"The expectation is to win every football game." Diaco

[Dooley]

Name one game where Diaco's team performed above there expected level.

UCF

The ECU and UCF games were back to back...and UConn played better than expected in both. Then the injuries hit harder and the season was cratered.

Nobody is saying (including Diaco) that he didn't make mistakes last year. But it is completely unfair, considering the hand that he was dealt, to expect Diaco to be flawless and get that team to perform at a high level. Your criticism is fair if the guy had more than 12 games under his belt and didn't inherit the PP mess. How about waiting for a larger data sample before building assumptions about his coaching ability.

Fair question, Pal. I would say that the games against UCF, ECU and Boise were above expected level. I expected UCF to win by 20, ECU to win by 40 and the Boise game was close until late in the 2nd half.

That said, there were more games that the team performed well below expected level: Stony Brook, Army, Cincinnati (this game was a non-compete), and SMU.

The rest of the games I think fell around the range I thought might happen before kickoff: BYU, Temple, Tulane, USF, and Memphis. I'm not saying that I was happy with any of these games, but they all came close to finishing how I (and most of us) thought at the time.

 

[Jimdish255]

I was really disappointed at how Coach D handled the offense last year. They were never going to be great, or even good but I had hoped they'd be decent enough to get a couple more wins. Unfortunately they seemed unfocused and timid, and Coach reinforced that by a lack of commitment in players and gameplanning.

I like coach D because he has great energy and he promotes the program well if not a little goofy at times. He has a vision and some good ideas which are going to help the team. It's just that I think his experience lies on the defensive side of the ball, and I wish he'd take the headset off and give Verducci the more prominent role when they're on the field.

 

[freescooter]

Diaco's pulling a reverse Lou Holtz. Holtz had a team that was going to be favored in every game, often heavily, and used his press conference to build up their opponent so that after they won the perception was "hey that was a decent win". Presumably the comments plus his locker room talks were aimed to instill in his players that they need to take their opponent seriously and stay focused. With Diaco, his team is going to be the underdog in most games and he needs to get the fanbase engaged so they'll show up, and his players to buy in so that if they lose a couple games they don't give up like last year.

At least on media day, I prefer this enthusiastic approach to the typical kind of coachspeak, of which Bellichick is the extreme example. How it plays out over the season which in reality will probably result in a small number of wins, remains to be seen. It could backfire. But I think Diaco is thinking about the next 2-4 years and this is probably more for setting the tone for next year and beyond than it is for this year.

I'll take coach speak and championships any day over crazy talk and 2-10. I hope I'm wrong but I think he crashes and burns, if not this year then next. A Villanova loss and I don't know that last year's record is even feasible.

 

[LIUCHusky]

I'll take coach speak and championships any day over crazy talk and 2-10. I hope I'm wrong but I think he crashes and burns, if not this year then next. A Villanova loss and I don't know that last year's record is even feasible.

Let's hope you are as wrong with your Diaco predictions as you were with your Ollie predictions.

 

[RedStickHusky]

Lot of big statements from the last place team.

Am I supposed to be fired up my head coach said he's expectations are to win games?

My mind is blown!

I get the "show me" attitude, but it still sounds better than "exhibition phase" and "process partners".

 

[RedStickHusky]

Yeah but it's an ironic chubby. Unless they actually live up to the ridiculous statements, then it will be a non-ironic chubby.

let me know when it's iconic.

 

[Palatine]

I have no problem with a coach -any coach- setting the expectation that the team will win every time they step on the field. I also think that every coach should have the national championship as his goal. That is exactly the right goal. And I see a big difference between stating that as your team goal, versus what Greg Schiano did at Rutgers when he promised multiple national championships. There's a big difference between a goal and a promise.

Now, let's see the commitment to win by the head man. Playing the best players. Not going into a shell when they commit a TO. Let's see a confident aggressive game plan.

Also, Diaco's teams came out of the locker room and pooped the bed the moment they stepped on the filed. Their first series was often the worst of the game. Let's see him field a team that is ready to play from the opening KO.

 

[whaler11]

Edsall took a team coming off a Div. 1AA playoff appearance and coached them to the lofty record of 4-7, bookended by loses of 56-17 and 62-20 to Hofstra and UMass, respectively.

Edsall improved by leaps and bounds in year 2 to 3-8 and 2-9 in 2001 . If memory serves, WR Keron Henry was the starting QB in '99 and part of '00.

Henry only played quarterback the first few games of 2001 as a true freshman.

Ryan Tracey was was supposed to be QB in 2001 and he quit on the eve of the season.

 

[Nostical]

Their first series was often the worst of the game. Let's see him field a team that is ready to play from the opening KO.

I agree with this. The enthusiasm of the team and the fans at kickoff was too often deflated by a turnover in the first few series--and we never regained our traction. But lots of Freshmen ball handlers and a porous O-Line caused those mishaps. I predict that the Verducci offense and the experience/growth and committed attitude of the players will turn that around this fall.

 

[Hoophound]

I agree with this. The enthusiasm of the team and the fans at kickoff was too often deflated by a turnover in the first few series--and we never regained our traction. But lots of Freshmen ball handlers and a porous O-Line caused those mishaps. I predict that the Verducci offense and the experience/growth and committed attitude of the players will turn that around this fall.

That begs the question, what is a Verducci offense? I'm not sure anyone has a clue. I'm hoping Bob has some unknown reason for thinking he's a legitimate OC.

The hype, bravado and overwhelming positivity of Diaco is contagious and people are catching the fever, but don't let yourself get carried away. Protect your heart. We've seen this before.

 

[freescooter]

Diaco, as I've said before reminds me of Schiano. I always felt Schiano was over rated big time and I hope to see UConn regularly competing for titles, not going wild for finishing 7-5 in 3rd place. Both have reps as top recruiters and for saying nutty things. Schianos early teams were very bad before he turned the corner. He could never settle on a quarterback either. He had 1 really good year and lots of mediocre ones. On the other hand he did take Rutgers from laughing stock to consistently average. Lots of people would take that for us at this point, I guess.

 

[NavinRJohnson]

I have no problem with a coach -any coach- setting the expectation that the team will win every time they step on the field. I also think that every coach should have the national championship as his goal. That is exactly the right goal. And I see a big difference between stating that as your team goal, versus what Greg Schiano did at Rutgers when he promised multiple national championships. There's a big difference between a goal and a promise.

Now, let's see the commitment to win by the head man. Playing the best players. Not going into a shell when they commit a TO. Let's see a confident aggressive game plan.

Also, Diaco's teams came out of the locker room and pooped the bed the moment they stepped on the filed. Their first series was often the worst of the game. Let's see him field a team that is ready to play from the opening KO.

Playing the best players meaning T. Boyle starting QB?

 

[Waquoit]

Ryan Tracey was was supposed to be QB in 2001 and he quit on the eve of the season.

What a pus sy that guy was.

 

[Waquoit]

For me, we performed at the expected level and UCF below.

That's the truth. UCF just plain quit on a miserable weather day. But we were so bad we kept trying to give the game back to them!

 

[FfldCntyFan]

I'll take coach speak and championships any day over crazy talk and 2-10. I hope I'm wrong but I think he crashes and burns, if not this year then next. A Villanova loss and I don't know that last year's record is even feasible.

Your posting history on both this and the men's hoops board has me convinced that you hope everything about UConn crashes and burns.

 

[Duncan Idaho]

Last year was asking the fat kid run the 400m hurdles. What did you expect?

 

[SonsOfNutmeg]

Tim Fontenault ‏@Tim_Fontenault 3m3 minutes ago
Diaco also said his safeties are the best tandem in the conference. "Name me a better one."

This is kinda true...

 

[MASSconn]

Diaco is giving UCONN football all kinds of PR right now with his outlandish, insane comments. I love it. No such thing as bad PR.

 

[SonsOfNutmeg]

Diaco was right on this last year: "Byron Jones is one of the best in the nation"... Why wouldn't he be right this year on Noel and his Safeties?

Also we go 6-6, with upsets against UCF and ECU to go bowling this holiday season! #boldprediCTions

 

[DoctorWho85]

#boldprediCTions

15-0 National Championship won over Alabama. No way this team isn't going undefeated.

 

[gwhuskyfan]

For those who read Barstool Sports: http://www.barstoolsports.com/barst...flow&utm_source=twitter&utm_medium=socialflow

Ends by saying "UConn football is unofficially officially back"

 

[freescooter]

Last year was asking the fat kid run the 400m hurdles. What did you expect?

I expected to beat Army and SMU at minimum and at least 1 of Tulane and USF. Honestly. That was a pretty low bar. Like asking the fat kid to clear a 6 inch hurdle.

 

[Duncan Idaho]

I expected to beat Army and SMU at minimum and at least 1 of Tulane and USF. Honestly. That was a pretty low bar. Like asking the fat kid to clear a 6 inch hurdle.

You didn't like how the coach got the fat kid around the track. Does the possibility exist that you may have underestimated or or not appreciate how truly out of shape the kid was last year? Who on O and Specials did you trust to jump over that 6 in hurdle last year?

 

[mets1090]

#boldprediCTions

15-0 National Championship won over Alabama. No way this team isn't going undefeated.

If there was a way to like the fact that Dan liked this, I would. But there isn't, so I guess I'll just like your post.

 

[Palatine]

Playing the best players meaning T. Boyle starting QB?

It means not sitting Geremy Davis on third down. Did you watch any of the games?

 

[UCHuskies08]

#boldprediCTions

15-0 National Championship won over Alabama. No way this team isn't going undefeated.

70-0 win in the #ConFLiCT

 

[ktuck911]

70-0 win in the #ConFLiCT

Let's just get a win in the ConFLiCT... It's doable...

 

[DoctorWho85]

70-0 win in the #ConFLiCT

That is bold, but I think UCF gets a field goal in the 4th because at that point our 3rd stringers and walkons are playing every down.

 

[DCUconnfan]

Diaco just snapped Jim Calhoun not a dime back style (not quite the level of Ryan Gomes style) in regards to questioning his expectation of winning every game. It was fun/weird/made you feel like you were watching a really awkward moment on The Office. I'm rewatching it to pull out the text and I'll update this in a second

 

[mets1090]

Diaco just snapped Jim Calhoun not a dime back style (not quite the level of Ryan Gomes style) in regards to questioning his expectation of winning every game. It was fun/weird/made you feel like you were watching a really awkward moment on The Office. I'm rewatching it to pull out the text and I'll update this in a second

Can't wait to see this.