Stop saying the team quit

[Waquoit]

It's not true. I know some of you feel the need to say it to bolster your case against Diaco but you're wrong and all you are doing is insulting the players. It doesn't take seven tries to punch it in from the 2 against a team that quit. These guys get no support from the coaching staff.

 

[uconndogs]

I give Thomas and Obi a lot of credit for playing yesterday and playing the way they did. If it were me I might be thinking about the NFL combine and staying healthy rather than staying on this sinking ship. That Thomas's last play for UCONN was that god awful play call demonstrates just how broken everything is under this coaching staff.

I don't believe any of those kids are quitters. But, at some point you become so emotionally drained you cannot possibly generate the necessary intensity to play at this level. This coaching staff did these guys a total disservice in that regard.

I actually think Diaco is probably a great motivator. He's just proving to be so totally incompetent in every other facet of coaching that he can't possibly motivate anyone anymore.

 

[ConnHuskBask]

That's quite the indictment on how terrible our players are if they in fact didn't quit.

So which is it?

 

[CTMike]

There's enough blame to go around. No one is without fault.

 

[Rocktheworld]

You're telling me the team that was shut out 24-0 at the half, at home, on Senior Day, in the cold, against Tulane, didn't quit on Diaco?

Listen man when we say they quit, we mean they quit on Diaco. Not one of us would blame them for doing so.

 

[HobokenHusky]

I don't speak for everyone, but when I made reference to this in a prior post, I should have been more specific - The players don't believe in the coaching staff anymore. They don't trust that doing what the coaches are telling them to do will get them positive results.

I am not sure if you have ever been in a situation at work where you have a terrible boss, but I have - When you realize that you have been putting in extra hours and giving it your all basically for nothing, it is emotionally draining. It results in you questioning if what you are doing for that person will result in anything good moving forward, and that subconsciously effects your performance, whether you realize it or not. This doesn't make you a bad person or a person who is a "quitter". It is just human nature. Conversely, working for a great boss that you trust 100% makes coming to work a joy, and subconsciously pushes you to do things that you didn't even think you were capable of.

When I say that the players quit on the coach, it doesn't mean I think anything ill of the kids at all. They are warriors for doing what they do and I think they all gave 100% effort out there. It is a knock on the coach for putting the kids in a situation where they know they can't trust a word he says.

 

[Walker11]

Quitting is an easy excuse. I don't know if it's the right one but what the hell happened to the D? It went from competent to disaster real quick...and without the schematic or personnel changes that explain the offenses plummet from merely terrible to dumpster fire.

 

[BlueMAB]

I'm at a loss for how else to explain losing 38-13 on senior day at home, to the 119th ranked offense, and a team that had lost 14 straight AAC conference games.

 

[FfldCntyFan]

The players are lost. Horrendous leadership will do this.

I imagine many on defense start thinking 'WTF?' when after surrendering a six minute, eighty yard drive he greets them on the sideline, cheering, saying "great job!". This has been going on too long and has to be demoralizing.

They haven't quit but they also are not in position (schematically and psychologically) to perform well.

 

[jdb50]

How in the future does Diaco motivate the team because he can talk all he wants but they have to listen and believe in his message. Look at Tulanes roster, all from LA., GA, FLA. They came up here in the cold and took it to us right out of the gate. Their coaches saw something on tape and attacked our punt and field goal team. Remember Diacos first season and we lost badly at home in the last game of the season to another team below us in the standings in SMU with the team looking completely shell shocked. The players do work hard and they gave good effort against Tulane but the plan from the top is FUBARed and that goes for all 3 phases.

 

[CTMike]

How in the future does Diaco motivate the team because he can talk all he wants but they have to listen and believe in his message. Look at Tulanes roster, all from LA., GA, FLA. They came up here in the cold and took it to us right out of the gate. Their coaches saw something on tape and attacked our punt and field goal team. Remember Diacos first season and we lost badly at home to another team below us in the standings in SMU with the team looking completely shell shocked. The players do work hard and they gave good effort against Tulane but the plan from the top is FUBARed and that goes for all 3 phases.

Diaco is no longer credible, now or in the future. Kids will see right through his .

 

[Waquoit]

That's quite the indictment on how terrible our players are if they in fact didn't quit.
So which is it?

Neither. It's the coaching.

 

[Waquoit]

They haven't quit but they also are not in position (schematically and psychologically) to perform well.

Definitely schematically. Take that last offensive play of the game for us. Idiotic call on 3 and 11, a sideways pass to a back 16 yards away from the 1st down. But the defense was all over it!

 

[jdb50]

For that to be Noel's last play, there was no blocking and the D was all over it as they were prepared, was a disgrace. I was not surprised though. A shot downfield? What is that? Diaco ball. Ugh!

 

[Dooley]

This team has zero confidence in its coaching staff. That is completely evident. It seems that any time there is adversity - usually self-inflicted by the coaching staff (ex - fake FGs), the team does not respond well to things not going its way. I don't fault the players one bit. Everybody except the head coach knew going for a fake FG in a 7-0 game against an equally poor offensive team on 4th and 18 was a stupid idea. When your batship coach keeps doing things against the grain and they don't come anywhere close to working, it's next to impossible for a group of players to keep fighting.

I do think the players -remarkably - were ready to play each game. I also think that they have an incredible ability to draw motivation in moments (yesterday's goal line stand, for instance). But as each game unfolds, and the coaching staff's game plan and strategies don't work (like always), it is deflating. And when the team is deflated, it quits. Tulane had an incredible amount of yards after initial contact yesterday. That's a clear indication of a defense not ready to play. I don't blame the kids whatsoever. 100% of my blame is directed at the coaching staff.

 

[Duncan Idaho]

The players are lost. Horrendous leadership will do this.

I imagine many on defense start thinking 'WTF?' when after surrendering a six minute, eighty yard drive he greets them on the sideline, cheering, saying "great job!". This has been going on too long and has to be demoralizing.

They haven't quit but they also are not in position (schematically and psychologically) to perform well.

They got lit up in the first half all season, were better after half time.

 

[Jimmy Serrano]

Neither. It's the coaching.

Horsesheet.

The players quit.

Our recruiting has sucked.

The coaching is abysmal.

That is the only way to describe the last 4 games.

 

[kemba]

Horsesheet.

The players quit.

Our recruiting has sucked.

The coaching is abysmal.

That is the only way to describe the last 4 games.

Yea, everyone is accountable.

If the quit word offends people so be it, but to remove any responsibility from the players is wrong.

 

[ktuck911]

You're telling me the team that was shut out 24-0 at the half, at home, on Senior Day, in the cold, against Tulane, didn't quit on Diaco?

Listen man when we say they quit, we mean they quit on Diaco. Not one of us would blame them for doing so.

That's stuff Diaco and his staff runs doesn't work. I think the kids tried their best to run it.

 

[gtcam]

I don't think the players, as a whole, did quit
BUT the tv cameras zoomed in on QB Williams twice in late first half and his body language was as close to saying "I give up"

 

[uconnkelly]

In section 223 we have a great view of the UCONN bench. Last night was the first game all season when I saw a player try to inspire some better play.

During the 4th quarter, Diaco jawed with an official after a play at the student section end of the stadium. Foley Fatukasi walked toward the sideline, stepped between Diaco and the official, and escorted Bob a few feet closer to another coach. Foley kept walking toward the bench where the defense sat and stalked up and down in front of his D-side brothers. He waved his arms, shouted and showed some emotion and animation that lacked on the sideline all year.

Never saw that from another player or coach any time this season. I'm not looking for a helmet-throwing, white board smashing tirade, but the towel-whipping is about as amped as it gets. Gotta get some juice into this program.

 

[weyuo]

Well Bloom didn't help the cause in

I don't think the players, as a whole, did quit
BUT the tv cameras zoomed in on QB Williams twice in late first half and his body language was as close to saying "I give up"

You can't blame the guy. Second set of downs he rolls to the right and passes to Bloom who completely blows a catch right in his chest that would have gone for at least 10 more yards up the field, kept the drive going and put Tulane's D back on their heels a bit very early in the game. Total momentum killer. TE's have to make that play and that crap happened way too often this season. That's just one example.

 

[whaler11]

Either this is the worst bunch of players in FBS or they quit.

Decide which is worse.

 

[whaler11]

Well Bloom didn't help the cause in

You can't blame the guy. Second set of downs he rolls to the right and passes to Bloom who completely blows a catch right in his chest that would have gone for at least 10 more yards up the field, kept the drive going and put Tulane's D back on their heels a bit very early in the game. Total momentum killer. TE's have to make that play and that crap happened way too often this season. That's just one example.

OMG Bloom dropped one pass - that changes everything!

Thankfully for Diaco - you prove at least one person is more clueless.

 

[Alum86]

bloom was so shocked the call came for a TE pass he dropped it. Yeah, he muffed it. BFD. I was shocked Newsome got the ball as much.