Some Buzz About The AAC and One Of Our Recruits

[UConnDan97]

A reliable threesome of long snapper, holder and kicker is certainly a very, very, very important piece of a winning program, and they do influence the outcomes of games tremendously - IF, the offense can move the ball far enough to attempt field goals regularly.

Because I'm bored this AM:

2008: 30 FG att. #3 in country
2009: 23 FG att #21 in country
2010: 31 FG att #2 in country
2011: 28 FG att #7 in country
2012: 22 FG att #35 in country
2013: 16 FG att #81 in country
2014: 14 FG att #107 in country (and this includes the practice kick from the right hash).

So forgive me, if I don't get excited about a player we've recruited, that won't play this coming season unless he beats out a Junior, and even so, will see the game field maybe once a game, unless our entire offense changes dramatically.

Do you think that field goal attempts might be affected by how confident you are in a kicker or in how much range a kicker has? Strange, because I do...

 

[Pudge]

I don't think the current staff is nearly as good as Edsall's was.

Based on what?

Recruiting-wise - the Star of the Edsall days was Terry Richardson who regularly pulled unknowns from Florida. Often kids who did not play their college position. The other thing Edsall's staff did well was project kids far beyond what you saw in HS. The Lutrus, Hurd, Lansanah, Trevardo, Sio Moore's. That is special.

The stars of the Assistants? In recruiting, I thought Mike Foley & Towson's HC were the best. Foley is still around.

I sense ... with evidence not apparent ... that Diaco has a number if solid recruiting types. You're saying NO with no real way of knowing.

 

[nelsonmuntz]

When WVU was fairly decent under Rodriguez, I know quite a few WVU fans who "feared" seeing ECU as an OOC opponent...feared that was one OOC opponent that could pull the upset over them..respected ECU program.

ECU and UCF would have been great additions to the old BE,.....at least in FB.and may have postponed the departure of WVU, Pitt, and Louisville. If there was ever a catalyst to the departure of those 3 was the so called theory that Villanova could "improve the status of the FB conference....really BIG time thinking by BE administrators in Providence.

My fear is that if, in my wildest imagination, there is ever any talk of further expansion of the P5, or realignment of the P5 into P4 conferences, we'll see the possibility of UCF. ECU. Cincinnati. and/or Houston being poached from the AAC before UConn.

The old BE, post Miami, Virginia Tech, and BG had three decent teams.....WVU, Cincinnati, and Louisville. The rest were mediocre at best, and no better than the current ECU, UCF, or Houston teams.

This post is almost diametrically opposed to reality. Impressive. The Big East, top to bottom, would have slaughtered this league. The Big East NEVER finished outside of the Top 6 conferences in any relevant computer ranking The AAC finished 9th this year.

Even the last sentence is wrong. Miami was obviously dominant in the years immediately preceding its departure, but VTech definitely hit a lull post Michael Vick and BCU was just mediocre. Both BCU and VTech had losing records to Pitt, Syracuse and WVU in their respective last 3 years in the Big East. The AAC went 4-21 against major conference opponents this year. The Big East usually had a winning record against the other majors. There is no contest between any version of the Big East and this dumpster fire we are in today.

 

[noeynox]

Based on what?

Recruiting-wise - the Star of the Edsall days was Terry Richardson who regularly pulled unknowns from Florida. Often kids who did not play their college position. The other thing Edsall's staff did well was project kids far beyond what you saw in HS. The Lutrus, Hurd, Lansanah, Trevardo, Sio Moore's. That is special.

The stars of the Assistants? In recruiting, I thought Mike Foley & Towson's HC were the best. Foley is still around.

I sense ... with evidence not apparent ... that Diaco has a number if solid recruiting types. You're saying NO with no real way of knowing.

Game planning? It is only one year, but from a game planning perspective, when we weren't playing exhibitions, there wasn't much to be excited about. SMU's staff with one foot out the door coached the pants off these dudes.

 

[ZooCougar]

Based on what?

Recruiting-wise - the Star of the Edsall days was Terry Richardson who regularly pulled unknowns from Florida. Often kids who did not play their college position. The other thing Edsall's staff did well was project kids far beyond what you saw in HS. The Lutrus, Hurd, Lansanah, Trevardo, Sio Moore's. That is special.

The stars of the Assistants? In recruiting, I thought Mike Foley & Towson's HC were the best. Foley is still around.

I sense ... with evidence not apparent ... that Diaco has a number if solid recruiting types. You're saying NO with no real way of knowing.

And you're saying YES with no real way of knowing.

The UVA duo were good recruiters, but the fact that UVA's defense generally sucked gave me pause.

 

[Pudge]

And you're saying YES with no real way of knowing.

The UVA duo were good recruiters, but the fact that UVA's defense generally sucked gave me pause.

Here's where you are not reading clearly.

I never said YES ... on Diaco's staff. I merely think that Edsall, while good, wasn't optimal. It is entirely possible that this current staff could have a superior class signed next month - we just don't know. The thing that was obvious about Edsall - he often scrambled the last weeks before the Signing Day with surprises. And mostly, these were kids that never got far on the roster; NOT prize plums as late adds. Edsall could have 3-5 surprises every year (I will give you the list if you want). I think you would find that they were often not productive. The thing we might both agree on ... who da heck knows what the PP got us. That history is really sketchy. I do like what I have read; I do think you really can't have a very good idea on what we have coming in aggregate.

 

[Pudge]

Game planning? It is only one year, but from a game planning perspective, when we weren't playing exhibitions, there wasn't much to be excited about. SMU's staff with one foot out the door coached the pants off these dudes.

The thread is about RECRUITING.

I am not beating the drum on Game planning. There is little doubt as to what we saw.

 

[ZooCougar]

Here's where you are not reading clearly.

I never said YES ... on Diaco's staff. I merely think that Edsall, while good, wasn't optimal. It is entirely possible that this current staff could have a superior class signed next month - we just don't know. The thing that was obvious about Edsall - he often scrambled the last weeks before the Signing Day with surprises. And mostly, these were kids that never got far on the roster; NOT prize plums as late adds. Edsall could have 3-5 surprises every year (I will give you the list if you want). I think you would find that they were often not productive. The thing we might both agree on ... who da heck knows what the PP got us. That history is really sketchy. I do like what I have read; I do think you really can't have a very good idea on what we have coming in aggregate.

I don't know why you think I am not reading clearly. I am just saying that I thought Edsall had a really good staff that developed players well. He went a really long stretch where he didn't have to replace guys and the STABILITY was good for the program since players didn't have to get accustomed to new coaches every year.

Also, I think Lutrus and Howard were late adds. I know that we had no idea who Jasper was until signing day and many of us thought he was too small. Some of these guys were so far off the grid that nobody ever thought to ask them who they had committed too.

 

[Carl Spackler]

When it comes to recruiting - there are two major things in play that led to our success - first and foremost, was the hiring of Todd Orlando in 1999. His 12 years at UCONN, he was instrumental in recruiting and building the defense that carried the program on it's shoulders. He also happened to recruit a couple of OL's to UCONN as well, who rank at the top of the list of most all-time starts for UCONN players, and they all played b/w 2004-2010.

Edsall had a few other effective assistants during the 12 year run, but nobody identified talent, recruited talent, and coached like Orlando. We have yet to develop another young coach like him. In the wake of Edsall's midnight departure from Arizona to Maryland, I think losing Orlando, with hindsight now, hurt the most.

 

[noeynox]

The thread is about RECRUITING.

I am not beating the drum on Game planning. There is little doubt as to what we saw.

You're right, my bad.

 

[Pudge]

You can give Edsall credit ... and critique at the same time.

HE regularly found diamonds in the rough. He rarely won a Northeastern state stud competition for a highly recruited kid.

When I define LATE as after 1/20 ... most weren't productive. The exceptions were Jasper & Greg Lloyd (Lutrus was far earlier Commit). Also, Dan Ryan and Brandon Dillon and Alex Polito and Mathieu Olivier.

But, in general, your talking about a lot of kids that never got on the Depth Chart; some didn't make November of their FR year.

 

[Alum86]

You beat me to it. Not a QB, defensive end or running back, but a place kicker. Maybe we'll land a top punter too. We should have a recruiting edge there over every BCS program in the country. "If you come to UCONN, we'll be sure you see plenty of action." The place kicker will probably be our offensive MVP next season.

You have to be in scoring position to kick field goals or score TDs for PATs. That is something other schools with nice things and imaginative offenses have. We are residents of PuntTown.

 

[BNich]

You have to be in scoring position to kick field goals or score TDs for PATs. That is something other schools with nice things and imaginative offenses have. We are residents of PuntTown.

Thank you for your enthusiasm.

 

[Alum86]

We are, BNich, in PuntTown.
I'm all in, but not KoolAid in like some. That there are postings longing for PP 5 win era should tell you something.

 

[Carl Spackler]

Do you think that field goal attempts might be affected by how confident you are in a kicker or in how much range a kicker has? Strange, because I do...

Ok, you're really reaching man. I noted in what I wrote that our numbers were INFLATED - INCREASED by at least 1 attempt in 2014, with the practice kick from the hash in the BYU game. Pasqualoni stuck Puyol into the lineup late in the season, rather than keep a redshirt or forego a kick attempt.

You have to be in the kicker's range to even have a decision to make, and if your decision involves anything having to do with your kicker's mental strength and confidence - well, then you need a different kicker.

I'm just not excited about a recruit at the kicker position, and therefore, I consider the title of this thread to be false advertisement for me personally - there is no buzz around a kicker recruit.

Talk to me about a couple of OL's that are 6'5+, have long arms, and fast feet and frames to carry 300+ lbs and I'll strap a good buzz on.