Summer transfers

[UConnJim]

Well obviously it’s about the players - but there are hundreds of JUCOs making impacts at FBS schools and almost no D2 transfers making an impact at FBS schools.

Don’t go all Pudge on us here.

Penn St. took a D2 WR transfer this year from Azusa Pacific, so it does happen. The main reason schools focus on JUCOs is that they can play immediately, same with Grad transfers. Transfers from FCS to FBS are not common as the players have to sit a year, unless they are a grad transfer. (Kyle Buss is a recent UConn FCS transfer who sat a year.) For D2 players, they would have to sit out a year to transfer to FBS, unless they are a Grad transfer, so it doesn't happen that much.

If FCS (and D2) players could immediately play at FBS schools, FBS schools would be grabbing lots of FCS (and more D2) players every year. About 15 to 20 FCS players are drafted by the NFL each year. And, about 5 D2 football players per year have been selected in the NFL draft the last 3 years. Last year, there were ~83 D2 players on NFL rosters which is more than from the Mountain West, CUSA, MAC, or Sun Belt.

 

[Chief00]

That is a major part of the problem, along with a raft of tells that the RE2 experiment went bad early and continues to be off track. Had they stayed the course in year 1 on O and did what it took to keep the 2 most talented coaches and built on that SEC foundation, we would sitting in a lot better spot with recruiting connections, better coaching, higher levels of expectation of play, etc...instead we kept a fool with no real FBS experience or connections running a joke D for two years.

My proof point is Grimes. We forget our Oline was a perpetual disaster for years and getting worse year over year. It was nonfunctional in Red Pants’ last season. Grimes fixed that in one season from Swiss cheese to competent. The D went the other direction in a hurry, and actually pulled our O down with it. Betty Crocker is RE2’s fault. Loosing Lashlee was RE2’s ego. All that follows comes from terrible year 1 decisions.

You nailed all your major points.

 

[whaler11]

Penn St. took a D2 WR transfer this year from Azusa Pacific, so it does happen. The main reason schools focus on JUCOs is that they can play immediately, same with Grad transfers. Transfers from FCS to FBS are not common as the players have to sit a year, unless they are a grad transfer. (Kyle Buss is a recent UConn FCS transfer who sat a year.) For D2 players, they would have to sit out a year to transfer to FBS, unless they are a Grad transfer, so it doesn't happen that much.

If FCS (and D2) players could immediately play at FBS schools, FBS schools would be grabbing lots of FCS (and more D2) players every year. About 15 to 20 FCS players are drafted by the NFL each year. And, about 5 D2 football players per year have been selected in the NFL draft the last 3 years. Last year, there were ~83 D2 players on NFL rosters which is more than from the Mountain West, CUSA, MAC, or Sun Belt.

well yeah there are a lot more schools in d2 than MW.

 

[Chief00]

We haven’t won a FBS football game since a miracle win over a 2-10 Tulsa team on homecoming October 21 2017.

There are absolutely zero signs to me that Randy and this staff are capable of doing anything to turn this around. Dead last recruiting in the AAC, zero inroads with any of the prep schools or major players in the northeast, ~10 scholarships under the limit (!!!!) going into summer camp, 0 commitments for 2020- the only one we had was a 0 star that jumped ship after 12 hours and is now posting edits of him in Tennessee-Martin gear which shouldn’t normally be a concern but this staff lost a recruit straight up to CHATTANOOGA last year so I’d say we have a pretty big battle on our hands.

Not only are we replacing starters or would be starters with Division II transfers, but the last two years we’ve lost an OC and 2 graduate transfers to in-conference opponents AFTER they’ve committed to us. We are incredibly inactive in the transfer portal besides Randy kicking out the guys he doesn’t personally like even if they can help him win football games and the graduate transfers we get are so bad that they can’t even beat out the guys on defense that give up FIFTY points per game to see the field.

I would like for any of these RE2.0 apologistas to provide me with 3 tangible reasons for optimism going into this season. Not “if he does this” or “In 2006 we won 7 games!” . Legitimate reasons for optimism. Some of you are vastly overstating how difficult it is to compete in this league, despite the fact that its decently competitive. Tulane and Willie Fritz shared the AAC West division title last year in Fritz’s third year. At TULANE! And not only that- they’ve taken in multiple FBS/P5 level transfers- including their current starting QB 4 games into last season! Anyone want to bet on UConn sharing the AAC East title this season in Randy’s third year? I’ll take no shot in hell -500000000000.

Very fair summary.

 

[Chief00]

I would not be so upset with the transferring out of our two top returning receivers, if I thought we recruited talent to backfill.
Our recruiting is really terrible and there is no sugar coating it. I hope things improve but Randy needs to change the way he does certain things.

 

[gioff2323]

You nailed all your major points.

other than the fact that the OC and Grimes wanted out of CT, period; yup, nailed it.

 

[#1 PA Husky Fan]

Exit 4 + Drew

I have been watching expansion formation of Professional franchises since the early 1970s. The Miami Dolphins & Atlanta Falcons. Yes I am Randy Edsall’s age. I can pull out ridiculous names and stories of early years of now name Brand pro teams. The 1990s were an age that College Football forced our University and others (USF & UCF & others) to fully upgrade to compete at the highest level. It was a choice; but, not one with a solid alternative: do nothing was a deep hole.

Randy Edsall did a brilliant job raising this University from – really – desperate mediocre D2 to competing at a level a few steps beyond. No! We did not go against the MAC from the start (like UCF); we went against storied longterm programs (some in Prime days – Virginia Tech) and took it. It’s not just the Win Loss record in this category; it’s all the pieces and details that come with fully forming a Program at the college level; a full franchise at the Pro level. Frankly ... there are many components where we can say that UConn Football - in spite of its Yankee Conference past - is in its infancy. Fan base for one.

There are things to focus on today:

1. Randy Edsall is an excellent manager of the full 105 man football roster. You simply cannot Win at the level we are at without strong depth and evaluation all down your scholarship and walk-on roster. Simple things have always been important to RE. There’s zero chance - in my opinion – Edsall plays Jonny McEntee to start a September game or even a Chandler Whitmer. While I do pick QB knowing the Edsall years aren’t notable for QB position (excepting Orlovsky), there was thought and depth in that; not the wing-it approach of PP & BD. LB’s? Edsall had two strings of great college LBs. None of this was there in the first 3 years. Took time to mold both your assistants and your 5 years of players moving up & down. YES … there were kids that left because of fit. Some of us still shake our heads at the Tampa incident of beer. But I think whether you weigh the current situation versus Diaco or Pasqualoni, there’s a detailed evaluation planning that Edsall just is superior at.

2. Assistant Coaches. How does a guy find and groom younger coaches who become Joe Moorhead or Todd Orlando or Rob Ambrose or Greg Gattuso or something that comes together as a cohesive team of functioning leadership? Crocker sure. But Edsall had Crocker’s in his 1999-2003 period; Edsall had Lashlee & Dunn events before. Edsall can pull together solid talented affordable assistants. He is far beyond PP & BD; I believe he is far beyond Schiano was in that same time period. You have to trust this happens as it was something he excelled at prior.

3. Development. It is easy to be dismissive based on your Offers on kids going to Michigan or BC from Connecticut. As the folks who have watched this game over decades can tell you, there is success just as measurable for the many kids that had limited offers that came through UConn years as the kids from New England etc that passed on us & went bigtime. The “ones” who got away … often never reached Starter status or graduated or got beyond a few highlights. The stories of Edsall 2003-2009 are full of rising level of development.

Net? Come back and debate in 5 years. That is the ONLY good answer on the “recruiting” hot air. Did you do well by the kids who came through; did the kids you missed amount to anything. Social Media or whatever … there’s an element we don’t know and can’t comprehend. Development over 5+ years is an amazing test.

Sure … we sucked. Barely .500 Program in a mid-level Big East. That is hugely dismissive given the immense challenge of our rising. It is a UCONN fanbase trait that I hate. Even though we have been enormously successful across many many sports, the Boneyard is full of Negative Nancys. The reality is the 40 year rise in UConn athletics (including Baseball this week) is amazing for any fan or stakeholder.

Simple. There was not a good alternative to Bob Diaco (given the weight of his $$ liability) in December 2016. Tough for you that we had to totally repair the Program’s foundation – again.

I do wonder on Edsall’s energy and focus to do the job again at an advanced age.

Nice post! He stills seems very active and engaged. As someone that not that much younger than RE, "advanced age" hurts. LOL

 

[Chief00]

other than the fact that the OC and Grimes wanted out of CT, period; yup, nailed it.

There were reasons they wanted out - beyond regional/family- You are in denial and things don’t improve if those who can change things are also in denial. Let’s hope that’s not the case.

 

[Chief00]

@Pudge says “Net come back and debate in 5 years”
So does this mean it’s a 7 year rebuilt now?

 

[huskymedic]

There were reasons they wanted out - beyond regional/family...

yeah... like a $175K salary increase offer for Grimes for the same job. ($250k to $425k).

 

[VAHuskyFan]

other than the fact that the OC and Grimes wanted out of CT, period; yup, nailed it.

They were professionals who gave a reason that would not reflect poorly on UConn. Only a true a** would say “I left because the program is a dumpster fire and/or I had personal issues with the HC.” Maybe they really wanted out of CT. Or maybe it was a polite excuse. I don’t think most of us are in a position to know.

 

[Pudge]

UCLA - my other school I follow - has a Star RB. Started at UC Davis & walked on at UCLA.

I understand the angst after 1-11 & the full narrative. Many of you are in full Blowhard Fire the Coach form. And it just turned June.

 

[Da_Aisijimo_Gou]

yeah... like a $175K salary increase offer for Grimes for the same job. ($250k to $425k).

Or as in Lashlee who was previously shown Auburn’s exit door, happier wife closer to native Arkansas, happier life

 

[mdkhusky]

UCLA - my other school I follow - has a Star RB. Started at UC Davis & walked on at UCLA.

I understand the angst after 1-11 & the full narrative. Many of you are in full Blowhard Fire the Coach form. And it just turned June.

So you’re confident he’s turning it around ?!?

 

[Chief00]

UCLA - my other school I follow - has a Star RB. Started at UC Davis & walked on at UCLA.

I understand the angst after 1-11 & the full narrative. Many of you are in full Blowhard Fire the Coach form. And it just turned June.

Coaches often get fired after 1-11 seasons. I am not advocating it in this case but nor do I buy into the patience for a seven year plan (2+5) by a coach who got fired in his last D1 gig. During those 7 years we must see some on field progress, which we have not seen to date. Head coaches also often get fired if they make history in a bad way - like the having the worse defense in college football history.

 

[whaler11]

I think someone should go to the basketball board and say Dame Lillard went to Weber State so recruiting doesn’t matter.

 

[Waquoit]

UCLA - my other school I follow - has a Star RB. Started at UC Davis & walked on at UCLA.

I'm with you, Pudge. But these guys have to start coming in pretty soon.

 

[Waquoit]

Or as in Lashlee who was previously shown Auburn’s exit door, happier wife closer to native Arkansas, happier life

Just our luck, our one good coach happened to be the one FB coach WGAS what his wife thinks.

 

[BlueDogs]

other than the fact that the OC and Grimes wanted out of CT, period; yup, nailed it.

This insistence on maintaining the party line is ridiculous. Coaches move where they have opportunity. It comes with the job. Decision control and compensation matter. It had nothing to do with “family” other than a diplomatic excuse to exit because he wasn’t Randy’s guy. Had we paid up and Randy given him O control, CT would be a fine place to live.

 

[CTMike]

We do not have enough FBS talent. Fire him, don’t fire him, what does it matter? Recruiting is in a death spiral... who is out there that we can afford and can pull us out of this? It’s almost like they want Edsall to fail so they can justify shutting it down.

 

[LoyalFanCT]

I think Randy Edsall realizes it is up to him to clean up the mess that is UConn football. The mess was not created by him but by Coach PP and Diaco. When Randy left, we were a great football team. I think it is harder to rebuild a program now then it was 10 or 20 years ago. There is so much competition for players. There is so much competition to get into the P5 conferences. Money is king. Let's see what Randy can do this year. If he can't win a single football game, that sends a serious warning that UConn may be the new rival for the Coast Guard Academy. But if we can get six wins. UConn is bouncing back from the depths.

 

[Buffett10]

We do not have enough FBS talent. Fire him, don’t fire him, what does it matter? Recruiting is in a death spiral... who is out there that we can afford and can pull us out of this? It’s almost like they want Edsall to fail so they can justify shutting it down.

Art Briles

 

[EdgewoodNHV]

It's just strange to me how many of you know exactly what goes on behind closed doors. The locker room has to be weird with Edsdall, the players, and like 30 old dudes calling themselves things like "Chief" and "Whaler" hovering around listening.

 

[UConnJim]

Football programs, especially if you are not a traditional power, require significant time to turn around. If your school has high academic standards and limits JUCO recruitment, the rebuild is even harder.

Frank Beamer was 24-40 his first 5 years at VT. Greg Schiano went 3-24 in the Big East his first 4 years. Both turned the programs around, but it took patience and the powers to be had patience.

The key to Edsall’s program is he develops players over time. He needs RS Senoirs and RS Juniors for his teams to win. With the type of player UConn recruits, you are not going to win starting lots of freshmen and sophomores and UConn played a number of them.

Will UConn be better this year over last year? In some areas a clear yes. In other areas, unknown and could be worse. The key to the season will be QB play and none of us know how that will shake out.

 

[whaler11]

My goodness, do any of you tire of saying the same thing over, and over, and over, and over ....

dunno. do some of you ever get tired of supporting the people who have made the program a national embarrassment?