring tapes and the rest. Get great instinctive football players that make plays that others don't want because they don't check a box in speed, height, etc..

7. BS is the single most valuable leader on that team by a country mile. He once again was one of a small few laying it all out there. The kid is amazing.

8. Summers needs to benched. He is a senior and is actually harming the team with uninspired, poor play matched by a terrible display of sportsmanship.

9. Pindell is a bust. No field vision. Very disappointing. Remember he was the guy the staff evaluated the best. The truth is the best are those who make plays.

This season is exhausting. There is no bowl coming. There might be one W coming.. maybe. Got to just hang in there. Next year could be equally challenging.

 

[uconndogs]

Edsall picked up a mess. Along with everything else, Crazy Bob couldn’t assess talent and we will be paying for that for a while.

My only criticism with Randy is I don’t understand why the defense is this bad. I think he’ll fix it, but it might be without Crocker.

 

[Palatine]

We were kind of doomed on offense when Pindell didn't work out and we had to go back to BS. That basically meant there would not be any progress at QB. Lashlee's offense helped but BS is BS. Great kid, limited QB. A good QB would make a huge difference. We haven't had one in years.

The change to the 3-3-5 has been a unbashed failure. This is a team that requires an attacking defense. The 3-3-5 hasn't attacked all year. It has been a bend, bend, break defense.

Anyone who is not depressed hasn't been watching.

 

[traitor71]

It's very hard to sit through a rebuild, especially after a couple of bad coaches. No one wants to wait, patience is already exhausted, etc. Games like last night suck, but you just have to eat it until the level of talent on the team improves. And that takes time, 2 or 3 recruiting classes for sure.

 

[huskymedic]

Cleaning out the D staff is not a rational thought at this point... it may make you feel better but it doesn’t change the roster/depth chart or issues tackling.

 

[whaler11]

Team with win total line of 3.5 wins either 3 or 4 games.

I am shocked.

 

[Stainmaster]

Cleaning out the D staff is not a rational thought at this point... it may make you feel better but it doesn’t change the roster/depth chart or issues tackling.

Agree 100%...how does installing a brand new staff from off the open market 2/3 of the way through the season meaningfully change the outcome of our remaining games?

The AD doesn't have enough money to cycle through defensive coaches at the rate this board wants.

 

[UConnNick]

Edsall picked up a mess. Along with everything else, Crazy Bob couldn’t assess talent and we will be paying for that for a while.

My only criticism with Randy is I don’t understand why the defense is this bad. I think he’ll fix it, but it might be without Crocker.

It will only happen without Crocker. This clown can't even figure out that you don't line your DBs up 10 yards off the LOS and expect them to cover anybody. Rinse and repeat, over and over again, until 2-5 teams are torching your D. Even if our DBs are the worst in the country, you still ought to be able to coach them to turn around and look for the ball. Does this thought even occur to anyone on the coaching staff?

 

[kemba]

Even if our DBs are the worst in the country, you still ought to be able to coach them to turn around and look for the ball. Does this thought even occur to anyone on the coaching staff?

Yes, nobody has ever told them they are supposed to locate the ball. As soon as we get a coach who tells them that the problem will be solved.

 

[uconnphil2016]

1. If you have been a long time fan and sat through last night, it was painfully disappointing and frustrating. I can't stand it much longer, but somehow I'll come back for more.

2. We expect mental toughnes from the team, and the hardcore need to hang in there as well. We can't give up on them or the program dies.

3. Many of us have supported this team forever through thick and thin. After 7 years of decline, I refuse to accept that the argument we should tolerate another season of incompetence in any aspect of the game. The D is incompetent and the D staff needs to go. We can't wait 3 years to arrive at another conclusion we have a dud on our hands. Perform or get out.

4. I believe in Edsall and Lashlee and they will get this on track. We can see meaningful improvement. But, RE2.0 can't be stubborn RE1 and needs to make changes to get better without hesitation. Again, clean out the D staff.

5. There will be a lot of pressure to move back to FCS in the next 2 years. We have to fight that and be vocal.

6. We are not getting the best recruits so laying success on getting the best recruits is not helpful. We need better football players, not prototypical specimens. Throw out the time pieces, measuring tapes and the rest. Get great instinctive football players that make plays that others don't want because they don't check a box in speed, height, etc..

7. BS is the single most valuable leader on that team by a country mile. He once again was one of a small few laying it all out there. The kid is amazing.

8. Summers needs to benched. He is a senior and is actually harming the team with uninspired, poor play matched by a terrible display of sportsmanship.

9. Pindell is a bust. No field vision. Very disappointing. Remember he was the guy the staff evaluated the best. The truth is the best are those who make plays.

This season is exhausting. There is no bowl coming. There might be one W coming.. maybe. Got to just hang in there. Next year could be equally challenging.

It's more of a player problem than a coach problem on D. The sad part is that next year's D may not be any better. Secondary will be improved, but we look to be thin at linebacker after losing JJ and Diggs, and our defensive line is scary thin to the point where I'm not sure we have any competent FBS replacements ready to step in. On the other side of the ball, we really have absolutely no answer at QB--we can put out hope in Washington maybe, but Pindell is clearly garbage and I wouldn't count on anyone else being as good as BS has been this year. Losing Newsome who is the bulk of our offensive production. Skanes and Dixon show flashes but can't catch. O line will be good next year, but really no athletes that blow you away on the offensive side of the football. We could easily be one of the 5 worst teams in FBS next year, and it's going to take several years before we could even be an average AAC team. We literally have no talent from the BD era of recruiting.

 

[whaler11]

It's more of a player problem than a coach problem on D. The sad part is that next year's D may not be any better. Secondary will be improved, but we look to be thin at linebacker after losing JJ and Diggs, and our defensive line is scary thin to the point where I'm not sure we have any competent FBS replacements ready to step in. On the other side of the ball, we really have absolutely no answer at QB--we can put out hope in Washington maybe, but Pindell is clearly garbage and I wouldn't count on anyone else being as good as BS has been this year. Losing Newsome who is the bulk of our offensive production. Skanes and Dixon show flashes but can't catch. O line will be good next year, but really no athletes that blow you away on the offensive side of the football. We could easily be one of the 5 worst teams in FBS next year, and it's going to take several years before we could even be an average AAC team. We literally have no talent from the BD era of recruiting.

I’ve been trying to get people to understand this. They start 7 seniors. That’s frightening.

 

[Exit 4]

I refuse to believe cox and Crocker aren’t coaching the DBs to look for the ball, they just can’t or won’t do it. Ergo, I think this is as much a talent issue as anything. Plus, most of our DBs possess neither natural tackling skills or + level speed. I don’t think coaching alone can fix that for most players. For some players, yes coaching elevates their game one more level, but here my eyes say that for several players - this is what they can do - room for growth is limited.

 

[HuskyHawk]

Cleaning out the D staff is not a rational thought at this point... it may make you feel better but it doesn’t change the roster/depth chart or issues tackling.

The coaches didn’t fail to tackle guys when the defenders were in the right position several times. But it’s still a failure of fundamental football that needs to be fixed. Our guys were tackling high and being shed like a bunch of 6th graders all night long.

 

[Tdaley]

Missouri was a lot better than our fans (including me) and the local media expected. Their record is a little deceiving. They had some tough conference games early in the season. They actually could win all of their remaining conference games. Uconn on on the other hand is in a rebuild mode even if some of our fans refuse to admit that fact to themselves. Brown and Swann may develop into good players but they don't belong on the field yet. Unfortunately, our coaches have no choice but to play them. Our best and most experinced secondary player ( Summers) doesn't appear to really want to play football anymore. Our big transfer ( Bell) is in my mind too slow to play at this level. Our offense certainly could have played a better game and kept the score respectable but Sherriff and all of his recevers had an off night. Not having Newsome ( far and away our best offensive player) was also a killer for us.

Going forward, fans have to understand that its going to take few really good recruiting classes to improve this program. In the meantime, its going to be a bumpy ride, especially on the defensive side of the ball.

 

[uconnphil2016]

I’ve been trying to get people to understand this. They start 7 seniors. That’s frightening.

Right. Almost any talent that we have on this team is either from the very end of the PP era (Newsome and most of the RS seniors except Diggs) or an RE recruit. Mayala and Peart are the only BD era recruits who have reached a level of skill that's above replacement level. Who will play d end next year? Do we really think Connor Freeborn is going to be a competent FBS end? Gilmartin and Santana Sterling at middle linebacker? We literally don't even have tight ends--which is incredible given that everyone Diaco recruited was a TE 'prototype.' Jay Rose will be starting I guess? And if Washington isn't the savior that every UConn QB is cracked up to be, we could honestly win 1 or 2 games because we'll have absolutely no one available to play QB. This is honestly just the beginning and things are gonna get worse before they get better. Without BS we probably have 1 win right now.

 

[Alum86]

Team with win total line of 3.5 wins either 3 or 4 games.

I am shocked.

Yep. NEXT 3 games we will be heavy dogs and Cincy on the road?
Hmmm. 4 tops

 

[whaler11]

Right. Almost any talent that we have on this team is either from the very end of the PP era (Newsome and most of the RS seniors except Diggs) or an RE recruit. Mayala and Peart are the only BD era recruits who have reached a level of skill that's above replacement level. Who will play d end next year? Do we really think Connor Freeborn is going to be a competent FBS end? Gilmartin and Santana Sterling at middle linebacker? We literally don't even have tight ends--which is incredible given that everyone Diaco recruited was a TE 'prototype.' Jay Rose will be starting I guess? And if Washington isn't the savior that every UConn QB is cracked up to be, we could honestly win 1 or 2 games because we'll have absolutely no one available to play QB. This is honestly just the beginning and things are gonna get worse before they get better. Without BS we probably have 1 win right now.

Without Sherriffs they have zero wins.

As much credit as you’d like to give to Lashlee this year - you have to ignore the fact you’ve ever seen Pindell play. That they gave him a scholarship and named him the starter is the single scariest thing we’ve seen this season.

Donovan Williams has to scratch his head trying to figure out how he got moved and Pindell started.

 

[EJHarrington]

The offensive turnaround has been amazing, especially considering we lost Noel Thomas.

A lot of work to do but I am confident for the first time in years that we have already hit bottom.

Does not making sitting through these games any easier though.

 

[hardcorehusky]

Since most of the nattering nabobs of negativity are flushing next year down the toilet, let's look at what you are analyzing:

QB - Does Pindell improve? Who here has seen Washington or McAfee play? I haven't so it is hard to judge who will be what?
RB - Mensah has talent and will be very good and Hopkins has been surprisingly and fyi- one is a freshman and the other a redshirt freshman. Remember, kids do improve as they get older and progress through the program.
WR- Hergy has talent, Beals has not been bad, McLean has shown something and then Skaynes, Donaldson, Dixon are all young again. We are good here with more talent coming in.
TE - Jay Rose will be fine but we don't feature a tight end anyway.
OL - We lose Trey Rutherford and Tommy Hopkins- bring back 5 guys off redshirt plus the trio of Leone, George and Van Demark will become redshirt or true sophomores- they will become stronger and better.

DL - There is one redshirt DT Caleb Thomas, Murphy and Okounam comes back. We need more help here- let's see who comes onto the roster before next year.

LB- EJ Levenberry comes back, Beavers becomes a true sophomore, Thomas becomes eligible and we haven't seen enough of Santana Sterling or any of TJ Gardner to make a judgment. Hahn was moved from safety to LB and will have 1 full year at the position to improve. Let's see who is added to see what this unit will look like.

DB - Herring Wilson, Coyle, Fortt, Swenson, Swann, Brown, etc will all be sophomores. Redshirts come off of Bebe and King. Terry, garland and Robinson become juniors and the new recruits will make this an even younger group. They will be better simply by being older and another year in the system.

Kicking game- Graham and Migliozzi will be better and Tarbutt better be better.

Coaching - the coaches will know their team better and the players will understand the schemes better.

We still have major gaps at LB and DL but there is YOUNG talent at all the other positions. As Al McGuire once said, the best thing about freshmen are they become sophomores.

But, for the love of whoever you pray to, can we not disrespect the likes of Shireffs, Foley, Ormsby,Carrezola, Junior and all the other seniors who have not had much success but are part of the family?

 

[whaler11]

Since most of the nattering nabobs of negativity are flushing next year down the toilet, let's look at what you are analyzing:

QB - Does Pindell improve? Who here has seen Washington or McAfee play? I haven't so it is hard to judge who will be what?
RB - Mensah has talent and will be very good and Hopkins has been surprisingly and fyi- one is a freshman and the other a redshirt freshman. Remember, kids do improve as they get older and progress through the program.
WR- Hergy has talent, Beals has not been bad, McLean has shown something and then Skaynes, Donaldson, Dixon are all young again. We are good here with more talent coming in.
TE - Jay Rose will be fine but we don't feature a tight end anyway.
OL - We lose Trey Rutherford and Tommy Hopkins- bring back 5 guys off redshirt plus the trio of Leone, George and Van Demark will become redshirt or true sophomores- they will become stronger and better.

DL - There is one redshirt DT Caleb Thomas, Murphy and Okounam comes back. We need more help here- let's see who comes onto the roster before next year.

LB- EJ Levenberry comes back, Beavers becomes a true sophomore, Thomas becomes eligible and we haven't seen enough of Santana Sterling or any of TJ Gardner to make a judgment. Hahn was moved from safety to LB and will have 1 full year at the position to improve. Let's see who is added to see what this unit will look like.

DB - Herring Wilson, Coyle, Fortt, Swenson, Swann, Brown, etc will all be sophomores. Redshirts come off of Bebe and King. Terry, garland and Robinson become juniors and the new recruits will make this an even younger group. They will be better simply by being older and another year in the system.

Kicking game- Graham and Migliozzi will be better and Tarbutt better be better.

Coaching - the coaches will know their team better and the players will understand the schemes better.

We still have major gaps at LB and DL but there is YOUNG talent at all the other positions. As Al McGuire once said, the best thing about freshmen are they become sophomores.

But, for the love of whoever you pray to, can we not disrespect the likes of Shireffs, Foley, Ormsby,Carrezola, Junior and all the other seniors who have not had much success but are part of the family?

No offense - but it's even worse when you type it out like that.

Way worse. Cover the children's eyes worse.

 

[scoobydoo]

The offensive turnaround has been amazing, .

Our offense got 10 points yesterday against one of the worst defenses in the country last night.

I'm not amazed

 

[jdb50]

Pindell has no zip on the ball which was really noticable against HC once BS came in . Same thing last night, throws to the outside were in the air too long and the defenders had time to recover and make a play. The loss of players in the DL and LB positions to graduation is a real concern. We are running out of players now with Murphy and Atkins dinged up yesterday. BC won't have to put the ball in the air, just hand off to Dillon all day. The lack of front seven players on D for a FBS schedule next year is scary. Looks like we are 2 years away from a respectable D. Last night Swann made the effort to tackle even though he is undersized at this point. He has the speed. The whole young DB group has been pressed into service before they were ready. I hope they see some success before the end of the season. Can't be easy being exposed like this.

 

[FDNY99]

Since most of the nattering nabobs of negativity are flushing next year down the toilet, let's look at what you are analyzing:

QB - Does Pindell improve? Who here has seen Washington or McAfee play? I haven't so it is hard to judge who will be what?
RB - Mensah has talent and will be very good and Hopkins has been surprisingly and fyi- one is a freshman and the other a redshirt freshman. Remember, kids do improve as they get older and progress through the program.
WR- Hergy has talent, Beals has not been bad, McLean has shown something and then Skaynes, Donaldson, Dixon are all young again. We are good here with more talent coming in.
TE - Jay Rose will be fine but we don't feature a tight end anyway.
OL - We lose Trey Rutherford and Tommy Hopkins- bring back 5 guys off redshirt plus the trio of Leone, George and Van Demark will become redshirt or true sophomores- they will become stronger and better.

DL - There is one redshirt DT Caleb Thomas, Murphy and Okounam comes back. We need more help here- let's see who comes onto the roster before next year.

LB- EJ Levenberry comes back, Beavers becomes a true sophomore, Thomas becomes eligible and we haven't seen enough of Santana Sterling or any of TJ Gardner to make a judgment. Hahn was moved from safety to LB and will have 1 full year at the position to improve. Let's see who is added to see what this unit will look like.

DB - Herring Wilson, Coyle, Fortt, Swenson, Swann, Brown, etc will all be sophomores. Redshirts come off of Bebe and King. Terry, garland and Robinson become juniors and the new recruits will make this an even younger group. They will be better simply by being older and another year in the system.

Kicking game- Graham and Migliozzi will be better and Tarbutt better be better.

Coaching - the coaches will know their team better and the players will understand the schemes better.

We still have major gaps at LB and DL but there is YOUNG talent at all the other positions. As Al McGuire once said, the best thing about freshmen are they become sophomores.

But, for the love of whoever you pray to, can we not disrespect the likes of Shireffs, Foley, Ormsby,Carrezola, Junior and all the other seniors who have not had much success but are part of the family?

@hardcorehusky you need to add these guys to your list:
OL: Crozier has stated on Twitter he will be back...if he does make it back he will be a RsSr
TE: Tyler Davis RsJR
DL: Noel Brouse RsSoph, Conor Freeburn RsJr, and Sheridan Lawley RsSr
LB: Levenberry needs to petition for a 6th year due to a medical hardship with the NCAA...those are rarely granted. Chris Britton who returns for his Sr season and is a starter, and Ryan Gilmartin will be a redshirt Soph

 

[Alum86]

Our offense got 10 points yesterday against one of the worst defenses in the country last night.

I'm not amazed

So true. We got the safety and I figured it was off to the races. Nope
And why don't we throw to the TE's ? Feel bad for Bloom and Myers.
They were loyal soldiers totally misused by both RedPants amd RE/Lashlee.

 

[FDNY99]

So true. We got the safety and I figured it was off to the races. Nope
And why don't we throw to the TE's ? Feel bad for Bloom and Myers.
They were loyal soldiers totally misused by both RedPants amd RE/Lashlee.

If you go back and watch tape of the Malzhan offense..the TE is not utilized that much.