The reality ...

[Pudge]

I'm not guaranteeing wins over UMASS or Buffalo ... but it's clear that, rank order hierarchy, they are recruiting at a lower tier than UConn (us ).

One of my friends is a Mom of a very interesting recruit. Unlike Livingstone or Parker, he is a 6-6 260 lb kid who played at an upstate NY high school. Then Milford Academy. I believe he will commit to UMASS this week. The point: UConn (and Syracuse) sniff at kids with this profile; these are more risky than you do well in Florida. Or NJ. UMass & Buffalo would like the kids we are getting; they are down a tier. Definitively. It's not that these kids are not going to rise as high. There just is more risk. Kids are more raw. The Florida & Pennsylvania & NJ kids that go to those schools are just a level back.

Whipper can out scheme us. I'm not surprised. Diaco, however, is a good recruiting staff. And, they have gotten us to a good level there quick.

 

[uconndogs]

I'll rate the recruiting after the kids put the pads on and bang. For years I've read that Edsall couldn't recruit, then P took us up a notch, stars this and offers that.

Edsall put athletes on the field that could run.....and many of them very very physical. We're about as far away from that as we could be right now. Would love to see a Lloyd or Petrus or Deleston or McClain....kids like those who hit. Our LBs now.....a gentle group that are not all that fast.

 

[noeynox]

I would not call the lbs gentle. Joseph hits like a truck, Stewart who I'm not a big fan of his play and Vann run very well. What they don't seem to have more than anything is the instinctual play that some other groups had. Todd Orlando was an outstanding LB coach. Wholey wasn't on that level I think, and we will see with Brown.

 

[uconndogs]

I am excited about Joseph.

 

[whaler11]

What's the proper response to outrecruiting Buffalo and UMass? Holding off on imploding Rentschler?

Hey come to UMass - we'll probably be able to schedule 12 games. Ignore the whole getting kicked out of the MAC thing... we'll supply helmets and jerseys - you can count on that.

UMass has 9 games scheduled for 2016 - 7 of them on the road. The two home games are UConn and Rhode Island. They can play 13 though - because they go to Hawaii.

So good news - UConn can outrecruit an independent team that can't fill out a schedule.

 

[Palatine]

UConn needs a coach that can put a team on the field that is greater than the sum of it's parts. Last year, Diaco's team was less than the sum of its parts.

The offensive line was a real weakness. However this is a unit where a functional (less talented) group that jells can be better than a group of all stars in disarray. It makes coaching critical. Last year, we have had the worst of both worlds, a lesser talented group in disarray.

Recruiting is important but we are unlikely to get better than 50th rated class. Ergo, much falls on the coach. He must develop players. He must put them in the best situation for them to succeed. He must out scheme our opponents and he must make better real time decisions during the game. That's tough. But that's the job at UConn.

 

[huskyrob1]

UConn needs a coach that can put a team on the field that is greater than the sum of it's parts. Last year, Diaco's team was less than the sum of its parts.

The offensive line was a real weakness. However this is a unit where a functional (less talented) group that jells can be better than a group of all stars in disarray. It makes coaching critical. Last year, we have had the worst of both worlds, a lesser talented group in disarray.

Recruiting is important but we are unlikely to get better than 50th rated class. Ergo, much falls on the coach. He must develop players. He must put them in the best situation for them to succeed. He must out scheme our opponents and he must make better real time decisions during the game. That's tough. But that's the job at UConn.

Offensive line recruiting needs is one reason why I think UCONN needs to recruit better in state. I do not know the reasons but it appears to me that over the past ten years or so the state of CT has produced more D1 talent at that position than any other by far, with the great majority of them going elsewhere.