Solutions Thread

[Dizzy21]

I'll start off saying I like Mora and how he has energized the team and fanbase and I think he should lead the team. That said, the problem that G5 programs face is that they can't pay and keep good coordinators. As Mora said in his press conference, you are not going to win games if you can not score a lot of points and you need a good OC to score points. The way to get a good offensive coordinator is to hire him as head coach. So you can pay him more than he can make as a P5 coordinator and he can gain experience as a head coach.

FIU had zero problems hiring a defensive coach and being G5 and lower end G5 at that, and they seem to be putting up point with zero issue. Their last coach left because they were so underfunded they were using used uniforms and equipment. Yet they beat us pretty good.

 

[The Viking]

Rosa was playing with back spasms FYI

 

[Blades]

I would fire Nick Charlton into outer space.

100%.... not a stretch at all that canning a OC who's contribution to the program is running an offense that puts up 3 points total (while delusionally thinking he can establish the run) in the first half of his last 2 games vs. G-5 schools, would be a great start !

 

[LoyalFanCT]

Coach Mora is paid $1.6M per year with an annual increase plus incentive.

How much more do you propose Mora should be paid ?

That is not a lot when compared to other FBS coaches.

 

[JMick]

Get Noel Mazzone to come back in. He managed some offensive magic in the week or two he was here. He knows Mora too.

There's no point in bringing back Mazzone. Marinelli runs his offense and play called it for years. He could install it in two weeks and call it with his eyes closed.

 

[storrsroars]

High-end G5 coaches make around $2.5-$3 million at this point fwiw.

I don't think Mora is money hungry. But I'd imagine he'd love to see a bigger pool for assistants, which is where not being in a P4 has the biggest impact.

The largest non-P5 assistant coach pool (based on 12/22 article) is UCF at $3.6 mill. Next few are Cincy and Houston at $3.3, Memphis at $2.7, SDSU at $2.5, USF at $2.45, ECU at $2.35, SJSU at $2.22, Boise St. and UTSA at $2.1, UL Lafayette and Fresno St. at $2.0, Colorado St., Coastal Carolina, Utah St. and North Texas at $1.8, and then we show up a hair short of $1.8. I'd put an asterisk on this, however, as it includes Lou Spanos at $327K, and I have no idea if/how those $ were divvied up this year. It's also worth noting that the assistant pool was right around $2 million back in 2014, so we've regressed some.

If the article remains accurate post-Spanos, our coaching pool $ is comparable to top half of the MWC, or top 3 of Sun Belt or CUSA. Charlton's salary of $375M is competitive with the lower end of AAC schools, and within shouting distance of a handful of P5s. IOW, it's enough to support a coaching staff that can field a competitive upper G5-level team.

Another million in coaching pool would be huge when competing for OCs and DCs, or even strength coaches in order to start competing with P4s.

 

[Dream Jobbed 2.0]

I agree....but the more I marinate on the game, I realize Mora made a MASSIVE strategic/ personnel error that cost us.

To stop running QBs we switched to a cover 3, which allowed another DB to play closer to the line. This would have likely worked well if Dixon-Williams (who the more I think about it, might have been the 3rd best defensive player last year) was playing, as he is a great deep safety centerfielder type.

However, as even doofus Fauria pointed out several times, we had Durante Jones (who at this point I'm not sure what he's good at) in that position, who isn't very fast and has Horsebarn Hill level manure levels of awareness for what he needed to do.

This was the case with at least 3 deep balls (1 for TD and 2 that set them close) caught. It looked like they switched up and had Shearin, whose game more aligns to that role take over in the 2nd half, but not before the damage was done.

This helped and finally moving Mitchell over center which should have been done after like the second play of NC State

 

[Bobol]

That is not a lot when compared to other FBS coaches.

….. Note you are unable to even articulate how much money Mora should be paid.

 

[Alum86]

Maybe get the 1 person you use solely at the WR position (Buckman) some accurate passes.
Then take him off punt returns. Dude needs a15 yard halo to not call for a fair catch.

 

[SuperHuski]

….. Note you are unable to even articulate how much money Mora should be paid.

Our problem is not a money problem. It's a resource allocation problem.

UConn is second to Memphis in G5 CFB salaries but get worst production (wins, points/gm, yards/gm, etc.) than MAC, Sunbelt, and CUSA schools. The MAC btw, beat two B12 schools this weekend (Miami over Cincy, Ohio over Iowa State). This season the Sunbelt already beat OK State, Virginia, Baylor, and nearly North Carolina. Rice won a shootout in OT against Houston.

The salaries for Sunbelt coordinations are 250k-350k. The salaries for MAC coordinators are 150k-200k. Charlton - 400k + bonuses.

UConn is 115th out of 130 in total offense. 186 passing yards/game. 314 total yards/game. By comparison, 9/12 MAC teams have more offensive production. 11/14 Sunbelt teams have more production.

We complain a lot about the players -- their lack of star ratings, their lack of tackles or catches. Because the on-field product is all we see as fans. But it starts with coaching. Coaches install the schemes, they need to recruit the right players to fit the scheme (or adapt it to the players they have), and they are the ones who need to teach the concepts and techniques. I'm simplifying things, but that's the gist.

We may not get the best players (MAC and Sunbelt schools certainly don't), but we really, really need to get the most out of the players we have.

Still, this season is fixable, salvageable. And I really hope we do, not so much for my sanity, but for the players. There's always next year for us. Not for the seniors or players with Sunday aspirations.

 

[Classof87]

So I know we’re only fans and don’t have any say but I feel like the real question is what do we do now? If you were HC JM or AD DB what would you do?

1) Start Zion at QB.
2) Throw downfield at least a dozen times a game.
3) Pray.

 

[Nostical]

Moving Mitchell over center helped, which should have been done after like the second play of NC State

Still, this season is fixable, salvageable. And I really hope we do.

.The insanity of letting the NCSt QB keep breaking our backs running free for first downs—without spying him—bordered on malpractice. Then, responding to the criticism, Mora announces “ we don’t spy” and the Georgia St coach says “oh good, let’s run our QB up the middle on them too!“.The problem with all of this venting about our D is we then get smacked by the reality that our offensive schemes are worse.
And that brings us to hoping we can salvage the season. As tthe slogan goes, “hope and change“ implies that without some change—there’s little hope. Let’s see what change occurs for Duke. We all need some hope.

 

[SuperHuski]

And that brings us to hoping we can salvage the season. As tthe slogan goes, “hope and change“ implies that without some change—there’s little hope. Let’s see what change occurs for Duke. We all need some hope.

I think we have better bones this year. The overall talent level is higher than those other "forgettable" years. Our d-line is pretty good. Our oline issues are fixable. Our RBs are pretty good. Our DBs are actually pretty good. Sure they get beat every now and then, but schemes matter way more to DBs than DLs and even on the P4 level, DBs get beat.

 

[huskysupporter]

Lower admission standards for 40% of football team.

Install wide open offense and promote it to potential transfer qbs.

Pay coaching staff to attract quality coaches, not retreads like Pasqualoni, RE 2.0 and Jim Mora.

Fire AD DB because he has contributed to throwing program in dumpster.

Hire AD who can promote program and make actual strategic moves to put it in better position.

 

[JeepCSC]

Our problem is not a money problem. It's a resource allocation problem.

UConn is second to Memphis in G5 CFB salaries but get worst production (wins, points/gm, yards/gm, etc.) than MAC, Sunbelt, and CUSA schools.

This doesn’t seem true given the data linked above. UConn seems to be 13th. The top 12 as of 2022: Memphis, San Diego State, South Florida, East Carolina, San Jose State, Boise State, Texas-San Antonio, Fresno State, Colorado State, North Texas, UNLV, Wyoming

 

[SuperHuski]

This doesn’t seem true given the data linked above. UConn seems to be 13th. The top 12 as of 2022: Memphis, San Diego State, South Florida, East Carolina, San Jose State, Boise State, Texas-San Antonio, Fresno State, Colorado State, North Texas, UNLV, Wyoming

I gave a lot of stats. You talking salaries? Dunno where you’re getting your info from, but I’m looking at the USA Today database. And what I said is holding up.

Even if you’re right and UConn is 13th in total coaches salaries among G5, my larger point is in no danger of being incorrect. Our offensive production is bottom 15 among all FBS schools. Resource allocation problem.

OC Charlton is still being paid 400k plus bonuses.

 

[mikeinmanila]

Lower admission standards for 40% of football team.

Install wide open offense and promote it to potential transfer qbs.

Pay coaching staff to attract quality coaches, not retreads like Pasqualoni, RE 2.0 and Jim Mora.

Fire AD DB because he has contributed to throwing program in dumpster.

Hire AD who can promote program and make actual strategic moves to put it in better position.

Clearly a troll. Ignore.

 

[Viet Vet]

Take three deep breaths....................clean the house...................prepare to rake leaves......................store the window screens......................get the chamois shirts ready.........................and look forward to October 7.

Hockey opener vs Colgate.

 

[JeepCSC]

I gave a lot of stats. You talking salaries? Dunno where you’re getting your info from, but I’m looking at the USA Today database. And what I said is holding up.

Even if you’re right and UConn is 13th in total coaches salaries among G5, my larger point is in no danger of being incorrect. Our offensive production is bottom 15 among all FBS schools. Resource allocation problem.

OC Charlton is still being paid 400k plus bonuses.

Yeah, I was looking at the USA Today list. ECU pays around $4.8 million in coach salaries in 2022 (5 assistants over $200k). Texas-San Antonio about $4.6m ( 8 over $200k). UConn about $3.3 million (2 over $200k).

Football is talent and coaching. If you are rich in one due to local talent pool, you could probably lowball on the other. But you can’t be low in both areas. It will never ever work.

 

[Chin Diesel]

I would like know NCAA average for pass/run ratio on first down and see UConn's average.

Seems to be a requirement coaches at UConn are so fearful of 2nd and 10 due to an incomplete pass on first down. But, they are perfectly fine with a 2nd and 12 because an obvious run play gets stuffed.

 

[Devland]

We also have a geography problem. Teams like Georgia State and FIU come from states where there are 100's of P-5 level recruits. Connecticut has maybe 10 at best. It is a lot easier to convince a kid from Connecticut to play in Florida or Georgia than to convince a Florida or Georgia kid to come up and play in the Northeast.

 

[Duncan Idaho]

We should present Mora with a Boneyard Pareto Chart to assist him in fixing this program.

 

[giddyup]

As long as Charlton is allowed within 200 feet of a playbook or headset, nothing is being fixed.