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The View From Section 241

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Thanks for the write up, Biz... As I can't bring myself to stay up until 4.30am to watch this tripe I always look forward to getting a level headed review of things...
 
nelsonmuntz said:
We looked like a mid-major squad in every way, with the exception of the fact that mid-major teams play with a chip on their shoulder and UConn played like they had scheduled a football game between English Comp and Intro to Calculus. The players look like they have to be there, not that they want to be there.

You are 100% right about the talent gap. It is the grand canyon, and Maryland isn't all that good. Louisville and Michigan are going to destroy UConn. I think Memphis, Buffalo and USF are the only winnable games on the schedule. Every other team should beat the Huskies by 10+ points.

I think the football program is smoked. Finished. I don't think that UConn football will ever recover from the combination of Pasqualoni and conference realignment. UConn's next coach won't even have Pasqualoni's resume, and anyone decent we get will be gone within 3 years. UConn will permanently be a 3-4 win program with the occasional minor bowl sprinkled in between.

I think next week will be the last time a UConn football game will ever be an "event". We should enjoy it. I am not going to rant about how awful Pasqualoni is because there is nothing to say that is not obvious to everyone. Let's enjoy the last full house in UConn history. To be honest, we should think of it as more of an "End of the World Party" like some of the dorms on South Campus threw before they were torn down. By keeping Pasqualoni, Manuel announced he was tearing down UConn's football program. We should have a party to celebrate the memories.
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Do you get invited to a lot of parties?
 
bigAbruns said:
Is it just me, or has anyone else noticed that the offense runs the ball mainly out of the shotgun formation, and when they get under center its a pass play? I can see the shotgun hand off option working if Whitmer could actually be a running threat, but he isn't and defenses just go after McCombs. I'd like to see more run plays from under center, to set up play action. They have the WRs, why not do it.
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At one point in the second half, Whitmer took a snap and than ran what looked like a QB option over right tackle.

All I could think....was, there goes another busted play b/c we don't know what we're doing on offense.
 
As for not firing PP now . . . totally disagree. Get away from that man as fast as possible. This season is lost, so make a statement that UConn and it's fans will not accept this level of incompetence.

A quick history lesson . . . Most people did not agree with Mr Burton (and TDH as well as a few others) when we said "don't hire that old retread", he's not the right guy. No one listened.

No one listen, when we said get rid of him that first year (think the Vandy game). Sure, we pick up a few more supporters, but too many wanted to talk about his recruiting upgrades and the reluctance of a buyout.

One year later, and still not enough folks listening (although more were starting to see) when we said he was suffocating the life out of this program. Remarkably, some still called attention to his recruiting prowess and a continued reluctance to a buyout.

Now three years into PP's reign of buffoonery, he has crippled this program. His recruits as a whole have done little to improve the product on the field (apologies to Phillips, Davis and ... Phillips and Davis. And while finally it's unanimous that P must go, fans still can't wrap their heads around the concept of sooner rather than later. Sooner as in the day after the Michigan loss.

For once, just once, please, Connecticut do something bold. Fire P that night. Have a change of clothes for him ready to go, insist he wear nothing out of the premises with UConn on it, have state police transport him immediately back to his car on campus and follow him off grounds.
 
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TouchdownHusky said:
As for not firing PP now . . . totally disagree. Get away from that man as fast as possible. This season is lost, so make a statement that UConn and it's fans will not accept this level of incompetence.

A quick history lesson . . . Most people did not agree with Mr Burton (and TDH as well as a few others) when we said "don't hire that old retread", he's not the right guy. No one listened.

No one listen, when we said get rid of him that first year (think the Vandy game). Sure, we pick up a few more supporters, but too many wanted to talk about his recruiting upgrades and the reluctance of a buyout.

One year later, and still not enough folks listening (although more were starting to see) when we said he was suffocating the life out of this program. Remarkably, some still called attention to his recruiting prowess and a continued reluctance to a buyout.

Now three years into PP's reign of buffoonery, he has crippled this program. His recruits as a whole have done little to improve the product on the field (apologies to Phillips, Davis and ... Phillips and Davis. And while finally it's unanimous that P must go, fans still can't wrap their heads around the concept of sooner rather than later. Sooner as in the day after the Michigan loss.

For once, just once, please, Connecticut do something bold. Fire P that night. Have a change of clothes for him ready to go, insist he wear nothing out of the premises with UConn on it, have state police transport him immediately back to his car on campus and follow him off grounds.
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I think people didn't listen to Burton because of his letter and because his son was demoted when he played for Pasqualoni at Syracuse. If Burton was calm, rational, and didn't have a vendetta against Pasqualoni, perhaps people may have listened. There were a lot of posters on this very board who did NOT want Pasqualoni when he was hired.
 
One thing that's really bipolar I notice around here, is the view on our talent levels. I don't get it. I'm not going through the roster right now, but I'm 99% sure that we've got multiple players out there on this team, that played significant minutes last night, that were not recruited by Pasqualoni.

I'm not defending anyone or making excuses, just stating facts.

Those players, are being coached by coaches, that did not recruit them, and are using different schemes than they were recruited for.

THe players that were recruited by the current coaches were recruited for the systems they are supposed to be playing in now. AGain - not doing anything but stating the facts.

THe only talent deficiency I could see, between our team and theirs last night, was in the offensive backfield and WR. We don't have a QB and a WR that can match theirs with speed and running.

(and to be fair, they didn't have receivers that could match our size and physical ones either. )

I don't know what PHilips stats were, but he was having the game of his career until he hobbled off late, and Davis made some very, very key catches.

We could not run effectively, and as I've said, I'm not putting that on this OL this time. McCombs simply doesn't run with force, and it's beyond me how he is still our #1 back. But I'm done with making those kinds of conclusions and reasoning. He's our #1 and for some reason, that means it's been decided that we don't have a better option.

Is this a talent issue? Yes. WHo's fault is it? the people that recruited all the backs - our fastest, and most talented guy that came in is apparently an idiot because he didn't think it would be a problem to use somebody else's credit card without permission to order something to his own house and he's no longer playing. THe other ones are freshmen.

Just stating facts.

We are what we are. An 0-2 team, that is turnover prone in the passing game, and cannot run the ball on offense, and a defensive team that plays poorly coming out of half time of games, and a kicking team that is inconsistent and makes strange decisions.
 
UConnJim said:
I don't think it is all doom and gloom for the future after PP. the current coaching staff made some terrible recruiting decisions after the past 3 years that can be fixed fast. The RB situation is mind boggling. The fact that McCombs, a 170 lb RB that can't break tackles and doesn't have breakaway speed is still the best RB on the roster is crazy. (and I greatly respect McCombs.). No TE depth? How does that happen? Freshmen RBs can contribute in FBS football, so this problem is correctable. PP has started to address the TE depth, but 2 years too late. Correctable.

Also, the apparent confusion on both O and D are easily correctable, but apparently not by PP. OL blocking schemes? PP took UConn's greatest strength and made it a weakness. Correctable.

Lack of energy on the sideline by the head coach? Correctable.

Maybe there is a small step back when PP is replaced, but many of the problems are correctable. And, we seem to have more QB depth, the most important position in college football, than UConn has ever had. Remember, PP's first year, he had to start a walk on QB.
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Had to? Seems some kid in his 3rd year as college QB, and not named Johnny Football, was at UConn that year and is doing ok and is leading an undefeated team. Think maybe he might have been better than the walk on?
 
businesslawyer said:
We've wasted three years listening to this clown talk about prototypical bodies, and what we've got are a group of DLs with not one guy who started undersized and grew into a small DE who can actually generate a pass rush.
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I cant agree more with this. Big and slow. thats what we are. I am so sick of hearing about the "prototype" size. We won for years with guys who were "too small".

businesslawyer said:
Xavier Hemingway came on. I'm sure he's a good young man, but I don't see a RT who is big enough to get it done.
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This i don't agree with. Hemmingway, was bigger than all the DE's he has gone against by quite a bit. The entire OL is playing with their minds, not their bodies. Thinking...not playing. A different scheme, and i think this OL (including XH), could be just fine.
 
metsfan2323 said:
If you are saying the talent sucks, that's largely on Edsall as P's first recruiting class are mostly redshirt freshmen. I think it's the coaching and we will see an improvement on the field as soon P and D are canned. Making a change ASAP is at least worth a shot.
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The talent sucks because it hasn't been developed.

And giving McCombs a pass is utter bullsh!+. He was barely adequate as a freshman, and had a decent second half that year because the line, which still had some talented players, improved over the course of that year. But there were at least a half dozen arm tackles last night that a typical, 50th percentile average D1 back runs right through that sent McCombs to the ground, and that's been going on for three seasons. Never mind that he has terrible vision, and makes the wrong cut/read much more often than he makes the right one. Yes, the line stinks, but let's not ignore the fact that we have a below average back behind that terrible line.
 
noeynox said:
Last night was a game you literally shook your head at the amazement that all three facets of the game are in complete disarray. When you factor in that last night we added two more delay of game penalties, and we still have players confused as the ball being snapped, still looking for defensive calls, its a wonder what these guys do in practice. We heard about the corrections after the Towson game, we sure didn't see them.
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One thing I found out yesterday while tailgating (prefer not to go into details on the source) is that under RE, the onus during practice was to pay attention to detail almost to the point of it being a fault while P's philosophy was (is) the polar opposite.
 
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I think Nelson by and large is mostly a pessimist, but that post just about sums it up.

The combination of P and conference realignment may have just torpedoed our program permanently. If only things happened a couple years earlier, we would be in the ACC and perusing for a few rough seasons, but there would be a future.

Now? I'm not sure we can even get back to a perennial bowl program.

The whole thing just sucks and is pretty sad.
 
Agree with everything BL. As far as nelson's and other's thinking the program is damaged long term... If you look at the number of games over the past 2 years that we lost due to PP/GDL in-game coaching decisions, and/or their general philosophy and use of zone blocking, the wildcat, etc., I think you can make a good case that even with a similar talent level a competent, high-energy new coach can be expected to get to 7 wins and a bowl game in 2 years, maybe even in year 1 if he can maximize performance out of supposedly higher-rated players in 1 year the way Edsall was able to develop guys over ~3 years. Maybe I'm ignorant of our new conference mates but I don't see the AAC as being superior in any way to the NBE in terms of overall quality. Our OOC for the next few years is a step up over the Edsall years, but that's because of ~1 higher profile game a year. We should expect to return to our hallmark under Edsall which was solid defense, improve the offense, win games at home. Maybe it takes longer than I imagine, if there is a new system to be installed, etc... but I think a good coach can find the right way to take advantage of what is there. I'm trying to stay hopeful, if not for this season, then the next season or two...
 
Recruiting and talent (natural FB ability) can overcome most (a lot of) deficiencies in coaching. And sometimes bad coaching can sour talent. In UConn's case, I think it's the former.

I just don't know if even a top rated coach can do much with the talent level currently on board. Most of it is just not BCS level.......and as someone correctly pointed out......a good portion of UConn's competition (meaning actual offers, not just interest) for the athletes still comes from the FCS and non "power 5" BCS ranks.

I've never played the game, but the confusion everywhere makes equate it to me preparing for the first day of college classes and forgetting how to get dressed after I get out of bed......you would think there's got to be some natural ability at this point in their athletic development.
 
upstater said:
You never did make any sense.
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I'm sure you'll tell us all about the sanctity of grad school. You can't advocate for jucos and let players like Frey leave over admission to a grad program.

Are we playing football or not?
 
uconndogs said:
I gotta be honest. At first I thought the whole Nebrich thing was a bunch of bull. I'm really beginning to wonder if this staff can evaluate talent and if they are so wed to these schemes they don't consider any modifications to match that talent.

Could Hemmingway really be the best option to spell Friend? None of the other guys on the roster can help? Walk-on kid Steven Brown was on the two deep at RT and they let him walk. Big tough kid. McCombs as a workhorse? Ashiru's play last night was much better than anything Stewart has shown - why was he behind him?

Really makes me wonder if these guys are completely out of the loop.
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This is right on. PP and GDL coach a system. Notice I did not say teach a system. Big difference. Look at PP last years at Syracuse. Same offense and same result.

Hopefully our next head coach can:
1. Evaluate present talent
2. Develop offensive and defensive schemes according to talent
3. Be able to coach/ teach layers to lay at a higher level
4. Recruit a bruising running back and develop a respectable ground game
5. Be able to make in game adjustments
6. Be more eloquent than saying we need to work on execution.

I don't care if we run a "vanilla" offense or a "run and gun" offense. Just do it well.

And yes, I believe the right coaching staff can get us to 6 - 6 or 7 - 5 and a bowl bid in 2014.
 
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FfldCntyFan said:
One thing I found out yesterday while tailgating (prefer not to go into details on the source) is that under RE, the onus during practice was to pay attention to detail almost to the point of it being a fault while P's philosophy was (is) the polar opposite.
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Under Edsall, in BCS conference play, our offense was essentially a dozen plays or so all built off the same formation, and it never changed. The only thing we would do on offense to be really successful was be incredibly fundamentally sound in those dozen plays, and then run them over and over until a defense starting reacting a certain way, and then throw them a changeup and occasionally break a big play. It was all built off running plays, and we had handcuffs on the passing game.

Our defense, under Edsall, was essentially the same mirror image philosophy. A handful of sets, that were drilled fundamentally to precision, such that when an offense started to do certain things against what we were doing over, and over, we would be able to throw a changeup and occasionally get a game changing swing of a play. We showed essentially the same look on defense on first and second downs 90% of the time, and third down situations were when we would throw a change at times. You can count the numbers of times we did things different under Edsall on D on one hand (one being the game we had a chance of winning in Morgantown in 2009)

DO I need to talk about punts and kicks under Edsall?


THIS APPROACH TO FOOTBALL MAXED OUT AT TOP 30 LEVEL OF COMPETITION IN THE COUNTRY


So - it wouldn't surprise me in the least to hear that under Edsall, in practice, all we did was drill, drill, drill fundamentals and details, becuase our playbooks were probably the thickness of a pamphlet.

We are a losing football team right now. A team that is turnover prone in the passing game, cannot run the ball effectively on offense, has trouble on defense stopping teams coming out of the halftime period, and is inconsistent and head scratching with decision making on special teams.

that's what we are, and we're 0-2 in 2013 because of it.

I don't get paid to figure out how to change those things, but changing those things is what turns us into a winning team. I also know that complaining about coaches, and everythign else in the world, doesn't help this team improve.

I'm upset with only one player on this team, and it's Whitmer, and it's not for his decision making, and poor throws and consistently rolling out to the right under real or phantom pressure, it's because he was on his knees complaining to the ref, while an interception was being run back for a TD.

I'd yank him for that, and put the freshmen in.
 
The only question Warde has to answer is will hiring a new coach now improve the program for the next 5 years. Who is available right now and is he the answer or are you willing to wait for December to hire Mr X (and you better be 90% sure right now who Mr X is and will Mr X come). By me referring to Mr X I mean knowing 2 or 3 candidates right now.

Firing P and naming an interim coach now is folly. It would not look good to the college fb community (think CR).

I don't however agree with those saying UConn fb will be terrible for years, with the right man I see hope, progress, and results by the second half of the 2015/16 season.
 
huskeynut said:
This is right on. PP and GDL coach a system.


3. Be able to coach/ teach layers to lay at a higher level
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This does explain a lot, especially last year's photo shoot


:)
 
whaler11 said:
I'm sure you'll tell us all about the sanctity of grad school. You can't advocate for jucos and let players like Frey leave over admission to a grad program.
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That sounds like an eminently sane position.

Especially when you can't even seem to understand the facts of the case. Frey needed credentials to practice in PA, something UConn couldn't provide him.
 
FWIW - I also don't know how you get called for an illegal low block on a kick return, when you are the kicking team. Lots of head scratching moments last night.
 
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tduconn said:
I just don't know if even a top rated coach can do much with the talent level currently on board. Most of it is just not BCS level.......and as someone correctly pointed out......a good portion of UConn's competition (meaning actual offers, not just interest) for the athletes still comes from the FCS and non "power 5" BCS ranks.
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But I made this point about UConn's level of recruit to show that you can find plenty of talented players in those ranks, as evidenced by all the players that UConn sent to the NFL. They are in the 20s now with NFL players. That's higher than many programs that recruit players with more stars.
 
Carl Spackler said:
FWIW - I also don't know how you get called for an illegal low block on a kick return, when you are the kicking team. Lots of head scratching moments last night.
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The KICKER!!!!!! Of all the people!

NEforceUConn said:
Especially with 3 time outs in your pocket.
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The American Psychological Association lists this as the definition of true insanity.*











*May have made that up, but you believed it until you got here, didn't you?
 
tduconn said:
Recruiting and talent (natural FB ability) can overcome most (a lot of) deficiencies in coaching. And sometimes bad coaching can sour talent. In UConn's case, I think it's the former.

I just don't know if even a top rated coach can do much with the talent level currently on board. Most of it is just not BCS level.......and as someone correctly pointed out......a good portion of UConn's competition (meaning actual offers, not just interest) for the athletes still comes from the FCS and non "power 5" BCS ranks.

I've never played the game, but the confusion everywhere makes equate it to me preparing for the first day of college classes and forgetting how to get dressed after I get out of bed......you would think there's got to be some natural ability at this point in their athletic development.
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This is where something still does not compute (at least in my mind). We hear continually about the lack of talent here when P arrived and about how improved our recruiting is over what we used to bring in yet, we see so few of these more talented P recruits playing over the talent deficient RE recruits.
 
NEforceUConn said:
Especially with 3 time outs in your pocket.
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Hey, we actually used five of our six TO's yesterday. That has to be a record for the P regime!
 
ConnHuskBask said:
I think Nelson by and large is mostly a pessimist, but that post just about sums it up.

The combination of P and conference realignment may have just torpedoed our program permanently. If only things happened a couple years earlier, we would be in the ACC and perusing for a few rough seasons, but there would be a future.

Now? I'm not sure we can even get back to a perennial bowl program.

The whole thing just sucks and is pretty sad.
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This is just a silly thing to say. So nobody from the AAC can go to bowls. Ever. We are doomed to be worse than Memphis and Temple for eternity. Jeez.
 
tduconn said:
Recruiting and talent (natural FB ability) can overcome most (a lot of) deficiencies in coaching. And sometimes bad coaching can sour talent. In UConn's case, I think it's the former.

I just don't know if even a top rated coach can do much with the talent level currently on board. Most of it is just not BCS level.......and as someone correctly pointed out......a good portion of UConn's competition (meaning actual offers, not just interest) for the athletes still comes from the FCS and non "power 5" BCS ranks.

I've never played the game, but the confusion everywhere makes equate it to me preparing for the first day of college classes and forgetting how to get dressed after I get out of bed......you would think there's got to be some natural ability at this point in their athletic development.
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Please save and repost periodically. College football is all about recruiting and talent levels. We've had many fans downplay the "Star system" as meaningless, yet these players end up at other programs that are more talented than UConn. I have always maintained the view that what is most important is the programs that UConn beats out is the biggest tell tale.

If UConn were to be beating out Iowa, Maryland, UNC, Kentucky, Illinois that would be one thing. But if they are in the mix with the likes of Temple, Buffalo, Kent State, New Hampshire and UMass then . . . . Well no wonder we don't compete well with the big boys anymore.
 
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