This needs to be said

[Nostical]

It's great you believe the players are good enough. That particular belief is contrary to all evidence.

Please spare me. Contrary to the evidence? Your comment is exactly what they said about Brady Hoke's Michigan players. It was said by many that the Wolverine players were good but the coaching wasn't up to the task of getting the most out of them. Was that contrary to the evidence too? Or did a different approach to their coaching turn them around. Sometimes the soldiers are just fine---but the generals aren't.

 

[BlueandOG]

FCF your ECU beers are on me if you throw in another Calhoun post this week. I'll even buy the Prestone... no wait - make it Quaker State.

How should I prepare the Fetzer valve?

 

[SAMCRO]

Please spare me. Contrary to the evidence? Your comment is exactly what they said about Brady Hoke's Michigan players. It was said by many that the Wolverine players were good but the coaching wasn't up to the task of getting the most out of them. Was that contrary to the evidence too? Or did a different approach to their coaching turn them around. Sometimes the soldiers are just fine---but the generals aren't.

Nos, Harbaugh doesn't have to deal with our OL. It is not a good group right now. Will be better... maybe average... in a year, but still a ways from average at this point.

 

[CL82]

r

It's great you believe the players are good enough. You can believe whatever you want. That particular belief is contrary to all evidence.

Biz is it your opinion that these guys are at their high water mark? That this is the best they can do. I see the youth and correctable mistakes and I think that we can be compete this season and have a shot at a bowl next season. Don't take that away from me...

 

[fgbrault]

What a piece of misguided crap. Great things rarely come from a "no roadblocks" attitude. Great things are much more likely to come from recognizing what roadblocks are there and then figuring out how you are either going to remove it or avoid it.

I think that is what he said. The "no roadblocks" attitude does not ignore the roadblocks, it recognizes them and fixes them instead of allowing them to become an excuse for mediocracy.

 

[SubbaBub]

You are going on the record that the players are good and the coaches are bad?

The players are good enough for what the current expectations are. The staff is overly contributing to losses. Not Saturday we had no shot.

 

[businesslawyer]

Biz is it your opinion that these guys are at their high water mark? That this is the best they can do. I see the youth and correctable mistakes and I think that we can be compete this season and have a shot at a bowl next season. Don't take that away from me...

Do I see this as the long term high water mark for this staff? No. Do I think we should be 6-6 or better next year? It depends on the schedule, but let me answer the question this way: on Offense we start 1 senior, 3 juniors, 6 sophomores and a freshman. Of course I expect us to be better next year as players gain experience and strength.

 

[SubbaBub]

The way Disco is playing this (playing lots of guys, spoon feeding techniques and schemes) says that at some point there will be a leap up in class. Building for the sake of building doesn't get you anywhere as the roster turns over.

I expected a better pop this year. For Diaco to be proven right it has to come next year.

 

[UConnDan97]

Do I see this as the long term high water mark for this staff? No. Do I think we should be 6-6 or better next year? It depends on the schedule, but let me answer the question this way: on Offense we start 1 senior, 3 juniors, 6 sophomores and a freshman. Of course I expect us to be better next year as players gain experience and strength.

So then it might just be youth, inexperience, and inexperience in a new system, rather than talent?

If so, then I agree. I don't buy the "lack of talent" argument. And if we had finished the job against either USF or Mizzou, we would currently be a .500 team with all of the aforementioned youth. The OL isn't very good, but they have gotten better. We have a fair amount of talent at the skills positions (Newsome, Shirreffs, Thomas, Beals, etc.). Our D-Line is really stout, save their performance against Cincy. Et cetera, et cetera.

Do we have Alabama-like talent? No
Do we have even Miami-like talent? No
Do we have talent enough to be a successful program? Yes. And I'll stand by that statement...

 

[Jimmy Serrano]

So then it might just be youth, inexperience, and inexperience in a new system, rather than talent?

If so, then I agree. I don't buy the "lack of talent" argument. And if we had finished the job against either USF or Mizzou, we would currently be a .500 team with all of the aforementioned youth. The OL isn't very good, but they have gotten better. We have a fair amount of talent at the skills positions (Newsome, Shirreffs, Thomas, Beals, etc.). Our D-Line is really stout, save their performance against Cincy. Et cetera, et cetera.

Do we have Alabama-like talent? No
Do we have even Miami-like talent? No
Do we have talent enough to be a successful program? Yes. And I'll stand by that statement...

What does it say that most of the kids on the 2 deep are underclassmen?

What does the defensive scheme that Diaco employs tell you?

The last Edsall class and both of P's were horrendous. It doesn't mean that they didn't recruit some good players. But when guys go through 4 or 5 years without making any real contribution? There's no other conclusion to make.

 

[businesslawyer]

So then it might just be youth, inexperience, and inexperience in a new system, rather than talent?

If so, then I agree. I don't buy the "lack of talent" argument. And if we had finished the job against either USF or Mizzou, we would currently be a .500 team with all of the aforementioned youth. The OL isn't very good, but they have gotten better. We have a fair amount of talent at the skills positions (Newsome, Shirreffs, Thomas, Beals, etc.). Our D-Line is really stout, save their performance against Cincy. Et cetera, et cetera.

Do we have Alabama-like talent? No
Do we have even Miami-like talent? No
Do we have talent enough to be a successful program? Yes. And I'll stand by that statement...

Do you want to twist words or truly disagree. Alex Bloom, now, is not a talented TE. He is not a good blocker, he doesn't make the correct decision on what to do with a blitzing LB and he drops too many balls. He is in his second year. By his 4th or 5th year (if he takes a redshirt), he may be a very talented player.

And saying "we could have a better record" is meaningless. Most losing football teams can point to a handful of plays and say if they were different we could have won. We could have beaten MIzzou, but we hardly proved we were the better team. We were the better team against USF for 30 minutes and the inferior team for 30. So what.

 

[NYUConn]

Do you want to twist words or truly disagree. Alex Bloom, now, is not a talented TE. He is not a good blocker, he doesn't make the correct decision on what to do with a blitzing LB and he drops too many balls. He is in his second year. By his 4th or 5th year (if he takes a redshirt), he may be a very talented player.

I think you are going to be proven right about Bloom FWIW (I know not exactly the point we are debating here, but it's something I've been thinking about a lot last few games).

He's shown an ability to get open quite frequently this year. The drops are a MAJOR issue, but there's something to be said about a tight end that has the ability to get open as consistently as he can. Much easier to stop drops than it is to teach effective route running.

Now the blocking on the other hand...well, yeah. Needs to spend a little more time with the O-Line.

 

[SubbaBub]

What does it say that most of the kids on the 2 deep are underclassmen?

What does the defensive scheme that Diaco employs tell you?

The last Edsall class and both of P's were horrendous. It doesn't mean that they didn't recruit some good players. But when guys go through 4 or 5 years without making any real contribution? There's no other conclusion to make.

It says they should get better quickly. A good number of those guys play on Sunday now. I can't stand the talent argument.

Do we have top 10 talent, no. We have had .500+ talent the entire time.

 

[RedStickHusky]

talent (raw), preparation, game day coaching, schemes (conceptual and execution) none of these exist in isolation and performance is a function of their product. there was always, theoretically, a level of talent that would have made PP a winner, however unattainable. I guess you can speculate on which aspect is holding us back, but we haven't really arrived until it all comes together.

 

[businesslawyer]

It says they should get better quickly. A good number of those guys play on Sunday now. I can't stand the talent argument.

Do we have top 10 talent, no. We have had .500+ talent the entire time.

Which is why every neutral preseason prediction had us at .500 or better.

Wait -- nobody did? So you just are better at seeing the talent than everyone else in the world. I hope you are an NFL scout and making bank off that skill.

 

[Jimmy Serrano]

It says they should get better quickly. A good number of those guys play on Sunday now. I can't stand the talent argument.

Do we have top 10 talent, no. We have had .500+ talent the entire time.

What guys are playing on Sundays now? You don't have to like the talent argument. You're free to disagree with it. But my eyes tell me that you're wrong.

Where are the players on the OL? Where are the LB's at the level that we've had? Where is the Kendall Reyes or hell the Shamar Stephen? Where is the Ryan Griffin? The Donald Brown/Caulley/Todman/Brockington? Newsflash: there isn't any of these caliber players on the current roster. Bloom is in his second year after getting some PT last year. He's not half the TE that Griffin was as a RS freshman. I hate having to name names but you and others are constantly chirping about this and leave me no other choice.

 

[Jimmy Serrano]

Do you want to twist words or truly disagree. Alex Bloom, now, is not a talented TE. He is not a good blocker, he doesn't make the correct decision on what to do with a blitzing LB and he drops too many balls. He is in his second year. By his 4th or 5th year (if he takes a redshirt), he may be a very talented player.

And saying "we could have a better record" is meaningless. Most losing football teams can point to a handful of plays and say if they were different we could have won. We could have beaten MIzzou, but we hardly proved we were the better team. We were the better team against USF for 30 minutes and the inferior team for 30. So what.

Nobody has butchered more names than BL over the years (well maybe Pal has). It's ALEC Bloom.

 

[businesslawyer]

Nobody has butchered more names than BL over the years (well maybe Pal has). It's ALEC Bloom.

Fair.

 

[Pudge]

Talent?

We have eyes. And every week, we get to watch the other team (presumably a peer Program). We don't have the playmakers that USF has; no way are we as explosive as 3/4 of their guys. We don't have 3 powerful RBs like Cincinnati; though, I like having Newsome on the team, I'd sure like one kid that broke the line like the UC 3. We have some kids developing at the Offensive playmaking spots; that's it. Potential versus what I saw is real production in volume. Our Offensive Line? We can say it's better than last year ... and hope. In the last 2 weeks, we have seen better rush game/pass game blocking. I wish we were progressing ALEC Bloom and Tommy Myers faster and giving them more targets.

Defensively? We are decent on the DLine; though, lacking any speed rush. The Linebackers (with last year) are as diminished a threesome as we have seen since 2001. I am not seeing much from them; I yearn for the Sio Moore, Greg Lloyd, Lawrence Wilson, Scott Lutrus four. (and, btw, they don't seem that hard to recruit considering 3 of the 4 we were their only offer). And although I like our 4 starting secondary players, they aren't as good as many we see these days. Let's not even remember Missouri players on Defense.

We can get better Talent with this staff. I think they have the sales and evaluation skills. We need time. We also need a far more aggressive roster management mode. More Levenberry's.

 

[businesslawyer]

The LB thing shouldn't be a great mystery. We thrived recruiting smaller LBs who could run, and then building them up (hopefully) without losing speed. Under both P and HCBD, we recruit bigger players (and then act surprised when other teams are faster than us).

Yes, if we were Penn State we'd recruit bigger and faster players. But at the moment that option does not appear open to us.

 

[UConnDan97]

What does it say that most of the kids on the 2 deep are underclassmen?

What does the defensive scheme that Diaco employs tell you?

The last Edsall class and both of P's were horrendous. It doesn't mean that they didn't recruit some good players. But when guys go through 4 or 5 years without making any real contribution? There's no other conclusion to make.

The players that I think are talented came from P's "horrendous" classes, including people like Newsome and Thomas on the offensive end and people like Campenni and Carrezola on the defensive end. We've heard about the tremendous talent of a player like Melifonwu from multiple coaches and multiple announcers.

But what has to be separated in this thread as well as others is the following: talent does not equal performance. And there are many reasons for that. Learning schemes. Changing position coaches and position philosophies. If you are young, getting stronger. You can be a talented 19 year old and struggle against 21 and 22 year olds. It doesn't mean you aren't talented...

 

[Storrsbred]

Honest question: what if Edsalls judgement is correct, that UCONN hit the ceiling and regardless of coach, it is what it is?
Forget the BB analogy, that's a much easier sport to turn around. UCONN football does not operate in a vacuum, where all other teams remain at their current level and only state U improves. If UCONN wants to move up the foodchain they have to out-recruit their contemporaries for several cycles. Can that happen? Yes, but not proven yet. The UCONN ceiling in football may be a consistent 7 win team.

 

[nelsonmuntz]

You must be smoking K2 again...good recruiter..LMFAO.....his failure to recruit ANY talent on the OL outside of Hopkins is a BIG reason why this team is where it is right now!

Right. It is Pasqualoni's fault that kids recruited to play in the Big East can't block at a mid-major level after 4 years.

 

[Jimmy Serrano]

Right. It is Pasqualoni's fault that kids recruited to play in the Big East can't block at a mid-major level after 4 years.

I'll give him a pass on Gifford and Nwokeji since they were both a part of Edsall's last class. But other than them? Yep.

 

[HobokenHusky]

Honest question: what if Edsalls judgement is correct, that UCONN hit the ceiling and regardless of coach, it is what it is?
Forget the BB analogy, that's a much easier sport to turn around. UCONN football does not operate in a vacuum, where all other teams remain at their current level and only state U improves. If UCONN wants to move up the foodchain they have to out-recruit their contemporaries for several cycles. Can that happen? Yes, but not proven yet. The UCONN ceiling in football may be a consistent 7 win team.

Temple and Memphis are forces right now, both better than any UConn team ever (I don't care that we made the Fiesta bowl, that team wasn't that good and we all know it). The only way they are more appealing destinations than UConn is Memphis's proximity to the south and both schools locations in a metro area, if those things are appealing. That is it. There is no reason we can't be at least that good, and I would argue our brand and facilities make us have more potential, even in this conference. No reason we can't go the Boise route and dominate this conference year in and year out. None.

Is Diaco the guy to do this? I like the improvement so far (it requires patience though), but next year will be telling. I do know though that The Fiesta Bowl season was not the potential ceiling as a team (maybe as an end destination, I don't think we will ever get into the playoff as it stands in this conference).

 

[FDNY99]

Right. It is Pasqualoni's fault that kids recruited to play in the Big East can't block at a mid-major level after 4 years.

How about the fact that failure=not bringing in any kids...

 

[businesslawyer]

Honest question: what if Edsalls judgement is correct, that UCONN hit the ceiling and regardless of coach, it is what it is?
Forget the BB analogy, that's a much easier sport to turn around. UCONN football does not operate in a vacuum, where all other teams remain at their current level and only state U improves. If UCONN wants to move up the foodchain they have to out-recruit their contemporaries for several cycles. Can that happen? Yes, but not proven yet. The UCONN ceiling in football may be a consistent 7 win team.

It's hard to be here some days.

1. Edsall said he had reached UConn's cieling where exactly?

2. Our cleling is 7 wins notwithstanding the fact that our last 4 years with Edsall, in a tougher conference, produced 9, 8, 8 and 8 wins.

And people wonder why I'm reduced to saying "with all due respect."

 

[Nostical]

With all due respect, ceiling and cleling?

 

[cohenzone]

This isn't that controversial. The players clearly need to execute but are better than they have shown. Losses are due more to deficiencies in our coaching philosophies and overall play calling.

Evidence please, that the players are better than they've shown. I go back away. I remember when Eric Torkelson played his whole first year as a return man and and it was clear he had the most talent of any other back, balance wise, vision, and drive. I just don't see many kids right now who stick out like that. I will say that some of the play calling has been curious, and that I wish that they would use a blitz now and then, which might expose more talent in the D backfield, especially LBs, to screw up an offense, than I think we've seen. But my own leash on Diaco extends at least until next year, and maybe realistically the year beyond when he can get a fair evaluation of whether the talent he gets is at least at the Edsall level and how successful he is with it.

I don't write that much on the FB board, but I said over two seeks ago when most were saying our D was okay and ahead of the O that I thought the contrary, that the D was not all that good and the O was showing me more, even with our O line. Just nobody jumps out at me on D as someone offenses really have to worry about as being disruptive. Schemes are a part of that, but talent usually finds a way to show itself.

 

[J187Money]

With all due respect, ceiling and cleling?

Or cieling. If you are going to make fun of someone please quote their misspellings accurately