So... UConn 56 - URI 49

[BlueDogs]

Crocker is the fall guy. He does not have the pieces to competitively run anything, nevermind what he’d like to run. He won’t have it next year either. He will be shown the door eventually... hopefully his successor will have the depth necessary to compete. It will take years to fix.

He’s responsible for the D. He’s cultivated a D that is the worst in the nation. I don’t care how young they are. They can’t tackle, they don’t take good angles, they have no rush technique, they can’t get off blocks, they don’t hit and their cover technique is terrible. That’s on coaching. If they get beat physically, fine. But, they aren’t even making plays they can handle. We saw that all day long against a IAA team.

 

[CTMike]

I'd agree with you if we were still talking about UCF or Boise. But we're talking about Rhode Island.

Any DC worth his salt has to be able to take this roster in year 2 and do better than 49 points against Rhody. I'm sorry, but that's the honest truth here. And i'm normally a "glass is 1/8 full" kind of guy...

I think the reality is that we are in significantly worse shape than our D1 transition. It’s that bad. It’s year 2 but we are younger than ever, and we are switching up bases. Edsall himself said these guys shouldn’t be on the field but we don’t have a choice.

 

[CTMike]

I don’t care how young they are.

Well I mean that’s pretty ignorant of reality. But carry on with the Crocker crusade.

 

[UConnDan97]

He’s responsible for the D. He’s cultivated a D that is the worst in the nation. I don’t care how young they are. They can’t tackle, they don’t take good angles, they have no rush technique, they can’t get off blocks, they don’t hit and their cover technique is terrible. That’s on coaching. If they get beat physically, fine. But, they aren’t even making plays they can handle. We saw that all day long against a IAA team.

And Edsall also talked about the kids not taking the right gaps in the press conference. In week 3! He said something to the effect of, "we're not going to be that type of team." It was an odd, but perhaps revealing statement in his post game comments...

 

[Tex-Lager93]

It’s great to have the UConn brand out there on a beautiful September Saturday. Regardless of the result, I love having them out there to root for (and not having to wait until November to start paying attention).

 

[UConnDan97]

I think the reality is that we are in significantly worse shape than our D1 transition. It’s that bad. It’s year 2 but we are younger than ever, and we are switching up bases. Edsall himself said these guys shouldn’t be on the field but we don’t have a choice.

Don't get me wrong, our personnel is not high caliber by any definition. But you can't convince me that we have equivalent talent to Rhody. I just refuse to believe that. And the recruiting databases won't believe it either.

With the performance our offense gave today, that game should never have been close...

 

[CTMike]

But you can't convince me that we have equivalent talent to Rhody. I just refuse to believe that.

I won’t convince you or many others, and that’s ok. I don’t believe our freshmen are that far off than more mature FCS players. If we had juniors and seniors going against them, the gap would be larger.

 

[UConnDan97]

I won’t convince you or many others, and that’s ok. I don’t believe our freshmen are that far off than more mature FCS players. If we had juniors and seniors going against them, the gap would be larger.

It's a fair point that age and experience count. But i'm guessing that Rhody won't go up against DTs like Murphy and Jones very much. I'm guessing that Kevon Jones is a better linebacker than what they would often face, and that Beavers is as good a DE as they would ever face, even if he's truly a linebacker. Yes, two years from now, the difference should be staggering. But it should be noticeable now as well. We need to put these kids into spots that make the most of what they are, even if that's not great right now...

 

[BlueDogs]

Well I mean that’s pretty ignorant of reality. But carry on with the Crocker crusade.

Dude, we were shredded by a IAA team and have given up huge numbers for 15 games. I just don’t know what it takes to understand what a bad job looks like. Everybody has excuses. I’m not asking for miracles just some semblance of mediocre play.

 

[huskyrob1]

This is something that I've never understood in any sport.

Yes, some coaches are "systems" coaches, where they want to play a style and try to fit the personnel into it. But when you're a defensive coordinator and your personnel doesn't fit your desired system, you plan for a system that fits your personnel. Period. Or hit the road.

It was well chronicled last year that his system wasn't working for the personnel that we had/have. If he can't find a way to get a system for our current personnel that makes us even remotely competitive against 1-AA squads, then he simply needs to hit the road...

He can also try to improve his personnel, that's we have strength and conditioning coaching, tackling drills, agility drills, why demonstrating proper tackling technique in the open field is important when the ball carrier is running by you at an angle or right at you.

 

[Yardigan]

Chief has been saying we should blitz more since we can’t cover anyways. Randy effectively overruled Crocker the last series of downs and started blitzing from the edge. Number 22 Thomas had two huge plays.
Earlier Hahn blitzed up the middle but it was basically ineffective since he got swallowed up.

I am sorry but the DB’s have very poor technique on their coverage.

Too much detail to cover on this very busy weekend, but perhaps some day Chief will write a post regarding what ways the technique needs to be improved. Does anyone have interest in Chief doing that?

Everyone does.

 

[blue93]

Dude, we were shredded by a IAA team and have given up huge numbers for 15 games. I just don’t know what it takes to understand what a bad job looks like. Everybody has excuses. I’m not asking for miracles just some semblance of mediocre play.

Who would you suggest we hire instead? Honest question.

 

[Purple Stein]

Who would you suggest we hire instead? Honest question.

 

[BlueDogs]

Who would you suggest we hire instead? Honest question.

I don’t know. We have burned up our house money. I’d prefer a guy with some FBS level experience, perhaps a guy out the MAC or MWC. Vic Koening from Troy is supposed to be pretty awesome.

 

[blue93]

I don’t know. We have burned up our house money. I’d prefer a guy with some FBS level experience, perhaps a guy out the MAC or MWC.

Okay, so a MAC or MWC defensive coordinator is going to take a lesser job to coach coach this defense giving up 60 ppg? Or you’re going to take an unproven position coach?

I think @CTMike is right in that Crocker will end up being the fall guy. But my point is that no one is just going to come in and turn this thing around unless they’re a magician.

 

[JMick]

Okay, so a MAC or MWC defensive coordinator is going to take a lesser job to coach coach this defense giving up 60 ppg? Or you’re going to take an unproven position coach?

I think @CTMike is right in that Crocker will end up being the fall guy. But my point is that no one is just going to come in and turn this thing around unless they’re a magician.

we really need to "stumble upon" some duffle bags of cash. that's the best quick fix

 

[kemba]

He can also try to improve his personnel, that's we have strength and conditioning coaching, tackling drills, agility drills, why demonstrating proper tackling technique in the open field is important when the ball carrier is running by you at an angle or right at you.

Which takes time. Not one training camp, which is all he's had for half the defense.

 

[Carl Spackler]

Well, 10 years ago we beat them 52-10, and 13 years ago 52-7, and today 56-49. So looking at the the last 3 games as a snapshot in the 120 or whatever how many years series, Dot dot dot

I guess the defense needs work.

 

[Chief00]

Everyone does.

Thanks - glad there’s that interest in technique.

 

[Chief00]

He can also try to improve his personnel, that's we have strength and conditioning coaching, tackling drills, agility drills, why demonstrating proper tackling technique in the open field is important when the ball carrier is running by you at an angle or right at you.

True, we take a lot of bad angles and turn our heads away from the ball on passes. Our tackling is so off the charts poor, I see several root causes. Since there seems to be a lot of interest in the techniques per one of the posters I will probably take a shot at that this season after watching a couple more games. It’s been a busy weekend.

Two guys I was encouraged with were Jones and Thomas at LB. I think they both like to hit.

 

[huskyrob1]

Which takes time. Not one training camp, which is all he's had for half the defense.

Oh really? What do they do during the season every week at practice, play cards?

 

[Carl Spackler]

True, we take a lot of bad angles and turn our heads away from the ball on passes. Our tackling is so off the charts poor, I see several root causes. Since there seems to be a lot of interest in the techniques per one of the posters I will probably take a shot at that this season after watching a couple more games. It’s been a busy weekend.

Two guys I was encouraged with were Jones and Thomas at LB. I think they both like to hit.

the freshmen nose tackle is the best player on D. #57 No idea who he is, but they better develop him, and build a D around him.

 

[Carl Spackler]

Oh really? What do they do during the season every week at practice, play cards?

They run 40s with ankle weights on.

 

[kemba]

Oh really? What do they do during the season every week at practice, play cards?

You know other teams practice too, right? When you are playing with freshmen and sophomores and going against offenses that are mostly junior and seniors, you are going to be behind.

 

[Chief00]

Next you'll tell me Edsall has a habit of micromanaging his coordinators

Randy tends to micromanage what’s not working.