Things you look for in Fall camp

[whaler11]

If you ever watch sports you know that one drive, one pass, one at bat, one shot or one goal can mark a turning point for a player. Something clicks.

I am not saying that that happened with one drive drive for Pindell. But your post shows only negativity and no insight.

Okey dokey. It’s not negative to say they don’t know if they have a quarterback yet. It’s reality. One drive in a meaningless game against a terrible team is just that. Which backup are you going to call for in the second quarter of the UCF game?

 

[Hornet22]

So do you want to go back to the days of Eric Torkelson or earlier to show what you know because that tells me nothing. Your negativity about everything, your smugness about your posts- that tells me everything I need to know.

Pindell will be better- that is the progression from junior year to senior year. The kid has some ability to run this offense. If you think kids don't progress from year to year, than there is nothing left to be said.

I’ve learned that you have to just respect a fan’s choice to be negative or in heir mindset “realistic”
When a team loses as much as UConn has over the past six years it’s a tough sell to get some people to choose optimism. It’s just easier to double down on the negativity as a way to protect yourself from letdown. As if somehow a person is less than for actually hoping for the best and getting the opposite result. To each his own right?
I always say this. The same way a fan wants a team to persevere through adversity and lift themselves out of the doldrums (as some on this board will try and sell us on) how about applying the same standard on ourselves as fans right? Perhaps persevere as a fan and stick behind the team. Show up at The Rent en masse, get the place rocking and give the team a competitive advantage? I know the negative fans (some) will still show up and claim to be fans because they went to the game. But that negative energy, in my opinion, finds a way to cast a dark cloud over things. And for the people who don’t show up anymore? It’s way harder to rebuild a franchise with lack of fan support. Recruits who come to games and see a half empty stadium don’t want to play in a lackluster environment. So perhaps we missed out on a couple of kids that were considering UConn but after seeing 18k or less in the stands didn’t help matters. And then some fans will complain about not getting the recruits, etc etc but unbeknownst to them they’re contributing to the self fulfilling prophecy. Future classes considering UConn are like babies. They have no perspective on the school besides what they see and experience. How about packing The Rent and creating an environment that lures kids to Storrs?
Yes, I believe Pindell will be better. He has athletic talent and a brain and had some good experience down the stretch last season. He has talent behind him that’s pushing him. He has really good coaches that are working with him. He’ll be better. The team will be better. And if they’re not? Then I’ll continue to hope.
The talent is there though. Let’s get this thing going!

 

[whaler11]

I’ve learned that you have to just respect a fan’s choice to be negative or in heir mindset “realistic”
When a team loses as much as UConn has over the past six years it’s a tough sell to get some people to choose optimism. It’s just easier to double down on the negativity as a way to protect yourself from letdown. As if somehow a person is less than for actually hoping for the best and getting the opposite result. To each his own right?
I always say this. The same way a fan wants a team to persevere through adversity and lift themselves out of the doldrums (as some on this board will try and sell us on) how about applying the same standard on ourselves as fans right? Perhaps persevere as a fan and stick behind the team. Show up at The Rent en masse, get the place rocking and give the team a competitive advantage? I know the negative fans (some) will still show up and claim to be fans because they went to the game. But that negative energy, in my opinion, finds a way to cast a dark cloud over things. And for the people who don’t show up anymore? It’s way harder to rebuild a franchise with lack of fan support. Recruits who come to games and see a half empty stadium don’t want to play in a lackluster environment. So perhaps we missed out on a couple of kids that were considering UConn but after seeing 18k or less in the stands didn’t help matters. And then some fans will complain about not getting the recruits, etc etc but unbeknownst to them they’re contributing to the self fulfilling prophecy. Future classes considering UConn are like babies. They have no perspective on the school besides what they see and experience. How about packing The Rent and creating an environment that lures kids to Storrs?
Yes, I believe Pindell will be better. He has athletic talent and a brain and had some good experience down the stretch last season. He has talent behind him that’s pushing him. He has really good coaches that are working with him. He’ll be better. The team will be better. And if they’re not? Then I’ll continue to hope.
The talent is there though. Let’s get this thing going!

Here are a whole list of things that have nothing to do with the fact nobody knows if Pindell is going to play well.

People said plenty of positive things last offseason and he lasted two quarters against a mediocre FCS team.

We don’t even know if the OC can do his job and the big plus on Pindell was that Lashlee handpicked him.

 

[Hornet22]

Here are a whole list of things that have nothing to do with the fact nobody knows if Pindell is going to play well.

People said plenty of positive things last offseason and he lasted two quarters against a mediocre FCS team.

We don’t even know if the OC can do his job and the big plus on Pindell was that Lashlee handpicked him.

All valid points Whaler. And that’s the case with a lot of players in sports in general. Some guys knock it out the park one year which leads you to believe for the next then they totally stink up the joint or have a mediocre year. Look at Summers. I’m sure after that great Soph year you wouldn’t have thought he would regress the way he did. Lots of off the field stuff can contribute to how a player comes back in subsequent years for better or worse. But the one variable that remains constant is (in my T.O voice) he’s my QB- our QB. So we should rally behind him and hope things click for him this year. I’m sure no one here argues that he’s extremely quick/elusive and can harm you with his legs. He also has a decent arm. Let’s hope his decision making and overall confidence leads him to have a solid year. It’s not way out of the realm of possibilities. And if it does happen then we can have a competitive year.

 

[Exit 4]

Apparently Kool Aid will not be tolerated this summer.

Kool Aid Hockey GIF - Find & Share on GIPHY

 

[Ldandy]

I’ve learned that you have to just respect a fan’s choice to be negative or in heir mindset “realistic”
When a team loses as much as UConn has over the past six years it’s a tough sell to get some people to choose optimism. It’s just easier to double down on the negativity as a way to protect yourself from letdown. As if somehow a person is less than for actually hoping for the best and getting the opposite result. To each his own right?
I always say this. The same way a fan wants a team to persevere through adversity and lift themselves out of the doldrums (as some on this board will try and sell us on) how about applying the same standard on ourselves as fans right? Perhaps persevere as a fan and stick behind the team. Show up at The Rent en masse, get the place rocking and give the team a competitive advantage? I know the negative fans (some) will still show up and claim to be fans because they went to the game. But that negative energy, in my opinion, finds a way to cast a dark cloud over things. And for the people who don’t show up anymore? It’s way harder to rebuild a franchise with lack of fan support. Recruits who come to games and see a half empty stadium don’t want to play in a lackluster environment. So perhaps we missed out on a couple of kids that were considering UConn but after seeing 18k or less in the stands didn’t help matters. And then some fans will complain about not getting the recruits, etc etc but unbeknownst to them they’re contributing to the self fulfilling prophecy. Future classes considering UConn are like babies. They have no perspective on the school besides what they see and experience. How about packing The Rent and creating an environment that lures kids to Storrs?
Yes, I believe Pindell will be better. He has athletic talent and a brain and had some good experience down the stretch last season. He has talent behind him that’s pushing him. He has really good coaches that are working with him. He’ll be better. The team will be better. And if they’re not? Then I’ll continue to hope.
The talent is there though. Let’s get this thing going!

Not my dog in this fight, but I'd take a thousand fans like Whaler who might be down on the program but still show up and support it in the stands and with their wallets before the far larger group of super positive "fans" whose idea of supporting the team is to send good vibes through their flat screen TVs from the comfort of their couch.

 

[RSTuthill]

Thoughts???


Tweets from RE that include quotes suggesting the young pups have bought in and that the play on the field is seeing positive results.

That ALWAYS happens except for the first season where they say that they can't believe how bare the cupboard is.

 

[Life Is Good]

Th

Okey dokey. It’s not negative to say they don’t know if they have a quarterback yet. It’s reality. One drive in a meaningless game against a terrible team is just that. Which backup are you going to call for in the second quarter of the UCF game?

That’s the scary part. None of the other QBs have thrown a pass in a college game. Let’s hope they are all quick learners and can adapt accordingly. The question we should ask, “Is four weeks enough to get our inexperienced quarterbacks ready?”

 

[gioff23]

That ALWAYS happens except for the first season where they say that they can't believe how bare the cupboard is.

Read his tweets - it has NOT happened yet

 

[gioff23]

Th

That’s the scary part. None of the other QBs have thrown a pass in a college game. Let’s hope they are all quick learners and can adapt accordingly. The question we should ask, “Is four weeks enough to get our inexperienced quarterbacks ready?”

Last year, the staff felt 4 weeks was enough time to get the inexperienced guy ready. He blinked under the bright lights. He got better as the year went on, but he was not someone who any of us felt would have a commanding lead on the depth chart come summer camp. If he does, it suggests he got better or ..... It's the OR that is the scary part.

 

[uconndogs]

I'm cautiously optimistic that with Pindell the offense can be pretty good. I think we may have a much better running game and hopefully this group of athletic TEs will help out and enhance the offense. I'm not sure Lashley was a huge loss.

The defense........god only knows. I said previously, if the LB play improves then maybe we'll have a serviceable defense. If it deteriorates from last year we'll be watching track meets.

 

[uconnphil2016]

I'm cautiously optimistic that with Pindell the offense can be pretty good. I think we may have a much better running game and hopefully this group of athletic TEs will help out and enhance the offense. I'm not sure Lashley was a huge loss.

The defense...god only knows. I said previously, if the LB play improves then maybe we'll have a serviceable defense. If it deteriorates from last year we'll be watching track meets.

I know many will disagree, but I don’t think Lashlee was that impressive. We were so bad once we got on the precipice of scoring range, and we ran so many draws out of the pistol on third down with Newsome which just made no sense

 

[kemba]

It is a show of progression. It is also called the IT factor. When you have the ability to a game by the neck for a last minute win. If Pindell was such a lost cause, he wouldn't have been able to do it against anyone - including Holy Cross where the game was too fast for him.

Projecting kids is what makes a college coach like RE so good. If you have been around the program long enough, you can see what he sees and trust the process.

Love Edsall, don't think his track record with previous QB's has earned blind trust. Includng last year when they annoited Pindell the starter very early, when that was clearly the wrong decision.

He very well might make big strides and be a good player, but he's not a sure thing by any means

 

[Alum86]

Randy pucked thecwrong QB out of the gate last year. Let’s hope Pindell has improved immensely.

 

[freescooter]

I was also not on the Lashlee bandwagon. He did some good things and opened the offense up but it lacked pace. As I’ve said before when your defense is bad 3 and out in 10 seconds does you no favors. And time consuming drives can be a tool as long as they end in a score.

As far as the quarterback goes I think Pindell is no more than serviceable but with a better line and the right offense that’s ok. You don’t need to throw deep a lot. You need to be able to do it effectively when you do it.

 

[EdgewoodNHV]

Exciting to say that we're only a few weeks away from the start of Fall camp.

With that said, there's a lot to look forward to with this team. Primarily, defense. Can't get any worse, or can it?

First rule of UConn Football is that it can always get worse.

Think you've hit rock bottom? Just wait a while.

 

[Colt house75]

Randy pucked thecwrong QB out of the gate last year. Let’s hope Pindell has improved immensely.

Interesting point Alum...but I tend to think it was more a Lashlee decision and Edsel concurring and Edsel then stepping in and making the QB switch for the second half of the opener. If No switch .... we were toast.

 

[Hornet22]

Not my dog in this fight, but I'd take a thousand fans like Whaler who might be down on the program but still show up and support it in the stands and with their wallets before the far larger group of super positive "fans" whose idea of supporting the team is to send good vibes through their flat screen TVs from the comfort of their couch.

I hear you.
But there are some true fans who just can’t make it to the games for whatever reasons.
But I hear you
Still, I’m all for being positive same as we want our players to be as such

 

[BlueDogs]

I still think Pindell will start but the question is for how many games? We have four QB’s and three were red shirted. It’s hard to say what they can bring to the table because none of them have seen any game time. Bisack played in spring games and ran scout team. Washington had to sit out both spring games and had seen limited practice time. McAfee had limited time in the spring game and at practice. Krajewski will see his first practice on August 1st. It will be very interesting to see how he adjusts to this level. I like his tape and he has all the tools to compete for the job but two weeks of practice is not enough time for anyone. I say Pindell gets the nod but QB2 is wide open.

I thought Bisack was gong to play a lot better than he showed in the spring game. He looks the part, throws a decent ball, but it doesn’t seem to come together.

 

[ktuck911]

I thought Bisack was gong to play a lot better than he showed in the spring game. He looks the part, throws a decent ball, but it doesn’t seem to come together.

Isn't he a PWO?

 

[huskymedic]

Isn't he a PWO?

Initially was in 2015, but on scholarship since 2016.

 

[RSTuthill]

Read his tweets - it has NOT happened yet

Camp hasn't started. Wait until a week before UCF.

Oh, and btw, I don't read tweets. Cancelled my account.

 

[freescooter]

I thought Bisack was gong to play a lot better than he showed in the spring game. He looks the part, throws a decent ball, but it doesn’t seem to come together.

I don’t get the love affair with Bisak. He is a walk-on who works hard but isn’t really that talented and is probably never going to see the field even in mop up duty now that the new red shirt rules are in effect. I thought he might get the Larson role from the early 2000s but now even that seems unlikely.

 

[Ldandy]

I have a few connections with Lackawana and they were all pretty high on Pindell as a player. I think he is a legit FBS Level QB, but IMO the staff made a big mistake anointing him the starter last year and brushing the more established Shirreffs aside. Pindell not surprisingly struggled early and the staff felt they had to call on Shirreffs to salvage the season. The pressure of being the focal point of an offense for a team saddled with a pretty bad defense probably was too much for him early on.

The better move would have been to bring him along slowly behind Shireffs with the possibility of inserting him in games depending on injuries or the team's performance. In that scenario he would have got his feet wet at The FBS Level, gained experience, and still had a season to start. Pindell is a nice bridge QB/stop gap option for a team developing young talent. Hopefully he develops this offseason and comes back ready to go. Let Bisak be number 2 on the depth chart, but have Washington ready to go should Pindell get hurt or struggle. Let the new kid from GA Redshirt and compete for the job next year.

 

[Husky25]

I have a few connections with Lackawana and they were all pretty high on Pindell as a player. I think he is a legit FBS Level QB, but IMO the staff made a big mistake anointing him the starter last year and brushing the more established Shirreffs aside. Pindell not surprisingly struggled early and the staff felt they had to call on Shirreffs to salvage the season. The pressure of being the focal point of an offense for a team saddled with a pretty bad defense probably was too much for him early on.

The better move would have been to bring him along slowly behind Shireffs with the possibility of inserting him in games depending on injuries or the team's performance. In that scenario he would have got his feet wet at The FBS Level, gained experience, and still had a season to start. Pindell is a nice bridge QB/stop gap option for a team developing young talent. Hopefully he develops this offseason and comes back ready to go. Let Bisak be number 2 on the depth chart, but have Washington ready to go should Pindell get hurt or struggle. Let the new kid from GA Redshirt and compete for the job next year.

Except this isn't a video game. My guess is that there were some very real and very human considerations that went into naming Pindell starter for the Holy Cross game.

And salvage the season? Even the most cautiously optimistic of UConn fan had to adjusted expectations after ECU and certainly after Memphis.

 

[Ldandy]

Except this isn't a video game. My guess is that there were some very real and very human considerations that went into naming Pindell starter for the Holy Cross game.

And salvage the season? Even the most cautiously optimistic of UConn fan had to adjusted expectations after ECU and certainly after Memphis.

I don't know the details of Shirreffs health concerns but he still played quite a bit last year including against HC. Maybe he wasn't believed to be physically capable of starting the season? If so then I guess the staff had few options. From the outside looking in it played like a situation where a new OC was going to play his guy to start the season no matter what. When that guy struggled they turned to the previous starter. As for salvaging the season that might be a bit too strong, however I shudder to think how much worse things could have gone had the team lost to FCS Holy Cross in the home opener.

 

[Husky25]

I don't know the details of Shirreffs health concerns but he still played quite a bit last year including against HC. Maybe he wasn't believed to be physically capable of starting the season? If so then I guess the staff had few options. From the outside looking in it played like a situation where a new OC was going to play his guy to start the season no matter what. When that guy struggled they turned to the previous starter. As for salvaging the season that might be a bit too strong, however I shudder to think how much worse things could have gone had the team lost to FCS Holy Cross in the home opener.

Pindell's talent aside. Shirreffs' health was only part of it. He was a Diaco hold over. IMO, Edsall 2.0 wanted to move on and Pindell fit Lashlee's style better. He only asked Shirreffs to come back in order to feel comfortable about redshirting Washington and McAfee (i.e. the only viable backup was not a former walk-on with the same experience as me). Shirreffs had already graduated, was engaged, had a kid, and a snowball's chance on the shores of the River Styx of playing anywhere professionally. As far as physically capable to start the season? If he weren't, he would not have suited up, let alone played, in week 1. It was no secret that he was one hit away from never playing again. He was(is) a mensch for agreeing to come back.

 

[Life Is Good]

I have a few connections with Lackawana and they were all pretty high on Pindell as a player. I think he is a legit FBS Level QB, but IMO the staff made a big mistake anointing him the starter last year and brushing the more established Shirreffs aside. Pindell not surprisingly struggled early and the staff felt they had to call on Shirreffs to salvage the season. The pressure of being the focal point of an offense for a team saddled with a pretty bad defense probably was too much for him early on.

The better move would have been to bring him along slowly behind Shireffs with the possibility of inserting him in games depending on injuries or the team's performance. In that scenario he would have got his feet wet at The FBS Level, gained experience, and still had a season to start. Pindell is a nice bridge QB/stop gap option for a team developing young talent. Hopefully he develops this offseason and comes back ready to go. Let Bisak be number 2 on the depth chart, but have Washington ready to go should Pindell get hurt or struggle. Let the new kid from GA Redshirt and compete for the job next year.

I say let all five QB’s compete for the job THIS year and let the best QB earn the spot. If the kid from GA does get red shirted than at least try to get him in four games so he can get some experience, even if it’s mop up time.

 

[freescooter]

Pindell is what he is. Pretty good and a bridge to Washington/McAfee/kid from Georgia one of whom will be the starter next year. On a pretty good team Pindell looks like a solid qb. One a not so good team he doesn’t. Basically I don’t think he gets you to the next level but he is not bad. I always thought his choice last year was a combination of Lashlee wanting him, Edsall giving Lashlee what he wanted and Sherriffs being a Diaco guy who wasn’t really planning to come back.

 

[uconnphil2016]

Pindell is what he is. Pretty good and a bridge to Washington/McAfee/kid from Georgia one of whom will be the starter next year. On a pretty good team Pindell looks like a solid qb. One a not so good team he doesn’t. Basically I don’t think he gets you to the next level but he is not bad. I always thought his choice last year was a combination of Lashlee wanting him, Edsall giving Lashlee what he wanted and Sherriffs being a Diaco guy who wasn’t really planning to come back.

At the very least, we can all agree Pindell is really fast. This will make him at least an okay QB.