Too Early for a Depth Chart? not for me.....

[CL82]

I really want to contain my expectations for next year, but I like the pieces we have and with Weist...I'm starting to feel hopeful in spite of myself.

 

[UConnDan97]

I really want to contain my expectations for next year, but I like the pieces we have and with Weist...I'm starting to feel hopeful in spite of myself.

I'm sensing you are finally ready to join me in saying, "13-0". Welcome, my child. Welcome....

 

[Jimdish255]

Pasqualoni was practically giddy about having Thomas Jr. in the Huskies' spectacular football training facilities for the next seven months."Noel is a bigger wide receiver, and now that he is moving on to UConn, everything is specific, and he can focus on football and the weight room," Pasqualoni said. "Noel has the chance to gain more and more strength, and with that comes more speed. With more speed comes more explosiveness, and with more explosiveness comes more durability, and that will enhance his speed. And with more strength comes more speed and more explosiveness, and with more explosiveness comes more durability, and that will enhance his speed. All these things are advantages, and these are things we want him to focus on."

Strongerer, betterer, fasterer. You got all that? He seems like a great kid who will at some point make a contribution. But just to remind everyone, he's a freshman from St. Lukes who may need an adjustment period regardless of his talent level. I'm glad he's here for sure but P's rant is both flattering and amusing.

http://www.msgvarsity.com/long-island/in-studio-with-st-luke-s-noel-thomas-12-10-12-1.1294210

 

[CL82]

I'm sensing you are finally ready to join me in saying, "13-0". Welcome, my child. Welcome....

My inner New Englander would never allow that.

 

[Johnbuoy]

IMO there are a few things any newbie should keep in mind in order to make the transition successfully from high school to D-1 football. In no particular order.
1. A need to increase their mass commensurate with the position they'll be playing.
2. A willingness to know that they need to be better conditioned than what they're probably used to.
3. A mindset that it's all about the team and not individual accolades.
4. Study habits that keep them eligible.
5. Disciplined/mature enough to know and do the right thing on and off the field.
6. A desire/will to compete and be the best they can be no matter where they're positioned.
7. Patience and an understanding that just because they aren't on the field come August 29th, they are expected to be at some point. Their time will come.
8. A mindset that they actually deserve to be at UConn and are ready and able to play to their potential at a higher level.

My guess is that the above are all things they'll hear or figure out at some point in time after their arrival at UConn if they expect to see the field and play D-1 football.

Please feel free to add/detract/or criticize the list. No offense will be taken. It's just IMO.

 

[RedStickHusky]

many thanks to kcc for starting this great (and much needed) thread. After last season, I'm going to make every effort to manage my own expectations but... hope springs eternal. As P's first real class takes off thier red shirts, still youngsters, I'm very curious to see whether his obvious prediliction for 'prototypes' leads to some older guys getting jumped. This is not a criticism, I just think P's made it clear that he likes guys that fit the mold and that was not a dominant part of our philosophy before his arrival.

 

[rich1122]

My feeling on that is there is 3 very talented Freshman wideouts coming in. With 2 top end wideouts. I don't think there is a need to burn all 3 red shirts. 2 of the 3 (Noel and Dhameer) enrolled early but the most highly acclaimed Lemelle is coming in in the summer. It will be interesting seeing plays and who beats who out but again I just dont see the point of burning all their redshirts. So I guess I see Noel as the 3rd of those 3. I think he is/or could be already better than Foxx and Abrams but I see them with the experience and they will probably get the shots early to see if they have improved. If not its going to be tough not too get weened out for their senior years.

Probably Frosh will have a difficult time to see the field.. When asked about contributors for this year, PP specifically mentioned Gutierrez and Green as making progress and contributing this year. I think that the passing game will improve this year, especially with Philips and Davis back. Nothing on Abrams - he is a Junior.

Whitmer really made some nice throws against Pitt and Louisville. Game saver 3rd and 7 to Philips (not sure) against Pitt. Kept the drive going. Give the kid more time and another year to work with these guys, as well as a new coach, and maybe we have something.

 

[Jimdish255]

Probably Frosh will have a difficult time to see the field.. When asked about contributors for this year, PP specifically mentioned Gutierrez and Green as making progress and contributing this year. I think that the passing game will improve this year, especially with Philips and Davis back. Nothing on Abrams - he is a Junior.

Whitmer really made some nice throws against Pitt and Louisville. Game saver 3rd and 7 to Philips (not sure) against Pitt. Kept the drive going. Give the kid more time and another year to work with these guys, as well as a new coach, and maybe we have something.

Good post. All these things could and should happen if we get the OL straightened out. In the long-term CW is a good QB if the offense is balanced. If not we have issues. Down the road a more athletic QB could take more of the load.